In 2015, the foundation was laid for what has now grown into one of the leading flooring brands in the Netherlands: Floer. In this weekly blog series, will take you behind the scene of the brand’s story. From the first ideas sketched out at a simple internship desk, to a thriving company known for quality, style, and innovation. Join us as we go back in time to the moment where it all began: with a single idea at an internship desk.
From paving to flooring
During his internship in 2015 at an outdoor goods store, Lennart researched new market opportunities for his host company. Online sales were just starting to take off, and Lennart spotted possibilities that other’s hadn’t explored yet. He successfully promoted decorative paving via the website, which led to growth for his internship company. The online results piqued his curiosity and formed the foundation for his graduation project at the Small Business & Retail Management program at Hanze University of Applied Sciences in Groningen: a business plan focused on selling floors online.
“I started selling floors online in the same way I promoted decorative paving during my internship.” Lennart recalls from that time.
The beginning of the idea
With this plan in mind, Lennart started his own webshop which sold flooring from well-known brands. But, soon he realised that this approach wasn’t really working. “Those brands weren’t selling. They were available on every street corner, so to speak, and the margins were low. The website did get a lot of traffic, but most of the visitors were looking for quotes to see where they could find even cheaper deals.”
He then noticed a different trend in the market. More and more consumers weren’t interested for bargain deals anymore, but were rather looking for finding a strong Dutch flooring brand that offered quality and an experience-driven approach. “It started with the idea that buying a floor should be fun. Not boring, not purely technical, but something that comes with an experience,” Lennart says. This vision became the foundation for the idea that would change everything: creating a brand.
Laying the first plank
In June 2015, Lennart took a big step and registers his business with the Chamber of Commerce. With his sole proprietorship, Floer, and a strong entrepreneurial drive, he created his first own product range. He sourced unique floors from neighbouring countries, products that were not yet available in the Netherlands, and sold them through his webshop. In doing so, he laid the foundation for what would later become the recognisable Floer DNA: distinctive, stylish, and innovative. The first plank was laid, both literally and figuratively.
Floer celebrates 10 years
Every week, you can follow how Floer gradually developed into the brand you know today. Can’t wait? Dive into Floer’s 10-year story.
