Partner Article

From rugs to riches

An online entrepreneur has transformed his dad’s carpet shop into a global empire which is on target to grow annual turnover by a third to £2m this year.

Four years ago Ben Dale’s father Peter was in the process of gradually winding down his Bishop Auckland carpet shop after close to two decades in business.

However, Ben had other plans and persuaded Peter that the company’s future lay on the internet.

Dale junior had been working in marketing for a Newcastle digital firm and quickly learned about what makes a successful website.

The shop became a warehouse, carpets were replaced by rugs and in Modern Rugs’ first year in business turnover stood at around £30,000.

In just four years the company has grown rapidly and, despite a modest workforce of four, is now worth £1.5m annually, with rugs being exported as far afield as Nigeria, Australia, China and America.

Mr Dale now plans to launch a second website which will tap into the growing trend for bespoke ‘sisal’ rugs, made with natural materials.

According to the entrepreneur, the new site will help the company’s turnover to grow by £500,000 to £2m in the coming year.

He said: “I had been looking for something to sell online because I had just learned about e-commerce, and since my dad had a carpet business, it was the obvious choice.

“Around 90% of our rugs go to UK customers but we are also selling all over the world.

“We are doing things that not many other people are doing such as showcasing our rugs in online videos which help customers see what the texture is like.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .