SPEAKER_00: 0:30

Andrew Lyman with Floor Coverings International, and uh I serve homeowners across the uh Loudoun County uh region.

SPEAKER_01: 0:38

Awesome. Very cool. So take me back to how you got started in all this. Tell me how you got to where you are today.

SPEAKER_00: 0:45

So when I first uh graduated college, I actually went to Radford University. I started working for a local moving company, actually Craig Van Lines. And that's where I kind of developed my knack for working with homeowners, you know, home service industry, and just providing kind of the best service with what we do. Um, I worked with that for a couple years, and my dad had actually retired from the private sector. He did uh he worked for transaction network service and did some global payment processors and stuff like that. He'd been retired for about a year or so, was tired of uh playing golf every day, and we decided to uh join together and worked with both of our strengths, and we still opened up Four Covens International.

SPEAKER_01: 1:27

Wow, okay. So kind of a long journey there to get to where you are. That's awesome.

SPEAKER_00: 1:32

Yeah, we opened in April of 23.

SPEAKER_01: 1:35

Wow, okay, very cool. And so you said you're passionate about teamwork and collaboration. How do those values kind of shape the way you lead your sales team at Flores Covering International?

SPEAKER_00: 1:49

That's a good question. So, um, I mean, we're all, since we're a small company, we all wear many different hats, right? So just because I'm the sales manager doesn't mean it's the only thing I do. Um, and my sales guys, they do a lot more than that as well. So um we work closely with our production team, our office manager, and then ultimately my dad who oversees the uh the final production to kind of make sure our projects go smoothly. So I'm more involved on the front end, um, but obviously you can't get away from everything else, and and we kind of follow the projects throughout.

SPEAKER_01: 2:18

Okay, got it. And I think that's amazing how you have these family ties in it. So it's kind of everyone working together.

SPEAKER_00: 2:24

It is, yeah. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 2:26

What does great customer service mean to you in the home improvement industry?

SPEAKER_00: 2:31

In the home improvement industry specifically, that's a good question. And customer service, I actually change it to customer experience, okay, because there's a lot of foreign companies in this area that, to be quite frank, when they put down a floor, it's gonna look great. Okay. It's not rocket science to install a floor, right? But where we stand out and what I pride myself in is our experience for our customers. Okay, we're gonna show up on time, we're gonna do what we said. There's not gonna be unnecessary change orders where your final price is changing throughout the project. So for us specifically, it's just gonna be the experience from start to finish. Um, you're never wondering where your contractor is or if they're leaving you in the dark. You know, you're informed every step of the way through us. So that's where the customer service comes in.

SPEAKER_01: 3:15

Having that seamless, smooth experience from beginning to end, I feel like is just like everything in this kind of industry.

SPEAKER_00: 3:21

Yeah, makes but makes all the difference. So that's where we get our uh all of our reviews actually touch on that topic too, is is they they met with so many different contractors and they ended up selecting us because they we explain the experience that they're gonna go through. And and that's the big unknown when you're hiring someone to work in your house, is you don't necessarily know what type of experience you're gonna get. You know what product you're buying and you know where they're gonna install it in your house. But other than that, you don't know who's coming, you don't know how they're gonna treat you, how they're gonna treat your belongings, interact with your kids or your pets or whatever else you may have in that home. So that's you know, that's where we stand apart there.

SPEAKER_01: 3:58

Got it. Yeah, you're kind of coming into their bubble. So with a background in public relations and leadership, what drew you to the world of home design and flooring? I know that it started with your family and everything, but can you dig dig deeper into that a little bit?

SPEAKER_00: 4:15

So I don't have background in flooring specifically. Um, like I said, it was in that in-home service industry. During COVID is when in-home construction absolutely exploded. Um, and we noticed that there was a need around here specifically for a high-quality flooring contractor. During that period where everyone was stuck at home, all people wanted to do was put money into their home and enjoy it a little bit more. Um, and so we, you know, kind of found our niche in the market there.

SPEAKER_01: 4:41

Yeah, that was definitely a time where everyone was stuck at home and and and that was their space. So how has your experience in communication and problem solving helped you excel in sales and client relationships?

SPEAKER_00: 4:55

So, sales, all it is, is building relationships, right? You know, being a clear communicator, setting clear expectations. And ultimately, most people end up purchasing from who they like the most. And and so it's about building those relationships, being genuine, personable. And um, it's it's not so much about having a pushy sales tactic to get someone to sign on the line. It's more so I actually believe Andrew's my friend. You know, he spent two hours explaining every little detail to me, and that's what I do every day.

