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

As the owner of J&R Tile in San Antonio, Texas, Erin Albrecht, is responsible for making sure the company is successful. Part of that success comes from your partnerships with your suppliers. Not all distribution houses are created equally as we will find out as we hear her story about a project turned sideways because of the contact at a distributor. Find out what kind of things we need to look for in a partnership, why a supplier may not be your best fit, and what to do when you aren't happy with the relationship. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

How are you making sure you company stands out? We all try to offer services but how can you make a shower or a floor stand out from the rest? What is different about your work from others? Sometimes there is nothing different. The differences come from the information presented. Do you offer dustless services? Are you actually promoting them? What about the materials you use? What makes those unique and different from others on the market? How can you find ordinary everyday things to present as valuable up sells to your clients that your local competition is not? Duane Paradis is the Technical Manager at JohnsManville with the GoBoard team. He has not only played a major role in converting the technology from the roofing industry to the tile industry, but also undertakes many technical duties with it. Products are not always what they are cracked up to be from appearance alone and Duane knows this more than most. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Duane and I discuss how we can take a seemingly ordinary run of the mill product seem extraordinarily different from the rest. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

I called back my client twice and texted them but they didn't respond. I think I am going to move on. This is what I do and it's a horrible way to run your small business. I know this is what a lot of you do. How many leads were not ready to close yet, how many leads needed a little more info they never got, how many leads can't find your info 12 months later when they are ready. Not everyone wants to buy right NOW! JR Pentolino owns and operates Design Windows and Doors in Ontario, CA. With 21 employees he is not only the visionary behind the company at this point but also the sales manager. On track to do 5 million in revenue this year with a goal of 6 million, it's no small operation anymore. JR has found a passion for lead management and knows how important it is to the success of his business. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as we discuss what a buying cycle looks like, why you need clients on a drip campaign, and how to rehash leads from the "dead". All of these tools will help your top line revenue grow and keep your schedule filled up. Don't miss your opportunity to set your business apart from the competition. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

Tradespeople in general are a proud bunch. How could you not be when you spend time building things that make the world go 'round. Your communities just would not function without you. What better way to let that pride show through than putting egos up against each other to see who will be the best install in the country? The National Installer of the Year Competition was revived in 2019 at the annual International Surfaces Event in Las Vegas, Nevada. It has spent the last few years not only growing in popularity at the show, but also in what is required to hold it. From a handful of entries to having to hold regional competitions to whittle down the competitors, the competition only continues to grow and attract attention. What lies in the future for the event and why is it so important to the industry as a whole? Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Paul Treanor and Beth Miller discuss their roles with the competition, how they have seen it evolve and why the industry truly needs to embrace this event and blow it up. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

How do you go about training a new hire? If it is anything like the experience I got, it was discombobulated, unorganized and just tasks assigned as they came up. If there wasn't something for me to do, then I was told to watch. This experience is probably pretty similar to a lot of you. This however, is no way to train someone. Mark Herakovic is the Installation Training Manager at MDG Flooring and has designed an actual program to bring up apprentices in a short amount of time and organized fashion. Gavin Swanson is his first trainee and has been able to succeed at his position not only because of the training he is getting but because of the support and culture behind him. This week on the Floor Academy Podcast we will discuss building and implementing an actual training program in to your business, how to get quality feedback from trainees, and how to keep them excited. Don't miss this chance to learn how to build something to really separate your business from the others in our industry. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

I can't find good help. No one wants to work. Everyone I hire does subpar work compared to me. These are all complaints I see from contractors looking to hire employees. They are valid complaints but no one is changing their hiring process. All of us keep going back to the same well and expecting a different result. Does that really make sense? What if there was a better way to attract, retain, and educate talent? Randy Stanbury built Service Freight Systems from the ground up. With his previous experience in transportation sales, he knew that many companies complained about freight services never communicating with their clients. This led to much frustration on the clients end about not knowing what was going on with their shipment. Randy set out to build a freight company that was dedicated to service, hence the name. Communication would be paramount to their success. This commitment paid off and after many years of running the company and growing it to multiple millions of dollars, Randy was able to sell it and look at what else he wanted to do. Now a business coach, Randy helps guide others through the different stages of business from the real world lessons he learned along the way, as well as, from the different businesses he helps excel in their fields. One of these pain points is often hiring team members. Not only do you not want A player talent for a long term employee, but you also want to make sure they are coachable. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Randy and i discuss his approach to hiring talent that will grow with the company, how he keeps them engaged, and what kind of culture will help you retain the employees. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show Support the show

