Moving Matters

In this episode, Mark Brett, Owner of Anglo French, discusses how he began within the industry nearly 40 years ago, after being brought up around trucks due to his father’s haulage business.

Mark’s father’s haulage business branched into removals, firstly providing local moves in Kent and then progressed to specialising in Spain, forming Anglo Spanish where Mark learned his removals trade. During Thatcherism, moves to Spain dried up and coupled with his father’s health, Anglo Spanish closed. After a short spell (5 years) of owning and running a fishing tackle shop (his boyhood dream), Mark sold up, bought his first truck, and returned to removals, forming Anglo French (approximately November 1998), which specialised solely in France, where Mark even relocated himself too, for 5 years.

Mark’s biggest challenge has been staff and finds that the younger generation are insecure.

Mark would like to change two things from his moving past, being braver at times (should have brought his own warehouse), and to have spent more time enjoying some of the fantastic places he’s delivered too.

Mark’s highpoint of being within the industry is getting Anglo French (starting from nothing) to where it is today.

The one thing Mark would like to change within the industry is regulation, and does see it being part of our industry, but is still a long way off.

The advice Mark would give himself just starting out within the industry again is not to change the path he’s been down.

In the next 5 years, or sooner rather than later, Mark sees himself out of the industry as his exit plan comes to fruition. Industry wise, Mark sees a lack of experienced drivers and porters coming through being a concern, domination from the larger nationwide companies as they continue to purchase established family businesses, and key exchange will only improve as the current system cannot continue.

Outside of the industry Mark enjoys his carp fishing, and even competes in the British Carp Angling Championship. Mark also enjoys watching his beloved Liverpool FC and helps out with coaching at grass-route level for his daughter’s team.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story, but not just one, three!

Enjoy!

Links to Anglo French:

Special Guest: Mark Brett.

In this episode, Larry Kruger of Customized Moving, discusses how he began within the industry close to 45 years ago where he has spent all of those years in sales.

Customized Moving is Larry’s consulting business which he started in 2023 and is based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Customized Moving provides consumer, corporate, and moving industry services. Larry also provides an online sales training course and has written the book on moving, called “Relocating – A Handbook for Moving Long-Distance” which is primarily aimed at the consumer.

Larry’s biggest challenge was to find and develop business, for 20+ years all of Larry’s calls were outgoing! Getting in front of clients is the challenge now as the entire sales cycle has shrunk, with the sales funnel shortened.

Larry wouldn’t change anything from his moving past, even though he has lost some big accounts he has always found that as one door closes another door opens.

Larry’s highpoint of being within the industry is sales, and therefore develop customers, which regardless of the size of the move, whether it be a multi-million-dollar account, or a small local move, still to this day gives Larry that hit of adrenaline and excitement.

The one thing Larry would like to change within the industry is to bring back professional consultative sales.

The advice Larry would give himself just starting out within the industry again is to hold the course as you will go through trials and tribulations, keep your integrity, and always build your own brand.

In the next 5 years Larry sees himself continuing on within this wonderful industry for as long as he can. Industry wise, Larry sees the industry changing dramatically on the sales end of things, especially the corporate side of the industry.

Outside of the industry Larry enjoys renovating his wife’s old house in Quebec, playing golf, and traveling.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story, regarding a corporate contract with a major bank.

Enjoy!

Links to Customized Moving:

Special Guest: Larry Kruger.

In this episode, Aubrey McCarthy, Managing Director of AMC Removals, discusses how he began within the industry at the tender age of 16, to fund himself while still in education, by advertising that he could move stuff for people locally. 3 x master’s & 1 x degree later, Aubrey remains within the moving industry and still hasn’t found a proper job!

AMC Removals is based in Dublin but also has an office in San Miguel, Spain. AMC Removals covers all of Ireland and has 3 road-trains in Europe on a weekly basis, and also run 3 x 18 tonne drop bodies, 7/8 x low loaders and 2 x Pantechnicons. AMC Removals offer both containerised storage (approximately 1,000) and self-storage.

Aubrey has faced two challenges, firstly, finding that the moving industry is a closed shop, where newcomers are viewed suspiciously, and he can totally understand why, and secondly, it was very difficult to get good staff, so he now has policies and schemes in place to attract and assist them.

The one thing Aubrey would like to change from his moving past was to send his late father to industry related conferences where, as a playboy, he would have entertained and put AMC Removals on the map.

