Q 1. Please give our readers an introduction to your business. Include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
Ans: Our Company is a hardwood flooring company that installs new hardwood floors, refinishes old hardwood floors and turns them into new. We also build custom hardwood floor with many Old World techniques, such as hand scraping, distressing, chiseled bevels, hand rubbed oil finishing and many more.
We also install all forms of stone, ceramic and porcelain and can integrate wood and tile together.
Our company is predominantly an in-home service company, and our main areas of operation would be the north corridor of Atlanta, but defiantly not limited to that as we have done many jobs out of state.
Q 2. Provide a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
Ans: My floor covering career started in 1980 In Milwaukee, Wisconsin in a major floor covering retail store. Then, I moved to a major player in the commercial side of the flooring industry, where I spent a lot of time reading blue prints and bidding on large and small commercial projects. From there, I became a manager for a major floor covering chain store in Milwaukee, which was great experience on the business side of the industry. After about six years in the industry, I was hired as a Mohawk industry sales representative where I serviced the Minneapolis and southern Minnesota areas for six years.
Q 3. What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
Ans: I took the position for a national floor covering buying group where I covered the entire country. It involved a great deal of travel and was a lot of fun building the business, but the stress of the travel took its toll. I was offered a job at their headquarters in Atlanta where I was heading up the sales force. Unfortunately, the travel did not stop. But I was introduced to a new system of dust free hardwood floor sanding through one of our marketing arms. I bought a franchise and formed a partnership in the Milwaukee area, and have been involved in hardwood floors ever since. Although my career is winding down, my enjoyment of learning new techniques, teaching and training is still as much fun as it has ever been.
Q 4. What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
Ans: People have to know you care, and it’s not about techniques. You have to be sincere, but once people know you care, you better know what you’re doing.I think so many people are held back because they are trying to find that one thing that their passionate about so they don’t do anything; instead of just finding satisfaction at being the best they can be at whatever they do, and keep trying to build a better mouse trap. Never stop learning, never stop reading, and know that the smartest guys out there know they don’t know everything. Be humble and listen to the customers.
Q 5. What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
Ans: Goal setting; know how much it’s going to cost to accomplish whatever goal you want. Pay the price and be willing to pay even more; know it won’t be easy, but it will be worth it. Being able to recognize when you have to change direction and then do it.
Q 6. How many hours do you work a day on average?
Ans: On an average, during the week 10 – 12 hours a day; on weekends – four hours a day
Q 7. To what do you most attribute your success?
Ans: Goal setting, planning and willingness to learn.
Q 8. What has been your most successful form of marketing?
Ans: We have been successful because we do a better job than most on identifying the customers’ needs and exceeding their expectations in fulfilling those needs. Our most successful marketing is word of mouth from happy customers.
Satisfying the customer is always going to be the best form of advertising, I have been fortunate because I have a solid base of trades people who are very loyal supporters. I do understand though that the way of the future, or I should say of the present, is internet shoppers so we are currently in the process of improving our positions on the internet. But, word of mouth in the contractor and design communities has been our best source of advertising.
Q 9. Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
Ans: I really never needed a loan; we started small and built the business.
Q 10. What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
Ans: I know this may seem simple but think long term, and be patient. Don’t quit, you never know how close you maybe to getting the break you may need.
Q 11. Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
Ans: Hopefully, me on a golf course close to my family and a beach; my business in the capable hands of my son.
Q 12. Excluding yours, what company or business do you admire the most?
Ans: Amazon.
Company Detail :
Company : Advanced Flooring Solutions
Contact : Joe Waid
Address : 12195 Highway 92, Suite 114-208
City : Woodstock
State : GA
Zip : 30188
Phone : 706-972-0025
Email : Joe@advancedflooringsolutions.net
