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Gisele Levasseur RBC Mortgage Specialist Story by Devan Mighton Photos by Heike Delmore
GISÈLE LEVASSEUR IT'S TIME TOFly
Local mortgage specialist continues to make a brand for herself.
By Devan Mighton Photos by Heike Delmore
Gisèle Levasseur sat at her desk, tapping her pen on her keyboard, pondering her future. The recent graduate of St. Clair College's marketing program was working her old summer job, also her new main gig, at the family business – AV Gauge & Fixture in Oldcastle. "I was good at the marketing aspect, but I just wasn't passionate about what I was trying to sell," admits Levasseur. She heard from a friend that he was looking for an assistant at a local mortgage company and she decided it was time to take a leap of faith.
Levasseur had to break the news to her father. "I was like, 'Dad, thanks for the opportunity, but this isn't for me,'" she chuckles.
After putting in three years of hard work at the college, and working for public relations guru and philanthropist Kim Spirou, as well as the Essex Community Foundation, Levasseur still hadn't quite found the career path she was looking for. A self-professed fashionista, Levasseur made ends meet through a job at Tommy Hilfiger, a job that allowed her to flex her communication and customer service skills. Advancing to the mortgage assistant job felt right and she soon received her mortgage agent licence.
Still stuck in an assistant-type role, on the advice of her cousin and lifetime mentor, Fred Quenneville, Levasseur struck out on her own and jumped ship to Royal Bank of Canada. Quenneville, a four-decade veteran of RBC, was a top dog at RBC Dominion Security – their wealth management branch.
Fred Quenneville sadly passed this fall after a brief battle with cancer. "He's still well respected at RBC," states Levasseur. "He introduced me to a lot of RBC partners to help build my business. He introduced me to different realtors and builders, people in the community who are business owners." Quenneville motivated her to choose roughing out her first few years on
her own, learning the job from the inside out as opposed to becoming a team member who might fall beneath another's shadow.
Now, four years down the road, she has come into her own as an RBC mortgage specialist. "In this industry, you don’t really become successful until your third or fourth year," opines Levasseur. "In the first year, you're getting to know the programs, getting to know the system and you meet the adjudicators. In the second year, you're getting your name out there more, and, in the third year, people start realizing who you are and your advertising."
Levasseur, has always dedicated herself to her community, not just through mortgage advice, but also by supporting and advocating for small business. "You have to support where you live – and support local businesses," she explains. "There are so many businesses that have suffered through the pandemic that I don't even know how they're still alive." Levasseur spent nine years as a member of the Windsor-Essex Chamber of Commerce for their Business Excellence Awards committee, where she advocated for small business and honoured pillars of the community. She also regularly attends gala fundraisers and supports charities through donations and gift baskets.
Through her job, she continues her dedication to small business and WindsorEssex families by helping them gain premium advice to get the best-fit mortgage they can get. "Whether you're a homeowner or not, you feel the inflation when you go to the gas pump, when you go to the grocery store," explains Levasseur. "People are realizing that things are more expensive. There are a lot of expenses that happen in life and people's paychecks aren't getting any bigger. It's looking at the big picture and asking, how much am I spending a month? How can I save some money?"
With ever-present inflation, mounting debts, and spiking interest rates, Levasseur puts her customers at ease by showing them options for consolidating their debt, to help save money, providing loan preapprovals, refinancing, navigating an overheated housing market, the pros and cons of fixed and variable mortgage rates, and even downsizing. Whether she is your first or second choice, her advice is free. "A lot of people look at today and don't look to the future," states Levasseur. "They need to understand their goals and what they want to do. I give them the best advice possible. We have a lot of wonderful partners that we
work with, whether it's everyday banking, or investing money, or looking to consolidate debt, we bring in everyone together so we're all on the same page to help you."
Levasseur has made a real effort at branding, getting her name out there for people to see. "Jokingly, I used to be called the 'Selfie Queen'," she laughs. "I'd go to a lot of galas, and I'd tell people, 'Oh, let's take a picture!' I met a lot of wonderful people through community events. I wanted to stand out and do unique and different things."
She has also been thinking outside the box. "One of the things I did was partner up with Ocean Bottom. After every client, when I close their mortgage, they get a soap basket with my face on it, and I have my own room spray."
Through two years of pandemic Facetiming, she has also garnered a reputation for sporting her embroidered RBC-blue attire while on camera. "It's all about being top of mind, being relevant, and doing really unique things to set yourself apart."
