Entrepreneurs
Why Hilary Devey Is So Successful
Hilary Devey is a businesswoman, TV personality and entrepreneur from the UK best known for her role on BBC’s Dragons’ Den with Peter Jones.
Hilary continues grow her personal brand by speaking at high profile events around the world and carrying on with her TV work by presenting shows like Channel 4’s The Intern.
Hilary Devey’s Early Life
Devey was raised in Bolton, England and at the young age of seven saw the unfortunate bankruptcy of her father when his central heating company went under. This difficult time involved bailiffs taking furniture and appliances from their family home. After this, Devey’s father made ends meet by managing public houses, inns and hotels. After leaving school at sixteen, Devey briefly served in the Women’s Royal Air Force before leaving and moving to London. Devey then went on to gain experience in the distribution sector working for Littlewoods, Tibbett and Britten and the United Carrier Network.
She then progressed to work at TNT in the retail distribution sector before she decided to leave and set up her own business.
Hilary Devey’s estimated net worth is $75 Million.
Hilary Devey’s Business
Through her expanding experience and increasing knowledge, Hilary Devey realised that it was a challenge to transport small consignments of palletised freight at a low price and at a fast pace. She felt that if this situation was tackled immediately it would be a profitable and revolutionary venture within the distribution industry.
Devey was faced with large obstacles and seemingly insurmountable odds when it came to getting started. The banks refused to help fund her proposed venture and the only way she could finance the start up of the company was to sell her house and her car. Devey maintained incredible belief and determination whilst facing these obstacles head on. The situation was made even more impressive by the fact that she was a single mother at the time. It would have been easy to give up, and I am sure that many would have but Devey pressed on.
In the company’s first year, at Christmas time, she was forced to forfeit her own wage in favour of her staff and she couldn’t even afford a Christmas dinner for her and her son. It was very clear that success was Devey’s only option as she faced obstacle after obstacle and she overcame all of them. It took several months and many knock backs for Devey to secure her first premises and in the late part of 1996, Pall-Ex was born.
“Failure was not an option. It just wasn’t in my vocabulary.” – Hilary Devey
The Growth of ‘Pall-Ex’
On the first night of business the new company only distributed 117 pallets which is very different when compared with the ten thousand pallets that are now distributed by Pall-Ex every single night. Today, Hilary Devey is an inspirational role model to both male and female entrepreneurs. After starting from absolutely nothing, she now is the CEO of the largest palletised freight distribution network in the UK; boasting a turnover in excess of $100 Million and serving multiple blue chip customers.
Pall-Ex delivers to 38 Countries in Europe and serves every single post code in the United Kingdom. It is no exaggeration to say that Hilary Devey and Pall-Ex revolutionised the distribution industry and they have never followed the crowd, maintaining a focus on innovation.
Hilary Devey’s Television Career
Devey has featured on several TV pprogrammesin the UK, starting with ‘The Secret Millioanire’ in 2008 where she donated $100,000 to The Back Door Music Project and The Syke Community Centre in Rochdale. In the Spring of 2010 Devey became the presenter of The Business Inspector for Channel 5 in the UK. In The Business Inspector, Devey used her experience and expertise to transform struggling businesses so they could operate successfully and turn a profit.
In early 2011 Devey joined the panel of the BBC 2 programme Dragons’ Den, a show that allows budding entrepreneurs to present their business ideas to the panel of wealthy investors. The contestants pitch for financial investment, giving a stake in their company in return. After a successful run on the programme, Devey announced that she would be leaving Dragons’ Den and signing a contract to appear exclusively on Channel 4.
“If you don’t have faith in yourself, then nobody else will have faith in you.” – Hilary Devey
Conclusion
Hilary Devey’s story of overcoming obstacles to become successful is as filled with determination and persistence as any entrepreneurial journey you’re likely to read. Her ability to keep going in the face of adversity and repeated knock backs is inspiring.
Ask yourself what you could achieve if you didn’t take ‘no’ for an answer and literally kept going until you were successful. This is what the remarkable Hilary Devey did and it was the primary ingredient for her success.
