Delivering all the help you need for your Kitchens, Bathrooms, Bedrooms business to succeed.Bespoke support in the areas of HR, Sales, Training, Marketing, Health & Safety, Dispute Resolution, Operations, New Projects and Strategy.Please visit www.kbbsupport.com for more details.

Writing a monthly double-page analysis for the KBBreview magazine, I focus in on the hot issues in the industry, and seek out opinions and insight to bring to readers.

I had been writing for the title for many years, and was then offered a regular monthly full-page column, in which I discussed industry issues such as business communication, expectation management, equal opportunities, design and product innovation, tax, succession planning, industry terminology and strategy.The Publications section of my LinkedIn profile features many of these articles.

Knowing that it would take time to build up my consultancy business, and aware that I had never worked for a national in the KBB industry, I took a part-time role as a Showroom Advisor which was effectively a Kitchen and Bathroom Sales Designer. I was amongst the top sellers in my time there.It was fascinating to see how this size of business handles KBB.

Initially helping this start-up KBB studio as a business consultant, I was offered and then accepted the role of Sales Director. Having inherited an empty order book, two vans, an unfinished showroom, and two staff; I grew it to a turnover of cir. £800k, four vans, two showrooms, and eleven staff.

I came on-board with the company to implement the two year plan I created to kick-start kitchen sales and design, across its network of branches. From a near standing start, I envisaged, designed and project-managed the creation of five new showrooms; recruited, trained, motivated and supported a team of mostly inexperienced Sales-Designers; and marketed the company's kitchens offering to establish sound and on-going B2B and B2C sales. I had primary responsibility for all kitchens business, and secondary responsibility for all bathrooms, plumbing and heating business. I was also involved in the Fortis buying group meetings, and was appointed as head of the Appliances negotiating sub-team.

Director and co-owner of Cavendish, with a local reputation for great service in the supply and installation of kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms and bespoke furniture.In this role I directly oversaw all aspects of the company, including sales and marketing, product design and development, H.R., supplier negotiations/relationships, health & safety, I.T., and legal affairs. I chaired the fortnightly management meeting, in which the senior management team reported to me.I helped oversee the extension to the factory to create a paint-line,including the purchase of machinery and skilled staff. I also worked together with the Factory Manager to design and manufacture a successful range of bathroom furniture.I re-invigorated the company’s bathroom offering, and achieved a sales growth of 50%, and a 10% increase in gross profit margin. Marketing successes included the trebling of hits to our website - within the same budget.

With day-to-day responsibility for the running of the kitchens and bathrooms side of the company, I had six branches (under different brands), eight managers, and forty-two staff. With a role that also overarched the entire company I oversaw five busy building and plumbing trade counters, with a company total of ninety-eight staff and a turnover of £21m. Across the company I was solely responsible H.R., strategic issues, legal affairs, Health & Safety, administration, marketing, and I.T.

Joining the company initially as the Office Manager, with three staff, after a year I was promoted to Sales Manager, in charge of the ten-strong sales team.Reviewing the sales strategy to take take advantage of the premium position of the company's brand, I doubled the gross margin on appliances without impacting sales turnover.Through training, support and by celebrating success, I made significant improvements in staff motivation, team communication, and profit focus. I drew up and implemented employee contracts and handbook; formalised lines of communication via regular departmental meetings, and made the company compliant with health and safety laws. I was also responsible for all marketing; from customer surveys, to tracking our competition, to allocation of a £250k advertising budget.

In this role I covered all of our twelve sites in the region to deliver training to new staff, from one-to-one sessions up to groups of twenty. Regularly deputising for the Area Manager, I also took responsibility for customer care, staff welfare and Health & Safety.

Responsible for eight multinational staff, and required to handle crises' including a nocturnal total site evacuation/relocation of one hundred and twenty families due to torrential flooding.

Assisted Mr Grant in all his affairs concerning the sale of the most prestigious country homes in Worcestershire and its neighbouring counties. This included sole responsibility for the production of brochures- from writing the text, organising our photographers and planners, consulting with solicitors and printers; in addition to a major role in the running of our property auctions.

In this position I advised vendors concerning asking prices from their properties, arranged and conducted viewings and negotiated with buyers and vendors over the sale of properties.

Beginning as a courier in Paris, I was then awarded an unprecedented promotion from courier to campsite manager in Brittany. Once appointed I was responsible for sixteen multinational staff on Eurocamp's third largest site in France, which – before my arrival – was badly failing. Initially by being very hands-on and taking direct control, then through instilling in the staff a positive 'can-do' attitude and giving each one responsibility and authority to handle their respective role and duties, I managed to ‘turn it around’, so that by the time high-season commenced, we had a compact, reliable and competent team, providing great holidays for the customers.

Opening three evenings a week, I recruited, trained and managed three bar staff and two door staff; handled stock-control; cashed up; and was a key-holder.