NWFA Real Answers

Stephanie Owen and Chris Zizza give a final overview of the upcoming NWFA Business Workshop, taking place October 28 to 29 in St. Charles, MO. It’s not too late to register and join us for an experience that can transform your business. Dive into the business side of the hardwood flooring business, identify the hidden things that are holding you back, and leave with a 90-day action plan built to help you grow. Register now at nwfa.org/nwfa-business-workshop.

NWFA President and CEO Stephanie Owen and Chris Zizza sit down with Ashley and Jeff Do Carmo of Brown Oaks Flooring to talk about their path through the hardwood flooring industry and what it takes to keep a business growing. The Do Carmos share how they run their company with a smart financial mindset, from evaluating efficiency to increasing sales. They also open up about working together as a husband and wife team and point out the places where many contractors are leaving money on the tab...

Stephanie Owen and Chris Zizza discuss Chris' recent experience on the other side of the transaction...as a customer of Ohio-based wood flooring company 50 Grit Flooring. They're joined by Spencer Shatto from 50 Grit to talk about that experience, and what Chris learned about providing better customer service to his own customers by seeing things from the customer's perspective.

Recorded live at the 2026 NWFA Expo, Chris and Stephanie sit down with New York City interior designer Karen Asprea for a conversation on where design and hardwood flooring meet. Karen shares how the relationship between contractors, retailers, and designers shapes a project's success, why lookalike products are hurting the industry, and how the wood floor sets the foundation for everything else in a room. The conversation also covers the value of clear communication, choosing timeless looks ...

In the first installment of our new Emerging Leaders mini-series, NWFA CEO Stephanie Owen sits down with Alex Hamilton of Grain Design Flooring and his guest, 2026 Wood Floor of the Year winner Matthew Szyszka of Floor Master Company. Together, they discuss developing creativity and vision, learning from mentors, what's next for the future of their careers, and more. The Emerging Leaders mini-series joins the NWFA Real Answers Podcast every other month, bringing fresh perspectives and convers...