Paul Sheldon is the director of sales and operations at Furniture To Go, a UK wholesale furniture supplier specialising in flatpack furniture and home delivery. Over the past 30 years he has worked across retail, buying, sourcing, operations, ecommerce and marketplace development, an early career with Tesco and B&Q providing the foundations that still influence how he approaches business today.
How might a child describe what you do?
I help people buy furniture and make sure it gets delivered to the right house.
What’s the biggest long-term challenge you face?
Balancing increasing customer expectations with rising costs and growing compliance requirements, while remaining competitive.
If you had 10 x your working budget, what would you spend it on?
Technology, automation and data. The businesses that make the best decisions and operate most efficiently will be the ones that succeed.
What would be the title of your autobiography?
Common Sense Isn’t Common.
What does work/life balance mean to you?
Staying fit and healthy while still achieving results at work. Running gives me time to clear my head, think through challenges and maintain perspective. Completing the London Marathon was a personal achievement I’m incredibly proud of. Looking after yourself makes you more effective in every area of life.
Who’s been your most influential professional mentor?
Rather than one individual, I would point to the leadership culture I experienced during my time at Tesco. The focus on standards, continuous improvement and putting the customer first shaped much of how I work today.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Back yourself more. Experience comes with time, but confidence helps you make the most of opportunities when they arise.
What’s been your best day in business to date?
Being appointed director at Furniture To Go. It was the culmination of many years of hard work, learning and progression. Having started my career on the shop floor, reaching board level was a proud moment, and proof that persistence pays off.
What’s the biggest myth about our industry?
That it’s simple. Customers see a finished piece of furniture. They don’t see the sourcing, compliance, logistics, inventory management and customer service behind it.
What should everyone in our industry either stop or start doing?
Stop competing solely on price. Start focusing more on service, availability, compliance and customer experience.
Where do you see the industry going in the next 5-10 years?
Greater use of AI, more automation, increased compliance requirements and even higher customer expectations around service and delivery. Businesses that embrace change will outperform those that resist it.
What question do you wish we’d asked? How would you have answered it?
Q: What has been the biggest lesson from your career?
A: The fundamentals still matter. Technology changes, routes to market evolve and consumer behaviour shifts, but businesses that consistently get the basics right will always have an advantage.
This interview featured in October's issue.
