Missouri Constructors: A Focus on Quality in Construction

How a local Hispanic business is transforming outdoor spaces, shaping the future of landscaping construction in Missouri

Started in 2019, Missouri Constructors has bloomed into a successful company. Focused on residential and commercial landscape construction, the St. Louis based company is headed by President and CEO Gabriel Cardenas. The company works on everything from pools, fire features and retaining walls to outdoor kitchens and landscaping, completing every job with finesse.

Cardenas was inspired to start his company as a legacy to leave to his children. Coming from a background of landscape construction, finding his way as head of Missouri Constructors was a natural next step. Of course, starting a business is no easy task, especially since Cardenas had moved from San Antonio to St. Louis in 2019. His biggest challenge was networking in a new city and finding jobs his company could complete. He overcame this challenge through subcontracting, which eventually led him to build his reputation as a quality service in the St. Louis area.

To stay competitive in his industry, Cardenas runs a three-pronged customer service approach. The first tenet is safety, as safe practices save lives. People come first, so focusing on safety is a must for Cardenas. The next tenet is quality. In every job Missouri Constructors completes, quality and consistency are guaranteed. Finally, the last tenet is efficiency. Cardenas believes the more efficient a company is with tools and training, the further the company will be able to grow. In turn, that growth can be invested back into the company.

Missouri Constructors also stays ahead of its competition with its workforce. Cardenas is proud to say his employees take pride in what they do. They hardly call in sick, come in on time, take care of their assigned items and produce a fantastic product.

“You got to feel lucky in this industry to have solid guys,” Cardenas said. “When you have them, you got to take care of them and luckily I have a lot.”

One way Cardenas connects to his cultural heritage and connects with his employees is by using their first language, Spanish. He believes speaking Spanish has not only helped him recruit his employees, but also made them comfortable and helped promote them to levels beyond laborers. Speaking in their native language also helps eliminate any translation issues and keeps the quality of their work strong.

“We don’t want any kind of negative connotations being left with a bad job. Saying, ‘Oh, they did a bad job because they’re Hispanic,’” said Cardenas. “So, we have a very strict way of doing things to be able to provide the best product possible.”

By continually doing the best job possible, Cardenas hopes to build a strong legacy. His goal is to build a company big enough to help the Hispanic community in St. Louis grow into leadership positions.

For more information on Missouri Constructors, visit here.