Coosal's dynasty: Father and daughter lead construction giant

Almost everyone knows the name Coosal whether they have sought out products and services from the Coosal’s Group of Companies or seen the transport and cement trucks on the roads – it is a name that is hard to miss.

Coosal's has been an active name in the construction sector with it being established over 70 years ago, in which Sieunarine Coosal was appointed CEO of Coosal’s Construction Co Ltd in 1991.

Coosal’s operations focus on asphalt, blocks, concrete, civil engineering and infrastructure development and quarry operations. The company also takes its corporate social responsibility seriously and upgrades its plants and equipment to eco-friendly systems. It is also engaged in minimising its carbon footprint, keeping wastage to minimum and proper treatment of waste disposal.

Coosal's has also expanded within the region and is established in Guyana with hopes of continuing its expansion while maintaining its strong hold in TT.

Recently, the public has seen more of Sieunarine’s daughter Tricia Coosal who serves as the executive director of finance and administration of the company.

She also served as president of the TT Manufacturers Association (TTMA) for two consecutive terms – the maximum allowed – and is now the immediate past president.

The father-daughter duo spoke to Business Day about their working relationship and gave us an insight into what their work interactions look like.

When asked what it is like working together, they laughed before Tricia said, “It was a steep learning curve given the breadth and depth of my father’s experiences. I consider myself fortunate that I am able to have a front row access to his knowledge and experience.”

Her father added, “In that same vein I am proud that I am able to share my knowledge with my children and also to guide them in taking the group, in their future realisation, to its true potential.”

Tricia’s brother Rajiv also works for the company as operations director while her sister Shivaa is set to work for the company once she completes her academic pursuits.

Tricia said their dynamic is unique since she gets her drive and bold persistent way of approaching a task from her dad.

Her father said, “With two strong people working together you could imagine the results to be realised and what we can achieve.”

Tricia added that when she and her dad have a common goal they become laser focused, especially with the excitement and the drive she gets from seeing how passionate her dad is about what he does.

He said, “I believe you must enjoy and have a passion for what you do. That I believe, is one of the most important factors for success.”

As for disagreements when working together, her dad said, “This goes hand in hand with family-run businesses and also forms part of the succession planning process. It is just a part of the dynamic. When there has been a set way of doing things and new ideas and ways of dealing with situations come up, there will always be some friction.”

Tricia said when dealing with friction, it is not about who wins, but what the best approach is for the business to achieve its desired results.

She added jokingly, “He’s also the boss so I do have a reporting structure to adhere to.”

But her dad laughed and said, “It’s not so much a reporting structure but more so years and years of business experience in terms of handling situations and dealing with people. While there will always be differences of opinion between us, resolving them require us both to be willing to communicate and find common ground. When we have disagreements, I think we each in our way, seek to understand. We encourage each other to explain their viewpoints and the underlying reasons behind their opinions.”

Tricia added that working together has brought on challenges such as balancing roles, communication styles, work-life balance and conflict resolution.

She explained, “Establishing clear boundaries between the personal and professional aspects of the relationship can be challenging. As for communication styles, we understand each other's communication styles and therefore are able to often circumvent misunderstandings or conflicts. We sometimes have to adjust our communication approaches to ensure effective collaboration and avoid personal biases or assumptions.”

She said with family and work closely intertwined, maintaining a healthy work-life balance can be challenging.

“Separating work-related discussions from family gatherings or personal time can become difficult and it's essential to establish boundaries to avoid burnout or strain on our relationship.”

As for conflicts, it can become emotionally charged seeing as though there are family ties involved.

Her dad said, “Overcoming these challenges requires open communication, mutual respect, and a willingness to separate personal and professional aspects of the relationship.”

Tricia added that sometimes it may seem impossible to reach a complete consensus or change each other’s opinions while working together. But it is necessary to accept the different perspectives without letting it impact their relationship negatively.

She said while she has a strong passion for languages, literature and the arts, business has always been a part of her and her modus operandi.

“My family’s business played a significant part in me wanting to pursue business as my main career path. It was never forced, but rather evolved as time went by and I realised I had a keen interest in business as I would spend some of my holidays from a very early age working at our offices. I also gravitated towards conversations where my parents would engage my brother Rajiv and sister Shivaa in various topics of discussion, encouraging us to look at situations not just as presented, but being able to analyse and look at it from different perspectives,” she said.

With Tricia being the immediate past president of the TTMA, she has been in the spotlight quite frequently as encouraged by her father who is also a “living testament” of “you will never know if you don’t try and make an effort to achieve what you want.”

She said she described him as such because despite all odds and in the gravest of circumstances with the slimmest chances, he is always able to emerge and establish himself for success.

She added, “Hearing him say, ‘I am proud of you,’ resonates most with me. It is almost surreal and definitely motivating and encouraging. My father encouraged me to join the TTMA, as he too was an executive board member of the association and encouraged me to run for president. I am grateful for his encouragement and nudge in the right direction.”

Parents usually become teary-eyed and are immensely proud of their children’s successes and it is no different for Tricia's dad.

He said, “I am a proud father. I always knew Tricia was a strong and independent person. She can achieve anything she puts her mind to.”

He added that Tricia has also brought a breath of fresh air with new ideas and opinions to the company.

“She has brought the skill of completing tasks in an easier, quicker and more efficient manner. The use of technology is more integrated into the company and we are more technologically advanced. It’s the marrying of two generations in finding ways of achieving the same goal.”

He explained the importance of leading children into business and said it encourages independence and self-reliance.

“It empowers them to take ownership of their ideas, make decisions and learn from their successes and failures. This process instils confidence and the ability to overcome challenges, which are essential qualities for personal growth. It's worth noting that while leading children into business can have numerous advantages, it's essential to balance their interests, passions and individual aspirations. Not all children may be inclined towards business and it's important to respect and support their unique talents and ambitions,” he said.