Business Q&A: Kit Lacey, eDub Services

For the latest in our series of weekly Business Q&A features, we heard from Kit Lacey, founder and director of eDub Services, a vehicle electrification company in Great Ouseburn.

Tell us in fewer than 30 words what your firm does.

We take classic cars and convert them to 100% electric power – specifically VW Campervans and Porsche 911s.

What does it require to be successful in business?

You've got to be a bit of a jack-of-all-trades, but also know what your strengths and weaknesses are, and lean into those.

I started the business from my parents' back garden and have had to do everything – I spin a lot of plates.

What drives you to do what you do every day?

Every time we finish a vehicle, I get the same buzz that I go tthe first time I did it. Campervans are beautiful, versatile and instantly recognisable – they tick every box, except the engine. It would be a waste to leave them as they are. If you can make them electric without affecting any of the things that make them so good, it would be a shame not to.

It keeps me going. There are still lots of learning opportunties and I'm still passionate about it.

What has been the toughest issue your company has had to deal with over the last 12 months?

The economy. When the UK economy falls into recession, luxury items like converted Campervans always get dropped from people's budgets first. 

That was tough. We spent most of last year preparing to scale up, but by November we realised that no-one was buying, so it was back to the grunt work.

Things are starting to change for the better now, though, so we will turn back to our plans sometime soon, I hope.

Which other local firms do you most admire and why?

We have a very good connection with a classic VW garage in Kirk Deighton called Herbie Hospital. We've worked with them for a long time, and having a very down-to-earth classic car garage to call on for help and advice has been invaluable.

Who are the most inspiring local leaders?

That's tricky, but as a local councillor, I'll have to go political. So I'd single out the previous Knaresborough mayor, Hannah Gostlow, and another councillor, Matt Walker. Both toe that political line very well, and when action is needed, they tend to step up, often behind the scenes.

What could be done locally to boost business?

There's bread-and-butter stuff, like business rate reductions, that would help in a downward-spiralling economy.

But apart from that, there have been a lot of UK government and EU-funded scheme to assist businesses, but I've found over the years that they're mostly hot air. We've applied for several of them and have never been successful. 

The problem is that a business like mine, which is basically high-voltage electrification, is quite niche and doesn't qualify for any of the pots of available money.

So it would be good to have a local-ish organisation that could provide assistance with funding and staffing, but also with a degree of mentorship and support, to help you grow your business.

Best and worst things about running a business from Great Ouseburn?

Ousegill Business Park, where we're located, is unique in that it's three big units built on old grain barn foundations, rather than somewhere where they built as many units as possible. So there's loads of space, which is very useful when you have vehicles to move around.

We're also in the middle of nowhere, which means we're straight out onto country roads, which is great for test-driving and making YouTube videos. People picking up a Campervan can easily get to the moors, the dales and the coast.

The downside is that the UK's Campervan hotspot isn't here – I wish it was. It's in Cornwall, so we're in the wrong place really. But if at some point we have to expand and open a base somewhere in the South West, that's what we'll do.

What are your business plans for the future?

We've had to say no to a lot of conversion projects, and that's actually helped us clarify our offer and our brand. What we do can be quite complicated, but in marketing, it's really beneficial to to be able to simplify what you do and put over a 'clean' message.

This should help us expand. We have three contacts in America, one in Australia and one in New Zealand who are all keen to work with us.

What do you like to do in your time off?

I've got a wife and two young children, so I try to spend as much time as possible with them, because I know the kids will be grown up before I know it.

I'm a Knaresborough town councillor, and also go to Hope Church in Harrogate.

Apart from all that, I design and make my own board games. They're multi-player strategy games, sort of Monopoly-style, and I spend a very long time working it all out. When I'm sure one is ready, I'll launch it on my wife or my brothers and their wives. They are appreciated, but I can't quite tell if they actually like them!

Best place to eat and drink locally?

Two Brothers in Knaresborough. You can't go wrong with Italian food, especially when you have young children, and the variety of pizzas and burgers is insane. The service is great, and they now have a takeaway for when you can't be bothered to leave home. For birthdays and celebrations, it's our go-to place.

If you know someone in business in the Harrogate district and you'd like to suggest them for this feature, drop us a line at contact@thestrayferret.co.uk. 

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