Anne Wilson is Managing Director of Numill, a Sheffield-based engineering company engaged in the manufacturing and remanufacturing of cutting tools, serving industries including high precision automotive, aerospace, oil and gas, rail and general engineering. The company is an experienced exporter, with half of the company’s repairs service made up of export sales. Anne bought Numill in a management buyout following a career change from banking to engineering after she pursued a degree in Management and a postgraduate qualification in Strategic Management.
“…Although I am a confident person the thought of entering a room of loads of people I’d never met before was daunting… On the plus side because there are fewer females around our industry we do tend to be remembered which has, I believe, a positive effect…”
With a background of finance jobs and banking I never expected to be anything but ‘employed.’ Brought up in what is now referred to as ‘social housing’ my parents had very strong work ethics which they instilled in me from a very early age. Although I have to admit being miffed when my elder brother wasn’t delegated washing up and cooking duties after school, but having to help him with his paper round if he was late!
1. It’s important to keep learning throughout your career
Education was important to me. University was not an option but I left school at 16 with 10 good O levels. It was my step back in to a classroom at 40 years old that began the journey to where I am now, qualifying my 24 years working experience with an accounting qualification followed with a degree in Management and post graduate qualification in Strategic Management.
The decision to embark on the journey was a desire to do something else with my life to see what I was capable of. I bought Numill in a management buyout after planning it for my dissertation at strategic level – hypothetically and with my directors’ blessing, I hasten to add.
2. Don’t be afraid of taking on new challenges, even if they seem scary at first
The transition from employed bookkeeper at Numill to owner was a massive learning curve but it did feel as if somewhere it was part of the unspoken ‘plan’ life had in store.
When working for others I had always strived to do well, achieve more and be respected as a good employee. Where finance was concerned when it came to dealing with cash belonging to someone else, it was sacrosanct. It must be transparent, open and easy to follow – a clean audit trail is an imperative part of accountancy for me!
The Numill staff knew me as I had become an integral part of the business taking the day to day management from the director long before the buyout was even the subject of my dissertation. My style is completely different to his but I have introduced benefits and changes over the years that despite a lack of resources have helped make the life of the team better.
3. Don’t wait for things to happen to you – go out and happen to things
Trying to develop the business through the deepest, longest recession has been difficult. A little over three years ago I made a conscious decision to leave my comfort zone and start networking more, building contacts and relationships along the way.
Although I am a confident person the thought of entering a room of loads of people I’d never met before was daunting. Engineering and manufacturing is male dominated – fact. That did not deter, but there are so many events it is hard to know which ones to attend.
On the plus side because there are fewer females around our industry we do tend to be remembered which has, I believe, a positive effect.
4. Don’t judge a book by its cover
I have experienced little negativity during my time as owner of Numill. A couple of times the phone has been hung up on me by males and females asking to speak to the business owner.
The worst case potentially lost a machinery seller at a UK exhibition an order for five new machines I was interested in. The chap on the stand gave me a cursory glance but stood up to greet a male browser arriving after me. “Don’t judge a book..,”as they say
5. You don’t have to pretend to be an expert in everything
Whilst my technical knowledge has grown through the years of being in Numill I am not an engineer and I do not profess to be. I can sell Numill services with passion and commitment because I know what we are capable of.
I have always taken the view that if I try to ‘blag’ my way around my ‘hard earned’ credibility will be lost in a very short space of time. If I don’t know the answer I will always offer to find out. This approach has seen me sat with cutting tool buyers, supply chain managers, senior engineers and the like across UK, Europe and SE Asia.
My first foray to Singapore saw me in a boardroom with the Chinese owner and seven of his top engineers at the other side of the table being instructed to ‘begin.’ I walked out of there with my head held high and a trial of our services.
Be yourself, respect others and you won’t go far wrong.
The Business is GREAT: Women in Enterprise webpage covers topics from finance to childcare and mentoring to networking, sets out the government’s advice and resources alongside the organisations offering their support.
http://www.greatbusiness.gov.uk/women-in-enterprise/
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