Just recently, the world celebrated International Women’s Day, a day that recognises the achievements of women in various fields. At Fresh Start Waste, we take this opportunity to shed light on the remarkable women working in the waste industry. In this article, we will feature interviews with inspiring women who have made significant contributions to our company and the waste management sector.
For International Women’s Day we want to celebrate the females who help our business tick and prove that gender is no barrier to success in a traditionally masculine sector.
However, just because we employ many more women than most waste management companies and are fully committed to providing equal opportunities, doesn’t mean that we discriminate against anybody. Indeed, we try to be as meritocratic as possible, which is championed by our CEO, Nicola McGrath.
As the Chief Executive Officer and Co-Founder of Fresh Start Waste, Nicola serves as a leading lady in our organisation. With a passion for waste management, Nicola has been instrumental in shaping our company’s success. When asked about the female figure she most admires, Nicola mentions her mother, highlighting her strength, care and unwavering support.
Nicola’s Journey and Achievements
Nicola’s ambition to become a professional dancer turned into a successful career in waste management. She considers being a mother and contributing to the Fresh Start journey as her greatest achievements. Over the past twelve years, Fresh Start Waste has grown significantly, operating 28 trucks across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, and parts of Merseyside. Nicola also shares her earlier experience as a professional dancer, which allowed her to travel the world.
“I believe that the best person should get the job irrelevant of gender. If you are hard-working, resilient and determined to succeed, it doesn’t matter what gender you are in any industry, including waste.”
Nicola co-founded Fresh Start in 2005 with her father and, after performing a variety of roles in the company, eventually worked her way up to the top of the ladder. But has having a female CEO changed the way that other waste firms view Fresh Start? We thought it was a perfect time to put the female CEO under the spotlight for women in waste.
“It’s been interesting at times. However, from my dealings with other companies, the overall reaction has been extremely positive. In the end, if you lead by example and demonstrate the types of behaviours that you expect from others, people will respect you for it.”
Which living female person do you most admire and why? Definitely my mother. She is a wonderful person. Strong, caring and very supportive.
What did you want to be when you were growing up? A professional dancer.
What do you consider your greatest achievement? I would say first of all being a mother and having a family. Secondly, being part of the Fresh Start journey from day one. Twelve years on, having been through all the growing pains and sleepless nights of a new start up, we are running 28 trucks across Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Cheshire and parts of Merseyside, employing over a 100 staff. Prior to that, becoming a Professional Dancer and travelling the world.
How would you like to be remembered? I would like to be remembered for being a truly honest, kind and determined person.
How do you relax? Gosh, relaxation, something we should all do more of. I don’t often have the chance to switch off, but when I do, I particularly like Pilates.
What is the most important lesson life has taught you? Have courage, be kind and never give up.
