ON THE COVER
The crew at CARSTAR Downsview.
So, what the heck is a seasoned senior executive from the transportation industry and fitness sector doing in collision repair? It is a long story. In fact, Pino first became peripherally involved in the sector in the early 2000s, when an intriguing business proposal was floated to him by none other than Sam Mercanti—master franchisor for CARSTAR in Canada. Sam Mercanti brought the CARSTAR franchise to Canada in 1994 as the master franchisor. However, Lirel Holt, on the belief that high-quality repairs and premier service would benefit consumers, founded CARSTAR in 1989. “Sam knew this business inside and out— better than anyone in Canada. Not only that, but he knew the value CARSTAR could bring to the industry and I just couldn’t pass the opportunity up.” By 2012, Pino decided to commit to his position within the collision sector. He also saw the benefits of scaling his business to continue to bring value to his investment, motivating Pino to purchase CARSTAR Bolton and CARSTAR Woodbridge. “I decided to also double-down on the entire CARSTAR Downsview store—from the front office to new equipment, new employees, and—the biggest thing—a new culture.” It was a transformation that took two years to complete, and Pino soon found that work was turning him “upside-down.” Fortunately for Pino, he hired the perfect right-hand man
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Photo by: Eddie Chan
A serial entrepreneur, Pino Gagliardi also helms a transportation logistics business and an intercontinental fitness business.