Why Derby has proven a home from home for Karen

In the latest edition of Marketing Derby’s Innovate Magazine, we meet Karen Clark, who swapped Ontario for Derby when her employer – Canadian-owned firm Ergo Advantage – decided to establish a UK operation.

It was two years ago when the modular ergonomic flooring manufacturer decided to set up in Derby – a city that shares many similarities with its base in Fergus, Ontario.

Karen was chosen to lead its UK expansion – which meant not just coming to Derby to work but also to live.

She recalls being impressed with the city, describing it as a perfect fit for the business.

She tells Innovate: “Derby is home to some really great manufacturing and aerospace companies. It’s an area that truly understands the industries we want to be part of. It felt welcoming and it just fit.”

Before the move, Karen had spent a decade working for Ergo Advantage, whose products are designed primarily for workplaces where people spend long periods of time on their feet.

When the business decided it needed someone to establish its UK operation, she saw it as a new challenge – even though it meant leaving behind family, friends and the surroundings she had known all her life.

She told Innovate: “It was exciting to think about the opportunity to build on the business we had already established here in the UK and Europe and to develop a stronger local operation to support the UK sales team and our UK growth.

“It was scary and exciting all at once. But I think one of the biggest life lessons is that growth comes from stepping outside your comfort zone.”

Since her move, Karen has noticed many similarities in the way UK and Canadian companies do business, placing importance on relationships.

As a result, she admits that the whole transition has been easier than she anticipated.

The same can be said for her home life.

She told Innovate: “Derby reminds me of Ontario. People in the stores are friendly and it’s a beautiful city to walk around.”

As for the business, two years on from establishing its Derby operation, Ergo is continuing to build its presence.

Karen said: “We want to continue to grow – grow here, grow in Europe – and hopefully do that through relationships and getting our product out there and getting people to understand it.”

To read the feature in full, click here.