More About Mina Fies and Her Business:
- Synergy Design & Construction: An Upstart Recession Business Shows Promise in a Troubled Industry
- Mina Fies: From Humble Beginnings Filled with Adversity, a Powerful CEO Emerges
WIB: You are a woman in a male-dominated industry. Have you faced any specific challenges getting people to take you seriously? If so, do you have any advice for other women who are interested in the construction industry?
MF: In my part of the construction industry – the up-front planning and architectural design – 80% of the buying decisions are made by women; so I’ve had no problems with acceptance. The women homeowners trust me to make design decisions and to see that their interests are protected in their remodeling projects. In working with male contractors, I haven’t encountered any issues because I‘ve been able to surround myself with experts: one of the best architects in the area and an experienced field expert/project manager are on my team. For any woman in business, I would say to establish trust by making sure you have a good team. Even if you’re a one-person entrepreneur, you can create a team through your networking – people whom you can turn to and who help promote your business.
WIB: You obviously have great synergy to work with your husband, Mark, so successfully! But for most women, statistics show husbands and wives who work together end up having a lot of conflict over business decisions. How do you separate business from personal issues to keep your relationship strong and supportive?
MF: First thing, we’ve completely separated our roles. I do the up-front sales and marketing and my husband Mark takes responsibility for the financial aspects of the business and directs day-to-day operations. Mark and I are polar opposites and so our personalities and our roles in the business complement each other. I think husband and wife teams are more likely to have problems when they are too much alike – when both are extrovert sales people or both behind-the-scenes detail people. Since I developed the idea for Synergy D&C, we agreed that I would be the president and the face of the company, but we are careful to encourage and support each other in the shaping of our company’s future.
Keeping our business and personal lives separate is something we still struggle with. At first, the business was a seven-day work week. Now, we’ve made some rules: (1) no talking about work after 8 p.m. and (2) no work on Sundays. We use that time to relax and stay connected to the things we enjoy about each other.
WIB: You and your husband have been actively involved in supporting charities in your local community. Do you think it is important as a business woman to set an example of corporate and social responsibility?
MF: Mark coaches golf to the athletes of our area’s Special Olympics. I’ve always been drawn to at-risk youth because of my background. I think it’s important to give back to your community. You can read about Special Olympics and other activities we support on our blog: http://synergydandc.tumblr.com.
WIB: Does your company have any practices in place to help make it “greener?” Do you see any trends among your clients that people are more interested in alternative renewable products like bamboo, or solar energy? I even saw a company who makes counter tops out of recycled money.
MF: Yes, we are Certified Green Professionals (CGP) through the National Association of Homebuilders (NAHB) and we are working on another Green Certified Professionals certification through the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). We offer a list of green remodeling options on our website: http://www.synergydandc.com/resources.htm.
MF: People are definitely interested in renewable products like bamboo, cork, reclaimed wood and recycled glass tiles. However, the emphasis seems to be on indoor air quality. It’s often easier and more immediately cost effective to choose carpet, paint, or other materials that improve air quality as opposed to adding solar or more expensive insulation types. Although solar energy has exciting long-term advantages and cost savings, not all clients are asking about it yet.
WIB: Do you look at your own home and constantly think of new things to renovate?
MF: We own a property in Virginia Beach that was originally the model home in that community. Even with all the professional decorating and extra bells and whistles, I still found things I wanted to change up. It seems no matter where we live, I’m always looking at upgrading countertops or installing a new tile I found. Our next goal is to design our own custom home and have one of our trusted contractors build it.
WIB Note: If you are thinking of your own renovations, I suggest viewing an interview with Mina on NewsChannel 8 to get some great tips on finding a contractor and what you can expect during a renovation.
WIB: What do you do for fun?
MF: We enjoy the Sunday paper with a great cup off coffee, play golf, watch movies, and appreciate a good dinner with a great glass of wine.
