Charlie-Carlos Guerra Interview
Charlie-Carlos Guerra is the CEO of Davinci Contractors Group Inc., a company specializing in high-end residential and commercial renovations in London, Ontario, and surrounding areas. With a background as an economist and business owner, Charlie-Carlos has honed his expertise in new business development, account management, and sales operations while maintaining a strong commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. Since founding Davinci Contractors Group Inc. in 2010, he has led a team of skilled professionals dedicated to delivering top-tier projects, including framing, drywall, ceilings, flooring, painting, and kitchen and bathroom renovations. Under his leadership, the company has expanded its market presence and built a strong reputation, backed by multiple client references and a 5-star rating on Google. Inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s legacy of innovation and excellence, the company ensures the highest standards in every project, supported by $5 million in liability insurance and up-to-date WSIB coverage.
Background and Early Career:
The World’s Times: We started the interview by asking, “what is your background?”
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “I studied economics for five years in my hometown (Colombia), studying at night while running my business during the day. I was raised in a business-oriented family and started working very early. When I was 23 years old, I opened my first business, a hardware store, which was my first step to building my construction company a few years later, and we built a reputation in the construction and metal mechanic field.
In addition to being a young businessman, I got my first job as a part-time professor at Autónoma University and Littoral University in Colombia while continuing to manage my business. The political circumstances in Colombia led me to leave the country and settle in New York, where I opened a tourist agency and worked for 7 years. After that, an opportunity arose to return to my country, and I started a new venture importing electric materials from China. The political situation had not changed much; therefore, he decided to immigrate to Canada in 2005.
In Canada, I did a business diploma at Herzing College, Ottawa, and kept an open mind, tried different options, and held various positions. In 2009, I started working as a part-time contractor while working in sales, but I always thought of starting my own business. Eventually, in 2012, I decided to venture out and started my Davinci Contractors Company.
Inspiration Behind Davinci Contractors:
The World’s Times: What inspired you to start Davinci Contractors, and what challenges did you face in the early years of the business?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “When moving to another country, generating enough income for a decent life is always a problem and a challenge. What inspired me to start with Davinci Contractors was the fact that doing a small job in a week could generate income for two or three weeks.”
Experience across Industries and Its Impact on Business:
The World’s Times: Your journey spans multiple industries and countries. How have your past business and sales experience influenced how you run Davinci Contractors today?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “When you have lived generating income from your own businesses, you get a bird’s-eye view, the liberty to move on your own, and the opportunity to travel and enjoy life, which gives you the strength to push whatever business you are involved in.”
Recognition and Competitive Edge:
The Worlds Times: Davinci Contractors has received multiple recognitions and awards. What do you believe sets your company apart in such a competitive industry?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “Having multiple recognitions has been thanks to the good work developed, and the agencies in the sector have contacted us without us having to make a call for them. Of course, they look at the profile on Google and other sources and rate us.
Customer service and quality are the keys to business success, but marketing must be present daily and we must always promote new ventures.”
Commitment to Quality and Customer Satisfaction:
The Worlds Times: Customer satisfaction is a key factor in your success. What strategies do you implement to maintain high standards of quality and service?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “Having high-quality professionals and efficient general workers on your side makes all the difference. Many claim to know their job in this field, but when we try them out, we realize that they are not what they claim to be. So, the key is having the best possible people to meet your clients’ needs. Another choice is to teach them, but it takes one year to prepare one person to deal with different tasks, so the challenge is to have sufficient work to keep those ones.”
Expansion into Laneway Homes and Extensions:
The Worlds Times: You’ve expanded into LANEWAY and extensions. What motivated this diversification, and how do you ensure expertise in these new areas?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “Once you have the crew of workers and the licensed professionals in plumbing, electricity, and HVAC, and the help of an engineer, you can offer the services without fear. You have the confidence to finish the project well and to the client’s satisfaction, and you need to be willing to decrease the profit margin if any inconvenience arises during the project’s execution.”
We had the opportunity to do the first laneway last year, 2024, and clients are so happy that they posted a review on Google about us.
Networking and Business Growth:
The Worlds Times: What role does networking play in your business growth, and what advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to establish themselves in a new market?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “Networking plays a vital role in business development. People like to see you active, and when you move away from the guilds, the margin of productivity reduction is latent unless you are very busy and there is no time or need for networking. I advise new entrepreneurs to start by approaching networks for at least 1 to 2 consecutive years.”
Staying Ahead of Industry Trends:
The Worlds Times: How do you stay ahead of industry trends and continuously improve your services to meet evolving customer needs?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “There is a big challenge for this: the stability of the country, first and foremost. If the country is in crisis, the construction and other businesses go into crisis, and the crisis due to job losses causes the birth of new contractors to explode. To overcome this, we must go with the flow and exploit our company’s reputation to secure business.”
Future Vision for Davinci Contractors:
The Worlds Times: What is your vision for the future of Davinci Contractors, and what new milestones are you aiming to achieve in the coming years?
Charlie-Carlos Guerra replied, “We have the expectation of growing, we have the tools, the people who follow us and support us as professionals in plumbing, electricity, HVAC, and gas; we have also an experienced engineer helping us in drawings and city permits, and the reputation that gives us an average of 4.6 stars on Google that speak for us in the most used lately, which are the reviews, but I also have my nephew very well prepared in university and the management of contracts whom we imported from Colombia and soon the help of my daughter in other tasks but I also have the pleasure of having my employees and partners who are different contractors in the city who help us with their presence in our contracts when we need them and they are excellent and responsible also with our commitment to finish with exceptional quality.
Our company’s new milestone is entering the field of builders, and for that, we have allied with a mortgage company to finance our clients’ projects and invest ourselves. Many clients are interested in renovating their properties but are usually short on resources. Another issue is that they do not qualify as often, and here is where we come in to help. That is the goal for the coming years.”
Connect Charlie-Carlos Guerra on Linkedin
Visit Davinci Contractors Group Inc. for more details.
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