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The day-to-day lives of independent KBB retailers are busy, complicated and full of twists and turns. Each one has a fascinating narrative and we want to tell those stories in new and unique ways – so we’re very excited to introduce our three new Adopted Retailers.
Each are at the start of a new journey and over the next 12 months we’ll be following their progress through the highs and lows of running a small business including everything from showrooms, finances, and recruitment, to supply, design, and expansion – and, of course, how that all fits in with busy family lives.
Having featured Muswell Hill’s Point 5 Kitchens last week, we’re pleased to introduce the second of our adopted retailers, Harrison James.
Harrison James
Olivia Weaver moved her business and young family across the country with no clients and limited support network; a journey in more ways than one. Join us as we follow that journey in opening the first Harrison James showroom.
A Hero’s journey and overcoming impossible odds. Hyperbole notwithstanding, these are movie plot structures that could be applied to the origin story of Olivia Weaver and her burgeoning KBB retail business, Harrison James.
Weaver left school in Norfolk at the earliest opportunity, having always preferred the working life she experienced through part-time waitressing jobs.
“I hated school, although looking back I think I wasn’t pushed enough,” says Weaver. “I looked at the money I was earning and compared that to being at school, and yes I could have applied myself better, but it wasn’t the environment for me. I preferred to be out doing something.”
That early experience and a stint volunteering for a local lifeboat charity led to jobs on the trade counters at City Plumbing and Travis Perkins. The experience of working trade counters and being in showrooms hasn’t been without its challenges.
“It’s a very male-dominated environment, especially the older tradesmen who will always want a male opinion on top of my own because they assume I don’t know as much,” she says. Weaver then went from selling tools to ‘on the tools’, as she began working for her now husband’s Norfolk-based interiors business.
“Being on the tools, I can sell a bathroom or kitchen so much easier because I’ve fitted them myself and can catch the main issues that arise. I’ve physically done the job. Being an installer has given me a massive confidence boost that I can supply a better quality bathroom or kitchen to our clients.”
It was here that Weaver flourished, so much so that she and her husband Harry were certain the right move for the couple was to relocate to Shropshire. Even though both took on salaried jobs in their new location, it soon became clear that Weaver wanted to call the shots and set up her own business – a figurative ‘monkey off her back’ after being told by school teachers she wouldn’t amount to much.
Soon after the move, Weaver welcomed her baby son Harrison to the world – the business’ namesake. If you wanted to distil the very essence of Harrison James and the reason for Weaver’s impressive drive to succeed, it’s him. As she explains: “Hopefully in the future he’ll either take it on or do something with the business, but it’s all to give him the best life.”
A retailer turned installer turned retailer again, Weaver has proven her resilience, however, launching a family-run business and keeping up with shared family responsibilities is in itself a challenge.
“It’s definitely difficult. We have things like nursery bills we need to pay but I’m very lucky to have fantastic support from my husband. We both have a massive part to play looking after our son and making sure Harrison has everything he needs while on this journey.
“I’ve had comments suggesting that my role as mum is to stay at home. But anything that’s been thrown at us, we’ve batted away and grown closer as a family.”
At the time of writing, the new showroom in Shifnal is being renovated and, as Weaver describes, it’s “a family adventure that is all for us to improve our lives.”
In Hollywood, moviemakers would call this ‘Act I’.