The UK Flooring Podcast

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom is joined by Matt Brindley from Rethink Drink for a frank conversation about alcohol, stress, business growth and the habits that quietly hold people back.This is not a preachy episode about never drinking again. It is a proper look at the grey area many business owners find themselves in, where alcohol is not necessarily destroying their life, but it may be taking more from them than they realise.Matt explains how alcohol can become a tool for switching off, dealing with stress, handling social situations or marking the end of a difficult day. The problem is, when that tool becomes the default, it can start to affect confidence, energy, family life, decision-making and the opportunities you actually take in business.Tom and Matt discuss the difference between enjoying a drink and relying on it, why willpower alone often does not work, and how changing your environment and routine can make a bigger difference than simply trying harder.They also talk about The Sinclair Method, grey area drinking, binge drinking, and why some people may need a more structured, medically supported route to getting their drinking back under control.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow alcohol can quietly affect business growth, even if things look fine on the outside.Why “grey area drinking” is so common among high-performing business owners and professionals.The warning signs that drinking may have moved from enjoyment into dependency.Why stress, social situations and the need to decompress can become triggers.How routines, environment and pattern interrupts can help reduce the pull of alcohol.Why simply sitting in the same place, doing the same thing, but trying not to drink is often the wrong approach.How missed opportunities, lower confidence and poor energy can impact your business over time.What The Sinclair Method is and why Matt believes more people need to know it exists.Memorable Quote“Environment overpowers willpower every single time.”Speaker InformationGuest: Matt BrindleyCompany: Rethink DrinkWebsite: https://www.rethinkdrink.co.uk/Matt Brindley is a coach working with Rethink Drink, supporting people through The Sinclair Method, a medication-assisted approach designed to help people change their relationship with alcohol. In this episode, Matt shares both professional insight and his own personal experience of trying to get a handle on drinking.Where to Find The UK Flooring PodcastSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxqApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642YouTube: Cockerill & Cohttps://www.youtube.com/@cockerillco6141Cockerill & Co: https://www.cockerillandco.co.uk/The UK Flooring Podcast: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast sits down with Scott Wolters, Sales Director at Egger Building & Flooring UK & Ireland, for a proper look at sales, distribution, product knowledge and what flooring retailers really need from the brands they work with.Scott shares his journey from business and marketing graduate to sales leadership, including his time helping build Egger’s flooring activity in North America and his return to the UK to rebuild and refocus the sales team. He talks honestly about culture, loyalty, saying no, and why experience matters when you’re building a team that understands the flooring industry properly.A big part of the conversation focuses on Egger’s flooring offer, how the brand works through distribution, and why Scott believes retailers need more than just a stand full of samples. They need product knowledge, support, training, strong point of sale, clear routes to market, and a brand that protects the retailer rather than competing against them directly.Scott also explains why laminate still needs to be sold properly, especially when it comes to understanding water resistance, specification, product benefits and how to give customers the confidence to choose the right floor.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:Why Scott believes culture and people are one of Egger’s biggest strengths.How Egger supports flooring retailers through distribution across the UK and Ireland.Why product knowledge is so important when selling laminate and hard flooring.The difference between DIY, online and retail distribution routes.Why retailers need brands that protect their business, not just supply products.How Scott rebuilt the sales team after a major change in personnel.Why experienced people matter in flooring sales.The importance of saying no, setting boundaries and not promising what you cannot deliver.What Scott would do if he opened his own flooring shop.Why a focused range, strong product knowledge and reliable service can help a retailer stand out.Memorable Quote:“Don’t promise something you can’t deliver. People respect honesty more than excuses.”Speaker Information:Scott Wolters is Sales Director at Egger Building & Flooring UK & Ireland. He has spent over 12 years with Egger, working across flooring, building products and international markets, including four years in North America helping develop Egger’s flooring activity in the United States and Canada. In this episode, Scott talks about sales leadership, distribution, retailer support and Egger’s ambition to grow its branded flooring products through the retail sector.Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/6Qqg3VhMgz6QfVZzLRn7YfApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606838547YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheUKFlooringPodcast

