After leaving school at 15, Pauline went on to study at the University of Cambridge and graduate with an MBA.
Following her studies she began working in transport and engineering. Here, she quickly climbed to the top of this male-dominated sector. As Managing Director of SOMI Trailers, Pauline has drawn on her 10 years of professional experience to inform her innovation; leading the development of a trailer body that uses the space underneath trucks to transport greater loads with every journey. This could lead to a saving of 10,000 truck journeys a day in the UK alone.
The training and support provided by Innovate UK has accelerated SOMI’s progress, enabling them to raise their profile to an international level.
Following her announcement as one of Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation, Pauline has focused on raising awareness of SOMI Trailers overseas through international missions.
Tell us a bit about yourself, background and your current role
Most people don’t need a volcano to blow up on the first day of their Caribbean holiday to ask themselves what am I doing with my life? But, I did. I left school at 15 and found education after that holiday. Whilst retaining a job, I went to Uni at 38. Cambridge was an amazing experience, as was a full time MBA at Manchester and starting my company.
Now, I love my work as CEO Founder of SOMI Trailers. At SOMI my trailer innovation is gaining traction in the market after years of graft. In short, stuck in traffic and seeing trailers either side I asked why aren’t we using that space underneath? SOMI Trailers can replace 4 truck journeys by 3, globally. In the UK this would remove a line of trucks parked nose to tail around the M25 every day and still deliver all the goods.
I would say your knowledge and passion for your idea means you are the best person to oversee your business and, winning an Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award and the £50,000 prize was life changing for me and my business. (Applications are open now, Go for it!)
Did you ever sit down and plan your career?
No, no one shared that bit of wisdom, and it’s an important one. My advice is to start a plan, but with the flexibility to change when you want it or need it to… life throws out fantastic opportunities and crap in unequal measures!
Have you faced any challenges along the way?
Despite a long time in the family company where my father didn’t believe women should leave the kitchen, losing a baby at eight months, ovarian cancer at 31 and recently leukemia with which my husband of 31 years couldn’t cope with, nothing that has beaten me yet! Getting access to funding is harder for women, it shouldn’t be, but it is.
I believe that challenges are tests; they’re tedious, but they build your strengths. Now, I am very happy and going to marry my teenage sweetheart, who is still a sweetheart!
I never realised my value and lacked the confidence when I was younger to demand promotion and the pay I deserved. Don’t do what I did!
How has Innovate UK helped your journey?
First, Innovate UK gave me the confidence to face very male industries (Trucking and Engineering).
Secondly, the Women In Innovation award gave me the cash to get out there with the SOMI Trailer and show it to the world.
Third, the training and networking has been fantastic.
Overall, it has made me focus on my company in depth and where we are going, what we need to grow. I would recommend any woman with a great idea to apply.
If you could change one thing for women in the workplace, what would it be?
Both men and women’s attitudes to women doing a great job. So often we discount our efforts and men big up their attempts…it is easy to see how destructive that is in all aspects. We all need to be our own cheerleaders.
What advice would you give to someone looking to start a business/ become an entrepreneur?
Set your goal and keep focus on YOUR goal, too many people will want a piece of you, your money and your ideas. Be brave and cool. Do everything on a shoestring, beg and borrow rather than buy. You learn lots of skills by doing it yourself. Use the media to get exposure and recognition, apply for awards. They can be good friends to good ideas!
Get your partner and wider families support but be careful of asking them for finance without written legal agreements. Always call the technical people of the company you are buying from rather than sales to get the real lowdown. Banks and investors need to eat too so they will always want a cut of your action.
Lastly, have some fun and smile at the bad stuff, it is just another way of how not to do it!
What has been your biggest achievement to date?
3 things come to mind: Inventing the SOMI Trailer, winning Innovate UK’s Women in Innovation award and having two fabulous sons.
What is your next challenge and what are you hoping to achieve in the future?
Commercially, a huge (£30m+) export order I have recently quoted for would be amazing!
Personally, seeing the trailer become a new global standard.
Getting everyone to realise women are different and great in business!
If you’re a female entrepreneur or innovator and want to find out more about Innovate UK’s Women In Innovation competitions then please visit https://apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk/competition/204/overview for more information.