Also, after two years of co-marketing with another top producer who recently left the company, it has been important for Levasseur to stand apart and let the world know that she's doing her own thing. "It's my time to fly," she emphasizes. "I felt comfortable having him there to lean on and to ask questions, but after a mentorship for so long, it's time for me to do my own thing and separate myself."
Levasseur has excelled at being a calming voice for her customers as the COVID-19 pandemic has persisted. "As much as the pandemic was negative, there were also a lot of positives that came out of it," she explains. "There are a lot of people that it affected, and people panicked. They were freaking out over paying bills, weren't sure, if they had a lot of debt, if they wanted to consolidate everything right, and it was just sitting down with them and explaining there were things we can do, we can figure it out, they don't need to freak out – we will help you. Just being that calm sounding board, I felt sometimes like a therapist."
RBC has slowly started allowing employees and customers back into their buildings on a case-by-case basis. However, the digital universe has allowed Levasseur to set up shop at any time her customers need. "I'm glued to my computer all the time," she states. "People will send me a message, whether it's on What's App, text message, Facetime, or Facebook, we are pretty much available 24/7. Our job isn't 9-to-5. People think that because I work for a bank, I have regular 9-to-5 hours, but I don't."
Levasseur tailors her time to her clients, often fielding calls after her clients have put the kids to bed. "It's about being resourceful," she says. "Throughout the pandemic, people are slowly adapting to a new way of doing business. I don't have to go to the bank, and I don't have to wear a dress anymore – it's all about connecting with that client – understanding where they are coming from and being available to them when they're available."
After graduating from Cardinal Carter Catholic Secondary School in 2011, Levasseur, no doubt, never saw herself as a mortgage specialist, or studying marketing three years at college to sell mortgages or spending her first eight months of the job working at Tommy Hilfiger helping make that dream a reality, but the dedication to bettering herself, getting herself out there, and dreaming big has paid off. "People always tell you to go to school for what your dreams are and, realistically, when you find a job at the end of the day, it may not have anything to do with what you went to school for," explains Levasseur. "I technically went to school for marketing, and I am marketing myself today, yes, but it's not really what I thought I would be doing."
She says it's important to have a strong support system if you want to succeed. "Surround yourself with encouraging people and work hard. Work harder than anybody else. The harder you work, the more successful you will be in the future."
Levasseur puts a lot of stock in helping people through difficult situations. Debt strapped families to consolidate and live better lives. Mortgage advice for young couples and families buying their first home. New Canadians getting a fresh start and providing sage advice to older couples and smaller families about downsizing and tailoring mortgages to their needs. She has even assisted pandemic challenged small businesses revamp their finances to keep them afloat. "It's little things like that that really make you feel good about your job, what you do, and how you help people," she smiles.
If you would like to receive mortgage advice from Gisèle Levasseur, she can be contacted by email at gisele.levasseur@rbc.com, on mobile at 519-999-0901 and be sure to follow her on social media at #mymortgagegirlgisele. D
I give them the best advice possible. We have a lot of wonderful partners that we work with, whether it's everyday banking, or investing money, or looking to consolidate debt, we bring in everyone together so we're all on the same page to help you.
PALAZZI TILE AND GRANITE
Laying the Groundwork to Build a Legacy
By Alley Biniarz Photo by Max Wedge Photography
Palazzi Tile and Granite began as all strong legacies do: by establishing humble roots in the community and devoting themselves to quality workmanship, customer satisfaction, and offering a selection of the finest materials in the flooring industry.
Their commitment to quality and community began in 1960 and has been passed down from the original founders and brothers Paul, Marco, and Max Palazzi to the new generation of family ownership.
“We had a good foundation to start with,” Robert Palazzi says about the work his father and uncles accomplished before he, his brother Mark, cousins Paolo Palazzi and Paula Mele along with partner Fabio Bernabo took over the business. “It’s been a transition from the older generation who brought it to this point, and now it’s up to us to improve the business and carry it into the future.”
Knowing that the Palazzi name has been a part of the community for over 60 years motivates Robert, Mark, Paolo, Paula, and Fabio to maintain the relevancy of the business in today’s industry. “As time goes on it’s easy to become stagnant. You’re like someone who has been waiting at a train station; you can either keep standing there, or at some point you have to jump onto the train and move forward,” Robert adds.
