July 2013
| Business World Magazine | 165
as opposed to taking on a renovation which
involves repairing mistakes made by others,
but over the years Foundations Design has
taken on all manner of challenges.
The greatest challenge was opening a
company at the height of the economic
downturn which came with impact to the
real estate market, which included weeding-
out enterprises that lacked the nimbleness or
know-how of Foundations Design. While
impact was felt by firms who only provided
design services, or only new construction
services, Pasternack and Trow were able to
flourish because of the range of services they
provide under one roof. As Trow says, “In
the beginning, it felt like we were riding the
wave down, but we took on a lot of different
projects that helped us weather the storm...
and now we’re riding the wave back up.”
“Not many flippers are successful,” says
Pasternack. “This is a business, but some treat
it as a hobby. Before the economy turned, you
didn’t have to be very good, but it is differ-
ent today. You have to approach it as a busi-
ness, and truly understand the market, un-
derstand the maximum amount you’re going
to pay to achieve the profitability you want,
and assess each transaction which is what we
do after each project. We review what went
well, and what didn’t, so we can constantly
The Hardendorf Living room, after remodel
