In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom is joined by David Wilkinson, performance coach at Cockerill & Co, to unpack five challenges he repeatedly sees holding flooring business owners back.

From making decisions based on emotion to undercharging, avoiding team meetings and chasing growth without knowing why, David explains how these patterns quietly affect profitability, leadership and life outside the business.

They also challenge one of the biggest myths in business: that everything will eventually become easy. Running a business will always bring pressure, difficult decisions and setbacks. The aim is not to remove every challenge, but to become better equipped to deal with them.

The conversation also explores the role of performance coaching, not just for struggling business owners, but for ambitious operators who are already doing well and want to unlock the next level without simply working longer hours.

• Why emotionally reactive decisions can damage your business
• How frustration can push owners back onto the tools
• Why confidence and self-worth often affect pricing
• The importance of regular team meetings and clear communication
• Why cancelling meetings sends the wrong message to your team
• How to decide whether a showroom or larger business is right for you
• Why growth should support the life you want
• The difference between being busy and being productive
• Why creating space to think can improve decision-making
• Why business is unlikely to become completely easy
• How performance coaching can improve confidence, focus and leadership
• How successful operators can reach a higher level without burning out

David Wilkinson is a mental performance coach at Cockerill & Co. He works with flooring business owners to manage pressure, improve decision-making, develop leadership skills and perform more effectively in both business and life.

Listen to The UK Flooring Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and YouTube.

Follow The UK Flooring Podcast on social media for new episodes, clips and practical advice for flooring professionals.

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Separation and divorce do not stay neatly contained at home. They affect your concentration, decision-making, mental health, attendance and ability to perform at work.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with breakup and divorce coach Paul Naisbitt to discuss the personal and commercial impact of relationship breakdowns.

Paul shares his own experience of leaving an abusive and controlling relationship, navigating the family court system and rebuilding his life. He also explains how that experience led him to become a qualified Breakup and Divorce Coach and McKenzie Friend, helping others find clarity during one of the most difficult periods of their lives.

The conversation explores what business owners should look out for when a normally reliable team member begins acting out of character, why the traditional “pull yourself together” approach rarely works, and how compassion and flexibility can protect both the individual and the business.

Paul also explains the practical realities of divorce, including mediation, court proceedings, financial disclosure, business ownership and the importance of building the right support network early.

• How relationship breakdowns can affect productivity, attendance and decision-making
• The warning signs that someone may be struggling at home
• Why business owners need a plan for supporting employees through divorce or separation
• How divorce coaching differs from legal advice
• What a McKenzie Friend does during family court proceedings
• Why contacting a solicitor for every emotional concern can become extremely expensive
• The importance of communication, trusted support and early intervention
• How abusive and controlling relationships can affect mental health
• Why separating couples should understand the process before making major decisions
• How supporting an employee properly can improve loyalty and reduce disruption

“Get that support system in place as early as possible.”

Paul Naisbitt is a certified Breakup and Divorce Coach specialising in complex separation, family conflict, domestic abuse, coercive relationships and emotional recovery.

Drawing on professional training and his own lived experience, Paul offers practical and emotional support to people navigating separation, divorce and the family court system. He also provides McKenzie Friend support for individuals representing themselves in court.

Website: https://www.paulnaisbittcoaching.com/

Instagram: @paulnaisbittcoaching

LinkedIn: Paul Naisbitt

Listen on Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/show/1J0C46dPKgSic5p0n8wK5K

Listen on Apple Podcasts:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1609466551

Watch on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@CockerillandCo

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast sits down with Jack and Harry from Robert George Limited for a proper behind-the-scenes look at what it really takes to run a fast-moving commercial flooring business.

From starting during Covid to delivering hundreds of retail and commercial projects across the UK, Jack and Harry talk openly about the pressure, pace and problems that come with working in retail flooring, supermarkets, London Underground stations, and short-notice commercial environments.

This is a great episode for anyone in flooring who thinks growth is just about “getting more work”. Because as the lads explain, more work also means more logistics, more cash flow pressure, more moving parts, and more responsibility when something goes wrong.

One of the strongest parts of the conversation is around getting off the tools. Harry explains why selling the van helped force the shift from fitter to business owner, and why half-measures rarely work when you’re trying to change your role in the company.

