Frank and Lelia Friedlander developed their product in 2007 and have seen it spread across the country and around the globe.
Tuffskin, the 2012 “Best New Surfaces” Product of the Year winner at the HD Expo for hospitality and design professionals, is a proprietary stone laminate that protects against etching, scratching and yellowing. The business, certified woman-owned by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council, began in Las Vegas but has expanded to Canada and Australia.
Describe your business.
TuffSkin ends the age-old problem of natural stone tops being damaged with regular use.
Marble, onyx, limestone and even some engineered stones are calcium-based and react to acidic elements by becoming hazy and losing their luster. We also see problems with staining from red wine, coffee and other products we use daily. We developed TuffSkin specifically for stone in the demanding environment of Las Vegas casinos, and we now install TuffSkin internationally with our network of dealers/installers.
TuffSkin Surface Protection
• Phone: 877-221-0830
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: tuffskinprotection.com
• Owned/operated by: Frank and Lelia Friedlander
• In business since: 2007
Do you perform a majority of your work for residential or commercial customers?
Hotels, restaurants, bars and public spaces are the driving force of our business. As the economy rebounds, we are seeing a spike in our residential business, with referrals from our interior design partners. We’ve expanded our California sales and marketing team, and it has been thrilling to protect surfaces in some celebrity homes and stunning residences in wine country.
How did your business survive the real estate bust?
We were developing and testing our product during the tough years. We sold our first large project in 2011 at the Bellagio. That put us on the map and into high gear. We have not looked back.
During the slow times, we worked internally on expanding our dealer network and started a new marketing program. It was a time to hustle, branch out and meet new people, so we began joining industry organizations. We still belong to the International Interior Design Association, Marble Institute of America, Network of Executive Women in Hospitality and National Association of Women Business Owners.
We also invested in our trade show marketing and started exhibiting at the HD Expo, which has been great for helping us attract clients and industry influencers.
What has been your most exciting project?
It’s always exciting to do 10,000 pieces in a high-end hotel, but the historic projects are some of our favorites. We are from San Diego, and working on the historic U.S. Grant Hotel in downtown was an amazing experience.
What is the best part about doing business in Las Vegas?
From the incredible custom homes and world-class resorts, this is our home and we love it. Las Vegas is business friendly and constantly growing. With the T-Mobile Arena, the renovation of downtown and the upcoming Raiders stadium, there’s no shortage of great customers.
Las Vegas also is the perfect place to travel to and from. We can get anywhere easily and cost effectively. We feel lucky to live and work here.
What rewards and challenges come with being a small, family-owned business?
Our adult children, Jake and Katie, are now both active in our business. Jake is an installer and trainer, and Katie is in sales and marketing. Not only is working with family a joyful adventure, but we learn a lot from our kids and we are excited to be growing our business with them.
Carving out personal time is probably our biggest challenge, and it’s something we work on. We meet once a week for a mastermind session to talk about our blessings, to practice forgiveness, to discuss our wins and to create our week ahead, which keeps us accountable and present.
As TuffSkin grows internationally, we also take a lot of “bizcations.” A recent trip to Toronto was a delight. We took in a hockey game, we saw Niagara Falls and our daughter hit a concert.