LIFE is full of “happy accidents” for businesswoman Julie Gould.

After a series of canny career moves and by making the most of some golden opportunities, Julie has attained her dream of being her own boss – running soft furnishings and interior design business Decor 80.

It’s quite an achievement for someone who – approaching her 50th birthday – admits that most people her age might be content to settle for the security of paid employment and the prospect of retirement.

But it still takes some getting used to!

“I think you work a lot harder when you work for yourself,” she says.

“I work a full day six days a week – and even on Sundays I am always thinking of ideas for new window displays and products.

“I often don’t finish work until 8 o’clock at night because I visit customers after the shop closes to measure up.

“I have to keep on top of things. I have to try to predict the trends and come up with design ideas, work everything out and advise customers.

“I also have to handle all the management issues and paperwork.”

Julie has only a short commute from home at Salendine Nook to her showroom and workroom at Westbourne Road, Marsh.

“But she says: “I still feel as though I’m coming in to work for someone else – and I’m always worried about being late for work!”

Perhaps she still can’t quite believe what she has achieved, admitting: “I have to pinch myself sometimes!”.

Julie left Moor End High School with a love of art and design, but recalls: “I didn’t know where I wanted to go with it.”

She found work on a factory assembly line, which she did not enjoy.

“I wanted to get out of it,” says Julie.

“After I had my two daughters, I went to work for Thorntons, the chocolate retailer, and got involved in window displays.

“I found I enjoyed doing things that were creative, even though it was relatively small scale.”

Julie moved on to work for a specialist lighting company, which gave her an insight into the wider world of interior design.

After a few years, she took another change of direction and joined furnishings retailer Thatchers, where she learned about fabrics and furniture.

From there, she went to manage a soft furnishings firm in Halifax, before changing circumstances led to ideas of self-employment.

In May, 2008, Julie took the biggest step.

“It got to the point where something needed to change,” she says.

“My husband Rae had been made redundant, which provided the idea about working for myself.

“Our daughters Tonya and Stacey were both grown-up, so there were no worries about childcare.”

Julie started working from home, visiting customers keen to give their houses a makeover to measure up for curtains and blinds and help them choose fabrics and colours.

She says: “I worked from home and business got bigger. I built up a good client base.

“Those people are still with me today.

“Last Christmas, I was at a point where things were getting busier and I couldn’t continue to work from home. I decided I needed premises.

“In April this year, I was driving down Marsh when I passed this shop and thought it would be ideal.

“It was a bathroom showroom at the time, but a week later it was empty, so I decided to got for it – and signed for it in May.”

Julie found herself with a sizeable showroom and a basement workroom for sewing.

The premises provide Decor 80 with a prominent roadside presence and the space to display curtains, cushions, throws, upholstery and furniture.

Having premises also enables the business to be more efficient and competitive on price.

Setting up a business just as the credit crunch got under way wouldn’t normally be considered a lucky move. But Julie says it proved a blessing in disguise.

“I can’t say it affected the business,” she says. “People will find the money to spend on their home.

“If there is a recession and they are not able to move house, they want to make their home more warm and comfortable.”

Home improvement shows on TV have also encouraged people to think about how decor and lighting can help to make the most of their property. And trends are changing, says Julie.

“We have had the minimalist look,” she says. “There’s only so much you can do with cream curtains!

“People are going for something more opulent. Carpets and wallpapers are back in fashion and people are looking for warm fabrics, luxurious silks and velvets.

“People are going for a ‘rich’ look again.”

Julie sees part of her role as advising people about the look that best suits their home – whether it’s a spacious barn conversion or a Victorian terrace house.

“I look at the person and what might suit their lifestyle,” she says. “Everyone’s home is different and everyone has a different taste.

“Some people want to be ultra-trendy and others see their home just as a place to live.

“But everyone knows what they want and they will decide what they like.

“I will show people what I think will work best, but at the end of the day it’s their choice. They are the people who have to live with it.”

Julie’s customers range from homeowners to care homes and family-run hotels – and most of them are gained by recommendation and word of mouth.

Winning a massive contract to furnish a major hotel chain would be nice, but Julie is content with her lot.

She says: “When I set up the business, I just wanted to be able to pay myself a decent wage.

“I don’t have much time to relax. When I do, it’s spending time with family and friends.

“I have had lots of support from some really good friends and people in the same business.

“Sometimes I wonder: ‘What have I done?’ because it was such a big step.

“I fell into this by accident, I think, but I absolutely took to it.”

There’s no way Julie would go back to the assembly line now.