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It’s been 5 years and 3 months, 283 episodes, and countless guests. All good things must come to an end though. I am honoring the show by taking it back to my very first guests Ken Ballin and Allen Lewis to see how we all have changed over the last 5 years. What’s new, what’s different, and how our goals have changed. Change is a necessary part of life and so is reflection. Enjoy this look back on the show, the industry, and our lives.
Special thanks to all of our sponsors. I’ll star with Jason Goldberg who was the first sponsor of the show with Retail Lead Management and Tralama. Without his belief in the concept, me and and seeing the long term vision, none of the past 5 years would have been possible. I would like to thank
Ardex, Better Tools, Flooring Domain, IQ Power Tools, Johns Manville, Kronus Soft, Laticrete, Nova Tile and Stone, Russo Trading Company, Schluter Systems, SnapTech, ThermoSoft, Tile Tools .com, Traffic Digital, Virtual Estimates Now, Uzin, and The International Surfaces Event.
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How important are the words you choose to use on your website, marketing and even in your daily conversations? How does it affect the way you are viewed, your products, or even your business? I have been big on making sure to say client over customer and project over job for a long time and there are others. Kerry Lenz has also shifted the words she uses in her business to better convey what separates Rice’s More Than Floors in their market.
Kerry Lenz and her husband Brad own Rice’s More Than Floors which they acquired in 2016 from Brad’s parents. The store has a beautiful history dating back to 1968 where it started as a furniture and appliance business, later adding carpet. Kerry was a registered nurse and then joined the flooring business when Brad’s parents sold the store to them. When their general manager decided to pursue a new career, Kerry stepped up and started filling that position, as well as, taking on a mentoring role for the company to grow their culture. This involves coaching the team through not only business challenges but personal as well to develop a well rounded and proud individual.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Kerry and I discuss why your word choice matters and how it can improve not only your audiences perception of your business, but your own.
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How did you originally decide to name your company? Have you ever thought of changing your name? What kind of damage will it cause? Will people still recognize you? Will you lose clientele? What does it take to rebrand an entire company?
Shane Levinson is a serial entrepreneur and combat veteran. Shane started in the flooring business with his father Jerry Levinson nearly a decade ago, posting an average of 40% annual growth for our first 7 years. In 2021 Shane bought out his Dads stake in the company and in 2023 rebranded the company from Carpets of Arizona to Vision Flooring.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as I interview Shane on what it took to rebrand his company, any negatives he encountered and how he would change them, and what the benefits were.
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Where do you find the time to write a blog, book client appointments, setup marketing campaigns, and get installs done? It’s a lot of hats to wear and we didn’t even get in to all of the other ones you wear. Technology has come a long way though and it’s here to help you in ways you never imagined. Cartoons like “The Jetsons” are soon to be reality with robots in homes and businesses, as well as, computers that complete simple tasks for you.
Jason Potts is the owner of RIC Flooring in Cedar Rapids, IA. Starting as an installer and moving into a store owner, Jason found himself in a predicament one day and he had to completely shift how his business did all of their backend management and admin tasks. This has led him down a road to learn how AI worked and then in to programming models to help his business. It hasn't been easy, but the results have changed how many people he can get in front of, how much times he spends on admin tasks, and the trajectory of his business.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Jason and I discuss how you can implement AI into your business to create more virtual content, book more appointments, and make bidding your projects faster and more profitable.
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A single crew is easy to manage especially if you are on it. Two crews is manageable. More than that and you start having a lot of moving pieces between availability, type of work possible to assign, type of work produced, etc. How can you not only manage a schedule effectively for yourself but with great communication to the clients as well?
Marcos Guerequeta is the owner of Local Flooring Group in Saskatchewan, Canada. With a focus on social media marketing, he built up the brand to have a reputation that is held in high regard. Going forward he is looking to improve the operational processes of his business further, including using a CRM to manage day to day tasks. A current challenge in the business is managing the work flow of his subcontracted installation crews to be as productive and successful as possible.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Marcos and I brainstorm some ideas to help him overcome a few challenges he faces while managing multiple crews.
