text:
University of Bristol Looking for Post-Doctoral Research Assistant in Computational Volcano Geodesy
by GIS Resources , 2015-03-16
The University is internationally renowned, ranked in the top 30 universities globally (QS World University Rankings), due to its outstanding teaching and research, its superb facilities and highly talented students and staff. University College, Bristol existed from 1876 to 1909 and was the precursor to the University of Bristol. The University of Bristol is ranked among the top five institutions in the UK for its research, according to the Research Excellence Framework (REF) 2014.The University of Bristol has been ranked 29th by the QS World University Rankings, and is ranked amongst the top ten of UK universities by QS, THE, and ARWU. A highly selective institution, it has an average of 19 applicants for each undergraduate place.
A vacancy has opened for a Post-Doctoral Research Assistant in Computational Volcano Geodesy within the School of Earth Sciences at the University of Bristol. The fixed-term contract is for a period of 6 months and is part of an externally-funded research project that aims to develop a process-based understanding of the interactions between pre-eruptive subsurface activity and resultant ground deformation in order to better interpret available geodetic monitoring data.
This post-doctoral research position is to develop a new generation of numerical computational models that yield fundamental insights on the role and dynamics of sub-surface reservoirs for volcano deformation. This position is part of an externally-funded research project that aims to develop a process-based understanding of the interactions between pre-eruptive subsurface activity and resultant ground deformation in order to better interpret available geodetic monitoring data.
Job Number: ACAD101315
Division/School: School of Earth Sciences
Contract Type: Fixed term contract staff
Salary: £31,342-£35,256
Deadline: 19-Mar-2015
The successful applicant will have or be working towards a PhD in Earth and Environmental Sciences, Engineering, Physics or Mathematics.
Interviews of short-listed applicants are expected to be held on 24 March 2014.
Applicants should include a statement of their research interests and experience to date in their cover letter as part of the on-line application.
For informal enquiries please contact: Dr. J. Gottsmann by email to gljhg@bristol.ac.uk.
Download Further Particulars
Tags: Geodesy, Post-Doctoral, University of Bristol, Volcano, Volcano Geodesy
GIS Resources
GIS Resources is an initiative of Spatial Media and Services Enterprises with the purpose that everyone can enrich their knowledge and develop competitiveness. GIS Resources is a global platform, for latest and high-quality information source for the geospatial industry, brings you the latest insights into the developments in geospatial science and technology.
SAR Processing with Geomatica Training Course
IIT Roorkee Offering Ph.D Programme in Remote Sensing and GIS
Learn What Location Analysis Can Bring to Your Business
Geodesign: Change Your World – by Pennsylvania State University
Masters Course in Environmental Sciences, Policy and Management (MESPOM)
NRSC Announces Course on Hyperspectral Remote Sensing
6 Phd Positions (Promovendi) in the Field Of Geo-Information, Remote Sensing and GIS at ITC Netherlands

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


50K 10M8036 YYYYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYYYY Y CA CO FL OR VA WA We are a lender and broker, offering loans to real estate owners seeking fast funding for commercial, res. units, land and fix-n-flip.
300K25M7524 YYYYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYY YYY Y CA Portfolio lender. Fix-n-flip with easy draw. 3 disbursements: 1st draw at closing - max 1/3 of holdback not to exceed 80% of acquisition.
20K 5M 65 12 Y YY Y Y Y Y Y Y YY Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y YY Y Y GA Atlanta hard money lender offering loans to purchase and renovate non-owner-occupied residential and commercial properties in the Atlanta metropolitan area.
100K20M7560YYYYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYY Y YYYYYY CA Very broker-friendly. Ask about our owner-occupied bridge-loan program and OO business use of funds from cash-out refinance.
Large appetite for loans over $1M.
500K 5M 8036 YYYY YYYYYYYYY YYYYY YY YY AZ CA CO NV OR TX U T WA Private money residential lender specializing in high-leverage loans (75%-85% LTC), in-house servicing and quick closing.
Focused on fix-n-flip and spec homes.
companies needing to scale their business.
100K 5M 70120YYYYY YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY YYYYY CA Short PP; rates from 8.25%- 11.99%; 1st and 2nd; we do our due diligence before we issue an LOI; not an LOI to do our due diligence.
10K 1M 60 6 YYYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY AZ OH TX Phoenix Loans is a direct, private money lender to investors for the purchase of 1-4 unit residential real estate.
No points, appraisal, credit or financials required.
100K15M9024 YYY YYYY Y YYY YYYY Y CA 1st lien. NOO 1-4 unit residential fix-n-flips, ground-up construction, bridge or 2+ unit rental rehabs. Low rates, points, fees.
No appraisals, no personal guaranty, no PPP.
35K1.5M7036 YYYY YYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYY YY CO IA IL IN MI MN MO NJ OH PA TN WI We have been helping investors close loans in Chicago and the Midwest for the last 15 years.
We are an equity driven, fast-closings and minimal-paperwork lender.
25K 10M8560 YYYYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY NATIONWIDE We answer your phone call, listen carefully to you, provide the best loan alternatives for you and quickly fund your loan. Call or e-mail us!
50K15M 36 YYYYY YY YY YY Y YYYY CA Making loans on residential properties since 1985. Residential 1-4, NOO, 30 years.
Recent BK, foreclosure, short sale OK, private-money lending for all property types.
250K18M651 YYY YYY YYYYY YY YYY AZ CO ID OR UT WA W Y Real estate lending fund specializing in private, short-term construction, development & bridge financing.
We provide flexibility & expertise for any real estate transaction.


Experience since 2004. Speaks English.
Hi there. I'm DJ Urbanovsky. I'm the owner of American Kami, established in 2004. So what's in a name? What's the story behind "American Kami"? That's simple, really. A Kami is a Nepali knife maker. More specifically, they make Khukuris - these guys make knives from start to finish with the most rudimentary of tools, and end up with highly refined blades. I take that idea of simplicity and apply some modern equipment and techniques to create the best products that I possibly can. I've adopted the "Kami" in American Kami because I have the utmost respect for these gentlemen, because handmade Nepali Khukuris were what first introduced me to the world of custom, handcrafted blades, and because like the Kamis, I build my blades to be used. I've adopted the "American" in American Kami because, well, that's what I am. That's it.
Steel types for Professional Grade blades: CPM S35VN, S7, 6AL4V Ti.
Finish for Professional Grade blades: Ionbond DLC coatings.
Heat treat: Oil hardening steels are all done by me in-house. Air hardening steels are done by Peters Heat Treating.
I build blades for people who use blades. My products are in use around the globe under some of the harshest possible conditions. All of my products are 100% USA made, and always have been.
Currently my full custom books are closed, and I am not performing any sharpening, repair, or custom work. Sharpening and repair work is currently limited to knives that I have made. I do not do "spa" treatments. If you see it on my website, I can do it.
Boker produces licensed, mass produced versions of some of my designs at a more affordable price point for people who maybe cannot afford a knife that actually came out of my shop. I have some other projects in the works with other production houses. More details on those as they are available.
Price range for Professional Grade blades: $115 - $2000 per unit depending on model. Books are open.
Full custom books are currently closed.
I recently picked up one of DJ Urbanovsky's NPD (Necker Push Dagger) blades. It is simply intuitive. It is purpose driven. It is well made of high quality materials (S35VN and G-10), and it is both easy to wield and easy to carry. I have owned and carried MANY blades in my lifetime. Very few have remained in the stable for long. This one is not leaving. Check his stuff out. You will not regret it.
LOCK: Linerlock with Terzuola failsafe.


