Page 25 - BOSS Today Issue 42

60 SECOND INTERVIEW BOSS Today #42

EASY RIDER

Specialist OP market researcher Martin Wilde talks to Sean Starkey, Managing Director of Durable (UK) Ltd.

MW: What are you looking forward to most in thoroughly respect him and his we sit at nearly £18k, so we are
your business year in 2019? drive and energy given over to so pleased to have had so many
SS: A ‘soft’ Brexit, but also the helping and supporting others. Part supporters and sponsors.
continued success of our team of my own drive and interest has
and customers. We have employed been due to the loss of both of my MW: Would you do the RoL again next year? If so,
many new staff in the last two parents to cancer, as well as some will it be different in any way?
years and they in turn have brought other family members and friends. SS: Absolutely! Unfortunately, we had
new skills and understanding, So, the ‘Ride of Life’ (RoL) was born! to turn a number of people away
together with new energy and this year, which was a pity. The
drive. I really enjoy that part of my MW: Who else was involved in the RoL project? provisional date is Thursday 27th
job. SS: Several people have been very June 2019, and we are planning
giving of their time, in particular some interesting differences
MW: What will be the biggest challenges in your Steve Robinson (Safescan), Kiran to make it bigger and better, of
business year in 2019? Mistry (Colop) and Steve Hilleard course! Steve, Kiran and I will be
SS: Without mentioning the ‘B’ word (OPI), who were part of the getting some more details out
again, it would be digitisation and Organising Committee, but also straight after Christmas, but I’d be
its effects on, for example, filing my wife Monika, Frances Stephen happy to hear from anyone who
products, coupled with the mere (Springfield), Kelly Hilleard, Janet would like to pre-register for the
survival of some of our respected Bell and Chris Exner (OPI). The event.
and valued customers around Institute of Cancer Research,
Europe. through Prof. Paul Workman and MW: Tell me something that most people don’t
Heather Lacey, were so supportive know about you.
MW: Please tell me about the ‘Ride Of Life’? How and last, but certainly not least, Mr SS: Apart from my stunning good
did the idea come about? Chapman was present on the day to looks and charm, which most
SS: I used to be a very keen and enjoy our suffering and give advice! people (including my wife Monika)
competitive cyclist before starting don’t seem to know that I have,
my career and I have been wanting MW: So, how did the RoL go and how much did you then perhaps I should mention my
to get back into it for a while. A raise? previous passion for squash, having
number of my industry friends SS: Given that we had to restrict played at North West county level
are also keen and so I started to numbers for this inaugural ride to for many years. However, my
think about a linkage to the ‘Climb 25 (due to road safety etc), we were knees, plus the loss of two teeth,
of Life’. I have known Graeme delighted to reach around £14k by have surprisingly reduced the
Chapman for many years and the time of the event. Currently, aforementioned passion!

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