Footprints Floors

After losing his job in April and searching for a new career, Chip Dunn found an open door with franchise Footprints Floors. Although he had 30 years of experience in the retail industry, franchising was something new for him. So how did he navigate this big step in selecting Footprints Floors?

“The most valuable piece for me was just speaking to owners,” Dunn explained. “You can learn a lot about a company from the business owners that work for them.”

Dunn hopes to build his income, and eventually, a legacy with this brand.

PROFILE 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?

Chip Dunn: I’ve been in the retail world for the majority of my career; I ran stores for several major retailers. In April, I lost my job and while in the process of looking for a traditional job replacement, I was approached by a franchise coach. While I wasn’t having much luck in the traditional career search route, franchising emerged as a more and more viable option. Footprints was one of several options that I reviewed, and it simply checked all the boxes. My son plans to join me part-time initially and hopefully full-time in the near future.

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?

Dunn: I had looked at a franchise several years back and chose not pursue it. I also had exposure to family-owned businesses; my parents owned an office supply business. I helped them launch their operation, so I had some exposure through them to starting a new business although in their case it was not a franchise. I think what kept me from pursuing a franchise previously was more so financial considerations. The process of working with a coach this time helped me to understand there are multiple options that can be pursued to facilitate the financial aspects. Plus, there are also a million different franchise options out there.

For someone new looking into a franchise, understand there are probably a lot of little expenses that you may not even be aware of that can sneak up. Make sure your budget is what the franchisor is saying you need plus a little bit. Leave yourself some wiggle room. For example, I was shocked by the process just to get a business license. My son had a business several years ago: he simply went to the courthouse, filled out a form, paid $30 and walked with a business license. For me, I had to get approval from the county for a home based business, register a DBA with the county, run newspaper legal ads for two weeks, and much more before I could even apply for the business license. Each step along that path was another layer of costs as well. It definitely takes time and more money than you may expect initially. Leave yourself wiggle room both financially and time-wise to be sure you have everything in order to launch.

I will say in terms of franchising options there seems to be something for everyone. Working with the coach was good. I narrowed down what I was looking for as well as what would be a great fit for me personally, which made it easier to analyze the different options that were presented to me. Work with a coach, and don’t shut the door on anything until you review it carefully. There are options out there. I never thought I would be working in the flooring industry.

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

Dunn: For one, and on top of the list, the fact that it's home-based. It has a very quick ramp up time frame, and I will be able to get the business off the ground very quickly. I was looking for income replacement, so I needed something that would generate revenue quickly and have strong profit margins. As a company, Footprints Floors seems to have a lot of very good infrastructure from marketing, to a call center, to technology, to support people. It is an extremely solid group of people. All of that weighed into my decision.

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

Dunn: I have a vision board with a number of priorities highlighted. I believe the first goal is clearly income replacement but thinking more long term will be creating a legacy. I want a business that could be turned over to my son at some point. And I would like not only to produce income for my family but also to give back to the community and for groups we support such as our church, CURE Childhood Cancer, Wounded Warrior Project and Tunnels to Towers. I look forward to developing relationships with homeowners in addition to networking with other business leaders to expand our operations and be the go-to source for hardwood and tile flooring solutions in our territory.

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

Dunn: I am getting a late start on all this. If I'd been smart, I would've done it much sooner. My story does not necessarily have a lot of pizzaz, but I’m super excited about using all my learning from a work history full of serving customers to grow my own successful business while at the same time helping customers achieve a great home improvement experience.

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

Dunn: Do your homework and research. Dig in. Talk to previous owners and existing owners. You can learn a lot from talking to owners that the development folks just can’t tell you. There are a number of different reasons why people do or don’t succeed with a brand. I was able to get a lot of great information and even ruled out several franchise options simply based on conversation with owners. Do your homework. Research. Google is your best friend. You can find a lot of information online. Glassdoor and Better Business Bureau are also good resources. Definitely go to the Discovery Day when the opportunity presents itself and don’t hesitate to ask the difficult questions. You need to be certain, as much as you can, that it's a good fit for your own situation.