Marking International Women's Day, we spoke to four women from across the flooring industry in New Zealand, to hear about their career journeys and what has lead them to success.

Where do you work?
Feilding Flooring Xtra

What is your role?
Managing Owner

How long have you been in the industry?
In total, I have been working in the flooring industry for 18 years. My first job in the flooring industry was actually in the store we now own, which was then Carpet Court. I then went to work for The Tile Warehouse for 7 years running the show room before deciding to make a change to working within the commercial area of flooring which I spent 6 years working in at Carpet Court Palmerston North. We bought Feilding Flooring Xtra in 2018.

What fascinates you most about the industry?
There is never a dull moment! You would think when you go into flooring that it would be the same old same old every day but it most definitely is not. You never know what each day is going to bring and quite often you are juggling several different balls at a time.

What accomplishments have you been most proud of?
Purchasing the Feilding store and its significant growth since we took over. When we first started here we had a very small installation crew of 4, that has now grown to around 16.

What is on the horizon for you?
To build a new store. We have been working on securing land and designing a new store for the last 18 months so we are hoping that by this time next year this project is well under way.

How do you handle the work/life/mum juggle?
With lots of amazing people to help, we live by the motto ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, my best friend was my saviour when my girls were little, she went to all the school events that I couldn’t make. And the girls are lucky to have a great Dad who is always available when they need him.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Don’t sweat the small stuff – I am definitely working on this one 😊

If you could pick your two favourite ranges, what would they be?
Definitely Bremworth Transpire, we have recently installed this into our house and I just love it! You can’t beat the feel and look of textured wool.

Quick-Step Perspective Nature, I am a big fan of this new range, there is lot to choose from and it always delivers the wow factor.

Where do you work?
Bremworth Carpets and Rugs

What is your role?
GM Global Marketing, Product and Digital Business

How long have you been in the industry?
Probably far too long! After completing my Marketing and Management Degree in Auckland I joined the carpet world as a customer services representative to get some work experience. I feel really lucky to have been given the opportunity to work in various divisions over the years which include commercial sales, residential sales, global marketing, product development and Australian sales. I did manage to escape the industry for a couple of years when I went on my OE to the UK, but when I got home I was offered an opportunity back in the carpet industry and the rest is history. So it’s fair to say I’ve definitely got fluff in my veins!!

What fascinates you most about the industry?
I love interiors and I see flooring as an integral material input to achieve good interior design. Colour and texture are essential elements of design, and I think carpet in particular, brings life and movement to a space and adds visual interest.

What accomplishments have you been most proud of?
Being a part of the Bremworth transformation journey which has been a massive but very rewarding project with very tight deadlines. We’ve found our purpose in the world which is to find a more sustainable way, and as we continue on our journey to help consumers to bring more natural materials into their homes and daily lives, it feels really good to be working for a company that genuinely stands for something much greater than just manufacturing and selling product.

What is on the horizon for you?
Oh gosh there is never a dull moment at Bremworth! Whilst we have launched our new positioning to the market, we are still in the infancy of our transformational journey which means we have a huge amount of work to do to achieve our immediate and longer term goals. We have 4 immediate priorities which are to create demand for Bremworth branded product, optimise operational efficiency and commercial excellence, supercharge the digital business, and prioritise innovation, sustainability and partnerships. It really is a very exciting time to be working at Bremworth.

How do you handle the work/life/mum juggle?
My family is my priority, having said that, at times the balance can be difficult, particularly if work has a deadline, so I just do my best. I’ve had to do a lot of forward planning over the years, particularly when the kids were really little but it’s much easier now that they are aged 12 and 10. One of the best things I have done is involve the kids in cooking and general household tasks since they were little, because now they super helpful around the house. For example, I got home one night last week having picked up my youngest from training and my eldest had dinner on the table for the family!! It’s the old saying, many hands make light work. Oh and I’ve also figured out a cleaner is essential for all working mums.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?
I grew up having 2 things drilled into me which I have carried through into all aspects of my life. 1. To focus on what you can control and not to worry about things that are out of your control. 2. If you are going to do a job, you do it once and you do it exceptionally well.

If you could pick your two favourite ranges, what would they be?
My absolute favourite is Bremworth Ripples because of the perfectly formed tufts, beautiful colour palette and its rich texture. Having said that I also love Bremworth Galet which offers a more relaxed, random design with unbelievably soft handle.

Where do you work?
Flooring Xtra Support Office

What is your role?
Marketing Manager

How long have you been in the industry?
I’m in my 11th year with Flooring Xtra! When I first started, the business was in the start-up stage and later moved into scale-up. Being able to create and shape a brand from the ground up and beating our records year after year as we grow, has kept me hooked.

What fascinates you most about the industry?
A bit of a controversial answer, I’ve always thought the industry and flooring retail was a bit archaic and old fashioned globally, so challenging the status quo and trying to be our own disrupters to stay relevant and interesting to our customers keeps things interesting. A big opportunity was changing the conversation and way to market from being focused on functional product specs and deals, empty discounts and overall dull same same advertising, to an aspirational take that is more about inspiring customers with the different looks they can achieve in their homes, sharing the transformations other customers have achieved and so on (with function and pricing always being a given underpinning this).

Flooring has such a visual impact on a space and it is one of the more permanent decisions, so looking at it as an interior design decision which sets the tone for the rest of the home can leave a customer happier with the overall outcome of their project as it comes together as imagined (or better!). Embracing technology, e-commerce and social channels are important for us, so when a customer is scrolling, Flooring Xtra isn’t far away. This has been a bit unique for the industry so it’s a good challenge for us as first movers in this space, shaping what this experience looks like for a pretty tricky product to showcase online.

