The Winning Franchisee | Stay-at-Home Dad Opens Footprints Floors Franchise to Help Families Create Great Memories in Their Homes

David Cinnater, a stay-at-home dad for the past 10 years, understands how important it is to create precious moments with family. He also knows that many of those moments happen in the family home. When Cinnater discovered Footprints Floors*, the 150-plus-unit franchise that specializes in installing hardwood floors, carpet, tile floors, backsplashes and laminates, he knew it would be the perfect fit for his goals and his community.

Footprints Floors is one of the top home-based flooring franchise opportunities with a built-in call center and marketing support model that allows its owners to focus on the service aspect of the business. Cinnater is excited to bring the brand to the Allentown community. With Footprints Floors’ community-focused business model, he knows he’s creating beautiful and unique spaces in people’s homes. 

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

David Cinnater: I was a stay-at-home dad for the last 10 years. I’ve owned a historic theater for many years, and before that, I was in sales. I loved having my own business and making my own schedule. I decided to go with franchising because I wanted to jump into an industry that was more or less recession-proof and continued to have increased. I like how organized and knowledgeable they are and love having a business model that works and will be successful.

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?

Cinnater: I always thought about franchising as large companies. I hadn’t thought much about franchising in the past, but when I started looking into opportunities, I saw that franchising was a great way to own a business.

1851: What makes you stand out as business owners in your local community?

Cinnater: My integrity and my honesty will help me stand out. I truly want what’s best for my customers and to help them get the most out of investing in flooring with their homes.

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

Cinnater: I chose Footprints Floors because it seemed like a great business for overall customer satisfaction, and they have a long history of completing great projects with great customer satisfaction. When I saw that they were named as one of the top franchises, that also played a big part in my decision.

I’m excited to become a larger part of the community, meet new people, and simultaneously offer a service that will improve their investment and appeal to their overall home/life satisfaction. The whole idea of business ownership is exciting. 

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

Cinnater: I hope to achieve a long list of very satisfied customers that generates a lot of repeat and referral business.  My long-term goal is to create a business I can pass on to my kids, so I want to grow. I want to hire a project manager and a salesperson in each territory to reach that goal.

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

Cinnater: I’m a family man, so I hold those values close to me. I also know how important it is to have that home space to create memories in. I want to help create a space for families that is welcoming and warm so they can create their own family memories. I’m also very easy to get along with.

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

Cinnater: Gain as much product knowledge as possible from the brand you are working with and from your doing your own research.