Why A Former Opera Singer Left Showbiz To Open a Footprints Floors Franchise

If you need any evidence that franchisees can come from any background, take a look at a recent interview with Matthew Horist in the Grand Rapids Business Journal. The new Footprints Floors franchisee told the Journal about how a career in opera led him to opening his own floor installation franchise in Western Michigan.

After years on the road, the musically touring musician decided to stay put, so he changed directions and started a second career in IT, then a third in staffing. Nearly a decade later, Horist was as exhausted with the 9–5 grind as he had been with the touring schedule in his previous life. That’s what led him to Footprints Floors.

“I wanted to get away from corporate America, and I wanted to get into home improvement,” Horist told the Journal. “The success rate for Footprints Floors is like no other I’ve seen, probably because it’s so new.”

Horist’s Footprints Floors is the first location in West Michigan and the fourth in the entire state. Horist says his new business quickly found its footing, which he attributes to low startup and operating costs. Moreover, COVID-19 has led to an increased demand in home services like flooring, said the franchise’s development director, Brian Knuth.

“I think the value people are putting on their homes has increased,” Knuth told the Journal. “There’s a tremendous amount of cash they’re saving by having their vacations put off. That’s kind of a perfect storm for Footprints Floors.”

Read the full article at grbj.com.