Floor Academy - Helping flooring, tile and stone contractors own an asset

Starting a business is rough. Just because you know how to do something does not mean you know how to sell it. From there is only gets more complicated as you have to learn how to market yourself, what to charge, how to manage a schedule, and so much more. Everyone is told there is no money in construction unless you go out on your own and yet no one is telling you how to do it. Natalie Hall, owns and operates Artistry in Tile in Hudson, WI. From the age of 12 she studied under her father to learn the trade. At 16 she spent five yeas in a restaurant learning all different positions before moving on to managing a gym cafe, then management at UPS and finally Target. She got her inner creative on by doing cake baking at decorating at a restaurant after her management stints. Finally she arrived back at the trades and wanting to take it seriously. It was no longer a way to drum up some extra cash on the weekends. The work is rewarding but managing the day to day has become overwhelming. Natalie is not unlike many new business owners I speak with.Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy podcast as we discuss ways for her to better manage her time, get her company known, and not experience such extreme ups and downs.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventTISE Resource BookKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

What’s the difference between being a painter, welder, plumber, framer, flooring installer, tile setter, or stone mason? What’s the difference between the country you live in compared to others around the world? Do you really think that your individual location, clientele opportunities, education opportunities and other conditions have that big of an effect on what you can accomplish? Tom Cockerill is the co-owner of Cockerill & Co with his wife Sarah. They own and operate and hardwood sand and finish business in Darlington, England. Realizing the industry was suffering from more than a lack of technical skill and admittedly not being the best businessman himself, Tom went searching for answers and also started the UK Flooring Podcast. Learning from bankruptcy, he is now teaching other businesses how to be profitable, implement systems and processes, and mentoring the next generation of successful flooring companies. This week on the Floor Academy podcast, Tom and I will discuss how even though our countries are far apart, we are not so different after all. Developed nation or not, we all seem to have very similar issues that need to be dealt with and we will be discussing where we all need to step up to help solve these issues.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventTISE Resource BookKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

How much is too much? The pricing debate is proposed again. What should you be charging to complete your projects? Ken Ballin made a post about a bid for a $2500 backsplash and part of Facebook lost their minds. Listen in as we discuss why it is priced the way it is and how you need to price your work.Support the show

How do you deal with pushy clients? How do you handle them controlling the project, materials, schedule, etc? Are you not the professional? What happens when trust is lost or not established? Sometimes you just have to fire your client and there is nothing wrong with that. Contracts have natural breaking points in them for a reason and it is ok to use them.Sarah Thelen came up as a finish carpenter before moving into doing remodels under her company S. Thelen Construction in 2017. She is also CTI #1848 as of December 2022. Her experience in a male dominated industry led her to make sure her clients were comfortable with not only the work being done but herself as well. Her passion for bringing crazy ideas to life has helped build her brand while allowing her house the  knowledge of technical specifications to make the end results successful. Recently, Sarah found herself on a project with a repeat client that was constantly deferring to the designer. This situation strained her relationship with the homeowners. Laying out the situation led to making compromises she was not happy with and ultimately she had to make the decision to fire the client instead of continuing to work in an environment where she was not appreciated for what she was bring to the table.This week on Floor Academy, Sarah and I discuss why we need to fire clients, what makes it hard, what the rewards of doing so are, and how this can help you actually grow your business.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventTISE Resource BookKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

I can’t trust anyone to do it as well as me. No one does it how I train them to do it. If I’m not there, they take shortcuts. No one will ever take as much pride in the company as I do. These are all complaints I see consistently from contractors who are struggling to grow their business and find a way to not only add additional crews but not be stuck in the field consistently.Matt Garcia is the owner of Craftsman Hardwood Flooring in San Angelo, TX. Over the last 24 months he has looked at what he wanted his business to become and he has had to swallow a lot of tough pills. From realizing there were nearly no systems in place for how to acquire and train team members, to how they sold projects, to how they followed up and managed those projects. Every aspect of the business has been revamped in some way and is under the microscope for further inspection. 24 months ago if Matt wasn’t in the field, the projects weren’t completed. Now he has not only increased revenue and profit, but also increased how much his team members make. Listen in to this episode of the Floor Academy podcast to learn how you can develop a business that will run without micromanaging every aspect of it.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventTISE Resource BookKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

