Gemma Cribb on relocating her practice

When a move to new psychology premises proved difficult, we were there to help.

  8 minutes

On meeting Gemma Cribb, you instantly see she has a relatable personality and a warm and infectious tone, no doubt contributing to her success. It’s little wonder she was recently asked to be a TV psychologist on an upcoming reality show. Unfortunately, she had to turn down the production company (and a trip to an exotic location where it was filming) because she was too busy relocating her clinical psychology practice, Equilibrium Psychology, to new Sydney CBD premises.

“Our practice had been slowly growing and we reached a point of maximum capacity in our rented premises. It became very cramped,” Ms Cribb recalls.

“We needed new premises to support our growth and expansion and to recreate the comfortable and harmonious environment that is so important to aid us in our sometimes draining work.”

The ideal location for a psychology practice

Ms Cribb decided to keep her practice located in the city centre. Her team of clinical psychologists have been working there for the past decade and have become specialists in helping business professionals of all ages. The frantic world of business can be a high-pressure environment, where the line between work and personal life is often blurred, so many of these adults seek help to become more skillful at managing the problems they encounter. 

“The most commonly presenting difficulties that our clients seek help for are anxiety, depression, stress and relationship issues,” says Ms Cribb.

Light and sound

The brand-new Equilibrium Psychology premises are perfectly set up for both the team and their busy clients. “We wanted a comfortable and professional environment that was warm enough to be non-clinical and professional enough to put people at ease,” Ms Cribb explains. “Natural light was important to bolster mood and a sense of space allowed for people to feel inconspicuous.”

Other important considerations for the practice included a break-out room so that the team could relax and debrief during their break time, along with a number of small consulting rooms that give the feeling of intimacy without feeling overly cramped. There was also something else that had to be added which not many people would think of: “We also needed top-quality soundproofing,” says Ms Cribb. 

Word-of-mouth

Buying new premises, especially after you’ve rented and don’t have another property to sell, requires funds. So she approached her bank to apply for a commercial loan. However, she was very disappointed with the outcome. 

“They had quoted me a rate that they weren’t willing to stand by when I went to take out the loan,” she recalls. “They wouldn’t consider my other assets, required a larger deposit due to the loan being for a commercial property, and weren’t willing to help with a loan for the GST component or fit-out cost.”

At a loose end, Ms Cribb recounted the experience to her accountant, and he recommended she get in touch with BOQ Specialist due to a positive previous dealing with them.

This is when she met Adriaan Powell, who went above and beyond to ensure Ms Cribb’s needs were met.

“I found that Adriaan really took the time to understand what I needed and created a solution tailored perfectly for me,” Ms Cribb says. “I felt that he took a personal interest in my business and the move and was quick to offer any help he could, from recommending an office furniture company to putting me in touch with a new service provider for our EFTPOS facility.”

Managing the transition

The whole finance process was completed in a timely manner and Ms Cribb says it was stress-free.

“My accountant sent BOQ Specialist my financials, Adriaan got in touch and the rest was a well-orchestrated blur,” she says.

Ms Cribb had asked for a long settlement as she managed to find the right property long before her lease on her existing rental property was due to expire. She didn’t want to break the lease but she wanted to delay incurring double costs for as long as possible. 

“The only real hiccup occurred when the tax department threatened to not release the GST back to me as the vendor had failed to put his ABN on the invoice for the sale,” Ms Cribb remembers. 

“Trying to communicate with the vendor and the vendor’s solicitors to get an amended invoice proved to be a difficult task but Adriaan supported me the whole way, offering a loan extension if needed. Thank goodness it wasn’t needed!”

New room to move

Ms Cribb was so impressed with her dealings at BOQ Specialist she decided to move all her bank accounts over to them. “I know I can call Adriaan if I ever need to, the cost is very reasonable, the call centre is very prompt and pleasant to deal with, and I love the little extras and the ability to separate out business from personal spend on the credit card statement.” 

The operation of moving to new premises with a whole new fit-out is labour intensive and mentally taxing, but knowing that BOQ Specialist was there behind the scenes meant that Ms Cribb could relax and concentrate on the move while continuing with her passion and genuine love for helping people.

“Adriaan was a godsend,” she says. “I felt very supported by him and knew that I could call him to ask even the silliest of questions without judgement. He had my back the whole way, took the time to understand exactly what I needed and was efficient, professional and personable.

“He really went the extra mile to help me through the whole process and it was great to celebrate our shared success at our practice opening party!”