Life is a fickle mistress, you never know what it is going to throw at you. The decisions you make today, effect who you become tomorrow. Nobody likes cranky old people but they didn't turn 75 and instantly become cranky. It was a lifetime of decisions that got them to that point. Who you want to be in the future starts today! Jeremy Barker is a co-owner of Bathmatic in Ballantyne Country Club, NC. His life was seemingly normal until one day he became the one hand cut man. Despite what many would consider a disadvantage and having previously been "whole" but now "disabled", Jeremy has not let his accident be a setback or a limiting factor. If anything it has brought him an attitude of gratitude which he uses to influence those around him to live a better life. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast to hear Jeremy's inspiring story, why it important he keeps his sunny disposition, and why you need to take a page out of Jeremy's book. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

It's easy to believe that all you have to do is go out and sell a project, deliver a result that is satisfactory and you will get paid. Then you just rinse and repeat. This is how many small businesses operate and it will allow you to scale to a few employees but it will not work long term. Where is the culture coming from, what is the long term mission, what goals need to be met to move forward, and how is the money being managed? Steve Keough has been in the construction industry for over 35 years running SLQK Enterprises. One of his companies under that umbrella is Electricians Get Leads.com. WIth 5 staff members, 1.2 million in annual revenue and 22 years in business, it didn't cover overnight or easy. It tooks years to accomplish and pain along the way with lots of learning opportunities and the ability to admit that things could be improved. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy podcast as Steve and I discuss simple steps you can take to implement changes into your business that will help you streamline operations, gain back your free time, and find more profit through efficiency. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

You learn a trade, start a business, and just keep going on your own. You can't talk with your employees, your spouse doesn't understand, and you're too busy to chat with other professionals in your field because you are always on the tools. This is no way to run a business or be a part of one. We are meant to be life-long learners. There is a reason the saying iron sharpens iron is still around and used. We need to surround ourselves with individuals who will push us to new heights. In January of 2022, Crystal Sims was in Las Vegas competing in the National Installer of the Year competition. She had huge support from her amazing family and fellow employees at Preferred Flooring. She was the talk of the show being the only woman to ever compete in the competition to this day. She had no idea what life had in store for her. She was able to meet Shannon Vogel of Reach Social and an instant connection happened. While family and friends were potting to make this chance meeting into something more Crystal had already decided to ask Shannon to mentor her and that was that. Now a year and half later, the two have remained in constant contact, and Crystal isn't the only one on the receiving end. Listen in as we learn from these two phenomenal ladies why you need to be a mentor and a mentee. There are advantages to being on both sides of the coin and you can only gain all the useful nuggets by listening to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

The spouses role in a business can often go under appreciated. As business owners we don't always realize what it takes to run the other half of our lives and it's not always clear how much your spouse may be investing in you. I know for me this has been a major point of contention in my relationship with my wife and I am still figuring it out. Listen in to this week's Floor Academy Podcast where my wife, Jamie Hedin, and I sit down to discuss what investing in your partner looks like. From the beginning she dropped everything to believe in me and trusted me to provide for her and our kids as our family grew. The ability for business to be successful was more dependant upon her than I probably ever admitted. Find out how the dynamics have played out for us, where you may be able to make improvements in your own relationship, and how you manage a better business while having a successful home life. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

Many of us have tried to scale our company but struggle to find reliable employees or subcontractors. We fail to be able to trust them to complete the work orders we provide. We feel as if we are the only ones capable of doing the project correctly and to the standards that the client expects. I can tell you that you will never scale past you and a crew or two if you feel this way and can't let go. Jon Vanarthos owns and operates Gemini Home Remodeling in Fairless Hills, PA. He was always hands on in his company giving 150% with 13 employees until March 20th, 2020. He was T-Boned on his motorcycle moving at 45 MPH by a driver that wasn't paying attention. Jon was told he would never work again and had an 80% chance he wouldn't be able to move his leg again, and his spine was fused together. He was so scared that he lived in the hospital for 3 months. Ultimately, it led to the business being closed for an entire year, and a GoFundMe that raised $9000 to keep him afloat to some extent. Fast forward a few years and Jon is walking, raising a family, running a business with four employees and enjoys more free time now than he ever has. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as we learn about how Jon had to let go in order to learn how to fully grow his company and regain his freetime instead of being a slave to his company. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

