Focus on Leadership: Scott Browne explains what drives his passion to win at Macco’s – August 2026

Interview by Kemp Harr

A part-time college job at  Macco’s Floor Covering Center, based in Green Bay, Wisconsin, turned out to be a life-changing opportunity for Scott Browne, who is now president of the organization. Browne’s early experience with Macco’s provided him with knowledge of many aspects of the business, but he soon discovered that he had a talent for sales, which became his focus. 

Macco’s is the 52nd largest flooring retailer in the U.S., according to Floor Focus estimates, with $61 million in sales. Browne leads the business alongside Jim Macco, who is CEO and treasurer, and considers his opportunity to be part owner of Macco’s, alongside the Macco family, a great gift. Browne and his wife, Sarah, live in Green Bay, Wisconsin and share three sons. 

Q: How did you end up focusing your career in the flooring business?

A: I joined the Macco’s team as a part-time college student looking to pay my bills but soon realized I had a passion for the construction process and having a hand in making a client’s vision a reality. The overall culture and customer-first philosophy fascinated me, and I knew that I wanted to be part of this great team. 

Q: How did you come to be invited to become part owner of a company that was started in 1976 by the Macco family?

A: In fall of 1992, I entered my freshman year of college and needed to find a job that would allow me to balance my class schedule and need to generate income. My uncle was an installer for Macco’s and recommended me for a transfer driver position. I’d finish class, jump in the transfer truck and deliver inventory to Macco’s outlying locations. 

The following summer, I had the opportunity to work with the installation team, and when I completed my college journey, I spent three years in the field while assisting on the sales floor on weekends. I decided to get involved with the local homebuilders’ association and soon realized that Macco’s was missing out on this segment of the business. This segment grew through relationship-building and is now a substantial portion of our annual revenue. 

The Macco family noticed that I was a self-starter and placed the company brand ahead of personal gains. I had my shoulder to the same boulder and adapted to company culture. I had a vision for calculated growth, and they rewarded me with an opportunity for ownership. For that, I will be grateful forever. 

Q: Who has had the biggest influence on your leadership style, and what lessons from them guide you?

A: Without question, my biggest influencers were my parents. They taught me the value of hard work and to pay attention to the small details. As the oldest of three children, I had to set a positive example for my siblings, and this job wasn’t taken lightly. 

Throughout my professional career, I’ve been blessed with many positive mentors, none more influential than my business partners, Jeff Macco, Jim Walters and Jim Macco. I use the lessons we learned together in daily business. 

Q: When did you first realize that leading people requires a different skill set than being a top performer yourself?

A: Top performers can focus on personal growth and are accountable to the business and their clients. As our builder segment grew and our team expanded, I quickly realized that I needed to prioritize making others successful over personal growth. I learned to trust my team and allowed them to make mistakes without micromanaging. 

Q: What’s one leadership lesson you learned the hard way?

A: As a young manager, I was naive enough to think that I could make people something they weren’t. I forced my work style on others and soon realized that everyone has their own attributes, and if customer expectations were exceeded, the path we took to get there wasn’t important.

Q: What qualities do you look for when hiring someone to be part of your leadership team?

A: Macco’s has a philosophy of hiring people, not degrees. Personality and assumed work ethic is paramount for our team members. We look for individuals who share our culture and are willing to put team growth over personal ambitions. 

Q: Branding is an important part of attracting the right consumer. Tell us the promise behind your brand, and how you make sure the consumer knows who you are.

A: We pride ourselves on delivering the highest value to our clients using a customer-first approach. Our design team and expert installers work directly with clients to match their lifestyle and budget. We invest heavily in all media segments, often touting what services set us apart rather than making low-price offers. 

Q: How do you and Jim co-manage the business? How do you resolve a debate when you don’t agree?

A: I couldn’t ask for a better partner to take this journey with. While we share many duties, Jim’s primary focus is on operations and seeing that the back end of the business is well attended to. My focus has always been on sales, which includes marketing, buying and working closely with our sales managers. We rarely disagree, but when we’re not on the same page, we meet behind closed doors and agree on a path forward. It’s important that regardless of the outcome, the optics are that we’re always in lockstep. 

Q: What do you think employees need from a leader today that they didn’t need ten years ago?

A: Today’s leaders need to offer transparent communication, clear boundaries and have attentive listening skills. Team members today need to be heard and truly believe that their thoughts are taken seriously. Collaboration is key to any manager-employee relationship. 

Q: As you think about the career you’ve chosen and role you play, what gives you the most satisfaction at the end of the day?

A: I’m humbled to work alongside the best team in the business. Our people make the difference, and the result is a stronger company that we can be proud of. We’re blessed to have mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, brothers and sisters working together with one common goal.

Q: How do you continue to grow as a leader? Do you have mentors, books or routines that keep you improving?

A: As a member of the National Floorcovering Alliance, I’m fortunate to work with the finest retailers and people in North America. We challenge each other daily and share ideas to genuinely build our businesses together. 

Q: How do you and your wife Sarah balance your personal time with the demands of the business?

A: I’ve been blessed to have Sarah taking this ride with me. She’s been extremely supportive while juggling a successful marketing career. Regardless of how taxing the workload is, we always prioritize our family first. We rarely discuss business at home and focus on our life balance with the three young men we’ve raised together.  

Q: What do you do for fun when you’re not focused on growing Macco’s flooring business?

A: When not in the office, you can find me spending time at the lake with family. This has proven to be the perfect getaway from the daily grind.

Q: Why are you a fan of Dogfish Head beer?

A: I love a good IPA, and Dogfish is one of the best. If you’re going to drink beer, make it a great one, and based on the percentage of alcohol, you drink fewer.