Interview
the Midlands on the Map Pall-EX and supporting tech start-ups
Written by Kelly Dolan R
ecent addition to Dragons’ Den, Founder, Chairman and CEO of the
Pall-EX proclaimed Group and fashionista a with
self- a
penchant for McQueen, Hilary Devey is arguably one of the most
exciting female entrepreneurs to arrive on the British business circuit. Never seen without her iconic shoulder pads, perfectly groomed barnet and signature red lip, Devey embodies all things diva, yet she is as tough as they get and bold as brass, proving her worth in the testosterone-fuelled world of haulage. Before becoming a regular TV personality on the likes of Channel 4’s Secret Millionaire, Hilary began Pall-EX, a leading logistics provider, selling her house and car to raise capital for the company. Hilary’s journey has been an interesting one, with achievements including Princess Anne opening her new premises, being invited to the Palace for special achievements, as well as an Honorary Doctorate of Laws from the University of Leicester for her services to the industry. So just where did Hilary’s entrepreneurial journey begin?
Originally hailing from Bolton, life wasn’t always a straightforward success story. Her first job? Pulling pints at the age of seven in her parent’s pub in Accrington. Speaking on her experience of tavern training, Hilary proclaims “I was so young that I could barely reach the beer taps, and certainly not the optics!” Whilst her brothers went to school, a young Hilary cleared tables and stocked shelves. Did she regret working a bar in exchange for academia? “Not at all. The pub was a crash course in working in a demanding environment, teaching me the basics for the successful monitoring of both product and cash flow, and perhaps most importantly, learning how the general public behave and think. The time in a pub, and on a market stall selling china, taught me how to sell, and set me on the path to Pall-Ex.” In retrospect, it seems Hilary’s early acquaintance with the working world set her up for profound success, with her Father seemingly providing a huge influence on her strong work ethic. Hilary tells me “my Father had a heating company and he went bankrupt in the early sixties when a supplier further up the chain went under.
39 entrepreneurcountry
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