Five years ago, Paola Alvarado had big dreams but no work. She, along with her husband, Luis, and founding member Kerry Ponthier were knocking on doors—but no one was answering.
As Baton Rouge Business Report writes in its latest issue, the local trio knew that creating a family-run boiler repair shop in the industrial space would be a tough sell. Nevertheless, they steadfastly held onto their vision and the business, now known as Core Boiler & Mechanical Services, has seen significant growth.
In just five years of existence, the Prairieville company’s earnings have skyrocketed by nearly 3,000%, making it the fastest-growing Louisiana-based company in last year’s Inc. 5000. Core clocked in at No. 182 after its revenue increased from roughly $250,000 in 2019 to $8.1 million in 2022. Paola Alvarado estimates that the company’s revenues were some $10 million in 2023.
Still, Core is relatively small in comparison to other companies in the industrial space, and that’s just where it wants to be.
“We can give personal attention,” says Luis Alvarado. “In every single job that we bid and receive, one or two of us is involved, to some extent, in the execution of the job.”
