Today we’d like to introduce you to Chely Santos
Hi Chely, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
It all started with an idea from my husband Tomas Iglesias in 2014. He is a very visionary and adventurous person, and he decided to start working on his own, convinced that something good would come out of this, since he already had a little knowledge in the remodeling area. He started in a Nissan Altima, with a set of drills, and a handsaw. As a wife, I supported him by staying where I was employed, as a server I a restaurant downtown Greenville SC, while he started as a handyman, and invested most of his earnings in tools that he needed as he moved forward.
Later in 2017 we decided to open a I.S Construction. It was a bit intimidating and we were very afraid, since we did not know many of the administrative things that a business entailed, by hen I got a job as a administrative assistant in a school in Maudlin SC so I was making a bit more money and I felt scare, but confident to keep supporting his vision. In 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, I decided to leave my job and help him with the administrative side. I call it “a God moment” because even though it was a very scary time, for what was happening, I knew it was the perfect time for us to work together as a team and grow our family business.
It has not been easy, but every effort has been worth it. All the tears, numerous sleepless nights full of stress, financial and family sacrifices, have made us as a family become more united. This process has helped us stay humble and be grateful for everything we have achieved. I know we are not the biggest construction and remodeling company in the upstate, but we continue to grow. We strive every day to continue to learn, grow and helping our clients make their projects a reality..
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been easy.
People have tried to take advantage of us thinking that because of the language barrier and because we are Hispanic, they dont have to pay us. We have faced multiple financial difficulties in financing some of our work due to lack of credit or lack of trust. Due to lack of administrative knowledge, we have trusted the wrong people who have defrauded us. We have lost money, and in some cases, money has been stolen from us.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We are a family in business for the families. We strongly believe that Integrity is an important foundation for clear communication and effective work. We don’t compete, we like to build strong lasting, and meaningful relationships with other businesses. No job is too small or big for us, but if we can’t accomplish what you are looking for, we will let you know, and help you find the right person or company for the job.
We offer complete remodeling and new residential construction. From building foundation to decks; to demo a house to remodel a bathroom, we’ve got you covered!
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
We live in a small city called Easley SC, but due to our job, we travel all over the upstate, so to be honest, we have not been able to enjoy our city to it’s fullest.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.isgeneralconstruction.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/i.sconstruction
- Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/isgeneralconstruction
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@isconstruction
