Q&A with Sue

As we end 2025, we thought it would be good to catch up with one of our Directors, Sue. Here she tells us about her life before Brookeswood, what her role involves and a hidden talent that she really enjoys.

What did you want to do when you were growing up?

I loved fashion, still do and wanted to be a fashion designer, so when I left school, I went to university and graduated with a degree in fashion design.

What did you do before joining the company?

For many years, I worked in the fashion industry. Back then, Leek was famous for its textile industry, so I worked for a number of companies locally, including Slimma, which was quite well known. I also worked for Belstaff, which was founded in Stoke-on-Trent.

Working with the motorcycle clothing, which is what the brand was founded on, was fantastic, and I got to travel all over the world, as Belstaff was an international company, experiences I will never forget.

Why the change in career?

I had a pivotal moment, really. I had two young boys and had applied for a job in fashion in Rochdale. It would have meant commuting from the Moorlands there and back. On the way to the interview, I thought I could do it, but on the way back, I had a complete reality check. Whilst I’d had a great career in fashion and enjoyed it, I had a young family and didn’t want to spend my life commuting and always being stressed from the amount of juggling I was doing. I wanted to be home to read the bedtime stories and enjoy it. I decided then that I was going to leave the industry to join our family company.

Tell us about your role?

When I started with Brookeswood, it gave me the flexibility to be able to balance the childcare, which was great. I got to learn about and understand the business, and my role over time has definitely changed and evolved as the company has grown. When we started, we had eight staff; now we have 22. My husband Neil, my son Brad, and I are all company directors, and we all have our own responsibilities. I oversee the financial and HR aspects of the business, from accounts and bookkeeping to supplier payments and wages. It definitely keeps me busy. Brad looks after our sales strategy, and Neil oversees the technical and joinery side.

What has been the best part of being part of a family-run company?

Seeing how we have grown has been fantastic.  I am extremely proud of what our team has achieved, especially Brad, who joined his Dad as an apprentice and is now a director. He has helped drive and shape the company to what it is today, and to see us win a Build It Award for our Heritage Casement Windows was very special. We have a fantastic, talented team at Brookeswood, which makes all the difference.

What has 2025 been like for Brookeswood?

It’s been a good year for us. We launched our new website to showcase our services, exhibited at the Grand Designs show at the NEC, where we made some great new connections and launched our new customer aftercare service, Ensure. We’ve also recently expanded with two new staff, our apprentice joiner Kris and Liam, who has joined our sales team to build our reach. To finish the year off by becoming award-winning has been fantastic.  Next year, we want to build on that success.

What do you like doing outside of work?

We are lucky enough to live in a beautiful part of the country, so I love taking our two Irish Setters on long walks. I really enjoy going to a fantastic gym too, and am also enjoying going back to my roots by doing some freelance design work.

Is there anything people don’t know about you?

People have probably guessed that I still love designing clothes and also enjoy making them.