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Why does one store have a product priced at X amount of dollars and another at Y? Why does the price change as I move through different regions of the country? What goes in to pricing a product for national distribution? Why is having this conversation with other installers who don’t understand the big picture a pointless exercise?
Multi-time guest, fan favorite, and friend of the show, Ron Nash returns to the Floor Academy Podcast to discuss national pricing by looking at raw material costs, manufacturing, logistics, purchasing power, and the ever so important business model. A husband, father, photographer, artist, mentor, and President of Laticrete North America, Ron will bring his expertise from working with one of the largest tile constructions companies.
Listen in this week to learn how you can take this broader picture of market dynamics to help yourself on the micro side.
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Have you ever wondered how to get the higher end projects? What does it take to accomplish them? Who do you need to know? How do you need to perform? There are plenty of things that need to change and thinking that you do the best work in town isn’t going to cut it.
Chris Resti owns Crest Tile and Mosaic near Rochester, NY. With a focus on fabricating mosaics and wall art, his journey didn’t begin there. Retail, food service, education and entertainment were some of the stops along the way before becoming a journeyman tile setter. Now running his own thing, Chris wants to reach a higher end clientele to allow him to move more of his works of art instead of the same old shower or floor time and time again.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy podcast as Chris and I discuss what efforts he can take to target a specific clientele to focus on his mosaics and wall art.
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What happens with your missed calls or text messages? How about emails? How many times do you follow up with a prospect before considering the lead dead? How do you nurture a lead that is in its infancy? If someone isn’t ready to book now and get work done do you consider them a bad lead? All of these questions have to do with lead workflow and can have a big impact on how busy you can stay. Most of us want leads that are ready to go but we don’t have a system to nurture someone early in the buying cycle through completion.
Tony Pieroni is no stranger to the flooring world. With 12 years at Mohawk and international sales experience, he kept volunteering to take on new territories after setting up successful ones. Tony is now the CEO of The Flooring Dealer Sales Accelerator where he focuses on lead management and converts those leads into qualified appointments. Much of his system is built on his experience from the field bringing clients on with Mohawk. He was willing to do the work that most are not and built a solid process to keep himself in front of the prospect for long periods of time, as well as, to keep on educating them on his benefits as a partner.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Tony and I discuss how you can improve your lead management to build a solid system to close more projects and keep your business busy.
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What happens with your missed calls or text messages? How about emails? How many times do you follow up with a prospect before considering the lead dead? How do you nurture a lead that is in its infancy? If someone isn’t ready to book now and get work done do you consider them a bad lead? All of these questions have to do with lead workflow and can have a big impact on how busy you can stay. Most of us want leads that are ready to go but we don’t have a system to nurture someone early in the buying cycle through completion.
Tony Pieroni is no stranger to the flooring world. With 12 years at Mohawk and international sales experience, he kept volunteering to take on new territories after setting up successful ones. Tony is now the CEO of The Flooring Dealer Sales Accelerator where he focuses on lead management and converts those leads into qualified appointments. Much of his system is built on his experience from the field bringing clients on with Mohawk. He was willing to do the work that most are not and built a solid process to keep himself in front of the prospect for long periods of time, as well as, to keep on educating them on his benefits as a partner.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Tony and I discuss how you can improve your lead management to build a solid system to close more projects and keep your business busy.
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Nobody wants to work. People want too much money. Nobody will do it as well I can. What other excuses do you have for not having employees and trusting them to complete a project? It doesn’t have to be that way but it will take some work and systems to have reliable, attentive, and empowered employees that do the right thing even when you are away.
Matt Garcia, owner of Craftsman Hardwood Flooring in San Angelo, TX, returns to the show once again to talk about how he implemented performance pay into his business. Not only can his business do more revenue, but it gives his employees the ability to earn more than their base wage as well. The best part is the accountability built in to insure that each project is completed to the company standards without anyone having to micromanage the crew.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Matt and I discuss how you can truly build the business you dream of when you implement performance pay.
