I recently came across an interesting article in my father’s favorite magazine, Floor Covering Weekly that excited me. Most often, speciality flooring retail stores are mom and pop shops, where the men oversee all operations. Father’s are the founders and sons follow in their footsteps but lately, the father/daughter team is quickly becoming the “ideal blend”. Why you ask? Daughters tend to have a more unique relationship when it comes to their female shoppers. Floor covering may be a male dominated world but consumers are mostly women. Just like my brothers, cousin, and other colleagues, I want to help run my family business and see it grow. Besides the occasional help from my mother and Billy’s girlfriend, I am the only female working at The Carpet Workroom. Earning my place in a male dominated work place has not been easy. It can be difficult at times as young woman trying to find her voice among the “guys”. Luckily they are family and I quickly gained their confidence. They know I have the same dreams of making this business the best it can be.
The biggest benefit of working with my dad is knowing he will always have my back. He has all of our backs. My father working alongside all of us makes for the best team. There is always more than one way to approach a situation. We bring new perspectives and he is constantly teaching us. After all, if it wasn’t for him, we and TCW would not be where we are today. There is no denying my dad has so much experience.
Another interesting find in the article was the discussion on multi-generational flooring companies. Generally, younger generations are more tech-savvy. Our under 31-year-old team has an insight that my father does not. The future of the flooring industry is changing and younger employees are the future. Not just for the company but also for the customers. Together, we are working on creating a new buying experience for carpet and rugs for the 21st Century. Technology has created a new generation of consumer with a savy that has never before existed. A quick Google search on “carpet” or “rugs” will return an overwhelming list of mills, styles, retailers, designers, and installers. Manufacturers have all their products catalogued with high definition pictures and vibrant descriptions in their online galleries. Designers tweet and blog about recent trends and popular looks almost daily. You no longer need a salesman to tell you what you want. What you need is an outlet that will help you sort through the information available at your fingertips, help ease the buying process, and a professional and personal service to cater to your specific needs. We offer just that; a place to visit to make sense of the endless amount of information available, a place to meet the people installing carpet and rugs into your home, and a place where you can ask questions without judgement or deceit.
