REALITY television tries to make the seemingly mundane appear compelling.

Not content with following the day-to-day activities of truckers and airline check-in desks, recent TV series imported from the US give a starring role to storage containers.

North-East entrepreneur Ean Parsons was way ahead of the pack when he spotted the potential of these surprisingly adaptable items that have been the basis of his growing business empire.

Mr Parsons, who lives in Sedgefield, County Durham and is originally from Seaton Sluice on the Northumberland coast, founded Parsons Containers in 2000.

It has two main divisions. The first hires and sells containers in the North-East and nationally; the second offers self storage under the brand of U Hold The Key, operating on nine sites, eight in the region and one in Grantham.

The company was one of the first in the UK to offer shipping containers for self storage and has more than 1,000 available.

It has grown to employ 18 people and always tries to employ locally, says Mr Parsons, who revealed the company will continue to expand.

“There will be other sites shortly. They will initially be local to strengthen our position in the North-East,” he added.

The company had become accustomed to seeing a sharp spike in sales around February when people would start moving house. When the recession triggered a housing market slump in 2008 the business adapted to weather the economic downturn.

Mr Parsons explains: "We were lucky we had both sides of the business; the container business and the self-storage are both very separate. The recession did not last as long in the South and we are a national company. "We had also just set up another business, called Container Container, just prior to the recession too.

"Now, with housing coming back, and small business doing the same, self-storage is growing.

"We've just launched a new venture, called Container Now, which is a new innovation for sales. The thing about that is you can sit there and buy a container in three clicks."

The appeal of storage containers continues to grow.

FIVE minutes with Ean Parsons, owner of Parsons Containers Ltd in Sedgefield, County Durham.

Favourite North-East building and why?

There are so many old and new including Sage, Sunderland Empire Theatre, Durham Cathedral, Newcastle Theatre Royal, the Swing Bridge and Hadrian’s Wall. Even the entrance to Swan Hunters shipyard is still iconic. But my favourite is a small gem, the Central Arcade in Newcastle. It is aesthetically perfect, light and full of interesting detail. I should really have said the Manor House in Sedgefield as we bought that magnificent building in 2014.

What was your first job and how much did you get paid?

After about a dozen part-time and temporary jobs - my first job was a life guard at Blyth Baths in 1975, then soon after that a barman at the Astley Arms in Seaton Sluice for £10.30 for 12 hours. Best Scotch was 26p a pint, and a postman in Sunderland. I entered a deck apprenticeship in the Merchant Navy with Newcastle shipping company Common Brothers Ltd., joining MV Afghanistan in Smiths Dock, North Shields on £28 per week in 1977. Our first port of call was Freetown, Bahamas.

What is the worst job you've had?

I’ve enjoyed every single job I’ve done. Every job is enjoyable if you apply yourself.

Dirtiest job – cleaning shale (waste oils etc.) by hand from the bottom of oil tanks after tank cleaning on oil tankers at sea.

Toughest job – working with my dad when I was a boy. He was a grafter – I think they call it ‘work ethic’ these days - and it was a hard apprenticeship.

Worst job – any task involving paperwork and bureaucracy – usually dealing with utilities, or any task where people waste my time.

What would you cook for me if I came around for dinner?

What would you like? I enjoy cooking. I’m vegetarian so something like spinach and ricotta cannelloni or Spanish tortilla would be on offer. Or maybe a Chinese banquet or a curry.

What would your superpower be?

Wisdom.

Name four people, dead or alive, who would be at your perfect dinner party.

In addition to my wife Vivienne, Bob Dylan, Samuel Pepys, Joanna Lumley and Neil Armstrong.

Most expensive thing you've bought - other than car or house - and how much?

Ovation Patriot 1976 guitar. Only one thousand nine hundred and seventy six made in 1976 to celebrate the US bi-centennial of which one hundred and seventy six were made with an electric pick-up and I have one of them. £800 on e-bay.

Who is the best person to follow on Twitter and why?

I don’t do Twitter personally, though of course all divisions of my businesses are active on there.

Favourite book?

Traditionally Cider With Rosie and latterly, Chronicles by Bob Dylan.

When did you last cry?

Nah. I’m old-man not new-man.

What is your greatest achievement?

Starting a business from nothing and now employing 17 local staff. Employment is a fundamental human necessity and the attitude to the flexible workforce, short term contracts and making people redundant is the greatest scourge of recent times. Society breaks down when people aren’t gainfully employed.

What's the best piece of advice in business you've ever been given?

The week I started in business there was a letter in the Times from an accountant who had just retired and who had started as a butcher’s delivery boy. He was given three pieces of advice by his butcher boss. They went like this:

1. When you deliver an order to the customer always be polite and courteous – customer service is essential and gets you more business.

2. Always ask the customer if they would like to place another order – your best source of new orders are your existing customers.

3. Never leave without receiving payment – no business ever went bust with cash in its bank.

I knew the first two well so it’s the latter of these that stood me in good stead as a new business owner – particularly in the first ten years when we traded right up to our overdraft limit.

Favourite animal and why.

All of the pet cats we’ve had but particularly Foxy who we had for ten years while the girls were growing up and he was part of the family.

Most famous person on your mobile phone.

‘Accordion Dave Saunders’ who busks in Stockton.

What was the last band you saw live?

Bellowhead, New Year’s Eve at the Sage. Before that, it was Striking Matches, a Nashville based duet, who I also saw at the Sage, in November, preceded by Paul Simon and Sting in Amsterdam earlier in the year.

Describe your perfect night in.

A run followed by making a nice fresh meal for Vivienne and me while listening to something on vinyl. A bottle of good real ale and an hour playing guitar. Reading before going to sleep.

In another life I would be...

Something creative – a writer, an artist or a musician. For most of us, modern life, the necessity to work and the way we are educated doesn’t encourage this side of us to come out.

Who would play you in a film of your life

No idea. I’m not interested in TV or movies and I haven’t a clue about modern actors.

What irritates you?

Negativity.

What's your secret talent?

Either staying married for 34 years despite being an arse, or tying knots.