Meet Ela Schlisner, Owner of Underfoot Flooring Solutions.
Tell us a little about your business. – Underfoot Flooring Solutions is a local family owned and operated commercial and residential flooring business. We provide and install floor coverings.
How did you get started in the business? – I fell in love with a flooring installer.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – The change from going from an employee to a business owner is a huge shift of responsibility, leadership, pressure and personal challenges.
What has been your most important achievement professionally? – The continued growth of both of our businesses – Underfoot Flooring and PureCare Dry Carpet Cleaning. PureCare has grown from a two-person crew, owner-operated business to a staff of five with two cleaning crews. Underfoot grew form two people and one sub-contracted installation crew to a staff of four with two full-time sub-contracted installation crews.
Tell us a little about your family. – We call our family a “New age Brady Bunch.” We are a blended family of eight kids. I have four – my boys Fletcher and Jack, my adopted daughter Alysa and my foster daughter Amanda. Cory’s four include the oldest Tara, his son Brayden (who leads our PureCare crews) and twins Cadie and Carlie. We are almost empty nesters, as the last one graduated college this year!
What do you see as one of the biggest turning points in your life? – On February 2, 2012, my first-born son Fletcher Dencklau had a sudden brain aneurysm as he was walking out of his karate class. February 4, 2012, the doctors told me that he was brain dead. It was a month before his 15th birthday when he was pronounced dead. He was an organ donor and his heart was given to a father of five. When I was blessed to get to be Fletcher’s mother at the young age of 19, I grew up quickly. I was given the gift of motherhood for the first time and fell in love with it. I became a single mom and college student. I was promoted to management in my job by the age of 23 and purchased my first home at 24. After Fletcher’s death, everything in my life changed. I had to change my career in the healthcare industry as it was too painful. I went back to college to continue in business management and spent every waking moment with Jack, Alysa and Amanda. I held my kids and my family tighter. The gratitude I hold onto, for getting to be Fletcher’s mothers, even though I wish would have been longer, gives me a daily loving perspective with each person I get to interact with. I am proud of the mother I get to be to all my children and grateful for love that motivates me daily.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off? – Watch movies and snuggle, spend time with family, play with my grand kids and go out with my husband and friends.
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know? – We own a carpeted school bus.
If you had a theme song, what would it be? – “I have decided” by Amy Grant or “True Colors” by Cyndi Lauper.
If you could have a super power, what would it be? – Fly or teleportation, than I could get anywhere at anytime.
Which talent would you most like to have? – I can crochet and knitt.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – Cell (402) 730-3495 | Office (402) 483-1502 | Ela@underfootlincoln.com