We’ve all run into people who are counting the number of days until they can retire. Not Mike Bravo of Mike’s Best Custom Design (MBCD) of Pueblo. When Mike’s feet hit the floor at 3:30 a.m. he is looking forward to the days’ work.
“We like work,” shares Bravo simply and succinctly.
Bravo has been a general contractor since 1980. And although MBCD does anything construction, in the last 6-8 years, Bravo and his 5–6- man workforce have focused on custom designed fencing and the removal, construction or replacement of decks.
“In the past I’ve done custom fences, decks, add-ons to homes, work on barns, and garages. We installed the fences on nine baseball fields. Stretched fences to 26 feet high, did wrap around decks,” he shared.
“We work all over the state of Colorado,” mentioned Bravo. “Right now, a lot of our work is in Colorado Springs where building is hot and heavy. Personally, I love working in Southern Colorado the most.”
His company was originally called Custom Fence of Colorado, and he stood out for different designs he developed to serve his customers.
“No two fences are the same,” assessed Bravo. “They all have individual problems and challenges. I’m a mathematical person and I know that for every construction problem there is always an answer.”
Although, over the years, Bravo has had many longterm loyal employees, like most business finding good help is an issue right now.
“Some McDonald’s are paying employees $20/hr., “he opined. “Can you imagine how hard it is to find someone who will do construction for $20/hr. when they can make that at McDonalds?”
“And, of course, between the job market and gas prices and cost increases in everything, people are amazed at how high a bid is. I run two or three trucks a day,” he continued. “That costs me $200-$300 per day in gasoline. Prices are nearly doubled since the pandemic.”
Because of his reputation MBCD gets work. Some recent customers first used Bravo 25 years ago. Bravo even encourages prospective customers to get several bids as they decide on their projects.
Bravo never plans to quit working. “I love what I do. I’m an old work horse and I like to work with people face-to-face,” he paused. “I answer emails and will have a pile of them on my desk when I get back to the office but I’d love if you’d just pick up the phone and call me at (719) 320-9113. You will get an honest bid.”
“I want you to know you can call me, talk to me and hopefully you like my personality. I want people to not only conclude a project with me knowing I and my people are professional, but know we are nice people,”
Bravo paused before he summarized his philosophy. “I’m not just an ethical contractor. I love what I do and want to make you perfectly happy.”