All Things Wood Floor

Doing Floors By the Shore: Talking Retail Excellence with Adam Bissey

When Adam Bissey was a wood flooring contractor, he saw how so many retailers were missing opportunities, and so he made the leap to open a retail location of his own—one that is now a thriving staple on the Jersey Shore. In this wide-ranging conversation, host Stephen Diggins and Adam discuss the challenges of starting as a retailer; how Floors by the Shore succeeds by focusing on excellence in every way, from subfloors to customer service; why he’s so focused on healthy products; why profitability is so critical; and much more.

The Importance of Training, Ideas to Make More Money … and Elvis: A Conversation with Stauf USA’s David Ford

Lifelong wood flooring pro David Ford of Stauf USA is back to talk with Stephen about some important issues in the wood flooring industry, including reverence for the previous generations of pros and the importance of training and work ethic. They also discuss ideas for other value-added things wood flooring pros can do to increase margins on every job, the incredible potential there is in the wood flooring industry to make a lucrative living, and some sound financial advice about planning for retirement (something many pros don’t do). As a bonus, David, a native to the Memphis area, has some insider knowledge to share about none other than Elvis Presley!

Keeping It Clean: How Low Country Flooring Went From Never Seeing a Sander to High-End Wood Flooring Experts

When Kent Rogerson and Jamie Lambert of South Carolina’s Low Country Flooring got their first wood flooring job, they had never even seen the tools required to do the trade. But they learned quickly and grew the business—and then realized they had to down-size the company as they pursued their obsession with quality. In this episode, they detail the hilarious details of their first install, sanding and finishing jobs; what they look for (and don't look for!) in employees; and some of their practices and philosophies that put them among the wood floor industry’s sanding and finishing elite—and allow them to charge accordingly for their wood floors.

Talking Hardwood Lumber and Business Leadership: Insights from Frank Miller Lumber CEO Steve James

Steve James transitioned from a career at General Motors to the lumber industry when he became CEO of Frank Miller Lumber in Indiana, transforming the company culture there to create a motivated long-term workforce. James and host Stephen Diggins discuss the challenges of a lumber business focused on quartersawn lumber, as well as James’ insights as a member of the Maxwell Leadership Certified Team.  

Breaking the Trademan’s Curse for Growth: How Matt Garcia Transformed His Business for Better Profits, Quality and Morale

Matt Garcia was a typical wood flooring pro with a small company of craftsmen when he moved to Texas and realized he had a huge opportunity to grow his business—but after trial and error, he also realized that in order to grow his business AND be profitable, he had to work on his business, not just in his business. Hear his advice about what he learned and the key changes he made that have transformed his company, improved quality and motivated his employees. 

Part 2: How We Did This Massive Chevron Floor in a Historic D.C. Building: Sprigg Lynn, Kent Rogerson & Jamie Lambert

When the U.S. government needed the massive chevron floor replaced in the Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., Universal Floors tackled the job with the help of some friends, including Kent Rogerson and Jamie Lambert from Low Country Flooring. Hear Universal Floor’s Sprigg Lynn, along with Kent and Jamie, discuss the intricacies and complications of handling this job. In Part 2 they reveal more about the installation, sanding and finishing, and how when it comes to jobs of this magnitude, you need to lean on fellow pros to make it all happen.

How We Did This Massive Chevron Floor in a Historic D.C. Building: Sprigg Lynn, Kent Rogerson & Jamie Lambert, Part 1

When the U.S. government needed the massive chevron floor replaced in the Mellon Auditorium in Washington, D.C., Universal Floors tackled the job with the help of some friends, including Kent Rogerson and Jamie Lambert from Low Country Flooring. Hear Universal Floor’s Sprigg Lynn, along with Kent and Jamie, discuss the intricacies and complications of handling this job. In Part 1 they discuss demo, subfloor prep, installation and more. 

Getting Paid, Getting Inspired … and Getting Back to Work After a Near-Death Accident: An Open Conversation with Angelo DeSanto

Angelo DeSanto is one of Wood Floor Business’s most popular authors and bloggers—in addition to running his own wood flooring business in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. He and Stephen talk about how he stands up to contractors to get paid on time, the seemingly simple details that make a skilled wood flooring pro, and the accident that almost took his life—and how he managed to recover his health and his business.

Growing Up in Wood Flooring and Beyond: Loba-Wakol’s Tyler Myatt and Cash Pyle

Loba-Wakol’s Tyler Myatt and Cash Pyle both grew up in the wood flooring industry before they began their careers working for wood floor industry leader Loba-Wakol. Now they use their knowledge to not only help contractors learn how to use the latest cutting-edge products in the industry but also improve everything from their sanding techniques to their pricing for jobs. Hear what they see out in the field and advice they have for wood flooring contractors to improve their businesses.

A Passion for Creative Custom Work: Award-Winning Pro Matthew Szyszka

Although still in his early thirties, Chicago wood floor pro Matthew Szyszka of Floor Master Company has made a name for himself and won awards for his intricate custom wood floors. In this episode, he discusses the details on some of his award-winning jobs, how he promotes custom work to his clients, thoughts about getting more young people into the trades and more.