Footprints Floors is making tracks as one of the top home improvement franchise opportunities in the country! We’re adding new Franchise Owners and expanding our U.S. territories all the time, and have already SOLD OUT in several markets. Thanks to new Franchise Owners like U.S. Army veteran Clint Morse, who is slated to open three Columbus, Ohio territories, we are quickly gaining a national reputation for exceptional customer service, outstanding craftsmanship, and a business model that benefits Franchise Owners and customers alike. 

We recently caught up with Clint to learn more about one of our newest members of the Footprints Floors home improvement franchise and find out what made Footprints Floors stand apart from other home improvement franchise opportunities out there. Here’s what he had to say. 

Q: What is your personal/professional background?

A: I grew up in a small rural Ohio community.   After attending college at Ohio University I moved to Columbus where I started working for a family-owned, third-party logistics co-pack company supervising light manufacturing assembly operations.  We made variety packs and applied specially marketed packaging for a diverse customer base;  everything from pet food to candy, sports drinks to door hanger marketing material.   

Within about a year of starting, and as an 8-year member of the Ohio Army National Guard, I deployed to Kosovo in 2004-05. After returning from deployment over the next 5 years I continued to advance within the company working to support light assembly operations which eventually led to a move to the Chicagoland area to oversee their plant in West Chicago.  A job change brought me back to Columbus and I began working for a large global cosmetics company, again supporting assembly operations of special and holiday packaging for our brands. Over the next several years I worked to build high-performing teams growing a multi-shift operation to a production total of $225 million per year in retail.    

In 2013 I met my wife Hiroko when she was working for a Japanese automaker in Columbus.  About 3 years ago we relocated to New Jersey in order for me to take a promotion to oversee all of the planning for the Columbus manufacturing facility.   Through all this time we’ve maintained ties to family and friends who are back in Ohio, and recently we’ve been looking for an opportunity to return to the area.   

Q: What are your personal hobbies or interests? 

A: My wife and I love to travel both domestically and internationally.  We’ve been to over 30 destinations, we really like staying near city centers and immersing ourselves in the culture and cuisine of our locale. 

Both of us are foodies and we love to cook and try out new recipes. I have received many compliments on my short ribs marinara, and I also make a pretty mean curried chicken!

Q: How did you first learn about Footprints Floors?

A: I found an online ad while researching businesses for sale. After some additional research, I determined it was for a Footprints Floors franchise and filled out the online contact form.  

Q: Why is Footprints Floors the right fit for you?

A: Footprints Floors rose to the top of my list for a variety of reasons.  It checked off many of the criteria I was looking for in a business opportunity. 

One leading reason is the low startup cost and great unit economics but something else I really like is how focused Footprints Floors is on providing a great customer experience.  Never having been a business owner before, having the structure of a proven system and the support from (Footprints Floors Founder) Bryan (Park) and the team is important to me and it gives me confidence.

Q: What did you like about Footprints Floors’ business model?

A: (I liked the) low startup cost and low overhead, a widely-appealing product and service with a proven resiliency throughout the coronavirus epidemic, and a clear competitive advantage in the marketplace.  

Something that stands out in that last point is the centralized CSR program which equates to a high percentage of lead conversion and makes a positive first impression with regards to initial customer contact. The model’s ability to scale was also a determining factor, I want something that I can grow and something where I can develop my own supporting team.

Q: What did you like about meeting Footprints Floors’ Founder and corporate team?

A: Bryan and the team are great! They’ve got an easygoing and casual way about them that makes you feel comfortable from the start. As you start to get into the specifics, their knowledge and business acumen becomes apparent. You can see both the work that’s gone into building the brand as well as a culture and commitment to continuously improve and build shared success.  

Q: What did you like about the Footprints Floors Discovery Day? 

A: For my Discovery Day, I flew in that morning and flew out later that same day. It wasn’t a lot of time but it was enough to get a good impression of the people and what Footprints Floors is all about.  Footprints Floors is about people; new Franchise Owners, customers, the corporate team- there’s an energy and you can feel and I believe there is something special happening.   Then of course, there were the tacos we had for lunch from a local shop….. delicious!!

Q: What was the “A-ha!” or “Lightbulb” moment that made you want to franchise with Footprints Floors?

A: I tend to be a risk mitigator and take an optimistic skeptic’s approach when it comes to an investment opportunity.   There are many positive numbers and projection models that you can look at, but for me the lightbulb moment came from listening to, talking to, and reading about other Franchise Owners.  With so many successful people from a variety of diverse backgrounds and disciplines all seeing the same thing I was seeing and taking the leap to join Footprints Floors I knew it was something special that I wanted to be part of.  

Q: Why did you want to become an entrepreneur?

A: Early this year I decided it was time for a change. I was no longer fulfilled by my career path, and after some soul searching I found it was the right time for me to stop putting my future in the hands of others and look for opportunities to shape my own fortune.  I wanted to find something that would allow me to return to central Ohio and take charge of my own destiny.   Recent events and the impacts of Covid-19 have only further reinforced those convictions.  

Q: What do you think will make you successful? 

A: I feel Columbus and the surrounding area is a market with enormous potential, a vibrant growing area full of both renovation and new construction.  I believe there is an opportunity to create a large and thriving business in this market while providing a valuable product and terrific customer service to a community that means a lot to me – and to have some fun along the way.    

Q: What sets Footprints Floors apart, in your eyes, from other home improvement franchise opportunities?   

A: In the franchise opportunities I researched, the direct support from the centralized CSRs is an advantage unique to Footprints Floors. Just as important to me has been what I have learned through my education with (Franchise Development Director) Mike (Edwards) and in speaking with Bryan, as well as listening and speaking to other Franchise Owners regarding the sense of family, excitement, and camaraderie from people with varying backgrounds all coming together to support each other’s success.   

Q: What has been the best part of your experience with the Footprints Floors corporate team so far?  

A: Since I haven’t been to the initial training as of yet, my direct experience to this point has been through Discovery Day. I felt as though everyone was transparent and open to answering all of my questions. Moreover, I felt as though joining the Footprints Floors team was the right fit for me.

Q: What advice would you give to a potential Franchise Owner? 

A: Once you’ve committed to becoming a business owner, taking on all the risks and rewards that go with it, you’ll have many options to choose from.   Find something you can be passionate about and look for people with whom you are comfortable being in business and involved in your life.  Franchises are built to be successful following a model, but it’s a big investment with a long commitment. At the end of the day, I believe enjoyment, fulfillment,  and success have a lot to do with a business’s people and its culture.  

Q: Why did you choose a home improvement franchise over a different industry, such as the restaurant industry?  

A: I was much more interested in something with low overhead, and given current events, something without a storefront that has more resilience to operate within the current pandemic climate and forced shutdowns. I also wanted something with the ability to scale without multiple physical locations.  

Q: What do you look forward to most about owning your own Footprints Floors home improvement franchise?  

A: I’m excited about the opportunity to build and grow a business, as well as freedom from the corporate structure.

We’re thrilled to welcome Clint to the Footprints Floors home improvement franchise family and can’t wait to establish roots in our new Columbus, OH community. We look forward to celebrating many successes with Clint in the future!

Ready to begin your own Franchise Owner story? Visit our website for more information on owning a Footprints Floors home improvement franchise. 

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