After an Unexpected Curveball in His Career, New Biz Owner Hits One Out of Park By Joining North America’s Top-Rated Mobile Flooring Brand

This article was originally published in American Towns on May 23, 2024. (West Branch, MI)- Marty England certainly deserved to be bitter about how his former career ended, but after taking a moment to catch his breath, he turned his experience into a positive by launching Floor Coverings International of East Middle Michigan.

England, 53, worked in manufacturing for 30 years, until suddenly, he didn’t. “I did not leave my previous job by choice. I was terminated after 30 years of service at the same company,” he said. “It was a career that was good to me and that I gave my heart to, but having a three-minute phone conversation informing me that I was no longer employed was a life-changing event. The fact that a group of people felt this was the correct way to handle any situation with a person who had dedicated their life to an organization made me lose a lot of faith in mankind.”

While understandably shaken, England gathered himself and plotted his next move. He was ready to turn an unfortunate instance into a fresh opportunity. “I did a few weeks of soul searching but then decided to really explore options that were now available to me,” he said.

England met with a career advisor and zeroed in on what was important to him in a new career: the opportunity to lead a team and be the final decision-maker. He was initially hesitant about investigating franchise opportunities but was drawn to the culture of Floor Coverings International. “Having the ability to be flexible, but also have some structure and experience behind the scenes was very attractive to me,” England said.

A turning point for England came when a personality assessment showed that he was an individual who was generally averse to risk. “I used to think that was a positive, but I realized it can also be a limitation and I have changed my perspective about it in many ways. In the end, the support given to franchisees, the culture and proven results attracted me to Floor Coverings International.”

Floor Coverings International of East Middle Michigan, which recently began operations, serves customers throughout the Great Lakes Bay region.

FCI offers a wide variety of flooring options, including carpet, hardwood, laminate, tile, engineered wood, and vinyl. The Design Associates at Floor Coverings International provide personalized assistance in making selections and the mobile showroom allows clients to see how different options will look with existing furniture, lighting, and paint colors all within the comfort of their home.

“The experience I gained in my former career is definitely helping me already with Floor Coverings International,” England said. “Selling quality products is definitely important, but finding the right people and methods to install them in a process-oriented way will yield satisfied customers over and over again.”

The big favorites throughout the system? Pet- and kid-friendly floors that clean up with one mopping and look like genuine wood. Favorites in the Great Lakes Bay region include:

– Sustainable Materials: Homeowners are turning to laminate flooring flooring crafted from eco-friendly materials such as recycled wood fibers.

– Authentic Wood Look: The demand for realistic-looking wood floors continues to soar.

– Waterproof Performance: Given recent erratic weather conditions, waterproof laminate floors are hot!

– Vinyl Flooring: As technology advances, vinyl flooring gets close to natural wood and stone looks that are easily cleaned with a damp mop.

– Carpet: There are still die-hard carpet lovers because of the feeling and look of cozy and warm. Not so much shag. Many more flat pile, textures and patterned looks are available.

– Engineered Hardwood Flooring: This is the best in luxury flooring offering real wood veneers with remarkably high quality and detail.

Floor Coverings International has already revolutionized the market as it consistently ranks as the No.1 Mobile Flooring Franchise in North America by Entrepreneur Magazine. The flooring industry is undergoing significant changes and innovations as consumers demand more quality, variety, and sustainability in their flooring choices.

“The wide variety of flooring that is available and the many new trends inspire people to update their homes,” England said. “I love to see a customer look at different samples or ideas and start imagining what their home will look like when the project is complete.”

For more information about a consultation go to Floor Coverings International of East Middle Michigan.