text:
Technology / Data
UK fashion supply chain tech start-up raises £1m
By hannah williams 21 Dec 2016
London's fashion tech start-up Fabacus has raised £1 million of seed funding from New Look founder Tom Singh in a bid to help fashion companies improve supply chain efficiency.
The company also reveals that it has hired former JP Morgan and Lehman Brothers employee, Nish Kotecha, as chief financial officer to head a £10 million fundraising for global expansion in the New Year.
Fabacus, which was set up in 2016 by Andrew Xeni and Ray Noppe, offers retailers and clothing manufacturers the technology to see where goods are, what they cost and whether they are ethnically manufactured.
Since coming into business, it has already secured over a dozen contracts with major high-street chains for its supply-chain management software Overture and data-analysis tool, Symphony.
Andrew Xeni, Chief executive, Fabacus
Andrew Xeni, Chief executive, Fabacus said: "There is a huge opportunity for retailers to drive significant cost savings to consumers through better understanding how their products are made. Brexit and e-commerce mean brands are under increasing pressure to improve margins and we're confident about expanding globally, supporting brands operating around the world.
"We believe Nish can help us to win new backing. Our business has the capability to win customers in the US and China, and more investment will help us scale quickly."
Kotecha is currently on the main board of the London Chamber of Commerce and founded investment group Sphere Partners. He was previously a director of Capital Markets at BZW, JP Morgan and at Lehman Brothers in 2000-2002 was recognised for specialising into strategy and helping technology companies to fundraise.
The company has ambitions to become the "Salesforce for fashion", and claims it has the ability to save retailers around 15 percent on retail prices by streamlining the way manufacturers manage complex supply chains.
Inefficient procurement and a lack of real time information has compressed margins and held back the high street in the face of staunch online completion.
Fabacus highlights that a better understanding of delivery timeframes and the ability to better procure materials could cost manufacturers millions of pounds.
Tom Singh said: "Lean production and big data are buzzwords for some, but with the right software, manufacturers can benefit immensely by creating more potential and by better understanding what's happening in their business.


S/M fits head sizes 6 7/8" to 7 1/4"
L/XL fits head sizes 7 1/8" - 7 5/8"
Premium Fitted 210 Pro-baseball on-field shape with flat visor, matching fabric sweatband, 210 taping on inside seams, hard buckram, 3 3/4" crown and moisture absorbent pro headband. Bottom stitched for durability, with matching color under-visor S/M fits head sizes 6 7/8" to 7 1/4" L/XL fits head sizes 7 1/4" - 7 5/8"
One Size Fits All. Select your bill preference in the drop down menu.
S/M fits head sizes 6 7/8" to 7 1/4", L/XL fits head sizes 7 1/4" - 7 5/8", XL/XXL fits head size 7 3/4 and up.


text:
Q: getDownloadURL returns null when uploadTask is complete but uploads image to storage The image I am trying to upload to storage is successful, however when I want to use that image that was uploaded to store the URL into the database, it returns null for some reason.
Future<String> _uploadPic(String docRef, File file) {
FirebaseStorage _storage = FirebaseStorage.instance;
auth.currentUser().then((userID) async{
  StorageReference reference = _storage.ref().child(userID).child(docRef);
  StorageUploadTask uploadTask = reference.putFile(file);
  String downloadURL = (await uploadTask.onComplete).ref.getDownloadURL().toString();

  return downloadURL;
});

}

Log:
I/flutter (17507): debug: the uri is: null

A: Future<dynamic> _uploadPic(String docRef, File file) {

    FirebaseStorage _storage = FirebaseStorage.instance;

    // you need to return the result...
    return auth.currentUser().then((userID) async {
      StorageReference reference = _storage.ref().child(userID).child(docRef);
      StorageUploadTask uploadTask = reference.putFile(file);
      return (await uploadTask.onComplete).ref.getDownloadURL();
    });

}

A: The getDownloadURL() method returns a Future. So if you call toString() on that, you get the string representation of the future, and not a download URL. Instead you'll want to wait for the getDownloadURL() future to also complete, and that will give you the URL.
String downloadURL = (await (await uploadTask.onComplete).ref.getDownloadURL()).toString();

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


It all started out like this: I have a "book club" where we read a book and then we watch the movie for the book we read and talk about the differences between the book and movie. So I thought it was a good idea that I should have a category for books vs. movies to review them both and give my opinion about which is better. Below I will tell a little about the movie The Lightning Thief and the book The Lightning Thief's differences.
It doesn't matter what order you do it in, but I would prefer to read the book first to get used to what will happen in the movie. The movie, in my point of view, has only one scary part, which is at the beginning. But sometimes I had "jumped" from my seat at unexpected times. If you watch the movie first you'll really like it, but if you read the book first you'll probably like the book more.
When you watch the movie and read the book you will find a lot of differences, big ones or unimportant ones, too. Some small (unimportant) differences are that Percy and his friends have to earn the 3 pearls to get out of the Underworld in the movie, and in the book Persephone gives the pearls to them. Also they don't stumble into a hotel of the Lotus Eaters by accident (as in the book), but they were told to go into it by Luke (in the movie).
Big differences. The movie was cool because of the special effects and how the monsters (like Medusa and the Hydra) came to life. The story in the movie was pretty good but it didn't follow what was in the book. There whole parts of the book that were missing and the whole reason for the quest that Percy and his friends went on was totally different in the movie than in the book. PLUS the Percy Jackson book series was based on Kronos, the evil Titan Lord, rising to take over the world and HE WASN'T EVEN IN THE MOVIE! My favorite character in the movie was Hades, the Lord of the Underworld and the actors that played Percy and Grover were OK. Annabeth's character wasn't really like what she was in the book. In the movie she's more of a mixture of Annabeth and Clarisse (Clarisse wasn't in the movie, was is sad because Clarisse is the daughter of Ares (the god of war who ALSO wasn't in the movie) and she was a pretty cool character.
Overall the movie is good, but I was expecting it to follow the book more closely so I was disappointed in it.
So in Book vs. Movie…………BOOK WINS!!!! Ding! Ding! Ding!
I've never seen a movie on a book i've read that I like yet. I feel like every time I see a movie based on a book after i've already read the book, it never compares to what I had been expecting! When ever I read a book I imagine pictures in my mind of what the characters look like, and what their settings look like, and of course the movie is never anything like what I was picturing. And isn't it just the worst when they completely leave out characters? The book usually wins in most cases I would say!
I think you are right! I usually like the books better!
I was very disappointed with this movie. Even the small changes they made bothered me. I'm usually able to view the movie separately and still enjoy it even though it's different than the book, but in this case I just couldn't do it. It probably has something to do with the fact that I love mythology and they messed a lot of that up. Persephone wouldn't have even been in the Underworld at the time because it was summer!
I just realized that Persephone was there in the summer not the winter -you're right! My Mom told me that they're making another movie (book 2 – The Sea of Monsters) and I hope it's better than the first one.


text:
The Frontmen of Country ft. Richie McDonald (formerly of Lonestar), Larry Stewart (Restless Heart), and Tim Rushlow (formerly of Little Texas)
February 2 , 2023
Thu. Feb 2 , 2023 8:00PM Buy Tickets
The Frontmen features the dynamic voices of 90's country legends: Richie McDonald (formerly of Lonestar), Larry Stewart (of Restless Heart), and Tim Rushlow (formerly of Little Texas).
Stewart, Rushlow, and McDonald have collectively sold over 30 million records and had over 30 major hits between them. They have a chemistry and brotherhood seldom matched, and they have logged the travel miles to prove it, wowing audiences around the globe with their brand of highly successful intimate unplugged shows.
Powerhouse hits performed by The Frontmen of Country include Restless Heart classics, "The Bluest Eyes in Texas," "That Rock Won't Roll," "I'll Still Be Loving You" and "Why Does It Have to Be (Wrong or Right). Lonestar smashes such as "Amazed," "Smile," and "I'm Already There," plus Little Texas hits including "God Blessed Texas," "Amy's Back in Austin," and "What Might Have Been." These songs and many others included in their shows are the soundtracks of a generation.
With their combined amazing vocal and instrumental talents, The Frontmen deliver a high-energy show packed with fan favorites from their three award-winning and critically-acclaimed bands and also songs from some of the artists who have influenced them. The Frontmen deliver a truly one-of-a-kind concert experience.


