Years ago I started out in hardwood floors by attending an NWFA school. Ironically, my fellow blogger Wayne Lee was there and had a lot of technical information to share, as well as some of the funniest jokes and stories I had heard in awhile.
Years ago I started out in hardwood floors by attending an NWFA school. Ironically, my fellow blogger Wayne Lee was there and had a lot of technical information to share, as well as some of the funniest jokes and stories I had heard in awhile.
Before the school I had refinished my own floors and installed some factory-finished flooring. Being around a lot of expert floor guys will really get your head spinning with big dreams, and the minute you open a Floor of the Year issue of Hardwood Floors magazine it's over.
The hope that someday you will get the phone call to design and build a floor because you are the only one around who can do the work is what drove me for awhile. Somehow you get it in your head that there is a need to be the best, and that is accomplished only by doing really trick floors. I've since realized that our best business is repairing and refinishing old hardwood floors… nothing fancy there.
I was having a discussion with a really good friend in the industry awhile back and I came up with a few observations about what makes the "best" floor guy (or gal):
• They can make time for their family and children by working a reasonable schedule.• They operate a profitable business and pay their bills and employees on time.• They are genuine, humble, and helpful to everyone around, from customers to "competitors."
If there are a few I missed, please leave your comments. My point in writing this is that it is easy to get caught up running a monster business trying to be the best or biggest company in town. Really the "best" flooring contractor is the one who can take the time off to play with their children and know that they have the financial resources to do that.