Borders College student Lilly Fox is celebrating the launch of her own haulage business, L.J Fox Haulage, marking an impressive milestone at just 21 years old and highlighting the impact of further education in supporting entrepreneurship.
Lilly has recently completed her HND Business at Borders College, building on previous studies in mechanics at Northumberland College. Through her course and participation in the College's Start Up Enterprise programme, she developed the confidence, business planning, marketing and financial skills needed to turn her ambition into reality. Lilly will also be one of the first students to progress onto the new BA Business degree, delivered by Borders College in partnership with Queen Margaret University from the coming academic year.
While at Borders College, Lilly secured vital start-up support after winning both the Scottish Wild Card EDGE competition and The College Creators. The funding and mentoring opportunities helped her establish the company. Now based in the Scottish Borders, L.J Fox Haulage provides goods delivery services across Berwick, Eyemouth, Coldstream, Duns, St Abbs, Chirnside and Coldingham, supporting local businesses and communities.
Speaking about her journey, Lilly said:
“From a young age, I have always been interested in cars. I wanted to be my own boss, thrive, and work for myself. Winning these competitions and getting a bit of funding really helped me get off the ground. There is a massive gender imbalance in the industry, and I want to change that and show people women can do it.
“It’s also hard for young people to get into haulage because insurance premiums are so high, so I want to create jobs in the Borders and eventually go into schools and universities to show people what I do and what’s possible.”
As a female business owner entering a traditionally male-dominated sector, Lilly is passionate about breaking down barriers and inspiring other women and young people to consider careers in haulage and logistics. As her business grows, she hopes to create employment opportunities locally, helping to address both gender and age imbalances within the industry.
Susan Cooper, Business Lecturer at Borders College, said:
“From Lilly’s very first interview, her determination to build her own business was clear. It has been a pleasure to watch her develop her ideas into a professional brand and thriving business. She has embraced every opportunity available to her, and I have no doubt she will continue to be a fantastic success story for the Borders.”
Borders College is proud to support students like Lilly, whose success demonstrates how education, enterprise and ambition can combine to create real opportunities and positive change within the local economy.