Ready Windows Sales & Service Corp. owner Rick Suarez meets in his office.

A showroom in Ready Windows Sales & Service Corp.’s Miami corporate office displays the company’s latest sliding glass door offerings, the sizes of which are the biggest in the market: 60-in. x 144-in. or 72-in. x 120-in.

Rick Suarez, CEO and owner of Miami-based Ready Windows Sales & Service Corp., laughs as he comments on his heritage, “What’s that saying? I think it’s, ‘It is hard to be Cuban and be humble.’ ”

A Cuban-American himself, nevertheless, Rick proves modest, even relentlessly unassuming. Talking to Rick about Ready Windows is like speaking with an owner of a small mom-and-pop shop, yet he’s owner of one of the largest glass and window subcontractors in South Florida. From Rick’s hands-on approach when running his business, to his dedication to his customers and employees, one might never guess that Ready Windows has clients across the world, earns roughly $40 million to $50 million in revenue annually and is involved in more than $100 million in active projects each year.

The Beginning

Ready Windows began as a sort of consignment shop when it was founded in 1987 by Rick’s father, Juan Suarez. A friend with whom Juan served in the U.S. Army had a window manufacturing business and suggested that Juan begin selling his windows. At the time, Juan didn’t have the capital to buy the windows outright or to house them in a storefront, but he agreed to help in his own way. From there, Ready Windows was born. Juan recalls, “It was a very small enterprise and I did everything. I would measure, buy and sell the windows, make the springs and collect my earnings.” However, things changed in 1992 when Hurricane Andrew destroyed most of Miami’s infrastructure. Though a devastating catastrophe, Juan’s wife, Teresa, notes that from a business perspective, “the hurricane came at the right time.”

A surge in business following the hurricane, coupled with Rick’s increased involvement in the company, proved a significant turning point for Ready Windows.

Rick’s Path to Ownership

Though Rick was by his father’s side when he founded the company, his eventual takeover wasn’t planned. After Ready Windows was launched, Rick went on to study marketing and international business at Florida International University with the intention of pursuing a career in sales.

However, when Juan retired in 1998, Rick made the decision to fully dedicate himself to Ready Windows and took over as CEO. Despite his lack of formal training in the industry, Rick’s dedication to learning about construction combined with his knack for customer relations made for a natural transition. As his mother emphasizes, “Customer relations are the key to success in this business, and Ricky has special relationships with his customers because he really believes in good service and in keeping his word.” Additionally, Rick’s bilingualism—he’s fluent in both English and Spanish—proved another key component to his success, as many in the South Florida construction industry speak Spanish.

Despite the fact that Rick always liked the family business, he recalls it wasn’t until he noticed himself critiquing glass and doors within random buildings he entered that he felt he truly had been “bit by the bug.”

A Focus on Family

Because of the constantly evolving market, adaptation has proven integral to Ready Windows’ success. For instance, throughout the past three decades, Ready Windows has modified the colors, sizes and design of its products countless times in order to meet its customers’ changing preferences and needs. However, throughout its lifetime one thing has remained steadfast: the company’s tight-knit, family atmosphere. Rick’s father, mother, brother and even his cousin Lorenzo Suarez have all worked for Ready Windows.

Having now worked for Ready Windows for nearly 20 years fixing windows and making screens, Lorenzo notes that he has loved his experience at the company largely because it is a family business. “I’ll be at Ready Windows until Rick sells it, or until I die,” Lorenzo says, laughing.

Employees don’t have to be a Suarez to be part of the family, though. “Everyone who comes here to work for us becomes part of the family,” Rick says.

The family feel is apparent to Ready Windows’ customers, too. The company’s service has remained so personable that many customers don’t realize the company’s large-scale growth. “I think Ready Windows seems small to our customer base, but we do some big jobs,” Rick observes. For instance, just last year Ready Windows worked with a French company to supply windows for a job in Africa.

Foundational Values

When speaking to Rick and other members of the Suarez family, words and phrases like “hardworking,” “honesty,” “character,” “do the right thing” and “keep our word” are consistently repeated. These strong values are the foundation of the Suarez family, and extend also to their business.

As Rick describes, “I always tell contractors that I’m the guy they want working for them because I’m all in, I never look for an easy way out of a problem.” Lorenzo, too, echoes this message, “We keep our word—no matter what.”

Sean Murphy, owner of Coastal Construction in South Florida and a Ready Windows customer, says that Rick has worked as a subcontractor for him for as long as he can remember. “From start-up and installation to customer service warranty, Ready Windows covers all the bases,” Sean says. “Rick leaves no project unfinished, and if I have an issue I know that if I pick up the phone, Rick will handle it really quickly.”

Rick’s dedication to doing the right thing applies to all aspects of his life and management style, be it his membership in the U.S. Green Building Council to ensure he is up to date on sustainable, energy-efficient construction practices or the monthly lunch break he and his staff dedicate to delivering goody bags to the homeless.

More Than a Job

Given Rick’s inspiring dedication to Ready Windows, one would never guess his path to ownership was anything but direct. He says, “People tell you it’s just a job, but it’s not. This is my life and I take pride in what I do.”

In fact, the connection between Rick and his livelihood proves so strong that, for some, the two are interchangeable. Rick describes, “Some people don’t know my name, but they know the company name and vice versa. They relate one to the other.”

Rick notes, “After 30 years in business, it is crazy how many people have our product in their home.” With an understanding that building a home is often most families’ biggest lifetime investment, Rick is humbled that so many have put their trust in him to install the very cornerstones of these projects. Ultimately, it is the gratification that results from these experiences that “keep [him] going.” Rick adds, “I love meeting people and growing relationships with existing customers.”

What’s more, through Ready Windows, the Suarez family has developed a connection with Miami itself. “I feel like I have grown with the town,” Rick says. “I have a connection to the town, as I know the history of the buildings and have been a part of the design, rebuilding and building processes.” Similarly, Rick’s mother, Teresa, says, “At the time Juan and I arrived in Miami from Cuba back in 1962, it wasn’t like the city it is now. Miami has grown so much in the last 58 years and our family is proud to be part of that narrative.”

A Bright Future

In three decades, Ready Windows has transformed from a 2,000-square-foot location to 50,000 square feet in 2016 and from one person handling all operations and administration to about 100 employees organized in four main departments (sales, project management, operations and administration).

Rick has no immediate plans for retirement and only hopes to grow Ready Windows so he can continue investing in his employees and helping customers. “I will be at Ready Windows until I can no longer walk or talk,” he says.

Rick and the entire Suarez family have a lot to be proud of, and if Ready Windows’ next 30 plus years of business prove anything like its first, the future certainly is bright.