Listening to Clients, Learning Ways to Grow: Briarcliff Manor Business Spotlight

Every local business has a story worth sharing with the community. The plan behind this series at Patch is to shine the spotlight on all our favorite local businesses, and to learn a little about the ones we may not know that well.

This is as much about supporting local businesses as it is about celebrating the places and faces that make our community special. Click here to get to a simple form where local business owners can answer a few quick questions to be part of this ongoing feature.

Our spotlight today is on Cesare DeRose Jr. and Marco DeRose.

Business: Tegra Facility Solution Group
Owners: Marco DeRose & Cesare DeRose Jr.
Website: www.tegradirect.com
Address: Office--Briarcliff Manor, NY/Warehouse--Elmsford, NY

How did you come up with the name?
We wanted to include in our name what we believe in (Integrity) and what we provide (Integrated) supply and services to the owner operators of facilities in the area.

Why choose that location? Why start a business in this town?
We grew up in Briarcliff Manor and have deep roots in the community and felt there was no better place to start the business.

Briefly, what business are you in?
Tegra provides Maintenance, Repair, and Operational Supplies and Services to Multifamily Housing Communities, Commercial Owner/Operators.

What’s the most difficult moment or challenge you’ve faced as a business owner?
Getting started is the most difficult part. You need to be fully committed. There is a ton of start up headaches and red tape to get through. It is easy to have a great idea but to implement it and grow it is an entirely different ballgame.

Were there any challenges that made you second guess your decision to be an entrepreneur?
Of course there have been some major challenges. As an entrepreneur you will be faced with many challenges and headaches getting your business to where it needs to be. We believe the reward will be well worth it!

What’s been your favorite moment or proudest achievement since opening?
We are always the happiest when we go out with our customers and they tell us that we have helped them run a more efficient property and reduced their headaches. Our customer base juggles many different things every day, when they need to get a product or service ASAP we like to hear that we are their first call.

What’s the most innovative idea your employees or customers have had that you put into practice?
From the start listening to people in the industry and the challenges they faced of dealing with so many vendors for so many different aspects of their property upkeep was daunting for these owner/operators. We saw a idea for complete consolidation. Why should a property manager have to call a different company for paint, cleaning supplies, and doors? It made no sense. We became their full line solution. So in the end listening to our customers has given us the idea to expand our reach to different supplies and services to make sure we are the complete package for them.

How do you deal with difficult customers?
Relationships are the key to our businesses success, so we never try to get into the business of trying to prove a customer wrong.

How does your business give back or get involved in the community?
Both owners were Eagle Scouts from Briarcliff Manor. Co-Owner Cesare DeRose Jr. is an active member of the Briarcliff Fire Department in addition to serving as a board trusted member of the Briarcliff Village Caucus.