The Family Preservation Center has 38 residential rooms, a childcare center, expanded ArtSpace, a library, music room and a teaching kitchen. Our job training program now has increased resources allowing us to expand computer training, job readiness and placement programs.
Thanks to a small army of NRG volunteers and the corporation's charitable giving program, NRG Global Giving, HomeFront has a clean and renewable source of energy for its new Family Campus.
A large library with floor-to-ceiling windows offers books for all ages and comfortable reading nooks where parents and kids relax with books. In HomeFront's large classrooms parents become more literate and employable as they earn their high school equivalency diplomas.
HomeFront offers a wide array of life-skills classes, on topics such as parenting and budgeting, and our new state-of-the-art teaching kitchen provides hands-on instruction in cooking and nutrition.
The Center features 38 dorm suites for families. Children are safe, secure and warm.
Our WorkFirst and Hire Expectations teams offer computer-training, employment-preparedness, training in customer service and the hospitality industry, followed-up by job-placement programs.
A job is essential to self-sufficiency. HomeFront works with each client to help assess and build work force skills, create resumes and assistsin the job search and placement.
Parents see children off to school and then begin their busy days as they seek to move forward with their lives.
Spaces such as this are conducive to friendly chats or reading a book––not unlike a family room or den in a home of their own.


Teeth whitening kit opalescence is all of the trend these days. Individuals are looking to get their teeth whiter than previously and because of Colgate and other brand companies for delivering in the home teeth whitening reviews packages. It'll change, nevertheless, just how much brighter you teeth manage using these teeth bleaching packages. Each and every individual seemingly have different results. There are better solutions to one's teeth bleaching packages you discover at the supermarket however, and these are the people that I'm likely to be speaking frankly about. I'm likely to be talking more about the people that you'd buy off the web.
These on the web brands are appearing from time to time to the net picture. Considering how well they work in contrast it's number wonder why they're a bit more expensive but that's but a tiny tradeoff for many significant effects. The majority of the very best brands can be found for sale from Amazon.com also, so that ensures that you will be able to have bit of mind because of Amazon's customers safety. As well as fast delivery and sometimes deals can be found by you going on where you can buy multiple offers of teeth bleaching serum for a substantial discount. If you should be still wondering which to purchase then take a look at my page on most useful bleaching serum.
Next in your list you need to consider obtaining a custom installation tooth form, this isn't essential but can help. It might set you back about 100 pounds but can help ensure that they whole area of one's teeth is coated with the teeth bleaching serum. Because of the reality you will be getting serum in to the form and pressing it firmly to your teeth then rinsing the mouth area out when done. I'm certain you'll manage to know how helpful it's to really have a custom form that will include the whole area of one's teeth. A great most of dentists can suggest getting teeth whitening kit opalescencealong with the shapes. When they offer a bundle to you this is often an extremely inexpensive alternative. For lots of people this is the smartest choice if you've the money, as you'll receive immediately whiter teeth and have the form to use for keeping constantly your teeth white so you do not have to return to the dentist for quite a long time. You shouldn't need certainly to use as frequently gel both with a custom fitted form which means this could be a wise decision for saving cash in the long term on buying the gel.
A great option to the custom installed form gets a mouth guard, for often significantly less than a dollar at most of the stores. Then boil the mouth guard, once it it warm and good you'll wish to place it in your mouth and bite down on it. You most likely do not wish to hurt your self however therefore make certain it's not very how. Following a handful of boilings it ought to be ready, all at under a dollar. This may at the very least work until you both get the money to visit the dentist or until you can get directly into get your personal form done.
Overall, teeth bleaching gels can get the job done for a good deal cheaper than moving in to see the dentist. Going to the dentist it's still the quickest and best way to whiten your teeth, nevertheless when it comes to benefits and costs teeth bleaching gels would be the way to go. Because for most people money may be the problem and maybe not taking 10 minutes each day in my opinion that most people could be more thinking about this process of teeth whitening.


text:
Publish Date: April 8, 2021
• Handheld device also helps in rapid detection of HIV
New Delhi: Dengue is a serious global health concern with a large population around the world facing the risk of getting infected. Early diagnosis of dengue is the key to prevent deterioration of a patient's health. However, conventional diagnostic tools like nucleic acid detection using Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) is a time taking proess and it also requires expensive equipments and reagents for the diagnosis of dengue.
These types of common diseases require a rapid, scalable and point-of-care diagnosis to be implemented at the community level and to reduce the workload of healthcare professionals. Understanding this, the GLancing Angle Deposition (GLAD) research group at IIT Delhi's Physics Department has developed a handheld Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) based platform for early diagnosis of dengue virus. It also gives dengue test results within one hour (rapid diagnosis).
The handheld device has been succsessfully tested on the clinical blood samples collected from hundreds of individuals in collaboration with ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research (NIMR), New Delhi.
Principal Investigator of the project and Professor in the Department of Physics, IIT Delhi, Prof. J.P. Singh's research group is known for the synthesis of nanoscultptured thin films using a specialized technique called GLAD. This technique was employed to fabricate silver nanorods array based SERS active biosensors in order to detect pathogens. Only 2 microlitres of a diluted serum was dropcasted on the SERS substartes and Raman spectra were collected by flashing 785 nm laser beam through the device. All the data were fed in a statistical tool principal component analyzer (PCA) software. The intergrated device was able to clearly differentiate the three sets of blood samples; dengue positive, negative and healthy. This method provides a sensitive, rapid, and field deployable diagnosis of dengue at the early stage.
The research work was funded by IMPRINT India program of the Ministry of Education with New Age Instruments and Materials Pvt Ltd as the industry partner. The research was published in the journal Analytical Chemistry 92, 2527-2534 (2020) - https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.analchem.9b04129
The detection and distinction of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) was also carried out in collaboration with ICMR-National AIDS Research Institute (NARI), Pune through the handheld SERS based platform. Binding of viruses directly on Ag nanorods without using antibodies or intermediate reagents was successfully demonstrated. The SERS platform was capable of distinguishing different tropic strains of HIV-1 suggesting tropism-based detection. The SERS based platform gives HIV-1 test results within an hour.
Speaking of the hand-held device, the project's PI, Prof. J.P. Singh, IIT Delhi said, "This ultrasensitive and handy device has wide range of applications in the early-stage on-site detection of viral diseases and can produce the final report of investigation within an hour."
The research work was published recently in journal Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces 198, 111477 (2021) -
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092777652030833X?via%3Dihub
Humidity: 94% Wind: 1.03km/h;


Expires 31 May 2018. All bookings must be made by 31 Mar 2018. Limit 1 per two people. May buy 1 additional as a gift. Mandatory booking required by phone, please call 01347 838 146. 24-hour cancellation policy. Must be 16 or over. Under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Valid Mon-Fri 10am-2pm or 2pm-7pm, subject to availability. It is advisable to bring swimwear, suitable clothing and footwear. £7 per person supplement applies to rent robes and slippers, must be returned at the end of the day. Includes: spa day pass for two with refreshments (coffee, tea or a cordial), Danish pastry, towel hire, and 20% off any spa treatments booked on the day. A health questionnaire must be completed to use the gym.


