Owner Spotlight : Frank Furtado

Hi, I’m Frank Furtado proud owner of Unique Shutters and Window Treatments.

I look forward to sharing my story. I hope that you will enjoy getting to know me better.

I grew up in the heart of Toronto and I attended school at St. Francis of Assisi on Dundas street.

I’ve been in the shutter and window covering business for over 30 years. I began by working for a company called Classic Shutter in Toronto when I was 20 years old. I picked up the trade and less than a decade later, I opened my own business. I chose this business because I had the skills and experience required to be my own boss.

I have been providing shutters, blinds and other window covering to the population of The Greater Toronto Area for just over 20 years.

The most enjoyable part of my work is interacting with my customers. They are faced with many decisions like choosing which stain or colour they want for the blinds or what size panels they’d like. I love to talk and guide them and if I’m offered an espresso, I won’t say no!

I wake up at 5 am everyday. After checking my day's schedule and making the necessary phone calls, I meet with clients for in-home estimates and installations before my mandatory coffee break at Tim Hortons. As the workday comes to a close, I review my schedule for the next day, make any necessary phone calls and then head home. On an average, I work for about 12 hours a day but owning my own business is really a twenty-four hour job.

As the business owner and chief employee, I’m faced with many decisions. First, I organize my schedule daily to meet with customers to help them with their window treatment needs. Additionally, as the owner, I am always contemplating the best ways to advertise Unique Shutters and how much of the budget should be allocated to marketing.

I have several skills that are suited to owning my own window treatment business. I am patient, organised and skilled at manual labour such as drilling.

I attribute my success to my family. They’ve always given me the drive and support to succeed. I enjoy my work but my true motivation is my family. One of the most satisfying moments I’ve had in my business was my very first customers. I was handed a $1000 note deposit for their order; in cash and not cheque! It felt great to have the customers trust and even greater to finally be in business for myself.

My father has had the greatest impact on my leadership style. He was an entrepreneur and I worked under him for the entirety of my youth. He made me the leader I am today.

A business that I admire the most is Home Depot. Their convenient locations, excellent customer service and great selection makes finding the necessary tools for my business easy.

When I’m not working, I enjoy listening to classic rock, watching old movies and hosting barbecues with my family. A personal cause that I feel very strongly about is Canada’s Gutsy Walk for Crohn’s and Colitis. It’s a lifelong illness and do as much as I can to donate to the organizations searching for treatments and a cure.

Honesty is a trait I value most. I want my customers to trust me and the work I do. As a business that operates mainly on word-of-mouth advertising, a job well done and a happy customer go a long way.

I have enjoyed sharing my story about the things which matter to me and how they influence the way I do business.

If you, or someone you know could benefit from our expertise in providing personalised and customized window treatments including shutter and blinds in the GTA or surrounding areas, I invite you to get in touch with me at www.uniqueshutters.ca

Sincerely,

Frank Furtado.