- Words by Tess Van Straaten Photography by Don Denton

Mario Conforti began his career as a builder when he was just 14 years old害羞草研究所攚orking for his cabinet-maker dad back in Italy害羞草研究所攁nd he says he couldn害羞草研究所檛 imagine doing anything else.

害羞草研究所淲hatever we needed, we would make,害羞草研究所� the 79-year-old founder of Conforti Homes says. 害羞草研究所淲e used to make windows and doors, and we would even make furniture. You start from the beginning and when you finish, you害羞草研究所檝e done something. You害羞草研究所檙e creating something with your hands and the more you build, the more you want to do it.害羞草研究所�

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).

害羞草研究所淏oth my brothers have worked with my dad since they were 13 or 14 years old, keeping up the family tradition,害羞草研究所� Tania Conforti explains. 害羞草研究所淚 saw that and said, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 not doing that!害羞草研究所� I actually worked as a paralegal for 18 years and I never thought I would go into the family business.害羞草研究所�

Tania began helping out part-time in 2006, but as the Conforti family害羞草研究所檚 custom home business grew, she realized she couldn害羞草研究所檛 keep juggling both jobs.

害羞草研究所淚 was working at a law firm and I was burnt out and this was far more enjoyable,害羞草研究所� says Tania, who came on full-time in 2019 and handles all the contracts and designs. 害羞草研究所淚 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.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淚t was not planned that everyone would work in the business, but it害羞草研究所檚 fun and we all get along very well,害羞草研究所� adds Mario, who害羞草研究所檚 now semi-retired. 害羞草研究所淲e respect each other and if there害羞草研究所檚 a problem, we sit down and talk.害羞草研究所�

The three siblings all have distinct roles害羞草研究所擬o is the project manager on job sites and they call Gino, a gifted interior finisher, 害羞草研究所渢he artist.害羞草研究所� 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.

害羞草研究所淲e learned that business is business and family is family,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淔amily is important and, at the end of the day, family is more important than our business.害羞草研究所�

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

害羞草研究所淚 spent 18 years working for somebody else, and suddenly I went from my day being 8 o害羞草研究所檆lock to four, or eight to five, to my time not always being my own,害羞草研究所� says Tania, whose adorable dog, Lola, joined us for the interview. 害羞草研究所淲hen you work at home and your office is at home, it害羞草研究所檚 always there. You don害羞草研究所檛 get to walk away from it and it害羞草研究所檚 all about finding those boundaries and that balance.害羞草研究所�

The biggest challenges for the business right now are the same many companies are facing害羞草研究所攍abour shortages and supply-chain issues.

害羞草研究所淕etting products that we need in a timely manner has really been an issue since COVID-19,害羞草研究所� Tania says. 害羞草研究所淲e try to get our custom homes done within a year and we害羞草研究所檙e really good at that, but we害羞草研究所檝e had to give ourselves a buffer because there害羞草研究所檚 just things we can害羞草研究所檛 control.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淲hen the pandemic hit, we all had that nervousness that something might happen to our business because we weren害羞草研究所檛 sure that people would still want to build,害羞草研究所� explains Tania. 害羞草研究所淎nd the shocking part for all of us is that the construction industry boomed. People couldn害羞草研究所檛 travel so they took their travel money and said, 害羞草研究所業害羞草研究所檓 going to make my home my sanctuary.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

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.

害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e really found a niche in the building market and we have a good reputation so we get a lot of referrals,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚f you害羞草研究所檇 asked me two years ago if I could foresee where we害羞草研究所檙e sitting today, I would have said no. I thought it would have taken us longer to get here.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淭he best advice my dad has ever given me is to do what makes you happy, as long as it害羞草研究所檚 not hurting anybody else in the process. And I try to live my life like that.害羞草研究所�

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.

害羞草研究所淕o for it, but you have to be willing to work,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 the main thing because you have to like to work because it takes a lot of your time.害羞草研究所�

害羞草研究所淢ake sure you love what you害羞草研究所檙e going to do because it害羞草研究所檚 something that害羞草研究所檚 going to be with you day and night for a number of years,害羞草研究所� Tania adds. 害羞草研究所淲e love what we do and it害羞草研究所檚 more than just building a house for us. We always say we害羞草研究所檙e building a home because we害羞草研究所檙e building people害羞草研究所檚 dream homes.害羞草研究所�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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