- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton
Mario Conforti began his career as a builder when he was just 14 years old含羞草研究社攚orking for his cabinet-maker dad back in Italy含羞草研究社攁nd he says he couldn含羞草研究社檛 imagine doing anything else.
含羞草研究社淲hatever we needed, we would make,含羞草研究社� the 79-year-old founder of Conforti Homes says. 含羞草研究社淲e used to make windows and doors, and we would even make furniture. You start from the beginning and when you finish, you含羞草研究社檝e done something. You含羞草研究社檙e creating something with your hands and the more you build, the more you want to do it.含羞草研究社�
After moving to Canada in 1965 and starting a homebuilding business with his wife, Vera, that building bug spread to their sons, Gino and Maurizio (Mo).
含羞草研究社淏oth my brothers have worked with my dad since they were 13 or 14 years old, keeping up the family tradition,含羞草研究社� Tania Conforti explains. 含羞草研究社淚 saw that and said, 含羞草研究社業含羞草研究社檓 not doing that!含羞草研究社� I actually worked as a paralegal for 18 years and I never thought I would go into the family business.含羞草研究社�
Tania began helping out part-time in 2006, but as the Conforti family含羞草研究社檚 custom home business grew, she realized she couldn含羞草研究社檛 keep juggling both jobs.
含羞草研究社淚 was working at a law firm and I was burnt out and this was far more enjoyable,含羞草研究社� says Tania, who came on full-time in 2019 and handles all the contracts and designs. 含羞草研究社淚 love design and I love the creativity of it. And because of my background in law, I have the ability to read and write contracts and that makes it a lot easier for us.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淚t was not planned that everyone would work in the business, but it含羞草研究社檚 fun and we all get along very well,含羞草研究社� adds Mario, who含羞草研究社檚 now semi-retired. 含羞草研究社淲e respect each other and if there含羞草研究社檚 a problem, we sit down and talk.含羞草研究社�
The three siblings all have distinct roles含羞草研究社擬o is the project manager on job sites and they call Gino, a gifted interior finisher, 含羞草研究社渢he artist.含羞草研究社� Tania believes their ability to work well together and make both the business and the family work is because they grew up watching their parents do it.
含羞草研究社淲e learned that business is business and family is family,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淔amily is important and, at the end of the day, family is more important than our business.含羞草研究社�
For Tania, the biggest learning curve has been getting used to working for herself and finding the right work-life balance.
含羞草研究社淚 spent 18 years working for somebody else, and suddenly I went from my day being 8 o含羞草研究社檆lock to four, or eight to five, to my time not always being my own,含羞草研究社� says Tania, whose adorable dog, Lola, joined us for the interview. 含羞草研究社淲hen you work at home and your office is at home, it含羞草研究社檚 always there. You don含羞草研究社檛 get to walk away from it and it含羞草研究社檚 all about finding those boundaries and that balance.含羞草研究社�
The biggest challenges for the business right now are the same many companies are facing含羞草研究社攍abour shortages and supply-chain issues.
含羞草研究社淕etting products that we need in a timely manner has really been an issue since COVID-19,含羞草研究社� Tania says. 含羞草研究社淲e try to get our custom homes done within a year and we含羞草研究社檙e really good at that, but we含羞草研究社檝e had to give ourselves a buffer because there含羞草研究社檚 just things we can含羞草研究社檛 control.含羞草研究社�
The pandemic has also hammered up demand for renovation and building projects, which is something that initially surprised this tight-knit family in the early days of the crisis.
含羞草研究社淲hen the pandemic hit, we all had that nervousness that something might happen to our business because we weren含羞草研究社檛 sure that people would still want to build,含羞草研究社� explains Tania. 含羞草研究社淎nd the shocking part for all of us is that the construction industry boomed. People couldn含羞草研究社檛 travel so they took their travel money and said, 含羞草研究社業含羞草研究社檓 going to make my home my sanctuary.含羞草研究社櫤卟菅芯可鐫
With their business growing even faster than they expected, Conforti Homes has several exciting projects coming up, including smaller developments, and Tania is planning for more growth in the future.
含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e really found a niche in the building market and we have a good reputation so we get a lot of referrals,含羞草研究社� she says. 含羞草研究社淚f you含羞草研究社檇 asked me two years ago if I could foresee where we含羞草研究社檙e sitting today, I would have said no. I thought it would have taken us longer to get here.含羞草研究社�
There are lots of lessons Mario has passed down to his children over the years, but Tania says the one that resonates the most has nothing to do with construction.
含羞草研究社淭he best advice my dad has ever given me is to do what makes you happy, as long as it含羞草研究社檚 not hurting anybody else in the process. And I try to live my life like that.含羞草研究社�
After building a successful business and spending 65 years in his field, Mario also has some key advice for other entrepreneurs or people thinking of starting a business.
含羞草研究社淕o for it, but you have to be willing to work,含羞草研究社� he says. 含羞草研究社淭hat含羞草研究社檚 the main thing because you have to like to work because it takes a lot of your time.含羞草研究社�
含羞草研究社淢ake sure you love what you含羞草研究社檙e going to do because it含羞草研究社檚 something that含羞草研究社檚 going to be with you day and night for a number of years,含羞草研究社� Tania adds. 含羞草研究社淲e love what we do and it含羞草研究社檚 more than just building a house for us. We always say we含羞草研究社檙e building a home because we含羞草研究社檙e building people含羞草研究社檚 dream homes.含羞草研究社�
Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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