NWFA Real Answers
117 episodes - English - Latest episode: 16 days ago - ★★★★★ - 11 ratingsThe NWFA's "Real Answers" podcast series features NWFA President & CEO, Michael Martin and Chris Zizza, founder of C&R Flooring, Inc., and past Chairman of the Board of the NWFA.
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Episodes
Expo 2024 Preview and More
April 09, 2024 16:00 - 16 minutes - 11.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza provide an overview of the upcoming 2024 NWFA Expo in New Orleans. They also delve into practical tips for enhancing your business during slower periods.
An 2024 Economic Update with the Elliot Eisenberg, the Bowtie Economist
January 04, 2024 20:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBElliot Eisenberg, the Bowtie Economist, joins Michael Martin and Chris Zizza to discuss the state of the economy, labor and supply chain issues, inflation, and advice on reducing risk and staying ahead of the financial curve more.
A Conversation with Dan Pratt of Broadlume
November 14, 2023 03:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza chat with Dan Pratt, co-founder and CRO of Broadlume, about the importance of having a good website for your hardwood flooring business. They discuss do's, don'ts, what a good website should contain, and when is it time to update.
Running a Wood Flooring Business - Balancing a Marriage with a Successful Business
August 08, 2023 15:00 - 22 minutes - 15.2 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza record on location at SVB Wood Floors in Kansas City. A trio of special guests joins them to discuss balancing marriage with building a successful wood flooring business.
NWFA Real Answers Podcast – Running a Wood Flooring Business - Estimates, Expectations, and More
July 17, 2023 19:00 - 29 minutes - 20.5 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza chat with Dan Gorsegner of Gorsegner Brothers Hardwood Floors about the importance of following up on estimates, modern customer expectations, prioritizing customers, handling scheduling mishaps, margins, sustainable growth considerations, and more.
Running a Wood Flooring Business - Margins and Costs with Sam Cobb of RW Supply+Design
June 05, 2023 18:00 - 30 minutes - 20.8 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza have an in-depth conversation on costs, margin, and building profitable long-term customer relationships with Sam Cobb from RW Supply+Design.
Running a Wood Flooring Business - A Conversation with Sprigg Lynn
May 22, 2023 18:00 - 46 minutes - 32.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza sit down with Sprigg Lynn from Universal Floors, to explore the ins and outs of running a thriving hardwood flooring business. They delve into the secrets of success, offering valuable insights on avoiding common pitfalls, building effective systems, optimizing cash flow, and much more. Whether you're a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting out in the industry, this podcast is your go-to resource for unlocking the keys to a prosperous hardwood flooring business.
Running a Wood Flooring Business - Building Business Contacts
April 03, 2023 20:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MBJoin Michael Martin and Chris Zizza in this episode as they share insights on finding and developing a list of necessary business contacts in your community. Discover how to leverage your network to expand your reach, save money, prepare for the unexpected, and grow your business.
Running a Wood Flooring Business - Part 1: Financial Health and Planning for the Future
March 06, 2023 21:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Jonathan Benner, CFP, Financial Planner, from LPL Financial. They discuss guiding principles for your business, saving money and paying yourself first, renting versus owning your building, planning for your business versus your personal life, and more.
Running a Wood Flooring Business - Financial Health and Planning for the Future
March 06, 2023 21:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Jonathan Benner, CFP, Financial Planner, from LPL Financial. They discuss guiding principles for your business, saving money and paying yourself first, renting versus owning your building, planning for your business versus your personal life, and more.
Finding Focus in 2023
February 14, 2023 06:00 - 17 minutes - 12.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss gaining a renewed sense of focus in 2023, the significance of a positive attitude, making a positive impression, finding inspiration on the road, the importance of follow-ups, and other related topics.
End-of-the-Year Perspectives and Planning
December 29, 2022 20:00 - 16 minutes - 11.7 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza share their end-of-the-year perspective on the economy, adjusting to the changing economy, setting personal goals, creating an annual personal financial statement, time management skills, plans for the Real Answers podcast in 2023, and more.