There’s also a brilliant conversation about fear of failure, cash flow, factoring, building a supply chain before you need it, and why knowing what you actually want from your business matters more than just saying you want to grow.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How Jack and Harry started Robert George Limited during Covid

Why retail and supermarket flooring moves at such a fast pace

What makes London Underground flooring work so difficult operationally

How short engineering hours can turn a simple job into a major logistical challenge

Why doing 800 smaller jobs a year brings a different kind of pressure

How they build a UK-wide supply chain before the work lands

Why cash flow becomes one of the biggest challenges when a commercial flooring business grows

The pros and cons of using factoring to manage payments and protect the business

Why getting off the tools often requires a proper decision, not a slow drift

How Harry forced the change by getting rid of the van

Why more jobs can mean more complaints, even if the percentage of issues stays the same

How Jack and Harry think about reputation, standards and fixing problems quickly

Why bringing in the right people matters when you want to move into bigger projects

The importance of knowing whether you actually want more money, more freedom, more time, or something else entirely

Memorable Quote:

“Building your supply chain before you actually need it is key.”

Speaker Information:

Jack and Harry

Robert George Limited

Website: https://www.robertgeorge.co.uk

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/robert-george-limited/

Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:

Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxq

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/

I’ve kept the podcast links clean, with no ChatGPT tracking tags or extra parameters. Spotify and Apple links were checked against current public listings for The UK Flooring Podcast.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast is a quick-fire chat with Tom and Martyn, breaking down what flooring business owners need to think about if they ever plan to sell.

And the big message is simple: if you wait until you’re ready to sell, you’ve probably already left it too late.

Tom shares his own experience of selling flooring businesses, while Martyn explains what actually drives value from a buyer’s point of view. It’s not just about how much profit the business makes. It’s about whether the business can run without you, whether the numbers are clean, whether the systems are in place, and whether a buyer can trust what they’re buying.

They also get into some of the uncomfortable but important stuff, including cash payments, add backs, owner dependency, customer concentration, legal costs, and why proper non-compete agreements matter when a sale goes through.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why preparing to sell your business should start years before you actually want to exit.

How profit multipliers affect the value of a flooring business.

Why cash jobs and messy accounts can damage the value of your business.

What “add backs” are, and how they can affect the final sale price.

Why a business that depends too heavily on the owner is harder to sell.

The importance of systems, processes, and written ways of working.

Why relying on one or two major customers can make your business feel risky to a buyer.

What legal costs and non-compete agreements can look like in a small business sale.

Why getting your house in order now can make a huge difference later.

Memorable Quote:

“If you are your business, then that multiplier is going to be pretty low.”

Speaker Information:

This episode features Tom and Martyn from Cockerill & Co, sharing practical advice for flooring business owners who may be thinking about selling in the future. Drawing on real experience from business sales and consultancy work, they explain what buyers look for, what reduces value, and what owners can do now to build a more saleable business.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom dives into one of the biggest missed opportunities in many flooring businesses: the website.

A lot of flooring companies have had a website built, left it alone for years, and hoped it still does the job. But as Tom explains, getting people to find you, trust you, and actually make an enquiry is getting harder. Your website cannot just sit there looking pretty. It needs to work.

This episode is not about flashy design for the sake of it. It is about the practical things that help turn website visitors into real enquiries: better photos, clearer copy, stronger calls to action, working links, contact forms that actually collect the right information, and follow-up systems that make the customer feel looked after from the first click.

Tom also talks through why flooring businesses should think carefully about the platform their website is built on, why stock images can make your business look less trustworthy, and how linking your website to a CRM or WhatsApp can completely change the way you handle leads.

Because the truth is, if your competitors look sharper, respond faster, and build trust quicker, they are giving the customer more reasons to choose them, even if they are more expensive.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why a website built five years ago might not be doing enough for your business now.

Why Tom recommends using flexible platforms like WordPress instead of being locked into limited website builders.

How poor stock imagery can weaken your website and make your flooring business look less professional.

Why your photos should focus on the flooring, not just the room around it.

How to make your About Us page sound more human and less robotic.

Why flooring showrooms need to clearly show and say that they have a showroom.

The importance of having clear calls to action on every page.

Why your phone number, email address, forms, and buttons all need to work properly.

How a CRM can help flooring businesses respond faster and follow up more effectively.

Why request-a-callback forms can work better than basic contact forms.

How automated emails, texts, videos, and appointment confirmations can build trust before you even meet the customer.

Why picking up the phone quickly after an enquiry can massively improve conversion.

How WhatsApp Business can be a useful option for trades who are busy on the tools.

