Setting wheels in motion

Shropshire's Stephanie White is on the road to success in the traditionally male-dominated world of the motor trade.

The auto industry is suddenly cottoning on to the fact that women drive and like cars. Female-friendly insurers like Diamond and Sheila's Wheels have appeared on the scene.

And now there's Stephanie White Ltd, which recently celebrated its first year in business.

The Oswestry-based company offers a service which essentially helps businesses and individuals find the vehicles they want at the best price.

Their services include fleet management, contract hire and purchase, outright purchase, daily rental and fixed-cost motoring.

Clients range from the large national companies looking for a fleet of vehicles to a private individual looking to rent a car.

Those on her books include big companies like Shrewsbury-based builders Frank Galliers and electronics giant Busch UK Ltd, in Telford.

They are among hundreds of clients, some in far-flung parts of the UK. And Stephanie prides herself that they all receive the same personal service.

"We have a total business approach. The main thing is to look after the customers you have. They get Christmas cards and birthday cards but, more importantly, a thoroughly professional and efficient service."

Stephanie has 15 years experience in the motor trade and was several years at Jaguar dealer Hartwell, in Shrewsbury.

"I loved my job, loved fleet but it was getting to the stage that there was a lot more expected of you for less money.

"I decided to leave, woke up the next day and thought 'Oh my God, I've got no job'!"

Support

Her confidence was boosted, however, when some of her customers, including a couple of major players, said they would support her if she branched out on her own.

"It started off with me, working from home, beginning early in the morning and finishing at midnight, 1am. I was working an 18-hour day and thought 'this is stupid, I can't carry on like this'. So I got mum on board."

Mum, Carol Gibbons, helped to ease the workload and Stephanie officially became a limited company on January 11 last year.

Next was the search for premises. Stephanie lives near Shrewsbury, which is where she ideally wanted to be based. But a suite at The Old Railway Station in Oswald Road, Oswestry, - above Porter's Restaurant - became available and that's where the company is still located.

More staff arrived to cope with an ever-increasing workload as the business really took off.

Sue Martin came in to deal with the accounts and the team of four was completed by the arrival of Alice Dowd.

It can be tough in the motor trade for an all-girl team but it also has its advantages, says Stephanie, who proudly shows off the company's very feminine pink-and-white branded advertising literature with the slogan Don't Dream It, Drive It.

"We are working in a man's world and it can be very intimidating for a woman. I wouldn't say we are Sheila's Wheels but we are very, very popular with women company car drivers. There are plenty of women drivers and more and more women are involved in business and we find many of them are more comfortable dealing with another woman."

So are there any regrets, even when there are the inevitable cashflow problems that all new businesses can experience?

"None," she says.

"Shortly after leaving Hartwell I was offered a job with BMW out of the area with a £70,000 salary and company car. But I've got no kids, no ties, and I thought, if I don't do this for myself now, I never will."