Article Number : 2578 |
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| Date | 10/9/2007 9:09:24 AM |
| Written By | LGM & Associates Technical Flooring Services |
| View this article at: | //floorbiz.com/BizResources/NPViewArticle.asp?ArticleID=2578 |
| Abstract | Dave Roberts is living the American dream as he embarks on the next phase of his life as a floor covering retail store owner. Roberts was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, nor was he handed a successful business... |
| Article | El Dorado Floor & Design Folsom, Calif. (Second in a series) Dave Roberts is living the American dream as he embarks on the next phase of his life as a floor covering retail store owner. Roberts was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth, nor was he handed a successful business from a prior generation. This is a classic case of a man working his way up. Back in 1987, Roberts was a licensed installer. He decided he needed more, and in the recessionary 1990s was hired by World Carpets as a territory manager in Northern California. “It taught me to manage my own business; you either sink or swim at that point.” That position eventually led to managing a few Floor Clubs—the Abbey to-the-trade concept—and later a straight retail operation in Folsom, Calif. Then one day in late 2005 he decided to take his shot. “I felt I opened and ran these other stores successfully, and I was tired of doing it for other people,” he said. He remained in Folsom, a town 30 minutes east of Sacramento with a population of 54,000. But Roberts was smart. He wanted to stack the deck in his favor. Unlike the many who attempt to play the retail game because the cost of entry is so inexpensive, Roberts knew he needed some type of alignment. To that end, earlier this year he signed on with S&G Carpet & More as an original member of its alignment program. Roberts knew he made the right choice before the doors ever opened. “I feel there is very little credibility and integrity in this industry,” he said. “But S&G is different.” He noted that a series of construction woes that caused significant delays in the store opening. But when Gary Miceli, president of S&G, got wind of the delay, he personally called and offered Roberts work to supplement the retail jobs he had been doing. “I was still generating business even though my doors were not open,” he said. But that’s not all S&G did for one of its charter members. It deferred payment on its proprietary displays—“They saved me $6,000”—as well as Roberts’ final payment on his buying group fees. Then there’s Steve Bicknell, national vice president. According to Roberts, Bicknell was in touch on a weekly basis as the city was “red-tagging” the building and shutting down construction. “He kept working with the field reps to ensure that I got set up properly. He explained to them who I am and why I’m here, and I would quickly get a phone call.” It’s this type of attention Roberts believes will help him reach his goal of $1.5 million in 2008 sales. For more information on the S&G alignment program, call Bicknell at 408.202.5177. |