40 Year Veteran of the Corporate World Decides to ‘Hire Himself’

It’s hard to believe that back in the day – it might as well be called the Stone Age now – the only delivery worth getting excited about was your hot (semi-warm) pizza on a Friday night. As we all know, the sky’s the limit now. Fast food, groceries, cars and the best part... a houseful of flooring can be shopped for and installed in your home without ever having to leave your couch. Of course, that takes on even more importance today as we face the coronavirus pandemic. And John Redding, a newly minted franchise owner with Floor Coverings International, is at the ready, visiting customers’ homes in a Mobile Flooring Showroom stocked with thousands of flooring samples from top manufacturers. Floor Coverings International of Greater Virginia Beach serves clients throughout Virginia Beach, Chesapeake and Norfolk.

“The amount of time people are choosing to or are being forced to stay at home because of the coronavirus is causing them to look at their home environment much more closely than they ever did when parents were working full-time – not telecommuting and zooming – and the kids were in school or consumed with extracurricular activities,” Redding said. “All that time at home highlights how much they need new flooring for safety reasons or for pure aesthetics.”

The 64-year-old Redding spent more than 30 years in the hardwood plywood manufacturing, sales and distribution industry, rising from a line foreman out of college to company president. He was most recently COO of an international decorative glass distribution start-up before deciding it was time to try his hand at something new. “There are zero companies looking for senior managers who are ‘seniors,’ so I decided to hire myself. After almost 40 years of working in the corporate world for foreign-owned companies or family businesses, I felt it was time to do it for myself and my wife, Joyce, instead of for someone else,” Redding said. “My passion for home improvement, covering almost 40 years and multiple homes and projects, is heightened by my desire to see things ‘done right,’ so this makes the home improvement industry a great next step for me.”

In Floor Coverings International, Redding found a company that has tripled in size since 2005 by putting a laser focus on consumer buying habits and expressed desires, its impressive operating model, growth ability, marketing, advertising and merchandising. Floor Coverings International further separates itself from the competition through its customer experience, made up of several simple and integrated steps that exceed customers’ expectations. “We liked everything we saw and heard during our Discovery Day at Floor Coverings International,” Redding said. “Most importantly, seeing how the staff interacted with us and amongst themselves, combined with their ‘system’ sold us on it being a good fit for us.”

For more information and franchise opportunities about International Franchise Association (IFA) franchisor member Floor Coverings International, click here.