We recently connected with Paolo Capone and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Paolo, thanks for joining us today. How did you scale up? What were the strategies, tactics, meaningful moments, twists/turns, obstacles, mistakes along the way? The world needs to hear more realistic, actionable stories about this critical part of the business building journey. Tell us your scaling up story – bring us along so we can understand what it was like making the decisions you had, implementing the strategies/tactics etc.

The company was founded in 2004 by partners in their early 20s, starting with bedroom furniture, selling one set at a time through classified ads. They began by purchasing one bedroom set at a time, with sales slowly increasing from one to two, then three. The first major investment came when they decided to cut out the middleman by purchasing a container of bedroom furniture directly from a factory overseas.

In 2006, at just 18 years old, I joined as a partner to manage our new warehouse, which was receiving over 10 direct containers of furniture monthly. This included a new line of promotional products aimed at consumers looking for a strong, low-price point. However, when the market crashed in 2008, we were forced to pivot. The low-end market stalled, but the high-end luxury market remained strong. We decided to liquidate our low-end inventory and focus on luxury brands, which became our first major hurdle—and ultimately, a turning point.

Since 2008, we’ve specialized in high-end furniture and opened a showroom to showcase luxury brands. We also launched a luxury interior design wing, which helped us diversify our offerings by selling not only furniture but also wallpaper, tiles, cabinetry, and more. This expansion into design increased our average order size and allowed us to build stronger relationships with clients.

Our e-commerce platform was another key development, particularly during our second major hurdle: the 2020 COVID pandemic. With our store and job sites shut down for over three months, we shifted our focus entirely to online sales. E-commerce helped us stay afloat during that difficult time.

Over the years, our success has been driven by innovation and adaptability. We’ve navigated unexpected challenges, and our clients continue to return and refer their friends and family, a testament to 20 years of trust and loyalty.

Paolo, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

The company was founded in 2004 by partners in their early 20s, starting with bedroom furniture, selling one set at a time through classified ads. They began by purchasing one bedroom set at a time, with sales slowly increasing from one to two, then three. The first major investment came when they decided to cut out the middleman by purchasing a container of bedroom furniture directly from a factory overseas.

In 2006, at just 18 years old, I joined as a partner to manage our new warehouse, which was receiving over 10 direct containers of furniture monthly. This included a new line of promotional products aimed at consumers looking for a strong, low-price point. However, when the market crashed in 2008, we were forced to pivot. The low-end market stalled, but the high-end luxury market remained strong. We decided to liquidate our low-end inventory and focus on luxury brands, which became our first major hurdle—and ultimately, a turning point.

Since 2008, we’ve specialized in high-end furniture and opened a showroom to showcase luxury brands. We also launched a luxury interior design wing, which helped us diversify our offerings by selling not only furniture but also wallpaper, tiles, cabinetry, and more. This expansion into design increased our average order size and allowed us to build stronger relationships with clients.

Our e-commerce platform was another key development, particularly during our second major hurdle: the 2020 COVID pandemic. With our store and job sites shut down for over three months, we shifted our focus entirely to online sales. E-commerce helped us stay afloat during that difficult time.

Over the years, our success has been driven by innovation and adaptability. We’ve navigated unexpected challenges, and our clients continue to return and refer their friends and family, a testament to 20 years of trust and loyalty.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

One of the defining moments in our company’s journey came during the 2008 market crash. At the time, we were heavily focused on selling low-end, promotional furniture. When the crash hit, the low-end market essentially froze, and we found ourselves sitting on inventory that was no longer moving. It was a tough situation—our core business model had essentially become unsustainable overnight, and it felt like we were on the brink of losing everything.

But instead of giving up, we pivoted. We realized that the high-end luxury market was still thriving, so we made the difficult decision to completely shift our focus. We started liquidating our low-end products and began investing in high-end luxury brands, a major change for the company. It was a huge gamble, but we knew it was the only way forward.

During this time, my partners and I also made the decision to forgo our paychecks to ensure the business had enough capital to stay afloat. We prioritized our employees, knowing that making sure they were paid was more important than us taking a salary. This was a difficult sacrifice, but we believed in the future of the business and were willing to do whatever it took to keep it going.

That shift didn’t just save us; it set the foundation for the company’s future. The high-end market allowed us to open a showroom, and eventually, we added a luxury interior design division. This move helped diversify our business, increased order sizes, and built long-lasting relationships with clients.

It wasn’t easy to make such a dramatic pivot, especially in the face of so much uncertainty. But our ability to adapt, sacrifice, and embrace change during that time was a true test of resilience. It’s a mindset that continues to guide us today.

Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?

In 2017, a beautifully dressed couple walked into our showroom. We struck up a conversation, and I learned they were giving their current home a facelift. After spending several hours with them, discussing floor plans and design ideas, they left without committing as their project was quote ready yet. I didn’t want to lose this connection, so I decided to apply a concept I had just read about in the book Giftology (highly recommend!). The idea was to give a thoughtful, personalized gift to make a lasting impression.

During our conversation, the woman had mentioned her love for high-end shoes and handbags, especially her collection of Louboutin shoes. In the showroom, we had a stunning art piece—a woman in high-heeled boots with red soles, just like Louboutins, walking away from the camera. I sent them that art piece as a thank-you gift for visiting our showroom, hoping that when they were ready to move forward with their project, they wouldn’t forget about us.

Fast forward to 2019, I got a call from them—but instead of remodeling their current home, they had purchased their dream home and needed help with the design and furniture. That thoughtful gesture from two years earlier had kept us top of mind. They’ve since become some of our top clients and are like family. We’re still working on their project to this day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://unlimitedfurnituregroup.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/paolo_capone_designs. instagram.com/unlimitedfurnituregroup
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@unlimitedfurniture9676