Ben Locke, Founder and Director of sustainable renovation company, Re-Faced Ltd, was able to put down the tools whilst busy grafting on-site and catch up with unLTD’s Olivia Warburton, sharing the story behind his company.
Hi Ben. Can you start by telling us about that ‘lightbulb moment’ that led you to start your business?
I’ve always been entrepreneurial. In 2011, before Re-Faced, I started a t-shirt printing business, but my life wasn’t in the right place to put my full effort into it.
In 2014, I had a short stint in prison – something I never want to experience again. After coming out, I knew I wanted to use my entrepreneurial skills and the cross-translational skills that I learnt from my previous business, like using a plotter cutter and creating designs for people.
“I’m a Sheffield lad, born and bred. I love Sheffield and want to be able to give back to the community in any way.”
Back when I had the first business, I was in my first flat and the kitchen was dreadful to say the least. I used some leftover sign-writing vinyl to wrap the cupboards. I did the uppers bright orange, the lowers in black and then on one of the doors, because I’m a fan of Jack Daniels, I cut out this Jack Daniels logo. Everyone who saw it said, ‘This is amazing!’.
I’m working-class and come from a council estate, so know that working-class people like to have nice things, but can’t always afford them. After realising I could transform people’s houses for a fraction of the cost of a traditional refit, I thought why not make a go of it?
It’s also about adding a new lease of life to pre-existing items and stopping something from going to landfill. I’m no Greta Thunberg, but I’m one of those people where if it can be saved, then why not?
I started doing a few kitchens on the side while working for another refurbishment company in 2018, before incorporating Re-Faced in January 2020, just before Lockdown.
I can imagine the pandemic was not the best time to launch a refurb company!
No, but it was for me. I got made redundant, which was a blessing in disguise. It was the kick up the backside that I needed to fulfil my dream and take a step towards building my business.
Aside from Lockdown, have there been any other challenges you’ve encountered that you’ve overcome?
Juggling home life and business life has been a major one. I’ve got three kids and consider Re-faced my fourth. But, I’m slowly starting to release the reins.
“I just want to be inspirational to even one child.”
I recently went on Andy Hanselman’s Leadership Programme, and that’s helped me share control of certain things. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to work smarter, not harder.
How has the growth of Re-Faced been?
It’s been slow, but organic. I’ve had next to no marking. I worked for about six months with Harvey Morton, who I met through See It Be It’s The Big Challenge, which I’m an ambassador for. Other than that, all of our work has come through word of mouth.
Re-Faced started just wrapping kitchens. We’ve since developed into spraying UPVC windows and doors, and spraying shopfronts, as well as laying metallic epoxy resin flooring and countertops.
Now, our main bread and butter comes from commercial contracts, rather than domestic jobs. That’s been since signing a contract last October with Parfetts, who own convenience stores up and down the country. When they reacquisition a shop, we go and rebrand it to Parfett’s colours.
I now have two staff members – my brother, who’s on his way to becoming co-director, and another guy I recently hired, so we’re going from strength to strength.
What has been your favourite project you have worked on?
There’s been a few. The biggest one to date has been with DoubleTree By Hilton, in Coventry. We refurbished 89 tables over four days for their new restaurant, bar and lounge area.
But, the job I got the most fulfilment from was a kitchen we did for a lady, where we did a whole surprise reveal for her. She was amazed by what we did. For me, it was just spraying a kitchen, but for her, it was life-changing.
“I got made redundant, which was a blessing in disguise. It was the kick up the backside that I needed to fulfil my dream and take a step towards building my business.”
What has it been like working with See It Be It, for their ‘Big Challenge’?
I’m a Sheffield lad, born and bred. I love Sheffield and want to be able to give back to the community in any way. Being black, when I was younger, there wasn’t many people that I saw growing up that I thought when I’m older, I want to be like them.
I think one guy that I did see was Tim Campbell, when he won The Apprentice. If I could inspire one child like how I was inspired by him, I’d love that, so coming across The Big Challenge, I had to jump on it.
Inspiring the next generation is clearly a very important cornerstone of your business. With that in mind, what does the future look like for Re-Faced?
If I can grow my team to have a commercial and domestic side, then I’m winning. I’d like to take on people from backgrounds that aren’t normally given the chance, because I want to give back as well as grow.
I just want to be inspirational to even one child. I recently attended my kid’s primary school for a ‘Think Big, Dream Big, Aspire’ day. I gave demonstrations in both of their classes and saw immense pride in both of them.
But, my son actually went to school dressed up as me. He had a uniform and all the tools he needed to be a vinyl wrapper. The joy that gave me was incredible. I got feedback from the teachers saying other kids had also felt inspired by my presentation, which is all I could want.
