The Sydney tour continues on The Underlay as Matt and Michael head to the Northern Beaches to visit Flooring Xtra Mona Vale, where they sit down with young business owner Campbell for an honest and inspiring conversation about flooring, family, and building a business from the ground up.

At just 27 years old, Campbell has already built a thriving flooring business alongside his mum after opening the store right in the middle of COVID back in 2021. Coming from a carpentry background, Campbell explains how a passion for flooring unexpectedly took over his original dream of becoming a builder, eventually leading him into retail, installation and business ownership.

The episode dives deep into the realities of running a modern flooring store, from customer service and team culture, to warehouse systems, installation management and the importance of empowering staff. Campbell shares how the business has grown through trust, hard work and putting the customer first, while also reflecting on the influence his mum's work ethic and entrepreneurial mindset had on shaping his own career.

Floor preparation becomes a major topic throughout the discussion, with the team reinforcing a message repeated across the industry: great floors start with proper prep. From hybrids and timber through to vinyl plank installations, the conversation explores why honest communication with customers and realistic expectations are essential for long-term flooring performance.

The episode also touches on the growing popularity of glue-down vinyl plank flooring, the return to direct-stick systems, and the evolving preferences of homeowners across the Northern Beaches market.

It's a fun, insightful and highly relatable episode about hard work, culture and building a flooring business the right way.

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