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28th January 2021

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KBSA National Meeting: final speakers confirmed

The Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom Specialists Association has announced three more speakers for its AGM & National meeting being held this year on 23rd September at The Welcombe Hotel in Stratford on Avon.

Confirmed as keynote speaker is small business growth specialist, Ben Kench - author of the acclaimed 'Selling for dummies' and someone who is rapidly gaining a reputation for delivering quite incredible results. The experienced showroom and interior designer Elaine Cowan, and Richard Flower, Director of Ashford Kitchens & Interiors will also be on the podium.

After returning to the UK and experiencing his own business defeat Ben created The Business Booster Programme; dedicated to growing businesses and helping others succeed. Some hundreds of smaller businesses have successfully added more than £50million to their turnover as a result of Ben's guidance.

More recently his success has seen several of his clients add more than £1 million to their turnover within a year and many current clients set to double their turnover and their profits within a 12 month period. In 2008 and again in 2012 Ben was asked to write 'Selling for Dummies' for the UK market - huge recognition from a global brand.

Ben's expertise without a doubt is in sales & marketing. He has the experience, knowledge and understanding of these processes to speak with authority and ideas around these areas are delivered in such a dynamic way that the workforce embraces permanently suggestions and techniques that really help. Running his own companies and experiencing sales & marketing challenges he understands the current market place and the issues a team might face.

Graham Ball, Chief Executive Officer, says of the signing: "We were delighted when Ben agreed to speak to our members this year, as many relish input from sales & marketing professionals, as they always find value in other people's experiences. Our independent retailers are no different, and reaction from previous years indicates clearly that Ben will add genuine value to them from his own business experience.

Elaine Cowan is an experienced showroom and interior designer, and this fits within the overall meeting theme of 'Building a more profitable future together' and showroom design is one of the key elements a retailer needs to understand.

Elaine has extensive experience working with some of the most prestigious kitchen and bedroom brands. For 25 years she was co-owner and designer at Glasgow-based Cameron Interiors, selling Bulthaup and Pronorm kitchen brands, and latterly added a Bulthaup studio in Edinburgh. For the last three years she's combined designing showroom displays for Pronorm's UK and Irish dealers with private consultancy work for retailers across the UK and beyond. Elaine has been sponsored by Franke, a KBSA Corporate member, and was part of its recently successful 'More in Store' showroom design event.

Richard Flower, Director of Ashford Kitchens & Interiors, is a longstanding member of the KBSA, and has recently opened a second showroom in Farnham Common. As a family business, the company has undertaken a complete business review in 2014 which resulted in a new showroom design, new website, with social media campaigns, all of which have resulted in business improvements that justify the overall expenditure. Richard will be telling his story which will undoubtedly give members even more food for thought.

Ben, Elaine and Richard will join Marianne Shillingford, Creative Director of Dulux, and Design Director of the Dulux Design Service, who will talk about the company's recently announced partnership with the KBSA, as well as colour palettes.

Graham Ball, Chief Executive Officer, says: "I am grateful to Franke for sponsoring Elaine, and this final line up for this year's AGM & National Meeting is really exciting, and will provide inspiration and ideas for all members. These speakers will be giving their experiences that will be of real value. Our theme is about helping members to review where they are now, and what they might consider doing to improve their future - and I can't wait to hear them all.

It will be a fantastic event, and I would add that bookings to date are well ahead of last year, so I urge members wishing to attend, to book sooner rather than later!''

Delegates can book for this event by contacting Dawn Harlow, at KBSA Head Office Admin:

T: 01623 818808
E: [email protected]
W: www.kbsa.org.uk

29th August 2014