Many of us are so great at the trade we perform that we decide we can go and run our own business. How hard could it be? We already know the trade, we just have to sell projects, right? Do you really know how to sell though? It's more than just showing up and offering a service for a price. Let alone the million other things you take on as an owner when you form a company. Learning how to sell should be a top priority for any business owner though, because your business doesn't exist without sales. Jim Upton is the owner of Tiger Mountain Tile, the writer of the DIYTILEGUY blog and The Grinder Newsletter. From humble beginnings in Issaquah, WA, Jim has been able to build himself a brand with steady work but it did not come without sacrifice. Investing in himself from the get go Jim sought out training to make him a better and more well rounded individual. Sales training was one part of this and greatly increased his success with potential clients closing more often. Find out about Jim's success with sales training, how it has helped develop his business, and how he got real old school with pounding the pavement during The Great Recession, all in this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

Business is not a one sided operation in that if you can understand the numbers that you will be successful. If your mind and body are not in it to win it, then your company can only go so far. Undoing your headtrash, getting rid of your limiting beliefs, eating right, focusing on your physical performance, and investing in you for the long term will get you running on all cylinders and give your company more success than you could dream of. Amanda Vargas is an entrepreneur and coach, blending the nuances of business and health. Despite facing challenges such as being legally blind and living with Multiple Sclerosis, she has built several businesses, including Fettle + Fare, a health food restaurant in New Jersey which was named ‘Business of the Year’ in 2020 for how she navigated the pandemic. Amanda successfully exited this business in March 2023 and now specializes in helping fellow business owners navigate the intricate balance between professional growth and personal well-being. With her unique perspective and extensive knowledge, she empowers her clients to prioritize their health while achieving remarkable business milestones. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as we look at how Amanda has not let her diagnoses keep her down, how you can improve your position with relative ease and a little discipline, and how you can take a holistic approach to being an entrepreneur. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

I've seen a lot of requests from installers looking for work lately. I've talked with a few retailers that say things have slowed. I have also talked to a bunch of people that are busier than ever still. Our current market surely is a confusing one. After shutting down most businesses for a minute, turning on the printing press, and keeping everyone locked up many of us had tons of work. Now, many are trying to figure out how to pay the bills and where the next project is coming from. Paul Trau is the managing partner of Retail Results, a consulting firm specializing in the retail home furnishings and the flooring industry. With time spent with The Carpet Guys, Empire, Mattress One, Flooring America and more he has not only seen a few economic cycles but worked on the sales and marketing through them. Listen in as Paul and I discuss his views about what he sees in our market, how you can help yourself stand out, and what kind of planning you need to have to weather storms. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

It's 2023 folks. I can't believe that this conversation even has to happen on the podcast. How an entire gender can be ignored by professionals they are asking intelligent questions to is beyond me. The only thing hotter than Phoenix currently is this episode of the Floor Academy Podcast. Katie Sue, Jennifer Lynn Barker, Ashley Singer, and Jennifer Blumer join me this week to discuss their experiences at trade shows and supply houses. You will be appalled to find out how they are ignored, overlooked, or pushed aside for when a man enters the booth. These ladies can have an intelligent conversation about their industry, their processes, and their products and yet, no one is paying attention to them. I for one know of a few companies they will not be doing business anymore. Listen in as we hear about their experiences, what they believe needs to change and how you can step up and make sure to support not only women in our industry but creating a better industry for all. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

Google, Facebook, Instagram and now TikTok reign supreme as ways to engage with your audience and create leads. It wasn't that long ago though that a little extra money being spent on a yellow pages ad or a newspaper ad could get you all the leads you wanted. Much of the flooring industry still wants to operate like we do only deal with the yellow pages and newspaper ads. Jason Kimmel is a 3rd generation flooring industry professional. Growing up in the Floors To Go franchise system that his grandpa created, he later ran his own store, until recently when he joined the team at Flooring Liquidators to handle their social media. Jason has seen a lot change in the industry from how his grandpa and father did business to how he has to now generate content to draw attention to Flooring Liquidators. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as we discuss what's changed in the industry, how you can keep up with current trends, and why you need to stay out front or risk running your company in to the ground. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

