10 QUESTIONS WITH… Q4


Each month, we ask a flooring industry professional 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Phil Jenkins, PR and Content Manager, BAL


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


team, who would it be and why? It would have to be one of my business heroes – Richard Reed, founder of Innocent Smoothies. He began his career in advertising before starting up Innocent from scratch on a market stall. It was sold to Coca-Cola in 2013 for about £65m. His vision, leadership skills and marketing know-how would bring an amazing new dynamic to our team.


Q5


Q1 Q2 Q3


What was your first job? My first ever job, as a teenager,


was on a Saturday morning collecting golf balls at a local driving range and then helping to man the Pro Shop.


How did you get into the industry?


I worked for a PR agency for a number of years, before moving in-house as BAL’s PR and Content Manager in 2014.


What do you think are the positives and


negatives of the flooring trade? The flooring trade’s competitiveness can be seen as both a negative and positive. It can be a driver of innovation which can develop products and services to help installers provide improved results to their customers and help our market grow.


Negatively, to combat innovative technology and increased competition there may be pressure for some product claims to then be exaggerated which is a damaging proposition for end-users and the industry as a whole. At BAL, we never make a claim we can’t support 100% and back this up with our market- leading guarantee.


46 | 10 QUESTIONS


What’s the best advice you could give to


someone new coming into


the industry? Know your product category inside and out and get out into the market place to speak to people who have been in the industry a long time. Truly understand your customers’ needs and work on developing products and strategies that solve individual pain points and frustrations. Do that and you’ll go a long way!


Q6


If you could invent any product what would it


be and why? In the tiling industry, every installation can be different depending on the tile types and size, environment and substrates. This is before a fixers preference for working times and set times are considered. Often a range of specialist products are required to choose from, so the ultimate product would of course be a single product that can be used with any tile type in any environment and on any substrate. I’m sure it is on the horizon!


Q7


If you could have a dinner party with any


three people, dead or alive, who would they be and why?


John Lennon as a musical magician with some interesting world views, he would be fascinating.


Barack Obama who I consider a political giant in an age of pygmies. He sounds like a cool dude as well.


And finally, Tommy Cooper – how fun would that be?


Q8


What do you think the future holds for


flooring design? I think the future is very positive – even if there may be some fallout from Brexit. But it is what it is, and we have to, as an industry, keep pushing forward. There are many talented people in the industry who are constantly striving to improve what the flooring community can offer construction as a whole.


Q9


What would you like to see in a future issue of


Tomorrow’s Contract Floors? More interviews with suppliers and manufacturers – maybe even an in- depth supplier focus every issue.


Q10


Christopher Newton, Exhibition Director,


Surface Design Show asked: Which building(s), old or new, would you award your very own Stirling Prize?


As a Spurs fan I’d love to award it to the new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on White Hart Lane. Despite all it’s troubles, it truly is a world-class sporting venue and befitting the best team in London. I can’t wait to see the mighty Lillywhites in action there!


www.bal-adhesives.com


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


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