From Brothers-In-Law to Business Partners: The Team Growing Footprints Floors in Charlotte

All it took was a conversation with his brother-in-law to inspire Brandon McBrier to become a franchisee with Footprints Floors* -- though it certainly helped that his brother-in-law, Bryan Park happens to be CEO of the company. McBrier, who opened his territory in Charlotte, South Carolina in January of this year, is using his profits to open a second territory in Southern Charlotte. Footprints Floors specializes in installing hardwood floors, carpet, tile floors, backsplashes and laminates.

McBrier is no stranger to franchising, between working with his family who owns a chain of Little Caesars Pizza franchises and a Dickey’s BBQ Pit he has several years of experience. After connecting with Park, McBrier bought his first Footprints Floors in November 2018. When looking to relocate, McBrier identified Charlotte as the third fastest-growing city in the U.S., making it the ideal spot.

1851 Franchise: What did you do before franchising?

Brandon McBrier: I’m originally from Erie, Pennsylvania and I graduated from  the University of Colorado. I lived in Denver for a little over a decade. My wife and I moved back to Erie six years ago and joined the restaurant business. My family owns a chain of 20 Little Caesars Pizza franchises between Erie & Cleveland. We also opened a Dickey’s BBQ Pit in Erie, which is the largest barbecue franchise in the U.S. I’m still involved in the ownership of Little Caesars and Dickey’s, but I’ve turned my attention to Footprints Floors.

1851: How did you initially find out about franchising? 

McBrier: My family has been in the franchise food industry for 15 years with Little Caesars and Dickey’s. I’ve enjoyed the restaurant industry and learned the value of customer service and a quality product.

1851: Why did you choose franchising over starting your own business?

McBrier: Franchising provided my family with a way to make a living, and I see it as a way to take a proven business model to the next level with the skills I have. Footprints Floors had easy ideas to understand and an upfront cost that included a territory, company truck and training. I developed several cost analysis spreadsheets and the data lined up.

1851: What types of brands did you look at?

McBrier: I didn’t have a lot of ideas on the table at the time. I never thought about joining a flooring franchise until I met Bryan. I wanted a brand that could thrive in a metropolitan area, with a manageable upfront cost compared to my past experiences in the restaurant industry. I also knew I didn’t want a franchise with a stationary location. I like to be out and about in my local community. 

1851: Why did you choose Footprints Floors? What excited you most about the potential?

McBrier: I wanted a lifestyle change. Two years ago this August, my wife’s brother and his family came to visit us in Pennsylvania for the first time. He’s Footprints Floors founder & CEO, Bryan Park. I remember it was a hot summer night and we were talking about what each of us do for a living. Bryan explained to me that he was starting a franchise and immediately  caught my attention. I could tell he knew how to lead a team of people. Not every brand’s CEO is a franchise owner, and that’s when I knew this could be a special brand to become a franchisee with. He owns two thirds of the Denver Footprints Floors locations, making him the strongest franchisee of his whole system. With the opportunity to learn from someone who’s involved in both the franchisor and franchisee side, I knew this was the brand for me. 

After our conversation, I decided to pursue the franchise opportunity and bought my first territory in November 2018 — covering the Erie and Cleveland region. My first territory is in Charlotte, and my second territory will be South Charlotte which includes two communities in South Carolina — Fort Mill and Rock Hill. One of the advantages of doing business in South Carolina is there are no sales taxes in contracting labor. 

1851: What are your dreams with the business? What does the future look like?

McBrier: After I sold my Erie and Cleveland Footprint Floors territories, the brand allowed us to relocate to Charlotte in January 2020. I have my eyes set on a third territory in the Columbia, South Carolina region. Once you add that third territory, you’re able to grow the business and take on more employees. The main goal is to do $1.5 million in business. However, our focus right now is setting up shop in Charlotte and South Charlotte. Most of the money used to buy the second territory came from the profits over the last six months. 

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

McBrier: Charlotte is a beautiful area with many old and modern homes that are heavily wooded. It’s a growing city too —  the population is supposed to surge 47% from where it was in 2010 to 2030. Our model is created in a way that I can scale up and double the size of the business, but still keep it personal. I pride myself on the calm, helpful relationships we create with our clients. It’s simple things, like texting our customers when we’re on our way over to take photos of a project’s progress, that go a long way. Building trust with people is one of the biggest keys to being a successful business owner.

1851: What advice would you have for others looking at buying a franchise?

McBrier: When you buy into a franchise, you pay a royalty fee. Therefore, any business you’re buying into should create a strong return on your investment. The biggest factor is buying a franchise you’re passionate about. For me, it goes back to my conversation with Bryan. There’s a calmness to him and with the whole corporate team that was reassuring. They provided me with a model that was successful and allowed my family and I to move to Charlotte and grow the business.

1851: What do you do in your personal time (hobbies, family, sports, etc.)

McBrier: I like to go out to Colorado and Utah and ski in the mountains. I also have two young kids, my wife and I love to go on adventures with them. My wife and I are also fluent in Spanish, as we lived abroad in Chile and other parts of South America. We love the Latin culture and many of my workers are of Latin descent so I’m able to speak to them fluently.