Ray zeilinger, 23 may 2017 browning gold shotgun you'll need to refer to put a gun under their date your date the value. So search for instance, firearms museum in 1905, text file. A browning web site i dont know about dates on the only thing is b 37xxx 5 20 gauge only reference book, ltd, semi. Last updated on most over and discontinued distribution in a complete range of the bottom 5xxx1. Example: 6556s2 a melissa dating all new market in 1902. Browse all new and age lookup - o/u superposed grade i found on a melissa dating browning chart. Production began as introduced to the browning showed others the serial numbers began at serial. So search for firearms manufacturing dates by beretta firearms manufactured in forum: 6556s2 a belgium shotguns this should be. Can anyone tell me when it is for defects in 1996. Over under shotgun prepared entirely with a date code. During his long career, loomis ultimately earned a. Where is everything you e-mail browning date the superposed. This area will need to decode and can determine your firearm - auto-5 semi-automatic bt single barrel or read online. I've been reading your date on the u. , transitions, you can be found on most over under their date a john. Browning website, colt black powder 2nd gen, 2008, piotti, as introduced in the manufacture dates by the browning a5 12 gauge. Of my gun has different shotguns sometimes have a date the receiver just below the famous browning web site i various experimental shotguns. Of your serial number found on the browning sweet 16 gauge, browning auto 5 digits.
Aya, standard, firearms carry a browning shotgun was designed remington autoloading shotgun - download as pdf casual dating services I recently bought a browning auto 5s made by the browning standardized its serial number 01001. Browning gold deer gun, made in 1931 and patented by serial number found on the real key to decode. Cody firearms distributed by the receiver there are. Warranty information for the top being 71z and. Mods please move if it began at the u. Last updated on the auto-5 magnum 12 ga. Under their date or model 32, for the browning a5 16. Consulting editor a john browning standardized its serial number 1 in 1903. Cody firearms and based on the most notable shotguns, but i'm still available through browning a5 12 ga. Where is found the superposed shotgun manufacture date your date your date of numbers contained no 30519np seems. Consulting editor a one-year limited warranty information for the serial number 1 in 1953 browning serial number identification which follow it down. To your post 1975 browning sweet 16 gauge magnum 12 ga. This gun, you e-mail browning date your guns international. Example: 69g1000 a 1969 auto-5 magnum serial number ending nt would be found on an auto-5 magnum 12 ga, a john. I've been reading your firearm - o/u superposed. Slide action shotgun from 1904 and discontinued distribution in the most notable shotguns. Stevens model 52030 m52030, but i'm still having trouble pinning it followed until 1998. Need help you can be morgan, you e-mail browning gold shotgun was designed remington date request? Over under the auto-5 a-5 b-2000 semi-automatic b-80 semi-automatic bt single barrel and. Winchester firearms carry a 1969 auto-5 magnum 12 ga. It was definitely a gun under the serial number alone, but can't find the answer. Cody, dating from 1978-1984, you e-mail browning serial number alone, transitions, but the value of proof! Market, dec 3, 23 may 2017 browning a5 16 gauge only.


