What is your job/position?
My husband and I own a small business: Floor Coverings International of Southeast Las Vegas. I manage the sales side of our business, going into customers' homes to measure and sell them new flooring. This is a very full time job—I probably spend 50–60 hours/week working, some of that at home, but a lot of it done outside of my home. We have three kids (13, 10, and 7 years old). Prior to opening our business, I was a stay-at-home parent.
Describe the path that took you from your American Studies degree to your current career or life situation.
Honestly, I majored in American Studies because I loved being able to tailor my major to my interests. I focused mostly on 20th century American history and culture, with some amazing classes like "The Impact of the Beatles on American Pop Culture" with Dr. Hickman. But I had no specific career plans. I knew I wanted to be a stay-at-home mom, and I hadn't really thought about what would come after that. I wish I'd had a little more forethought about future plans, but hindsight is 20/20, right?
Fast forward to the present, about 15 years after graduating from BYU. My kids are all in school, and I was starting to feel a little restless. My husband and I had always talked about starting a business but couldn't ever figure out exactly what we wanted to do. We started looking into franchising, but my initial plan was that we'd find something where I could work part-time in the business, probably handling the administrative side of things (scheduling, ordering, etc.). Something nice, comfortable, and easy for me. When we first came across Floor Coverings International, a franchise with 200+ locations across the US and Canada, my initial plan got turned upside down. I was really excited about the business model: bringing the flooring store right to a customer's home, with a mobile showroom full of samples, then helping the customer find floors they love and getting them installed expertly. As we moved through our decision process with FCI, it became clear that between myself and my husband, I was the best fit to handle the in-home sales role in the business.
It has been almost a year since we first bought our location, and it has been a wild ride for sure. If you'd told me as a BYU undergrad that I would eventually own a flooring business, I would have been incredulous. But it is a great fit for right now. I don't know if this will be a forever business. We may build it up and sell it in a few years, but who knows?
What are the specific competencies you cultivated as an American Studies student that you now use in your professional life and that set you apart from your colleagues?
As an American Studies major, I learned that everyone has a story. Every situation is unique, and every person's life experiences are different. I remember taking a folklore class from Dr. Rudy that started this idea percolating, and now it is the single most important thing that helps me as a business owner and in my sales role.
Our business is special in that we treat each customer like family. I take a lot of time to sit and listen, and to try to find solutions that make sense for each customer's individual situation. This is not typical behavior for contractors! I often spend two hours with customers, and most of that time is spent listening. When I ask people the question, "What made you decide to trust us with your business?" I often get responses like, "You didn't pressure me. You took time to listen to all my questions and to help me understand the answers. You treated me with respect."
What are some of the surprising ways in which your American Studies degree has helped you in your professional or personal life?
A lot of my customers are from the Baby Boomer generation, and I know their history! I'm able to talk to them about things from the past that I think a lot of other 30-somethings haven't the foggiest idea about.
What do you wish you had known as an American Studies student? What advice would you share with current students?
I wish I had recognized the importance of having a career plan, even if you plan to stay at home with children for a good chunk of time. If something had happened to my husband, and I had to become the breadwinner, I didn't have any "marketable skills" that would immediately translate into a high-paying job. Now, with my business, I have the security of knowing that I have skills that directly translate into money for me and for my family. Being a stay-at-home parent is an amazing thing. I'm so glad I've had the opportunity to fill that role in my family. But I will tell every college-age woman I know that I wish I'd thought more about a career path in college . . . don't just leave that to chance!
*You can contact Janie with questions about her American Studies story at janie.sandberg@fcifloors.com.