At 19, Her Future Is Set In Stone At New Home Design Studio

AT 19, HER FUTURE IS SET IN STONE!

NEW SHOWROOM AT DEVINE CREATIONS IS A STEPPING STONE TO SUCCESS FOR TEENAGE ENTREPRENEUR

Middletown, New Jersey (Monmouth County) – You would literally be floored, no pun intended, by meeting and talking to this amazing young lady, a teenager who decided before she even hit her teenage years that she wanted to be involved in the family business. Her name is Mafalda Pereira, and she is the owner of Devine Creations, a home improvement design & contracting service which has opened in Middletown, New Jersey. The new retail showroom is located at 271 Highway 35 North. (Red Bank mailing address, 07701 zip code) The company offers the latest designs in cabinetry, countertops, tile, hardware & accessories, and contractual design & installation services, serving the consumer as a ‘one-stop’ destination for home improvement projects. But one of the best fixtures in the showroom is the one sitting behind the desk and making the day-to-day decisions for the successful enterprise, a role which suits her - and her extensive client base - very well. The business has a reputation in the region for excellent craftsmanship and responsive customer service, and Mafalda sees to that. "I was taught from the start that customer service is everything. Even when the showroom is closed, business continues. That means if clients contact the company about installations, scheduling, or have other concerns or inquiries, their calls or emails are returned right away, even on days when the showroom is closed," Mafalda explained, nothing that her mobile phone is always at the ready.

The showroom, which also includes a comfortable sitting area with leather sofas for client meetings, includes many countertop & cabinet displays. It is easy for clients to visualize their next home improvement projects with such strong aesthetics. Popular natural stone countertop choices include quartz, marble, granite, onyx and precious stone. Cabinetry choices include brand names Cover Bridge, Forever Mark, Diamond Decora & Adonis. The telephone number for Devine Creations is (732) 856-9661, and the email address for inquiries is DevineCreationsStone@hotmail.com. The website address is www.DevineCreationsStone.com. Business hours are Tuesday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A Future Set In Stone For Young Entrepreneur

Devine Creations is a multi-generational, family business which was founded by Luis Pereira, originally starting as a simple stone yard in Linden, New Jersey. Luis grew and expanded the business, earning a reputation for artisanship & honesty. That original stone yard is now one of the premier suppliers of stone in the region, Stone World, and is headquartered in Red Bank, New Jersey. Luis then formed Devine Creations nine years ago, enlisting the assistance of his wife, Maria Ferraz, and his daughter, Mafalda, who is quite the young entrepreneur. At 19, Mafalda is following in her father’s footsteps and now fully owns and operates the new Middletown showroom. “I grew up in this business,” Mafalda joked, recalling the choices she made in high school to work in the business instead of stepping out with her friends. “It was always about working and learning for me, about consciously deciding to continue the family legacy. I hope that my own children will also be involved in the family business,” the young entrepreneur stated. Regarding business ownership, Mafalda is very interested in serving as a role model for other young women and wants to encourage them to start their own businesses. “It’s about finding what you are passionate about and then presenting that project with pride,” she said emphatically, giving credit to her father, Luis, for being her biggest supporter. Mafalda also wants to connect with and mentor young female entrepreneurs, modeling what has worked well in her business. She also plans to host business networking events and roundtable discussions in her showroom starting in January 2019. “I want to be an integral part of this community and part of that is to collaborate with other businesses,” Mafalda stated.

Mafalda graduated Middletown Township High School North in 2017 and speaks 4 languages: English, Portuguese, Spanish and Italian. She believes this is an asset to the business and will help Devine Creations serve a diverse clientele. Asked what she loves most about being in charge, Mafalda commented, “I really love interior design and being able to offer different options for clients. Everyone has a different style, and I like to provide the benefit of my experience and expertise.”

Photos: Mafalda Pereira stands proudly and confidently in her new showroom