(This installment is the second of two parts.)
In my previous article I shared several stories from specialty floor covering dealers my wife and I met on our road trip to Orlando, Fla., where we firmed up plans for our upcoming Flooring Business Master Class, Nov. 14-15. After visiting my brother in Cape Coral, where we ventured out into the ocean on his boat during a storm (I don’t recommend doing that, by the way) we headed back the I-10 en route home to Arizona.
Here are some highlights from the long ride home:
My father was traveling to Florida as we were headed back home so we met up on Bourbon Street in New Orleans for a little fun and amazing food. We then traveled to Houston to meet Pablo, owner at We Are Floors. We were there two months ago when a tornado went through and knocked out a power line in their backyard. Then about a week before we got there a Hurricane hit them, knocking out power again. These poor people can’t catch a break!
It’s a good thing Pablo is resilient and has a lot of positive energy. The company sells in-stock tile and luxury vinyl. They don’t do installs, but they recommend local contractors. The company originated out of Mexico where they dominate with 360 stores. It’s fascinating to see the difference in cultures. In Mexico guys pick up material and get work done. It’s not that easy in America. There are a lot more regulations, which creates challenges when you aren’t selling the installation.
About 20 minutes away we dropped in to say hello to flooring’s cutest couple, Doug and Zohra Rahim. Their showroom is amazing. Real high end with great design flair. I love working with them and I’m excited to see the success they will achieve.
From Houston we shot over to San Antonio and checked out the famous River Walk. If you have never been there, it’s a beautiful mall area with boat rides and a great walking path. It’s just a beautiful area, especially if the humidity is not at 80%.
We wrapped our trip with my friend Matt Garcia and his mom, Charlotte. These two are dominating the wood flooring business in San Angelo, Texas. We discussed the process Matt created to hire in-house installers. Paying and managing in-house installers is a little tricky compared to hiring subcontractors. The benefits are clear: You get loyal installers and your customer satisfaction and 5-star reviews will go through the roof.
While I was there a customer stopped by to thank them for the work their installer performed. She was just thrilled at the work she got done. Then we went to meet his beautiful wife and all the little Garcias. They live in this great plot of land with his in-laws. Matt built this huge tree house in the back which sits 30 feet in the air between four trees. It even has air conditioning and a big-screen TV!
We hope you were able to pick up some good marketing, sales and management tips from the 2024 Road Trip. The experience served as a reminder that the flooring community is great at helping each other out. Whenever you can, reach out to the people who are in the fight with you. There is no point trying to figure it all out on your own.
Here’s to your future success.
Jerry Levinson is the former owner of Carpets of Arizona. He now focuses full time on training and education. He runs Jerry’s Flooring Business Master Class and is the author of “Profit Now.”
