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Recently we sat down with Jamie Hodge, of Hodge Floors and their new Commercial Project Manager Jon Wilkins to discuss all things Spartanburg and how hometown growth has impacted Hodge Floors. One thing is for sure: Hodge Floors’ future is bright!
Our interview highlights the commercial side of Hodge Floors and its growth, but our conversation explores the historical journey of this family business, its current impact and future growth.
Background
What values or lessons from your grandfather's legacy do you strive to uphold running Hodge Floors today?
Jamie: We have seen businesses come and go, succeed and fail. It may sound cliché, but if you take care of your customer, your business will be successful. Whether you are running a trash collecting company or a restaurant.
My grandfather started out selling bed linens on a mule-driven cart in the streets of Spartanburg. He took such great care of his customers, and his business flourished to the point where he could open a store. My father learned from his father that you have to take care of your customer. It is a mindset that we have as a company today, as a family for generations, that our installers have on every job, and our team uses as they work together. We want to do the right thing.
We have carved out a niche and the community and our customers know that if they want it done right, Hodge Floors can provide the products they need, with satisfaction as a result.
Historical Perspective
Can you share a story about a pivotal moment in the history of Hodge Floors that shaped its identity?
Jamie: The death of our father was the most traumatic and pivotal moment in our history. I was 37 years old, my sister, Mia was 32, and we were running a successful business when my father died within three months of being diagnosed with cancer. This left Mia and me to decide on our own what to do with our company.
As a company, we were serving mostly residential customers and would take on a few smaller to medium size commercial projects. Mia had been back in the business for 4-5 years at this point.
We decided together that she would focus on managing all of our residential work, and give me the opportunity to try and focus on our commercial growth. This gave me what I needed to focus on commercial, and together we turned the company into the vision that we had, after my father passed away.
Kids in a family business always want to please their parents, but part of what drove us was making sure that we pleased our Dad. We couldn’t fail, with the headstart that he had given us.
We are one of the lucky ones.
What was your first commercial project?
Jamie: I was fresh out of college and had worked in the business, doing small jobs inside of the warehouse and taking out the trash. One day, my Dad said that someone had called in and wanted to re-carpet their store. My Dad handed me a piece of paper with the address to Chuck’s Buck Stove. This was in the Pinewood shopping center down by Wade’s Restaurant. At this point, I knew just enough to be dangerous, but on I went to meet with the owner. I measured the space, came back to the office to put together an estimate and then I called him to tell him what is was going to cost. I was so scared. When he said yes, I was in shock. This first job gave me confidence and an internal excitement about sales. Seeing the job come together was even better. It made his store look good, he paid us and I was hooked!
How have your commercial offerings changed over the years?
Jamie: Another big project I remember fondly, was the Spartanburg General Hospital. It was the early 80s and this was Hodge Floors biggest project. At the time I was running crews, measuring and putting together estimates. I was learning the business from the ground up. We got the job, but our crews had to do the work at night and we worked with all hands on deck to accomplish it. After we finished, I knew if we could do that job, we could do anything. After successfully executing on the hospital job, we began doing some schools in the area.
Once you get out of your comfort zone, you get better and change your mindset.
What is the biggest commercial job that you have completed?
Jamie: We have done huge jobs in Spartanburg and the region over the last 55+ years. You can see our work at Spartanburg High School, the AC Marriott and more, but the Spartanburg Courthouse is the single biggest job we have ever done.
Meet Jon Wilkins
How did you know that Jon was the best person for the job?
Jamie: Over the years, I have been the person on our team who estimated the job, sold the job and the project managed the jobs we have won. I’ve had these three roles for my entire career at Hodge Floors. Most companies have separate people for each of these roles, but I’ve always worn all three of these hats.
When I realized how much work was going to happen, with the size of the Spartanburg Courthouse job, I knew I needed help. That is where Jon came in. Without hesitation, Jon said, “I can do that”. There were meetings multiple times a week over the span of nine months on this specific job. If I went to three of these meetings, then Jon went to 103!
