Granite Garage Floors Franchise Creates Family Flexibility

For many entrepreneurs, owning a business is about more than increasing income. It can also be about gaining more control over how they spend their time. That was a major reason Hal and Emilee Bruen decided to build a Granite Garage Floors franchise in Nashville.

The couple opened their business in June 2017 after Hal spent more than a decade working in the corporate restaurant industry. His career was successful, but the schedule often meant working nights, weekends and holidays.

At the time, their daughter Hallie was young, and Hal began thinking seriously about how much family time he was missing. Eventually, he started looking for a business opportunity that could provide a different lifestyle.

Discovering Granite Garage Floors

Hal's interest in cars initially caught his attention when he came across Granite Garage Floors.

While exploring the opportunity, he met company founder Alan Mishkoff at a car event in Atlanta. Hal later made several trips to the company's headquarters as he researched the business model and considered whether Nashville would be a strong market.

After carefully evaluating the opportunity, Hal and Emilee decided to move forward.

Leaving a stable corporate career for business ownership was still a major adjustment. Emilee continued working as a dental assistant and office manager while Hal focused on establishing the new franchise.

As the business grew and their son McCoy was born, Emilee became more involved in the company.

Today, running Granite Garage Floors Nashville is very much a partnership.

Building a Business Around Their Strengths

Hal and Emilee have divided the responsibilities based on what each does best.

Hal spends much of his day meeting customers, preparing estimates, following up with potential clients and checking installation projects. Because the Nashville franchise does not have a separate sales team, he remains directly involved with customers throughout the sales process.

Emilee handles many of the important responsibilities behind the scenes, including accounting, payroll and invoicing.

That division of responsibilities also helps the couple manage their family life. With two children and busy schedules, having more control over their work has allowed them to be more present for practices, games and other family activities.

They are also willing to step into installation work when necessary. If the team is short-staffed, both Hal and Emilee can help complete flooring projects and keep the schedule moving.

Franchise Support Plays an Important Role

For the Bruens, joining a franchise offered the opportunity to build a business without having to develop an entire brand and operating model independently.

Before investing, Hal spoke with existing Granite Garage Floors franchise owners to better understand the system.

The couple says communication with the franchisor has remained important as their business has developed. Granite Garage Floors is now part of Threshold Brands, a home services franchise organization with several brands operating across different service categories.

The Nashville owners also value having access to brand leadership when questions or challenges arise.

Preparing the Nashville Franchise for More Growth

After nearly a decade in business, the Bruens are now focused on expanding their operation throughout Middle Tennessee.

Their strategy is intentionally measured.

Rather than generating more jobs than their team can comfortably handle, they want to develop experienced installers first. Once the right people and systems are in place, the business can add trucks and serve more customers without sacrificing installation quality.

That approach reflects one of the lessons the couple has learned through franchise ownership: growth needs to be supported by the right team.

Granite Garage Floors operates in the home improvement sector, providing garage floor coating systems for homeowners looking to improve the appearance, durability and maintenance of their concrete floors.

Demand in the broader concrete floor coatings industry is also expected to rise. The North American market was valued at approximately $453.4 million in 2024 and is projected to reach about $602.4 million by 2030.

For Hal and Emilee, however, the success of their Granite Garage Floors franchise is not measured by growth alone.

The business has given them something they were searching for when they started in 2017: the ability to build a company while still making their family a priority.

Explore more about Granite Garage Floors Franchise opportunities.