As a leader it can be hard to relate to your team at times. Whether it be because of interests, age gaps, maturity levels, or personality, it is something we need to learn to overcome. A team is only as good as their leader and if the leader is unable to find a way to connect, motivate, encourage, and build up their team, there isn’t going to much of a team for very long.Alison Mullins is the author of “The Art of Selling: We Make Order Makers, Not Order Takers” & the founder of Rep Methods Sales Training. With over 20 years of experience in sales, merchandising, marketing, and content creation, she has built her business on the principles of selling. Alison has extensive knowledge and experience in stone, textiles, fashion, and luxury wholesale manufacturing. Pulling from the book Primal Leadership, Alison has been able to apply limbic resonance to her training methods to allow leaders to have a higher emotional IQ and better connect with their teams.Listen in to this weeks episode of the Floor Academy podcast as we discuss what limbic resonance is, how to apply it to yourself, and what it can do for you, your company and your team.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

Do you have competition locally or do you have trusted partners? What about nationally? Internationally? Are you utilizing your relationship building skills to get to know your product reps? Distributor employees? How are you growing your network to better empower your business?Join Daniel and Jose Gonzalez of Preferred Flooring and Paul Stuart of Go Careera and myself as The Huddle and Floor Academy collide in this team up episode. We discuss the power of networking, how it has built our businesses and helped our lives, as well as, where we see the industry headed because of it.You won't want to miss this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast. Listen Now!Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventTISE Resource BookKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

With over 3 billion dollars of failures annually in the flooring industry alone, the flooring tile and stone industry could stand a face lift. From the image of contractors and the level of respect they get, to the technical skills they display, and how their companies are run. The bar is easily stepped over these days by just showing up on time and doing what you say you will do, when you say you will do it. This doesn’t even yet include doing it right, sadly. Not a good look or great summary. We have to do better.Paul Stuart is a cofounder of Go Carrera and owner of Stuart and Associates Commercial Flooring. With a vast experience from hand skills to business skills, Paul has been able to turn Stuart and Associates into a premier commercial contractor in the midwest. In order to continue competing at a top level and to help other businesses in the industry he created Go Carrera to assist in companies finding quality help that has the skills to pay the bills without you coming out of pocket for a failure.Listen in as we discuss the state of the industry from our vantage points and where we think the needle can really get moved for companies looking to stand out and make a name for themselves.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

Taking yourself to the next level on social media is no easy task. There are any number of ways to grow your audience from paying for followers to interacting with those around you, or even just putting your posts up and letting it grow organically. The views really come when people that want to see your content interact with it more often.Shawna Bouchard is a Sr. Marketing Specialist for GoBoard at JohnsManville, we will be discussing the challenge growing your audience and keeping them engaged and sticking to your niche of clientele.Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy podcast to grow your mind and your business.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

I can’t find reliable help. How do I write a job description to attract people? How are you all finding employees? Everyone keeps quitting on me. What kind of SOPs do you all have in place? These questions and statements are some that I consistently see week after week in online flooring groups. One of the biggest issues small companies face are exactly these. Attracting and retaining good team members is a constant struggle even for the largest businesses, but there are ways to make it easier.Sam Bruce is the current President of Visalia Ceramic tile and a 3rd generation partner. Started by his grandma and grandpa Martino in 1985, the company has grown to employee over 30 certified tile installers, be a 5 star contractor under the NTCA, and be locally and nationally recognized for their brand and projects. A key part to their success and being able to have so many CTI’s is that there is not only a clear hiring process but also a consistent training program that all tile finisher employees must complete. It wasn’t built overnight and it didn’t come easy but Visalia Ceramic tile also knew they did not need to reinvent the wheel.Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy podcast as Sam and I discuss how they recruit new team members, successfully train them for everyone’s long term success, and then retain them through clear advancement goals.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

It's one of the largest hurdles in small business. How do you build past yourself? How do you get that second crew up and running and trust them when you can't be there? Where do you find them? What needs to be in place to hold them accountable?Kara Allen is part owner of Spiegel's Flooring in Sandy Lake, PA since 2020, alongside her husband, Jason, who is the lead installer.  While Kara runs the showroom, is the designer and project manager, Jason is out doing the consults and measurements and doing the installations. They have reached capacity of what the two of them can handle and need to find a way to expand the business to continue to grow it beyond what they are capable of.Listen in as Kara and I discuss how they can ready their business for more growth. How they can look to hire qualified individuals that will fit their values, what types of systems and paperwork they need in place to manage additional crews and figuring out the best way to pay the crews. Should they be subcontractors or employees?Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