Attending Industry Trade Shows - Can You Afford Not to Go?
November 28, 2022 21:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBWhy you should attend industry trade shows, tips to grow your business, trade show do and don'ts, and how to maximize your time.
Attending Industry Trade Shows - Can You Afford Not to Go?
November 28, 2022 21:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBWhy you should attend industry trade shows, tips to grow your business, trade show do and don'ts, and how to maximize your time.
Creating More Custom Work and Being More Competitive in Your Market
September 19, 2022 20:00 - 18 minutes - 13 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss setting yourself up for more custom work, being more competitive in your market, creating a showroom, and taking advantage of business opportunities for 2023.
Preparing for a Potential Slowdown
August 23, 2022 05:00 - 16 minutes - 11.5 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss staying busy with a potential recession looming, what to do if you see a slowdown in business, keeping a schedule, standing out from the competition, holiday-based marketing advice, remembering to read the labels, and more.
Protecting Your Business in Uncertain Times
August 01, 2022 20:00 - 28 minutes - 19.8 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss preparing for uncertain times, planning for an economic downturn, the importance of protecting your businesses' operating cash, staying organized, identifying hidden costs, reviewing client lists, characteristics of top customers, and more.
Radiant Heat and Hardwood Flooring - A Conversation with Sergey Shlyapintokh of Thermosoft
July 18, 2022 21:00 - 20 minutes - 13.8 MBSergey Shlyapintokh, Sales Manager of Thermosoft, Joins Chris Zizza and Michael Martin at the 2022 NWFA Expo to discuss radiant heat and hardwood flooring installation and why you should consider offering it to your customers.
A Conversation on Compliance with Elizabeth Baldwin
June 07, 2022 17:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBElizabeth Baldwin, Environmental Compliance Officer for Metropolitan Hardwood Floors, discusses wood trade compliance issues, and why you should consider attending the upcoming IWPA Due Care Week, being held in St. Louis, MO on June 20-24. https://web.nwfa.org/events/IWPADue%20Care%20Week-433/details
The Benefits of Becoming a Certified Professional
May 16, 2022 21:00 - 18 minutes - 13.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Matt Casey of Bona US to discuss the future direction of the NWFA Certified Professionals program, the importance of being certified, separating yourself from competition, and more.
An Economic Update with the Bowtie Economist
April 26, 2022 02:00 - 15 minutes - 11 MBElliot Eisenberg, the Bowtie Economist, joins Chris Zizza just before his keynote presentation at the 2022 NWFA Expo Opening Session to discuss the state of the economy, surviving and thriving during a recession, and more. (Recorded April 12, 2022)
Building a Business Plan with Craig Leary of Certified Contractors Network
March 28, 2022 23:00 - 18 minutes - 12.5 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Craig Leary, a consultant for Certified Contractors Network. They cover the importance of having a business plan, what it consists of, and how you can create one for yourself. They also discuss details of the upcoming Business Plan Workshop at this year's NWFA Expo. https://www.nwfaexpo.org/NWFA2022/Public/SessionDetails.aspx?FromPage=Sessions.aspx&SessionID=434&SessionDateID=29
NWFA Expo Preview - Succession Planning & Combatting New Tax Proposals: Assuring Your Company Remains Successful
March 22, 2022 01:00 - 17 minutes - 12 MBNWFA Expo Preview - Succession Planning & Combatting New Tax Proposals: Assuring Your Company Remains Successful Michael Martin and Chris Zizza chat with Leon B. Resnick about his upcoming presentation at the 2022 NWFA Wood Flooring Expo - Succession Planning & Combating New Tax Proposals: Assuring the Successful Continuation of Your Company, being held Tuesday, April 12 from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. https://www.nwfaexpo.org/NWFA2022/Public/Content.aspx?ID=2251
A Conversation with Emily Morrow Finkell
March 01, 2022 00:00 - 9 minutes - 6.37 MBRecorded at Surfaces 2022, Emily Morrow Finkell and Michael Martin discuss design and flooring trends she sees in the early part of 2022, colors of the year, women in the floor covering industry, and more.
