Clear Lake Area Chamber Of Commerce: Clear Lake Connections Episode 26 | The More You Give, The More You Receive.

Press release from the Clear Lake Area Chamber Of Commerce:

July 28, 2021

This week on Clear Lake Connections Podcast presented by UTMB Health:

Meet Mike Furin, Vice President of My Flooring America. In this week’s episode, Mike discusses how his move from South Florida to Texas paved the way for his career with a small Mom and Pop shop to the now 4 retail and 4 wholesale My Flooring America stores. Mike also talks about how being a part of the Chamber has served him well when it has come to his relationships in our community, how what he has learned has helped his business and his hints at his upcoming plans for retirement.

Previously Buddy and Wanda’s, Mike was working with their son in the yacht business in South Florida. They were a one store Mom & Pop here in Nassau Bay and they joined national co-op idea at the time to have the foresight to be the first member of the co-op. It was then that Carpet Max would become Flooring America.

The son told Mike lets go and help my parents grow this business and then Mike moved to the area in 1992 and they hit the ground running. Buddy and Wanda, we’re members of the Chamber and this is how he started learning about the chamber and becoming involved. This was 29 years ago and now the rest is history. He has got to learn about and meet a lot of people, that’s what it’s really about, relationship building.  He was on the board of directors, head of the small business division. “Its so rewarding and it is all about the relationships. Too many people join an organization, and they expect to receive but you have to give” says Mike.

In the beginning, Mike was a part of Ballunar and this is how the domino effect happened. It feels good to give and it is rewarding, saying the more you give, the more you receive.

With keeping their groups working at a high level, they have an atmosphere and culture at their workplace, people want to work there, and they try to instill and develop there. When you have people, who care about their craft, it makes them feel very fortunate considering how they have grown as a company. They keep these quality people busy.

It all comes down to their growth story: it started with one, Buddy and Wanda’s. They now partner wit another business in Dallas and being members of the national co op has been a godsend. They now have 4 retail stores, 2 in the Dallas metroplex and two here in the Houston area. 4 retail stores and 4 wholesale stores. Mike says you become the face of the community, for the community. It is a mutual relationship with Buy into the Bay Area. We would not be here without the community.

Mike has overseen sales for a long time, vice president of sales for 29 years. Over time the progression of what it has turned into has been great. He gives a lot of credit to buddy Steel, the founder. Sell people what they need and help them find what they need. It will be the solution and do it with honesty and integrity. They are in the solution business; their salespeople get certified annually. With the technology now, their salespeople handle it from start to finish. Customers come back people they know they’re going to get quality product and service.

When it comes to retirement, his kids put together a plan to put a main house on some property they have in Florida along with houses for them all to live in the same property. He is excited for grandkids and he is looking forward to moving back to the place where he started and enjoying the sunshine state in his golden years. He will be winding down in the next couple months. He will always refer to customers back here.

With all of the work Mike has put in over the years, he figured it was time to retire considering he put in 30 years of hard work. Mike says he is thankful that he is still in good health and he wants to be able to enjoy life. He is going to miss a lot of people here in Bay Area Houston but he is looking forward to his next adventure.

This press release was produced by the Clear Lake Area Chamber Of Commerce. The views expressed here are the author’s own.