The internet will have you believe that if you hustle hard enough that you can accomplish anything. You can build a great business, you can have multiple successful side hustles, and plenty of time for your family as well. This attitude is super toxic and leads to a mindset that stops you from actually growing. If you work 16 hours a day or even 20 hours a day, then you can get 80 to 100 hours in a five day week. I'll even give you 7 days because you are a hustler, so that gets you 112 to 140 hours a week. If I can work my 10 hours 5 days a week and hire 4 people to each work 8 hours a day 5 days a week, then I am sitting at 50 hours for myself and 150 hours for the employees for a total of 200 hours per week. I may have made slightly less because I am paying out salaries but I would even dispute that. I've leveraged the time I have available to do higher per dollar transactions and multiplied my time by delegating. Cody Cox is stepping up at Cox Tile which was founded by his father. After going to college to be a physical therapist he rethought what he wanted to do before grad school and jumped into the family business. This has led to him learning all of the tasks in the business and spending time in each department so that he earned the respect of everyone around him and wasn't just another SOB (Son Of A Boss). He's made a lot of changes within in the company and how it gets handled but he has also had to trust the team that was in place to execute those changes. It was always easy to do and even his own father was hesitant. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast to learn why Cody will not out work you but that he will out delegate you to get where he wants to go. Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

Going from owner operator to employer is a tough transition. It’s not easy to learn how to lead a team or to be able to communicate well with them. Most of us came from a system where we were not trained very well by our “leaders” and thus did not get the experience to manage a team properly. This leads to micromanagement and trust issues when you delegate out tasks. Even worse it leads us to believe that it’s not worth it to hire anyone and that we are better off just remaining as a one man show or possibly just having a helper that we never plan to fully train. There is a better way though and you can escape the grind of having to be a part of your business everyday.Dennis DiCarlo is the owner of Kronus Software and Carpet To Go Flooring. Having started a flooring retail store, it wasn’t long before Dennis realized he couldn’t be in all places at the same time or even be capable of handling the workflow that he was developing. Bringing on staff was inevitable, however it didn’t go how he planned at first and was left doubling back constantly to button up tasks or to make sure it was done right the first time. This was not letting him or his team meet their full potential. Dennis learned that he needed to become a better leader and started investing in himself as well as technology to get him where he wanted go.This week on Floor Academy Podcast Dennis and I will discuss what the standard shortcomings are when you are new to management, some simple changes you can make to how you delegate out tasks and communicate, and lastly how technology can provide you a system of accountability.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

A common excuse to not having a bookkeeper for a business is that there is worry about their access to your accounts. There is for sure a legitimate concern here but they can be mitigated by how you set the employee or outside contractor up. What are the ways you can control access? How do you need to monitor what they are doing? What do you need to understand about bookkeeping to hold them accountable? Erin Albrecht of J&R Tile returns to the show to discuss how she had over 100k embezzled from her company. What happened? How did they get away with it? The employee was vetted and trained by her expert accountant mother. Erin’s and many others worst fear came true when it never should have happened.Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as we discuss what happened, how to prevent it, and why you can’t let a setback keep you trapped in a perpetual state of worry.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

401K’s. Medical benefits. Paid time off. Sometimes the corporate world seems better than this self employed life. All of these things are accessible as small business owners though. You can do an IRA, get benefits and build in paid time off to your rates. There are other things we can do as well to build generational wealth and set ourselves for retirement. Whether it be growing our business to have systems to run without us, investing in properties, or fining other creative ways to use your profits, there are paths to help you live more comfortably.Anthony Oliver of Oliver’s Tile in Woodland, CA has been at it since he graduated high school and his uncle’s brought him on board in ’99. Now he has brought his son in to his company to build something special that is not only for him but for his son’s future as well. Beyond building a tile company Anthony has used the money he has made in the trade to work in other areas of his live as well, mostly with property investments. Join Anthony and I on this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as we discuss how you can use our lucrative trade to not only set yourself up but generations to come in your family.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

