Spectra Stone is a fully integrated stone company, with full in-house control and access to some of the finest natural and semi-precious stone. They offer sourcing to engineering, finishing and fitting, and delivering interior and architectural stone solutions of distinction. By combining cutting-edge technology with master craftsmanship, Spectra Stone brings ambitious design visions to life without compromise - something commercial manager Paula Mazur knows only too well.

My day starts…

My day kicks off around 5:30 a.m. with a quick shower and a scroll through my phone to see what I missed overnight while it was on sleep mode. Once I’m done, I get dressed and head to the kitchen to sort out lunches for me and my partner, make some coffee, feed the dogs, and let them out. It’s a bit of a morning rush, but by 6:35 I’m out the door to catch the 6:45 train to Paddington.

The train ride - about 50 minutes -is my little pocket of “me time.” I eat the sandwich I made earlier, sip my coffee, and catch up on some TV shows on demand. I get to Paddington around 7:37 and jump on the 36 bus to my office near Victoria Station. That’s usually when I finally check my work phone and start replying to messages - easing my way into the workday.

Things are a little different in the summer months, though. I like to start my day earlier, around 4:45, and take the dogs for a walk along the river before work - it’s such a peaceful way to begin the day and makes the early start totally worth it.

I am usually found working… 

I am usually found working in the head office near Victoria Station, though I do get the chance to travel out to different sites. I really enjoy visiting the workshops - it’s always nice to see things in production and check on how everything’s coming together. The London site visits are usually quick pop-outs, but the overseas trips, while they might sound like a bit of a treat, can actually be quite exhausting with all the travel and long days on site.

My typical day involves…

My typical day involves a bit of everything, and no two days are ever the same. As part of the senior management team, I attend a few regular weekly meetings, but most of my time is spent juggling various aspects of the business - from payroll and bookkeeping to tender preparations and organising on-site work. Since our projects aren’t just based in London but spread internationally, there’s a fair bit of logistics involved as well. I also look after procurement, which means researching and sourcing natural stone for our projects is part of my daily routine. I never really take a proper lunch break - it’s a habit that started years ago when I worked in an area that wasn’t very “lunch friendly,” so I just stopped going out for lunch. Over time, that turned into my routine; I find I get so absorbed in what I’m doing that I prefer not to break my flow.

The thing that surprises me most about my job…

On the positive side, even after nearly 15 years in the business, I’m still discovering new types of stone that I didn’t know existed. The sheer variety of colours, textures, and patterns, and the fact that new stones are still being found, never stops amazing me. Mother Nature truly is the greatest artist, and her creative process is ongoing.

The negative side, however, is that sexism is still very present in the industry. Although things have improved a lot since I first started working in construction, it remains a male-dominated field. Not long ago, I overheard someone say, “Unfortunately, women get pregnant,” which honestly shocked me. The idea that women should be seen as “less than” because we bring life into the world - and may need a few months away from work - is deeply disappointing.

I also continue to see women being paid less for doing the same jobs as men, and the outdated notion of male superiority still lingers. Recently, I witnessed a particularly nasty verbal attack by a man toward a woman during a meeting. What was even more troubling was that none of the other men present stepped in or addressed it - it was left to me to call it out.

There’s only one way to change this: women must stand together, support one another, and refuse to ignore this kind of behaviour. Only then can we hope to see it eventually disappear from our industry for good.

When I was younger, I wanted to be…

When I was younger, I wanted to be a forensic investigator or a detective. I started reading Agatha Christie books as a child, and I was completely fascinated! I’d hide under my duvet with a flashlight so my parents wouldn’t notice I was still awake, completely lost in the mystery.

As I grew older, that ambition shifted slightly - I became drawn to journalism instead. I realised I could still do a bit of “detective work,” but with fewer crime scenes, less blood, and no dead bodies, which certainly appealed to me more.

Life, however, had a very different script in store for me - one I could never have imagined. Growing up in Poland in the late ’80s and early ’90s, I had absolutely no idea what marble was. Even if I’d seen it somewhere, I wouldn’t have recognised it! Back then, “stone” to me meant the dark, dull material that filled Polish cemeteries - which, as I later learned, was actually granite.

Something you might not know about me…

Something you may not know about me is that ever since I was a little girl, I didn’t play with dolls like other girls - I played with toy cars. When I was about seven or eight, I spent hours in the garage with my dad, fixing up our 1974 Ford Taunus. It was a deep red with a black leather roof -an absolute classic. I’ll never forget the thrilling moment when the car was finally roadworthy enough for a spin around the block, even though it was still missing crucial elements like the headlamps!

That love for cars has stayed with me ever since. My partner shares the passion, and now that we live in the countryside, we have two 4x4s that we take off-roading in Wales or on trips around local byways on Sundays. We also attend various car shows and meet-ups. Honestly, nothing makes me happier than a muddy car!

My most memorable moment at work…

My most memorable moment at work - gosh, there have been so many! I’ve been incredibly privileged to travel the world, visit stone quarries, stand atop mountains, and go deep underground. But one experience that has stayed with me was being part of the installation for Jenny Holzer’s exhibition at Blenheim Palace a few years ago. It was an enormous logistical challenge. We had to install massive Ancaster stone benches in the palace courtyard and Portoro marble ones inside. These pieces were so heavy that they couldn’t simply be wheeled in. To reach the main entrance, we had to navigate several steps - impossible while carrying such weight - so we relied on far-reach HiAbs and other equipment. The entire operation took hours, and I was there every step of the way. What made it truly special was being among the first to witness the preparations for the exhibition, long before anyone else could see or experience it. Finally, when all the benches were in place and being adjusted to their final positions, it was around 3 a.m. I wandered through the ground floor of the palace, and it felt like stepping into another world. Absolute silence. The grandeur of the rooms, the history in every corner - it was just me and the palace. No rush, no crowds, no distractions. I could pause, breathe, and take it all in. Moments like these are rare, and they remind me how extraordinary it is to experience such privilege through our work - to be part of creating something that others will admire, while quietly witnessing its magic firsthand.

If I could give one piece of advice to someone considering a career in the stone industry…

If I could give one piece of advice to anyone considering a career in the stone industry, it would be this: be prepared to work hard and grow a thick skin, but never get discouraged - the rewards along the way are incredible. The stone industry isn’t for everyone, so don’t force yourself to love it. If you try and it doesn’t resonate, that’s okay. But if you do discover a passion for it, the world truly becomes your oyster. Stone can take you anywhere in the world! There are so many different paths and opportunities in this industry, and no matter your background, there’s a place for you to thrive.