David Brown founded Camperdown Kitchens in Dundee 14 years ago, drawing on years of experience in the kitchen design industry.
Confident he could deliver a more affordable and higher-quality service, he set out to build something better for local customers.
What began as a one-man operation with a handful of sample doors has since grown into a thriving family-run business.
David spoke to us about his biggest challenges, proudest achievements, and more.
How and why did you start Camperdown Kitchens in Dundee?
The Camperdown Kitchen Company started off in a small office. It was just me and a selection of sample cupboard doors.
After working with other local kitchen companies and gaining much experience in the industry, it was clear to me that I could improve the service and cost for customers.
How did you get to where you are today?
As the company began to get busier, we soon outgrew that first office. We moved the family business out to Barlow Park, opened our current showroom, and went on from there.
Over the past 14 years we’ve provided a consistently high standard of service to our customers, and we’ve managed to get hundreds of 5-star reviews.
Customers recognise the effort we put into each project and their feedback has helped us to build up a fantastic reputation.
Who helped you?
We are truly a family business, with my wife and sons involved in the daily running of the company.
All our employees, past and present, and our sub-contractors, have helped to make our company what it is today.
We’ve found being members of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) very useful.
We’re also endorsed by Which? trusted trader scheme and FreeIndex. These websites have stringent rules on leaving company reviews, and they help us to attract customers who can see we’re a business that does things the right way.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever had?
Be prepared to work hard for your customers and always deal with issues as quickly as possible.
What is your biggest mistake?
Like most business owners, working more hours than I realised, not having a break when I needed one, and not taking the time to switch off.
I’ve learned through experience how to deal with this better.
What is your greatest achievement?
My greatest achievement is being able to have my family around me throughout the years and hopefully building a solid company for them to take forward.
How are you managing the rising cost of doing business?
It’s difficult, but we try to keep the business streamlined and negotiate the best prices we can with suppliers.
The most important thing is still giving our clients the best value possible.
What do you still hope to achieve?
We hope to be sustainable and continue to grow into Scotland’s premier kitchen company.
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