Inpiring Story:Woman starts construction company at the worst possible time

The economy crashed, the housing market fell and construction companies closed. It was 2008 and Mina Fies was resolved to open her own development organization. Furthermore, everybody thought she was insane.
“They said, ‘OK, why are you starting in construction in the worst economy since the Great Depression?’” Fies said.


Well, why not?

Fies worked in sales for a design firm that was shut down when the economy tanked in 2008. She saw firsthand how frustrated clients could be during renovation projects when they couldn’t use their kitchen for months longer than expected or when promises weren’t kept. Fies knew she could fix those frustrations.

With no formal training in construction, she and her husband used their savings to open Synergy Design & Construction in 2009, a design-build remodeling firm that works with clients on additions, interior or exterior remodeling or whole home renovations.

One of Fies’ first clients was from the design firm that closed in 2008. That company had shut its doors in the middle of a construction project in Washington D.C., so Fies stepped in to finish the job with her new team.

“That first project was like a walking billboard for us,” Fies said.

Today, Synergy Design has seven employees. They’ve worked on more than 100 projects since they opened their doors, and revenue has increased by 30 percent each year.

Looking back on this adventure, Fies is now able to offer advice to women aspiring to open their own businesses.

Strategize your networking

Don’t mark up your calendar with a million networking events just yet.

“I started a business and I said, ‘I have to network,’” Fies said. “I’d go to networking lunches three to four times a week, but a lot of women have families so they stretch themselves so thin going from networking to networking [event]. You end up wasting a lot of time.”

She recommends choosing one to three organizations that you really connect with and then go deep within those organizations. Get on a committee and engage with people — just handing someone a business card will not make them remember you.

Know your client

Fies said that in the early stages of her business, she jumped every time the phone rang and took on any client who reached out. But she quickly learned to be strategic and to have a narrow focus.

“Who do you resonate with and who do you really like to work with?” Fies said.

Fies said someone who is a “do it yourselfer” would not be a good client for Synergy. Instead, Fies described Synergy’s typical client as married with one or two kids and planning to live in their house for the next 10 to 15 years. And they usually live on a cul-de-sac. Recognizing that specific demographic allows Fies and her team to understand their clients’ needs well and market to that group.

And the more you focus on that ideal client, the more they will come to you.

Make the most of bad situations

Despite doubts from the people around her, Mina Fies was determined to open a building and design firm — in 2008.

That plan actually ended up working in her favor. Fies said that while the economy affected a lot of new construction, it made people look at their current home and think about how they could improve it instead of moving into a new home.

So instead of calling a contractor to build a new house, clients called Fies and her team to update their master bathroom or kitchen.

As the economy turned around, Fies said that people started doing more than one project at once more often. Instead of fearing the bad economy, Fies focused on building her brand and offering top-notch customer service to grow Synergy.

“People love projects and love working on their home,” Fies said. “The first five years were tough, but we’re through the wormhole.”


Don’t overdress

After working in sales and marketing jobs for her whole career, Fies was used to wearing a suit every day to fit the corporate world. But now that she owns her own company, she feels like she can be herself, that she doesn’t have to prove to everyone how "professional” she is. She's switched out the suit for business casual and found that she can relate a lot better to her clients now.

“We’re real people designing and working for real people,” Fies said. “[I keep] a professional air, not jeans, but I’m not wearing a suit. You’re going into their home. You want them to feel like they can relate to you. Be yourself from the beginning and allow [clients] to get to know who you are.”