You’re probably like me and got fed up with working for someone else and decided to take your skillset and start selling your own projects. It’s a whole new ball game compared to just doing the work and one that takes a lot of effort to figure out successfully. From what to charge, how to negotiate, what to look for in clients, and more, learning sales is a completely different animal from the technical side of installation. Many of us never receive formal training or even pick up a book on how to do sales or even understand basic human psychology.Mark Evans is a growth consultant, and author that accidentally found his way into the world of flooring. Mark has spent the past 10 years working with some of the fastest-growing companies in the United States and Europe including Inc. 5000 award winners, and private equity-backed companies. He's taking the knowledge he's gained over successfully building, launching, and growing 30+ sales teams and companies and applying that to the world of flooring and the multi-family market. He and his company SalesKit are based out of sunny Naples, FL. Listen in to this weeks episode as Mark and I discuss how consultations and even initial inquiries need to be handled to better assess how you can help a potential client solve their problem, increase your close rate, and build more rapport with future clients. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Floor Academy Podcast and to leave a review.Mark's White Paper for Floor AcademyCheck out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

I heard a curious thing. Apparently is is a western civilization thing answer the question of "who are you" by listing out your job or something else that you do. Much of the world would start that off by saying I am the son or daughter of so and so. This led me to think about personal identity and especially as a business owner how it can affect us. From wanting to control everything, to advertising everywhere you go, and a company that always needs something, it's hard not to identify as the thing you are always doing. Is that healthy though?Returning friend of the show, Ron Nash, is a husband, father, botanist, artist, photographer, dog trainer, mentor, teacher, avid reader and, oh yeah, the president of Laticrete North America. There is no shortage of things I have witnessed Ron take on over the years through his social media profiles. Some of it is for personal pleasure and some of it is for work but all of it brings him contentment. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast while we discuss why there needs to be an off switch on your work identity, how important it is to have something to do besides work, and why you can never stop learning or growing as a human.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

It’s very often that trades people live paycheck to paycheck or believe they have more money than they do and make purchases they really shouldn’t. Those boats, big trucks, and other toys always look so tempting and receiving that deposit check sure can bolster your bank account. That’s not where you should be making decisions from though. Actually knowing your expenses, how much money you really have in an account and holding back some retained earnings can change your life and your company. Everyone needs an F U bank account to bring them peace of mind and to allow them to bid from a place of confidence and authority.Shane Hubenig has been a flooring installer for over 30 years in British Columbia. His father had a retail shop growing up and he spent time in the union. These days, Shane has his own company where he prefers to find high end residential remodel work. Along with a flooring company he has a couple of rentals and a multimillion dollar paint company with his brother. All of this has been funded by floors and money management.Tune in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Shane and I discuss why you need an F U bank account, some money management skills, and a little bit of patience.Check out our sponsorsJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventKronus SoftCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

Many of us work for years to build amazing brand recognition in our market. It goes a long way in getting referrals and keeping that word of mouth of marketing a big component of lead generation. What happens when you look to start leveraging your brand though? How can you use your brand to strike up deals with brands from your industry? How can you use your audience to bring attention to other people’s brands while having the other company bring awareness to your brand? What kind of content are you making already that can be used in other places with little to no manipulation of the content to gain new avenues of growing your audience? Jennifer Farrell is the founder of the award winning design firm Jennifer Farrell Designs. Her work has been featured in numerous publications and she has hosted or been a designer on dozens of television programs. With her experience and brand recognition she was able to develop Calibu Vineyard in partnership with The International Surfaces Event starting in 2021 This partnership had Michelle Swayze, the senior marketing manager at Informa, the owners of Surfaces, working closely with Jennifer to develop brand partnerships that made sense for all of the brands involved. Michelle was able to use her 20 years of experience marketing brands across all channels to develop beneficial relationships amongst all involved to not only raise awareness of the products involved but also the people. Listen in to this week’s episode as we look at how you can use your brand to generate more awareness about yourself while helping other brands do the same. Check out our sponsorsKronus SoftJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventIQ Power ToolsCheck out our website and storeSupport the show

How do you even know if your marketing company is taking care of you properly? What questions should you be asking them? What data are they showing you that means absolutely nothing? How can you know that your dollars spent are getting you a return? Brittany Murphy is the marketing director at One Thing Marketing. They believe in transparency, education, and honesty, which is something not all companies hold as values. With her experience working with contractors from many fields and helping them build their businesses, she is here to share how you can hire a marketing company and make sure they are actually working for you, instead of just taking a slice of you pie each month.Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Brittany and I discuss how you can be on top of your marketing game and start growing your business instead of taking a shotgun approach and hoping it works.Check out our sponsorsKronus SoftJohns ManvilleThe International Surfaces EventIQ Power ToolsCheck out our website and storeSupport the show