Strong relationships have been the foundation of Perimeter Floors’ success. When the company relocated to Cobb County in 2024, the business brought a strong client base and steady operations. A chance introduction through SelectCobb’s Business Walks Program led to a partnership with the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (SBDC) that would reshape the company’s approach to strategic planning, financial management and leadership development.
Tina Walker, the company’s director of administration, first connected with Joe Zirkel, a business consultant with the UGA SBDC at Kennesaw State University, through the Business Walks Program. It brings together economic leaders, local officials and business experts to visit Cobb County companies, learn about their operations and connect them with valuable resources.
At the time, Perimeter Floors was focused on establishing itself in the area. Founded in 2019, the company specializes in flooring for large-scale multifamily developments, including apartment complexes, student housing, and health care facilities. While the team wasn’t actively seeking outside support, they soon discovered the UGA SBDC offered expertise and guidance they didn’t realize they needed.
Following that initial meeting, Zirkel invited Walker to attend a strategic planning for businesses class he was offering in partnership with the Cobb County Chamber of Commerce. That introduction marked the beginning of an ongoing relationship focused on strengthening Perimeter Floors’ long-term growth.
Working with the UGA SBDC, Walker and her team began with a SWOT analysis to evaluate the company’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. This exercise provided the roadmap the Perimeter Floors leadership team needed to step back from day‑to‑day operations and commit to thoughtful long‑term planning.
“Having a strategic plan gives you the direction and a guide that you can continually go back to when things seem like they’re all over the place and moving really fast,” said Walker. “It keeps you on track.”
With guidance from Zirkel, the company developed a structured strategic plan, refined internal workflows and began to implement processes to support scalability. The UGA SBDC also introduced new financial tools, including the 12‑month moving total (12 MMT), to help the team better track sales trends and understand overall performance. In addition, Zirkel worked with the company to review three‑year financial projections, including profit and loss statements, balance sheets and cash flow forecasts.
These insights are helping Perimeter Floors support future growth by strengthening their budgeting process and preparing them for the adoption of new financial management software.
Beyond financial strategy, Perimeter Floors is emphasizing people development. With UGA SBDC support, it is creating paths for employee promotion and development and has expanded its strategic planning committee to include emerging leaders in the company.
“Conversations with our leadership and the SBDC led us to bring other team members into these strategic planning discussions,” Walker said. “It allows all of us to visualize that the work we do each day is more than what is just on our desks. It encourages us to not just focus on the daily tasks, but how we build this business intentionally for the future.”
This inclusive approach has reinforced the company’s focus on building a workplace culture that is not only shaped by leadership, but by employees at every level.
“Employee culture has been a huge focus for us,” Walker said. “It’s not as much about the work we do, but it’s how we do it. We want our employees to help create the culture they work in each day.”
The results of these efforts have been significant. Within one year of working with the UGA SBDC, Perimeter Floors increased sales by 12% and grew gross profit by 34%, while adding seven full-time employees.
According to Zirkel, that success is rooted in the team’s desire to learn and improve.
“What’s great about them is their openness. They openly acknowledge that they don’t have everything figured out, which, let’s be honest, none of us do,” Zirkel said. “What sets them apart is their commitment to learning and getting better every step of the way. That mindset is no accident and it’s a big reason why they’ve achieved the growth they have.”
Looking ahead, Perimeter Floors plans to continue working with the UGA SBDC as they build on their momentum and refine their long-term vision.
“Because of the work we’ve done, some of the weaknesses from that first meeting have shifted to our strengths. I’d encourage any growing business to tap into the UGA SBDC. They have an extensive toolkit with tools you didn’t know you needed.”
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