No two days are ever quite the same for SJ Keevil, Nettex’s Area Business Manager for the South West. From early morning workouts to long days on the road visiting merchants and farms, her role is as varied as the region she covers.
Early starts and staying focused
SJ’s day begins bright and early at 6.00am. By 6.30am she’s either at the gym, out for a run, or enjoying a walk. “Exercise allows me to function for the day,” she says. “I’ve always been an early riser having horses – it really helps clear your head and set you up mentally.”
If she’s working from home, SJ will spend time catching up on emails and planning the week ahead. But more often than not, she’s out on the road.
Life on the road
Covering a large patch of the South West from Hampshire across to Cornwall, SJ spends between 20 and 30 hours a week driving. Based on her family’s farm in mid-Devon, she regularly visits independent merchants as well as larger multi-site accounts.
“My role is a real mix,” she explains. “I might be delivering product training, checking stock levels on shelves, or just catching up with merchants to see how business is going.”
Her car is effectively her mobile office, with her phone and laptop essential tools for keeping everything running smoothly.
Keeping company on long journeys
With so many hours spent behind the wheel, SJ relies on podcasts to stay informed and entertained. Her current favourites include AHDB’s farming content for industry insight, Untapped with Spencer Matthews for nutrition and exercise, and NearlyParents with Jamie and Sophie Laing, which she listens to “purely for laughs.”
Supporting merchants and farmers
A big part of SJ’s role is answering questions from merchants and helping them get the most from the Nettex range. She finds there’s strong interest in new and upcoming products, as well as pride in the fact that Nettex products are manufactured in the UK.
“They’re also genuinely interested in how I’m getting on being new to the role,” she adds. “There’s a real sense of relationship-building.”
When it comes to must-stock products, SJ highlights a few standouts. “For lambing, definitely Lamb Shield and Lamb Kickstart as they’re making a real difference to the start of a lamb’s life. For calves, Colostrum Gold is a key product. It’s 100% UK-sourced pure bovine colostrum with nothing added or taken away, which is incredibly important.”
Challenges and rewards
Like many field-based roles, the job comes with its challenges. “Getting stuck in the countryside with no signal when you’re trying to put through orders is frustrating,” she says. “And Devon lanes can be tricky, especially when traffic builds up.”
But the rewards far outweigh the downsides. “The best part is getting onto farms and seeing the products in use, and hearing from loyal customers about the genuine difference they’re making.”
Memorable moments
One recent highlight for SJ was a trip to the Isle of Wight. “It genuinely felt like we were going international,” she laughs.
When it comes to keeping fuelled on the go, her go-to lunch is simple: “M&S sushi.”
A diverse journey to Nettex
SJ joined Nettex at the start of 2026, having previously worked as a trainee product manager at Mole Valley Farmers. While she doesn’t come from a direct farming background, agriculture runs in the family – her grandfather worked on a dairy farm and her father on an arable farm.
Her career path has been anything but conventional. She spent 11 years in New Zealand, taking on a wide range of roles, from commercial kitchen and bar fit outs to serving in the New Zealand Police.
“It’s something I loved,” she says. “I still get a bit of a thrill when I see a police car go past now I’m back in the UK.”
Why Nettex?
For SJ, it’s the people that make the difference. “The team has been incredibly friendly and supportive. They’ve made me feel so welcome and really reinforce that no question is a stupid question.”
She also values the company’s commitment to UK manufacturing. “It’s a strong selling point, and something I’m really proud to represent.”
Three words to sum it up?
“Diverse, creative, and solve.”
