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What Employee-Owner Sam Scardina Says About Tile Outlets of America

What Employee-Owner Sam Scardina Says About Tile Outlets of America

Posted by TOA's Blog Team on Feb 23rd 2017

Announcing news such as Tile Outlets of America becoming an employee-owned company is a terrific reason to continue introducing you to the people of Tile Outlets.

Next in this series is Sam Scardina who joined Tile Outlets of America in July 2011.

Sam is based out of the Fort Myers Tile Outlets store where you are likely to encounter him as you explore the store.

We caught up with Sam to ask him a few questions.

Meet Sam Scardina, Employee-Owner of Tile Outlets of America

TOA: Sam, tell us about yourself and your background.

SS: I was raised in West Virginia, a place some may know by the song that John Denver recorded back in April, 1971, "Take Me Home, Country Roads."

I married my high school sweet heart one month after graduating from high school and this year we will celebrate our 38th year of marriage. I have two beautiful daughters, four beautiful granddaughters and, finally, a handsome grandson.

I was taught early in life to treat people how you want to be treated and to be honest with everyone.

TOA: How did you get immersed in tile and stone?

SS: I started in the flooring business twenty-five years ago. I wasn’t happy doing what I was employed to do in the medical field so I jumped ship for flooring.

To this day, I have never once regretted or looked back. I was hired as a salesman at a local tile store. The man who owned the store was a friend of a friend.

The owner of the store knew I didn’t have any experience in the flooring business but, because of my friend, he gave me a chance. I met with the store manager and within the first couple of minutes he knew that I didn’t have a clue about carpet, tile or wood.

When he asked me what I knew about carpet, my response back to him was fuzzy side up and it is soft. Yes, he smiled and then asked me what I knew about tile. My response back to him was it is hard and pretty. When he asked me what I knew about wood my response wasn’t much different. Wood comes from trees. He asked if I was joking and, when I told him I wasn’t, he made that phone call to the owner. I could hear his part of the conversation and he was not happy with the owner but as he hung up the phone I remember his last words to the owner. He said, “Yes sir, I will.”

The manager of that store took me under his wing and taught me everything he knew about flooring. To this day we are still friends and still in the flooring business.

TOA: How did you get to Tile Outlets of America?

SS: My fun side would be to answer this question with "by car," but I don’t think that’s the answer you are looking for.

Let’s start at the beginning when Tile Outlets of America came to Fort Myers in 2002. At that time I was the store manager for a local tile store. I started losing business. No matter what I tried at that time, sales were dropping. We would follow up with phone calls to customers and over and over again I heard the same thing, “I’m sorry but we purchased tile from Tile Outlets of America.”

After several times hearing “we purchased tile from Tile Outlets of America,” I had to see why. When I walked in all I could think was Wow! I’ve been to tile distributor yards that didn’t have the stock this store had.

As I walked and looked at the prices I remember thinking how can they sell that tile for that low price? They had inventory stacked up. They had below market pricing. They had the largest selection of floor and wall tile I had ever seen. I felt like the little country mouse that went to the big city. I remember leaving and feeling down. How could I or any store compete against them? There had to be a way!

But, as time went on, I found it better to throw in the towel and I asked to join them!

TOA: What is your role with Tile Outlets of America?

SS: I am classified as “Sales” but I personally step out and away from titles. I do what is needed.

Every day is different:

  • Help a contractor get his order quick so he can get to the jobsite, I’m on it.
  • Run to the back to get a sample, zoom goes flash Gordon.
  • Slow down and help design a backsplash, you found the right person.

 

A backsplash design that Sam created.

>> See How To Design With White Tile: Inspiration From Fort Myers.

>> See Tile Design Inspiration from Tile Outlets Fort Myers

  • Send a picture of a tile to a customer, no problem.
  • Dust displays and sweep floors, I’m the maid.
  • Phone call from a contractor asking if I could bring a specific item to a jobsite on my way home, beep - beep, here I come.
  • Have a question about sealers and cleaners, I will do my best to answer your question and even after “all these years” sometimes I don’t know the answer but I do know who to ask.

I will do my best for every customer who walks into Tile Outlets of America and the customers who use the online service. I do believe in the saying,

Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.”

TOA: What do you love most about being an employee-owner of Tile Outlets of America?

SS: Hmmm… What can I say?

Before I answer that question, I want to say Thank You to Don Aronin for what he gave to me and my family. Words cannot express the unselfish gift this man has handed to every Tile Outlets of America employee and their families. He could have just as easily sold the business to anyone, but he didn’t. He decided to help the ones who made Tile Outlets of America what it is today.

As for being an employee-owner, I won’t change and I’m positive that every employee will continue to help every customer as they have done before their lives were changed.

I see it like this.

You’re shopping for tile. You stop into Tile Outlets of America and, even if I’m not there, I guarantee you will be greeted and helped by a knowledgeable and helpful associate. By associate, I am referring to every employee. It doesn’t matter what his or her title or role is.

The purchase of tile and or stone is an investment in your home. We (Tile Outlets of America) want to make sure that you are comfortable doing business with us. We want to make sure you know that when you purchase tile or stone from Tile Outlets of America you are getting the best quality material for the absolute best price.

 

Employee-Owner Sam Scardina and other members and friends of the Tile Outlets of America team

We don’t want you to have any doubt.

We want to answer every question you have before you make that purchase.

I want to make sure when I see a customer at Publix, WalMart or wherever it may be, who purchased tile from Tile Outlets of America, and I was the associate who helped, that I don’t have to duck and run. This town is too small and believe me I see many customers away from the store. Never once I have had to hide my face from a customer nor will I ever have to.

>> See What Being Proudly Employee-Owned Means At Tile Outlets of America

TOA: Sam, what are you top tips for people shopping for tile?

SS: Compare apples to apples! Not all tile is made the same. Some larger box stores can specify to the factory what they want. They can get any tile “knocked off.” They can and do specify to the factory to make the tile 1cm thinner, use 20% less ink, open the backing by 5% by reducing the amount of clay used for the body of the tile, cut back the amount of printing screens used from 10 down to 3. Whatever they can do to make the tile cheaper and make it look like a value, they will.

  • You could use the method of testing the absorption rate I saw 20 plus years ago by an older tile installer of sticking out your tongue and placing the back of the tile on your tongue, but I would personally would rather use and recommend a spray bottle.

At Tile Outlets of America, we get the best possible price from the factory and pass the savings on to you, because we purchase in volume. Not just one style or color but several styles and colors.

Compare our wood look tiles to anyone else in the area and by far we have the largest selection, the largest inventory and the lowest prices on what we stock.

No one can beat us when it comes to service, selection, inventory and price.

>> See What To Expect When You Shop Tile Outlets of America

TOA: Thank you, Sam!

If you haven't yet visited Tile Outlets of America in Fort Myers we hope you'll come visit soon.

When you do, be sure to say hi to Sam Scardina, and let all of us know how to help make your dream home become a reality with the beautiful selection of in-stock and first quality porcelain and ceramic tile, stone, mosaics, cabinets and more that you'll find available for a whole lot less at all Tile Outlets of America stores!