It’s this mentality that has inspired the push towards renovating the Palazzi Tile showroom. “Upon completion, the goal of the showroom will be for clients to come in and experience the sights, colours, and textures firsthand,” Fabio says about the growth of the manufactured materials division with the continual addition of products such as Quartz slabs and the newest in large format porcelain tile slabs. “We have capabilities to fabricate and install them,” he adds. With the new showroom, they will have the space to display full sheets on the showroom floor.
These large slabs have expanded the opportunities for clients beyond flooring and into counter work, shower enclosures, or fireplace design. The Palazzi products are imported directly from Italy, Spain as well as other parts of the world and range from exclusive to entry level materials that can suit any project. The new showroom has broadened the horizons for clients while the open concept feel allows them to feel inspired by the design and creativity brought into the space.
In the early years, the Palazzi’s established a reputation within the Windsor-Essex community for their vision, quality installations, and meeting the market demand and its changes. These values and workmanship stand true today and continue to be the cornerstone of the business’ philosophy adopted by the entire Palazzi team. It’s not only the product that stands the test of time, but also the staff who maintain the goal of service and knowledge of products that the original owners set out to showcase.
Mark and Paolo say with endless gratitude that it’s the community’s support that has kept the business going through the years. They are proud to carry on the legacy that carved out the award for Best Flooring Company in YQG.
Customers can get their creative juices flowing by exploring the Palazzi website at palazzibros.com, or by visiting their showroom at 3636 Walker Rd. D
LEADING THEIR LEGACY WITH PURPOSE BRICETIN CONCRETE RESTORATION INC.
By Alley Biniarz Photo by Trevor Booth
Mark and Cindy Rivait are retiring from Bricetin Concrete Restoration Inc. after 31 years in the business. The company they built has been known for its work in brick restoration which morphed into concrete and foundation repair, and was built on high levels of skilled workmanship, high quality, and a devotion to both their employees and customers. As successful as their company is today, Mark and Cindy say that it’s important that people see the work and effort gone into their early days.
“It’s very rewarding to look back and see what you accomplished, but in being successful people don’t realize where you’ve come from. They see where you’re at now and don’t see the sacrifice or the long road ahead,” Mark says about what they’ve gone through to get to this place in their lives.
Cindy adds that they took a big risk when first starting the company. On top of running the business they worked together flipping houses, and all the while they were raising two young boy. “We can relax and breathe a bit now, but there were days where we thought we couldn’t do it anymore,” she says.
Mark says that during those difficult days he was driven by his motivation for wanting to provide stable work and respectful treatment for his employees and to run a business differently than he’d seen it done by others. “I worked for other people and hadn’t been treated well by them and I decided that when I went into business, I would never treat anyone that way. They were my motivation; they motivated me to get out and do my own thing,” he adds.
They’ve maintained that attitude towards their employees throughout the entirety of running Bricetin, where they have treated them with respect and helped them reach their potential. “We’ve always believed that the psychic income is just as important as the monetary. We’re seeing it more and more with the new generations coming in, that they need a reason to come into work and a sense of purpose,” Cindy says.
Even in the way they’re passing on their business, Mark and Cindy have taken an empathetic and alternative approach. The two-year training process was made seamless with the help of Hilary Van Welter from Ascentia, who consults with cultural and structural changes in businesses. “There’s a different mindset moving from employee to employer, and with the help of her meetings, workbooks, and templates they’ve felt supported in the transition,” Cindy explains.
To ease the financial transition, Cindy and Mark wanted to create a fair way for their employees to take over the company. “We felt that this was the right thing to do, to give them a hand up. They just have to do the work we agreed upon to buy us out and then the company— and its reputation — is theirs.” Cindy says they felt this was the way to move forward as we evolve as humanity, where it’s more about spreading the wealth and fairness amongst the people.
The new owners, Greg, Matt, Mitch, and Jeremy have been with Bricetin for 16, 17, 18, and 30 plus years consecutively and Cindy and Mark say they’ve always shown leadership, responsibility, pride and loyalty for the company, which is how they know that they’ll continue to live up to the reputation that they’ve helped to build.
They trust that the new owners will carry on the Bricetin legacy of quality and service, where customer satisfaction is backed up by honesty and integrity. It shows in their average daily quotes of 15 - 20 jobs a day in peak season, and average wait time of two to six months, which Mark says people are willing to wait because they know that they can trust the Bricetin team will get it done, and get it done right.
