Woman building a niche in construction

 Express News Article: July 18, 2008 by: Ronda Templeton

When Delina Hinojosa said she wanted to build a business, she meant it literally: With virtually no experience — except a natural gift for style and interior design — she took on a career in the male-dominated construction industry.

Today, the former actress and beauty pageant contestant heads Bella Painting & Remodeling, which she describes as “a Christian-based, female-owned family business.”

Hinojosa comes by her entrepreneurial spirit naturally. Her parents, Andres and Esther Hinojosa, stressed the importance of hard work and encouraged her to create a company of her own instead of using her talents to make money for others.

“My parents were instrumental in my decision to start the business,” she said. “They were business owners themselves — they owned a gas station/grocery store/auto parts store/recording studio — and were role models who believed in me.”

Hinojosa's friends weren't quite as encouraging when she founded Bella eight years ago. At the time, she was working as a personal banker and they were concerned that she was giving up a lucrative, regular paycheck to try something that might not succeed.

“Starting my own business was just something I needed to do,” Hinojosa said. “I wanted independence, I wanted to build something for my family and, because I'm a single mother with three kids, I wanted to show them what can be accomplished with hard work and determination.”

Today, her teenage children are learning the remodeling business from the ground up: Sons Christian and Dominic are getting experience in sales, painting and other aspects of the trade, while daughter Isabella works in the office.

All three have a close-up view of the success a woman can have in an industry that is traditionally the purview of men.

“I think being a woman has actually helped me in the remodeling business,” Hinojosa said. “I relate to homeowners very differently than men do. Women are relational — we put people at ease. Men come across as more sales-driven.

“Plus, because my project manager is a man, our customers get both points of view, a man's and a woman's. It's the best of both worlds.”

Hinojosa said her banking experience also has proven invaluable as she helps homeowners determine how extensive their improvements can be and how to finance them.

“I am very aware of all of the ins and outs of various financing options, and my customers like that,” she said. “They also like the fact that I'll work with them to find the best design and loan choices for any budget.”

The tightening U.S. economy and recent scandals in the home-loan industry haven't hurt Hinojosa's business at all; in fact, she said, those factors are increasing demand for remodeling as homeowners improve their houses instead of buying up.

“Right now, people really consider their homes their castles,” she said. “It may sound like a cliché, but it's true. People love to change their interiors, even seasonally, and that can be done with a simple paint job or new wallpaper.

“Our motto is, *Let us beautify your home.' I named the company Bella Painting & Remodeling because *bella' is short for my daughter's name, Isabella, and *bella' means *beautiful.'”

Hinojosa said her team works an average of four jobs at any given time and that she does not use subcontractors. Instead, she handpicks a select group of employees and asks each one to abide by a strict code of ethics.

“My faith is important to me, so I hold my employees to a high standard,” she said. “We work closely with our customers; we go into their homes, so I expect a lot in terms of performance and personal conduct.”

Hinojosa said that as a female business owner, she urges other women to take career risks and to follow their dreams, for both themselves and their families.

“I encourage my daughter and other women to trust in themselves and to have faith,” she said. “I am successful because I believed in myself and had faith that God would take care of me.”

Contact Bella Painting & Remodeling today!  210-857-4353 or 210-822-0072
 
Ronda Templeton is a freelance writer and the founder of Templeton Davidson Communications.