An amazing woman with a phenomenal story that teaches us to maintain a success driven focus even when things get extremely tough.
Hilary Devey’s Speech
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In workplaces around the world, there’s a growing gap between employers and employees and between superiors and their teams. It’s a common refrain: “People don’t leave companies, they leave bad bosses.”
While there are, of course, cases where management could do better, this isn’t just a “bad boss” problem. The relationship between leaders and employees is complex. Instead of assigning blame, we should explore practical solutions to build stronger, healthier workplaces where everyone thrives.
Why This Gap Exists
Every workplace needs someone to guide, supervise, and provide feedback. That’s essential for productivity and performance. But because there are usually far more employees than managers, dissatisfaction, fair or not, spreads quickly.
What if, instead of focusing on blame, we focused on building trust, empathy, and communication? This is where modern leadership and human-centered management can make a difference.
Tools and Techniques to Bridge the Gap
Here are proven strategies leaders and employees can use to foster stronger relationships and create a workplace where people actually want to stay.
1. Practice Mutual Empathy
Both managers and employees need to recognize they are ultimately on the same team. Leaders have to balance people and performance, and often face intense pressure to hit targets. Employees who understand this reality are more likely to cooperate and problem-solve collaboratively.
2. Maintain Professional Boundaries
Superiors should separate personal issues from professional decision-making. Consistency, fairness, and integrity build trust, and trust is the foundation of a motivated team.
3. Follow the Golden Rule
Treat people how you would like to be treated. This simple principle encourages compassion and respect, two qualities every effective leader must demonstrate.
4. Avoid Micromanagement
Micromanaging stifles creativity and damages morale. Great leaders see themselves as partners, not just bosses, and treat their teams as collaborators working toward a shared goal.
5. Empower Employees to Grow
Empowerment means giving employees responsibility that matches their capacity, and then trusting them to deliver. Encourage them to take calculated risks, learn from mistakes, and problem-solve independently. If something goes wrong, turn it into a learning opportunity, not a reprimand.
6. Communicate in All Directions
Communication shouldn’t just be top-down. Invite feedback, create open channels for suggestions, and genuinely listen to what your people have to say. Healthy upward communication closes gaps before they become conflicts.
7. Overcome Insecurities
Many leaders secretly fear being outshone by younger, more tech-savvy employees. Instead of resisting, embrace the chance to learn from them. Humility earns respect and helps the team innovate faster.
8. Invest in Coaching and Mentorship
True leaders grow other leaders. Provide mentorship, career guidance, and stretch opportunities so employees can develop new skills. Leadership is learned through experience, but guided experience is even more powerful.
9. Eliminate Favoritism
Avoid cliques and office politics. Decisions should be based on facts and fairness, not gossip. Objective, transparent decision-making builds credibility.
10. Recognize Efforts Promptly
Recognition often matters more than rewards. Publicly appreciate employees’ contributions and do so consistently and fairly. A timely “thank you” can be more motivating than a quarterly bonus.
11. Conduct Thoughtful Exit Interviews
When employees leave, treat it as an opportunity to learn. Keep interviews confidential and use the insights to improve management practices and culture.
12. Provide Leadership Development
Train managers to lead, not just supervise. Leadership development programs help shift mindsets from “command and control” to “coach and empower.” This transformation has a direct impact on morale and retention.
13. Adopt Soft Leadership Principles
Today’s workforce, largely millennials and Gen Z, value collaboration over hierarchy. Soft leadership focuses on partnership, mutual respect, and shared purpose, rather than rigid top-down control.
The Bigger Picture: HR’s Role
Mercer’s global research highlights five key priorities for organizations:
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Build diverse talent pipelines
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Embrace flexible work models
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Design compelling career paths
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Simplify HR processes
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Redefine the value HR brings
The challenge? Employers and employees often view these priorities differently. Bridging that perception gap is just as important as bridging the relational gap between leaders and staff.
Treat Employees Like Associates, Not Just Staff
When you treat employees like partners, they bring their best selves to work. HR leaders must develop strategies to keep talent engaged, empowered, and prepared for the future.
Organizational success starts with people, always. Build the relationship with your team first, and the results will follow.
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