Meet Don Mlnarik, Owner and Operator at Lifetime Stone Restoration (lifetimestone.com).
Tell us a little about your business. – Lifetime Stone Restoration can clean, polish and seal natural stone surfaces such as marble, travertine, limestone and granite. We don’t only do floors, but also stairs, counters, walls and have even repaired some statues and fountains.
We can clean tile and grout, seal the grout and can also change the color of the grout without the expense and downtime of replacing it. If grout is missing, we can patch in what is missing. Showers that are tiled with ceramic or stone can be cleaned removing the soap and hard water buildup, replace the caulking, seal the grout and remove any mildew.
How did you get started in the business? – Being a homeowner, I noticed that when I was looking for someone to clean and repair some chips on my granite counter, there was no one to do it. When I researched some more, I found a lot of installation companies, but no one that could restore the stone to look like new where it is already installed.
When I started this company, I worked in an office building that had marble floors. I remember the facility manager stating they had to hire a company from St. Louis to refinish them since the janitorial company could not do this specialized work. I knew then that no one in the Omaha area was capable of doing this work, which is why I started my company.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced professionally? – Even after being in business for almost 16 years, clients still are not aware of the services I provide. Most of my work is kind of a specialty, so unless someone knows what to search for, they have a hard time finding my company.
Another big challenge is trying to keep up with all the new manufactured materials and new stone being introduced. I have been looking for ways to make the necessary repairs if an issue arises for a homeowner or business owner.
Tell us a little about your family. – I have been married to my wife for 25 years this year. She was instrumental in helping me start this business and supporting me when I quit my corporate job to build a business from the ground up. We have a son attending college at Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and a daughter attending high school at Skutt.
If you could choose any other profession to be successful in, what would it be? – I am a huge sports fan and don’t think I would want to be a coach due to the stress and hours, but being a television host on ESPN or FoxSports would be a dream come true.
What is your favorite movie? – I loved The Usual Suspects. I have a talent that my family hates to where I can predict a lot of what will happen in a tv show or movie. The Usual Suspects was a movie that I had no clue it would end like it did.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so? – lifetimestone.com