Julie Evans, Financial Director, Corner House Design & Print

What was your first job?

I was an office junior for Trafford Council on a training course called YTS earning £25 per week. Us oldies will know what that stands for!

How many years have you been working in the creative industry?

36 with a career break when our children were very young.

What was your first thought when Dave wanted to establish your own design studio?

PANIC!!! We had 2 young children when we set up Corner House but I never doubted Dave’s ability and passion to set up our own business.

What’s your secret to be able to work with your husband for so long?

He’s the boss at work and I’m the boss at home. It obviously works as Dave and I celebrated our 32^nd Wedding Anniversary in July and we have worked together every day since we met ove 35 years ago.

What is your key to building a strong and trustworthy team?

Treat everybody with respect and remember we all have families and a life out of work.

Over the past 6 years you have seen the business develop into a hereditary business, what has the biggest challenge been over the past 6 years?

Not killing Alex!! You have to separate work from home life, not always easy but it has to be done.

If you could pass one piece of advice on to any business owner what would it be?

Believe in your business.

Your business survived through the worst financial crisis of our generation, was there a time that you were worried and if so what did you do to counteract it?

I always worry through good and bad!!

Over the past 20 years you have seen a huge development in technology, what do you feel is the most beneficial and what is the most frustrating?

There is no doubt that technology saves time, but you still need people to come up with creative design initially – and that can take time.

Who is your biggest influence when it comes to your determination in business?

Dave.

Since the integration of digital marketing and specifically social media being key to businesses, how do you feel you have adopted to it.

I have to confess I leave that to Alex.

Are there any people you wish to thank over the past 20 years?

I would like to thank Dave’s dad, although he is no longer with us. He helped us so much in the beginning and he also gave me the confidence to take on the accounts. Thank you to our loyal clients and suppliers some of whom have been with us from day one, Mike, Dave and Paul and we have all seen the good and bad times in the industry.  Also I mustn’t forget Alex for taking over the business development and social media side of the business. The only tweeting I understand is from the feathered variety that sit in trees!! And last but not least Natalie, Alex and our lovely family for all the support over the years.