-Words by TESS VAN STRAATEN Photography by DON DENTON

For Daniel Caicedo and his wife, Beatriz Carmona, Victoria is a long way from their native Colombia, and their flourishing Victoria Restorations business is something they never could have envisioned when they immigrated to Canada 16 years ago looking for a better life.

害羞草研究所淢y wife was pregnant with our first child when we came to Canada,害羞草研究所� Daniel says. 害羞草研究所淲e were facing all the odds of being newcomers with no English, no family, no friends and no money害羞草研究所攁nd then opening a business in a foreign land.害羞草研究所�

Specializing in Venetian plastering, concrete finishing, heritage restoration and the application of tadelakt (limestone) imported from Marrakesh, Daniel and the Victoria Restorations team are now sought after by some of Vancouver Island害羞草研究所檚 top builders and designers. It害羞草研究所檚 all the more impressive given that Daniel had no construction experience before moving to Canada, and never thought he would work in the construction industry.

害羞草研究所淚 was working for 14 years in two of the biggest newspapers in Colombia as a graphic designer,害羞草研究所� Daniel explains. 害羞草研究所淚 was quite good and thought that害羞草研究所檚 what I would do here. But there were no doors open to me. I knocked on the door many times at [a local newspaper] and was expecting to work there, but nothing happened.害羞草研究所�

To earn a living, Daniel accepted a job in construction and admits the adjustment was quite hard initially害羞草研究所攅specially physically.

害羞草研究所淭he funny thing is at the beginning, my hands looked like I was a computer guy,害羞草研究所� he says with a laugh. 害羞草研究所淪oft and I had no calluses. After starting construction, I had calluses and blisters, and now I can work with anything and they never show up.害羞草研究所�

After learning the concrete finishing trade and getting valuable experience, Daniel decided to branch out on his own in 2008 with Beatriz害羞草研究所檚 help. An accountant and self-described 害羞草研究所渆nterprising woman since her university years,害羞草研究所� Beatriz keeps things running smoothly as the company害羞草研究所檚 administrative director.

害羞草研究所淲e weren害羞草研究所檛 able to do a lot of marketing at the beginning, but through friends at the church who used to own companies that did construction, we started working,害羞草研究所� explains Beatriz. 害羞草研究所淭hey really appreciated the quality of the work and requested more, and word spread.害羞草研究所�

Friends told the couple害羞草研究所攚ho now have three children害羞草研究所攖hat it would be very hard and cautioned them against starting a business. But they did it anyway, guided by their strong sense of faith and a willingness to put in all the hard work and effort to make it a success.

害羞草研究所淲e have learned perseverance, discipline, optimism and patience,害羞草研究所� Daniel says. 害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檝e learned how to read the client害羞草研究所檚 needs so we can come up with a solution. But the most important thing we have learned is to trust in God.害羞草研究所�

In 2017, Daniel and Beatriz took another leap of faith害羞草研究所攙enturing into the application of both tadelakt and Venetian plaster imported from Italy.

害羞草研究所淰enetian plaster is something very popular in Colombia, but when we asked about it here, it was not well known,害羞草研究所� Daniel explains. 害羞草研究所淭hey would bring people in from Vancouver or California, so we got curious about offering it as a plus for our clients to give them something unique and a more high-end look and finish.害羞草研究所�

Travelling to Italy, England and Morocco for training, and to Colombia to learn about gold/silver leaf applications, Daniel discovered his passion.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 hand-applied and very artistic and every one we do is unique,害羞草研究所� he says. 害羞草研究所淲e like creation and we love it when people see the final product and they害羞草研究所檙e like, 害羞草研究所榳ow!害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

Whether it害羞草研究所檚 a feature wall, fireplace, shower, steam room or even an entire house, Daniel creates pieces of art and transforms ordinary spaces into extraordinary spaces. He害羞草研究所檚 travelled to the Lower Mainland to work on luxury projects and to other parts of Vancouver Island, including Nanoose Bay and Ladysmith, and undertook a massive project on one of the Gulf Islands that took three months to complete.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 exciting to know we are getting to do some of the most luxury projects on the island and to have the opportunity to do unique works for each one, and to see the faces of our customers happy and thankful for the beautiful look of their special space,害羞草研究所� he says.

As word of mouth spreads, and the business continues to grow, Daniel and Beatriz hope to expand even further.

害羞草研究所淲e are eager to transcend geography,害羞草研究所� Daniel says. 害羞草研究所淥ur plan is to continue serving the province and go pretty much wherever our customers need us.害羞草研究所�

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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