Some people are just wired differently. For the longest time John Steier’s ambition was to become a police officer. When he finally became one, he lasted three weeks and quit, returning to what his true calling was—flooring installation.
But not just for his own gains. As much as anyone in the flooring industry, Steier is about reaching into the community to entice younger generations to the trade. All this while running his own flooring store, Steier Flooring in Algona, Iowa. “I love going into the high schools or vocational schools,” he told FCNews. “It’s my passion.”
Steier’s outreach took hold during the COVID-19 lockdown, when he found himself sitting at home, itching for something to do. “I was going like 1,000 miles an hour and then everything stopped,” he said. “My wife is a nurse [and was very busy]. I was able to slow down because I didn’t have a choice.”
He took an interest in certain Facebook groups centered around flooring and installation. He didn’t always like what he read. “There was so much doom and gloom about how much installation sucked in these discussion groups. I had a completely different outlook. It made me reflect that ‘holy moly,’ I have it really good. I wouldn’t be any-where without floor covering.”
Steier started filming his own installation videos and made it a point to connect with the local schools in Iowa. When the pandemic eased, he was able to make his pitch directly to students. “These kids are like sponges,” he said. “As a flooring community we have to do this outreach. I’m going into a private school this winter that offers no vocational trade and still getting the support to talk to students. When retail owners say the schools aren’t interested, I don’t believe that. I’ve never had any resistance going into schools. The answer is always ‘no’ if you don’t ask. In fact, I should call the school where that [retailer] said the schools weren’t interested. I would call that school up and ask to talk to their math class. We don’t have to be great speakers or know the Pythagorean theorem when we meet with these students. We just have to be there.”
Today, Steier is well known and respected for his work in mentoring high school students. He first caught the attention of the Floor Covering Education Foundation (FCEF) a few years back and now collaborates with the organization. “John is a remarkable advocate for the installation community, always representing the flooring industry with positivity and enthusiasm,” said Kaye Whitener, executive director. “He has a clear vision of the opportunities for a bright future and is always willing to invest his time and energy in helping others, which truly defines who he is. Our industry could greatly benefit from more individuals like John to help build a stronger and better future.”
Jim Aaron, former executive director of FCEF, said Steier first showed up on his radar when he viewed a Facebook post in one of the CFI installer groups. “John was posting about the day he had spent with high school students at a local high school,” Aaron recalled. “He had reached out to the instructor of the shop class of the high school and asked if he could come share some information about flooring installation with the students. Once I saw that, I thought, ‘This is exactly what I’ve been saying our industry needs to be doing.’ I was ready to give this guy the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Purple Heart and the Nobel Peace Prize all wrapped up into one.”
Whitener refers to Steier as the “Energizer Bunny,” always full of energy and enthusiasm. “What really sets him apart is his servant heart—it’s evident in everything he does,” she said. “Whether he’s creating how-to videos to share best practices or dedicating his time to teaching and mentoring students at Hawkeye Community College, John truly excels as an instructor. His passion for helping the next generation of installers is unmistakable.”
Steier has conducted workshops for as many as 200 people at a trade show as well as a half-dozen students at a workshop. He prefers the more intimate settings, saying: “I’d rather take six people that I have a chance of getting my message across to.”
His message resonated loud and clear with Charity Adeoti, an installation student at Hawkeye Community College and recipient of an FCEF scholarship. Adeoti already had three-plus years’ experience as an installer when she took the class to bone up on her technical skills and to learn more about tile installation. She had heard wonderful things about Steier prior to the class but her experience with him “far exceeded” her expectations.
“I could sing his praises all day,” she said. “The patience and the empathy and the compassion that he showed the students stood out. He didn’t mind explaining things over and over and doing so without making people feel stupid. He was very chill. The amount of confidence I gained from that class was literally priceless.”
To this day, Adeoti says she counts Steier as a trusted mentor, one whom she regularly converses with on a range of subjects. “And I don’t ever feel rushed to get off the phone with him,” she said. “He always has the time for me.”
Steier seems to find the time for everything, from running his store to assisting FCEF leaders in their important quest to create a strong foundation of employment for students completing training programs. “We recognize that this is a critical time to introduce our industry to a new generation,” Whitener said. “We understand that if independent retailers don’t offer placement opportunities for these young students, other trades will step in. It’s essential for the future of our industry that we all work together to support and nurture this talent.”
Steier will do his part. He said the rest of the industry, especially dealers, need to step forward as well. “I can come up with a million excuses not to do it, and one reason to do it: because our future is at stake.”
For FCEF to expand its mission nationwide, it needs many more volunteers like Steier. “John is a leader who gives of his time and his talents without expecting anything back,” Aaron said. “If we had 50 more John Steiers, we could accelerate our progress tenfold. We are extremely grateful for John’s help.”
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