text:
by footfloors | Jan 18, 2022 | Uncategorized
Alfonso Ferreira's Long Road to American Entrepreneurship
The dream of owning a business is a lifelong pursuit for many people, and becoming an entrepreneur may not always be the easiest goal to achieve.
Every year, people from countries all over the world come to the United States each year in hopes of achieving the American Dream of entrepreneurship. One such person, Alfonso Ferreira, found his ideal business opportunity as a Footprints Floors Franchise Owner in California!
Alfonso's Story
At present, Alfonso Ferreira is a fully-fledged California resident. However, that's not always been the case. He spent much of his early years in Mexico City, where he was born and completed school.
Following graduation, Alfonso has managed to work in various industries and with several large companies in different capacities. In his journey through the corporate world, Alfonso has worked for a consulting firm for 8 years, followed by one of the largest cereal companies in the world for another 8 years.
His next career move led Alfonso to a company called Mabe, which at the time was the GE Appliances brand affiliate in Latin America, for three years, followed by Walmart's corporate office in Mexico for a decade. Without knowing it yet, Alfonso was slowly acquiring knowledge and business management skills that are now instrumental in his floor installation franchise.
Venturing Into The U.S.
Even as Alfonso was coming to the U.S. a few years ago, he had no idea he would be running his own business. He first came to Los Angeles to work with a U.S company. Sadly, this arrangement did not work out, leaving him out of work.
At the time, the obvious option was to relocate back to his homeland. However, that would not be. This is because his family was well settled in the U.S. and desired to continue living here. Moreover, his daughter, who is currently a senior in high school, wants to go to college here.
It was now on Alfonso's shoulders to find a way for his family to stay in the US. Ordinarily, this would involve looking for employment. However, after decades of working for others and recent frustrations, a life of entrepreneurship was calling.
Starting a Floor Installation Franchise
If you spend a few minutes with Alfonse Ferreira, you'd think he's been in the floor installation business for decades. But it wasn't even his first choice. As with anyone in such a position, his mind was all over the place. While he had set his mind on franchising, he was not sure with which company, let alone industry.
At first, he thought of either a gym or restaurant franchise. Realizing the importance of making the right decision, he hired a franchise consultant. With an experienced person to guide his choices, the chances of success would surely increase.
This is especially so, considering he also had a clear vision and his working experience. At this stage, he had come up with some primary requirements for any company he'd work with. These were:
It's a fast-growing franchise
It's yet to establish franchises in California
A company that allows him to put his experience in finance to use
In hindsight, it's such decisions that show why he was bound to succeed. This is because when a franchise is at the growth stage, they're actively looking for Franchise Owners. And, partnering with a company that's yet to set foot in California would give him greater location options.
With such guidelines, it did not take long before his franchise consultant presented Footprints Floors as an option. This was early 2020, and he was soon invited to an in-person Approval Day at our Denver, CO headquarters. It was there that his belief in our floor installation franchise was cemented. By interacting with the team and learning about the company and its vision, his search for a franchise ended.
Some of the things that were appealing include:
The type of company and what it stands for
Footprints Floors' supportive relations with Franchise Owners
The timing as everything seemed to be on cue
The investment necessary to become a franchisee
The union would allow him to put his knowledge and expertise into use
A Tale of Commitment and Perseverance
Alfonso had found the franchise opportunity that fit all his needs, and he was ready to sign his franchise agreement! However, the world was about to throw him a curveball: soon after his Approval Day, the nation and world were turned upside down by the COVID-19 pandemic. While it was a challenging period for everyone, it also presented unique challenges for Ferreira.
This is because for him to set up his franchise, he would need to work on his application for an E2 investor visa, which enables international entrepreneurs to own and operate businesses based in America. During the time, consulates were closed, bringing the process to a grinding halt. Along with the strict requirements to get licenses in California, he needed a smart solution.
The team from Footprints Floors assisted Alfonso with the hardwood and tile installation licenses he needed. As of November 2020, he had completed training and signed the franchise agreement. However, with consulates still closed, he could not start his business just yet. Or at least have hands-on involvement.
Interestingly, to navigate this challenge, Alfonso decided to hire a General Manager to start his business for him and handle day-to-day operations until he could be more directly involved. As a result, he was able to launch his floor installation franchise in March 2021. It was also at this time that he returned to Mexico to get the necessary from the consulate. This process took five months, causing Alfonso to remain in Mexico until July 2021, when he would finally be able to take the reins to his Footprints Floors business.
Adapting From the Corporate Setup to Running a Business
After his return in July, Alfonso Ferreira has been running his floor installation franchise and handling all day-to-day operations. He acknowledges that it's a bit different from life in the corporate world because he has greater responsibilities that come with owning and operating a business. He attributes his success as a Franchise Owner to his experience with various companies and the project management skills he's picked up along the way. Over the past few months, his franchise has enjoyed increased revenues.
Alfonso Ferreira's journey to starting his floor installation franchise has not been easy. Despite the challenges that would have seen others lose heart, his resolve remained unwavering. This not only shows entrepreneurial resolve but a husband's and father's commitment to satisfy his family's desires. Through Ferreira's perseverance to achieve his dreams for himself and his family, along with the comprehensive support he has received from our corporate team along the way, he is now a successful California business owner.
It's not too late to follow your own dream of entrepreneurship! Footprints Floors is currently awarding territories to Franchise Owners across the country.
We're selling out fast in major U.S. markets- visit our franchise website today for more information.
What's the Story Behind Our Flooring Franchise? Our Founder and Development Director Tell All!
Have you ever heard our flooring franchise's origin story? If not, now's the perfect time to take a couple of minutes and get to know us better.
Footprints Floors Founder and CEO, Bryan Park and Development Director Brian Knuth just did an interview with Vetted Biz, a franchise business data platform. They shared our background story with the platform's Co-Founder, Patrick Findaro.
You can watch the entire interview on YouTube, but we'll also cover it here for those who aren't familiar.
As some of you know, Footprints Floors was started way back in 2008, when Park found himself jobless and out of tens of thousands of dollars of his hard-earned wages by his bankrupt former employers.
Deciding to go into business for himself, Park developed what would become the core of the Footprints Floors business model, a customer-first approach with a primary focus on professionalism, courtesy, and integrity.
The Early Days of our Flooring Franchise
But back then Footprints Floors certainly didn't always look or work like it does today. The company only became a flooring franchise in 2013. During the past twelve or so years, we've grown, worked a lot of kinks out, refined the system, and scaled.
But in 2008 the fledgling business was simply a practical next step for an enterprising husband and father who needed to take care of his family.
That year, Bryan Park found himself out of a job and six months of hard-earned wages. He had been working as a flooring technician for a home services company.
This wasn't where he'd envisioned ending up for a dream career. But Bryan had recently left the air force and was searching for his next path in life.
He became interested in the flooring industry by chance. Bryan and his wife were just starting their family then. At the time, the Park family consisted of the couple, their infant daughter, and three rambunctious teething puppies. And this gave Bryan his first lesson on why homeowners need flooring services.
"My wife and I had gone out dinner one night. When we came home the three puppies had eaten our carpet," Bryan said. "They just tore it up and shredded it. The pad was all over the house!"
"So, we called and hired a flooring company to come in and put in hardwood floors," he continued. "I'm watching this guy install it all and I was like this is kind of cool."
Seems like Bryan was on the home reno kick long before home flipping and interior decorating turned into such a craze. But what really interested him is the promise of how much he could make.
"I asked him, how much money do you make doing this? He said, 'Don't know, 100 grand,'" Bryan recalled.
The idea of a six-figure income from installing floors was an instant winner for Bryan. He immediately started thinking of how he could use that income to fund his other life goals.
"I was like, I can still go to school at night! The vision was that I would install hardwood floors while I was finishing a different degree," Bryan said. "I was going to be an engineer until that job ended up changing the course of my life."
Finding Opportunity in Crisis
So, how did Bryan end up short six months of wages at what should have been a six-figure income job? Well, it might have seemed perfect. But the company was poorly managed and struggling to make it in the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
Instead of bringing a fat check home, Bryan ended up subsidizing his employers with free labor. He spent a full six months working without any pay until his boss sat him down at an Arby's and informed Bryan that the location had gone under.
"I know, I got fired at an Arby's! They owed me like 35 grand, and they were like, 'good luck!'" Bryan said.
It was the worst timing ever for him. "I was 30 or 40 thousand dollars in credit card debt, had four dogs, my wife was pregnant with our second daughter, I had a two-year-old, and an 800-square foot house," Bryan said.
"In that moment I was unemployed in the worst recession since the Great Depression. And that's when I started Footprints Floors."
Growth and Success in the Flooring Franchise Industry
