Last week, we wrapped up the first year of the KBB Scale Up Mastermind with a field trip to Edinburgh.
It felt like the perfect way to close out what’s been a valuable and fulfilling journey.
We started the day with a morning workshop led by Paul O’Brien, former Director of Kitchens International - a man who knows a thing or two about building a standout KBB business.
He took us through the full story of how the business evolved - the opportunities that came along and how they took them, the decisions that propelled the business to the next level, and the ones that didn’t work out so well.
It was the kind of real-world, behind-the-scenes insight that only comes from someone who’s been through it.
No theory. No gloss. Just clarity, experience, and honesty.
It opened something up in the room.
Because when you’re running your own kitchen business, it’s easy to get stuck in your own head. To keep circling the same decision. Wondering if you’re seeing it clearly.
The afternoon roundtable advisory session took that even further.
We opened up the floor to the kinds of questions that don’t always have a clear answer on your own, like:
How should we structure the business as we grow?
Which parts of our process are holding us back - and how do we fix them?
How do we position the business and choose the right manufacturer mix?
And when it comes to the showroom - should we go higher-end and more luxurious, or keep it more accessible?
That last one was answered right then and there in the room, and once the answer came out, it was obvious. For those ready to act on it, it had the power to accelerate growth, elevate the brand, and save years of trial and error - and potentially a small fortune in the process.
And that’s the real value of this programme.
It’s about unlocking the kind of insights and experience that others have already figured out - so you don’t have to go the long way round.
There’s a reason one of the most common pieces of feedback we hear is this:
“That insight would’ve taken me two years to figure out on my own. I got the answer in two minutes.”
It seems every member of this year’s group is returning for 2026 - which says a lot about the value they’ve found, and what this community has become.
Feedback suggests this has already grown into one of the best groups of its kind in the UK KBB industry - and in 2026, we’re taking it to the next level.
We know it’s easy to weigh up whether a programme like this is the best use of time and budget - especially when other investments, like advertising, are on the table.
But clarity on your strategy, direction, and positioning has a way of making every other decision - and investment - work harder.
There are now just a small number of places left for next year’s cohort.
We start in January. So, if this has struck a chord with you, this is the right time to take a step.
You can explore how the programme works here.
Then email me at david.barker@inspirekbb.com and let’s arrange a chat.