PAUL THWAITES

I grew up in the small village of Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire. I was into sport from an early age and always thought I’d make it as a professional sportsperson but unfortunately, my general lack of ability put paid to that fairly early on!

 

Cricket and football have always been my go-to sports mainly as a batsman who occasionally bowls and a goalkeeper who regularly picked the ball out from the back of his net. My footballing days are behind me now, but I still occasionally pick up a bat for a game of cricket.

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Playing team sports gave me a real appreciation of teamwork and being part of a group that shared the same goal which is something that has carried over and assisted me in my working life. The most important thing for me are the relationships you build; winning together and losing together. Now, a good proportion of my circle of friends are the same people who I shared these experiences with.

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I regularly attend live music events, and although my tastes vary, at heart I’m a child of the 90’s and so the ‘Britpop’ era will always be a favourite.

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I went straight from education into work and spent my 20’s working as a Sales Rep for a carpet manufacturer but at 28 got the travel itch so gave it up and spent a year in Australia where I met my wife, a York lass no less!

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Following my return, I fell into a different sort of flooring industry and have never looked back. The Natural Stone industry gripped me from day one. I’m not someone who can do the same thing daily so the bespoke nature and the challenges this industry throws up keep me motivated and excited to see what’s next. There’s always something new to learn and someone new to meet and I can honestly say after 13 years it has never once been boring and always seems to leave you wanting more.