Hal Bruen had a successful corporate career, but there was one thing his job wasn’t giving him enough of: time with his family.
After 11 years in the restaurant industry, the long days, weekends and holidays had started to take their toll. Hal was responsible for a busy restaurant and a team of around 70 employees. Professionally, things were going well. Personally, he wanted a change.
His daughter was still young, and missing time with her made Hal begin looking at alternatives.
That search eventually led Hal and his wife, Emilee, to Granite Garage Floors.
Turning an Interest Into a Business
Hal has always been interested in cars, so a franchise centered around improving garage spaces naturally caught his attention.
He first learned about the opportunity online. His research eventually led to a meeting with Granite Garage Floors founder Alan Mishkoff at an automotive event in Atlanta.
Rather than rushing into the investment, Hal spent time getting to know the business. He visited the Atlanta area several times and spoke with people already involved with the franchise.
Once Hal and Emilee felt comfortable with the model, they made the leap.
Granite Garage Floors Nashville opened in June 2017.
Making the Move Into Entrepreneurship
Going from an established career to owning a business was a big change for the family.
Emilee initially remained in her career as a dental assistant and office manager while Hal concentrated on getting the franchise established.
Over time, the business grew and so did the Bruen family. After their son was born, Emilee became more involved in the day-to-day company operations.
The couple found a straightforward way to work together: each person focuses primarily on the areas where they are strongest.
Hal handles much of the customer-facing work. He visits prospective customers, prepares estimates and proposals, follows up with leads and monitors installation projects.
Emilee looks after accounting, invoicing and payroll while also helping manage the family’s schedule.
There are times when those roles overlap. Both owners know how to perform installations and can step in when their crews need extra help.
Finding a Better Balance
One of the biggest changes for the Bruens has been the ability to organize work around their own priorities.
Owning a business certainly hasn’t eliminated long days or responsibility, but it has given the family more control over their schedule.
That flexibility has become especially important as their children have grown and become involved in sports and other activities.
Their experience also highlights a part of entrepreneurship that is sometimes overlooked. A franchise doesn’t necessarily have to be chosen purely because of revenue potential or expansion opportunities. Lifestyle, family goals and the type of day-to-day work involved can be equally important considerations.
Growing Granite Garage Floors in Middle Tennessee
Granite Garage Floors Nashville has come a long way since 2017.
The Bruens now have an established crew and are looking at opportunities to grow throughout their Middle Tennessee market. Their plans include developing more installers and eventually putting additional trucks on the road.
But they aren’t interested in growth simply for the sake of getting bigger.
The couple wants their installation team properly trained and prepared before substantially increasing sales. Bringing in more customers without enough qualified employees could create service and quality problems.
That makes employee development an important part of the next chapter of the business.
A Growing Home Services Category
Granite Garage Floors is part of Threshold Brands, which acquired the company in 2022. The organization has a portfolio of home service franchise brands covering services such as HVAC, plumbing, insulation, pest control, cleaning and home improvement.
Granite Garage Floors focuses on professionally installed concrete floor coating systems, particularly for residential garages.
The broader market surrounding the business continues to develop as homeowners invest in making garages more functional and visually appealing.
North America’s concrete floor coatings market was estimated at $453.4 million in 2024 and is projected to reach $602.4 million by 2030.
For the Bruens, however, the story started with something much more personal than market statistics.
They wanted to build a business that could support their family without constantly pulling them away from it. Nearly a decade after opening Granite Garage Floors Nashville, that decision has created a business they can continue growing together.
Learn more about Granite Garage Floors franchise opportunities.