A Conversation with Emily Morrow Finkell
March 01, 2022 00:00 - 9 minutes - 6.37 MBRecorded at Surfaces 2022, Emily Morrow Finkell and Michael Martin discuss design and flooring trends she sees in the early part of 2022, colors of the year, women in the floor covering industry, and more.
A Conversation with John Hammel, Senior Director Hardwood and Laminate for Mannington
February 04, 2022 06:00 - 8 minutes - 6.1 MBMichael Martin is joined by John Hammel, Senior Director Hardwood and Laminate for Mannington at The International Surface Event (TISE) 2022. They talk about Hammel's new role at Mannington, new products, coping with supply issues, and more.
A Conversation with John Hammel, Senior Director Hardwood and Laminate for Mannington
February 04, 2022 06:00 - 8 minutes - 6.1 MBMichael Martin is joined by John Hammel, Senior Director Hardwood and Laminate for Mannington at The International Surface Event (TISE) 2022. They talk about Hammel's new role at Mannington, new products, coping with supply issues, and more.
Coping with COVID-19 in the Workplace and Jobsite
December 28, 2021 06:00 - 10 minutes - 6.95 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza close out 2021 discussing the resurgence of COVID-19 and the Omicron variant, and its impact on business.
Knowing When to Say 'No' - Is There A Time to Turn Away Business?
December 21, 2021 06:00 - 15 minutes - 10.8 MBWhen is it acceptable to say 'no' to a customer's request? Michael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss what can sometimes be a delicate but necessary part of doing business, not only to protect the customer but to protect yourself from bad outcomes.
End-of-Year Financial Housekeeping
December 07, 2021 14:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss financial housekeeping for your business and how some simple steps today can help you gain financial independence in the future.
Working With an Owner's Representative - What You Need to Know
November 02, 2021 05:00 - 34 minutes - 23.9 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Chuck Capone of Charles J. Capone Associates, a concierge service that helps homeowners meet their construction project timelines, budgets and quality control goals. They discuss the role of the owner's representative on the job, the best way to work with them, and more.
Building a Better Business - A Conversation with Matt Bruno of Palermo Flooring
October 19, 2021 05:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza chat with Matt Bruno of Palermo Flooring to discuss tips on running a healthy and profitable small business, overcoming financial challenges, accounting advice, motivating staff, finding a work/life balance, and more.
A Conversation with John Lessick, President at Apex Wood Floors Inc.
October 08, 2021 18:00 - 34 minutes - 24.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza chat with John Lessick, President at Apex Wood Floors Inc., about recognizing blind spots, tracking a project from start to finish, and how mentoring, business coaching, and his focus on self-improvement benefits his company and his staff, and more.
The Importance of Your Leave-Behind Marketing Materials
September 21, 2021 16:00 - 30 minutes - 21 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Steve Brattin of SVB Wood Floors. They discuss the benefits of leave-behind marketing pieces. Learn how these critical marketing materials positively impact your business, how to create them, what audiences to target, questions materials need to answer, and more.
Navigating an Uncertain Future - Supply Challenges, Hiring, and More
August 31, 2021 18:00 - 18 minutes - 12.9 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Steve Brattin of SVB Wood Floors. They discuss how to best deal with supply & demand challenges, hiring issues, employee training, and more.
A Conversation with Marquis Wright of Mr. Wright Flooring Inc.
August 16, 2021 21:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza chat with Marquis Wright, president and CEO of Mr. Wright Flooring Inc., about the importance of watching patterns in business, his start in the wood flooring industry, the value of mentorship and being coachable, and his work with the Floor Covering Education Foundation, which is working to educate the next generation of flooring professionals. For more information, visit https://fcef.org/.
