Picture a room full of friends who also happen to run their own businesses, swapping ideas, supporting each other and laughing together. That was the Just Shutters Conference 2026.
On 21st and 22nd October, franchisees from across the country joined the Business Support Team at the Highcliff Marriott Hotel in Bournemouth for two days of learning, sharing and celebrating. The theme that ran through everything was getting just 1% better, again and again.
A warm welcome from Chris
Day One began with a welcome from Chris Rocker, our Founder, who took us back 20 years to his very first installation.
Two decades on, it has stood the test of time, a reminder of the quality and care that have been at the heart of Just Shutters from the very beginning.
It set the tone perfectly for two days of building on that foundation, one small improvement at a time.
Then a puzzle (and plenty of laughter)
From there, we went straight into an icebreaker puzzle, and there was no easing in. Within minutes every table was huddled together, swapping pieces, trading tactics and laughing out loud. It was a lot of fun, and it made a serious point too: the best way to improve is to try things differently, together.
Ideas, updates and a very lively technical challenge
The Business Support Team shared what they’ve been working on and what’s coming next. Nick, our head of Franchise Growth and Support, talked us through the latest sales figures, and Lucy, our Business Support Manager, gave an update on our CRM system.
Lauren, our Commercial Manager, introduced herself to the network and shared her background after recently joining the team.
We also asked franchisees what they expect from us, and the questions, ideas and honest feedback flowed from the floor, which is exactly how we like it.
Then came the technical challenge. Franchisees pooled their know-how, got a little competitive, and the laughter that followed could probably be heard down the corridor.
A glimpse of what’s next
Day One closed with an exciting announcement from Chris about what’s coming next for Just Shutters. We can’t share the details just yet, but the room was buzzing, and it’s a great example of how this business keeps looking ahead, investing in the future and making sure our franchisees are always one step ahead.
Day Two: marketing, partners and new products
On Day Two, Anna and Livvy from the Marketing Team shared the latest marketing activity, before we handed over to our agency partners.
Tom and Matt from Upperdog talked us through the work behind our pay-per-click advertising, and Georgie and Lauren from Halo joined us to talk about our website and the progress we’re making together.
Afterwards, the Halo team told us how much they enjoyed the positive energy in the room, and how brilliant it was to see such enthusiasm and ambition from the whole network.
Learning from people who’ve been there
One of the real joys of the conference is hearing from franchisees themselves. Heath Fraser shared the latest on TrueView Lantern Shades, and Paul Wilson talked us through external shading.
Andy Cox-Peel looked at what can go wrong and, more importantly, how we learn from it, and left the room with a message we all took home: a little bit of you can have a disproportionate impact. Add flavour to all you do, speak words that are encouraging and constructive, and make things better.
For newer franchisees, sessions like these are gold. There’s no better way to learn than by asking questions of people who’ve built their own Just Shutters businesses, and nobody holds back.
Celebrating success
Hard work deserves a proper celebration, and the awards were a highlight.
Congratulations to Andrew Cook of Just Shutters Cornwall, who took home this year’s Installation of the Year award.
Our Outstanding Sales Figures awards went to Terry Lancaster of Just Shutters Essex, Kate Witucka of Just Shutters Dorset and, a double winner on the day, Andrew Cook.
A rare “Over and Above” award
One award stands apart from the rest. The “Over and Above” award is rare, highly valued and never given lightly.
In Just Shutters’ 20-year history, it has been presented only four times.
This year, it was presented to our Marketing Manager, Livvy, who has been part of the Just Shutters team for ten years. She was humbled and delighted to receive it.
Ending on a high with Simon Hazeldine
The conference closed with an energetic session from Simon Hazeldine on how to raise your sales game, and he sent everyone home fired up.
It was a fitting finish to two days built around Kaizen, the philosophy of continuous improvement, and the idea that small, consistent steps add up to something remarkable.
Neale Vanstone, our Non-Executive Director, summed it up afterwards:
“Reflecting on the conference, I think it was a great success. All the presentations were extremely well delivered, and I felt the content really hit the spot with the audience… Keep looking for those 1% improvements – they all add up!”
Better together
Ask anyone in the network what makes these two days special and they’ll tell you it’s the people: friends catching up, sharing ideas over coffee and laughing together.
Every Just Shutters business is independently owned, but nobody has to work things out alone. There’s always someone to ask, something to learn and a team cheering you on.
Could this be your next move?
If you’ve ever wanted to run your own business with a team of experienced people behind you, this is what it feels like to be part of the Just Shutters network: training, ongoing support, shared knowledge and a group of friends who want you to succeed.
We’d love to tell you more. Call Nick on 01202 233 744 to start a conversation about joining the Just Shutters network.