Afleveringen
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and this is the first episode of a special three-part series we're calling 'Changemakers'.
It's all in association with our very good friends at Hettich and together we're meeting people or companies that are truly forging their own path in the UK kitchen and bathroom sector. They're shaping opinions, trends and business practices in a way that genuinely shifts the industry zeitgeist.
Your hosts for this series are kbbreview's Andy Davies and Hettich UK managing director Simeon Gabriel.
Our first Changemaker is a real pioneer in the field of accessible and multi-generational kitchen design - Adam Thomas. A wheelchair-user himself, he has a unique understanding of how kitchens can and should be designed to allow full use by everyone of any ability, age, size or shape.
He is also very inspirational when it comes to explaining just what a business opportunity this is for retailers and designers.
It's all here in a very special interview that you won't want to miss....
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The kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025 are open for entries and this is the first of our special monthly awards podcast bonus episodes.
We'll be following the whole process between now and the event in April - including exclusively revealing the shortlist of finalists just before Christmas.
In this first episode we get down to basics - what are the awards, who can enter, what are the categories and what are our top tips for doing your entries.
Huge thanks to our Awards Podcast Partner for 2025 Sonas Bathrooms for all their support. You can find out all about becoming a Sonas Bathrooms retailer at sonasbathrooms.co.uk
You can find out everything you need to know about entering the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025, as well as booking tickets for the event, at kbbreview.com/awards
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Zijn er afleveringen die ontbreken?
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies, this is Episode Two of Season 13 and we've got a great one for you today as we look into the world of distribution with one of the biggest names in the sector - Waterline.
We have a great interview with Michael Marriott, who's the new CEO, and sales director Rob Taylor who's chalked up an astonishing 39 years with the company.
Waterline is, of course, owned by Crown Imperial and Michael is the grandson of the founder, continuing the lineage of the family-run business. His brother Barry Head is the current MD of Crown.
There are huge changes happening with distribution in the KBB industry - with consolidation, buy outs and big names calling in the administrators. Big brands who always relied on distributors are starting to go direct and margins are getting tighter and tighter across the chain.
Against this backdrop, Waterline has just launched its first ever bathroom range - an ambitious move into a very crowded market.
So why have they done it, what do they think about the direction of distribution in general, and how does a new CEO get under the skin of such a well-established company?
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is editor-at-large Rebecca Nottingham and this is another of our very special Rising Star episodes where we meet the upcoming superstars of kitchen and bathroom retail.
Between August 2024 and March 2025 we’ll be picking a monthly Rising Star to feature in the magazine, online and this very podcast. Those eight monthly winners then become the shortlist for the overall winner which will be revealed at the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025 in April.
It's done with the support of our very good friends at Blum and you can find out more about them at Blum.com
You can nominate your rising stars, or indeed nominate yourself, via the awards website kbbreview.com/awards and there are only two rules:
They must be currently employed by a retailer - which we're defining as a company that sells direct to the consumer and they must be under 30 years of age on March the 4th, 2025.
Other than that, they can perform any job role within your business – admin, design, sales, finance, installation, we don’t mind as long as they’re a star!
So let's meet our Rising Star for September, Georgia Astley. She's the branch manager at Kutchenhaus Lutterworth. At just 22 she's already clocked up experience in installation, design, project management and running a showroom and, as you will hear, she's loving every minute of it...
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode One of Season 13.
For this very special episode we're meeting the founder of one of the industry's most enigmatic companies - Paul O'Leary from deVOL.
He and his team have managed to establish the hugely successful deVOL as a true lifestyle brand that, yes, will make you a beautiful traditional kitchen but they do it by inviting you into their world and giving you the warm and uniquely British deVOL experience. It is based in Cotes Mill, a 16th-century water mill set in twelve acres of natural meadows on the banks of the River Soar, just outside Loughborough and this rambling five-storey building and its gardens have since become synonymous with the deVOL brand and featured heavily in its own Emmy-nominated TV show - For The Love Of Kitchens.
If you haven't seen it we highly recommend seeking it out via the deVOL YouTube channel.
Paul is the embodiment of deVOL and to hear him talk about the philosophy of it and his views on design and his customers is just fascinating as well as just listening to him tell his own personal story, it all makes up an interview that you just don't want to miss….
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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast and this summer special episode dropping right in the middle of August.
We've got a cracking whole new season starting at the beginning of September but today's episode was just too good, too relevant and too insightful to wait until then.
