Carol Drake-Lee, Office Manager, is a key member of the team at Warwickshire Property & Development Group (WPDG), supporting the company’s operations and making the business tick behind the scenes.

In this latest blog, Carol reflects on her three years at WPDG and her role in establishing operations, from office management and building a team to growing the company’s profile and marketing activity, while also looking ahead to the next stage of the company’s evolution.

Carol joined WPDG in 2021 and has a wealth of experience in marketing, sales, corporate hospitality, events, operations and office management in the property sector. She began her career at Rover Group, before moving into the property sector with two Warwickshire-based companies.

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When I saw the WPDG role advertised I knew immediately this was a company I would like to be a part of.

It was clear that WPDG was ambitious and somewhere that I could expect to make a positive impact and use all my skills.

The company has changed enormously since I joined three years ago. I’m very proud of the team that has been created and the achievements we have delivered in such a short time.

In 2021, we had a new team of three, an empty office in Warwick and a couple of desks. The foundations were there, and we set about building the business.

My time here has been incredibly rewarding and the role has entailed everything from sorting phone lines and creating a workspace for our staff, to establishing HR policies, aiding in the development of the business plan and creating marketing material to promote the company.

My career started at Rover Group in a fast-paced role in sales and marketing. I decided to take a different course after having children and started working part-time for an estate agent in Leamington, my first venture into the property sector. From there I was approached to become office manager for a rural property developer and that is where I really got into the development side and day-to-day operations of the business.

Working with the senior team and the board at WPDG I’ve been able to use many of these skills and experiences to help establish the business.

Much of my role is behind the scenes, however the WPDG branding, and website is something that is visible to external audiences.

It was important to develop a simple and professional branding that clearly identifies WPDG to its customers and partners.  This links to all our marketing material and helps communicate WPDG’s strengths and values.

In developing the new website, I was keen it should be professional, and clean and simple, in order to stand out and compete with other companies in the sector. I am proud to say the new website is up and running and provides details about WPDG developments, our latest news, important links, and information on our team, all at the click of a button.

My role has evolved dramatically over the last three years. In a very short time, the company has gone from a handful of people working in an empty office, to a well-structured team winning awards for its work in the property sector. My role will evolve again as WPDG grows further.

The key ingredients to our success have been collaboration and the excellent team we have at WPDG. Everyone is willing to jump in and help regardless of the task. It’s an exciting time for all of us to be part of a truly ambitious company and I feel privileged to be part of the team