Tyler Lau: Flooring for Life
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
CONCORD — When asked how he got started in the flooring business, Tyler Lau says he’s been involved since he was a teenager. “My dad and my uncle opened a carpet store called Floor Masters when I was 17, and I started working there during the summers. After finishing college, I came back and worked in the office, where I learned about sales, estimating and other aspects of running a business. After about 10 years, I took a brief hiatus from the industry, following which I opened my own flooring store in Concord.”
Today, as owner of Concord Carpet and Hardwood, Tyler says his favorite part of his job is seeing the finished product. “I love it when our installers send me pictures at the end of the job. It gives me a lot of pride to post them on Facebook and share the beautiful work we’ve done.”
A resident of Danville (where he lives with his wife, Nancy, and their children), Tyler spends his time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “I enjoy motorsports like go-kart racing, motorcycling and jet skiing. However, my main hobby is spending time with my kids. We do outdoor activities like jet skiing at the Delta or riding bikes at Carnegie Park. We also try to go to Hawaii a couple of times a year for vacation.”
In regard to a professional philosophy, Tyler believes that true success is the product of slow, steady growth rather than rapid expansion. “I like the fact that Concord Carpet and Hardwood is a small, family business,” he says. “I’m not trying to set the world on fire and become huge overnight. We grow a little bit each year and I’m happy with that. One of the reasons I’ve kept things small is that I only work with people I’ve known for quite a while. It’s not always easy to find good people, so I really appreciate having a staff I can trust and rely on.”
When asked the first thing he’d do if he were to retire tomorrow, Tyler says he’d take a staycation. “My kids are still pretty young, so going on a big, international vacation would be pretty tough. Instead, I think I’d rather just hang out, relax and spend time with them at home. We can save the bigger trips until they get a little older.”
Ask Me Anything!
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Piatti in Danville.
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?
A: I would go to the Philippines and go diving. That’s one of my bucket list items.
Q: What was your favorite Halloween costume as a child?
A: I was a Jawa from “Star Wars.” It was a homemade costume—my dad’s friend helped me make it. It had little red lights for the eyes and everything.
Q: What’s your favorite TV show?
A: “Arrested Development.”
Q: What do you like on your pizza?
A: Lots of everything!
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