As Mark and Cindy pass the torch and transition the company to those four key employees, they’re placing their energy into new ventures and commitments. In their next chapter the two will continue their support of Peace Literacy, as they believe in investing in their community. This organization is close to their hearts as it is so in line with their values of focusing on purpose, meaning, belonging and self-worth while cultivating a deeper respect of our shared humanity, strengthening communication and understanding in the workplace and in our communities. They have used Peace Literacy in their business to better their workplace culture and open the conversation around trust and building morale. They believe that having these free and accessible tools in place will help to benefit any organization and will continue supporting them through their everlasting legacy. To learn more visit peaceliteracy.org. D
Photo by Syx Langemann
THROUGH THE LENS OF STEVE BIRO
Local nature photographer finds beauty across Windsor–Essex
By Devan Mighton Photos by Steve Biro
Patience. It took patience to get here.
At the crack of dawn, Steve Biro sets out on the snowy sideroads south of East Windsor. Shaking cobwebs from his head, taking sips of bitter coffee, he cruises along with his eyes peeled – through foggy windows – on the snow-encrusted treelines for an elusive soul.
Finally, he spots his quarry just inside a field. He pulls over and sneaks down the ditch to a fencepost for a better view – shivering as hints of melting snow slide down his heels inside his boots.
He quietly sets up his camera and waits.
He may have sat and watched for seconds or hours – time melds together. A small mouse dashes in front of him – leaving the safety of the nest below the snow, running an errand.
Biro hears a rush of wind and primes his focus, as a magnificent raptor glides down to make its kill. A snowy owl has made its breakfast, and for Biro, his patience has paid off with another remarkable image to share. "Much of my knowledge is self-taught," admits Biro. "I have taken some classes. It started to evolve from seascapes and landscapes, that was my original passion. I used to run down to the riverfront, about two-or-three years straight, 250 days of the year, taking pictures. I found it fascinating that I could go down there and get a different image every day."
Steve Biro is an avid hiker and adventurer turned nature photographer. "I started into photography as a way to capture nature when I was hiking," he explains. "I wanted to be able to capture what I was seeing. It was more for myself, at the time, because I like going through images of vacations and hikes and places I've been because it helps bring back fond memories of my trips. I find it's much easier for me to recall just from the act of taking pictures."
Biro says that from 2009 until 2012 were his formative years as a photographer. He posted images to social media of his travels around the world and people started to take notice. "About five years ago, I started to turn more to nature and wildlife photography," says Biro. "I found that people really seemed to enjoy seeing birds and animals in pictures. People
were telling me it was nice to see things they normally wouldn't see. That drove me to take more nature images and it has progressed from there."
A few years ago, Biro started venturing to the Canadian Raptor Conservancy in Victoria, near Port Dover – this is where he met Bruce the Bald Eagle. Frozen in stunning symmetry, skimming the surface of the water with his wings spread like St. Louis' Gateway Arch, Biro caught Bruce in his majestic glory. "After the image went viral, a lot of people started to follow me on social media," Biro recalls. "They, obviously, had a love for seeing images of animals and eagles. That reinforced my desire to capture nature."
On top of his job with Ford, Biro figures he photographs 20-30 hours per week. "I really enjoy being in nature," he professes. "It's not just about photography for me. There's something peaceful about being in nature, watching it, learning about it – you really learn a lot about wildlife when you're watching birds and animals in action." "You can walk around Ojibway Park and focus on nature and take your mind off the harshness of life. That aspect is very attractive to me. I find that during tougher times, nature brings you back in focus and always makes you feel a little better."
In addition to Bruce, Biro is well-known for his gorgeous deer and owl photography, as well as his shots of eagles and hawks. He frequents Ojibway Park, Spring Garden, East Windsor, the Windsor Riverfront, Holiday Beach, and is often touring the county in search of his next shot. "Ojibway is really nice in the cooler months," he explains. "I find you can see deer as well as smaller songbirds. Another peaceful, fun part of Ojibway is that if you go in there with birdseed, a lot of the smaller songbirds will land on your hand – and they're usually fed with birdseed anyways, so you're not doing any harm there. Holding a bird in your hand, a lot of people enjoy it – especially children. "One of my favourite spots, from spring until fall, is Malden Park. Malden Park has the ponds, and you can get some really nice images of birds that you won't see elsewhere – like green herons, blue herons, kingfishers, even ospreys sometimes come hunt in the pond – which is quite nice."
