After 39 years of full-time employment I have decided to retire from Harry Katz Floor Covering
Carpet One. As a wise man once told me, 20 years in one place is long enough, and I had actually been there for 58. With that said, I will be leaving the business in the capable hands of my sister and two brothers.
Of course, my leaving is bittersweet. Harry Katz is what I woke up to every day for the past 39 years. I enjoyed going to work. I was always there before 8 a.m. My grandmother always said this would be the best job in the world if we didn’t have to deal with consumers, but I loved dealing with the challenge of getting things done properly for that customer.
So, why do I walk away now versus yesterday or tomorrow? It has nothing to do with business or the tough economy. At this point in my life, there are things I’d like to try and do, opportunities I always believed to exist in the marketplace. For one, I am going to re-enter the floor covering industry as an independent contractor in the wood color and refinish business to the trade. I believe I can set up the premier independent refinishing business to the trade in the Long Island—New York metro area. At the same time, I also have the ability to consult for retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
I will not be directly dealing with the consumer from a business standpoint; rather, my vision is to work solely with the retailer. My goal is to be the guy any retailer would want to hire. From my retail experience, I have a pretty good idea what is needed from an independent contractor, and I was only able to realize it 60% of the time. I want to provide the entire package: licensing, insurance, uniforms, trade employees and loyalty to the retailers—someone they would be comfortable representing them.
But the real purpose of this letter is to offer my two cents of advice to the 16,000 retailers reading
FCNews. Over the years, I’ve always felt retailers have been missing the boat in the many educational opportunities available to them. When I started on the retail floor in 1971, I worked retail, warehouse, etc. In 1974 my father encouraged me to get some education. I took color and design, and management courses from Armstrong. I went down to
Lees Carpet in Virginia and saw how carpet was made. I took a Wharton course on finances for the non-financial executive. I became a joiner: Long Island Floor Covering Club, Kiwanis, Rotary. I eventually became a member of the
World Floor Covering Association. When CFI was offering certification courses on Long Island, I became tech certified in carpet installation and wood installation. I sat on the
WFCA board of directors for nine years. What all of these organizations provided for me was education. It made me a stronger and more successful retailer.
In 1986, my father and I decided to join Carpet One. That was the ultimate in education for the floor covering retailer. Retailers need education. You need to find courses. You need to go to your local floor covering association. You need to go to the national organization. You need to investigate the buying groups. Whatever resources you have, you need to further your education. And more important than the formal education, these organizations give you the opportunity to network with other retailers and industry leaders to find out what’s going on in your marketplace.
It’s up to the retailer to seek any educational opportunity that’s out there. If you can’t join Carpet One, join Carpet Two or Carpet Three. There is always strength in numbers, and always other ways to do things. Too many retailers believe they can do this better by themselves than with 100 retailers.
I leave you with this thought: Education elevates your business, the industry, the customer relationship and, most important, you.
Ronald Katz
floorzzz100@gmail.com