Now we all know that the market is, at best, flat and, at worst, way below that and that leaves business owners and leaders with a difficult decision - do you hunker down and wait for it to pass, or do you actively attack the market with initiatives designed to spark it into life?
And that's why we're very lucky in this episode to have Stephen Ewer the CEO of one of the biggest UK suppliers in the industry Bathroom Brands. I went over to the always impressive showroom at their HQ in Dartford to talk to Stephen - and a very enlightening conversation it was too.
Bathrooms Brands is, of course, one of the biggest names in the sector, and is therefore always a real bellwether for what's happening. For a company with such a unique relationship with the independent retail sector, its plans and strategies are always worth examining in detail if you get the chance.
And its latest initiatives are more exciting than most as it launches a comprehensive package of products, promotion and price alignments designed with one goal in mind - to actively stimulate the depressed market.
This episode is sponsored by Bathroom Brands and we promise this is a very candid case study of how companies can take a lead and revitalise a market with some clever and creative ideas so we do really recommend this one.
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Welcome to a new series of episodes brought to you by The kbbreview Podcast. Your host is kbbreview editor-at-large Rebecca Nottingham for these monthly episodes meeting the Rising Stars of the kbb independent retailer sector, brought to you in association with Blum.
In this first episode we’re meeting our Rising Star for August, Melissa Halliday from Archispek in East Lothian.
But first, let’s explain what the Rising Star is all about and how YOU can nominate your own.
Yes, We’ve teamed up with Blum to find the industry’s upcoming stars because successful businesses and industries are always looking for fresh, new, creative talent.
These rising stars often drive companies to innovate and embrace new practices and technologies and, guided by experienced hands, they can grow into valuable team members or even the next generation of business leaders.
The development of this pool of new, young talent is so important to the future of the kitchen, bedroom and bathroom retail sector and that’s why we’re expanding the scope of our annual ‘Rising Star’ award.
Between now and March next year we’ll be picking a monthly Rising Star to feature in the magazine, online and this very podcast. Those eight monthly winners then become the shortlist for the overall winner which will be revealed at the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2025 in April.
It’s all very exciting so we need YOU to tell us who your Rising Star is - who are the members of your team that you believe stand out as a star of the future in this industry?
There are only two rules:
They must be currently employed by a retailer - defined as a company that sells direct to the consumer.They must be under 30 years of age on March 4, 2025. Other than that, they can perform any job role within your business - admin, design, sales, finance, installation, we don’t mind as long as they’re a star!You can find all the info you need at kbbreview.com/risingstar
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this is Episode Eight of Season 12.
You may remember that, all the way back in episode two a few weeks ago, we looked at the ever-present stalwart of the kbb showroom - the brochure. You can listen to that one here.
This week we're looking at the brochure's ever-present companion on the showroom shelf - the sample.
Every showroom has them whether it's for doors, worktops, handles and just about everything else but how do they use them, how do they manage and keep on top of them all, are there too many, and what do you do with them when the new ranges come out?
This is proper shopfloor stuff and we're talking it all through with a couple of great retailers in the shape of Stuart Luckman from RidgeWey and Al Bruce from Olive & Barr. We also have the supplier's perspective from Andy Noble, the Managing Director at CDUK.
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Welcome to the kbbreview Podcast, this is a special bonus episode counting down to one of the biggest events of the year - the InstallerSHOW 2024.
It's from the 25th to the 27th of June, that's Tuesday to Thursday, and thousands of visitors will descend on the NEC in Birmingham to see the latest products, mix with peers and hear the latest advice and debate on some of the biggest issues facing the sector.
For the first time there will be a dedicated Installer Kitchens & Bathrooms area and that's where you'll find a special extra one-off issue of kbbreview, as well as big supply brands and big topics being discussed.
So in this episode host Andy Davies finds our what;s happening with Mike Costain, the managing director of show organiser Lyrical Communications.
You can find out all about InstallerSHOW 2024 at installershow.com, and you can also register to attend for FREE there too.
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and this is PartTWO of a special two-parter reporting from our very first Retail Safari.
A Retail Safari is a walking tour of interesting and innovative retail stores and environments and we're taking a group of independent kitchen and bathroom retailers out of this industry and hoping to expand horizons and provoke some new thinking on how to view their customers, their showroom, their displays.
We have a retail expert as our guide in the shape of Ian Scott, who's actually been on this podcast before, to lead us round.
In Part One you heard the running commentary from host Andy Davies and kbbreview's editor-at-large Rebecca Nottingham as they talked us through what they spotted in each store. We also heard from some of our retailers to find out what their learnings, takeaways and observations where.
