CHAPTER TWO
Taking over the family business
In 2010, my father was ready to step back from Calderhead Refrigerated Transport — and I was the one who stepped forward. It wasn’t a planned career move. It was a decision driven by timing, responsibility, and a belief that the business deserved to continue.
What followed was 15 years of hands-on leadership that no corporate role could have prepared me for — and that my corporate background made possible.
I grew the business from £750,000 to £3 million turnover and a team of five to 30. I managed operations, finance, compliance, people, and long-term strategy — dealing with decisions that are simultaneously commercial and deeply personal.
I navigated succession, shareholder changes, and periods of significant personal upheaval — the kind most advisors never mention, and most business owners face alone. In 2024 I completed the sale. A process I had planned for, worked towards, and led to the outcome I wanted.
NEXT CHAPTER
Why this work, why now
I founded Next Chapter Business Advisory because I know both sides of the table. I understand the commercial frameworks that major organisations use to make decisions — and I understand the human reality of actually running a small business when the stakes are personal as well as professional.
Most importantly, I know what it feels like to face the moments I now help others through. The complexity of succession. The weight of an exit. The difficulty of leading clearly when life and business become inseparable. I know what support I needed — and didn’t always have.
That’s what I offer now.
“The moments that matter most in business are rarely the easiest ones. They come without anyone to share them with. That’s exactly why I do this work.”
