Meet Gloria Fonseca, Owner of Fonsis, a women-owned painting and carpentry business based in Miami-Dade County, Florida specializing in commercial painting, cabinetry, and vinyl flooring installation.

Gloria’s entrance into the construction industry began with a complete career shift in 2016. She had just resigned from her position as a social worker after working there for over 10 years. During this time, her husband Carlos was working in the painting and construction industry, and Gloria decided to take a leap of faith and team up with him. Fast forward to today, the duo has built a strong reputation for themselves and their company that exemplifies customer satisfaction and high-quality work.

Building a reputation for any business demands persistence and time. Gloria knew a significant amount of work was needed to achieve her goals of winning government contracts with counties and municipalities. Safe to say, Gloria and Carlos’ efforts have paid off. One of the company’s first projects was to paint five Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Department Stations using BEHR® Paint, one of which includes a Hangar station for the Air Rescue Department. Since then, Fonsis has been contracted to paint numerous schools and attributes her expertise to the educational work she’s invested in on a professional level, including attending Florida International University’s Project Management Cohort and the Miami-Dade College’s Turner School of Construction Management.

Today, continuous education remains at the heart of Fonsis’ business model. Not only has it helped facilitate the company’s growth to win government contracts, but it has also fostered employee development through the company’s investment in professional training. Gloria frequently arranges for paint and equipment suppliers to conduct in-depth demonstrations to her team, ensuring they are well-versed in product knowledge, usage, proper techniques, and equipment handling.

I’m a firm believer that employees work best when they feel empowered through knowledge and training,” says Gloria.

Inclusion is also very important to Gloria and Carlos. They have extended numerous opportunities to individuals often overlooked, recruiting employees from women’s shelters to give them a chance for a fresh start.

It’s important for me to know that I’m not only giving my woman workers the proper tools to succeed, but that they know and believe they are just as important and capable to perform the job as any other person,” Gloria emphasizes.

Fonsis’ reputation in the Miami-Dade community is a testament to the resilient, hardworking employees that are the heart of the company. Gloria is dedicated to fostering a nurturing environment for her employees and hopes to be an example for all women interested in the skilled trades to pursue your dreams regardless of your beginnings.

To learn more about Women in Paint^TM and hear other women professional painters’ stories, visit behr.com/womeninpaint.