Footprints Floors News

We’re offering an affordable franchise opportunity in a SURGING industry, so it’s not surprising that our growth shows no signs of stopping!

Footprints Floors has a new owner, Chico Negual. He was so confident in our franchise that he didn’t just buy one, but three territories in West Houston, Texas!

We got the chance to talk to Chico and see what his experience was, learn more about him, his background, and what led him to become a Franchise Owner.

From Finance to Flooring

Chico has an impressive list of qualifications. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Arkansas, a Master’s Degree in Finance and Economics from West Texas University, a certification in Quantitative Finance, and also has Project Management Professional PMP certification.

Both Chico and his wife were originally from Jacksonville, Arkansas, and relocated to Houston in 2014. He’s owned a lab testing franchise in the past, from 2009-2014, but t…

The pandemic has certainly been bad news for several sectors but it has put the housing and home improvement markets on an upward trend in an already surging industry.

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, home improvement is undoubtedly one of the best sectors to get into. But should you invest in a home improvement franchise or start an independent business from scratch?

Before we get into that, it’s good to understand why these are good times for home improvement. The first reason has to do with the amount of time people are spending at their homes. With more and more people working from home, there’s an increasing need for renovating residences. As folks spend more time at home, it’s only natural that they’d think about improving their surroundings.

Although companies may start functioning again as before once a significant proportion of people are vaccinated, numerous organizations are likely to move to a hybrid model of remote and on-site work to …

“The support will help provide the work, but the ability of the franchise is ultimately up to me.”

One of the things we like most about our floor franchise is how well it suits independent-natured people.

People like our newest Franchise Owner, Jeff Barnwell, from historic Wilmington, North Carolina. Jeff isn’t new to self-employment. He currently works as a subcontractor. He’s also put in time in business operations and small business ownership in the pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, and chemical industries.

Jeff’s always looking for ways to improve his work and life. That’s one of the reasons he decided to step out of subcontracting and back into business ownership.

“I hope this will help in working with the labor and the quality of work,” he says. Jeff found our floor franchise on his own after putting in a bit of legwork to find a great investment opportunity. “I was looking for small businesses for sale,” Jeff says. “I came across one posted…

Last year, after more than 30 years in the construction industry as a development and project manager, Tony Peterson decided it was time for a change.

Peterson, whose job required frequent travel, wanted to spend more time with his family, and he decided to finally pursue a lifelong interest in business ownership.

So, how did Peterson leverage his impressive construction resume into a new career as a business owner?

By becoming a franchisee with Footprints Floors*, the 50-plus-unit residential and commercial flooring and tile installation franchise.

Peterson says Footprints Floors offered the perfect opportunity for him to continue working in an industry he knows and loves while taking back control of his time and lifestyle. We talked to Peterson to learn more about his journey to franchise ownership.

Tell us your story—what did you do before franchising?

Tony Peterson: I’ve been delivering technical construction solutions …

North Carolina-based, multi-brand franchisee Jeff Barnwell decided to enter the hardwood flooring and tiling industry after recognizing Footprints Floors’ well-positioned business model, expert leadership team and impressive growth trajectory.

Footprints Floors, the 145-plus unit flooring franchise, has been growing exponentially this year as the demand for home services reaches an all-time high. The brand signed seven new deals in Q2 of 2021, including one with Jeff Barnwell, a lifelong North Carolinian and Wilmington business owner who is introducing the Footprints Floors brand to his community.

“I’m originally from western North Carolina, but I went to UNC-Wilmington in 1997 and ended up staying here,” Barnwell said.

“I graduated and went into pharmaceutical operations by starting at a contract manufacturing company, and then I moved on to quality assurance. I worked for a couple of companies in pharmaceuticals and chemicals helping with logistics,…

“I always looked for a management position in my work but it could never be given.”

It’s exciting to watch Footprints Floors grow. What’s even more incredible is witnessing the growth that our flooring franchise opportunity unlocks for other people.

Alonso Gonzalez is one of these people. He’s the proud new owner of a flooring franchise in Mesquite, Texas.

But until recently Alonso was trapped in a career that was going nowhere. Alonso’s story shows that sometimes you just have to take things into your own hands.

Alonso’s Elusive Management Dream

Alonso says, “I’ve been in different industries like automotive, military, and recently aerospace, as an industrial engineer, planner, and buyer.”

Yes, he’s a hardworking guy. That’s the first thing to know about him. And yet, Alonso repeatedly found it difficult to rise through the ranks and break into management.

“One of my great challenges was to be able to rise to the prof…