Detroit Native Opens Michigan’s First Footprints Floors Location and Offers Discounts for Community Members in Light of COVID-19

Born and raised in the Detroit area, Adnan Alhaider attended Wayne State University where he received his bachelor's degree in Business Administration. Right after graduating, Alhaider married his wife who he met while in school and started his own business called BHA Distributors. After two years of marriage and business ownership, Alhaider and his wife were expecting their first child. While he loved running his own business, Alhaider was looking for more job stability and eventually sold his part of the business and took a job at an engineering firm. Two kids and eight years later, Alhaider realized he still had a passion for being a business owner and decided to bring Footprints Floors* to Michigan. 

Since recently opening his Footprints Floors territory in Livonia, Michigan, it has been placed on a mandatory lockdown due to COVID-19. With construction services being an essential business, Alhaider has decided to place an emphasis on virtual in-home estimates for those who need flooring. Additionally, Alhaider is offering all customers a 10% discount to help alleviate financial stressors during this time, and is allowing customers to choose when they’d like their floors finished, whether it be now or in three months. 

1851 Franchise: Tell us a little bit about your background.

Adnan Alhaider: I was born in Detroit and have lived there my whole life. I graduated from Wayne State University in 2010 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration. I now live in Dearborn, Michigan. I met my wife at Wayne State and we married in 2011. We have two kids, a six-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. My wife helps me a bit with the business — before we had kids she was a manager at a Kumon Learning Center for a little of a year. 

Although I have not partnered with any charities quite yet, I want to partner with something soon to provide relief in the community amid the COVID-19 pandemic. At first, we were pushing for in-home estimates. Michigan started the lockdown the first week we opened and declared in-home construction non-essential unless there is an estimate, which is why we are pushing virtual estimates. 

1851: Why did you choose to go into franchising with Footprints Floors? 

Alhaider: The moment I knew I was going to sign was when I saw the flexibility of the business model and the franchisee support system. The company is run like a family business.

1851: What value do you see your business providing to the community?

Alhaider: We primarily handle flooring in homes, which is the most sacred place in the world for most people. We are giving people a better place to live — the physical appearance of a home plays a key role in the owner’s everyday life.

1851: What plans do you have for growth? 

Alhaider: I purchased two franchise locations, and I’d like to hire someone as soon as possible to help me manage both territories. I need team members to help with the production, business and sales side as well. My goal is to purchase one more territory and I’m hoping it will still be available when the time comes.

1851: Have you owned any other businesses or franchises? 

Alhaider: Yes, I owned a kitchen wholesale redistribution business for about two years, BHA Distributors. That was right after graduation from Wayne State, which was a really good experience for me. After two years we needed to either invest more money, or call it quits, and I was offered a job at an engineering firm. At that point I was looking for more stability because my family was growing. I wanted to keep my business as a side business, but in the end it didn’t make sense for me.