What accomplishments have you been most proud of?
When I first started with Flooring Xtra the brand was very new and people hadn’t yet come across the name or recognised it. To make things harder, it was a really cluttered space with so many other brands out there and we were right in the middle of the GFC. Watching Flooring Xtra grow into a household name has been a highlight for me. Not only are we now on the top of most customers shopping lists when they think of new flooring, we also measure customer preference and have achieved incredible results here too – this is just as important as we want Kiwi’s to know about us, and for all the right reasons.

What is on the horizon for you?
Flooring Xtra recently acquired carpet, upholstery and flood restoration business, Chem-Dry. We’re working on some really exciting brand development in this space which I can’t yet share but having another brand to be creative across is really exciting! It will also be good for our Flooring Xtra customers as we’ll be able to assist them more with looking after their new flooring purchase.

We are currently putting together our next LookBook which showcases our flooring in homes across the country. Learning about each customers build or renovation journeys so that I can write about them is a real personal joy, I love how proud we all are of our homes in New Zealand!

How do you handle the work/life/mum juggle?
I’ve never known otherwise really! I had my son in my last year of university so I’ve always played the work/mum juggle and you simply adapt and that becomes the new normal. Although, lockdown and working from home with a toddler and home-schooling, I wouldn’t exactly say that I thrived.

I’m an active relaxer so most evenings you will find me watching Netflix with my laptop in front of me. I hate doing nothing, it feels unproductive and I’m constantly thinking about what could be achieved in that time. Saturday mornings are for cleaning the house and doing the washing to stay on top of everything and there are strict ‘clean as you go’ house rules as I don’t have time to be anyone’s cleaner! At the end of the day before I sit down, I do a quick whip around to put things back in their place and reset for the next day.

Always have frozen pre-made family size meals ready to go in the oven for those big days when you know that you’ll be short on time in the evening. ‘Made’ by My Food Bag are my go to. Get yourself a heat-pump dryer so washing can go straight from washer to dryer, it works out at under $1 per cycle and you skip the time hanging and forgetting it. I buy everything online so there is little errand running required. There are lots of mum hacks that can help lighten the load!

Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Do Good Work For Good People

If you could pick your two favourite ranges, what would they be?
Quick-Step Intenso in Merino Grey Oak Extra Matt and Untouched in Placid from Bremworth.

Where do you work?
Flooring Xtra Mt Wellington

What is your role?
Sales and Project Manager

How long have you been in the industry?
20 years

I started in flooring to help a friend with an extremely busy flooring store. I am very system focussed so was helping to work out some basic systems to help operations run more smoothly. It’s amazing being so busy with sales, but there is a lot more to a business than just making a sale, the key is to have a job go really well so that person tells everyone what a good experience they had. I helped set up some basic systems to see jobs through to completion etc., but had to get an understanding very quickly of everything that went into a job from the moment someone walked in the door to the flooring being completed well.

From operations at that company I moved to Source Mondial which was unique in that everything was custom/hand made in Nepal and India or imported from the Europe and US. A very design focussed business, we worked in thousands of very high-end homes in Auckland and throughout the country including some boutique commercial properties. Very interesting and challenging, with everything being imported, there were no second chances if something wasn’t perfect, I would need to find a solution to remedy whatever wasn’t quite right.

After 8 years at Source Mondial, I moved to operations with Artisan Collective, a high-end business going through a growth period. Again when businesses find themselves too busy, the challenge is managing the workflow and after sales to ensure happy customers. This business was built on a very unique product, which I had to learn inside out to minimise any problems and ensure installations were perfect every time. This business was also very design focused, working with New Zealand’s top interior designers to help realise their client’s flooring needs. After 8 years with Artisan and navigating the first Covid lockdown, I did a lot of evaluating and thought I would move out of Auckland to Hibiscus Coast to be closer to my parents, I found myself not moving at all and instead talking to Flooring Xtra Mt Wellington.

Flooring Xtra Mt Wellington had not long been open and were busy from the get go. With a stunningly vibrant store on Lunn Ave, and an absolute wealth of flooring experience with the owners, I was so excited to get involved somehow. I was offered a role in sales which is far from my comfort zone, Lisa one of our directors said, “it’s not really sales, it’s about helping people with what they need”. She was absolutely right, as soon as I arrived, I realised this was not a sales role as such, it was all about customer service which is my absolute passion.

What fascinates you most about the industry?
Every day is different, every day can be both a challenging and rewarding.

The most challenging aspect to your role?
Having worked in operations and project management for 18 years, I love a challenge. The past few years, however, dealing with Covid has been challenging for everyone for a variety of different reasons. People are stressed, anxious and some people are a little lost and unsure about life in general, we are not just helping people with flooring decisions. We are trying to assure them that we will look after them throughout what can often be a difficult process (building or renovating). With flooring being one of the last pieces of their puzzle we deal with client’s frayed nerves, their budget overruns, deadlines that have been and gone prior to us being involved. I try really hard to ensure we make things as easy and seamless as possible for all.

What accomplishments have you been most proud of?
I am always so proud when a home is completed and client’s are super happy with the results, whether it be a first home or a multi-million dollar home.

I love helping people with limited budgets achieve their dream home. It’s always about getting the best possible product within their budget.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?
Not really advice, but a little saying that I love and it really is so true: 'Team work makes the dream work'. We have such a wonderful team from everyone in the showroom, operations working behind the scenes, our fantastic installation teams and our clients. It really does take all of us working together to make magic.

If you could pick your two favourite ranges, what would they be?
Bremworth’s Levante carpet range. I love the look and feel of this beautiful wool loop product and think it's really great value for money.

Quick-Step’s Perspective Nature, Brushed Oak range, this looks and feels so much like the lovely brushed engineered wood products but half the price, and with the added benefits of being super hardwearing with a waterproof surface, and fade resistance, perfect for a busy, sunny home.