TEES TIME
In our regular feature, we find out what makes local business leaders tick.
Name:
Steve Southern
Age: 49 Born: Thornaby Lives: Stockton
Family: Married to Vicky, dad to three children: Ryan( 32), Jack( 26) and Poppy,( 21). All three work for Southern Asset Management.
Tell us about your upbringing I was born and raised in Thornaby, so I’ m a Teessider through and through. I had a great upbringing at home with my parents, where there was a real focus on sport. From a young age, I was encouraged to be very competitive. Judo was a huge part of my life, and I trained every weekend, eventually representing Great Britain, something I’ m hugely proud of. I attended The Dene School in Thornaby, and while I wasn’ t academic and left without any qualifications, the discipline and mindset I learned from judo really shaped who I am today.
Tell us about your first job My first job was working for Swainstons Windows in Stockton as a window fabricator. I wasn’ t there for long, but it gave me my first taste of working life. The owner, Gary, was a really good bloke and treated me well. I believe the company is still trading. Shortly after, at 16 and a half, I joined the Army as a junior soldier. It was a big step, but it felt like the right fit at the time.
How different has your career been from how you imagined it at 21? To be honest, I didn’ t really have a clear vision at that age. I’ d left the Army just before turning 21. I’ d been based in Germany and struggled to settle, probably due to the fact that I’ d become a dad to Ryan at 17. Having a family meant my priorities were suddenly very different. The sector I’ m in now wasn’ t even on my radar back then, so my career has taken a completely different direction to anything I might have imagined.
What is the one piece of advice you’ d give to those thinking of starting out in business? Don’ t expect it to be easy! There will be long days and sleepless nights – lots of highs and lows. So take your time and do it properly. Don’ t rush into it. Research your market, understand your competitors and have a solid business plan. Most importantly, surround yourself with the right people – people you trust. When you’ ve got all that in place and you truly believe in your product or service, have the courage to take the gamble and go for it.
Which part of your job do you most enjoy? I really enjoy working with great clients who genuinely appreciate the dedication and services that SAM provides. Meeting people is a big part of it for me. I love doing demos face-to-face and seeing real reactions, especially when I show people our SAM Asset Management Portal. That immediate feedback is invaluable. I also get a lot of satisfaction from giving back through charity work. I’ ve just fulfilled a lifetime ambition to open a Community Interest Company( CIC) – the Tees Valley Judo Club – which will help those in need from across the region. I have the team, the premises and the incorporation locked down, so it’ s full steam ahead. I’ m really excited about it.
Which part of your job do you least enjoy? The hardest part is being overworked and overwhelmed at times. I’ ve been very open about my struggles with my mental health. I still suffer at times and find it hard to switch off. As a CEO, there’ s a lot of responsibility on my shoulders. People’ s livelihoods depend on the decisions I make. That pressure is always there in the background, and it can be difficult to step away from it.
Do you ever doubt yourself as a business leader? All the time! I think anyone who says they don’ t is probably not being honest. Doubt is part of the journey, and so is imposter syndrome. No matter how expert you are in your field you still question yourself at times, but it’ s how you manage it and push through that really matters. Being named Tees Business Leader of the Year in April was massive for me – something that means more than I can say. To be recognised by my peers was up there as one of the best days of my life and I look forward to making our region proud over the next 12 months.
How do you switch off from work? I’ ll be honest – it’ s not easy. The journey I’ ve been on with the business has had a huge impact on my mental health, in a positive way. It’ s given me purpose and drive. What we’ ve achieved in a short time – building a name, winning awards – that pushes me to keep going and keep improving. But I try to make time for things like golf, spending time with my family and being around good friends, too. I put a lot into charity work, and I know that Tees Valley Judo Club will become a bigger outlet for me to switch off and focus on something positive outside of business.
Why does your business matter? The testing work SAM does means that structures are safe for the public, and that’ s a big thing. The SAM Asset Management Portal also really matters, as it’ s a creation that will save companies countless time and money. Stepping from structural testing into the digital sector and winning a British Chambers of Commerce award for digital innovation last year was massive for SAM. A seed of an idea that I had to make things easier for my clients has come to fruition and I can’ t wait to see it implemented by more companies here on Teesside.
Which of your personal traits has been the most important in your career? Honesty, integrity and loyalty. I believe in sticking to these values no matter what and always doing the right thing. They’ ve been fundamental to everything I’ ve built.
Which of your personal traits most frustrates you? I’ m always 100 miles an hour. It drives me forward, but it can also be exhausting and sometimes means I don’ t slow down when I probably should.
Which trait in others do you most dislike? Dishonesty and disloyalty. Trust is everything in business and in life, and without it, you’ ve got nothing.
If you were to recommend one book to Tees Business readers, what would it be? I’ d recommend SUMO( Shut Up, Move On). It’ s a great book about mindset, taking responsibility and getting on with things instead of making excuses. It’ s something I relate to a lot. I thank Mark Wells from AV Dawson for giving me a copy – it’ s a book I go back to for inspiration on a regular basis.
What’ s your favourite restaurant and why? That’ s a tough one because there are so many great places to eat on Teesside. But if I had to pick, I’ d say Tomahawk Steakhouse in Potto. I love a good, juicy steak, and it’ s always a great experience to dine there. The fact you can stay over as well makes it even better – you can relax, take your time and really enjoy the food, the ambience and the company.
What social media do you use? LinkedIn. Julie and Poppy run the business page and it’ s a great way to connect, build relationships and showcase what we’ re doing. I’ ve also got a personal LinkedIn page, which helps my personal brand. I should probably post more, but as Julie will tell you, I’ m very fussy with what I share. What you see is what you get with me!
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The voice of business in the Tees region | 63