Louisa and Olivia Priestley are leading DSP (Interiors), carrying Andy Priestley’s legacy forward with skill, values, pride and next generation leadership. David Crowson, Editor, has spoken to them about their challenging and inspirational journey.
When a family business is built on decades of hard work, trust, and reputation, its story is often inseparable from the people behind it. For DSP (Interiors), that story was shaped for years by Andy Priestley, a man known not only for his professionalism and craftsmanship, but also for his commitment to doing things properly, every time.
So, when Andy suddenly passed away in 2024 at the age of just 57, the loss was deeply felt both personally and professionally. For many, it could have marked the end of a chapter. For DSP, it became the beginning of something else: a continuation of his legacy, led with strength and resilience by two women determined to carry it forward.
Rising to the challenge
Today, DSP is proudly driven by Andy’s wife, Louisa, and his daughter, Olivia, who stepped up in the most challenging circumstances imaginable, taking on the responsibility of leading a respected business while navigating grief, expectation, and the pressure that comes with stepping into roles many still assume belong to men. (L-R) Mason, Louisa, Olivia, Andy and Harrison Priestley enjoying a family holiday There was no gentle transition period. No easing into responsibilities. The reality was immediate: clients needed answers, projects needed managing, teams needed reassurance, and the business needed direction.
Louisa said: “Although I had been involved in the running of DSP from the start, I hadn’t been hands-on for some time, and Olivia was just completing her Business and Spanish degree when Andy died — so it was an extremely rapid learning curve for us.
“I knew I’d have to employ a Managing Director (MD) or become the MD, and it felt more appropriate to take on the role myself. I’d previously worked as an Account Manager at Stella Artois, where I was the only woman in a team of seven salesmen, and after a few weeks in the role, I realised there were similarities. But there’s no denying we had to learn the ropes quickly.”
Trials and advancement
Sadly, the traumas were not over for the Priestley family. Just two months after taking on the MD role, Louisa was diagnosed with breast cancer, which led to six months of chemotherapy, surgery, and a further 12 months of immunotherapy. If Olivia had been expecting a steady transition into the role, those plans quickly disappeared.
Olivia said: “Becoming Marketing Director a few months after graduation was a rapid introduction to the business world and to a company I’d heard my dad talk about my whole life. When mum then became ill, the team and I had to step up. It was definitely a steep learning curve.
“What we all soon discovered was that the business was like a second family and it was sometimes the only constant amidst all the distractions of real life. Mum was able to keep in touch with the business in between treatments, and for me it was very much sink or swim.”
Happily, Olivia did more than swim and was even shortlisted for a Young Leadership Award just a few months after taking up the reins. And 12 months on, Louisa has finished her treatment and is back in the business full time.
Yet, for all the headlines their journey could generate, Louisa and Olivia are keen to stress that this is not a “female success story” in the token sense. They are success stories, full stop, who happen to be women in a traditionally male dominated industry.
They lead with confidence and competence, proving that knowledge and results speak for themselves. They have earned respect not by being loud, but by being consistent and, wherever possible,
raising the bar.
Commitment and culture
Olivia added: “From my very first day, the DSP team made me feel at home. Aaron, our Design Director, who was my dad’s righthand man, taught me the ropes with genuine enthusiasm and patience.
“I’ve started to enjoy being on site with the lads now too. Being the only young woman on site felt daunting at first, but it now feels more natural. Our team have so much expertise and knowledge that they’re passionate about sharing, and no question is ever silly. I love learning from them.”
“I’ve fallen in love with so many elements of the job and really enjoy seeing every part of a project come to life. Over the past year, my role has evolved from focusing solely on marketing to taking part in site surveys, client meetings, estimating furniture, contributing to design ideas and finishes, and building a new enquiries process using a CRM system and a cloud based server.
“But I’m equally interested in understanding the compliance regulations and the technical detail that sits behind every project. I’m hoping to start some site safety courses soon.”
Olivia explained she has more recently started an FIS training program that sets out to create systems and processes to streamline projects and integrate AI tools. But the last two years have seen enormous changes in the industry.
Louisa said: “Economic headwinds have not always been favourable, and inflation and rising construction costs have squeezed margins everywhere.
“Lead times on materials have been longer than pre-pandemic levels, and since the Grenfell disaster, building control regulations have been tighter than ever. “But perhaps the biggest challenge in our industry is the recruitment of young talent, to ensure the business is sustainable in the long term.”
But DSP has an advantage in this area, one of Louisa and Andy’s twin boys, Harrison, is an apprentice at the firm, a move that is both practical and symbolic, as the next generation learns the trade.
Louisa said: “Mason, who is at university, and Harrison have grown up around the business, so they understand the values it is built on. But they also have their own drive and their own ambitions, and it is wonderful to see Harrison channelling that into DSP.
“It is important to us that young people coming into the industry see it as a career, not just a job. We want DSP to be somewhere people can learn, progress, and build something they are proud of.”
That focus on people has always been part of DSP’s DNA. The company’s reputation has been built not only on quality fit-outs and meticulous project delivery, but also on the relationships that sit behind them, with Louisa and Andy on a well-deserved holiday clients, suppliers, and the wider team. The company does not outsource its work, and any contractors it does work with have been part of the DSP journey for more than20 years.
And over that time the firm has workedwith some of the biggest companies in the East Midlands, including Rolls Royce, Alstom, SureScreen Diagnostics, Ward Recycling, Charterspace and KTM Motorsports.
In a sector where deadlines are tight and expectations are high, DSP has earned trust by being the business that communicates clearly, turns up, and delivers exactly what it promises.
While the past year could have understandably caused the company to pause, Louisa and Olivia have instead usedit as a catalyst. They have retained the traditional standards Andy insisted on, while modernising the way the business operates and positioning DSP for the future.
Louisa concluded by saying: “We are very aware that people are watching. Clients want reassurance, and our team want stability. We have had to step up and make decisions atpace, but we have never lost sight of what DSP stands for. We do not cut corners. We do not overpromise. We do it properly.”
DSP (Interiors) may have faced one of the toughest years imaginable, but the company’s foundations remain intact and its future looks strong.
Because the legacy Andy built hasn’t been left behind. It’s being carried forward, with pride, by the people who knew him best and who are making sure his standards, his values and his name continue to shape everything DSP does next.
