Jim Tremble is the Spring Face of MFMA!
The Face of MFMA is a quarterly initiative where we interview our members and ask them to share some perspective on their job, organization, daily life, and how they are making an impact on the sports flooring industry.
Jim Tremble was named our Spring Face of MFMA. We share his insights in the interview below.
How did you get started in the sports floor industry?
Jim: I randomly called a local sports flooring company in my hometown to see if they wanted someone like me to sell for them – straight out of college. It turns out they had recently sourced a new product, a resilient sheet vinyl, and needed a sales rep to take that to a recreation market that was at that time dominated by VCT and other non-sport products.
Who was the biggest influence in your career?
Jim: My biggest influence has to be my parents – who, mostly by example, instilled in me to always attempt to do the best job possible at whatever you’re called to do and to take the extra measures to achieve your goal (after all, if you expend more effort than anyone else, your chances of success are that much greater). In the industry, my business partner, Andrew Cochrane, challenges me to see things from a different perspective and brings a strategic big-picture lens to our company.
How does your company help the sports flooring industry?
Jim: I believe, because we represent the best products in the industry and install those products to high standards, we elevate the industry in general – ensuring customers are happy with their purchase. We have also been innovative in the types of products we bring to the market. For example, when I started, VCT was the standard flooring in elementary school gyms. Advantage is in no small part responsible for the current standard in most schools in Ontario and Quebec that sees real athletic flooring installed in elementary school gyms.
What do you feel are your keys to success?
Jim:
- Persistence
- The ability to put ego aside and to see things from a different perspective.
- I look at the long-term – how to make customers repeat customers. That means putting the customer first.
What one thing has impacted the sports flooring industry the most in your career?
Jim: LEED/FSC/VOC standards – these are valuable tools for selling that also create real value and separate companies like Advantage from those that are only able to sell on price alone.
Do you have a saying or mantra that helps you stay motivated or motivate others?
Jim: ‘It’s all theater’ is one thing I say. In construction, with the timing of our installations (at the end of the project for example), customers can get nervous and, at times, get animated. Their stresses (deadlines, opening, coordination with other trades, etc.) can be transferred to us. In those moments, it’s best to make sure you have all your work in order (material on site, communication current and ahead of the curve, etc.) – this allows you to, gently, settle things down and keep things moving forward. Don’t take it personally – in a few weeks you’ll all be working together on the next job!
What is the weirdest thing you have ever seen done to a sports flooring surface?
Jim: In general, it’s when owners/users do thing to a floor to create damage or issues, and call us for a warranty claim – using auto scrubbers, broken pipes, covering the floor with soil, driving vehicles on the floor…
How has the sports flooring industry changed since you started in the industry?
Jim: There seems to be a trend upward toward a better-informed customer base. This helps our way of selling and satisfying the market.
What is your best advice to someone starting out in the industry?
Jim:
- Persistence
- Work with reputable suppliers/partners. Tarkett Sports is one example of a great partner.
- Be persistent. Call, call again, and then call again.
- Talk to owners, architects, GCs. They are all important partners with whom you need to have a good relationship.
Jim Tremble
Advantage Sport
