Christine Slaughter, national director of design and marketing for builder and multifamily, Shaw, drummed to her own beat growing up, literally. She shares candid responses about her childhood, including how her mother successfully raised four children as a single parent as well as how she traveled through college. Her entry into the flooring world was fortuitous, and her journey was filled with uncertainty, but it ultimately led to a 15-year career with Shaw Floors. She has an inspirational message for other women in the flooring industry.

Don Roberts, CEO, Central, Alabama Flooring, and chairman, Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) discusses dealing with price increases, Floor Covering Business to Business (FCB2B) and the Floor Covering Education Foundation.

Todd McDonald, owner, Maple Ridge Handscraped and regional instructor for the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA), comes from a long line of hardwood flooring installers who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. Entering the Army Reserves at age 18, he signed on with a friend and both went in expecting to be trained as infantry but instead got an unexpected placement. He has worked in several positions within the flooring industry that forced him to pivot in his career. Listen to McDonald talk about his military career, what led to his return to flooring installation and the importance of education.

Bill Blackstock is six months into his role as president and CEO of the Resilient Floor Covering Institute. In this conversation, Blackstock gives us an update on RFCI, his views on leadership, and discusses his writing project on LinkedIn where he captures all the things that have made a difference throughout his career.

The International Standards & Training Alliance (INSTALL) is expanding its training and education programs. John McGrath, executive director, INSTALL, provides an update on the expansion, the organization’s recruitment efforts and how these programs benefit young people and military veterans as well as its plans for future training locations.

Carrie Edwards Isaac was recently promoted to Vice President of Hospitality for Shaw Contract. She has held a number of roles throughout her 30-year career with Shaw. Listen in as she tells humorous stories from her childhood, discusses her decision to leave the medical field to enter flooring and offers advice to other women on how to advance in their careers.

Nick Bock, co-founder of the private equity firm 31st Street Capital, talks about the company’s acquisitions in the retail floor covering arena, his views of the industry, the companies acquired and plans for the future.