Why social links, videos, Google reviews, and recent content all support customer trust.

Why premium customers will often do their research before choosing who to spend money with.

Memorable Quote:

“If you put all these client touch points in place first and then worry about your pricing second, the people that have done this are getting more money for less jobs with less hassle.”

Speaker Information:

Tom Cockerill is co-founder of Cockerill & Co and co-host of The UK Flooring Podcast. In this episode, he shares practical advice for flooring retailers, fitters, and business owners who want their website to bring in better enquiries, improve trust, and help them stand out online.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast sits down with Natalie Remington from Remington Flooring for a refreshingly honest chat about family, business, boundaries, and what success actually looks like when you’re trying to build a life, not just a company.

Natalie shares how she went from a career in theatre design, working across set, costume, props and creative production, into running Remington Flooring alongside her husband Geoff. What started as helping with invoicing has grown into managing almost everything behind the scenes, from quoting and ordering to bookkeeping, marketing, client visits and business development.

A big theme in this episode is work-life balance, especially for family-run flooring businesses. Natalie and Tom get into the pressure to work evenings, weekends and Sundays, and why setting boundaries is not lazy, it is often what makes a business sustainable. They talk honestly about school runs, family time, admin at the kitchen table, and the reality of trying to run a successful business without letting it take over your life.

Natalie also opens up about stepping outside her comfort zone, taking part in Make or Break after seeing Geoff complete it, and how that experience helped her realise she could do difficult things, including finally saying yes to coming on the podcast.

The episode also touches on Remington Flooring’s future plans, including growing their sanding and refinishing work, investing in proper training and machinery, exploring micro cement, and potentially bringing another apprentice into the business.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How Natalie moved from theatre design into the flooring industry.

What it really looks like to run the back end of a family flooring business.

Why working seven days a week is not the only route to success.

How boundaries around evenings, weekends and school runs can protect both your business and your family.

Why flexibility is one of the biggest benefits of being self-employed.

How involving your children in the business can teach them valuable lessons.

What Natalie and Geoff got from Make or Break, and why doing hard things can change your confidence.

Why Remington Flooring is focusing more on sanding, refinishing and specialist flooring services.

What’s next for the business, including micro cement and possible apprenticeship growth.

Memorable Quote:

“If that’s the price of success, then you can stick it up your arse.”

Speaker Information:

Natalie Remington is part of Remington Flooring, a family-run flooring business based in Wiltshire. Alongside her husband Geoff, Natalie helps run the business behind the scenes, covering everything from client visits and estimating to ordering, bookkeeping and marketing.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast sits down with Steve Jones, founder of Billy Bot AI, for a proper deep dive into how artificial intelligence is already changing the flooring industry.

Steve has spent 20 years in flooring, running his own flooring business before spending the last year building AI software specifically for flooring companies. In this episode, he explains why AI is no longer just a tool for writing emails or tidying up a bit of copy. Used properly, it can help flooring businesses handle admin, build quotes, manage customer information, create documents, respond to enquiries, and save serious time behind the scenes.

Tom and Steve get into the real opportunities, but also the risks. They discuss where AI can help, where human interaction still matters, why customer-facing AI can go wrong, and why businesses that ignore it completely could end up being left behind.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why most flooring businesses are only scratching the surface with AI

How AI can help with admin, emails, quotes, documents and customer follow-up

Why flooring-specific knowledge matters when using AI tools

The difference between basic AI prompts and proper AI systems

Why using several disconnected pieces of software can create more problems

How AI could become the central “brain” of a flooring business

Why customer conversations still need a human touch

What happened when Tom used too much automation in a flooring inspections business

Why estimators and admin-heavy roles could be the first to change

How AI can help businesses become more productive without simply replacing people

Why Steve believes flooring businesses that ignore AI will fall behind

What Billy Bot AI is, and how it has been built specifically for flooring companies

Memorable Quote:

“AI should not be used to make you lazy. It should be used to make you more productive.”

Speaker Information:

Steve Jones is the founder of Billy Bot AI and has worked in the flooring industry for around 20 years. After running his own flooring business, he has spent the last year building AI software designed specifically for flooring companies, using his industry knowledge to help businesses reduce admin, improve quoting, and manage day-to-day operations more efficiently.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast is all about The Flooring Show at Harrogate, and why turning up without a plan could mean missing the best opportunities in the room.