Aubrey’s highpoint of being within the industry is growing the business organically and becoming a high-end quality mover, where Aubrey has moved the likes of Lord Andrew Lloyd-Webber, and more recently undertaken a move which cost half a million!!!

The one thing Aubrey would like to change within the industry is having the industry as a whole wake-up to IT, and re-educate the crews, and even agents, to be more IT friendly.

The advice Aubrey would give himself just starting out within the industry again is that the raw materials to your business are your trucks, but the key raw materials are your staff, and you have to treat them as your greatest asset, as well as listen to them too.

In the next 5 years Aubrey sees himself as Auctioneer once again for the annual BAR Conference, and opening a wing in his detox centre for attendees! 😊 Industry wise, Aubrey sees huge changes, with IT playing a very important role, and reducing volumes, especially with furniture becoming more and more disposable.

Outside of the industry Aubrey has a huge impact on people’s lives. Thanks to being within the moving industry Aubrey ensures 500 homeless people are fed daily in Dublin, has over 200 people in social housing, and has 7 centres for helping people. In 2023 Aubrey was awarded the Trinity College Alumni Award for his contribution towards social impact, and this year was awarded the Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year, as well as the prestigious Lifetime Membership Award by the Royal Dublin Society!

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story, regarding Ireland’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Enjoy!

Links to AMC Removals & Storage:

Special Guest: Aubrey McCarthy.

In this episode, Steve Sole discusses how he began within the industry just over 20 years ago, where he used to run his own business, Nice Man Big Van, in Brighton, which started from owning a luton van to carry his helium balloon, which he used for aerial photography, something he discovered during his solo travels early on in life.

Steve ran Nice Man Big Van for 16 years, before reluctantly giving it up in 2019 due to ill health, caused by stress. Today, Steve works part-time for Global Immigration Relocation Moving Spain, based in Madrid, where he is helping with networking their business and social media presence.

One of Steve’s challenges was trying to recruit reliable and trustworthy people.

Steve would like to change two things from his moving past, firstly, to have learned more about the HR side of the business, and secondly, to reach out more to help being offered (and to even ask for help) from individuals today.

Steve’s highpoints of being within the industry are achieving just under 900 verified Checkatrade reviews for Nice Man Big Van, as well as some of the people he got to move.

The main thing Steve would like to change within the industry is the key exchange, but also dealing with unreliable porters.

The advice Steve would give himself just starting out within the industry again is to vet staff better, and to remain at a small and manageable size.

In the next 5 years Steve hopes to see his website, worldwideporters.com take off and be turned into an app. Industry wise, Steve sees automation taking over in the forms of AI, robots and driverless vehicles.

Outside of the industry Steve enjoys cycling, but sold his bicycle before he relocated to Madrid, but he did keep and take his conga drums and electronic drumkit which he plays. Steve also enjoys magnet fishing with his wife.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with some funny moving stories, of a sexual nature.

Enjoy!

Links:

Special Guest: Steve Sole.

In this special episode of 'In Conversation With', I bring back three previous podcast guests to chat about a topic of their choice.

John Burridge of Richardson Moving & Storage, discusses Wages.

Richard Webster of Tonks Removals, discusses Costings.

Tommy McNee of Guardian Moving & Storage, discusses Sales & Marketing.

And I throw in my own topic for discussion at the end, Associations.

Enjoy!

Links to previous podcast episodes:

Special Guests: John Burridge, Richard Webster, and Tommy McNee.

In this episode, third-generation remover, Jason Hayes, Owner of D. Durrant Removals & Storage discusses how he began within the industry working Saturdays for the family business at the age of 13, and his first real memory of an overnighter was a removal with his father to Dundee, at the tender age of 6!

D. Durrant Removals & Storage was purchased by Jason in 2001, and together with his brother (Wayne) they also purchased their uncle’s company, Turners Removals 3 years ago. D. Durrant Removals & Storage are 95% domestic removals, with a full-time team of 15, running a variety of vehicles (but none more than 12 tonne these days), and house 400 containers across 3 warehouses.

Jason believes he’s been quite lucky over the years but one of his challenges was (and still is) trying to find that work/lifestyle balance.

Jason would like to change two things from his moving past, firstly, to have spent more time working on the business rather than in it, and secondly, to have invested into buying property rather than renting.

Jason’s highpoint of being within the industry is buying Turners Removals, not only because it was in the family before Jason was born, but he managed to secure the future of the company and gets to work alongside his brother.

