Uniform supplier

My first full-time job was as an office assistant in a wall coating company. Lots of stuffing envelopes, answering the phone and being very bored.

How much was in your first pay packet and what did you spend it on?

It was £36.95 a week and I bought presents for the family and work clothes.

Describe how your career developed to the present day.

At 19, I decided that while Cornwall was lovely, there was a world out there. So I joined the British Army and served seven years in the Intelligence Corps. My last posting was in Abingdon, so I put my CV into the local recruitment agencies and was offered a job as a training supervisor.

I was then offered a job as head of customer service in a high-growth Internet company, Highway One at Eynsham.There were only three of us at first, but in four years it rapidly grew to 250-plus employees. But I soon realised I missed being in the small business we had started out as and the buzz I got from being in a fast-growing market. I then started to think seriously about how I could apply what I had learnt to a business of my own, but I had to improve my education first, so I studied for a full-time MBA at Oxford Brookes.

Then, one day, while I was baking cakes for my local school to help them raise funds, I had my ‘eureka’ moment. Surely there was a more effective way for schools to get much-needed income than relying on selling cakes and having raffles? I realised if I could provide schools, clubs and businesses with a very efficient online solution to selling their uniform, then they could benefit from the savings and their customers would get the benefit of a really easy-to-use service. And that’s where Simply Schoolwear started.

What are the key responsibilities in your position?

We have great people in the company. It is my job to ensure everyone knows what we are trying to achieve, and to give them the tools and support to do that. That’s not always an easy task as we are a small company that has grown by 200 per cent in each of the last three years, so things change rapidly.

Describe a typical day As a school uniform supplier, we are a seasonal company, so it really depends on the time of year. Right now we are preparing for the new summer season. So that’s everything from getting orders placed with key suppliers, preparing to move into bigger premises, and taking on more schools. From June to October, it’s all hands to the pumps as we fulfil uniform orders seven days a week. So I don’t really see summer.

What has been your best decision?

Doing an MBA at Oxford Brookes university. Not only did it give me experience, but it also gave me the confidence to set up Simply Schoolwear. Also, it was an eye opener to different cultures and how they do business.

And your worst?

Not focusing on school uniform from day one. In the early days I did everything to get the sales and pay the rent, but I should have concentrated on what we do best.

What is the best advice you can give to someone starting out in your business?

Research, research and research some more. Friends and family will have your best interests at heart, but listen to your gut and go for it if you truly believe there is an opportunity out there. Starting a business is terrifying and you need to be sure that you can handle failure and success.Get as much cash as you can before you start and then go for it!

What is the secret of good management?

I’m no management guru. But I think you should recognise your own strengths and weaknesses. Then build a team to complement and supplement your own skills.

Do you have a good work/life balance?

No I don’t. Even when I am not ‘working’ I think about work a lot. But I love my job so it’s not a chore.

What hobbies/interests do you enjoy in your spare time?

Getting out in the fresh air, so walking when I can. But I am also learning how to play the guitar (badly) and I read a lot.

Is there anything in business that really irritates you?

The ‘old boys’ club’ — it’s still out there.

How do you see your company developing over the next five years?

We are a high-growth national school uniform supplier, so more of the same really.

What has been your most satisfying moment?

Getting our first school. We now have more than 180 schools, but the first one, Chad Vale Primary in Edgbaston, West Midlands, was a learning curve. After four years, it is still with us.

Do you believe there is enough help and support from government and agencies for growing businesses?

Actually I do. In the early days we were a part of the Faringdon Gateway, which was a great support for new and flourishing businesses. Sadly that closed, but I have continued to get some great mentoring from Oxford Business Enterprise. Also, schemes such as the Small Firms Loans Guarantee, now the EFG and the Enterprise Investment Scheme have helped us to raise and attract investment into the business.

What is your attitude to the environment and do you have any green policies in place?

The whole issue is overwhelming. We try to do our bit and we have a policy to recycle at work whatever we can.

What is the secret of a happy workforce?

Empowerment and cakes on Friday.

Is there any other job you would like to have done and why?

I would have loved to study medicine, but didn’t have the brains for that. Anything that makes a difference.

What would you like to do when you retire?

Sit by the sea with the time to enjoy each day.

Name: Paula Stockton Age: 39 Job: Managing director of Simply Schoolwear, an online school uniform supplier with free delivery and free name-tagging.

Time in job: Five years

Contact: 0845 859 8000 Web: www.simplyschoolwear.co.uk