From Flooring to Farm Life

Matt Werner has at all times been drawn to residence building and enchancment, so when the chance to personal Floor Coverings International got here his method in 2010, he was desirous to take it.

“I always had a vision for running a home improvement business,” Werner says. While attending the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, he operated a CollegePro Painters enterprise, gaining firsthand expertise in entrepreneurship. He additionally owned and managed a duplex in Milwaukee, additional fueling his curiosity within the residence enchancment trade.

But Werner says his dream of enterprise possession was additionally intently tied to his household’s targets.

“We wanted to be able to buy some land and have room for animals and pets,” he says. “But we also wanted to raise our kids in a different way—one where there’s built-in responsibility.”

Today, Werner shares that way of life along with his spouse, Karina, and their three daughters—Brighton, 15, Leighton, 13, and Ashton, 12—at Pine View Acres, the household’s pastime farm in Oconomowoc.  Home to a wide range of animals, the property has change into an vital a part of the household’s every day life and values.

For the Werners, farm life presents greater than open house and animals. It gives alternatives for his or her daughters to develop accountability, a powerful work ethic, and an appreciation for the dedication required to take care of others. Those identical values have additionally formed the best way Werner approaches enterprise possession.

Balancing Business and a Farm 

Managing a household, caring for animals, and sustaining a pastime farm is not all that totally different from what Werner has skilled as a enterprise proprietor. In addition to the Waukesha location, he additionally owns the Floor Coverings International in Oak Creek.

 “Running a business comes with a great deal of responsibility,” Werner says. “Between our employees, installers, and customers, many people count on us to do things the right way. That same sense of accountability carries over to life on the farm, where something always needs attention and someone regularly depends on us.”  

At Pine View Acres, these obligations are seen day-after-day. The Werners care for 2 cats, a goat buck with what Werner describes as “big, huge horns,” about 20 ewes, and a flock of chickens.

“We’re doing chores every day,” Werner says.

The duties are shared by all the household. Last yr, Brighton  helped increase three bottle-fed lambs.

“There’s a lot of work that goes into keeping the farm looking nice and keeping the animals healthy,” Werner says. “We shear the sheep once a year. We feed and water them every day. We had to build fencing so we could rotate them from field to field. I cut and bale hay during the summer for both our place and some of our neighbors’ properties as well. I’m kind of the neighborhood hay guy.”

While Werner acknowledges that his daughters are experiencing a singular upbringing, he believes the teachings realized on the farm will stick with them for years to come back.

“We wanted to raise them in a way where they’re forced to think about something other than themselves,” he says. “I hope in their future years that they look back and appreciate how Mom and Dad raised them.”

In addition to the every day obligations of farm life, the Werners additionally homeschool their daughters, creating an setting the place studying extends nicely past the classroom.

The emphasis on service, problem-solving, and understanding particular person wants carries over into Werner’s work with flooring prospects as nicely.

Finding the Right Floor Starts at Home

When it involves deciding on new flooring, Werner acknowledges that the method will be daunting. Many householders start by visiting a big showroom, solely to search out themselves overwhelmed by numerous choices and shows.

That’s why Floor Coverings International operates on a shop-at-home mannequin. Through its cell flooring showroom, prospects can overview samples in their very own properties, permitting them to see how merchandise look alongside current paint colours, furnishings, and lighting situations.

When Werner’s crew evaluates an area, they examine the present flooring, subfloor, and transitions to adjoining rooms whereas additionally accounting for the way the house might be used.

“There’s a lot to consider,” Werner says. “It all depends on the needs of the homeowner. Are they looking for something more budget friendly? More based on performance or design? Sometimes it can be a combination of all three.”

“There’s a lot of hats we wear when we walk into a home,” he provides. “I’m part interior designer, part home improvement contractor, and part salesperson.”

While the corporate does preserve a small showroom, it’s designed primarily as a useful resource for gross sales professionals and sure buyer appointments moderately than a conventional retail expertise. Still, Werner notes that guests are at all times welcome to cease in and have a look round.

Floor Coverings International is situated at N15W22218 Watertown Road in Waukesha. For extra data, go to floorcoveringsinternational.com/areas/us/wi/waukesha/ or observe @FCIWaukesha on Facebook.

To be taught extra concerning the Werner household’s pastime farm, observe Pine View Acres at @pineviewacresfarm on Facebook.