SPEAKER_01: 5:23

Absolutely. I like the point you made about being genuine because that creates so much trust between a company like this and a client.

SPEAKER_00: 5:31

Yeah. I mean, I and this is not something I normally like to say, but I talk myself out of work all the time because, you know, I I go in someone's home and they met with two other contractors who told them they need a full replacement. And if I can look at it and say that actually we can repair this to be like new, you know, that's where the genuine trust comes in and you build those actual relationships from with people.

SPEAKER_01: 5:51

Right.

SPEAKER_00: 5:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 5:53

Seems like a very rewarding job.

SPEAKER_00: 5:55

It can be. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 5:56

What's one lesson from your early leadership experiences that you still apply every day in your role?

SPEAKER_00: 6:04

There's no problem that is too big to be fixed. Anything you can find a solution for anything. Um, you need to might need to go to the drawing board and talk with your team, but you can get through anything if you really put your head to it.

SPEAKER_01: 6:16

Got it.

SPEAKER_00: 6:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 6:17

Ready to show up and get it done one way or another, right? Uh-huh.

SPEAKER_00: 6:19

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01: 6:20

Floor Coverings International is known for bringing the showroom experience directly to the customer. How does your team collaborate to make that process smooth and enjoyable?

SPEAKER_00: 6:30

So we operate out of mobile showrooms primarily. And what that means is I have a van loaded full with about 2,500 different samples at any given time. Before we ever go on site to a customer's home, we do a setup call and we talk with them about what they're looking for, what their vision is, what their needs are, and ultimately what their use of the space is for, right? We figure out kind of what the best product material is going to be. And then we will come with our samples in our van and you lay out the options on the table for them. So it creates a very seamless experience. You don't have to wander around a showroom thinking that this floor looks pretty, but I have no idea if it's going to work in my house. Um, so we kind of take that guesswork out of it. We give you a set, you know, set options based on what you told me you're looking for. And at that point, once we've already made the relationship and you trust us, you feel comfortable to pick from one of those options, knowing that no matter what, they're going to work right for you.

SPEAKER_01: 7:26

Very cool. I really like how you guys kind of bring it there and they don't, because it it is a bit mind-boggling having to go to a showroom somewhere else. And I think this is so pretty, but is it going to go with what I have?

SPEAKER_00: 7:37

So not only does it save time, um, but the biggest thing we've seen is, and we actually have a studio over in Sterling, um, but the biggest thing we've seen is that in showrooms, you have professional lighting, you have professional decor, paint, you know, those floors are made to look a certain way, right? A designer put them there and spaced them out in the way that they thought would look best. Well, when you take those back to your home, or if you let's say you never take it back to your home, you buy it in the showroom, all too often it doesn't look the same, right? And you're left feeling a little bit underwhelmed. And so when we bring it to you in your home initially, you get your first impression with that floor, that color down around your decor, your paint, all that other stuff, and there's no guessing game in it.

SPEAKER_01: 8:15

That's amazing.

SPEAKER_00: 8:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 8:16

What do you think makes your team stand out when it comes to professionalism, product knowledge, and most importantly, customer care?

SPEAKER_00: 8:24

It's going to be our ability to correct any mistake that we run into. You know, we're not perfect, we don't claim to be. Um, but an example um I was actually talking about this morning with another colleague is I made I made a big mistake the other day where we put down the wrong color floor for someone. And, you know, it happens. We don't plan to be perfect, but we told the customer, we said, look, we made this mistake and we ripped it up and we put the new one down. So it's just about how you follow through and how you correct the things you do and and ultimately the you know, the opinion they have of you when you're when they're done. Because the the best way to get work in this industry is word of mouth, right? And so if you really upset anyone, that maybe is 10 customers down the line that you're never gonna meet again.

SPEAKER_01: 9:06

For sure. Taking that accountability and and we're all human at the end of the day and just kind of understanding that.

SPEAKER_00: 9:11

Yep.

SPEAKER_01: 9:12

How do you motivate and empower your team to maintain excellence, even during busy project seasons?

SPEAKER_00: 9:17

I would say you just have to lead by example. You know, you you really have to be the one grinding there. You can't expect other people to pick up your slack. You know, when I use my dad as an example, but he's a 60-year-old guy right now. You know, he's been working his whole life and uh he works harder than any of us do. Right. And it's hard to it's hard to sit back and and complain when you're busy or you don't want to do something when, you know, the the owner of the company is right there and and working harder than anyone just alongside of it with everyone. Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 9:47

What an amazing model to just kind of aspire to be, to see your own dad just paving the way and and and you following in the footsteps.

