Starnet started with a simple idea: to build a collaborative network of the best professional flooring contractors in North America. The rallying idea was always to enable other businesses to thrive. These ‘other businesses’ include end users and all of the stakeholders linked in the effort to execute the finest interior spaces in the world. Starnet members activate connections across the industry with scale. They act as the conduit between the vision of creative professionals in manufacturing and interior design and the reality of what it takes to perform on schedule to a budget. Included in the other businesses, but often overlooked, is the supportive network of wholesale distribution companies supporting the Starnet cooperative. Distribution works closely with the professional flooring contractors that make up the Starnet cooperative to move the industry forward in brave and interesting new ways.
Much like the evolution of the trade from carpet workrooms and tile shops to the multi-surface and multi-service Starnet professional flooring contractors of today, wholesale distribution has continued to evolve and improve. The industry has been predicting the demise of wholesale distribution for a few decades, but like most entrepreneurs, they continue to adapt and evolve to meet the industry challenges. There are many regional distributors that are now much larger than the manufacturers who served the network only a decade ago. The wholesale distributors are an important part of the network of relationships and capabilities Starnet members rely on to enhance their business and bring flexibility in their approach to the market.