Lakeland, Fla.—The World Floor Covering Association’s (WFCA) 11-city, two-nation Step Up Tour kicked off here this month with Sunshine Interiors hosting the inaugural event. The main thrust of the program is to meet retail members where they work, elevate their stories and spotlight the professionals shaping the future of the flooring industry.
As the name implies, the tour is about dealers who have “stepped up” in their own lives and businesses and who can serve as a model for others. In that vein, Sunshine Interiors’ Darren Harrison proved to be an ideal candidate. It was Harrison who in May 2022 sprang into action and took over the controls of a small Cessna aircraft in midair over the Atlantic Ocean after the pilot collapsed. Despite no flight training, and little time to waste, Harrison miraculously landed the plane safely.
Soon after Harrison reached out to Scott Humphrey, CEO of the WFCA, and said he wanted to get involved in the association. He is now chair-elect of the WFCA board. “This industry was built by people who stepped forward when it mattered,” Humphrey stated. “The Step-Up Tour honors that spirit and reinforces that real leadership means showing up in person to support the next generation who will carry this industry forward. Darren is a good leader, and he wants to give back.”
Harrison hosted dozens of business associates and friends at the Step-Up Tour in his hometown. During the event Humphrey presented Harrison with a trophy commemorating the occasion. “It’s an honor to be the first,” Harrison told FCNews. “I believe we show our dedication to the industry and how committed we are to giving support to our industry as a whole at Sunshine Interiors. We are committed to being a vessel for central Florida to be able to help, be there and support our industry even if this means helping a competitor in a time of need or concern.”
At the Lakeland Step Up event, Harrison was interviewed about business operations and best practices. The videos will be shared with other retailers through WFCA digital platforms.
Big plans
Beyond sharing best practices, Harrison said his goal for Sunshine Interiors is for it to become an establishment that helps train installers through the Certified Flooring Installers (CFI). “We are also working on getting FCEF [Floor Covering Education Foundation] involved in our local technical college to be able to have a course there to help solve the crisis. In our industry I have found that flooring usually stops in Dalton. In that I mean training, support and other avenues only go as far as Dalton. We have so much opportunity in the state of Florida to be able to help our industry, and I believe that Sunshine Interiors being centrally located for the entire state would be a great location to help connect installers in our state to the flooring capital of Dalton.”
Sunshine Interiors is a perennially successful flooring retailer that leverages its strong connections to the business community in the Lakeland market. Humphrey said he and a contingent of WFCA staff joined Harrison at his country club in Lakeland and was taken aback by the number of people Harrison knew and mingled with. “He’s like the mayor there,” Humphrey said. “People at the country club are not just his friends but his business partners as well. Some retailers in this area are struggling—not Sunshine Interiors, they are doing great. Relationships override recessions. You choose who you want to do business with. It’s all about the relationships, and because of that Darren is having a great start to the year.”
Darren and his father, Dennis, who started the business, have long been active in the Lakeland community, taking part in endeavors like Habitat for Humanity to give back.
Sunshine Interiors is the first of 11 flooring retailers who have committed to host Step Up Tour events. As Humphrey noted, “We haven’t done anything like this. I hope it becomes the norm every few years, the ability to get out there and connect. What we want to do is personalize who we are and share best practices.”
Freida Staten, chief marketing and strategy officer, WFCA, added: “When members invest in their teams and raise standards within their businesses, it strengthens the entire industry. By telling those stories, we’re not just recognizing success, we’re creating momentum others can build on.”
This initiative is supported by Jones Walker LLP, the founding partner of the Step Up Tour.
Upcoming Step-Up events:
- March 24–26
Jabara’s Carpet Outlet, Wichita, Kan. - June 5–8
Carpeting by Mike, Somerset, Wis. - July 8-9
Carpet Exchange, Denver - August 12-13
BFC Flooring, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Late September (TBD)
Johnson Paint & Decorating, Johnson, Mo. - September/October
WFCA Headquarters, Dalton
MODO Interiors, Atlanta - October
Great Western Flooring, Naperville, Ill. - October
O’Krent Floors, San Antonio - November 2-5
DeGraaf Interiors, Grand Rapids, Mich.
