BE CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE, BUT – ESPECIALLY IN OUR INDUSTRY – NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER WANTS
Serving the Teesside Business Community | 11
BE CREATIVE AND IMAGINATIVE, BUT – ESPECIALLY IN OUR INDUSTRY – NEVER LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT YOUR CUSTOMER WANTS
area. However it’ s one thing getting them, it’ s another thing maintaining them for all that time, and that is an achievement. But hopefully there are many more achievements to come!
The advice I’ d give to business start-ups is … be prepared to take risks. Be creative and imaginative, but – especially in our industry – never lose sight of what your customer wants. You can have all the ideas in the world, but you have to give your customer what they want. And I guess that applies to any business.
The biggest character on the Tees business scene is … I’ m probably saying what most people say, but Steve Gibson has done so much to raise the profile of Teesside. He’ s quite rightly received a lot of respect for that, and you’ ll struggle to think of anyone who has done that continuously and as consistently as he has over a long period of time. He also does a lot that people don’ t know about, so I was delighted when he was, very deservedly, awarded his OBE.
The individual who is my tip for the top among Tees businesses is … I’ m not a big networker around the Teesside business community but I love to read about the many up-and-coming people and companies around our region in Tees Business. It’ s always full of positive news and it’ s fantastic to read about all the great things that are happening in the area.
Teesside’ s a great place for business because … of its people. I think Teessiders are very resilient and resourceful. Despite adversity and difficult times, they always find a way of re-inventing themselves and bouncing back. They’ re also a loyal bunch, which we appreciate here at Chadwicks.
My biggest frustration about Teesside is … the way it’ s portrayed outside the area. That really frustrates me. The area has so much to offer, and although I do think it’ s getting better, it still has a long way to go.
My favourite local charity is … I found it difficult to pick one out. I think we’ re lucky in this area, in that we have some unbelievable charities that do some great work, and we support a number of them throughout the year, and I do personally as well. I also think the support they get from local people and businesses is brilliant.
When I’ m not working, I like to spend my time … with the family, because you don’ t get a lot of spare time in this industry. Gary and I love to go to the coast or into our beautiful countryside with our children – Alec, who’ s 10, and Nina, who’ s 8 – and enjoy a nice family meal somewhere.
My guilty pleasures are … champagne is probably the biggest one! I buy too many books, I’ m a big reader, particularly historical
fiction which I love. I also have a secret chocolate stash which the kids and Gary don’ t know about – if they did there’ d be nothing left. I even have to hide the kids’ selection boxes from Gary, he’ s a nightmare!
The best holiday I ever had was … this is a difficult one because we’ ve had lots of wonderful holidays – some with kids, some without. We used to go skiing a lot before Gary damaged his knee and one of the best trips was a mad week at St Anton in Austria. We also went to Iceland once, the most unique but brilliant place. Another stand out holiday was Galicia in North West Spain, a fantastic part of the world. I could go on!
Not many people know this about me but … I used to row for Tees Rowing Club, and in one season I was part of an unbeaten women’ s team which I was quite proud of.
In retirement, I’ ll spend my time … travelling. There are so many places that I’ d love to see, but it’ s difficult when you’ re working and have a family. I’ d also like to get more into photography which I’ m very interested in. Maybe in between travelling and taking lots of pictures, I might even open a cattery!