Panel discusses realties of balancing family and garage business at The Blend

Sharing candid insights on how to juggle business growth, family life, and personal development in today’s fast-moving industry

Panel discusses realties of balancing family and garage business at The Blend

Running a family-led garage is no easy task. At The Blend 2025 in Birmingham earlier this month, five leading industry figures shared candid insights on how to juggle business growth, family life, and personal development in today’s fast-moving industry.

The panel, titled “Partners, Family & Business: The Balancing Act”, featured Claire Cleevely of Cleevely Group, Kirsty Watson from Autocentre Chorley, Samantha Lomas of DC Lomas, and Diana Whetton of PW Auto Repairs, with Tina Drayson of CCM Garages hosting.

The discussion combined personal stories with practical strategies, offering lessons that any garage owner can apply.

Setting boundaries

One key topic was keeping work and home life separate. Claire discussed her experience helping to grow Cleevely EV nationally with her husband, Matt, while preserving family harmony.

“The challenge is to keep things separate… emails still come in,” said Claire. “The joy of social media is there’s always someone scrutinising. One thing we quickly learned is that when we were on holiday, it was easier to put aside a little time each day to check in and prevent things from becoming unmanageable when we get back.”

Panellists agreed that taking strategic conversations off-site can prevent stress from spilling into family life. Kirsty Watson added:

“…something that we have all done… take the conversation away from the business, go out and talk… even if you’re not family, take that discussion off-site because it will get interrupted.”

Defining roles and delegation

The discussion also highlighted the importance of clear roles within a family business.

Samantha Lomas shared her journey of carving out her own space in the business: “I struggled with the transition going from when he (Dean Lomas) was mobile and I wasn’t… I was always in his shadow. I had to make work for myself and realise it wasn’t only about him, it was about the whole team.”

Panellists emphasised that delegating responsibilities and clarifying roles reduces tension and allows owners to focus on growth and leadership.

Confidence, leadership, and mentorship

Claire also spoke about building confidence and leadership, particularly for women in the trade: “Mentorship, training, and networking have helped me speak the same language as staff and customers. Leadership isn’t just about technical knowledge, it’s about communication and making strategic decisions.”

Diana Whetton highlighted the value of community engagement and mentoring young technicians: “We do a lot of work with students… supporting local clubs and giving back. It’s all about creating opportunities and keeping the wider community engaged.”

Defining success

The panel encouraged garage owners to define success on their own terms. Kirsty Watson reflected: “The challenge is comparison… you see other businesses growing faster or doing more training, and it can be frustrating. But you have to define success for yourself and your family.”

The Blend 2025

Reflecting on the panel, host Tina Drayson said: “We wanted to give attendees tips to reflect on what’s going on in their garages and take away practical lessons from the discussion.”

Held at Birmingham’s Eastside Rooms on 18 October, The Blend 2025 attracted over 500 attendees and raised £44,000 for automotive charity Ben. The conference featured 34 speakers and 20 sessions focused on growth, community, and innovation in the independent aftermarket.

The Blend will return to the Eastside Rooms in Birmingham on 10 October 2026, with British advertising executive, behavioural economist, and author Rory Sutherland confirmed as evening host. More details can be found here.

Have your say!

0 0

Lost Password

Please enter your username or email address. You will receive a link to create a new password via email.