Chair’s Cut: Steady the Course
More than half of respondents to the National Wood Flooring Association (NWFA)’s annual Industry Outlook survey are hopeful that sales will increase in 2026. However, nearly 70 percent of wood flooring professionals are planning to adjust their business strategy due to economic uncertainty. Some of the top concerns cited were tariffs and trade policy, consumer demand, interest rates, inflation, and labor.
If you are running a business, none of this probably comes as a surprise to you. There’s no option to sit idle, though. Take the NWFA as an example. In its 40 years of existence, the association has made it through various ebbs and flows of the economy, including the Great Recession. The reason? Listening to the changing needs of its members and continually evolving to offer solutions.
How can your business keep evolving even in times of uncertainty? The answer is education. It may seem like there’s never time for that, but if things should slow down, take advantage of that period to better yourself and your team. Luckily, the downturns never seem to last long, and you’ll be ready for the upswing.
Brushing up on your business knowledge is one way to go about figuring out ways to gain financial clarity and plan for new growth channels. These are the types of topics that will be covered during the Real Answers Small Business Workshop of the NWFA Leadership Development Summit on October 16, 2025. For those unable to attend, check out the NWFA University’s Competitive Edge series featuring Doug Howard of Growth Team Strategies and Matt Garcia of Craftsman Hardwood Flooring. Both include actionable tactics you can use to improve and grow your business.
Those courses may be viewed anytime, anywhere on your mobile device or computer through NWFA University, which has more than 370 other courses from which to choose. Learning paths range from sales to wood floor manufacturing. Courses are 10-20 minutes each, with a short quiz. An all-access pass to the online university is just $199 for up to 49 employees at one NWFA member company. This gives access to all the industry courses and recorded webinars on the site for one year.
It’s worth noting that labor shortages continue to be a challenge. Finding new employees has been harder this year than last according to 23 percent of Industry Outlook survey respondents. Creating a culture of education is a great way to recruit and retain employees. It encourages them to grow with you, and to bring new ideas to the table.
NWFA’s hands-on training can help raise the bar on your industry knowledge, your skills, your professional network, and your bottom line. From Basic Installation to Master Craftsman Workshops, there is a class no matter where you are in your career. More than 50 events take place annually across North America, providing the opportunity to learn from highly skilled NWFA Regional Instructors. Take that investment even further and consider becoming an NWFA Certified Professional. Doing so sets you apart and recognizes you as an expert in your field.
As you think about where to take your business in the year ahead, read what others in the wood flooring industry are forecasting starting on page 42. Then, reach out to the NWFA team at 800.422.4556 or visit nwfa.org for more information about how investing in education now will help keep you steady during waves of uncertainty.