- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Mario Conforti began his career as a builder when he was just 14 years old91裸聊视频攚orking for his cabinet-maker dad back in Italy91裸聊视频攁nd he says he couldn91裸聊视频檛 imagine doing anything else.

91裸聊视频淲hatever we needed, we would make,91裸聊视频� the 79-year-old founder of Conforti Homes says. 91裸聊视频淲e used to make windows and doors, and we would even make furniture. You start from the beginning and when you finish, you91裸聊视频檝e done something. You91裸聊视频檙e creating something with your hands and the more you build, the more you want to do it.91裸聊视频�

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).

91裸聊视频淏oth my brothers have worked with my dad since they were 13 or 14 years old, keeping up the family tradition,91裸聊视频� Tania Conforti explains. 91裸聊视频淚 saw that and said, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 not doing that!91裸聊视频� I actually worked as a paralegal for 18 years and I never thought I would go into the family business.91裸聊视频�

Tania began helping out part-time in 2006, but as the Conforti family91裸聊视频檚 custom home business grew, she realized she couldn91裸聊视频檛 keep juggling both jobs.

91裸聊视频淚 was working at a law firm and I was burnt out and this was far more enjoyable,91裸聊视频� says Tania, who came on full-time in 2019 and handles all the contracts and designs. 91裸聊视频淚 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.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淚t was not planned that everyone would work in the business, but it91裸聊视频檚 fun and we all get along very well,91裸聊视频� adds Mario, who91裸聊视频檚 now semi-retired. 91裸聊视频淲e respect each other and if there91裸聊视频檚 a problem, we sit down and talk.91裸聊视频�

The three siblings all have distinct roles91裸聊视频擬o is the project manager on job sites and they call Gino, a gifted interior finisher, 91裸聊视频渢he artist.91裸聊视频� 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.

91裸聊视频淲e learned that business is business and family is family,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淔amily is important and, at the end of the day, family is more important than our business.91裸聊视频�

For Tania, the biggest learning curve has been getting used to working for herself and finding the right work-life balance.

91裸聊视频淚 spent 18 years working for somebody else, and suddenly I went from my day being 8 o91裸聊视频檆lock to four, or eight to five, to my time not always being my own,91裸聊视频� says Tania, whose adorable dog, Lola, joined us for the interview. 91裸聊视频淲hen you work at home and your office is at home, it91裸聊视频檚 always there. You don91裸聊视频檛 get to walk away from it and it91裸聊视频檚 all about finding those boundaries and that balance.91裸聊视频�

The biggest challenges for the business right now are the same many companies are facing91裸聊视频攍abour shortages and supply-chain issues.

91裸聊视频淕etting products that we need in a timely manner has really been an issue since COVID-19,91裸聊视频� Tania says. 91裸聊视频淲e try to get our custom homes done within a year and we91裸聊视频檙e really good at that, but we91裸聊视频檝e had to give ourselves a buffer because there91裸聊视频檚 just things we can91裸聊视频檛 control.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淲hen the pandemic hit, we all had that nervousness that something might happen to our business because we weren91裸聊视频檛 sure that people would still want to build,91裸聊视频� explains Tania. 91裸聊视频淎nd the shocking part for all of us is that the construction industry boomed. People couldn91裸聊视频檛 travel so they took their travel money and said, 91裸聊视频業91裸聊视频檓 going to make my home my sanctuary.91裸聊视频�91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淲e91裸聊视频檝e really found a niche in the building market and we have a good reputation so we get a lot of referrals,91裸聊视频� she says. 91裸聊视频淚f you91裸聊视频檇 asked me two years ago if I could foresee where we91裸聊视频檙e sitting today, I would have said no. I thought it would have taken us longer to get here.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淭he best advice my dad has ever given me is to do what makes you happy, as long as it91裸聊视频檚 not hurting anybody else in the process. And I try to live my life like that.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淕o for it, but you have to be willing to work,91裸聊视频� he says. 91裸聊视频淭hat91裸聊视频檚 the main thing because you have to like to work because it takes a lot of your time.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淢ake sure you love what you91裸聊视频檙e going to do because it91裸聊视频檚 something that91裸聊视频檚 going to be with you day and night for a number of years,91裸聊视频� Tania adds. 91裸聊视频淲e love what we do and it91裸聊视频檚 more than just building a house for us. We always say we91裸聊视频檙e building a home because we91裸聊视频檙e building people91裸聊视频檚 dream homes.91裸聊视频�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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