Tom talks through why trade shows are more than just a day out or a catch-up with familiar faces. With the right approach, they can help flooring businesses build better supplier relationships, discover new products, meet useful people, and come away with ideas that genuinely improve the business.

The episode also introduces the new Flooring Forum, a live conversation area at The Flooring Show designed to bring together some of the most interesting voices in the industry. Rather than boring lectures or polished sales pitches, the aim is to create proper conversations around the subjects that matter: cash flow, AI, marketing, pricing, product innovation, competition, and where the flooring market is heading next.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why you should never attend a trade show without a basic plan

How to decide who you want to meet before you arrive

Why booking appointments with suppliers can make the day far more valuable

How The Flooring Show can help you strengthen your industry network

Why knowing the right people can help your business move further, faster

What the Flooring Forum is, and why it is being introduced at Harrogate

The kind of conversations Tom wants to bring to the stage

Why the best industry discussions should be honest, useful and far from boring

How listeners can suggest topics, guests and questions for the live forum

Memorable Quote:

“If you want to get something out of a trade show, don’t just turn up and wander around. Go with a plan.”

Speaker Information:

Tom Cockerill is the co-host of The UK Flooring Podcast and co-founder of Cockerill & Co. Through the podcast, live events and business consultancy, Tom works with flooring retailers, installers and business owners to improve their marketing, systems, sales, pricing and profitability.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast is a straight-talking reminder that most flooring businesses are already sitting on untapped profit, and it is not always about chasing more leads.

Tom breaks down why so much money gets left on the table through old customer databases, lazy pricing habits, forgotten consumables, missed upsells, and poor follow-up. From sending regular emails to past customers, to checking your margins properly, to offering better options on underlay, door bars, waste removal, faster fitting dates and premium finishes, this episode is packed with practical ideas flooring businesses can use straight away.

The message is simple: you do not always need more enquiries to make more money. Sometimes you need to make better use of the customers, jobs and opportunities already in front of you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How your existing customer email list could become one of your most valuable marketing assets

Why previous customers are often the easiest people to sell to again

How regular newsletters can keep your business memorable without being pushy

Why guessing your prices is costing you money

The importance of checking material costs, consumables, door bars, screed, DPM, staples and other small items properly

How better pricing alone can improve profit without winning more jobs

Why upsells should be presented as helpful options, not pushy sales tactics

How to offer upgrades on underlay, waste disposal, door bars, borders, stair bindings, finishes and faster turnaround times

Why follow-up, Christmas cards, CRM systems and maintenance reminders can keep you front of mind

Memorable Quote:

“You don’t always need more customers. Sometimes you’re already sitting on the gold mine, you just need to start digging in the right place.”

Speaker Information:

Tom Cockerill is the co-host of The UK Flooring Podcast and co-founder of Cockerill & Co. Through the podcast, events and business consultancy, Tom helps flooring retailers, installers and business owners improve their systems, pricing, sales, marketing and profitability.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast sits down with James Parfitt from Parfitt’s Carpets & Interiors for a proper family business story spanning more than five decades in the flooring trade.

James shares how he accidentally ended up in flooring after originally training as a chef, stepping into the family business when his mum needed help managing fitters, customers, stock, and the day-to-day pressure of running a busy carpet shop.

From old-school ordering by phone and fax, to changing the showroom from 150 rolls of stock into a modern presentation space, James talks openly about the decisions that shaped the business, the shift from carpet-heavy sales to hard flooring, adding beds and interiors, and the challenges of planning for the next generation.

There’s also a powerful conversation about training, succession, family names in business, sobriety, and the lessons James wishes he had learned earlier.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How James went from chef to flooring retailer almost by accident.

What it was like joining the family business during a difficult period.

Why Parfitt’s moved away from carrying huge stock levels.

How the showroom evolved from rolls of carpet to a more modern interiors space.

Why beds became a useful add-on alongside flooring.

How the business shifted from around 80% carpet to more hard flooring.

Why James believes fitter training should have happened much earlier.

The challenges of managing accounts, wages, and back-office systems.

Why business owners should think carefully before naming a company after themselves.

How James is preparing his son Luke to potentially take over the business.

Why James thinks training, at every stage of your career, never really stops.

Memorable Quote:

“You’re never too old to learn.”

Speaker Information:

James Parfitt is part of Parfitt’s Carpets & Interiors, a long-established family flooring business based in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire. The business has been running for 57 years and has evolved from a traditional carpet shop into a flooring and interiors showroom, offering carpets, hard flooring, beds, and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.