As we think back to when we were kids, I wonder how many of us can remember what we wanted to be when we grew up. During my childhood in the ‘60s and ‘70s, astronaut, firefighter, police officer and President, were all popular. I wanted to be a professional athlete. I had neither the size nor skills to fulfill that goal. Nonetheless, we all had our dreams.

How many of you thought you would be installing floors for a living? What a silly question. There’s nothing glamourous about being an installer, right? Wait a minute, don’t be so quick to agree. I know several installers that have been involved with some very high-profile jobs. A few have also been frequent contributors to network TV shows.

I hope you do not mind a little philosophical note. But life, as we discovered, is a journey with many twists and turns and rarely does our career path follow a straight line. Honestly, I doubt if anyone even knew floor covering was an option unless you were following in the footsteps of a family member that installed. So, here we are pursuing a surprisingly rewarding career in an industry that many of us have come to love.

This article marks the first of a series in which the staff at FLOOR Trends & Installation has offered International Certified Floorcovering Installers (CFI) team the opportunity to share advice and some stories portraying our own personal journeys. Articles can cover advice on installation procedures, project successes and failures, business topics, and anything we think may be valuable to share with the installation community.

Most importantly, I think the articles are a terrific way to say why “We are CFI!”

You will be seeing our new tag line, “We are CFI!” in all of our social media and advertising moving forward as we share what sets CFI apart from other trade organizations, and that is our members.

Once a quarter, a CFI member will be writing a piece for publication. If you are a member of CFI and would like to contribute an article, please reach out to me (rodvonbusch@gmail.com) or Beth Miller (millerbe@bnpmedia.com). Articles will be selected based on their value and content. However, you do not need to be a professional writer; the CFI Editorial Board will assist with polishing and editing.

In a moment I would like to share one installer’s journey to becoming a CFI member. Before I do, I want to take the opportunity to address those of you who are not CFI members and others that may not fully understand what CFI is about.

Surprisingly, although CFI has been around since 1993 and is responsible for training tens of thousands of installers through its many programs, I still meet many people in the industry that have never heard of CFI or still ask, “what is CFI?” Misconceptions about the organization are just as plentiful. Let me set the record straight.

Of course, the simple explanation is CFI is a non-profit floor covering training and certification organization. As you read on, I hope to show you we are much more that.

Probably the second most common question is, what will becoming CFI certified do for me? I will address that in two parts.

Our members’ stories of their professional journeys before and after certification is without question our strongest testament to its value. But it would not be fair if I didn’t admit that in the eyes of some, becoming certified made little or no positive impact in their lives. I welcome the debate.

Here is why I think there is a difference in opinions. First, certification alone is not what allows someone the opportunity to make more money or to advance their careers. Completing certification is a steppingstone along your career path. An individual’s performance, professionalism, business plan and opportunity for growth are all also important parts of the equation. But certification validates your ability and helps you to take advantage of your strengths by distinguishing yourself within your community. However, to truly capitalize on your certification takes a plan and effort. As a wise person once said, “you get back what you put into it.”  

If you’re good at all the items I have listed above, you may be one of those who do not think CFI has anything to offer that you have not already achieved on your own. Well, now we’re talking about what is unique about CFI.

The much more complete answer to both questions is CFI is a community of like-minded installers and its associated members that are more about giving back to the industry than what they are getting out of it. Go ahead and scoff if you would like. I understand your reservations about buying that one. But as a member of this organization for 30 years, I have had the pleasure of meeting and becoming friends with so many people from all corners of this country that are as big-hearted as they come.

I can share countless stories where members, due to a health issue or some other misfortune, have come to the aid of another member. Our members have volunteered their time to complete work when another member could not. They have driven often great distances to assist another member that has become stranded when they had transportation issues. They have comforted members when they have been confronted with personal tragedy. The list of generous acts is a long one.

CFI has the reputation as an “old boys club.” Once upon a time there may have been some truth in that perception. However, today we are as inclusive as any organization out there. There is plenty of evidence that to have a voice in the organization you only need to want to get involved. There is a strong youth movement underway. Many of our programs and literature will soon be available in Spanish. More women are entering our ranks daily, and representation on our Advisory Board is another good example of our diversity.

But CFI is not perfect. Our members are not perfect. We are all human. We all make mistakes, and we all have some weaknesses. But I will defy you to find another organization that has done more for the installation community.

However, as large organizations often struggle, we also sometimes have trouble connecting with our membership. Not everyone may feel like an important part of the group. It is a challenge that needs to and is being addressed. CFI is in the process of restoring our local chapter network to reach out and to provide additional services to our members. If there is not a chapter in your area, consider forming one; the benefits can be truly meaningful. If joining a chapter is not feasible, reach out to the national office or any advisory board member, if only to get acquainted.

Earlier I promised to a share a story about one man’s career journey. His name is Mark Herakovic of Kent, Ohio and is CFI #17907. He is part of the regional certification team for the hardwood, luxury vinyl plank and laminate programs. Here is that story:

“I have been installing for 30 years and had my share of failures. I started in the trade by learning how to refinish lanes in the bowling industry. I did that for seven years until I got tired of the travel and decided to move on. I went to work for an installation company. At that time, I had no formal training but was just picking up installs and more or less faking it as I tried to mimic what I saw others doing. The installs always looked good, but I did not know anything. I picked up everything from just paying attention and trying things. After a couple of years, I decided to start my own installation company. For years I did a lot of repair work for multiple stores, but shortly became irritated by the lack of care other installers were displaying on their installs. The experience helped me get my name out there, so I soon began to focus on my own hardwood jobs. In March of 2023, I decided to get certified. I was fortunate to receive quite a bit of praise from my customers, and I wanted to see how I stacked up against others in the industry,” Mark explained.

“I had to travel to Wisconsin for the certification and it was a seven-hour drive each way, so I had plenty of time to think. I began thinking maybe I am not as good as I think I am. That first day I was a nervous wreck. But when it came time for the hands-on skills, I was much more comfortable. Yet, when I passed both the written and skills test, I was humbled. On the ride home I had a renewed sense of pride.”

“I’d like to think I’m no longer the cocky and arrogant guy I was and as part of the certification team I look forward to helping other installers find the same sense of pride in what we do,” he concluded.

A great example of why “We are CFI!”