Linda Cornell believes that starting from the bottom in business is the very best education you can have, although it might not seem like that at the time. Employed as the 13th rep in the Bristol area in 2 years, seemed pretty daunting to someone with zero sales experience. An order a day keeps the sack away was the company mantra. So it was sink or swim. Early starts and large amounts of frantic cold calling was the only way. Most of the ‘existing’ clients had long gone elsewhere. Eventually it started to pay off. Thankfully a word of mouth recommendation followed around the Bristol Business Community. When 12 years later the Company she was working for, now as a National Accounts Manager, started to fail majorly on all fronts, she knew she had to protect her precious clients.
So in 1996 she created Natural Solutions. Now she also had the opportunity to explore new products and territories. Green issues were very much to the fore. The Algae Remover for slipways, which is responsible for half her turnover, was developed after an enquiry from an existing client. Forgotten now are the many hours of paper work, phone calls and emails with her chemist and the HSE.
Becoming a Waste Broker was a logical step. Always interested in recycling and licensed by the Environment Agency, it enabled her to combine her product knowledge of chemicals and green issues.
She continues to seek out new products while servicing existing clients within, Local Authorities, Harbours, Leisure Centres, The National Trust, Race courses and Industry. Has never forgotten those tough early days and the invaluable lesson in customer service but still has some of her first clients! Contact Linda today to find out more about how Natural Solutions can help your business.