I got a chance recently to re-visit a company that I had helped get started in the slab fabrication business two years ago, and witness their growth in their market area of Birmingham, Alabama since that time.
Susan Vise Benvenuti and her husband Gianni are co-owners of Renaissance Custom Countertops and Tile in Birmingham, Alabama. They have been doing tile work in high-end residential applications since 2003, and more recently (in 2008) added slab fabrication to their capabilities. I first met Gianni & Susan in August of 2008, when they called on me to help them establish their slab fabrication operation. Gianni worked the shop fabrication and also ran their tile install crews, while Susan covered administration, logistics and sales - and anything else that popped up. In the very beginning, they - like many other currently established industry peers - fabricated their first few slab countertops in their back yard. In late 2009 Renaissance moved into their first real fabrication shop. Since then, they have been doing more and more complex slab projects.
We met again recently, two years after I first made their acquaintance. I was pleased to see the fantastic growth that they have made in their shop facility, in their ability to fabricate complex slab projects, as well as in their talent for taking on very intimidating projects requiring huge amounts of attention to fine details. I was able to inspect some of the work that Renaissance has done in the last two years, and the quality of their finished product is that of a seasoned professional.
While visiting with Susan, I was able find out some things about Renaissance that may be an inspiration to others reading this "progress report" on a client of mine. First off, here's quick profile on Renaissance:
They've been in business for the last ten years - their primary operation focused on tile for the first eight years of their business. They added slab fabrication (after working with AZ School of Rock) in 2008; since adding the fabrication operation, they've experienced a dramatic increase in sales volume - their tile customers who already have them on contract added slab work from Renaissance.
Since adding their fabrication operation in 2008, Renaissance now does two to three high-end residential projects each month. These are jobs that will typically have a full slab kitchen, secondary bath vanity counters, wet bar tops, guest kitchens, and baths. To all of the slab work, add the floor and wall tile applications - many times in very complex designs that are hand-made and installed by Gianni Benvenuti, and you have the all the components of a very successful venture.
Gianni Benvenuti is a very sought after artisan in the Birmingham market area. The fact that Gianni - who was born in Italy, and ultimately immigrated to the US to became a resident in 2001 - has a waiting list of people that want to have him and Renaissance do their projects speaks volumes. Susan's passion for marble work is evident in the projects she has undertaken and the fact that she has "worked with clients that can afford what they want, and are very, very discriminating." Susan went on to say that "Renaissance is becoming known in the Birmingham market area as a fresh new force on the scene. Because we really make sure that our customers know exactly what they want and what we are capable of doing, we have a client base that is 100% by referral only. We don't advertise - in fact, we pretty much fly under the radar, but we're growing and expanding - which is right where we want to be, so people are starting to notice us - in a good way."
Asked what the "big draw" items in slab countertops were for her market region, Susan said that there were "many clients that are using Alabama White, Carrara, Calacutta and Statuary Marbles in kitchen applications, and especially in the Mountain Brook area of Birmingham - this is a very sought after `look.' The white marbles that we install are typically honed, most of the time. It's a very `high-end user look,'" said Susan. "We are looking at rolling out some really novel applications using marbles and granites as the medium - kind of like art for homes, or `residential jewelry.' We do a lot of research and detail study with each one of our clients, and this in turn, helps us gain more customers; all of our advertising is done BY our customers, recommending us to their friends and associates. It's gratifying to see a lot of the seeds we have planted in the last two years start to bear fruit."
The shop particulars that Renaissance has been working with from their start as Slab Fabricators has included a 2,000 square foot shop space located on thirteen acres of private land out in the suburbs of Birmingham. Their current business plan includes an expansion of their current shop, and as the word is getting out that they do fantastic work, the demand is increasing each month. With a small crew, Gianni has been fabricating some really exquisite projects and it just goes to show that with a lot of hard work and personal sacrifice, you too can open up a real honest-to-goodness fabrication shop just like Gianni & Susan Benvenuti did. "We are looking at possibly adding a water jet to our operation and offering proprietary products as well.
"In the current market conditions, I see the distinct potential for companies just like Renaissance - to realize some very substantial growth for the businesses that are still solvent and have weathered the `economic storm' of the last couple of years," said Susan. "The thing that we bring to the table is an added passion for our craft, and the ability for us to help our customers realize their dreams." Susan adds, "There is a lot of pent up demand that all fabricators need to be prepared to fill."
From the look of things, Susan & Gianni's approach to running their business can be a great example for others to look at and try out in their own areas of the country. Visit Susan and Gianni's website and see what they have been doing in and around the Birmingham market: www.renaisancecustomcountertopsandtile.com
Until next month - Best Regards & Happy Fabricating!
Business Plans and Setting Up a Fabrication Shop are all subjects that are taught every month by AZ School of Rock. For more information, contact Kevin M. Padden at www.azschoolofrock.com , by phone at 480-3099422 or via e-mail at info@azschoolofrock.com
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