Today we’d like to introduce you to Greg Groppoli.
Hi Greg, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Greg Groppoli grew up learning to remodel houses from his father. Together they turned a basic home into one lined with stone, tile, hardwood, and classy fixtures. A few years out of college at UMD, Greg decided to start a part time handyman business. He was doing business as himself, did not have a shop, a truck, or even a website. By word of mouth, this part time side job quickly turned into an overwhelming amount of requests from customers wanting to remodel their homes. At this time he knew he had something great and Groppoli Custom Finishing LLC (GCF) was created. Greg bought a work truck and started heavily investing in tools that would make his work more accurate, mess free, and efficient. Greg now operates two full time employees and only takes on one or two projects at a time. This allows the team to be fully immersed in the project at hand. It allows the team to focus on very small details, build trust with our customers, and remain flexible to change requests. GCF now has two arms of the business. One arm that tackles residential remodels handled directly by Greg and his crew and a second arm that takes on much larger commercial projects using subcontractors and managed directly by GCF. While GCFs main focus is high end Kitchens and Bathrooms, they will often take on larger projects involving basement finishing, large decks, and building/reconfiguring living spaces.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I didn’t know it at the time but the “smooth road” was the first few years of operating the business. I had no employees, was making good money, and had the flexibility to take lots of time off to fish, camp, and spend time with friends and family. The business grew organically and I didn’t need to do much of anything to stay busy. The struggles started when I decided to be selective in the projects I took on. When charging high dollar for a luxury remodel, everything needs to be precise and perfect for the customer. I’m not only referring to the product we offer but the whole customer experience. We need to develop trust, be mindful of our customer’s habits and schedules, communicate expectations, remain clean and professional, and do everything in our power to reduce the stress homeowners feel while their home is under construction. This is not easy when you’re on a job site 8 hours every day. We’ve made some huge, costly, mistakes in the past. But we fixed them. My father always said “the mistakes you make aren’t what define you as a craftsman, it’s how you fix them that matters.” Another wise man once said to me “a craftsman’s level of quality is shown in his tolerance for inaccuracy.” These are two quotes I think about often and are values I continuously press upon my employees. Owning a remodeling business a constant struggle in this way. Always trying to improve your work and customer service while juggling all the other things that are required to operate a strong business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
GCF specializes in residential interior remodels and commercial remodeling in Duluth and the North Shore.
GCF has a different way of looking at our role as a remodeling contractor which, in turn, causes us to approach our customers’ requests differently than other contractors. We believe that a remodel is more than an upgrade to a space. We see it as a major commitment our customers make as they continually cultivate their desired lifestyle and the atmosphere they wish to perpetuate for themselves, their family, and their guests. When we agree to build a new bathroom, new kitchen, new living area, or extension to a home; we are calling upon our team to create the most luxurious and quality space in this home. This family’s sanctuary. We are not the handyman you call for a quick fix, a cheap install, or a temporary cover-up. We are the Duluth contractor you hire for a renovation that will ultimately improve your way of life and the feeling people have upon entering your home. Aside from considering lifestyle improvements, our installations are built with the highest quality materials and methods available.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
In any line of work or even those still in school – take time at each step of a project or assignment to learn everything you can about it before applying it in the real world. It is difficult to take the time to do this when you are on a deadline, however, the time spent doing the research then applying what you’ve learned will make the work quicker and easier the next time. In the beginning, you’ll spend 75% of your time learning and the other 25% completing tasks. You will eventually spend much more time executing tasks correctly and less time teaching yourself. After a few years, those difficult tasks seem easy and you’ll be able to put more mental effort into the next big jump in your abilities.
Contact Info:
- Website: Customfinishing.org
- Instagram: @groppolicustomfinishing
- Facebook: @groppolicustomfinishing