Now, in Part Two, we'll find out what the rest of our retailers thought as well as a chat with Ian Scott and Hettich MD Simeon Gabriel.
This whole endeavour has been supported by Hettich UK and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them so a public thank you to them. If you want to find out more about Hettich then you can them here.
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast and this is Part ONE of a special two-parter reporting from our very first Retail Safari.
A Retail Safari is a walking tour of interesting and innovative retail stores and environments and we're taking a group of independent kitchen and bathroom retailers out of this industry and hoping to expand horizons and provoke some new thinking on how to view their customers, their showroom, their displays.
We have a retail expert as our guide in the shape of Ian Scott, who's actually been on this podcast before, to lead us round.
In Part One you'll hear a running commentary from host Andy Davies and kbbreview's editor-at-large Rebecca Nottingham, they're talking us through what they spotted in each store, and then we'll hear from some of our retailers and find out what their learnings, takeaways and observations where.
In Part Two, we'll find out what the rest of our retailers thought as well as a chat with Ian Scott and Hettich MD Simeon Gabriel.
This whole endeavour has been supported by Hettich UK and we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them so a public thank you to them. If you want to find out more about Hettich then you can them here.
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies as always and this is episode five of season 12.
Today we're looking at a subject that has been completely eye-opening for us It's an issue affecting installers and we confess we had no idea just how big a problem it is until we started looking into it.
And that is…tool theft.
It's about as base a problem as you can get, the tools of your trade, worth thousands of pounds in some cases, getting nicked from your van.
The impact is obvious on your immediate ability to work, but the resultant cost of not just replacing the tools but also getting the van patched up and your rocketing insurance rates are just as bad.
And then, of course, there's permanent and very real anxiety that it might happen again every time you park up and that can have a significant effect on mental health.
It really is that big a deal.
So we'll be hearing the personal stories of three installers who have shocking stories to tell about it happening to them, what the cost both financially and personally has been and what, if anything, can be done about it.
Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk.
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Welcome to a very special bonus episode of the kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies, and today we're looking at one of the areas of kitchen design that doesn't get the recognition it deserves, and that's the panel finishes that make up the furniture.
When you actually think about it there's hundreds of colours, textures, grains and patterns all following, and often setting, the trends before they ever get near being made into furniture - and manufacturers are doing so at a speed that is mind boggling.
It's such an important part of the design journey that it definitely needs more attention so Andy is talking to Lauren Barker, the head of marketing and design for Lawcris.
Lawcris leads the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this week it's Part Two of our How to be a Successful Retailer two-parter.
Andy has been catching up with winners from this year's kbbreview Retail & Design Awards to pick their brains about running successful and award-winning businesses.
Last week was a fascinating conversation between our Special Achievement Award recipient Paul Rowland from CP Hart and our Rising Star of the Year winner Angelika Kotarska from Angelic Bathrooms in Northampton - highly recommend going back to that one if you haven't heard it.
This week, well this is another great one, as we get to hear from our two Retailers Of The Year - Darren Walker from Laings in Inverurie, our Kitchen Retailer of the Year 2024 and Steph Warner from Pier1 Bathrooms in Hove - our Bathroom Retailer of the Year 2024.
These are two very successful and dynamic businesses with two completely different back stories - Laings first opened its doors in 1862, Pier1 in 2019. The Pier1 showroom is about 1,500sqft and Laings is more like 13,500sqft.
Laings employs about 90 people, Pier1….5
And, of course, they're about as far from each other geographically as it's possible to get while still being in the UK.
So two very different businesses, with two very different perspectives on what it takes to be the Retailer of the Year.
Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk
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This is Part One of a two-parter that will conclude next week where we talk to winners from the kbbreview Retail & Design Awards 2024 to get under their skin, hear their stories and see what makes their businesses successful.
Next week, we'll be meeting our Kitchen Retailer of the Year - Laings in Inverurie - and our Bathroom Retailer of the Year - Pier1 Bathroom in Hove. Two very different businesses with two very interesting perspectives on the market.
But to kick it off today we've got an interview that's so interesting, so insightful and actually just gives you a bit of a warm feeling inside.
As many of you will know, at our awards we give out our Special Achievement trophy. It goes to those individuals who have contributed something very special to their business and the industry as a whole and this year it went to… Paul Rowland from CP Hart.
CP Hart is, of course, the premium bathroom retailer that now has 15 showrooms and a £50m turnover. When Paul took it over 20 years ago it was really struggling and he has lead the team that has made it what it is today. He is the retailer's retailer.
