As the public demands more accountability from businesses, many corporations find themselves giving to charity or starting philanthropic campaigns almost as an afterthought. But for the co-founders of Quattro Development, one of the premier small-shop developers in the United States, philanthropy is a core value of their business.
Whether it’s sponsoring Little League teams, assisting at homeless shelters, or offering a leg up to people who want to get started in real estate, Rob Walters and Mike Liyeos believe giving back is a smart way to conduct life and business.
“I spent half of my honeymoon in Prague with some kids from the west side of Chicago that I had met at a YMCA, where I did a Big Brother program. I met my wife at a women’s shelter. Personally, I’ve been involved in quite a bit of different types of philanthropy,” Rob Walters says.
Walters and Liyeos share some of the most recent philanthropic projects they’ve supported through Quattro Development, as well as the impact these initiatives have had on a national scale.
The Quattro Impact Fund
It’s difficult for Walters and Liyeos to invest in philanthropy as much as they would like, but the duo does their best to put charity work at the top of their list. Before founding Quattro Development, Walters got a taste of philanthropy by establishing the nonprofit First Chance.
‘“I had co-foundedthis nonprofit out of college called First Chance to raise money for kids who just don’t get the opportunities to study abroad or volunteer abroad to be able to do that as juniors in high school,” Rob Walters explains. Eventually the nonprofit wound down as Walters and his co-founder moved into different phases of their lives, but Walters always wanted to try philanthropy again.
When Quattro Development got on its feet, Walters and Liyeos knew that giving back was something they were eager to pursue, so they set up the Quattro Impact Fund.
They didn’t necessarily have a goal for the fund, but they knew they wanted to use the cash when there was a cause that needed their help. “The whole point was to set up a fund where we could set aside money for giving away,” Walters says. “Over a few years, we ended up giving well into the six figures.” The pair gave away to multiple deserving causes, ranging from donating to food pantries, to helping fund a documentary that an army veteran suffering from PTSD was creating to paying for the funeral of a friend that was made at a homeless shelter.
The Quattro Impact Fund lapsed as Quattro grew because it complicated the company’s tax filings. But the co-owners have plans to restart a similar initiative in the future. “It’s still the goal to continue to do things like that and be able to share in the profits of our company with things that we find valuable outside of business,” Rob Walters explains.
Little League Team Sponsorships and Giving Back
Rob Walters and Mike Liyeos also believe that it’s important to get kids involved in charitable actions.
“When my son was 12 years old, his baseball team was going to an out-of-town tournament in Cooperstown, New York, which is where the Baseball Hall of Fame is. It’s expensive to go and not all families could afford to go,” Mike Liyeos explains. “ I thought it’d be great if Quattro Development could sponsor part of that to allow that trip to happen. Rather than just put up the money, I thought it’d be more rewarding for each of the kids to know that they were working and contributing to the world to earn this sponsorship.”
In exchange for paying the team’s way to Cooperstown, Quattro Development asked the athletes to volunteer once a month at a homeless shelter. The experience was a home run for everyone. The homeless shelter got a team of eager volunteers, and the athletes were able to attend the game without worrying about finances.
One-on-One Outreach
Walters and Liyeos have also done personal outreach to those in need. One year, while attending the International Council of Shopping Centers in Las Vegas, they met a man on the street who was experiencing homelessness. “He ended up telling us his life story and explained how he was trying to find a job, but he didn’t have a driver’s license because he didn’t have a home address. If he could get a driver’s license, that would just be the first step to getting a job and changing his life,” Mike Liyeos says.
Liyeos and Walters drove the man four hours to meet with a family member who could give him a place to stay. “We took him to Walmart and we bought him clothes and lunch at Subway and heard more about his life story,” Liyeos says. “I’ll get a call from him once or twice a year. He reminds us every time we talk to him how he was able to change his life because we had faith in him, and he totally believes that us taking that chance on him redirected his life to move in a more positive direction.”
Building a Brighter Future Through Corporate Philanthropy
Walters and Liyeos give back through Quattro Development because they feel it’s the right thing to do. But giving back has permanently changed how the two-approach business as well.
They believe it’s added more humility and fairness to how they conduct business. “I think we try to be humble,” Liyeos says. “We’re probably fair to a fault,” Walters chimes in.
For example, because of their unique perspective, the two haven’t taken developer fees on their deals in recent years. “I think a lot of developers think that’s crazy,” Walters says. Instead, Quattro earns a living by doing profitable projects. “If a project works out then we’ll get paid. If it doesn’t, then we should have done a better job,” Walters concludes. Quattro has yet to lose money on any of its projects.
Whether it’s through philanthropy or their humble approach to business, the co-owners of Quattro Development believe that treating people well will bring something good back to the firm. “If we service their needs, then the business will take care of itself,” Mike Liyeos concludes.