The one thing Jason would like to change within the industry is that the average man on the street knew about the BAR (British Association of Removers) and it was therefore more recognised by the general public.

The advice Jason would give himself just starting out within the industry again is not to be so trusting and gullible, and to step back sometimes and take everything at face value.

In the next 5 years Jason would like to go part time and into semi-retirement (well in 3 years actually at the age of 55). Industry wise, Jason does believe that the BAR will get on top of the key release issue our industry is constantly plagued by.

Outside of the industry Jason has many a hobby, mainly around sports. Jason has 3 season tickets and can therefore often be found at football matches, he goes competition fishing with his brother and father, he has shares in a couple of greyhounds, and when time does permit, he can be found, military style, on the golf course.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story regarding Christmas.

Enjoy!

Links to D Durrant Removals & Storage:

To support Jason and sponsor him aforementioned cycle journey from Munich to Pisa, raising funds for the RBA (Removers Benevolent Association) please click here to make a donation that will make a real difference to those in our wonderful industry.

Special Guest: Jason Hayes.

In this episode, Patrick McCrory, Owner of McCrorys Removals discusses how he began within the industry in 1967, which is when he bought his first vehicle, that came with a starting handle!

Patrick, originally from County Tyrone in Ireland, who is 75 in June (2024), did work for a carrier company in Middlesborough for a short period of time before upping sticks and moving to London (alone) shortly after he’d left school. Working nightshifts in Safeway allowed Patrick to transport goods during the daytime, which included brass beds for a local antique company, that later lead Patrick into the antique and auctioneers industry for a few years, before returning to removals when he relocated to Nottingham some 40 years ago.

McCrorys Removals specialise in moves to and from Ireland, running 2 x 18 tonne demountables, 2 x 3.5 tonne vans, 1 x 18 tonne demountable trailer, 1 x 3.5 tonne box trailer & 5 x demountable bodies.

Patrick has experienced many challenges over his time within the industry, staff will always remain a challenge, but the worst decision he ever made was signing a contract to join a trade association.

The one thing Patrick would change from his moving past is to have learned to say no and to ensure he could undertake the job comfortably before saying yes.

Patrick has had many highpoints of being within the industry is, but one was getting his first demountable drawbar trailer.

The one thing Patrick would like to change within the industry is that everybody within an operation, no matter what their role or their seniority, go and assist on a removal on a regular basis, to get a full understanding of the industry.

The advice Patrick would give himself just starting out within the industry again is to appreciate only owning a small van for the valuable experience of having to utilise every inch of available space.

In the next 5 years Patrick plans to retire, again, and is now actively looking to sell McCrorys Removals, which Patrick believes can be a niche bolt-on to an existing Removals & Storage business, that can be relocated anyway within the UK. Industry wise, Patrick sees more regulation, such as the weight a person can lift.

Outside of the industry Patrick likes to travel (he has himself a campervan), cooking (which includes baking soda bread), gardening, reading, and listening to Radio 4.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story regarding a move to Spain.

Enjoy!

Links to McCrorys Removals:

Special Guest: Patrick McCrory.

In this episode, James Cooper, Director of Peter Cooper Ltd discusses how he began within the industry full time from the age of 21, although as a second-generation remover he helped out in the family business during school holidays from 12/13.

James was begrudgingly shuffled off to college followed by university (to study marketing), mainly by his mother, to gain a degree to fall back on should he not want to return to the family business, although the goal was always for James to return. But prior to James’s return to the family business, he went on to learn his removal foundation skills from White & Co initially and then GB Liners.

Peter Cooper Ltd was started in 1986 by James’s parents, and provide domestic (predominantly), European, international & commercial relocations, secure shredding, and storage, but also offer an antique restoration and repair side of the business too, as Peter (James’s father) was trained as an antique restorer. On the removals side James runs a full-time removal crew of 12, and 3 restorers on the antique side, operating a varied fleet of 11 vehicles.

James has overcome several challenges, in the early days it was being the boss’s son, but Covid was his biggest challenge.

The one thing James would change from his moving past is to have purchased land that became available on the industrial estate they currently reside, but the land and the build costs were just astronomical.

James’s highpoint of being within the industry are when the guys return from their jobs with a clean job ticket, and they and the customers are happy, then it’s a good day.

The one thing James would like to change within the industry is people’s perception of what our industry is about.

The advice James would give himself just starting out within the industry again is that you can never have to many friends within the industry, to ask questions, and to listen to the views of others no matter how different they may be to your own.

