When Growth Becomes the Problem

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom sits down with Luke Johnson, better known as Floor Ninja, for an honest conversation about growing a flooring business, losing control of quality, and learning when bigger is not always better.

Luke shares how he got into flooring at 15, working with his uncle for £10 a day, before eventually going out on his own, building a strong local reputation, opening a showroom, running multiple vans, and creating what looked from the outside like a successful flooring business.

But behind the growth came the pressure. Staff, subcontractors, cash flow, customer expectations, quality control, and a monthly break-even figure that put a huge weight on the business.

This episode gets into the reality of scaling a small flooring business, why reputation is only as strong as the people delivering the work, and why Luke eventually made the decision to strip everything back and fall back in love with the trade.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How Luke got started in flooring at 15 years old.

Why he chose the trade over school and traditional employment.

How one flooded town helped him launch his own fitting business.

Why small details like hoovering, trimming doors, and leaving jobs tidy helped build his reputation.

What happened when he grew from man and van to showroom owner.

The hidden pressure of running a business with staff, vans, installers, and high monthly costs.

Why finding good fitters and subcontractors became one of his biggest challenges.

How quality control can become harder as a flooring business grows.

Why Luke made the decision to close his showroom properly, without leaving customers or staff high and dry.

How stepping back from growth helped him regain control.

Where the Floor Ninja name came from.

Why Luke is now focused on quality work, sharing knowledge, and helping other installers improve.

Memorable Quote:

“Bigger isn’t always better if you lose control of the quality.”

Speaker Information:

Luke Johnson

Floor Ninja

TikTok: Floor Ninja

Instagram: Floor Ninja / I Build Renovations

Facebook: Floor Ninja / I Build Renovations

Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast:

Website: https://theukflooringpodcast.co.uk/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theukflooringpodcast/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theukflooringpodcast/

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/59DLhGPVKNtVoS656EYtxq

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-uk-flooring-podcast/id1606720642

Produced by Cockerill & Co.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom records from Manchester ahead of the latest Cockerill & Co client quarterly, where flooring business owners come together to review, reset and plan their next three months.

Before heading into a day at the Crystal Maze with clients, Tom shares some of the key questions he asks business owners during the quarterly review process.

This episode is a practical one, so grab a pen and paper and take the time to properly think through your answers.

Tom covers why flooring business owners need to stop living in the day-to-day chaos, pause for a proper review, and get clear on what really needs to happen next.

In this episode:

How to review your last three months properly

Why your wins matter, even the small ones

The decisions you have been putting off

What you need to start saying no to

How to choose the one project, product or service that needs your focus

Why planning only works when it leads to action

How small commitments can create big results over time

Tom also explains why quarterly planning is not just for big flooring businesses. Whether you are a one-person operation, a retailer with multiple shops, or somewhere in between, the same questions still apply.

The results might look different for every business, but the process is the same: review, reset, plan and take action.

If you want a copy of the quarterly review sheet, email Tom directly at:

Tom@cockerillandco.co.uk

He will share it with you, as long as you are willing to send your answers back so the team can give you some honest feedback.

Listen now and start planning the next three months of your flooring business properly.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of The UK Flooring Podcast, Tom takes on one of the biggest mindset shifts flooring business owners need to make: stop seeing marketing as a cost, and start treating it as a measurable route to growth.

This is not about throwing money at ads and hoping for the best. It is about knowing your numbers, tracking your leads, understanding your cost per acquisition, and making sure every pound you spend has a job to do.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

Why marketing spend should not be judged by the monthly budget alone.

How to think about cost per lead and cost per customer acquisition.

Why Google Ads, Meta, SEO and email all need proper measurement behind them.

The danger of vanity metrics like website visits without knowing what people actually clicked.

Why flooring businesses need to test, track and review before committing to long contracts.

How better follow-up and customer service can make the difference between wasted leads and profitable work.

Memorable Quote

“Marketing isn’t a cost to the business. It is just a way of getting the growth we want, as long as it’s set up properly.”

Speaker Information

Tom shares a practical, straight-talking view on how flooring businesses can use marketing properly, especially if they want to grow, scale and create a more predictable flow of enquiries.

Where to Find The UK Flooring Podcast

Watch or listen to The UK Flooring Podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.