At the opposite end of the career path, we also gave out the Rising Star of the Year trophy - this goes to individuals under the age of 30 who are making a real impact in their retail business and the 2024 winner was Angelika Kotarska who started her own bathroom retail business - Angelic Bathrooms in Northampton in 2022, aged just 22.
So, you can see where this is going can't you…we thought it would be a good idea to get them both together and see what lessons they can learn from each other and it's fascinating stuff.
Finding good people, managing through financial crises, the relationship with suppliers, finding customers, marketing - it's all in here and more besides from when Angelika and host Andy Davies went down to the flagship CP Hart showroom in Waterloo to see Paul.
Today's episode is brought to you with the support of our very good friends at Lawcris. They lead the field in wood based panel products, laminates and edgings with big brands such as Emporio Skin, Kronospan and many more. With over 40 vehicles in their fleet, they can provide next day delivery on all stocked products. You can find out all about them at lawcris.co.uk
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This week's episode is all about that staple fixture of showrooms and their relationship with the brands they sell - brochures.
What do retailers and designers actually use them for?What do they say about the brand?Do suppliers assume they get given out to every potential customer who comes through the door?Are too many simply thrown away and wasted?Should they have prices in them or not?Such simple things touch on so many different aspects of the day-to-day life of a retailer so we're talking it all through with retailers Paul Crow, the MD of Ripples, and Adam Wollerton from Bathroom + Kitchen Eleven in Surrey AND in the supplier's corner Sofia Charalambous from Origins Living.
It's fascinating stuff so let me know what you think, here's my email [email protected]
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Today we're looking at that tricky yet often desirable symbol of growth for an independent kbb retailer and that's …..the second showroom.
The vast majority of kbb independents operate out of one showroom, but many often seriously think about another. It's an obvious way to expand the business but there are plenty of cons to go with the long list of pros.
Finding the right location, spreading yourself too thin, finding people you trust to run it and starting to build a whole new customer base in a different area.
So we're going to talk it all through with a couple of top retailers and friends of the show - Mark Butler from Butler Interiors and Liz Pantling-Jones of Lima Kitchens. Mark took the plunge on a second showroom a few years ago and Liz is seriously considering that move right now.
Host Andy Davies met up with them a few weeks ago and this is a really interesting conversation that gets right to the heart of finding that showroom as well as weighing up all the pros and cons...
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and this may be the last episode of Season 11 but we've got a couple of very interesting bits for you
First up we're talk about manifestos - we all know there's going to be a General Election this year so if you were running for Prime Minister, what would be in YOURS to help kbb businesses?
While we were at the KBB show we took the opportunity to ask this very simple question to some leading industry figures.
And then we go from Prime Minister to prime time TV. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen made an appearance at the KBB show supporting Caple so kbbreview editor Rebecca Nottingham caught up with him to hear his views on kitchen and bathroom design. Warning, this next interview contains flamboyance...
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Welcome to The kbbreview Podcast, your host as always is Andy Davies and this week we're looking at the communication between suppliers and their retailers.
Since Covid there has been massive shift in how this is done, the traditional rep-on-the-road model has morphed into a hybrid of some area sales managers and a lot more emails, portals, Zoom, Teams, webinars and the like.
From the suppliers point of view it's not hard to see why. Reps are expensive and can only cover so much, but technology allows direct communication and exchange of important updates and information easily.
For the retailers, however, they like face-to-face, it's their bread and butter after all, plus they have potentially dozens of suppliers and that means dozens of portals, emails, updates and Zoom calls to get through - and the onus is on them to do it.
So it's time consuming AND the volume of information coming this way means that they may miss important updates such as price changes or stock availability.
Andy caught up with a few key suppliers to ask them what they think. Is there still a role for the rep on the road, and how do you get important messages across when the inbox is so noisy…
But do retailers agree? We ask them too....
What do you think? Email Andy at [email protected] or find him on LinkedIn here
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Welcome to another bonus episode of The kbbreview Podcast, your host is Andy Davies and at the kbb show last week he caught up with Richard Sloan, the CEO of Sonas Bathrooms.
It was their time exhibiting at the show AND, of course, they were also our Podcast Partner for the 20204 kbbreview Retail & Design Awards.
So that's two greatest reasons to talk to Richard about the health of the market, the relationship between suppliers and retailers and how they're doing exhibiting for the first time.
If you want more info on Sonas Bathrooms then you can find out everything you need to know at sonasbathrooms.co.uk and we highly recommend checking out all the special 2024 awards podcast episodes here.
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