Footprints Floors Minneapolis Franchisee Celebrates 5th Year Anniversary

This year marks Hayden Sutton’s fifth year as a franchisee with Footprints Floors, the hardwood and tile flooring concept with more than 150 territories nationwide. However, his history with the company goes back to 2016, when he and Bryan Park, founder and CEO of Footprints Floors, were on the same softball team. On a long shot, Park reached out to Sutton, who was working in solar panel installation at the time, to see if he would be interested in working for Footprints Floors Corporate in Denver. Sutton took the job and became a project manager for the Denver territories. 

When Sutton decided to move to Minneapolis in 2019, he approached Park for a letter of recommendation. However, Park had other ideas and asked Sutton if he would be interested in opening a Footprints Floors franchise. Sutton took the opportunity, marking one of the brand’s first moves outside of Colorado. Now, five years later, Sutton has found success as a franchisee and has hopes of one day expanding his business. 

1851 Franchise spoke to Sutton about his franchise journey with 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?

Sutton: I met Bryan [Park] around 2016. We were actually on the same softball team. He played third base, I played shortstop. There was one day after a game we all went to Buffalo Wild Wings. Just going around the table, everyone was sharing what they did and Bryan mentioned that he owned a small flooring company. At the time I had been working for a solar company installing solar panels. After that conversation, he reached out and said “This might be a long shot, but would you be interested in a job?” So, long story short, I ended up working for Bryan at Footprints Corporate in Denver for a while. I was a project manager for him in his territories there in Denver. When I was looking to move to Minnesota, I asked Bryan if he would write a referral. Instead, he asked me if I would be interested in franchising. That was right at the beginning when he was just starting to look at franchising outside of Colorado. So we started talking and that’s where it all began. 

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?

Sutton: I honestly didn't really know much about it. I had never really thought about franchising or owning a franchise. It was a new idea to me. But after learning about it, and doing some research, I was definitely really interested. I like that it equips you with the tools and structure to jump in and be successful right away — especially with Footprints and their model. You can jump in and really see success right off the bat your first year, whereas with a lot of other companies it's a much longer journey.

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

Sutton: Obviously, my relationship with Bryan had a lot to do with it. Working for the corporate location gave me a good idea of what I was getting myself into. And it just seemed like a very stable field. Everybody needs floors and it's something that I think is going to be around for a very long time. Also, I liked the way Bryan built the company and set it up, as far as the morals and ethics he has really poured into those that work with him; I've always really appreciated that. So it just felt like it was definitely a trustworthy company and one that cared more about the people than the dollar amount. 

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

Sutton: I love what the business provides as far as a work-life balance. I definitely take advantage of running my own business and being able to block my calendar and take time when I need to. Financial stability, supporting a family, raising kids — all of that plays a part. As far as growth, I definitely would love to see growth in my business. It's kind of a slow process, I think, for me. I'm just trying to get established, but I definitely have dreams of hopefully bringing on some employees and building it out. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Sutton: I really knew nothing about floors. I really knew nothing about business. It's definitely been a learning curve. But I'm so glad that I took those first few steps and chose to pursue this because I definitely feel that it has set me up for success. It’s given me the lifestyle that I've always wanted to pursue. I am so grateful for where I'm at and excited to see how far I can go with the company. 

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

Sutton: I would definitely say that it's worth it. Certainly, it is one of those things where you have to invest, right? You have to invest your time and your money. It is going to be your baby there for quite a while and it's definitely scary and it's definitely a risk, but good things can certainly come of it. I think that, for a lot of people, it's scary to make a big move like that. But it pays off in the end. Once you have things going and if you can stick to the model and stick to the numbers that are laid out for you, you'll have success.

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/.