What made you choose Arbtech?
After a brief sabbatical from the geo-environmental industry, Arbtech was the only place that could draw me back, particularly as the appeal of the company culture aligned heavily with how I thrive at work.
The challenge of starting a geo-environmental division within an ecology company is very exciting and well-timed, and I know there are some extremely talented people here that I am looking forward to getting to know and work with.
What do you love most about the company?
So far, I love the opportunity I have been given to join the company in the first place.
I am a very low-maintenance, no B.S., own your sh*t kind of person. I don’t do fault or blame, and I do fixing mistakes and learning from them. It seems like Arbtech is aligned with that, and if people can put up with my many quirks, that’s definitely a bonus!
What do you do when you are not at Arbtech?
My life is divided into two stages: a pre-kids stage and a post-kids stage.
My pre-kids stage involved skiing, horse riding, racing cars, jumping out of planes, doing rollercoaster days, climbing mountains, travelling, and general outdoor or death-defying shenanigans.
Nowadays, in my post-kids stage, I am a little more settled and can be found taking life a lot less seriously. I am in a local pantomime (this surprised me too!), and I also get involved with bee handling, helping out at local apiaries, coming up with weird landscaping creations in my postage stamp-sized garden and – having been a chef for many years – I do like to cook…and eat.
I am also a qualified reflexologist and foot health practitioner, so I occasionally volunteer in that line of work.
Otherwise, as well as a cat and several fish as ‘Kahu’, I have an adopted rescue Bosnian hound dog who comes with us all over the country exploring and creating havoc with the two little people I created.
What is your biggest tip to achieve the most in life?
I could quote so many cliches, but the biggest tip is to be honest, treat people how you want to be treated, and just get on with it.
Speaking from experience, I have been a chef, horticulturist, carer, foot health practitioner and reflexologist, and worked in sales. I did a degree at the age of 30 and often take on random qualifications just because I want to and I can.
I am proof that if you want to do something, just do it.
What is the best social you’ve been on at Arbtech?
So far, even just my first week at the company was pretty social, as everyone was so welcoming!
In terms of the actual company socials, I haven’t yet attended any of them, but I am excited for my first.
I’m not saying I’m a hermit, but if I look awkward at a social event, come and talk to me. I think I’m hilarious, so you’re welcome to laugh at me or with me!
Where do you want to travel to next?
I have been lucky enough to have spent a lot of my first 30 years of life travelling. I’ve also enjoyed a lot of trips camping around the UK.
Travelling with children is wildly different and I talk a lot about where I’d love to go. I think the obvious place would be Disney to give my bundles of joy the opportunity to experience ‘that’.
Personally, I’d love to go to Canada or Egypt, but in the short term, I want to take the kids camping this summer and visit Eden in Cornwall.
Where do you see yourself in 5 years’ time?
If you’d asked me this five years ago, I would have said that I want to be running a team and balancing my career and family life like a pro. For as much as I go on about ‘just do it’, sometimes life intervenes and throws curveballs.
One thing I learnt while beekeeping was that you can follow the books and the training, but unfortunately, bees don’t read the same books! In essence, anything can happen, so I take one day at a time and enjoy the little things.
If I’m still here in five years, I’ll be very grateful.
What is a goal you have for the future, in or out of work?
I actually crossed off my bucket list by the time I was 30!
I do continue to find new things to try, but I would definitely like to keep bees of my own eventually and – of course – be a massive success with Arbtech!
Charlie joined Arbtech in November 2024.