In the next 5 years James believes he will be doing exactly what he is doing now, enjoying life, and hopefully taking more holidays, but probably still complaining about all the things the industry normally complains about on a yearly basis. Industry wise, James doesn’t see any change as it slowly gets back to pre-Covid trends.

Outside of the industry James has a very long to-do list composed by Mrs C, regarding the new home they purchased 5 years ago that requires a lot of work, so DIY is his current escapism. Up until a year ago James played football on a weekly basis, and in his youth was a schoolboy player for Southampton FC.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story regarding an overnight in Hamburg, Germany.

Enjoy!

Links to Peter Cooper Ltd:

Special Guest: James Cooper.

In this episode, James Langridge, Operations Manager of Near & Far Removals discusses how he’s been in and out of the industry for the past 10-15 years, working in the family business, although he was hoping for a career in football.

Near & Far Removals are based in Nottingham and was started in 2003 by James’s parents, Martyn & Elaine Langridge. Near & Far offer domestic removals, packing, dismantling & re-erecting, house clearance/disposal, commercial relocation, crate hire and storage (using both self-storage units and shipping containers, as James doesn’t like the 250 cuft wooden storage containers).

James says that removals itself is a challenge he has had to overcome, especially key waits, which he goes on to have a little rant about. Other challenges include staff, which James enjoys and thrives upon, and tidiness, which includes vehicles & uniforms.

James wouldn’t change anything from his moving past as he believes it is a journey he is on.

James’s highpoints of being within the industry are working with different customers, different people, seeing different parts of the country and having a laugh on the job.

The one thing James would like to change within the industry is, surprise, surprise, completion days.

The advice James would give himself just starting out within the industry again is not to go over the top buying supplies, such as covers, as blankets are more than adequate.

In the next 5 years James wants to continuing making Near & Far the best they can be by continuing to provide the best service possible. Industry wise, James doesn’t see any changes apart from individuals themselves.

Outside of the industry James is clearly a keen footballer, he also enjoys golf, fishing, evenings at the spa and nights out on the town with his mates.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with two funny moving stories (as well as the oddest item James has moved), one regarding a photograph, and the other involving a chap called Jeremy.

Enjoy!

Links to Near & Far Removals:

Special Guest: James Langridge.

In this episode David Burgess, Owner of We Move You Edinburgh discusses how he began loosely in the industry, by mistake, in 2000, doing removals while studying for a post graduate degree in physiotherapy.

David’s old company was rebranded We Move You Edinburgh a couple of years ago, and provide the usual domestic moving services, house clearances, shipping container storage, and a weekly run to and from London, running 4 vehicles with a crew of 4.

We Move You Edinburgh is massively into recycling and therefore tries to reduce landfill as much as possible, collecting 100 tonne of furniture every year. With house clearances David tries to sell, give away or even upcycle the items, rather than letting them go to landfill.

One of the challenges David had to overcome was Covid, where David found himself being too busy and practically burned himself out having to deal with staff getting Covid, staff on furlough and not wanting to return to work, and therefore having to do their job, as well as his own.

The one thing David would change from his moving past is maybe taking a step back and taking time out during Covid. Also, learning and knowing your numbers is critical, something that was detrimental to David over previous years.

David’s highpoint of being within the industry, apart from being a guest on the podcast, is obtaining his Operators Licence.

The one thing David would like to change within the industry is the no parking on pavements ruling, which in David’s situation is specific to Edinburgh as many of the roads are simply not wide enough to have vehicles parked either side of the road and leave a large enough gap for vehicles to pass, especially emergency service vehicles.

The advice David would give himself just starting out within the industry again is to charge more.

In the next 5 years David would like more vehicles, more storage (a warehouse or more shipping containers), and even his own land. Regarding recycling, David would like to open up a shop (with or without a partner) to sell items from house clearances, auctioning off anything that doesn’t sell, and any items that remain unsold can then be used to smash up inside a Rage Room! Industry wise David sees the recycling side increasing but changes outside of the industry still need to be made to make the green removal service achievable.

Much to David’s downfall he did very little outside of the industry in the past, however, he is switching off more and more these days, and is very active in OCR (Obstacle Course Racing) and supporting his daughter in her field of vaulting (acrobatics performed on the back of a cantering horse), where she is a British Champion.

And as always, we end Moving Matters with a funny moving story regarding a helping hand from the afterlife.

Enjoy!

Links to We Move You Edinburgh:

Special Guest: David Burgess.