SPRING 2019 Joanna Ehlen Branch Manager, Wolseley Huyton How did you come to work for Wolseley? After 15 years in customer services, primarily in contact centres, I felt the need to get to know the customers. I saw an advertisement for a sales adviser at Wolseley Huyton, which was for 30 hours per week. It wasn't what I was looking for - I was working full-time managing a team of 20 sales advisers at the time - but I kept being drawn back to it. I researched Wolseley and knew I needed to make it happen. There were development opportunities and although initially I was apprehensive, I've never looked back! What do you like most about working at Wolseley? The people and the amount of knowledge and experience that can be tapped into. Initially it was daunting because I knew very little about the plumbing and heating industry, but I've never come across a problem that can't be resolved. Everyone is eager to share their knowledge. What's it like being a woman in a very male-dominated workplace? Initially, it never crossed my mind. I was quite confident and had a clear picture of how I would contribute to the team. I used to repeatedly get the "nod" to make coffee for visitors! But I put a lot of effort into developing my knowledge of the industry, while demonstrating the skills I already had. I'd constructively challenge decisions and submit ideas to contribute to the business's growth. My development speaks volumes - from sales adviser to showroom manager in 12 months and a year later I had my own branch.