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Q&A with... C
harles Hunt set up online bedding company Duvet and Pillow Warehouse in 1997 after learning some tough lessons with his first business, soft furnishings catalogue Peacock Blue. Today,
Duvet and Pillow Warehouse has annual sales of approximately £5 million and no debt, and Hunt still has big dreams he wants to achieve, which should see him grow the business to £7.4 million in 2012.
Tell us a bit about your background, what did you do before founding the Duvet and Pillow Warehouse?
After getting my degree in politics and economics [his brother is culture secretary Jeremy Hunt], I worked for a shipping company where I got the inspiration for international trade. But, rather than moving other people’s cargo, I was determined to move my own. So in 1996 I set up a catalogue company called Peacock Blue where I learnt much about the good and bad in business.
What was the inspiration for Duvet and Pillow Warehouse?
Although a great business for the most part, Peacock Blue was never very profitable and not very distinctive in the market. I set out to deal with these shortcomings with my existing business, Duvet and Pillow Warehouse (DAPW). Basically, I saw that most consumers were being ripped off for their duvets and pillows; DAPW was set up in 2007 to reduce prices and increase quality. Today we ship nearly 400 orders a day and have just reached our 10,000th positive review last month—something I am very proud of.
What is your greatest challenge on a day-to-day basis?
Keeping the business simple as we grow and forever working on the marketing and buying plans to keep our business top in our sector.
What has been your greatest achievement in business so far?
Creating a business that is growing 40 percent per annum and with no debt.
Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?
Yes. My first business was a fire- fight for many years. It held me back as I fought for survival; I should have identified the underlying causes and dealt with them more quickly.
What can we expect from Duvet and Pillow Warehouse in 2011 and beyond?
We have a three-year plan of growth in both product and geographic expansion. This autumn, for example, we joined up with one of the UK’s leading mattress factories to bring good quality and low prices to our customers.
What advice do you have for entrepreneurs looking to start their own online retail business?
Don’t kid yourself with what your friends and family say; they will always back you. Look long and hard at your product and make sure it is better in every way than your competition. Otherwise, your Adword campaigns will be expensive and ultimately unsuccessful.
Whom in the business world do you most admire, and why?
Sam Walton, founder of Walmart—a true great on understanding the customer needs.
What was the last online purchase you made?
A fast scanner to help me digitise all the info I have on factories from around the world.
Charles Hunt
Tactics Views
Charles Hunt of Duvet and Pillow Warehouse
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