Maxwell Sansfaçon: Leading with a vision

The founder of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, once said: “The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” The young, far sighted and dynamic Maxwell Sansfaçon has put this statement into practice. He has given a new dimension to his father’s business.

27-year old Maxwell Sansfaçon took his first steps in the world of business at the age of 18 and today, he is leaving his footprints in the construction sector. He started to work with his father Laval who has more than 30 years experience. Under the latter’s guidance, Maxwell joined the family business and slowly, he started to give a new edge to the business. “I started to assist my father from a young age in order to earn some pocket money. After my studies, I decided to get more seriously involved. I have my own vision and dreams. Coming from the new generation, I tend to see things differently. I want to change the construction sector,” he shares.

Père Laval Enterprise (PLE) has already been in operation for over three decades when the young man joined the company. But, he took a different direction by creating Creative Metal. This new entity was one of his dreams. Maxwell wanted to innovate and hence decided to venture in the assembly of Inox products to cater for an emerging niche market. “PLE has already established itself on the local market. I wanted to expand the business and bring some innovation. Creative Metal focuses more on a new kind of product and we import our own raw materials. I started with a team of two persons but we now have 13 employees. Creative Metal has allowed me to be more independent and develop my entrepreneurship skills further,” he says.

As he entered the business, he started reviewing the family structure. Being a young man full of ideas, he began to add his personal touch. “I started by promoting the talent of employees. I believe that human resources and talent are vital to any business. I began to give the employees training and offer them various benefits while encouraging them to work harder and make them feel part of the enterprise,” he avers.

When questioned about potential conflicts when two different generations manage a business, he replies: “We are from two different schools of thought. Our opinion and way of proceeding in executing a work greatly differs but our vision is the same. My father is still my greatest supporter and guide. He trusts my work and competency. On different occasions, I have proved my worth and brought positive elements in the business,” he highlights.

Life of an entrepreneur

The life of an entrepreneur is not easy, claims Maxwell. To be an entrepreneur, requires traits such as hard work, flexibility and patience, he adds. “As an entrepreneur you must dream and at the same time, work to achieve those dreams. Having ideas only will never bring you success. You have to exploit and experiment your ideas to succeed.”

Innovation forms a vital part of the life of an entrepreneur. “Whenever an entrepreneur makes a profit, he should try his best to use these funds in innovating. When you run a business, your pockets can be full one day and you might not be left with a single penny the next day. You need to take risks. As an entrepreneur, I always keep my eyes open for minute details. I always keep on learning and improvising myself as a business person.”

Challenges

Maxwell Sansfaçon states that the construction sector is very competitive and if you are a young person in this field, it becomes even difficult. “Whenever I used to go to meetings or to meet clients, they were quite shocked to see a young director. Their initial reactions were obviously what I knew or what will I proposed. However, once I presented my ideas, they were surprised about my knowledge and ideas. I absorb the knowledge about the sector like a sponge. I know how to deal with projects and come straight to the point,” he says.

To get an edge over the competition, Maxwell introduces products based on ideas that he gets while travelling. “I travel a lot and thus, I try to bring various new concepts in Mauritius. We always exploit new products and new markets,” he adds. Time management remains a key challenge for him. “I lead a very hectic life. I hardly find time to relax or enjoy, and have even less time for holidays. We even need to work during week-ends to satisfy the needs of certain clients. I dedicate nearly all my time to the business. This is a bit tough for a youngster,” he says.

The construction sector is suffering and there is not much development in the country, according to Maxwell. “The cost of living has increased. It has become difficult for people to buy a plot of land. Many people are still struggling.” According to the young businessman, various measures need to be taken. “Firstly, the government needs to ease procedures in order to ease access to loans for young couples. Different projects like railways and smart cities will boost the sector. Besides, if the cost of living is lowered, people will be able to have a better standard of living,” he adds.

Future endeavours

The sky is the limit. Maxwell has endless dreams and vision for his company. “I have various projects in the pipeline to better serve the population. We are coming with a services-based project where we will be providing services from A to Z when it comes to the construction of a house. We are targeting mostly young people who want to build their houses at an affordable price while maintaining the quality. We plan to launch it by January 2017,” he shares.

Maxwell also wants to diversify the company’s operations and turn it into a market leader within the African region. “We are expanding in other countries as well. So we want to see the company reaching new heights. We will be diversifying our activities and offer clients a wider range of interesting activities,” he confides.

Despite being tied-up with the business, the least time Maxwell gets, he spends it in his passion for kitesurfing and motorcycle racing. “Kitesurfing has always been my favourite water sports. It is way for me to disconnect from work and immerse myself in another world. I feel like a bird as there is only me and the sea. It is relaxation time. When it comes to motorcycle racing, I do it for the adrenaline rush. I love the speed and thrill,” he says.

Maxwell holds a BSc in Banking and Investment from the University of Mauritius. He is a former student of Le Bocage International School. He keeps on undertaking training at the NPCC to improve his skills and learn new things.