The UK Flooring Podcast

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom is joined by Harrison Smith, Managing Director of Azalea Wealth Management, for a straight-talking conversation about money, pensions, protection and long-term planning for flooring business owners. A lot of people spend years building a business, growing turnover, managing staff, chasing jobs and solving problems, but never properly turn that hard w...

After 30 podcasts in 30 days, Tom wraps up the challenge by looking back at some of the most valuable lessons shared across the series. This episode brings together 10 key takeaways for flooring contractors, retailers and manufacturers, covering everything from growth and showroom strategy to websites, follow-up, service, numbers, AI and family life. Rather than chasing the next shiny idea, Tom br...

When Growth Becomes the Problem In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Luke Johnson, better known as Floor Ninja, for an honest conversation about growing a flooring business, losing control of quality, and learning when bigger is not always better. Luke shares how he got into flooring at 15, working with his uncle for £10 a day, before eventually going out on his own, buil...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom records from Manchester ahead of the latest Cockerill & Co client quarterly, where flooring business owners come together to review, reset and plan their next three months. Before heading into a day at the Crystal Maze with clients, Tom shares some of the key questions he asks business owners during the quarterly review process. This episode is a...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom takes on one of the biggest mindset shifts flooring business owners need to make: stop seeing marketing as a cost, and start treating it as a measurable route to growth. This is not about throwing money at ads and hoping for the best. It is about knowing your numbers, tracking your leads, understanding your cost per acquisition, and making sure every...

Tom recorded this episode from the car on the way to Manchester, so forgive the odd bit of background noise. But the message in this one is well worth hearing. As the 30 podcasts in 30 days challenge nears the finish line, Tom reflects on a feeling most self-employed people know too well: reaching the point where you think, “I’ve had enough of this.” Not because you are lazy. Not because you do no...

Making Tax Digital might not be the most exciting topic in the world, but for flooring business owners, it is one that cannot be ignored. In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Sarah takes over the show to break down Making Tax Digital in plain English. No jargon, no panic, and no overcomplicated explanations. Just a practical look at what it means, who it affects, and why it could actually h...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Pia Honey, founder of No Floor, No More, to hear the incredible story behind a grassroots movement that has now helped thousands of families access flooring and household essentials that would otherwise have gone to landfill. What started with Pia giving away her own unwanted flooring during a home renovation has grown into a much bigg...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Danny Stenhouse for a proper honest conversation about life, business, flooring, social media and the lessons you only learn the hard way. Danny shares his story from growing up on Pottery Lane in York, building resilience through a tough upbringing, working in youth support, becoming an estate agent, and eventually finding his way int...

In this solo episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom shares a quickfire sales masterclass for flooring retailers and contractors who feel busy, but not necessarily more profitable. After admitting that a previous sales masterclass recording never made it out as planned, Tom turns it into a practical audio session packed with advice for flooring businesses that already know their trade, but need to...

In this special episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom and Sarah revisit one of their favourite conversations with Paul Mort. This episode goes far beyond business. Paul talks openly about personal development, mental health, responsibility, family, purpose, confidence, marketing, criticism, and what it really takes to change the way you feel and live. It is honest, funny, raw and, at times, prop...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Paul McMaster from Carpets & Flooring 2 You in Bishop Auckland for an honest conversation about retail, ambition, service, mistakes, family, and why bigger is not always better. Paul has spent 27 years in the flooring trade, working across retail, wholesale and sales before joining forces with his long-time friend and business part...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Luke Crooks, Managing Director of Solent Wholesale Carpets, an independent flooring wholesaler based on the South Coast. Luke shares the story of how his grandfather moved south after the war, started with carpet shops, and eventually built the wholesale business that the family still runs today. He talks about what it takes to stay re...

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom is joined by John Beamson, also known as The CEO Adventurer, for a brutally honest conversation about business, accountability, resilience and why so many people want the big results without doing the simple things properly. From missed meetings and unreturned calls to poor follow-up, weak priorities and avoiding uncomfortable conversations, Tom and...

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...

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...

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...

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 fo...

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 an...

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 an...

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 re...

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 fro...

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 look...

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...

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 longe...