EF News
We asked - you answered!
As part of our Big Question feature, we asked four Forum members: what made you take the leap into entrepreneurship?
Caroline Moody, Moody Logistics and Storage
I never intended to join the family business, but circumstances dictated, but once here I became completely hooked on logistics.
My arrival coincided with a period of rapid and exciting changes, including ‘just in time’ deliveries that have transformed the sector.
I have worked in all aspect of the business, including HR, operations, and sales, which gave me the knowledge and confidence to grow the firm in terms of its fleet and workforce.
No MD can do it alone, and I’m fortunate to have a fantastic team behind me, including my brother Richard and brother-in-law Gavin, together with other key managers. Our whole staff are very much part of the Moody ‘family’.
As the third generation to lead the company, road transport is in my blood. As such I feel inspired and obliged to take this business forward, through investment, identifying growth opportunities, and promoting the sector whenever possible.
Malcolm Humble, Arian EMS
The truth is I never saw myself as an entrepreneur so I Googled the definition. “A person who sets up a business or businesses, taking on financial risks in the hope of profit.” There you go, I am an entrepreneur!
After spending around 20 years in Management roles in some huge multinationals I can honestly say I learned more on how not to run business than how to run a business well.
From CEO’s or MD’s having their own agenda and the business came second, letting the market dictate your business model, down to plain old stupidity. After playing my part of some significant redundancy processes I’d simply had enough of my day to day life being shaped by incompetence and having little or no control over it. Making what was effectively hundreds of people unemployed through no fault of their own takes its toll on you. I thought if I can’t do it better than my last few employer’s I’d eat my hat.
Graham Purvis, Robson Laidler
The first entrepreneur I knew, was close to home. He was my Granda and he started in business for himself on his return from WW2 in North Northumberland. He was driven to build a better life for his family and he was an advocate of working for yourself rather than someone else. That message was a repeating theme as I grew up. I didn’t have the courage initially to take that step into entrepreneurship but 5 years after joining my current company I heeded the advice from the old man and became part-owner. 18 years on and I’ve enjoyed every minute.
Dr Emma Black, Cascade Cash Management
My desire to be an entrepreneur stemmed from a conversation at my kitchen table with my brother where we spotted a niche in the market to allow whole of market access to the best savings rates daily. It was further fuelled by wanting to launch a unique offering, employing talented individuals, and creating an opportunity to do good in the community when the company does well. I’m delighted to say, having administered over £1bn of savings, we are succeeding in all those aims to date!
