Entrepreneur and philanthropist, Joel Testa shares his thoughts on the meaning of life and why we are on this planet.
Recently named the 2018 National Real Estate Developer of the Year, Joel speaks to cities across the US about building vibrant places, but in this talk he explains why most human beings fall into a trap of chasing money instead of life’s true meaning. He touches on the need to find your true purpose and to reprioritize what little time we have on this planet. Joel A. Testa, President and Chief Operating Officer of Testa Companies.
The Testa Companies include 7 corporations that handle every facet of the real estate and construction industry. From design, development and construction to sales, management and building maintenance.
Testa Companies was founded in 1967 and has twice made the INC Magazines list of fastest growing privately held companies in the US. Along with many other accolades both locally and nationally, Testa is the only contractor to be named Builder of the Year 4 times by the Home Builders Association. Testa’s portfolio spans several states, includes over 700 properties and more than 2 million square feet of office, retail, medical and educational facilities. Testa has developed over 6,000 mixed use and residential units and at one time was producing as many as 1,500 homes per year. Joel has helped develop several notable projects including the first aids housing facility and first vertical parade of homes site in the country. His architecture and design firm has won local and national praise including the recent expansion of Crocker Park, a mixed use lifestyle development in Westlake, OH, tying an existing retail center into the new American Greeting’s world headquarters. In addition to architecture, Mota works with city’s to assist in urban planning and creates branding for it’s corporate clients.
Joel Testa was named one of Crain’s Business Magazines 30 under 30, a finalist in the Earnest and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and served on Governor Strickland’s advisory board.
In addition to his role at Testa Companies, Joel is also the cofounder and partner of Mota Design Group, the Formerly Homeless Foundation and BYTE dining group, where he has been instrumental in creating and launching several restaurant and bar concepts with Chef partner Dante Boccuzzi including the recently opened Dante’s Inferno. He serves on several boards at the local, state and national level. He is a Past President of the Home Builder’s Association serving Summit and Portage Counties, a board member for Habitat for Humanity, S& T Bank and Director for the National Association of Home Builders. Joel was named the marketing and advertising person of the year by the Home Builders Marketing and Merchandising Council and voted one of the top 10 leaders to follow in Northeast Ohio.
He is a national speaker and has been featured at several conferences throughout the country speaking on development and growth.
In 2016 his construction company merged with Welty Building Corporation to create Welty Testa Builders, one of Ohio’s largest full service design, construction and development partnerships. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx