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!
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Special Guest: Steve Sole.