Cheryl Tarik-El is managing partner at We Love Small Jobs Handyman Services - Remodelers & Builders, a Diamond Certified company. She can be reached at (510) 251-2200 or by email.
Cheryl Tarik-El: Love at First Site
By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter
OAKLAND — When Cheryl Tarik-El married a contractor, she had already fallen in love with the man, but she didn’t know she would also fall in love with his trade. “My husband, Moorice, started his business in 1985, which evolved over time into We Love Small Jobs Handyman Services-Remodelers & Builders,” she recounts. “After we got married, I left my job as a recruiter and became managing partner at the business. The construction industry was very different from the last field I’d worked in, but I loved it from the beginning. I like anything that has to do with the home and I’ve always dealt with people, so it just came naturally. Over time, I even started getting hands-on with the work, from painting to installing insulation and ripping out hardwood floors. So, I enjoy all aspects of it.”
As managing partner of We Love Small Jobs Handyman Services-Remodelers & Builders, Cheryl says her favorite part of her job is working with clients. “I like assisting customers and helping them solve their problems. Whether they have a plumbing issue or want to remodel their house, I enjoy guiding them through the process. I love seeing the transformation with some of the bigger jobs—it’s really fun and exciting for me.”
A resident of Oakland, Cheryl spends her time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “As a business owner, it can be hard to separate your livelihood from your personal life,” she says. “When I have time, I enjoy reading, going to the movies and traveling with my family. Moorice and I also enjoy rehabilitating the properties we own. And when I can get up early enough, I like going to the driving range with my son.” In addition to her career and her hobbies, Cheryl homeschools Moorice’s and her youngest child.
In regard to a professional philosophy, Cheryl espouses the importance of customer satisfaction. “The majority of our work comes from repeat clients, which speaks to our high rate of customer satisfaction. We’ll have a client whose kitchen we did 15 years ago, and they’ll call us back to update it or redo it all over again. Whether it’s a new customer or an old one, we always stand by our work and take the time to get the job done right.”
When asked the first thing she’d do if she were to retire tomorrow, Cheryl says she’d see the world. “I would do more international traveling. There are a couple of places I’d like to revisit, like Hawaii and Jamaica, and there are also some places I’ve never been to before, like Africa.”
Q: Are you an early bird or a night owl?
A: I’m definitely a night owl.
Q: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
A: Café Colucci in Oakland.
Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?
A: Read a good book or watch an old movie.
Q: What book has been really influential for you?
A: “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho.
Q: What was your favorite Halloween costume growing up?
A: One year I dressed as a Hershey’s chocolate bar. I made it myself with some cardboard and even had a foil hat.