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Is it really worth it to have a showroom? Will it truly help your installation business? Won’t it just create more work and get in the way of running installs? It could not be worth it, it could get in your way, and it could create more headaches. However, it could also open up a new revenue stream, limit liability, and give you a path to something other than the “daily grind”.
Billy Fritzel is the owner of Fritzel Flooring founded in 2017 in Fort Collins, CO. Following in the footsteps of his hero, his father, he took the skills embedded in him as a child and decided he wanted to forge his own path. Working for his older brothers for a short stint before opening his own business gave him the knowledge he needed to reach the next step. Now after building the premiere brand for installations in Fort Collins, Billy is looking to take it to the next level.
What does it take to open up a showroom though? Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Billy and I discuss his journey to open his showroom and what it means for his business.
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Just because you can set a tile, hand sew a seam, or properly sand and finish a floor to perfection, does not mean you are good at business. Often times we think because we are great craftspeople that those skills mean we are good at our business. If that was the case, why are there constantly contractors from all fields asking how much they should charge, what is the difference between markup and margin, and how do I handle this challenging client? If you had the skills you wouldn’t be asking.
John Cox is the owner of a Five Star accredited national tile contracting installation business. Starting in 1975 John has built a reputation for excellence through innovative tile solutions and strong communication. The awards and accolades of today’s installs would have never happened without realizing that as a setter he was fantastic but when it came to being a leader and business owner, there was a lot to learn. That journey began with a few books that have turned in to many, as well as, conferences, and more.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as John and I discuss where his passion for life long learning came from and how he moved out of his own way to become the man he is today.
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How much does your workman’s comp cost you? What are you classifying your employees as? What are you subs classified as? Did you know that core tasks dictate classification and different classes have different rates? Someone in the field using dangerous power tools will cost you far more than someone in an office sitting at a computer. How do you figure out when you can change a classification and is all this penny pinching really worth it?
Brad Lenz and his wife Kerry own Rice’s More Than Floors which they acquired in 2016 from his parents. The store has a beautiful history dating back to 1968 where it started as a furniture and appliance business, later adding carpet. After finishing high school Brad started a tile installation business in 1998 and started adding employees in 2016. This was when the installation business and flooring store merged. The merger began a focus on technology and cloud based software to improve their systems and processes. Brad’s natural gift for problem solving has also helped find small ways to be more profitable along the way. One successful change implemented has been how employees are classified while they are working and making sure it is accurately kept track of.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Brad and I discuss how you can be more profitable with one simple change to how you classify your employees depending on the task they are working on.
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When are you big enough to get a second location? What are the challenges behind it? How do you manage two teams? There are a lot of things to make happen so that you can be successful. From dialing in sales processes to expanding your marketing in to a new area there is a lot to consider.
Chris Rogers is the owner of Wally’s Carpet and Tile in San Bernardino and recently opened up his second showroom. Starting out as an installer gives Chris a different perspective on running a retail shop. From how he handles paying employees and subs to his sales process, his unique vision has helped him grow a brand that has been around in California for 70 years. Looking to grow his presence and get in to having mobile showrooms an opportunity for a new location presented itself and couldn’t be passed up.
Listen in to this weeks episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Chris and I discuss how he knew he could take on a second location, what it took to get it open and how he is now managing multiple teams.
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How do you manage your time in your business? How do you manage all the different hats you have to wear? Sales, installation, scheduling, finance, and marketing are just a few of them and they all require a different skillset. What if there was a better way to free up time where you could automate some of the processes as part of being an owner?
