Chris Kelly is the managing director of Phoenix 2 Retail, a vaping products distribution company based in Hartlepool. It employs 60 people and supplies leading retailers including Morrisons and Booker.
What was your first job (and how much did it pay)? It was a Saturday job, working at a butcher’s at the age of 14. My job was to get the chickens ready to go onto the rotisserie and then clean it all down at the end of the day. I was paid £15 a day and it was a quick introduction to getting up very early, because we had to be at the shop by 6am to prepare for the day. It was also an introduction to getting my hands dirty at work, it was very hands-on with a heavy workload.
What is the best advice or support you’ve been given in business? The best advice I’ve been given is that nobody knows what they are doing. The people who are willing to operate without all of the answers are the ones who end up being successful. I still don’t know all of the answers myself.
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What are the main changes you’ve seen in your business/sector, and what are the challenges you’re facing? There is a lot of regulation that has been introduced into the vaping sector, and another challenge is the negative media coverage.
As an industry we accept the former and we support the Government’s moves to limit their sales and appeal to under-18s, but it’s difficult to understand the latter when vapes are at the heart of the NHS smoking cessation strategy, are 95% less harmful than combustible cigarettes and are the best way to move people from smoking traditional cigarettes.
What would your dream job be? I’m a huge fan of boxing and my dream job would be a promoter for Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn. He’s a total sales person and I really like that mentality. I am fascinated with how he holds boxing events in massive venues and I’d love to be on the inside making that happen.
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What advice would you give to someone starting out a career in your sector? People should come into our sector with an open mind. There are so many preconceptions and I can see in people’s faces what they think about the industry when I tell them what I do.
But I tell them that our products were produced to do good for smokers and gives them a less harmful alternative to cigarettes. We support the work to prevent sales to under-18s and we’re preparing for single-use disposable vapes to be taken off the market, so as an industry we are doing what is expected of us to ensure that their benefits are concentrated on the right people.
What makes the North East a good place to do business? There is a real desire for businesses in this region to support each other and to help each other do well. We always try to use local suppliers and it’s also a good place to recruit for certain roles. Also, compared to the North West the rents, leases and building prices are affordable and more cost-effective.
How important is it for business to play a role in society? Business is what keeps the country’s wheels turning. Whether you are making cars or selling vapes or working in a nursing home, business is vital to the local and the national economy. They offer people opportunities and help them live the life they want, and it needs to be at the heart of the communities it serves.
Outside of work, what are you really good at? I wouldn’t say I’m really good at it, but I am into running and I’m doing Ok. The last race I did was a 16.1 mile ultra along a mixture of road and trail and it took me two hours and 14 minutes, which I was very pleased with. I’m doing a triathlon soon and looking forward to it – the training gives me a release and is really good for my wellbeing and mental health.
Who would play you in a film about your life? Stephen Graham - I think he’s a good actor and, like me, he’s not very tall.
Which three people would you invite to a dinner party, and why? I would invite Eddie Hearn, Alan Shearer and the leadership speaker and author Simon Sinek. The first two are hugely successful – I’m a big Newcastle United Fan – while Simon talks and writes about success and I’d want to know everything they know about being successful.
The whole topic fascinates me. I have just launched a podcast, called Beyond Limits, and it’s dedicated to talking to people about what makes them successful. It’s early days, but what’s coming through loud and clear is how success comes from being relentless and not taking no for an answer.