Before the title came the workshop: a 30-year engineering career

Insights from Brown GearTech’s Sales Director on building experience in real-world engineering environments

Most sales directors don’t start their career on the workshop floor.

Nichola Adshead did.

At 20, she joined the family business and spent her first six months working across the repair shop, machine shop and assembly, learning how gearboxes and motors actually come apart, and go back together again.

Not in theory. In practice.

“I didn’t learn engineering in a classroom,” she explains.
“I learned it understanding how equipment works in real applications.”

Learning the job properly

Before moving into sales, Nichola spent time shadowing experienced engineers and sales reps across the UK, visiting customer sites and seeing first-hand how equipment performs in demanding industrial environments.

This was long before sat navs, mobile phones or CRM systems.

“I used to plan every journey the day before,” she says.
“I’d draw out roundabouts and directions on paper so I didn’t get lost.”

Days were long. Time on the road was constant. And much of it was spent working things out as you went, moving between sites, listening to the radio, and learning how different industries operate.

Earning credibility

In the early 1990s, technical sales in power transmission was almost entirely male. Nichola was often the only woman in the room.

“You just had to get on with it.”

Her approach was straightforward:

Don’t pretend to know what you don’t

Take the time to understand the application

Always follow through

“I would always say if I didn’t know something. But I’d find out and I’d always go back.”

That mindset became the foundation of long-term

Recognised early on

That attitude didn’t go unnoticed.

Mike McCann, a senior manager in the business at the time, recalls working with Nichola early in her career:

“I immediately recognised the enthusiasm and determination to learn. Even in those early days, it was clear she had what it takes to succeed.”

A different way to build a career

Nichola’s early career wasn’t built behind a desk.

It was built:

In workshops
On customer sites
Through real-world experience

Even small details became part of how she connected with customers.

Her first business cards famously listed her title as “Sales Regulator”, a light-hearted nod that often became a talking point on visits.

What 30 years teaches you

Today, as Sales Director at Brown GearTech, that grounding still shapes how she works.

Because while technology has changed, the fundamentals haven’t.

“Customers still want the same thing,” she says.
“Quality products, reliable service, and someone who will support them when things go wrong.”

For OEMs operating in demanding environments, that reliability is critical, not just technically, but commercially.

Why this still matters

It’s shaped by:

What you’ve seen
What you’ve solved
How you’ve responded when things haven’t gone to plan

And often, it starts in places that don’t appear in brochures

That practical understanding continues to influence how Brown GearTech works with OEMs today, supporting specification, improving reliability, and helping reduce risk across long-term applications.

A career built properly

Nichola’s story isn’t about titles.

It’s about: