SOLID AS A ROCK.
Derek Sloan, of London’s Sloan Stone Design, is a man who is great at what he does; he undoubtedly knows the value of work hard, understands how to treat his customers, and is an expert at staring down his fears, tackling them head on.
Many young children look up to their fathers as they grow up, learning from and emulating everything their dads do. For many little boys, their father is the person who teaches them how to be a man – what it means to work hard, provide for your family, and support your partner and children throughout their lives. Sloan is quick to credit his father as the person who has inspired him the most in both his personal and professional life.
“My dad has worked hard his entire life for his family, and he never complains. That is something I really admire. My father is someone I looked up to as a kid, and I still do now as an adult. Because of what my dad instilled in me over the years, I’m working as hard as I can for my own family – my beautiful wife and three amazing children that I adore.”
Sloan has always felt the steady hand of his father on his shoulder as he ushers in major changes in his life, especially with regard to business decisions. In fact, Sloan admits that the decision to start his own business was extremely difficult, and fear almost got the best of him. But with the support of his dad, the rest of his family, and his business partner at the time, he learned that taking a leap of faith is worth the risk. “I was scared to take that leap but I had the help of my former business partner to get the company started. After three years, I decided to buy out my business partner, which was another scary step. But having a great staff, wonderful customers and my amazing family behind me made that dream come true,” said Sloan.
Now in its 5th year of business, Sloan Stone Design has become one of London’s premier retailers of quartz and granite countertops. Sloan and his team cater to builders, kitchen and bath dealers, and the general public, assisting in creating beautiful countertops in both new builds and renovation projects. Sloan Stone Design is a 100% digital shop; they template all their designs using a laser and use CNC machines to ensure a perfect cut every time. This, of course, translates into a perfect fit for your countertop when it comes time to install. Granite and quartz are not only very popular choices for countertop material, but they do provide an upscale look, fantastic performance, and work to increase the value of the home. When it comes to choosing a countertop retailer, Sloan is confident that his business concept – an extreme attention to and care for customers, and supplying a high-quality product – will speak for itself. “We put out a great product. That’s how we compete,” said Sloan. “Quality of product and service to our customers are our two key assets when it comes to our company. We have a lot of loyal customers because we have built great relationships.”
“Attention to and care for customers, and supplying a high-quality product will speak for itself.”
Whether it’s family, staff or customers, Sloan understands the true value of building and maintaining solid relationships. When it comes to his team and how they work together and with new and existing clients, it’s clear that Sloan is very proud. “I have a great team in place. I am very lucky. With their knowledge and design backgrounds, my highly skilled staff do their best to bring a customer’s vision into reality. They all go above and beyond to exceed customer satisfaction.”
Excellent customer service, Sloan explains, “starts the minute you walk into our newly renovated showroom… we ensure that you feel welcome and comfortable.” To achieve that welcoming, comforting feeling for their customers, the Sloan Stone Design team works to ask a variety of questions in an attempt to narrow down the customer’s needs while simultaneously building an atmosphere of trust. “Asking the right questions to the customer will help them trust that we know what’s best for them and their project,” said Sloan.
Looking forward into the future of Sloan Stone Design, Sloan hopes that his business will continue to grow and thrive. His ultimate goals are to continue providing his customers with an amazing product, providing his team with a fantastic place of employment, and his family with a legacy to be proud of. Sloan is extremely happy to have taken that leap five years ago in starting his business, and is proud to have built such a successful brand. “I enjoy going to work every day to do something I’m so passionate about. Most days, it doesn’t even feel like work.”