Inspirational Women Q&A: Joanna Hill, Sid Hill Transport Ltd

Joanna Hill is the finance director at Sid Hill Transport, a transport and logistics company based in Lancashire. It was recently a finalist in the 2022 Red Rose Awards and won the New Business category at the 2022 Enterprise Vision Awards (EVAs).

Founded in 2020 by Joanna and Simon Hill, in just over two years the family business has grown into a successful transport service operating in both the UK and abroad. Joanna shares her own inspirational Lancashire woman in business story.

What does your business do?

We are a family business that provides transport services for a range of sectors from the NHS, manufacturers and exhibition and events companies. We also support many local and national charities and businesses. We will travel nationally and internationally.

Why did you start your own business?

We started our business at the start of the pandemic and wanted a better work life balance but we also had had the vision for some time. Myself and my husband have built up a breadth of experience in the logistics and finance worlds and so utilised our skills to build what we think is a now professional and reliable business.

What has been your biggest business breakthrough?

When we hit the £1m turnover mark in our first year of trading! We’ve been trading for nearly three years now and that has increased year on year.

What has been your proudest achievement in your business?

When we were able to showcase our fleet and team in the Commercial Motors magazine last September. We were so proud of what we had achieved so far and only gave us the drive to do more!

What is the most effective support or guidance you have received?

Boost has provided us with a Business Growth Plan and this helped in identifying the challenges and opportunities that we are looking at for the next few years. We connected with local businesses to obtain advise on things like HR and certain legal issues and this has only added to our strengths.

What keeps you going when things are tough?

I ensure that I always regularly communicate with my co-director so that problems can be resolved easier and quicker. I also ensure that I take time for me even when things are super busy and stressful because after all who will look after me if I don’t?

What are your best three tips for maintaining your wellbeing?

1. Take time out to pamper yourself every now again – a spa day or perhaps meeting up with a friend over lunch.
2. I think exercise helps your mental state and I hit the gym regularly to banish those stress levels.
3. I also think we spend far to much time looking at phone screens which is hard as everything is now on our phones – give yourself daily ‘phone’ time out – it can be liberating!

What advice would you give to a female entrepreneur starting a business?

Knowledge is power. Do your research and speak to people. Be brave to take that plunge! Starting a business is risky but if you don’t take risks you’ll not progress in life – nine times out of ten it will work out and even if it doesn’t go fully to plan there is so much support out there to help you. www.sidhilltransport.com

Boost is helping Lancashire businesses. 

We have a range of funded support programmes and a team of business advisers you can talk to. To speak to someone from the Growth Hub about business support, contact Boost online or call 0800 488 0057.