Enterprise Nation's Fan Friday! 🎉 Hedi & Mark Fountain

Welcome back to another edition of Fan Friday, the series that shines a spotlight on the depth, breadth and brilliance of UK small businesses from within the Enterprise Nation community ✨

This week, we sat down with member Hedi Fountain, co-founder of City Space, an all-in-one studio space for creatives, brands, and businesses based in Chelmsford, Essex, which she runs alongside her husband Mark. 

Building a business with your partner can bring its own unique challenges, but for those considering taking the leap, Hedi shares her perspective on making it work:

“...Play to each other's strengths rather than trying to do the same job. Mark and I have different skill sets, and that's one of the reasons it works so well. Be honest, respect each other's opinions, and remember that your relationship is more important than any business decision.” 

Found out more about City Space below & don't forget to leave some love in the comments. 🫶 

What is City Space? And how do people use it?

City Space is a creative photography and video studio with a full studio set up, 2 content areas, glam are and a podcast room. We are also fully licensed with strong  barista coffee, aircon and WIFI. When clients are not using to create content we hire it out as an event space. So people use it for all sorts of things — from content creation days, podcasts and training sessions, to workshops, networking events, product launches, and small corporate gatherings. We also see a lot of photographers, coaches, and brands using it for shoots and experiential events where they want more control over the environment. 

What makes it different is that it’s built for creativity and flexibility. It’s not a “one size fits all” space — it adapts to the vision of whoever walks through the door and we absolutely love it! 

What inspired you to create City Space? 

We wanted something that would compliment our video production business but could be also really benefit the local community and something I could run without needing Mark. There is not like this in Essex, so we thought why not! 

Experiential venues like City Space are becoming increasingly popular - what do you think is driving that? 

I think people are looking for more than just four walls and a few chairs. Whether it's an event, a workshop, a networking meeting, or a content creation day, people want an experience that feels memorable and engaging. 

The way we work has changed dramatically over the last few years. More people are working remotely, running their own businesses, and building personal brands. They're looking for spaces that inspire creativity, encourage collaboration, and help them stand out. 

We're also seeing businesses move away from traditional corporate environments and towards venues that feel more authentic and flexible. They want spaces where they can connect with clients, bring teams together, create content, and host events that people genuinely enjoy attending. 

What's it like building a business with your husband? Do you have any advice for members who are considering starting a venture together? 

I genuinely love working with Mark. We share the same level of commitment, passion, and drive, and there's a huge amount of trust between us. When you're building a business, there are lots of ups and downs, and knowing that you're completely aligned on the bigger picture makes a massive difference. 

Of course, it's not always perfect! We definitely argue — usually about finances rather than the creative side of the business. And if I'm honest, we're probably guilty of never really switching off. Even on date nights we'll find ourselves talking about  clients, ideas, events, marketing, or the next opportunity. We literally live and breathe the business. 

For anyone considering starting a venture with their partner, my advice would be to play to each other's strengths rather than trying to do the same job. Mark and I have different skill sets, and that's one of the reasons it works so well. Be honest, respect each other's opinions, and remember that your relationship is more important than any business decision. Remember the woman is always right! Mark always says he wears the pants, but I tell him which ones. 

What kind of people walk through your doors? Is there a typical City Space client? 

Honestly, there really isn't a typical City Space client, and that's one of the things I love most about it. 

For example this week we hosted a women's networking event, then had an insurance professional hiring the studio to create content for his business. Yesterday someone hired it for run a first aid training course, and this weekend we're hosting the launch party for a fitness app created by a local personal trainer. 

No two days are ever the same, and that's exactly how we designed City Space to be. 

What's next for City Space - anything exciting in the pipeline?  

One of the things we’re really excited about is our content area upstairs on the mezzanine level. We change it every three months, so people can come back regularly and always have a completely different backdrop and feel for their content shoots. It keeps things creative and gives businesses a reason to return again and again. 

We’re also looking at expanding what we offer even further with a “hire it all” option. The idea is that clients won’t just have access to the space, lighting, and backdrops, but also cameras and lenses as part of their hire. It means people won’t need to rely on just their phones — they can step into a fully equipped creative studio and produce high-quality content, even if they don’t have their own gear 

See you next week for another Fan Friday! 🫶