Below James shares a little bit about himself both as a business owner, father, and a Northumbrian.
1) Tell us about yourself?
I live in Northumberland with my wife Claire, our two children and two dogs. I enjoy cycling and walking to unwind after a busy week. Recently our daughter has discovered a passion for surfing, and as a result, I’ve developed a love of the Northumberland coastline and its beautiful beaches. Purchasing a wetsuit has transformed my ability to swim in the North Sea!
My career started with Rickerby, an agricultural machinery dealer, as a sales representative. I have always enjoyed the outdoors and used to help out on a farm, so moving into agricultural sales was a natural first step. From there, I transitioned into engineering sales roles, spending a significant part of my career at Lloyds British Testing.
Following the sale of the business to Speedy Hire, my role was made redundant and forced a big decision for me. I had always wanted to be in control of my destiny and the more I understood the lifting equipment industry and its challenges, I knew I could go it alone. I guess I just needed that push. I understand how losing the security of a regular income can be terrifying and I recall some pretty tough conversations with Claire!
2) What does your role entail?
My role is to lead the team, plan the operational output and most importantly generate sales. As we have grown, I have brought skilled recruits in to help manage and develop certain aspects of our operations, allowing me more time to focus on generating new business.
3) What is it about JK Lifting Equipment that motivates and excites you the most?
Every day presents a challenge and I enjoy finding a solution for our clients’ projects. We undertake a lot of bespoke work, utilising our creative skills to design and manufacture lifting solutions, often for complex requirements. This could be lifting a piece of heavy machinery out of a building, to the certification of offshore marine equipment.
Finding that solution and presenting it back to a customer is what I love, but that is only possible with a collaborative approach from the JK Lifting Equipment team who work together to solve the challenge. From the design element detailing the ‘how’ on paper to the engineers bringing the project to reality with the ‘lift’ – every day is different and that provides both me and the team with the motivation to succeed.
4) What advice would you give to someone starting a career in your sector?
You need to be a problem solver and a forward thinker. This job boils down to supplying solutions from designing a piece of equipment to managing an unseen issue onsite. The key is to remain calm, be flexible and adapt. No day is the same, just like no issue is the same and therefore each solution is bespoke and often outside of the box.
5) Outside of work, what are you good at?
Taking time out. I spend quality time with my family in the Northumberland countryside, whether that’s paddleboarding at the beach or enjoying a brisk walk no matter the weather.
I also recognise the importance of looking after my overall well-being to gain perspective, and clarity and share the best version of myself at both work and home. To do that I enjoy several activities, my passion is clay pigeon shooting (which I’m not too bad at, if I do say so myself) and I also enjoy swimming as well as heading out on my gravel bike.
