10 QUESTIONS WITH... Q5
Each month we ask a flooring industry professional 10 Questions. This month, we chatted to Leigh Price, MD, Real Stone and Tile.
What’s the best advice you could give to someone new coming into the industry?
By far the best advice I can give is to educate yourself. Learn as much as you can about the products, the environments they are fitted in and the industry in general. Information is easily accessible in this day and age, and so there’s no excuse not to be ahead of the game.
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Q3
What was your first job? At 15 years old, I was employed as a sales
administrator in the brick department at Ashton Vernon Builders Merchants in Macclesfield, Cheshire.
How did you get into the flooring industry?
Staying in the brick industry I developed a lot of knowledge and was regularly introduced to different building materials that were coming out. When I eventually decided to start up my own business, after gaining many useful contacts in the industry, I was introduced to stone after trialling different products.
What do you think are the positives and negatives of the flooring trade?
One of the main positives is the amount of choice that is available. There’s something for everyone. My customers are amazed at the amount of choice in today’s market, making every project exciting.
On the flip side, perhaps one of the negatives is getting the customer to understand that there is a lot involved financially. For example, if they invest heavily in a fantastic style of tile, they then have to invest in it to be fitted properly. Preparation and fitting is as important as finding that perfect style of tile for your project.
Q4
If you could hire anyone to be part of your team, who would it be and why?
Definitely Peter Kay! He’d bring a smile to everyone’s face and instil a jovial atmosphere to the place all day long.
44 | 10 QUESTIONS Q8
If you could invent any product what would it be and why?
My dream would be to invent a tile that can be fitted by hand to either a floor or wall without any product such as adhesive or grout, but still remain completely sealed and waterproof.
If you could have a dinner party with any three people, dead or alive, who would
they be and why? Will Ferrell, as he’d be the life and soul of the party, bringing a fun element to the evening. Sting, as I think he’s cool, he could sing for us and I’m sure he’s got a lot of stories to tell. Finally I’d have Sir Alex Ferguson, there’s only one word to describe that man – legend!
What do you think the future holds for the flooring industry?
The large format tile is becoming a very popular choice within the industry. We regularly meet customers looking to make small rooms appear bigger, when we suggest large format tiles as an option they often think that it would make the room seem smaller, however, it can have opposite effect. I believe that this trend will become more and more fashionable over the next few years.
Q9
What would you like to see in a future issue of Tomorrow’s Contract Floors?
I’d like to understand more about natural stone tiles in commercial use, focusing on the maintenance and fitting of these tiles. It would be great if you could cover this.
Q10
Bob Mortimer, UK & Ireland Sales Manager, Heckmondwike FB
asked: What colour trends do you think we will see in the contract sector throughout 2018
and beyond? From the displays I viewed at recent worldwide exhibitions, there seems to be a continuing theme of neutral tones combining traditional with contemporary looks. So we have wood-effect alongside cement and concrete.
www.realstoneandtile.co.uk
Check out next month’s issue to see what Leigh asked our next industry professional…
www.tomorrowscontractfloors.com
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