From Football to Franchising: Veteran’s Hard Work, Agility Lead to Footprints Floors Success

David Weaver has worked in insurance for the past several years but felt like it was time for a change. He had dabbled in entrepreneurship previously, with three Airbnb properties, and always liked the idea of franchising but didn’t feel it was within his grasp. When he sold his rental properties, however, he finally had the means to invest in his own Footprints Floors*  business and in himself.

Weaver is used to making big transitions, from serving in the army straight out of high school to investing in real estate to working in insurance. 

“It's a big change doing floors after leaving insurance, but I like the change,” he said.

He is looking forward to using Footprints Floors’ business model in the Greater Phoenix region in Arizona, which provides him with excellent support and a great, pre-established network.

1851 Franchise spoke with Weaver about his journey into franchising and his plans for the future.

FEATURE QUESTIONS

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

Weaver: I was working in insurance for the last several years and I just wanted to transition out of insurance. I felt burnt out on that type of work. 

At the same time, I had three Airbnbs here in the Valley. I was really hoping to get another property because with four, I might have been able to stop working all together and just focus on the homes. We had mortgages on these homes, however, and the interest rates took off, so it just didn't make sense to take out another mortgage. Then our occupancy started dropping, so we had to lower the prices and we still weren't getting enough people into the homes. From there, we started selling the homes one at a time. 

After selling all three, we had that big chunk of money and needed a new investment opportunity so I turned to franchising. Out of all of the concepts I looked at, Footprints Floors was the best.

It's a big change, doing floors after leaving insurance, but I like the change. 

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?

Weaver: Franchising was never on my radar at first because I didn’t have the money to get started. Then, when I sold the homes, it became a possibility. 

As much as I was interested in the real estate market and how it moves, it’s difficult for the average person to make money in it. I decided I didn’t want to put money back into the market and franchising was really appealing to me.

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

Weaver: It’s a great model; they take the pressure off of setting the schedule like I had to do in insurance. In insurance, I had to not only buy the leads, but I also had to do a lot of cold calling and networking just to get in front of someone. It is so much work trying to build a list of clients, in addition to paying for marketing. Footprints Floors puts you in front of the people. Every contact is a warm contact.

When you show up and take your measurements and provide the estimate, I was blown away at what I could make. 

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

Weaver: I definitely have plans for growth. We’ll see how my first two territories go, but I can easily see my business expanding and serving additional territories in the future. I hope to work for about 10 years doing it on my own and then hiring sales people and project managers so it can be a retirement project.

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

Weaver: I served in the army straight out of high school and I played college football. Now I’m a business owner. 

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

Weaver: Do your homework. You can get a franchise in any industry these days. There was one I came across for taking 4D pictures where you go to weddings or reunions or graduations and capture big moments. I thought it sounded pretty easy. But, I thought to myself, is that really what I want to do? Franchises appeal to people who don’t want to work in the same conditions they were working under before, so choose something that suits your personality. 

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/.