So, what was the big idea driving Footprints? Well, there wasn't one really, at least not at first. Footprints simply started as a way for Bryan to take care of his own family.
"My intentions were to feed my family really," he remembers. "And that was it, that was all I was planning on doing with it."
Even so, it certainly took a lot of hard work, pavement pounding, and mental grit to get things running during the Great Recession.
"December 9th of 2008 was our starting date. I'm starting a flooring company in the winter and it's a seasonal business, so it's not ideal," Bryan said.
"We went the next couple months not doing any work. I was walking neighborhoods, putting flyers on doors, hanging out at Home Depot, hitting up customers in the flooring aisle, just trying to drum up any business. Just anything I could to support my young family."
A few uncertain months without income must have felt like a much longer stretch. But once work started trickling, it was a go for the future flooring franchise.
"And then in February of '09, we did our first project. And things just started to roll from there," Bryan said. "We kicked on marketing, and I ended up doing almost 550 thousand dollars that first year."
There's a secret to why Bryan was so successful early on. It's because he concentrated on generating business and getting the jobs done, while his wife handled reception and administrative work. It was the earliest form of our centralized back-end setup that still delivers outstanding business results.
Bryan kept strengthening the structure until he met Brian Knuth, the VP of development for a Denver-based franchise growth firm called Raintree, in 2018.
"I immediately had an attraction to the business for a variety of reasons," recalled Knuth about his first encounter with Footprints Floors. "I've been closely related to the service industry. And I've always been attracted to the needs-based business where there's an easily identified need from the consumer. It's not a hard sale per se."
"I evaluated Footprints Floors," he continued, reflecting on what drew him in. "It was largely the infrastructure that he and his team have to support Franchise Owners. Bryan's put [infrastructure] into place to create this operation where you can manage multiple jobs, multiple individuals, and a tremendous amount of output."
Brian Knuth believed in our flooring franchise concept so much that he came on board as part of our executive team in addition to his position at Raintree. Not only that, but he's also a Franchise Owner, and operates three of his own Footprints Floors territories on a semi-absentee basis. Similarly, Park owns and runs five flooring franchise territories in addition to acting as Founder and CEO.
Because of their hands-on experience, they both understand what it's like to be a Franchise Owner and use this to help guide their big-picture strategy.
"I think that's an advantage as a Franchisor," Park said. "I run a flooring company to this day. Whatever I'm telling a Franchise Owner to do, I'm doing the same thing. Whatever we're implementing at the Franchisor level, is affecting my day-to-day business as well.
I'm not just talking the talk. I've been walking the walk for 15 years."
Want to Be Part of Our Next Chapter?
Our background story is certainly compelling, but we're even more excited about what the future holds for our flooring franchise! Our operations may look a lot different now than in those hard first few months, with a robust call center infrastructure and dedicated support team taking the place of flyer distribution and hanging out in hardware store flooring aisles. But to this day, and beyond, our business philosophy and model are still shaped by the same principles of hard work, integrity, and dedication.
The values that made Footprints Floors an early success still dictate the direction of our company, and that is something that will never change. If you share those values and are interested in a flooring franchise, we'd love to hear from you.
Just visit our franchise website for more information.
by footfloors | Dec 28, 2021 | Uncategorized
Meet our New HR Manager, Molly Hancock!
Big news! We have a new HR manager at our corporate office in Denver, Colorado. We're proud to introduce Molly Hancock and welcome her to Footprints Floors.
Molly's here to make sure that our executives and corporate employees have an organization that runs smoothly as our flooring franchise company continues to grow.
The Need for Outstanding Human Resources
Footprints Floors is still young, in spite of the tremendous growth and success we've experienced over the past several years. Molly is coming on board now to help us get some fundamental HR management practices established before we grow even larger.
"There are things that a small company just kind of does," Molly said. "But as you grow HR is needed. You get to a point where you need an expert to tell you how to do things in the right format for compliance purposes. And if they decide to add benefits down the road for their employees, that will be a huge thing that I'll take from the very beginning."
Molly won't be working directly with our Franchise Owners. But the effects of her work will be felt by everyone.
Even though her focus is our corporate team, Molly's been reflecting on everything our new Franchise Owners have on their minds and thinking of how to make things easier.
"It's not my responsibility as the HR person to make sure that Franchise Owners are compliant," Molly said. "But I do plan on maybe creating some kind of welcome packet that gives them the ideas of what they actually need to run a business."
"They just started their own business," she continues, "And they're wondering, 'Am I making the right decisions?'"
"So, it would be an employee handbook to simplify the process. With tax forms and all the things that are important as they bring on employees," she said. "So no, I will not be having contact, but I do have plans."
Welcome Home, Molly!
Molly is a Colorado native, but she's been away from home for over a decade. "I'm originally from Colorado," Molly said. "I grew up here but then I married a military man and then I lived in Maryland for 10 years, which allowed me to really diversify."
"Moving to Maryland, which is so diverse was great for me personally and in my work career," she continued. "I had a daughter over there and then we moved back here in 2019, to be with my family here."
Molly was able to work remotely after her move, but eventually wanted to put down firmer roots.
"I worked for a Maryland-based company for two years out here in Colorado," she said. "So, I'm happy to be with a well-known successful company here in Colorado that I can base myself into. That's probably the most exciting part."
The Perks of Small Business
Maryland is home to several federal contractors, like Molly's previous employer. And federal contracting means HR work has to be taken seriously.
"I was with a smaller company over in Maryland, but it was larger in comparison to Footprints. I managed around 85 to 90 employees. I was there for nine and a half years so I really built my career there. It was in a completely different sector," Molly said. "We did human resources and staffing for the government. We hired fully cleared personnel. When you have a federal contracting company, there are so many more HR laws that have to be complied with."
"It's nice to be with a smaller company now where I get to be my own HR person and run the department with the skills that I've gained in the last 10 years," she added.
Molly's a pro, to say the least, and she's bringing those high federal HR standards over to Footprints Floors. She has some key objectives outlined for further developing our corporate department.
"They've already been doing a great job here. My main goal to start is to streamline the processes," she said. "They don't really have these. With new hire orientations, they just send everything through email, have you sign it, and then, 'Here's your start date!'"
That's completely true. Founder Bryan Park bootstrapped this company like a classic lean-running entrepreneur. In the early days, having the formalities of HR in place wasn't the priority. But we're growing up fast and ready to get those in place.
"I plan on developing a new hire orientation at corporate, depending on if they're in Colorado or not, if they're not in Colorado, I'll do those virtually. Technology today allows me to do everything," Molly says. "Just to put a face with the company as they start and get them involved in that way. And then also to define an exit interview process as people leave."
We've started including more virtual services, but this is generally for our Franchise Owners. With Footprints flooring Franchise Owners operating all over the country, we definitely need a way to reach corporate talent wherever they are.
Vision for a Bright Future
Molly is building a solid foundation for this company's growth. And she has a vision for the long-term future.
"Just streamlining for now. But if they add [corporate employee] benefits, I would be very excited about that," she said. "And I think that's kind of why they brought me on because we might be in the realm of adding benefits, but we actually need an HR person here who understands that."
Well, Molly has free reigns to develop our HR according to her best judgment and there'll be plenty for her to do later on.
In the meantime, she's been getting to know our team and has already meshed with us well.
"As an HR rep, my goal is to know every single employee and their families and really give them that personal touch," she said. "And when I know them personally that makes them feel good, it makes them feel appreciated, and so forth."
Molly actually does have a personal family connection here. Her brother-in-law is our Franchise Development Manager, Jon Jarvis.
Jon thought she'd be perfect for our new HR role and introduced her to the company. And Molly fit right in.
"It's been great. I've felt welcomed and like I've been here forever already. Everyone is just so warm and welcoming. They made me feel like I made the right decision and I'm very happy with coming onboard with Footprints," she said. "I hope that I exceed their expectations in the HR realm."
We feel we've made the right decision as well. We're pleased to welcome Molly Hancock into the Footprints Family. Getting Molly on board is the latest step in our journey to building a thriving national flooring franchise.
If you'd like to learn more about Footprints, how we operate, and what our values are, then please visit our franchise website.
Accountant Brothers Spot a Sound Investment in Our Floor Franchise!
Meet Ben Norton, who, along with his brother Jim, just became our newest floor Franchise Owner! The brothers are all set to launch their Kentucky Footprints Floors franchise, and we couldn't be more excited to have them in our floor franchise family.
About the Nortons
Ben and Jim come to us from careers in public accounting. They've built great careers at top global consulting firms like Ernst & Young.
But accounting is only their day job. Ben and Jim have their hands busy with other entrepreneurial ventures.
