Meet the Team – Joanna Loboda

What does your role entail?

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I’m responsible for greeting and welcoming everyone who comes to The Blade – whether they are a member of staff, a visitor or one of our occupiers working from the offices. As well as helping with general enquiries I also get involved in a range of admin tasks, from printing and scanning to managing deliveries and any post as well as answering all incoming phone calls. I also take care of The Blade’s Instagram account which gives me the opportunity to promote this rather special business space and some of the events happening here on social media.

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How long have you been at The Blade?

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My journey with The Blade began in early 2020, just before the pandemic. This meant it was quite an unusual start – especially with many of our occupiers working remotely. It was wonderful as people began returning and our business community reconnected.

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What is the strangest request you’ve managed?

Although strange requests are fairly rare, I was involved in a very special moment recently. A male visitor arrived with a beautiful bunch of flowers and asked me to call up to one of our occupiers and ask a particular lady to comedown to Reception to sign for a special delivery. When she arrived our visitor got down on one knee and proposed to her. She was rather overwhelmed, and as far I know she is still considering his request but they did head off for lunch together with smiles on their faces! ‍

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Most challenging request?

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It may not sound very challenging but when offering a drink at Reception to visitors you usually expect typical responses such as coffee or tea. However, I’ve had some people expecting a full hospitality experience including requests for J20 with ice and straw!

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What makes The Blade such a special place to work?

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It's a huge privilege to be able to work in the tallest – and most iconic -building in Reading. But without a doubt The Blade is special because of the people here. Everyone is friendly and helpful, and our Management Team is very supportive and understanding, and do their utmost to make me feel like I’m part of the family. I think it's fair to say that The Blade is a beautiful place both inside and out!

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Your special talent?

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I’m no Picasso but I enjoy – and think I’m pretty good at - drawing and painting. I really enjoy drawing people, particularly faces, and anything connected to nature - especially flowers.

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Hobbies and interests?

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I love travelling and discovering new places, as well as spending time with family and friends. I also very much enjoy both fashion and make-up.

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Claim to fame?

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A few years ago I worked in a large hotel close to London and had the opportunity to look after guests in the music industry including Adam Levine from Maroon 5, and the Gipsy Kings. But one of the most stand out moments was serving Ozzy Osbourne from Black Sabbath for breakfast. When I asked him whether he’d prefer a coffee or tea he asked for vodka. His wife Sharon also kept calling the hotel to check he was behaving!

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