INDEPENDENT

society does and things develop, but you keep going, you learn to be adaptive. And listen to your customers.

Sue: We only had half a day off for our Dad's funeral. We opened the shop the morning before! Can you believe it?

Debbie: Dad started because Mum encouraged him. She was a force of nature. They set up on their own when we were young. They wanted to be independent. She was also from a family of self-employed business people and because she was a woman, she didn’t get a look in. I bet she thought ‘I’ll show you!’. She was always proud of us – she talked about how “we girls” had done it. I guess in many ways it was a women’s business as much as me Dads, although he was at the front.

Sue: He started this in an old air raid shelter in Hessle, with his own van. He went all over selling components. Then they moved into a shop on Hull Road, then here.

Debbie: It’s been so different over the years but we’ve managed to keep finding a niche. Back in the day we mended TVs, then stuff was just replaced and now people want to try and repair things. We are seeing people coming in to buy bits to fix things. We try to help people get what they need.

Sue: If you think, what we offer is based on 90 years of collective experience!

Debbie: Oh god that makes us sound ancient! People come in because we’ve been recommended; we get so much custom via word of mouth. We are a specialist shop.

What business advice would you offer other people?

Sue: We listen to our intuition and our gut – I don’t suppose that’s taught at business school! We feel things, feel the right thing to do. People know this and often we are like their therapist.

Debbie: I have done business courses but, here we are generous, and together. Sue and I complement each other's skills. We have the same values and an understanding. We work collaboratively. Oh and we have a warped sense of humour.

You are an independent women led business in HU3?

Debbie: Yes it's good isn’t it. We like the freedom to work for ourselves and be our own boss.

Sue: We feel lucky to be able to have that freedom, but it’s hard work. What does the future hold?

Debbie: I run the shop and do the orders and serve customers. I would love to encourage young people in the area to set up small businesses.

Sue: Ever since we were young we’ve worked in this business. In many ways there wasn’t really a choice. It's meant we haven’t had holidays! The business always comes first. So closing on Mondays since Covid is a change. Covid helped us see how we could take some more time.

Debbie: I am still really interested in what we do. I want to keep working but our families don’t want to take it on, so we are thinking…it’s such a good family business. It would be so great if another family would eventually take it on. But for now we are just going to keep as we are, with the help of Mr Boots, the

I DO WHAT I WANTED TO DO!

I’m the third generation joiner in my family. I followed my Dad and Grandad into this male dominated trade by volunteering at Giroscope. I loved the experience, learning on the job and being part of the team, with Caroline and Hannah onsite too. Then Stu from Beagles Joinery said "I’m interested in the quality of your work, I don’t care who or what you are." I got a chance to become his apprentice. I reckon female joiners are good and important. Customers say how great it is to see what I’m doing and that ‘we don’t see many women.’ Women should do what they want, but often can’t. One of my brothers says he’s more of a girl than me!

ANSON ELECTRONICS

»167-183 Boulevard, Hull HU3 3EJ

»01482 323422

»Open weekdays 10 - 3. Saturdays 10 - 12

»ansonelectronics.co.uk

With Stu I’ve learnt a lot. He doesn’t mind if I make a mistake, he shows me until I get it. He pushes me to try and says, “You can do it”. Stu helps but is not patronising.

“When I saw Milly I thought she wants to do this, she’s a female and that means she wants to do it more. I can teach skill but I can’t teach want. The hardest thing to find in anyone is the want.” Stu from Beagle Joinery.