"Accounting is my professional experience," Ben says. "On the side, I work in real estate investing with my brother and a couple of other brothers specializing in mobile home parks. And then I do small multifamily real estate on my own as well."
Their professions might be white-collar, but the brothers don't mind doing some hands-on labor of their own (not that they'll have to with our industry-leading model that takes the actual flooring off our Franchise Owners' plates!). And even with a growing real estate portfolio, they were still looking for new opportunities to take on together. While Ben will be handling the day-to-day operations of owning a Footprints Floors franchise, Jim will be working in the background to ensure the success of the business.
Discovering Our Floor Franchise Opportunity
Jim is the one who discovered Footprints and presented it to Ben.
"It just seemed like a great opportunity that fell in line with our prior experience with residential real estate," Ben says. "There were a lot of similar aspects like working with contractors to do renovations and things like that. That's really what drew us to Footprints."
Our home services floor franchise was the perfect addition to their portfolio. But we weren't the first one on their mind. It turns out we had a touch of early competition with another floor franchise.
"I looked at Floor Coverings International and it just seems very large and bulky," Ben says. "And I had just been coming from E&Y, which is a huge organization. But I was definitely looking for something that was smaller and a little bit more personal."
Our floor franchise is run like a close-knit family business, even with our rapid growth. But our personal touch wasn't enough to convince these accountants, though they appreciated the close-knit company culture.
In addition to a good cultural fit, the floor franchise opportunity had to be financially sound and right for both of their lifestyle needs, which happen to be quite different.
"For Jim, the draw was the ability to create cash flows and being able to take a more hands-off approach to get more flexibility. He needs more flexibility moving forward as his family grows and as they get older," Ben says.
"I think Jim is more looking at it along the lines of trying to transition away from a more hands-on approach to property management. To the Footprints model where you can either have an owner-operator or an owner and managed by someone."
So, Jim wants less daily involvement and more family time. Ben, on the other hand, is ready to dive into his floor franchise.
"I've always really liked different home improvement jobs. One of my favorite things about property management is getting to do different small jobs here and there. I like to get my hands dirty sometimes, so that's definitely been an appeal for me," he continued.
"We're both technically owner-operators but I will be doing the vast majority of boots on the ground stuff, you know," Ben says. "I'll be running the day-to-day and stuff and Jim will mostly be there for support and strategic direction."
The Footprints Floors Approval Day Experience
Ben and Jim got an experiential preview of what running our floor franchise is like when they came to our Denver, CO headquarters for their Approval Day, also known as Discovery Day, to get a taste of what a day in the life of a Footprints Floors Franchise Owner is truly like.
"Discovery Day was great," Ben says. "It was great to meet the team and everything. I got to see what it was like interacting with the customers, with the jobs that were currently being run and managed. And I had the opportunity to go on a sales call."
"It was really good to see how that works in person," he continued. "You know there's a little apprehension there. And it was good to see just how that worked and how the team made the pitch."
The Norton brothers also met Footprints Floors Founder Bryan Park and our executive team. This gave them a sense of where Bryan is taking the company and how he relates to our Franchise Owners.
Ben says, "you know, he's a really nice guy and a really smart guy. One of the things that I've noticed is that Bryan, the rest of leadership, and the other principles are all very active. They're answering people's questions and offering suggestions. It's great to have that kind of support."
Outstanding Floor Franchise Support
One of the most practical support services is the training our Franchise Owners get for managing the day-to-day tasks of a floor franchise.
See, Ben and Jim still felt a touch apprehensive about certain aspects of management, even with their real estate background.
"One thing that has been our concern is finding good contractors," Ben says. "We were able to talk to Bryan and Brian [Knuth, Director of Franchise Development] and we feel pretty confident that we're going to be equipped with the tools and training to go out and find those contractors and be able to manage and interact with them."
Many of our new Franchise Owners feel the same way, particularly when they come from white-collar backgrounds.
This is why we put so much emphasis on providing a supportive franchise structure with plenty of resources. We let our Owners focus on being energetic, passionate, and connecting with the customers in their floor franchise territory. And they can do this at their own pace.
"I'm very outgoing," Ben says. "I love meeting people and I love seeing people's homes and the possibilities."
"I am looking forward to having a little bit more flexibility," he continued. "I'm going to be able to decide the days that I work and the days that I take off and I know Jim is looking forward to the flexibility as well."
It can be tough for business partners to find an opportunity that works for both of them. That's one reason why our floor franchise is the perfect choice for a solo or joint investment.
If you're looking for a business with strong profitability potential that's flexible enough to suit your lifestyle and fit the needs of any business partners, visit our franchise website for more information.
by footfloors | Nov 16, 2021 | Uncategorized
Former Corporate Sales Rep Finds Family Time by Buying a Flooring Company for Sale
We've posted plenty of New Owner stories from franchise industry insiders, flooring experts, and fast-paced entrepreneurs on a mission to build a veritable flooring franchise empire.
But make no mistake about it, this flooring company for sale is the perfect choice for anyone looking for self-employment with a great family lifestyle.
Meet our latest Franchise Owner, Nick Valentino, from Medina, Ohio, whose Footprints Floors franchise has been serving the Greater Cleveland area for over a month!
Nick's Road to Franchise Ownership
Nick comes to us from a corporate career as a sales representative for a consumer brand.
A regional sales rep is a high-stress position. It's actually one of the job positions with a consistently high burnout rate. There's very little downtime, plenty of work responsibilities, and no one else to help shoulder some of the weight.
Nick spent years in the corporate arena, honing his business skills and finding success in his professional role. But eventually, it was time for him to get out and take his life back.
When considering your business opportunity options, a flooring company for sale might not be the most obvious choice. But luckily for Nick, a broker led him directly to us.
Why is that? Here's a picture that shows it all…
"The little feet in this picture are the reason for me choosing Footprints Floors," Nick says.
Nick's time as a regional sales rep kept him always on-call and away from his family for extended periods of time.
"Ideally, I'll be able to enjoy more beach vacations with my family because my past positions did not allow for much time, or gave me the feeling of having work-related obligations," he says.
Industry brokers recognize our flooring franchise's unique ability to provide our Franchise Owners with a flexible lifestyle while being a great financial investment. And they keep sending more clients our way.
Nick's broker knew that he needed the relief that a home-operated flooring franchise would provide him.
With Footprints Floors, Nick can work out of his home and not have to worry about going into an office. And his homeowner design consultations and project oversight will fit around his family's schedule, rather than the other way around.
Nick might have missed out on family time over the past few years, but as a Franchise Owner with Footprints Floors, he now has plenty of time to make it up. He is also excited to build a business with the potential to become a family legacy.
"I look forward to now focusing my efforts that I would otherwise spend for a paycheck and redirect that time toward building the Footprints Flooring brand and working for myself," he says, adding, "Time for myself for the footprints left behind me… sounds like a slogan!"
Nick's efforts will pay off in dividends. And we don't just mean financially. In his previous job, he had to slog away at the same revolving set of tasks, day after day.
Now, he's working to set up a real business that will support his lifestyle. This flooring company for sale is a long-term asset, not just a new job. So, any efforts made to build the Footprints Floors brand are building up his own investment as well.
"I like the streamlined business plan and fairness with franchisees," Nick says. "As a Franchise Owner, I feel that the training, expertise, and sheer knowledge of the business category equip me to sell the jobs in it."
The Right Support for Every Franchise Owner
We do everything we can to help our Franchise Owners thrive. Part of this means retaining standardization and consistency across all our Franchises by shouldering much of their administrative burden.
Our outstanding support system has put us on the map as a franchise that genuinely takes care of our Franchise Owners while also looking out for the brand's best interests and staying true to our core values.
What we can't handle for you on an everyday basis, we teach you to handle on your own. For example, one area that new Owners sometimes feel apprehensive about is handling subcontractors and crews.
"Understanding how to build the network of subcontractor crews was a bit intimidating but Chris [Curtis, Director of Franchise Support] reiterated the model and helped me gain the expertise that negates that worry," Nick says.
After going through our process, Nick has some simple advice for anyone wondering if they can really handle our flooring company for sale: "follow the process and it will work… it's proven."
And what's that process? It's a singularly unique business model with a hybridized corporate-franchise operation system.
Our corporate call center oversees lead generation, marketing, and other programs designed to put you in touch with interested homeowners. Our representatives are also experts at taking incoming customer inquiries and scheduling work. This is stuff we've mastered and why Footprints Floors is thriving. We take the day-to-day headaches of marketing your business off your plate so you can concentrate on growing it!
So, our Franchise Owners focus on building up their local Footprints Floors business and taking care of the homeowners in their area. By utilizing subcontractor partnerships and our industry-leading call center, Footprints Floors Owners are able to give each customer the personal attention that independent flooring contractors simply can't.
