Virginia Couple Combine Their Strengths to Grow Outdoor Living Franchise
Casey and Ben Floyd observe clearly drawn boundaries to insulate their home life from their work at Archadeck Outdoor Living of Central Virginia. The couple’s Archadeck franchise designs and builds custom outdoor features such as decks, outdoor kitchens, patios, pergolas and screened porches.
“When you own a business together, conversations about customers, projects and growth can easily follow you to the dinner table,” Casey says. “We are very intentional about creating boundaries and making time for our family. After all, that’s why we’re in business for ourselves.”
That’s one of several ways the franchise puts them in the driver’s seat of their destiny, she says. “Like many families, we spent years balancing careers, raising a child and chasing professional goals. At some point we realized we wanted more control over our future and the opportunity to work toward a shared vision. Building a business together allows us to combine our strengths while creating something meaningful for our family and our community and controlling our future.”
Working Together
Casey and Ben bring complementary professional backgrounds to their business. She had a solid franchising résumé before they acquired their first franchise in 2022; he was still relatively new to franchising when they invested in Archadeck in 2024.
Casey had previously led marketing teams in telecommunications, spent over a decade in higher education and career coaching, and then transitioned into franchising. She has worked on the franchisor side, served as a franchise consultant and is now a two-time franchisee. Ben had notched 20 years as an information technology executive in multiple industries, honing his expertise in operations, implementations, customer service, project management and team-building.
“All of those experiences gave us a unique perspective,” Casey says. “Ben understands how to build great projects, and I understand how to build and grow great businesses as well as what to look for in a franchise system.”
Their Archadeck franchise plays to their individual strengths. “Ben oversees design consultations, project planning, construction operations and quality control,” she says. “He is the face of the sales and build process, ensuring that every project meets our standards.” That includes managing three to four crews on projects daily throughout much of the year — more in summertime. That’s their busy season, and fortunately their son, Cannon, is out of school then and pitches in. Casey’s duties focus on marketing, customer communications and sales support. “I’m more of a day-by-day support system to Ben, who is the primary.”
Their work delivers a steady stream of fulfillment. “Every project we complete becomes part of a family’s home and creates a space where memories will be made for years to come,” Casey says. “We also love that our son gets a front-row seat to entrepreneurship. He sees the hard work, commitment and teamwork that go into building a business. Those lessons are invaluable and something we hope will stay with him throughout his life.”
The Floyds plan to continue growing their business while maintaining the personalized experience and craftsmanship that have earned a reputation for excellence. “We want Archadeck of Central Virginia to be known as the area’s most trusted outdoor living company, helping families create spaces where life happens outdoors,” Casey says.
Archadeck Advantages
Franchisee Casey Floyd praises Archadeck Outdoor Living and its parent franchisor, Empower Brands, as creating an “incredibly positive” business environment. She points out these franchise benefits:
- Archadeck provides industry expertise and a network of owners who want to help each other succeed.
- The backing of a long-proven franchise system — it’s more than 40 years old — offers a tremendous advantage over starting from scratch.
- Empower Brands supplies resources, skilled leadership and other assistance that enable owners to focus on serving customers and growing their businesses. “Empower is truly a franchisee-first business. We always feel supported.”
Outdoor Living Demand Rises
Outdoor living continues to grow in popularity as homeowners invest in decks, patios, outdoor kitchens and other spaces for relaxing and entertaining. According to the 2026 U.S. Houzz Outdoor Trends Study, 83% of homeowners renovating their outdoor spaces are creating lounge or seating areas, while 48% are adding outdoor cooking areas. The trend is also driving industry growth. Grand View Research projects the North American deck market will grow from $5.1 billion in 2026 to $7.4 billion by 2033. For outdoor living franchises such as Archadeck, the growing interest in making backyards an extension of the home presents opportunities to serve homeowners looking for more functional and inviting spaces.
Learn more about the Archadeck Outdoor Living franchise opportunity.