Nature photography is an exercise in patience. Biro admits that even once in position, it may take anywhere from 30 minutes to five hours to get the right shot. Additionally, in the case of photographing snowy owls, it can take even longer to find one to shoot. "It's very common for me to go out driving for three to six hours if I'm out looking for snowy owls, which are much rarer to spot," states Biro. "I only first saw them several years ago myself, and I do spend a long time looking for them."
Biro explains that what drives him to keep searching for the next great shot is his need to immerse himself in nature, which helps him to find peace, and his insatiable need to find an image that is unique. "I just went to Port Stanley to photograph these amazing waves that were being churned up by 100 kilometer-per-hour winds last weekend," he says. "On that day, I took over 14,000 images. I went through and tried to find something unique to post other than a picture of just an ordinary wave. I just posted a wave that looks like a lion coming out of the water. I'm always driven to find something unique – I guess that is a big part of what makes me get out there."
However, Biro admits that his motivations for photography have changed over the years. "Something happened along the way – I found that my images bring some people great joy," admits Biro. "I know some people will never see the things that I am very fortunate to see in my travels. I've been to many countries, I've been all over the world, and when it brings people joy, it brings me joy."
To see Steve Biro's latest work, please visitSteveBiroPhotography.com or follow him on Instagram at @stevebiro or on Facebook. D
From Their Family to Yours Encore Mechanical & Building Services
Photo by Trevor Booth
Even after 40 years of adaptations and changes in the business, one detail remains a constant for Encore Mechanical & Building Services: their commitment to the Windsor-Essex community.
“Between the growing residential subdivisions and the high-rise market, we haven’t been able to stop growing. Basically, everything has just expanded since the transition,” Joel Cecile says about their ability to grow since he and his two siblings, Jeff Cecile and Kailey Garant, took over the business in 2015.
Their father was a part of the business ever since it was launched in 1982, where he paved the way for making Encore Windsor’s premier choice for all plumbing, heating, cooling, and electrical work. Since then, they’ve continuously been recognized for their hard work and for putting their customers’ needs at the forefront. Even with the new additions to technology and advancements in the mechanical industry, Encore continues to maintain intimate relationships in the same way they always have.
“We’re committed to maintaining these relationships with all of our customers and aim to please every single one. We like to think that we’ve done a good job because we constantly have repeat customers and people we’ve dealt with throughout the years. We always make sure they’re satisfi ed so that they come back to us,” Jeff says.
Previously working as licensed plumbers within the business, Joel and Jeff now oversee all of the day to day operations to ensure everything is running smoothly on the fl oor. Since they’ve put the right employees in place to run each job, they say they can handle the challenges that each day brings and enjoy the ability to help solve customers’ problems together.
Kailey, who holds the role of Offi ce Manager, echoes that they have maintained success and good working relationships with customers because of the professional and qualifi ed staff they have on board. “We’ve been able to recruit and keep employees on staff for a long time; we don’t have a high turnover rate. Everyone here is positive, they work well with each other, and they get along like family. We have a good system going,” she adds.
It’s important for them to keep the family-like feel in the business, and it’s been a privilege to nurture the family atmosphere of Encore through hiring young employees. “We really focus on apprenticeships and like to hire new employees right from scratch and train them through,” Kailey says, explaining how the company even works with local high school co-op programs to offer opportunities to youth. Students from schools like St. Joseph’s, St. Anne’s, and L’Essor have gone on to complete their co-op programs and have continued with Encore through apprenticeships and full-length careers. “We always say when we hire someone that this is more of a career than a job; we’re going to keep you for the long haul,” Kailey adds.
Encore likes to offer long-term stability in their jobs, and they take pride in not only supporting individuals but supporting their families as well. “We’ve always been able to expand, even through the recession in 2008 or the last two years through the pandemic,” Joel says. “We’ve kept everyone on board and working. Where other places were laying off and people were losing their jobs, we were able to maintain everyone we had and we’re proud of that.”
Having the right staff aligned with their business has allowed the Encore team to adapt to future business growth and continue to provide premium services to customers in the area. Whether you need help with any plumbing problems, to install a tankless water heater, or to repair, install, or maintain HVAC systems, the Encore Mechanical family has you and yours taken care of no matter what. D
