Doug Walsh seems to be writing the book on "How to Excel in an Ever Changing Market - The Building Industry." With its economic ups and downs and insatiable appetite for new products and fresh ideas, building a business that caters to the building industry is far from a quick read of Jack Welch's "Winning" or Michael Gerber's "The E-Myth Revisited". No, unwavering determination and a keen aptitude for flexibility are something you are born with.

Sure Doug was born with a bit of the industry in his blood. His family owned and operated Walsh Enterprises, a commercial plumbing and architectural building manufacturer's representative business for 30 years which Doug worked at straight out of college. He spent no less than nine years specking kitchen and bath projects for Architects, Consulting Engineers and Builders and growing a steady client base in the process. While the bulk of their business was commercial plumbing products, a bestseller was the one builder cabinet line they offered. Doug soon noticed that the line did not offer the design options that many of his clients desired. So, Douglas Kitchens & Baths was born to meet the needs of those clients.

Fueled by its clients demand for design and pricing flexibility, the 7,500 square foot state-of-the-art showroom now carries six cabinet lines including stock, semi-stock and custom options as well as a smorgasbord of design styles. "My clients include single unit, high end residential, multi unit and high rise residential builders" notes Doug. "I needed a selection that would satisfy everyone in that spectrum." The result is a showroom that boasts 75 kitchen and bath displays (many of them fully working), hundreds of door styles, countertop options, appliances, plumbing fixtures and hardware.

A countertop fabrication shop is also located on the premises allowing them to offer the most competitive pricing in that market. Aside from solid surface materials fabricated in house, their product offering also includes stone, wood, metal and glass as countertop options.

Other "trade friendly" amenities include private conference rooms so that professionals can sit down with their clients and carefully go over plans and blueprints, training rooms and a warehouse.

Product selection and showroom design alone won't grow you into a successful showroom overnight. Being in a business that caters to a design industry means staying one step ahead of new trends, products and technologies - a plight Doug continues to master.

Take a trip to the showroom on any given day and chances are Doug is right there meeting with clients or working on a kitchen design. No corporate office upstairs or in the back. His desk sits amongst the other designers in the showroom. It is precisely that roll up your sleeves, in the trenches mentality that keeps Doug in synch with his clients. To keep up with trends and technological advances Doug and his team maintain several industry certifications and are active members of NKBA, LIBI, NARI and ASID. His team now 30 and growing includes Certified Kitchen & Bath Designers, Certified Interior Designers, Certified Lead Carpenters and Certified Remodelers. Doug himself is CKD and CBD certified. "My designers have years of experience in their respective fields and really enjoy their work. By allowing them to focus on that field they are better able to grow in their position, stay current with trends and ultimately better service their clients," claims Doug.

Looking to the future, Doug sees nothing but possibilities. "This industry is always changing," he points out. "If you're accepting of that and willing to change with it, then there is always room to out do your self."