MEET CHARLIE GINDELE
Charlie Gindele got his start in the home improvement and remodeling business working with his father at the age of ten! Since then, over fifty eight years later, through grit, determination and never settling for mediocrity, he built a stellar business and a reputation in the industry for hard work, innovation, caring for people and making a difference for his customers and team members. Charlie loves using his knowledge and experience to help others grow their businesses and take the businesses and lives to levels that they never thought possible!
Charlie Gindele was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a 1971 graduate of Holy Ghost Prep School in Bensalem, PA where he played basketball and later was assistant coach from 1973 through 1978.
He graduated from Philadelphia College of Textiles & Science (now Jefferson University) in 1974 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He also played freshman basketball.
He has been involved with home improvement contracting since the age of 10, assisting his father, a Philadelphia fire fighter, who worked part time for a contractor.
He started his own home improvement company while in college and continued it for three years afterward.
From 1978 to 1984, he worked for Alcoa Building Products as a district sales manager, staff engineer, product application specialist and marketing manager.
He moved to California in 1984, and started a residential roofing company, and five years later, in 1989, started a residential window replacement company.
In 1991, he started pre-hanging entry doors and started a wholesale door distributor catering to residential remodeling contractors.
In 1993, his companies joined the Dial One franchise network.
In 2000 the roofing company was phased out to focus on the window and door business.
In 2005, the company became the Renewal by Andersen (RBA) affiliate for Orange County, CA.
In 2013, he partnered with David Moore from Moore Holdings, a Renewal by Andersen licensee with multiple locations.
In 2014, the company’s territory was expanded to service Riverside County, San Bernardino County and part of Los Angeles County.
The company won the Renewal by Andersen Best of the Best award in 2011 and RBA Green Diamond Customer Service awards in 2018 and 2019.
Gindele is the recipient of Remodeling Magazines’ Big 50 award.
In 2019 Renewal by Andersen corporate purchased the company from Gindele and Moore and it became a CORO (Company Owned Retail Operation).
Gindele stayed onboard as the general manager and retired at the end of 2021.
Upon his retirement, he was named a Difference Maker by RBA and also was only the third person ever presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by RBA.
From 2001 to 2018, Gindele was chairman of the Steering Committee of Certified Contractors Network (CCN), a peer-driven industry consulting and training organization.
He speaks frequently and on a wide range of topics at CCN meetings, boot camps and other industry events, especially on the financial controls that are key to running a home improvement business, and on the tools you need to successfully motivate and manage people.
Gindele was also the development director for St. Timothy’s Catholic Community in Laguna Niguel, CA from 1991 until 2005 and oversaw fundraising in excess of $12 million to build a parking garage, church, chapel, religious education facility and administration building.
In ‘retirement” he spends time coaching other home improvement and remodeling contractors, enjoys collecting cars, traveling and an occasional glass of fine red wine.
He is married to Connie and they have four adult children, four grandchildren and reside in San Clemente, CA.
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HERE'S WHAT PEOPLE HAVE TO SAY ABOUT CHARLIE
For over twenty years, I have had the honor of being influenced by Charlie Gindele. Not only is he a wealth of knowledge in the remodeling industry, but also a much needed voice of calm and reason, offering advice and guidance that has helped shape my thoughts and decisions on many important decisions over the years. The pearls of wisdom and knowledge found inside these pages will help elevate one's understanding of the remodeling industry to an entirely new level. Truly, Charlie is the real deal -- someone I, and countless others, aspire to emulate. Thank you Charlie for being a treasured friend and mentor.
-Tom Capizzi, Marrokal Design & Remodeling, San Diego, CA & Capizzi Home Improvement, Cotuit, MA
After 40 years in any business, the average guy might learn a thing or two. Charlie Gindele is much more than your average contractor and has learned much more than that. Luckily for all of us, in this book, he shares his many Lessons Learned
from a lifetime in the home improvement industry. From his initial "entrepreneurial seizure" to his small contractor phase to his development into a successful business owner and leader, Charlie shares the challenges and satisfactions of running your own business and delighting customers. Read this book and put its lessons to work in your business.
-Paul Delahunt, former President, Renewal by Andersen
When I met Charlie in 2010, I asked him “How do I sell projects for more money?” He said, “First you have to know your numbers”. That statement caught me by surprise, yet, has been the single most, true piece of business advice I’ve ever received. This book, written in first person narrative, lays out why this statement is so important for you to embrace. Along with several other “Golden Nuggets”, critical questions of self-reflection and action steps to take. Invest in yourself and then buy two books to give away.
- John Gwaltney, Outback Deck, Inc., Woodstock, GA
I met Charlie in 2005 when my company was doing $300,000 a year in revenue. We were invited to his office to attend a business planning boot camp. This changed my personal life and business life forever. We are now tracking at $10,000,000 per year and I can truly say I would not be where I am today without Charlie’s help. He was the most selfless man I have ever met in the business world. He answered all my questions, took all my calls and was always there for me. He helped establish a true budget and business plan that we run our entire company on each year. He has helped me understand my numbers and to know how important it is to run my company by the numbers. He helped me grow at the right rate and put the right people in the right seats at the right time.
Charlie truly is a major mentor to me and I will be forever indebted and grateful to him.
-Tim Brown Jr., Rain Gutter Specialties & Exteriors, West Jordan, UT