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.
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