A Conversation with Lenny Hall and Staff from Endurance Floor Company
August 03, 2021 13:00 - 25 minutes - 17.2 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza sit down with Lenny Hall of Endurance Floor Company, as well as members of his staff, Gerardo Cardona and Jason Hernandez, about what they love about the wood flooring industry, on-site training, memories of their first days on the job, separating yourself from the competition, and more.
A Conversation with Steve Brattin of SVB Wood Floors
July 23, 2021 19:00 - 17 minutes - 11.9 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Steve Brattin of SVB Wood Floors. They discuss specialized divisions of labor within SVB Wood Floors, industry trends and challenges from Brattin's perspective, the importance of keeping staff motivated, trained and enthusiastic, and more.
A Conversation with Willie Short of Willie James Quality Flooring
July 19, 2021 01:00 - 18 minutes - 12.7 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza sit down with Willie Short of Willie James Quality Flooring LLC, servicing the greater Baton Rouge, LA area. They discuss how Short is growing his business, why office location matters, and more. This episode was recorded live at the NWFA's recent NWFA Wood Flooring Expo in Orlando, Florida.
Proper Planning to Prevent Poor Performance
June 22, 2021 20:00 - 19 minutes - 13.5 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss how to deal with increased consumer participation, the importance of practicing patience, coping with scheduling challenges, and how to adapt to a seemingly more fast-paced business environment.
An Economic Update with Elliot Eisenberg, the Bowtie Economist
June 08, 2021 15:00 - 40 minutes - 27.6 MBElliot Eisenberg, the Bowtie Economist, joins Michael Martin and Chris Zizza to discuss the state of the economy, labor and supply chain issues, inflation, and advice on reducing risk and staying ahead of the financial curve, and more. (Recorded June 3, 2021)
Run Your Business...Don't Let Your Business Run You
May 20, 2021 21:00 - 19 minutes - 13.3 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss methods by which you can stay organized and run a more efficient and profitable business.
Giving Your Business a Pulse Check
May 03, 2021 21:00 - 16 minutes - 11.6 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss the importance of growing with the times, staying current with trends to help your customers, keeping yourself out of financial trouble, checking in with employees, and more.
The Case for One-Room Installations
April 20, 2021 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss why taking on one-room flooring installations is a good idea for your business.
The Case for One-Room Installations
April 20, 2021 16:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss why taking on one-room flooring installations is a good idea for your business.
Ocean Freight During and After the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 05, 2021 21:00 - 23 minutes - 16.4 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Bill Smith, Vice President of Business Development and Sales at CV International (CVI), a global logistics provider based in Norfolk, VA. They discuss how ocean transportation impacts the hardwood flooring industry, the state of international shipping, and more. For more on this topic, be sure to check out Bill Smith's recent blog post on the topic: https://hardwoodfloorsmag.com/2021/03/13/ocean-freight-during-the-covid-19-pandemic/
Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors
March 23, 2021 15:00 - 36 minutes - 25 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza are joined by Matt Thibeau, author of Digital Marketing Secrets for Contractors: 7 Steps to Attract More Leads, Close More Sales & Boost Your Revenue – Using Online Advertising That Works! Also visit www.contractormarketingbook.com to download the digital edition and audiobook for free.
Taking Responsibility and Learning from Mistakes
March 09, 2021 14:00 - 26 minutes - 18.2 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss how a simple note taking technique can prevent major headaches at a later date, and the importance of taking responsibility for your mistakes.
Staying Calm Amidst Chaos - Maintaining Composure and Patience
February 23, 2021 15:00 - 23 minutes - 16.3 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss how to effectively keep your composure, practice patience, and combat aggression, anxiety, and exhaustion. They also focus on how to better meet the informational demands of your customers.
Improving Customer Communication
February 11, 2021 19:00 - 21 minutes - 14.7 MBMichael Martin and Chris Zizza discuss customer communication issues, the importance of being reachable, potential pitfalls of social media, and give an important update about the 2021 NWFA Expo.