Q1


branch of The Disney Store as a teenager. I’ll never forget standing outside and having to welcome customers into the store. It was so embarrassing, especially when people from school came in!


Q2 Q3


How did you get into the industry?


I have a background in marketing and one of my clients was a successful flooring retailer. In assisting them for several years, I learned a lot about the products they sold and how the world of flooring retail operated.


What has been your proudest moment?


Obviously, this excludes all the wonderful things my children do on a daily basis! It would have to be launching Haggleflör: an online service which helps businesses and consumers get the best price for their flooring by getting suppliers to compete for orders. All orders are for at least 51m² and all suppliers are showroom retailers, which keeps the playing field fair. It’s a great way for retailers to get online and reach new customers and the customers get great prices, a win-win.


Q4


If you could hire any one person to be part of your


team, who would it be and why? Great question. I feel like I should say someone who has lots of experience with propelling businesses forward, so how about a dragon from Dragon’s Den. They’ve helped some wonderful products reach astronomical success so they could help Haggleflör reach even greater heights. I think I’ll go for Theo Paphitis, as he looks like he could be quite jolly at times, maybe...


Q5


What’s the best advice you could give to


someone new coming into


the industry? Bring your own thoughts, ideas and


38 | 10 QUESTIONS


ambitions to keep that innovation happening. Sometimes it’s easy to get knocked back when someone tells you ‘that’s not how we do things round here’ but you have to keep at it and believe in yourself as someone will eventually listen to you. I appreciate that sounds like quite a cliché but I think that’s so important.


Q6


If you could be any character from film or


TV who would you be? I do love a good baddie as they get to have the most fun. Given my recent box set binging I’m going to say Villanelle from Killing Eve, not because she’s a psychopathic killer as I’m definitely not that. It’s more her deceptive strength, sense of humour and carefree attitude that appeal – and the endless ‘killer’ outfits she seems to have.


Q7


What do you think are the positive and negative


aspects of the flooring trade? It can be really vibrant as there are so many exciting new concepts and designs constantly being invented all over the world. I love linking up with international designers and manufacturers on Instagram to see what’s being created in far-flung destinations. It’s an industry that could embrace the digital age a touch more though, to help bring more exciting new ideas to reality for manufacturers, retailers, clients and customers.


10 QUESTIONS WITH… Q8


Each issue, we ask a flooring industry professional 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Vivien Eden, Director, Haggleflör.


What was your first job? I worked in the Croydon


What do you think the future holds for


flooring design? There an incredible amount of environmental concern at the moment so I think issues like the sustainability, carbon emissions, plastic use, transportation miles and recyclability are on customers’ minds. Designers should be thinking about this because these questions will soon be asked as a matter of course when flooring is purchased.


Q9


If you weren’t in flooring, what career


would you choose? Well I’ve certainly been trying out a few different wines recently thanks to being cooped up indoors, so perhaps I could put that to good use and become a sommelier.


Q10


Eddie Beardsley, Key Account


Manager - BSC at Kärcher (UK) Ltd. asked: Cleaning will have a greater focus as we slowly get back to workplaces. How can flooring manufacturers engage with cleaning providers and equipment manufacturers to provide the best advice for


maintenance and hygiene? I think creating dialogue between manufacturers and the cleaning industry is key. Industry forums would be great, be they in person, or held virtually. I can see the potential for some great partnerships between manufacturers and cleaning brands if relationships are formed such as co- branded flooring packaging. Training for retailers in the optimal cleaning product for different flooring would also be incredibly beneficial.


Check out next month’s issue to see what Vivien asked our next industry professional…


www.haggleflor.com


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