Despite their father saying they shouldn’t set their hearts on the business, Claudia, Cerina, and Gianni Marchetta are now at the helm of construction company Marchetta as the second generation. Three ambitious entrepreneurs who, each with their own character, are mapping out the company’s future. ‘Of course we have regular discussions, but we laugh twice as often. Just like in any family.’
The world of construction holds little to no secrets for the Marchetta trio. Cerina: ‘Dad’s business used to be right at home, so we practically grew up in a yard full of building materials.’ Claudia: ‘All three of us always did holiday work in the company, and at seven years old, we were folding leaflets at the kitchen table.’
Yet only Cerina knew from a young age that she wanted to join the company: ‘I’m going to work with Dad later, I always said. I wanted to be a bricklayer at first, but that was a bit heavy. Eventually, after my studies and an internship in architecture, I started as a cost estimator.’
Claudia: ‘At first, I didn’t want to join the company. Dad didn’t expect it either. Yet the entrepreneurial drive was always in me. I went to study photography and worked full-time in the hospitality sector at the same time, eventually landing a management position. Then the itch started. I decided to give it a chance around the age of 24, and I’ve stayed ever since.’
Gianni: ‘After high school, I wasn’t exactly jumping for joy at the thought of studying (laughs). I eventually started on the construction site as an assistant and got my degree through evening school. That’s how I worked my way up from the bottom of the ladder.’
In 2017, the Marchetta sisters and brother took over from their father. However, they didn’t go public with it until 2019. Claudia: ‘In 2019, our rebranding was fully completed, and we could start with a beautiful new story. We had scaled back our operational tasks to work more *on* the business than *in* it. An exciting step, and I’m glad we could take it together.’
And from then on, things moved fast. Cerina: ‘We have set out an ambitious growth plan until 2025. We want to grow in terms of volume within the company and tap into new markets. The latter won’t happen for a few years. For now, we want to focus on our internal kitchen first. Ensuring that our family values are widely embraced and that our employees can work in a pleasant environment.’
‘That’s why we are currently completely renovating our offices. Our building was outdated, even though employees spend so much time there. We are now heavily investing in good ergonomics, acoustics, ventilation, and relaxation. Although I still have to get that foosball table included in the plans (laughs).’ Claudia: ‘But your employees make your company. They deserve a workplace that motivates and stimulates them. One that shows that we, as an employer, appreciate them enormously.”‘
Anyone who knows Claudia, Cerina, and Gianni knows they each have their own distinct character. Does that ever clash on the work floor? Claudia: ‘We each have our own function in the company: Cerina handles project development, Gianni is head of execution, and I handle the daily management of residential housing. Because of this, we work quite autonomously and everyone can do their own thing. Of course, we ask each other for advice, meet bi-weekly, and discuss overarching matters together.’
Cerina: ‘We follow the same business coaching, which is very important to me. It helps us stay on the same wavelength. When we first started doing business together, it was sometimes a bit of a search. Everyone simply has their own character and handles situations and challenges differently.’
Gianni: ‘Of course we have discussions sometimes, but it’s not like we’re angry with each other. We’re family and can be honest with one another. And we laugh twice as much.’ Claudia: ‘The company is really important to me. But our family bond is even more important. I love that we’re doing this together; it brings us closer. And even though it’s a challenge sometimes, we’re good at switching off when we’re at the table at Mom’s for lunch or at a family party. We look out for that together.’
All three of them would use an extra hour a day to do more work. Is there still time for personal ambitions alongside the job? Cerina: ‘I want to be the best version of myself at every age, in every area. Physically and emotionally, but also as a mom, partner, and friend. Sport, especially CrossFit, is important for that. It helps me de-stress. If I can keep going the way I am now, I’m happy.’
Claudia: ‘My personal ambitions are a bit different. I’m a real mother, and I want my girls to grow into people who can be completely themselves. I want to make enough time for them, which is sometimes a challenge. But it’s great that I’m supported in that by Cerina and Gianni.’ Cerina: ‘Claudia definitely doesn’t work on Wednesday afternoons, and we know how important that is to her. So we respect that. If you have someone who doesn’t understand that, working together becomes difficult.’
From left to right in the photo: Claudia, Cerina, and Gianni.
Claudia: ‘Before we walked into Expliciet, our company consisted of a tangle of different businesses. That wasn’t exactly clear to the outside world. We brought everything under one name: Marchetta. Expliciet translated that strategic choice into a substantive and visual rebranding. And that hit the nail right on the head. The first time we saw the video about Marchetta as Family Builders, Cerina and I shed a tear. That moment was so emotional that even the project manager from Expliciet got misty-eyed. Even though she had already seen the video.’