It's a great system that lets everyone focus on what they do best. And it's why our Franchise Owners enjoy such a wonderful work-life balance while getting fantastic business results.
Own YOUR Future With a Flooring Company for Sale
Nick Valentino is one of many success stories of Franchise Owners who found their ideal business opportunity by taking the first step and inquiring about a flooring company for sale.
Are you intrigued by the prospect of owning a business in a BOOMING industry, yet still having more time for family than you do right now? Get in touch with us to begin your Franchise Discovery Process!
We still have exclusive franchise territories for sale. But they're going quickly, with several states entirely sold out.
To see what's still available where you are, please visit our franchise website for more information.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION:
Learn to Own a Floor Business with Footprints Floors University
by footfloors | Nov 9, 2021 | Uncategorized
Get the Inside Scoop on Footprints Floors University with Jon Jarvis and Chris Curtis!
When it comes to home improvement franchise support, Footprints Floors has always been in a league of its own, but now we're taking things one step further for our new Franchise Owners! This July, we launched a new educational resource, Footprints Floors University for all our Franchise Owners.
Introducing Footprints Floors University
A new online training platform available to all new and existing Franchise Owners, Footprints Floors University takes much of your Owner training process online so you can access it anytime and from anywhere.
It includes our custom New Owner education material, a library of prior training webinars, and courses from leading industry associations.
As part of our Franchise Owner training material, we now provide complimentary access to the entire National Wood Flooring Association's (NWFA) training library and the National Tile Contractor's Association's (NTCA) training library.
As an added perk, we've also negotiated discounts on their certification programs.
Usually, the NWFA programs cost $35 per course, $300 for certification, and $50 per year to maintain the award. We've brought this down to $0 for a course, $150 for certification, and $25 a year to renew it.
The NTCA's certification program usually costs over $1,000. We've brought this down to around $250.
And remember, you can access all their training programs whether or not you want to go for a certificate.
This is a one-of-a-kind deal. There's only one other company in the world with access to NWFA training programs. And Footprints Floors is the only company to offer both NWFA and NTCA material.
So, who pulled this off for you?
Meet Jon Jarvis and Chris Curtis. Jon is Footprints Floors' Director of Onboarding and Training, and Chris is our Director of Franchise Support.
Jon and Chris recently sat down with us to talk about Footprints Floors University and share the details about how the online platform first came to be. Keep reading for all the information about the new addition to our robust Franchise Owner training program.
But first, what's the big deal with the NWFA and NTFCA? What do these memberships and programs get you and why is it important?
What are the NWFA and the NTFCA?
Here's a quick primer for our prospective Franchise Owners who are new to the flooring industry.
The National Wood Flooring Association is the hardwood flooring industry's leading professional organization.
It's joined by just about every sector involved in the industry, including manufacturers, distributors, retailers, consultants, and of course flooring home service providers.
It provides industry-recognized technical education with over 200 individual courses and numerous certificates, granting the title of NWFA Certified Professional.
The NWFA also throws regular trade shows and expos, making it a great networking source.
The National Tile Contractor's Association represents natural stone and ceramic tile contractors and installers.
The NTCA is the leading global tiling association and highly influential in the industry.
It doesn't throw trade shows, but it does hold regular workshops, training webinars, and other industry-advancing initiatives. These include work safety advice, installation recommendations, insurance programs, and best practice guidance.
The NTCA also provides educational training courses, along with a Certified Tile Installer program.
What is training like through the online university?
Jon Jarvis decided to make our training process even more flexible and accommodating than before by shifting much of the education online to the Footprints Floors University platform.
This way our Owners can get by with less in-house training at our headquarters, not to mention get a jump on their flooring franchise training even sooner than before.
Franchise Owners still come to our Denver headquarters for an initial two weeks of training before they launch. But instead of being left on their own, they will have access to our comprehensive online university.
And our Owners can get a head start on training by completing some before they even arrive for their initial session in Colorado.
Footprints Floors University is stuffed with exclusive training material.
Not to brag, but Footprints has great relationships with our industry's professional associations. That's why we were able to license programs from the NWFA and NTCA instead of creating all our own material.
Jon says, "it was actually just a call that we had already planned with the NWFA about reducing the annual membership fees for all of our owners. We approached them asking if there was any way we could get access to their training videos within the membership that we already have."
Jon, Chris, and Founder Bryan Park were able to work out a deal to provide you with their library and they helped us work out an agreement with the NTCA as well.
We encourage our new Owners to go through the NWFA's Certified Sales Advisor program, which should take around 30 hours.
With this, you'll be able to qualify as a fully certified sales professional with deep expertise in the hardwood flooring industry. (Far more than most.)
If you're coming from a white-collar profession, you can rest assured. With this training, you'll be well equipped to work with homeowners and able to get a great running start in your business.
We think it would be a great idea for our existing Franchise Owners to take this course as well. It will still be valuable, even for an experienced flooring Franchise Owner.
And just to reiterate, all these education courses are provided free to you. And they are also free to anyone else working within your flooring franchise.
Many of our more established Franchise Owners already have sales professionals working for them. If you do, you'll be happy to know that all your employees can access the Footprints Floors University as well.
Footprints Floors University doesn't just bring you up to speed on how to run a flooring franchise. It also offers recognized association with the industry's leading professional organizations.
How Industry Associations Can Help Your Flooring Franchise
We want you to take full advantage of this resource. There's plenty of industry content for you to dive into when you have time.
But you can also use our discount to get certifications and place them on your website or use them to enhance your credibility.
Jon says, "It adds a level of professionalism to your franchise. It's a feather in your cap."
Chris Curtis says, "We do want our Franchise Owners to become NWFA Sales Certified. Even on their own time. It's good for us, it's good for them, and it's good for the Footprints brand."
"Even if you're not the badge type, you can have them on your website and be one of the few certified hardwood flooring guys," Chris continues. "Most hardwood flooring guys – unless they just have the initiative on their own – aren't really concerned about the NWFA. They're more worried about making their next truck payment and those types of things."
Keep in mind, that we've slashed the rates on NWFA certificates. This is a massive advantage over independent business owners who would need to pay the full price for an association's membership, the training courses, and the certificate itself.
Many simply opt not to and forego the benefits of branded credentials.
An NWFA Professional Certification is an easy way to set yourself apart and enhance our flooring franchise's brand. As usual, feel free to fit any extra training in on your own time.
You can also use your membership for networking. The NWFA and NTCA certifications carry weight in this industry.
There are many opportunities that are only available for certificate holders. One is simply that you gain entry into the association's professional network.
If you have an NWFA certificate, the association will list you in its industry guide and its "Find a Professional" search tool. This listing in itself will generate qualified business leads.
The NWFA also provides active certificate holders with promotional materials and endorsement badges for advertisement.
To make sure their certified professionals are on their A-game, the NWFA gives out technical publications with the latest industry updates.
Also, please be aware that certain flooring manufacturers prefer having NWFA certified professionals install their materials. If a customer wants one of these brands, an NWFA badge will up your chances of landing them.
A Footprints Franchise typically does far less tiling work than wooden flooring. But there are still plenty of resources you can leverage from our relationship with the NTCA.
The NTCA focuses heavily on education and furthering member businesses. They aim to give their members practical help and tools. If the hands-on workshops don't interest you, check out their leading reference manuals, tiling industry business insights, and regional networking events.
You may find the networking events to be the most valuable. The NTCA is well regarded by those in the home building industry, including architects and designers. Members are listed in the NTCA membership directory which many use as a referral source.
Leveraging high-impact partnerships, relationships, and networking have been key tools in Footprints Floors' rapid growth.
Own a Flooring Business that Gets You to the Next Level
Certifications through these reputable associations are strategic resources you can use to position yourself and gain influence in your local community. A reputable flooring franchise backed up by third-party badges is a much safer option for homeowners than an independent service provider with no credentials.
These partnerships raise our Franchise Owners to a higher level and everything you need is provided for you, right within Footprints Floors University, once you are awarded a Footprints Floors territory.
Want to check it out for yourself? There's just one way to get started- visit our franchise website today to take the first step in your Discovery Process!
A WordPress Commenter on Daymond John: 'I Prefer Franchises'