I bet you are like me. As long as the bank account has some money in it, there is some money in the savings account, and the bills are paid, then you feel pretty good about your company. This mindset is absolutely detrimental to small businesses. We have no actual idea what is happening within our businesses to know if we are stalled out, moving forward or shrinking. If we are counting on our profit and loss statements to tell us, then we are using a lagging indicator and it is already too late. Jeff Provost, the owner of Key Performance Integrators, is a huge fan of scorecards. This simple tool can track some key areas of your business in real time to give you instant feedback on where the company stands and which direction it is moving. You can even make scorecards for different positions within your company so that your employees can know instantly know the impact they are having on the company. Listen in to this week's episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Jeff and I discuss some basics to add to your scorecard, what this info will empower you to do, and how it will allow you to set better and more powerful goals to catapult your business to a new level. Jeff's KPI Scorecard - https://www.kpintegrators.com/download-the-business-scorecard-template/ Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

How many of you are truly investing in your clients? I think many of us believe we are but most of us are probably only dealing with customers and making a transaction of services for a fee. This is not a great long term plan for repeat business, continued growth, and ultimately a successful company with a great legacy and local impact. Seth Hanson, is the account manager at GoBoard a division of Johns Manville. His time is spent making sure his clients are happy and thriving by being able to sell his product. If Seth was not invested in making them successful, GoBoard would not have a leg to stand on. We will chat about Johns Manville's core values which are People, Passion, Perform and Protect. Find out how these guiding values make it easy to make big decisions and lead the company towards being successful. What values are leading your company? Do you even have any? How many people know them? Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

In this episode of the Floor Academy Podcast, we will be joined by Matt Baer, owner of Elite Flooring Installations in Louisville, Kentucky, who has successfully built a thriving business despite facing challenges as a recovering addict. Matt believes in the potential of individuals in the construction industry, including those who may have struggled with addiction or have a criminal record. He will share his personal journey of overcoming addiction, finding support through recovery programs, and using his experiences to shape his business model. Matt will discuss how the resources available through recovery programs have helped him establish a better business, not only for himself but also for his community. He will share insights on how hiring individuals in recovery or with criminal backgrounds can be a positive and impactful decision, including the benefits of providing second chances, fostering a supportive work environment, and promoting inclusivity and diversity in the construction industry. Join us to hear Matt's inspiring story and learn how leveraging resources available through recovery programs can contribute to building a successful and socially responsible business in the construction industry. Gain valuable insights on creating a positive work culture, empowering individuals in recovery, and making a difference in your community through your business practices. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show

In this episode of the Floor Academy Podcast, we will be joined by Julie Howell, a senior project manager at Commercial Flooring Services in Denver, Colorado, who recognized the importance of soft skills in the flooring industry. Julie noticed that her young team members were skilled at their jobs, but lacked the necessary people skills to build and maintain relationships with clients, resulting in clients relying solely on her for their projects or questions. This realization led Julie to invest in training her team on soft skills to improve client satisfaction, ensure future work, and empower her team to work independently with multiple team members. Julie will share her insights on the significance of soft skills in the flooring industry and how they can impact client relationships and business success. She will discuss her approach to training her team on soft skills, including effective communication, customer service, relationship-building, and problem-solving. Julie will also explain why she believes in providing thorough training to her team members, so they can excel in their roles and work autonomously with clients. Don't miss this episode of the Floor Academy Podcast as Julie Howell shares her experiences and strategies for training her team on soft skills to enhance client satisfaction and improve overall business success. Learn about the importance of people skills in the flooring industry and how investing in soft skills training can benefit your team and your business. Join us to gain valuable insights on how to empower your team to build meaningful relationships with clients and excel in their roles. Need new headphones for working and listening to Floor Academy? Check out ISOTunes using the link below. Amazing Bluetooth headphones that are OSHA certified. http://bit.ly/2P5A9pR Check out the virtual estimates software here! Don't forget to create an account after submitting a sample estimate to get access to more features. Check out our sponsors Johns Manville The International Surfaces Event Check out our website and store Support the show