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Exquisitely British - The British Entrepreneur Club for Luxury Brands
An Interview with...
Peter Bennion
Founder of Sheffield's Natural Bed Company
By Clare Heighway - 11th February 2015
We chat to the Peter Bennion, the founder of Natural Bed Company about why they're passionate about using local Sheffield craftsmen to make their products.
Tell us a bit about yourself, Peter.
After a science degree in Leeds and three years research at Sheffield University I realised that I needed to plough my own furrow. It was the early seventies and I started building wooden frames for waterbeds. That developed into an interest in the unusual and the handmade - which led to travels in Morocco and India, both places with wonderful traditions in wood and textiles. I also love the deserts and mountains of those countries - magnificent landscapes for trekking and wonderful cultural experiences.
Where did the idea for Natural Bed Company come from?
I’ve loved working with timber as far back as I can remember, as a teenager I made furniture for my own bedroom. Simple designs that, for me, worked better than what I couldn’t afford to buy. The fascination of simplicity has never left me. Later in life I again found it difficult to buy the furniture I wanted locally and it spurred me on to design and construct my own. I love working with solid wood, it’s a beautiful material - each piece is unique – the grain, the varying subtle tones within the timber. At Natural Bed Company we use substantial sections of timber to produce satisfyingly solid bedroom furniture.
Who is your ideal customer?
I still work in the showroom some Saturdays because I love meeting our customers! They come to us because they like our designs and share our values. They appreciate that we make our furniture locally – our craftsmen will make their bed from start to finish, which means they are invested in making a piece of furniture for a specific customer, not simply turning out components. The result is a great service for the customer, high quality furniture, a more rewarding workday for our craftsmen, and the knowledge that we are helping keep woodworking skills alive in Sheffield. Our customers also appreciate that we use sustainably sourced solid timber.
What has been your biggest challenge?
Starting a company and slowly building it over 40 years requires endless energy! For many years we were totally undercapitalised – that can create a lot of difficulties and slow down progress. We’ve had to be very self-reliant and open to inspiration wherever we can find it. I’ve been very lucky in finding invaluable assistance from family, friends and our staff.
What has been your biggest highlight?
I’m hoping that’s just about to happen! We are planning to relocate our showroom into larger premises in March/April 2015. We’ll still be in Sheffield, and not far from our workshops – but the new showroom should allow us to have better displays and show more beds, along with the new design that’s in the pipeline (you heard it here first!) In additon our collection we will have the space to show furniture from other designers and our huge range of bedding and homewares. It’s a very exciting time!
What or who are you inspired by?
Anybody who does something quite difficult, makes it look easy and does it really well. In a broader sense, desert landscape, particularly the high altitude deserts and the people of the Buddhist Himalaya regions of India and Tibet.
Do you have any advice for other entrepreneurs?
When you have your own business you have to be open to advice and insights from those around you – and you’ll certainly receive it! The important thing is to take the advice on board, but give yourself the time to assess it in relation to your own vision for your business. You need to know when seemingly good advice simply doesn’t feel right. You are the expert in your business, but don’t be afraid to admit to gaps in your knowledge and buy in professional advice when you feel you need it.
What does a ‘typical’ workday look like?
There’s no such thing! Particularly at the moment - I’m spending so much time planning for our showroom relocation. Having said that on a typical day I check in with colleagues, deal with developments, emails and phone calls. Hope that there’s time to think, and that my colleagues and I have time and energy to discuss our ideas. Perhaps that’s more ideal than typical!
Do you have any favourite British brands?
We retail products from a number of British brands I really like – blankets and cushions from Bronte, linen bedding from Linen Works. Both are fantastic UK brands. A British brand that has inspired me over the years is Conran – it seems to stand for quality and modernity. The Conran shop is a beautiful store, and Terence Conran is a co-founder of Benchmark – a company that shares a lot of our values.
What do you think is important in developing a successful British brand?
Consistency and being true to your own values – they should be apparent in every part of your business. We believe in manufacturing in the UK and keeping local skills alive – this is one of our core values. Manufacturing locally allows us to be responsive to our customers as it means we can tailor our designs to suit their needs. That’s because when we say it’s made in Britain, it really is – from start to finish! It’s not just another label. Our beds are entirely made to order at our workshops in Sheffield. Your core values are vital in distinguishing your brand from the competition.
How do you manage the work/life balance?
Surround yourself with people you trust and can rely on – then don’t be afraid to delegate! It’s the only way. When you have started your own small business, after doing everything yourself, it can be difficult to let go. But it’s vital, not only for your own work/life balance and the sanity of your colleagues, but in order to grow your business.
To find out more about the Natural Bed Company and see their full collection visit their website at www.naturalbedcompany.co.uk
Natural Bed Company are a Best of British member.
View their listing here.
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