FORT WORTH, Texas — Lyle Hayes has spent much of his career solving problems in places far from home. After 10 years as a Navy intelligence officer and another 17 years in sales, marketing and customer support with BNSF Railway, he is taking on a new challenge of becoming a business owner in his own community.
Hayes recently opened a Footprints Floors franchise serving the Dallas-Fort Worth area, marking the beginning of a new chapter.
But the career switch is well timed. Texas remains one of the country’s fastest-growing states, bringing new residents into the Dallas-Fort Worth area and creating demand not only for new homes, but for renovations to the existing homes they purchase. “When people move into an older home, one of the first things they want to fix is their floors,” Hayes said.
His new territory encompasses roughly a 40-mile radius around DFW Airport, giving Hayes an opportunity to help homeowners transform their homes while drawing on the customer-focused skills he developed throughout his career.
At the railroad, Hayes learned the importance of anticipating problems, communicating proactively and making sure customers know what is happening before an issue becomes a surprise. He sees those same principles as central to delivering a good flooring experience.
Most of all, Hayes is excited about the chance to interact with customers every day and finally build something within the community where he lives. “I love customer interaction,” Hayes said. “I love just seeing what people’s visions are for the work that they want to get done.”
And after spending his military career largely overseas and his railroad career across multiple states, Hayes says the opportunity to serve his own neighbors makes this next chapter especially meaningful. “For the first time in my working career, I have an opportunity to work within my community, work with different business partners within my community, and serve my neighbors,” he said.
Contact: To learn more or, visit footprintsfloors.com/dallas or contact lhayes@footprintsfloors.com.