Jon has been an installer for Hodge Floors, for the last 18 years. Jon impressed us with his leadership and his daily management with the Spartanburg Courthouse job.
When he took that responsibility off of me, the job went smoother. He made my job so much easier, and got me thinking about bringing Jon into this new role full time. That is exactly what we did. At the first of the year, we brought Jon in-house as our dedicated Commercial Project Manager for Hodge Floors.
How has this transition felt for you, Jon?
Jon: Honestly, I know just how Jamie felt when he first went to Chuck’s Buck Stove. Being an installer has given me a lot of tactical understanding, but this new role has me on my toes, learning new things every day.
This role is all about customer service, and customer service is not just selling beautiful floors that transform a space. At Hodge Floors, we do each step of the process (order, install, and more). I’m in the background of each step, making sure it happens on time and correctly, so the customer can relax and know that our team has everything under control.
Now that I am dedicated to this role, more than anything, this should impact our ability to give that ultimate customer service that we always strive for at Hodge Floors. I feel confident helping our customers, and I can also talk to an installer and really understand what it is like to be in their shoes. I am not asking them to do anything that I haven’t done already, in my previous 18 years.
More about Jon:
Tell us about yourself?
Jon: My name is Jon Wilkins, and I grew up here in Spartanburg and went to Dorman High School. I loved growing up in a family business (Wilkins Opticians), and I can relate so well to many of the stories that Jamie has shared with you today.
My Grandparents started Wilkins Opticians in the late 70’s.
Growing up in a family business gave me a work ethic and a true understanding of what it takes to run a business. It also gave me the people skills that I use every day.
What is it like to be a part of the Hodge Floors team?
Jon: Being on the Hodge Floors team is like a second family. The family atmosphere has kept me here for the last 18 years and I clearly saw the potential for commercial growth over my time here. Starting as a helper, I learned something every day. I like that part of it! When you start with a job, you get to walk out sweaty and see a beautiful finished product as a result of the work you completed.
How have you seen Hodge Floors grow and change over time?
Jon: When I started 18 years ago, I learned the business in the residential side, which I think has helped me grow in the commercial side. Residential flooring work is very hands on, with both the product and the customer, and you learn the importance of working with a customer to get exactly what they need.
As someone who has witnessed the growth and evolution of Hodge Floors, what aspects of the company's culture or approach to business have remained constant, and what has evolved?
Jon: Our installers have remained constant throughout the years. Most companies in our industry experience a high turnover with their installation teams, but we make sure that our team stays busy, we treat them well and in return, we have the same crew that we had when I started.
In your new role at Hodge Floors, what can you do now with this amazing team?
Jon: As I have moved into the Commercial Project Manager role, Jamie is now freed up to be working with our customers and community relationships, and less boots on the ground.
We just took on a commercial flooring job at a school in Columbia. We have also been approached by a theater in Hartsville, SC. I can see how moving into this role is helping us provide even better service to our local customers and gives us the ability to reach even further, outside of our local area. We are excited to venture in new geographic areas. We get invitations to bid across the southeast. We used to dismiss most of these, but now we sit down and look to see if we can complete it. As an installer myself, I know first hand that we are only as good as our installers. One of the biggest challenges, as we continue growing, is building onto our existing workforce and I’m confident we can do this in the Spartanburg Community.
Jamie: I love what I do. I mean…when you own your own business, it is a second skin that you can’t take off. I love the people who are part of our team and they are like family to Mia and me. We know our future is training a future generation of capable leaders. I’m honored to introduce you to Jon Wilkins, Hodge Floors Commercial Project Manager.
We have worked really hard to become the brand that you see today. The community has been good to us, trusted us and we have given back to the community along the way. It is important to be good stewards of what the Spartanburg Community has given us.
