Twelve months ago Matt Lugo decided to make the leap from Installer to Store Owner and now with two Andersens stores under his management, life is busy but a lot fun for the young man. In a similar story to almost everyone we speak to Matt bleeds flooring, straight out of school he entered the industry and hasn't looked back.
We are live on-site at Matt's Coorparoo store where they are just about to unveil a new event space, we meet the team and even get one of his young charges on for a chat. This was a fun episode where we discussed the future of the two stores and also the importance surrounding yourself with the right people to ensure success.

It's a year of change for Clever Choice and 2024 will see the inclusion of 4 new ranges in the Resilient Solutions range. Greg Harvey the QLD State Sales Manager joins Michael and Matt to unpack the range and what it means for the end user.

Michael and Matt welcome Jim Hilston into the studio to discuss all things wood flooring and what it takes to be an "expert witness" in the flooring industry.
Jim's career took off when he served as the Product Manager for timber flooring at Fired Earth Ltd in the UK. His role covered the entire process, from sourcing to the final touches of installing highly sought-after products. This experience sparked his interest in upscale interior solutions, introducing him to innovative flooring designs and finishes far from the ordinary.

Leveraging this experience, Jim established Hilston Wood Floors in Australia in 2004. His journey from a hands-on tradesperson to a successful business owner and esteemed flooring specialist has been marked by his dedication to offering exceptional services and products that captivate his clients.

Jim is also renowned for his expertise in providing detailed reports and serving as an expert witness in legal matters. With his extensive qualifications and role as a Senior Inspector with the ATFA, along with being an active member of the Building Dispute Practitioners Society, he has contributed to over 1000 reports. These documents range from repair evaluations to comprehensive reports for legal disputes, ensuring accurate and dependable information on flooring performance and aesthetic issues.

Check out Hilston Wood Floors on the link below
https://hilstonwoodfloors.com.au/

We start 2024 with QLD Sales Manager Greg Harvey as our resident expert. He discusses the Clever Choice Timber Solutions range and along with Michael explains the quality of the products available.
We also learn a little too much about what floats Micheals boat and Greg explains why he believes the Bamboo is still the hidden gem of the Clever Choice range.

We kick off the 2024 season with a clip show. Some of the best of our episodes all crammed into one show. We have hand picked nine stories from the 2023 year and all with the same thread, a love of flooring.
We hear stories of why people got into the industry, how hard is working with your partner and just how lucky it is to know from a young age exactly what you want to do.
Enjoy!

We finish 2023 off with a special episode.
With the help of Josh from Marques Flooring at Nerang we had the pleasure of spending some time with Olympic Gold Medallist, Sally Pearson. Sally had recently built her dream home and Marques Flooring supplied and installed her amazing new Clever Choice Flooring. We discussed the renovation process and how she decided that Marques Flooring was the perfect partner for her project.
We couldn't spend time with a Gold Medal winner without discussing that amazing moment when she crossed that line in London and all of Australia cheered in unison.
It was incredible to have Sally invite us into her home, we hope you enjoy the episode.
Merry Xmas from the team at Clever Choice and The Underlay Podcast.

To check out Marques Flooring click on the link below
https://marquesflooring.com.au/

Gary has spent what seems an age in the flooring industry. A Butcher by trade, Gary changed to flooring and started as a commission-only salesman. Seeing a builder's sign was a business opportunity and Gary, and his didn't miss many chances to forge a long-term relationship with many builders on the Gold Coast.
Gary has built a business based on quality service and great products by running his commercial flooring business out of the Specialty Flooring Xtra store in Underwood. Michael and Matt discover who he started, how the commercial side differs from residential and also how the Carnivore diet has changed his life.
Check out the store on the link below
https://www.flooringxtra.com.au/stores/underwood/

In this episode of The Underlay, Michael and Matt speak with Justin Losinski from Master Floors Group. Having recently moved from Western Australia, Justin ran his own successful flooring company after being born into the industry.
Justin will explain the importance of floor preparation and it is the first time we have had a true expert in this area explain the process of levelling your subfloor in preparation for laying your flooring.
Master Flooring Group is based out of Yatala on the Gold Coast and comprises Master Floor Preparers an established Floor Preparation company operating since 2004, and Master Floor Coverings established in 2014 to meet the growing flooring needs of the Queensland Construction industry. Master Floors Group allows customers in the construction industry to meet its floor covering and preparation requirements by using a single supplier.
For more information click on the link below.

https://www.masterfloorsgroup.com.au/