SPEAKER_00: 9:55

Yeah, I'm I'm lucky to be in that position.

SPEAKER_01: 9:57

Uh-huh. Yeah. What would you say is the most rewarding part of helping clients transform their homes with new flooring?

SPEAKER_00: 10:03

It's going to be that initial walkthrough, right? When they walk in um and they see it for the first time. A lot of people that we deal with, they've had the the same floors in their home for 20 years. And so when you're ripping up that old two and a quarter wide hardwood and you're sticking in a new seven-inch wide European white oak plank in there, it really does feel like a completely new home. And so it's just amazing to give these homeowners a, you know, a new opportunity to enjoy their space.

SPEAKER_01: 10:29

But that's just a magical moment when they walk in and they see it and they're just like, wow.

SPEAKER_00: 10:33

It is fun. It's one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

SPEAKER_01: 10:36

What a transformation.

SPEAKER_00: 10:37

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 10:38

Can you share a story of a client transformation that really reminded you why you love what you do?

SPEAKER_00: 10:44

So there was um there was a job in Piedmont, and which was over in Haymarket, Virginia, Piedmont Country Club, um, where this client had actually planned to move out of their home. And they had called us to kind of update it before they put it on the market. And by the time we were done, um, we did a full staircase, full railing remodels, and then all three levels of flooring. By the time we were done, they decided not to move. They fell in love with the house again. They didn't want to put it on the market and they wanted to actually enjoy it themselves. So uh that was very rewarding there.

SPEAKER_01: 11:15

Wow, I bet. How do you stay ahead of design trends and innovations in the flooring industry?

SPEAKER_00: 11:20

Luckily, I work with um some local designers that are amazing with that. And um, I don't necessarily have to worry about that.

SPEAKER_01: 11:28

Okay.

SPEAKER_00: 11:28

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 11:28

That's cool that you have that kind of partnership there.

SPEAKER_00: 11:31

Yes, we partner with designers on a daily basis. Um, and we actually usually prefer to bring designers in on larger projects. Um, you know, there's we are experts in what we put down on the floor and how to install it, um, but we don't necessarily claim to be experts on what color floor is going to look best with your couch.

SPEAKER_01: 11:48

Got it.

SPEAKER_00: 11:49

So we always bring in an expert in that to help us out.

SPEAKER_01: 11:52

Awesome.

SPEAKER_00: 11:52

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01: 11:53

When customers think of floor coverings international, what's the one thing you hope they always remember about their experience?

SPEAKER_00: 12:01

Our our ability to follow through on what we promise 100% of the time.

SPEAKER_01: 12:05

Got it. Well said. Looking ahead, what's your vision for growing your team and continue to continuing to serve the Leesbrook area and surrounding communities with excellence?

SPEAKER_00: 12:16

Yeah. So in the short term, obviously we're hoping to add more staff on board to help us out as we're growing. Um, in the long term, we do hope to expand and to uh have some more territory and um open up a larger actual brick and mortar storefront.

SPEAKER_01: 12:30

That's very exciting. As we wrap up, is there anything you would like to add that I haven't touched on today?

SPEAKER_00: 12:35

I will say as the holidays are coming into full swing, um, sand and refinishing is one part of what we do. It's actually one of my favorite parts of what we do. Um, but the biggest problem with a sand and refinished job is the fact that you have to move completely out of your house. Okay. And so for most people in Northern Virginia, they have busy lives, um, they have kids usually demanding jobs, and there's just a lot expected of them. So trying to juggle moving everything out of your house, getting all your furniture out of there and packing it all up can be a little bit overwhelming and usually can be time consuming for people. So um during the holidays, we do run a promotion on Sand and Refinish work where, you know, you tell us you're going out of town to visit the the in-laws for a week. We will come in and pack everything up, refinish your floors, and put it back before you come home. Um, and so we're running a discount on that this month.

SPEAKER_01: 13:23

Oh, that is definitely something to take advantage of. Totally.

SPEAKER_00: 13:26

Totally. Yeah, it's the best time of the year to do it.

SPEAKER_01: 13:29

Okay. So great. I want to thank you so much for joining me on the podcast today. It was a pleasure to hear story, your journey, and just how you got to where you are.

SPEAKER_00: 13:38

Thank you for having me. Yeah, I appreciate it uh or I enjoyed talking with you.

SPEAKER_01: 13:41

Thank you.