What’s the most exciting thing about your job?
Having joined Europa in 2014 I’ve witnessed a lot of change and phenomenal growth. Being part of a business that pursues change and innovation is amazing and being given the opportunity to grow with the business itself is truly exciting. A change is as good as a rest they say!
Who has inspired you most in your career?
That’s easy – our COO and Head of Warehouse, Dionne Redpath. I’ve had the pleasure of working in the same company as Dionne for 20 (or so) years and I challenge anyone to not be inspired by her knowledge, dedication and enthusiasm.
She has a huge passion for her work, isn’t afraid to challenge the status quo and places a high value on her personal integrity. She’s also great fun to work with and her ‘can do’ attitude is highly contagious.
If you were an item in a warehouse, what would you be?
I think in sales, we’re probably very much like the radio…. Not something perceived as essential, but most places have one. Constantly playing in the background, broadcasting news and business updates, and generally spreading cheer. There are always people who like to turn it down and don’t want to listen but eventually everyone sings along to it!
If you had your time again, what would you do different?
I’d probably have made the jump from our Road division to Warehouse earlier, so that I could be more knowledgeable. There’s so much more to what we do than simply handling and storing pallets. I’m in awe of some of my colleagues and the information they’ve gleaned from many years’ of experience.
What’s your favourite pastime?
I like to read and listen to a lot of books, especially while walking the dog. I’ve also recently got into Yoga.
Do you play a sport, follow a sport or support a team?
My family are huge LCFC fans and season ticket holders, so by default they’re my team. I’ve also recently been to a couple of Leicester Riders Basketball games and absolutely love the atmosphere there.
What’s the most embarrassing thing that’s happened in your career?
I once tripped in front of about 100 people walking into an annual conference and ended up with cuts on my hands and knees, that was fairly mortifying.
Do you have any hidden talents?
I can roller skate but not well enough to consider it a talent!
Who would be your favourite party guest?
That’s a tough one. I reckon the Queen would be pretty epic and could tell a few interesting stories. I imagine she used to like a good knees up too.
What is the greatest luxury in your life?
We have a VW Camper and I love going away in that. I don’t think you can beat a bit of fresh air and some tech free time away with the family.
If you won the Lottery, what would you do?
Convince our CEO, Andrew Baxter to sell me some shares in Europa of course!!!
Who or what makes you laugh?
I love a bit of office banter and we all laugh a lot at work. I think it’s important not to take yourself too seriously and being the youngest of 3 siblings the joke is quite often on me!
What’s your dream holiday?
There are so many places I haven’t seen, so I’d love to do a full on “around the world” trip. After my shares in Europa, that’s what I’d spend my lottery winnings on.
What’s your favourite music album?
My play list is quite eclectic, and I love all kinds of music from Drum and Bass to Fleetwood Mac. The album I’m listening to most at the minute is Khruangbin, The Universe Smiles Upon You.
What’s your favourite movie or Netflix series?
I’m currently binging Bad Sisters on Apple TV, its brilliant and very funny.
What would be your advice to someone thinking about coming into the industry (apart from “don’t do it”)?
Getting some experience and talking to as many people as possible to understand what roles or type of company you might enjoy would be a great start. From manual work and driving, to planning and engineering. IT Development, accounting and sales, there’s something for everyone and it’s evolving so quickly.
Working for a business that likes to recruit from within has been instrumental in my career but that may not be right for everyone. So, I’d suggest some work experience to understand the structure and values of different organisations. The company you work for is just (if not more) important than the role you do and it’s important to find out what you do and don’t like.
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