This episode of The UK Flooring Podcast welcomes Amanda “Panda” Ford, founder of The Financial Planning Club, for a practical look at how understanding different personalities can improve the way you sell, communicate and manage people.Amanda introduces Insights Discovery, a psychometric profiling tool that uses four colour energies to explain how people prefer to communicate, receive information and make decisions.Some customers want every detail about the flooring, preparation and installation process. Others simply want the price, the timescale and a clear answer. Treating both customers in exactly the same way can create friction, lose trust and potentially cost you the job.Amanda explains how flooring professionals can begin spotting different communication styles from the questions customers ask, the language they use and even the way they enter a showroom. The goal is not to label people or completely change your personality. It is to recognise when your usual approach may need adjusting.The conversation also explores the value of surrounding yourself with other business owners. Amanda shares an outsider’s perspective on the flooring industry and explains why the community inside the Cockerill & Co Alliance is so valuable, regardless of whether someone is working alone from a van or running a seven-figure company.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Insights Discovery uses four colour energies to explain communication preferencesWhy some customers demand detail while others only want the price and timescaleHow to identify different personality styles during surveys, quotations and showroom conversationsWhy listening and asking better questions can improve your sales processHow to adapt quotations and information packs for different types of customersWhy your natural communication style may connect with some people but alienate othersHow better self-awareness can improve customer service, leadership and teamworkWhy business owners need a supportive community outside their own companyMemorable Quote“Once you know about yourself, you then start to understand other people.”Speaker InformationAmanda “Panda” Ford is the founder of The Financial Planning Club and a qualified Insights Discovery practitioner. She helps individuals and teams understand how they communicate, respond to situations and work with people who think differently.Where to Find The UK Flooring PodcastListen on Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Follow The UK Flooring Podcast on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn and YouTube for new episodes, clips and flooring industry conversations.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Dean Smith, owner of DCS Flooring Limited, for an honest conversation about growing a commercial flooring business, stepping away from the tools and finding a better balance between work and family life.Dean shares how he followed his dad into flooring after leaving college, before choosing a different route and building a business focused mainly on commercial projects.However, years of fitting demanding floors during the day, quoting at night and carrying the pressure of running a business began to take its toll. Dean found himself physically exhausted, struggling to make the numbers work and bringing the stress of the business home with him.That pressure eventually contributed to the breakdown of his relationship and forced him to reconsider what he wanted from his business and his life.Dean explains how taking on more fitters and coming off the tools helped him regain control. Although the transition was difficult, and the work initially struggled to catch up with the size of the team, it allowed him to focus on winning projects, managing the business and spending more time with his children.The conversation also explores the realities of managing employees, staying organised, using AI and automation, and why business owners can become so focused on systems that they forget the basic task of bringing new work through the door.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow Dean progressed from working alongside his dad to running DCS Flooring LimitedWhy he chose commercial flooring instead of following his dad into domestic retailThe physical and emotional impact of fitting floors while trying to run a businessHow business pressure affected Dean’s relationship and family lifeWhy working harder did not necessarily mean making more moneyThe challenges of employing people before the workload has caught upWhy getting off the tools became a major turning pointHow Dean keeps his team happy through fairness, good pay and sensible working hoursWhy every employee is motivated by something differentHow early mornings help Dean complete his most important workWhy enjoying your job is often a choice rather than something that simply happensHow Dean uses ChatGPT, CRM systems and an AI receptionist in the businessThe risks of automating too much of the customer journeyWhy systems and processes can become a distraction from salesDean’s plans to grow the company without losing the freedom he has createdMemorable Quote“We can all go to work and earn money, but ultimately you need to go to work and enjoy yourself.”Speaker InformationDean Smith is the owner of DCS Flooring Limited, a commercial flooring contractor based in Leicestershire.After spending much of his career fitting floors himself, Dean is now focused on growing his team, improving the company’s systems and building a business that gives him more control, freedom and time with his family.Follow DCS Flooring Limited on Instagram:@dcsflooringltdVisit the DCS Flooring website:www.dcsflooringltd.co.ukWhere to Find The UK Flooring PodcastListen to The UK Flooring Podcast on Spotify and Apple Podcasts, or watch the latest episodes through the Cockerill & Co YouTube channel.Follow The UK Flooring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and LinkedIn for new episodes, clips and conversations from across the flooring industry.

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.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeWhy emotionally reactive decisions can damage your businessHow frustration can push owners back onto the toolsWhy confidence and self-worth often affect pricingThe importance of regular team meetings and clear communicationWhy cancelling meetings sends the wrong message to your teamHow to decide whether a showroom or larger business is right for youWhy growth should support the life you wantThe difference between being busy and being productiveWhy creating space to think can improve decision-makingWhy business is unlikely to become completely easyHow performance coaching can improve confidence, focus and leadershipHow successful operators can reach a higher level without burning outMemorable Quote“Stop looking for it to be easy, because when you think it should be easy and it isn’t, you think there’s something wrong.”Speaker InformationDavid 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.Where to Find The UK Flooring PodcastListen 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.

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.What You’ll Learn in This EpisodeHow relationship breakdowns can affect productivity, attendance and decision-makingThe warning signs that someone may be struggling at homeWhy business owners need a plan for supporting employees through divorce or separationHow divorce coaching differs from legal adviceWhat a McKenzie Friend does during family court proceedingsWhy contacting a solicitor for every emotional concern can become extremely expensiveThe importance of communication, trusted support and early interventionHow abusive and controlling relationships can affect mental healthWhy separating couples should understand the process before making major decisionsHow supporting an employee properly can improve loyalty and reduce disruptionMemorable Quote“Get that support system in place as early as possible.”Speaker InformationPaul 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: @paulnaisbittcoachingLinkedIn: Paul NaisbittWhere to Find The UK Flooring PodcastListen on Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/show/1J0C46dPKgSic5p0n8wK5KListen on Apple Podcasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1609466551Watch on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@CockerillandCo

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 CovidWhy retail and supermarket flooring moves at such a fast paceWhat makes London Underground flooring work so difficult operationallyHow short engineering hours can turn a simple job into a major logistical challengeWhy doing 800 smaller jobs a year brings a different kind of pressureHow they build a UK-wide supply chain before the work landsWhy cash flow becomes one of the biggest challenges when a commercial flooring business growsThe pros and cons of using factoring to manage payments and protect the businessWhy getting off the tools often requires a proper decision, not a slow driftHow Harry forced the change by getting rid of the vanWhy more jobs can mean more complaints, even if the percentage of issues stays the sameHow Jack and Harry think about reputation, standards and fixing problems quicklyWhy bringing in the right people matters when you want to move into bigger projectsThe importance of knowing whether you actually want more money, more freedom, more time, or something else entirelyMemorable 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.

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.

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.