Running a family garage door business comes with unique challenges, opportunities, and rewards.

In this episode of the Garage Door Installers Podcast, we discuss the reality of building and growing a family business - from starting with one van and a set of tools, to creating a company that supports multiple generations.

We talk about the challenges of mixing family and business, having difficult conversations, defining roles, managing growth, and the importance of building strong systems for the future.

From the early days of Fast Fit Garage Doors to growing a team and preparing for the next stage of the business, this episode explores what it really takes to build a successful family-run garage door company.

Whether you’re a garage door installer, running your own trade business, or thinking about bringing family into your company, this episode is packed with honest lessons and real experiences from inside the industry.

In this episode we discuss:

• How family garage door businesses often begin

• The challenges of working with family members

• Keeping business and home life separate

• Having difficult conversations in a family business

• Passing a business from one generation to the next

• Building a strong team and company culture

• Lessons learned from over 40 years in the garage door industry

The Garage Door Installers Podcast is built for garage door professionals, installers, and business owners looking to learn, improve, and grow within the industry.

Our Sponsors

The Door Industry Journal

The Door Industry Journal is the only trade magazine targeted towards the Garage Door Industry. To receive the magazine and weekly newsletter for no cost send your details to pr@cvgroup.co.uk to get added to the distribution list.

ToolTrade

For top branded products at competitive prices, speak to ToolTrade. A leading provider of tools, fixings and sealants. To open a trade account and have some customised pricing email your enquiry to info@tool-trade.co.uk

In this episode, we explore how the sectional garage door revolution transformed the UK garage door industry.

For decades, the up and over garage door dominated residential properties across the UK. But as customer expectations evolved, demand grew for better insulation, improved security, smarter design, and doors that enhanced kerb appeal.

Enter the sectional door, a product that changed everything.

We break down where sectional doors came from, why they became so popular, and how they reshaped both customer expectations and the installer’s day-to-day job.

Key Topics Covered

• The dominance of the up and over garage door in the UK
• How garage use has changed from storage space to living space
• The origins of sectional doors in American overhead door systems
• European innovation and manufacturers like Hörmann driving development
• Why sectional doors became the modern residential standard
• Space-saving vertical operation vs traditional canopy designs
• Improvements in insulation, sealing, and security
• How customer expectations around garage doors have changed
• The impact on installers, surveying, and installation complexity
• Whether sectional doors have replaced up & over doors
• The future of smart garage door technology

Our Sponsors

The Door Industry Journal

The Door Industry Journal is the only trade magazine targeted towards the Garage Door Industry. To receive the magazine and weekly newsletter for no cost send your details to pr@cvgroup.co.uk to get added to the distribution list.

ToolTrade

For top branded products at competitive prices, speak to ToolTrade. A leading provider of tools, fixings and sealants. To open a trade account and have some customised pricing email your enquiry to info@tool-trade.co.uk

Episode: We Went To The Three Counties Show

Episode Summary

This week, we're stepping away from the office and taking you behind the scenes of one of the UK's biggest county shows.

After spending three days exhibiting at the Three Counties Show, we returned with far more than just sore feet and empty coffee cups. We met thousands of homeowners, renovators, farmers, business owners and families, all with different interests, projects and questions. But amongst all those conversations, several key lessons emerged that every garage door installer can learn from.

In this episode, we discuss the power of face-to-face marketing, why roller shutter garage doors continue to dominate homeowner interest, and why building relationships remains one of the most effective sales strategies in today's digital world.

We also share insights into customer buying behaviour, discuss the importance of getting your business visible within your local community, and explain why some of the best opportunities come from simply showing up.

Whether you regularly exhibit at events or have never considered it before, this episode is packed with practical takeaways for installers looking to grow their business and build stronger customer relationships.

Key Takeaways

- People still buy from people

- Roller shutter garage doors remain one of the most requested products on the market

- Local events can generate awareness long before customers are ready to buy

- Face-to-face conversations accelerate trust and credibility

- Strong supplier relationships create better customer experiences

- Consistent visibility helps businesses stay top of mind

- Marketing isn't always about immediate leads—sometimes it's about planting seeds for future sales

Featured Partner

A special thank you to Garador for their support throughout the Three Counties Show.

Sharing exhibition space and having direct support from our Garador Account Manager, Jacob, helped create a fantastic experience for visitors and demonstrated the value of strong manufacturer-installer partnerships.

About The Three Counties Show

The Three Counties Show is one of the UK's largest agricultural and countryside events, held annually at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern. The show attracts thousands of visitors each year and features farming, food, retail, home improvement, outdoor living, livestock, machinery and business exhibitors from across the country.

Our Sponsors

The Door Industry Journal

The Door Industry Journal is the only trade magazine targeted towards the Garage Door Industry. To receive the magazine and weekly newsletter for no cost send your details to pr@cvgroup.co.uk to get added to the distribution list.

ToolTrade

For top branded products at competitive prices, speak to ToolTrade. A leading provider of tools, fixings and sealants. To open a trade account and have some customised pricing email your enquiry to info@tool-trade.co.uk