In this heartfelt and high-value episode of the ScaleX™ Insider Podcast, host Brendan McGurgan sits down with sibling co-founders Clare and Paul Vallely of Kukoon, a global e-commerce business born out of humble beginnings in Northern Ireland.
What started as a side hustle selling leftover rugs on eBay has transformed into a powerhouse business shipping 8,000+ rugs weekly to over 60 countries, generating £16.5M in revenue and £2M in profits in 2024 alone. The Vallelys are now scaling toward £20M turnover, while building a purpose-led team of 55, developing strategic partnerships, and entering retail.
This is more than a story of growth — it’s a journey of resilience, family, purpose, and belief. Graduates of the ScaleX Accelerator, Clare and Paul open up about their pivotal mindset shifts, the power of intentional scaling, and the risks they took when no one was watching — including putting £100K of credit card debt on the line with the help of their mum.
💡 In this episode, you’ll learn:
What scaling with purpose really means — and how to apply it
Why intentionality is the secret ingredient to sustainable growth
How the Vallelys went from taking photos of rugs in their living room to managing 40ft shipping containers
What it takes to build trust, engagement, and resilience in your team
How belief — both self-belief and support from others — is often the biggest catalyst for scaling
Why Kukoon’s story resonates with SME leaders trying to scale without losing who they are
⏱ Chapters:
00:00 – Welcome to Kukoon: The Story Behind the Brand
03:12 – What Scaling With Purpose Means (Claire)
06:40 – The Role of Values and Community Impact (Paul)
10:15 – Humble Beginnings: From eBay Course to Startup
14:28 – The Power of Grit, Curiosity & Trading DNA
18:20 – Our First Trade Show & The 40ft Container Gamble
21:45 – £100K in Credit Card Debt — and Mum’s Unshakable Belief
26:10 – The Impact of Family Support on Our Scaling Journey
29:55 – Sliding Doors Moments: Paul’s Pivot Toward Entrepreneurship
32:50 – Why We Still Scale With Intention Today
🔗 Connect with Kukoon:
🌐 Website: https://www.kukoonrugs.com
🔗 LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/clare-vallely-62980a21/?originalSubdomain=uk| linkedin.com/in/paulvallely-kukoon/
🌐 Website: https://www.simplescaling.com
🎙 Podcast: https://www.simplescaling.com/podcast
📩 Newsletter: https://www.simplescaling.com/newsletter
🔗 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/simple-scaling
ScaleX™ is a platform designed to help SME leaders scale with purpose using the proven ScaleX™ Framework. Hosted by Brendan McGurgan, the ScaleX™ Insider Podcast brings insights from world-class entrepreneurs and business thinkers.
If you're an SME leader who wants help to scale with purpose and a proven plan and framework to follow to get there, here's two ways you can work with us:
👉 Join our Northern Ireland ScaleX Accelerator Programme in 2026!
(For SME leaders generating £2m–30m annually.)
Since 2020, we've run a 12-month group coaching programme designed for CEOs, founders and MDs of SMEs who want to scale their business, their own leadership, their teams and their value proposition. In 90 days, we'll spot the bottlenecks stopping you right now and devise a plan throughout the rest of the programme on how you can achieve limitless business.
If that sounds good to you, click here to join our waitlist for 2026
📢 Subscribe for weekly insights on how to Scale with Purpose:
https://www.youtube.com/@scalexinsider
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