Dreams

“Well, I could hardly have a website about myself that didn’t have a special page on Dreams as it has played such a huge role in my life."

In my twenties I had worked my way up the corporate furniture retail ladder from Salesman to Branch Manager to Area Manager and finally Divisional Director. However, I had always been desperate to start my own business, so in 1987 (aged 30) I finally took the plunge by selling my car, maxing out my Barclaycard and putting up my home for security enabling me to open my first, very modest bed shop in Uxbridge.

The risk of losing everything coupled with a real determination to prove myself was a great motivator to work late nights and weekends!

In the early years, I did everything myself – sold beds in the day, delivered them in the evening and did the bookkeeping on Sundays ... I’m a true believer that hard work, determination and perseverance eventually pays off and for me, this meant the successful opening of a further 3 stores within the first 2 years of trading.

By recruiting a dynamic motivated team ... putting in more hard work and perfecting a consistent formula (marketing, display, a great range of products and outstanding customer service) I was able to repeat in different towns throughout the UK ... the company grew and grew.

In 2001, we built a bed factory in the Midlands and introduced many trail-blazing initiatives that have since become industry norms. In 21 years, the business grew to over 200 superstores located up and down the country, we were delivering over 7,000 beds a week, employed over 2,000 staff and we managed to increase turnover and profit each year.

In 2008 I made the very difficult decision to sell the business (my 5th child!) as I felt I had just about proved myself and I needed a new challenge. I'm delighted to still be working with many of those Dreams Directors and staff past and present in my new venture

100% Comfort Ltd. I guess that despite selling Dreams, she will

always be ‘my baby’. zzz

Mike Clare

(Dreams Founder - 1987)