Brittany Murphy returns to the show as the founder of Marketing Mutt? With over a decade of experience she has created over 900 online marketing strategies for companies across the US. She focuses on helping small business owners getting their phones to ring with new leads by stepping up their marketing game. Growing up with her family in the trades led Brittany to start her marketing agency devoted to the trades and home services. Her foundation is developing marketing strategies and automated processes for owners looking to gain more time and money from their businesses. Through her marketing strategies, background in blue collar, and over a decade of experience, Brittany has helped local contractors close more leads, get more reviews and referrals, and streamline their marketing and sales processes. She is now here to help you do the same for your business so that you can learn while you earn and become more profitable with more free time.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Brittany and I discuss basic tools every business owner can implement into their toolbox to better manage their companies, free up time, and be more profitable.
Book an appointment with Brittany - https://marketingmutt.youcanbook.me/
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Do you sell installations or do you sell an experience? Answering that one question can quickly help you differentiate your company from the competition. What makes an install an experience? When does it start? What’s included? Is it really different than what the competition is doing?
Reggie Burke of Bayview Flooring in Port Angeles, Washington has over 10 years of experience in the flooring trade. Upon going out on is own after being trained by his father, Reggie was looking for a way to be different from the rest. Over the last two years he has honed in on creating a client experience unlike any other in the area when it comes to flooring installations. From the time the prospect first reaches out until the project is closed out, there are little differences that elevate the quality of service that is being provided.
Listen in to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy podcast as Reggie and I discuss how he has crafted a client experience that not only helps sell the value of his installations but makes it a no brainer to go with Bayview Flooring.
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What changes about your marketing strategy as your business develops around you. What kind of tactics are required as a startup, survival, successful, scaling, or sustainable entity? More than likely referrals won’t be the only thing keeping you business alive past the survival stage.
Justin Shaw of Driven for Growth, returns to the show to help us answer the above questions with practical steps to help you move the needle. He works closely with entrepreneurs in the contracting space to implement strategies and systems for their continued growth. His approach is holistic and helps business owners develop the skills they need to transform their business so that it can truly reach its full potential.
Listen to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy podcast as we talk about practical steps to take at each stage of business.
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What changes about your marketing strategy as your business develops around you. What kind of tactics are required as a startup, survival, successful, scaling, or sustainable entity? More than likely referrals won’t be the only thing keeping you business alive past the survival stage.
Justin Shaw of Driven for Growth, returns to the show to help us answer the above questions with practical steps to help you move the needle. He works closely with entrepreneurs in the contracting space to implement strategies and systems for their continued growth. His approach is holistic and helps business owners develop the skills they need to transform their business so that it can truly reach its full potential.
Listen to this week’s episode of the Floor Academy podcast as we talk about practical steps to take at each stage of business.
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Schluter Systems
The International Surfaces Event
Kronus Soft
Ardex Americas
TileTools.com
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How do you grow an installation company to more than just installation? You get into the retail side of things and start selling products. It’s as easy as building a relationship with a local store for a kickback to being as complicated as opening up your own store from ground zero and building it up. There is a middle ground of finding a store that is for sale and buying a client base and some systems and processes to help make your life slightly easier.
Donald Perkins and his wife, Emily, purchased Carpetland of New England when they were presenedt an offer they couldn’t turn down. While selling material wasn’t exactly new to them, having a sales staff, retail location and subcontractors to complete more installs than they could handle was. It was a step up for them in their business journey that hasn’t come without a few surprises.
Listen in as we discuss what challenges they have faced acquiring the store, how it has changed their business logistically, and what the future looks like.
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How do you choose the right software for your business? Recommendations? Trial and error? Research? There are plenty of ways to attack it but one of the most important things to consider is whether or not it fits your business model. Not all software is created equally nor is it created to function as part of every industry.
Tom Strachan is the CEO of Service Buddy, and leads a dedicated team in transforming the way flooring companies manage their operations through technology.Their software platform is designed to simplify operations, enhance customer communication, and boost overall business efficiency. By focusing on customization, we empower our clients to reclaim valuable hours each week, allowing them to concentrate on what truly matters—providing exceptional service. Our software helps drive better profit margins for our clients.
Listen in to this week’s episode as Tom and I discuss how you need to vet software for your business before choosing a platform for the long haul.
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- Visa fler
