We recently connected with Robert Fernandez and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, Robert thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s start with a story that highlights an important way in which your brand diverges from the industry standard.
The simplest way of describing this is via the customer service we provide. On complicated jobs, I team up with my installation crews on site in order to quickly complete projects via organizing the logistical time lines and being onsite helping them (sometimes physically) to complete projects. Perfect example. This weekend we had to knock out about 500 sq yds (4500 sq ft in layman’s terms) of carpet tile in a fully functioning office. the business owners had a moving company there to assist in moving all their stuff around. I personally had to organize my crew as well as the movers so no one stopped working and we had very few time lapses doing so. Point blank, we started the job Friday at 2 pm and completed it about midday Sunday. Another example, we sometimes have to do area rugs on site due to the huge dementions. We try to make sure our final products are to our clients satisfaction and we pride in making sure we can completely in a timely matter.
Robert, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
We are second generation flooring dealer which prides itself on trying to meet our clients expectations. We handle carpet, wood, laminate, vinyl & rubber products for both home & commercial applications. Our main concern is that clients can reach us directly and we can explain the entire process so there isn’t any fear or intimidation in what is going to happen. We source out products that fit the right applications and we forewarn them of the ones that will be troublesome. We pride ourself in handling complicated scenarios that many don’t know how to handle as well as troubleshooting issues that can happen before the project even begins.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
I think the best story would be the period of time I took over and had my father retire. In July 2009, we sold our previous facility and moved back down to where we originally started the business. This was during the time of the economic crash mind you. My father was fed up with all the problems that came with handling a business so I told him retire for good and enjoy the rest of your life. What many don’t know is he is self made by fleeing a dictatorship and making what he has with his own two hands. I personally took over at the age of 30 with a line of credit I took out in order to keep the business running. I struggled massively with sometimes people placing orders and never paying for them, and other situations like that. In this industry, the large projects are handled with credit so you have to finance everything and expect payment after everything is complete. I have had projects I needed to hirer attorneys to collect as the sums were massive and hard for many to fathom.
The second story that comes with this is with the pandemic lockdowns. Many people do not want to speak about it as it is a painful time for them. Knowing of my past story of taking over, I sincerely knew no one who would stand up for the rights of business owners and those who worked daily to make a living. I was one of the organizers of Reopen Florida and the head person of Reopen Miami Dade. I helped organize and promote the protest to permit small business to regain their footing in the economy. Many lived in fear while we personally feared we will loose it all due to inaction. We still have the Reopen Miami Dade Page running on Facebook as form of information activism.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Honestly, pivoting my business is a daily situation. If it isn’t from helping sponsor the area art walks/studio/gallery nights here in the Bird Road Art District to my being Chair of the Libertarian Party of Miami Dade County for one term and hosting the meetings in my warehouse facility, I am always doing something different so market myself and my company as something else you won’t see around. If you were to enter our showroom, you will see a plethora of art work to give the venue a different feeling. I try to make my clients feel as if they are in their home and not a commercial place of business. It is this different form of thinking that helps me change with the times and new products that come out to help clients realize there are more options than you see at your local big box store.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.palmettocarpetmiami.com
- Instagram: palmettocarpetmiami
- Facebook: Facebook.com/palmettocarpet