GeoGrow, Cannock-based specialists in geotechnical engineered solutions, is passionate about its people. Committed to investing in the best team possible, GeoGrow has recently welcomed John Carter as Sales Director. John is a construction industry veteran, having worked in the sector for more than 35 years from a distribution and manufacturing perspective. As such, he brings a wealth of valuable experience and insight to GeoGrow.
John first met GeoGrow’s Managing Director, Chris Ansell, two decades ago and has always held a huge amount of respect for him. “I quickly found out that Chris was one of the good guys of the industry,” he says. After reconnecting several years later, Chris explained the concept of GeoGrow to John and his interest was immediately piqued. “I’ve always been interested in the concept of the company. Right from the word go, it really struck a chord with me,” John explains. “I wouldn’t have entertained the notion of leaving my previous job for anybody other than Chris. I’m passionate about being part of something that I truly believe will grow and grow,” he adds.
Work is a real passion for John; he always wanted to work in the sales arena and says that for him, work has become a real hobby, something he enjoys and loves spending time on. “I once attended a conference where the speaker claimed that no one who worked in sales ever really wanted to. I made a point of telling him he was wrong, and that I’d always wanted to work in this field. He didn’t believe me and so I left,” he says. “I love my line of work. I like people and I like talking to people. I find everyone interesting,” he adds.
When asked what he likes about being part of the GeoGrow team so far, John answers: “As soon as I walked through the door I felt like I’d been here forever. The first thing that I noticed was the warmth; you can really feel it. It’s not a dictatorship; it’s humble, with lots of kindness and respect combined with a high level of professionalism and it’s clear that this comes from the top down. It’s how the company has been created.”
Discussing the company’s plans for the future, John says that although it’s too soon for him to have any of his own strategies in place yet, all businesses should have a five year vision, a three year strategy and a one year plan. “I know Chris has a strong vision for the future of the company and it’s down to myself and the team to drive the strategy for that vision,” he says.
“I’m a strong believer in PDCA - Plan, Do, Check, Act. If a plan is created correctly but isn’t working, people should be able to change the plan quickly. Too many people in business stick to a plan religiously whether it’s working or not. The vision should never change, but the strategy and plan to realise that vision certainly can. PDCA is a simple, yet highly effective strategy for succeeding in most industries,” he explains.
John is a firm believer that GeoGrow’s future is bright. “There are huge opportunities with this type of business; it’s a sleeping giant. There’s not much awareness of the type of solutions we offer and there are still many people out there that should know about them, but don’t.” John is confident this will change with time, and that legislation such as the Biodiversity Net Gain will go far in helping to spread awareness of GeoGrow’s work.
Although work is very important to John, that’s not all he enjoys. Outside working hours he has plenty to keep him busy. “I’m a real family man,” he explains. “I have a two-year old granddaughter who is absolutely wonderful, and I love cooking, particularly authentic Thai food. I also play golf, visit the gym when I can and take lots of walks with my dog.”
Chris Ansell, Managing Director of GeoGrow says: “We are delighted to welcome John to the GeoGrow team. He has a huge amount of experience within our industry and his passion and dedication to our cause is second to none. We are excited to see how his talent and expertise helps us on our journey as we continue to grow.”
For more information about GeoGrow, please visit www.geogrow.com.
