Every two weeks, FCNews seeks out flooring retailers across the country to offer their advice on hot topics of the day. What lesson have you learned that isn’t taught in school?
Here are their responses:
“TI never realized how important soft skills were and how much they could contribute to the success of a business. Elements like hiring staff, managing different personality types were never taught. They were learned on the job or outside the classroom.”
—Tom Connell
M&M Carpet Showroom
Houston
“The book knowledge we learned does not apply to my everyday work life. Dealing with real-life situations is much different than what we learned in school—and is constantly changing. Patience is an important part of our everyday work process. My learned experiences have shaped the way I work and operate and has made me a better businessperson.”
—John Taylor
Taylor Carpet One Floor & Home
Fort Myers, Fla.
“I’ve learned that when business is slow plan for the busy times, which means always try to better your systems, keep advertising and marketing your business. When times are busy plan for the slow times. Always put money aside so when business slows down you are not caught off guard and have the resources to plan for when business picks up.”
—Don Cantor
Lake Interiors
Chelan, Wash
“For me, it’s this saying: A focused fool can accomplish more than a distracted genius.”
—Don Lovato
CarpetSourceUSA
Albuquerque, N.M.
“You learn very quickly that you don’t get paid for activities; you get paid for results. Spreadsheets and business models look fantastic in the classroom, but customers want real value, delivered on time with a smile. Real business success in today’s market relies on human psychology/empathy, cash flow management and solid leadership that focuses on consistency delivering the fundamentals.”
—Pete Rubando
Giant Carpet One
Scranton, Pa.
