Fashion Photographer Builds a New Future with Footprints Floors in South Sacramento

Erwin Lopez’s journey from fashion photography in New York City to owning a flooring franchise in South Sacramento may seem unconventional, but it’s rooted in the same entrepreneurial spirit that led him to start a photography equipment rental company in Cancun, Mexico. With his wife and daughter, Lopez returned to the U.S. after COVID-19 and is now looking to start fresh with Footprints Floors, a franchise that combines the trade skills he was seeking with the flexibility of not having to manage overhead costs. With a deep desire to keep learning and provide excellent service, Lopez is ready to take on the flooring industry and make an impact in his community.

1851 spoke with Lopez to learn more about his journey, what drew him to Footprints Floors and his plans for the future. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Erwin Lopez: My background was in fashion photography in NYC. Eventually, my wife and I decided to open our own rental photography equipment company in Cancun, Mexico because we had a lot of friends there telling us it was a good concept. In 2015, we sold our apartment in NYC, moved to Cancun, and got our first business up and running. We did that for six years until COVID happened. From there, we decided to move back to the U.S. to Sacramento, where my wife is from, so we could be closer to her family for our daughter. We looked into flipping houses, my wife got her real estate license and I started exploring trades.

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Lopez: As a business owner, you know what it takes to start a business — from creating a website to getting your name out there. It all adds up and takes a lot of time. With a franchise, they take care of that for you. You’re just jumping onto a system that’s already been built. You aren’t starting from scratch.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Lopez: We liked that it was a trade, which is something we were looking for. We also didn’t want to worry about overhead costs with an office or employees. That was one of the key things that drew us to Footprints Floors, along with the financials. It made a lot of sense to us. It's been really interesting to learn about the flooring industry, and I get a smile on my face every time I learn something new.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?

Lopez: In our business back in Mexico, we always strived to provide the best for our customers, and that’s what I want to do here. Who knows? We might expand in the future.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Lopez: One piece of advice I’d give is to really research what it takes to be a business owner. A lot of people get excited about the numbers they see when a franchise is fully up and running, but that doesn’t mean you’ll reach that right away. You need to spend money to make money, and it takes time to get there. So, do your research and have a clear understanding of what you’re getting into.

For more information on franchising with Footprints Floors, visit: https://1851franchise.com/footprintsfloors/.

ABOUT FOOTPRINTS FLOORS:

Upon his return to Littleton, Colorado, after serving in the U.S. Air Force, Bryan Park noticed that Denver’s flooring industry lacked a higher level of customer service and sophistication. So, in 2008, he founded Footprints Floors, which today specializes in installing hardwood floors, tile floors, backsplashes and laminates. With more than 150 territories, Footprints Floors offers franchisees a robust support system, including a call center, flexible hours for work-life balance and a low cost of entry with outstanding economics. For more information about the Franchise Times Top 500 brand, visit https://footprintsfranchise.com/.