On being featured Build Me Up on HGTV and Animal Cribs on Animal Planet, she said, “It was so exciting for me to be part of these shows. I think it’s important for female builders to be showcased on these shows since construction is historically a very male-dominated industry. I feel grateful to have been chosen to be part of these shows and that the production companies and other team members were such a joy to work with.”
Regarding her daily motivations, she said, “I am challenged every day to come up with creative solutions to a whole host of issues that arise. Every time my team and I resolve an issue or overcome an obstacle, I am motivated to keep going and keep building. With every project, I am inspired to implement what I have learned on previous projects.”
On being a general contractor in the digital age, she said, “It’s an exciting time for sure. Social media makes it so easy to share my projects, find others that are doing amazing and interesting work, and to collaborate and share ideas and insights. Social media is great for advertising and marketing my business, and serves as a sort of visual portfolio, but it also allows for great interaction with clients, vendors, and collaborators.”
For young and aspiring general contractors, she remarked, “Work hard and gain as much knowledge as you can as early in your career as possible. Ask tons of questions. Ask for those around you to show you things you don’t quite understand. This experience compounds and allows you to think three steps ahead.”
On her career-defining moments, she said, “When I moved from Boston to San Francisco, I was immediately tasked with building a new ground-up mixed-use project. I didn’t know any subcontractors or vendors in the area. I had to start from scratch and build my Rolodex and get the project done. That was definitely a challenge but after doing it once, I feel like I can work in any city and know how to ramp up quickly and efficiently to build a great team.”
Regarding her future plans, she said, “In order to grow my business, I am building my team and hiring project managers on both the commercial and residential sides of my business. I hope to be able to take on more projects simultaneously and effectively and build a team that is inspired every day.”
Cappellini defined the word success as follows: “Success, to me, means choosing the projects I want to work on and not having to take projects on just to pay the bills. I want to be able to be selective and take on projects that mean more to me, that challenge me, or provide the greatest impact to those that we serve.”
To learn more about Natalya Cappellini, follow her on Instagram.
