Tony Flattum, Owner Of Flattum Capital, Has Built A Business Founded On His Passion For Helping Others

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Profit is essential but caring for the people you work with and serve is vital. Tony Flattum has turned down business opportunities he believed would compromise culture because business is about heart.

“When you take care of people, they are going to take care of you in return.”

These are the first words entrepreneur Tony Flattum says as we interview him. He is adamant that building a company based on care is how you build a successful company. His sentiments echo those in Fast Company, where the writers assert that people over profits is “really about putting people first, which can be done without a hit to the bottom line. In fact, the reverse can be true.”

Flattum is the owner of Flattum Capital, an asset management company that holds a number of prime properties for rental. It also incorporates a construction company that looks after these homes, properties and those belonging to others. The construction company is a one-stop go-to company for a customer’s exterior needs. From roofing to windows, Flattum takes care of them all.

Flattum started out in the building game in 2002 as part of a construction team. A friend asked him to work at his roofing business, and he fell in love with the job. He was in the trenches, so to speak, part of the trade, and cut his teeth working on homes. 

In 2006, Flattum launched his first restoration company. He recruited a highly skilled team and expanded the company into a multi-state entity. Around this time, he purchased his first property to flip and rent out, creating a passive income for himself. “I started off buying a duplex,” explains Flattum. “I was going to live on one side of it and then rent out the other side. I was doing so well that I decided to have my own place. So I turned the duplex into a complete rental.” This was the start of what has become a thriving asset management business.

Owning an exteriors construction company is a win-win for Flattum and his tenants. There is a continuous stream of work needed on these properties to maintain and repair them, and Flattum is able to do the work at the standard he demands without the need to pay an additional company. This way his properties are always immaculate and his tenants trust that the homes they reside in are in top condition and that any repair work can be done timeously and correctly.

Being hands-on and experienced in all aspects of construction, he is also able to inspect the properties himself. “I make sure the properties are being taken care of in the right way and that the work is being performed to standard. Having a construction business is a huge advantage when owning apartment buildings. I’ve walked thousands of commercial and residential properties and to know every little angle while managing these assets is huge,” says Flattum. 

Starting a business and scaling it to the magnitude he has, has not always been easy for Flattum. When he started in the industry he came across a number of unscrupulous people and even left a company because he had ethical issues with the way it was being run. He left with nothing and had to start out on his own. Being the man he is, a lot of the people in the company came with him and he managed to start a business that has blossomed and become a force to be reckoned with in his area.

Navigating an industry that has many players contending for customers’ attention means you need to stand out and ensure that customers are satisfied the first time you work with them and that they not only come back to you for repeat business but are also eager to refer you to others. This involves a lot of door-knocking and hours of hard work to ensure that customers are cared for.

Often customers are not given the best information and guidance – there are many companies who choose profit over integrity, unfortunately. Flattum is determined to be an oasis in the construction desert. “We are rooted in character and integrity,” he says. “Because of this, we have so many people that work with us in our stores. Real estate agents and insurance brokers often reach out to us to inspect their customer’s houses to file a claim. They don’t know if they have damage or not. So when we go out and give an honest inspection they are so thankful. They have brought in other companies before and have not been guided in the right direction. That’s where we come in. We tell them that their stuff is in good shape if it is. If they do need help and we can’t do it, then we know companies that have been doing it for a long time and can be trusted.”

Not only does Flattum believe that it is vital that his customers are taken care of, his employees and their wellbeing, are his priority. Rather than relying on meetings to discuss numbers and sales, Flattum focuses on discussing issues that address the mindset of his team. Keeping his people motivated is key to the success of his business. He knows how crucial staying motivated and resilient is to him, and wants his team to feel energized and eager to work with him.

“There is a lot that has happened that I have had to push through,” he reflects. “I could have easily stopped but I did it for my team so they had a place to work. So they didn’t have to start over.”

Navigating the construction industry has been difficult, yet Flattum is more motivated than ever. As he continues to serve the people he works with and for, he is determined to stay focused on the big picture and lead the way in his industry.

“I realized that things don’t happen to you. They happen for you,” he says as we end. “I have realized that all these bad things that happen are only building me up for something big. It’s motivating and it’s refreshing.”

To find out more about Tony Flattum, you can connect with him on LinkedIn

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