Furniture makers craft deal with national restaurant chain

Two Wiltshire craftsmen who make beautiful furniture from ethically-sourced timber are now securing commissions from leading brands with help from business growth consultancy Cool Ventures.

William Hibbert and Samuel Baker, who have co-founded the Forest to Home furniture business, make wooden furniture for commercial clients and homeowners at their workshop in Lacock.

The award-winning craftsmen, who preserve the natural character of the raw wood they use to create unique pieces of furniture, have been receiving expert advice from business coach Sue Marchant of Cool Ventures.

The business advice consultancy delivers the Swindon and Wiltshire SME Growth Programme which provides free intensive support to small and medium-sized businesses like Forest to Home.

They benefit from one-to-one business coaching and access to workshops on key topics including business planning, finance, marketing and management.

William and Samuel are now making stunning furniture for leading brands that share their ethos of sustainability, including the restaurant chain Nando’s.

They have also been commissioned to make an 8.4m-long boardroom table from a single piece of timber sourced from Windsor Great Park, part of the Crown Estate, for a London-based business.

William said: “The advice we have received from Sue at Cool Ventures has been indispensable in helping us to expand the business.

She has supported us during a crucial growth period where we have gone from working part-time to full time and employing staff.

“Sue made sure we have proper forecasts and budgets in place that enable us to make informed decisions about the business based on data, rather than deciding things on a whim and just ticking over.

“Things are much more planned out now and Sue has given us the tools and knowledge that we need to build the business further and sustain things on our own.”

Sue Marchant said: “William and Samuel make beautiful and unique pieces of furniture which convey their passion for the environment and sustainability.

“They now have a plan for growing the business and it’s great to see them winning new commercial projects for national companies.

Having a proper growth strategy provides William and Samuel with a focus for their business, enabling them to make better business decisions that will help them achieve their goals.

“It’s been great to work with two such inspirational craftsmen and I wish them every success with their exciting expansion plans.”