Introduction: Adrian Buttress, MD, PermaGroup

PermaGroup, originally a felt roofing company founded in 1999, has grown into a major player in the construction and DIY market under the PermaGroup umbrella.

Today it includes brands such as PermaRoof, PermaLawn, PermaFence, PermaRoom and The Skylight Company. Adrian Buttress, who joined the company in 2002, has played a crucial role in this expansion, particularly in making PermaRoof one of the UK’s leading EPDM importers.

Here, Adrian shares the inspiration behind PermaGroup, his business strategies and the lessons he’s learned along the way.

What was the inspiration behind PermaGroup?

I wanted to build a national company that provided long-term solutions to age-old problems within the construction and DIY markets. Not only that, I wanted to build something I could be proud of and fulfill my lifelong ambition to create a multi-million pound business, to quench my entrepreneurial thirst. It’s all I ever wanted to do.

I have attended many seminars and read countless books on building a business, which also taught me that to achieve success I had to be a good leader that my team could rely on and have confidence in. I’m happy to say that I think we have achieved this. this. We have a fantastic team that has given everything and plays an important role in PermaGroup’s success.

Who do you admire?

There are so many people I admire, but if I had to choose one, it would be Sir Richard Branson. A true British entrepreneur who simply looks at a market, decides he wants to take a piece and just does it. He is a very down to earth person, who I also admire.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently?

Two things come to mind. Without making excuses you don’t know what you don’t know and I would have thought bigger before. I think at first I was very cautious and hated the idea of ​​borrowing money, but once I figured out how commercial loans worked, it just clicked. For example, I borrow at 6% interest and earn 30%, with a 24% profit on other people’s money. Why didn’t I get that sooner?

Secondly, I would learn to delegate more quickly. When I first started the business, it seemed like I thought I had to do it all, but once I learned about delegating, I found it easier and wiser to find and work with people who had more experience to have. I’m not very good at finance, I don’t have a degree and I’m not the best salesperson in the world, but I employ people with these skills who have helped move the company forward.

What defines your way of doing business?

For me it’s a two-way street. There’s no point in selling a product or service only if the customer cools off a few days later and wants their money back, or doesn’t complete the deal. It’s all about negotiating so that both parties are satisfied. I won’t sell cheap because I know it won’t work for us.

That said, there is a fine line in convincing the customer that we are the best option, because what is behind our negotiated price is inventory management, product selection and a high level of service. We never claim to be the cheapest, but I believe we offer the best in the market and do everything we can to give more for our customers’ hard-earned pound.

What advice would you give to someone starting out?

Research your market well. Look at the competition and do a SWOT analysis of what they are doing well and what they are not doing so well. That’s your opening, and then you can strive to do better than the competition. It’s also important to build a solid foundation from the start, so for example, hire someone with strong financial skills to look after your numbers and implement good financial planning with a forward-looking cash flow forecast and budgets. Stick to your budgets strictly and review them monthly.

Finally, get to the hard work. Over time, your efforts will add up, but you’ll be surprised how many people give up. Many companies are only interested in making a quick profit, but it takes time, patience, discipline and many, many hours to get the ball rolling.