The Mover December 2012

26 The Mover ● December 2012 ● www.themover.co.ukCOVER STORY: DEREK MILNER● Left to right: Amy Lake, Derek Milner and Becky Morris.Angels and demonsNo business ever runs perfectly smooth. But sometimes, along the way, we meet people whohelp us in a totally selfless way without apparent reason. There are also times when it seemsthe odds are being stacked against us. Steve Jordan talks to Derek Milner from Intransit inTrowbridge about the ups and downs he’s had along the way - and some he’s still having.Derek started his companyas a bet. He was workingas an electrician fixingstreet lights. Frustratedat being continually by-passed forpromotion he bet his boss £5.00that he could start his own businessand make it successful. The result wasa roller-coaster that wouldn’t havebeen out of place at Alton Towers.In 1997 Derek sold his car andbought a Transit van, a computerand some business cards. He hadno experience but his dad hadalways told him that there must besome money in ‘moving stuff aroundfor people’. Derek started workinghard to prove his father right.Three months later he was stillworking full-time as an electricianbut driving his van after hours. But bythen he had thought of the companyname – Intransit – as all the ‘stuff’he moved was in a Transit, and hebegan making a name for himself.“I always wanted to create a brandand be known locally,” he explained.“It was very hard going,” Dereksaid. “One day I was about to packit in when a shop rang and wantedme to do some home deliveries offlat-pack furniture. It worked welland I was soon earning £100/weekand had a mate helping me.” Butthe success wasn’t to last. “Theywent bankrupt owing me about£1,500. I thought … I can’t do thisany more.”Just as Derek had decided again tothrow in the towel he took a phonecall from a large furniture store whowanted him to deliver sofas. “I rangmy mate and told him we were backin business. The company is still aclient of mine today.”But he had still to do a household“All sorts happenedand lots of peoplehelped me. I startedmarketing Intransitas a moving companyand I was gettingbusier.”Derek Milnerremoval. His break into that marketcame from another chance phonecall from an elderly lady who hadhad a fire in her kitchen and wantedto move out. “I told her that we don’treally do household removals,”remembered Derek. “But she said,‘well you do now’, and that was that.She wouldn’t take no for an answer.I don’t know why she rang me orinsisted that I do the work but I’mglad she did. I still work for herfamily.”Going full-timeWork picked up from that point on.“All sorts happened and lots of peoplehelped me. I started marketingIntransit as a moving company (notlight haulage) and I was gettingbusier.” Derek explained that he hadan office set up in an airing cupboardand was working around the clock.“I was learning so much so quickly.”Eventually having two jobs becametoo much and he left his job as anelectrician. “I never got my fivequid though.”Building the businessIn 2004 he was approached byH J Knee department store inTrowbridge. The company had