From What’s Next? To the Here and Now

As a youth growing up in South Africa, I eventually came to the realization just like many other young adults that I would need to make some big decisions about my future.

What’s next? Like many kids, this is the question I asked myself after grade 12.

The big question was College or University — where most of my fellow schoolmates went, but I was aggressively undecided — so my parents decided for me.

My father had a mate at the local Mercedes Benz dealership, so he got me a job as an Apprentice Diesel Mechanic. That was that, and I began a 4-year apprenticeship soon thereafter.

With the apprenticeship completed four years later, I was back to the ‘what’s next?’

In the days of Apartheid in South Africa, ‘next’ meant the army — compulsory conscription was still in force, and I had no intention of going.

Working for the National shipping company had links to government and was considered ‘alternative service,’ meaning as you were working for them, you would not be required to perform military service. That sounded like a good deal, so off I went to sea, working as an engineer in the Merchant navy until 3.5 years later when compulsory conscription was scrapped.

The ‘what’s next?’ popped up again.

I landed a job at a local furniture manufacturing business as a Maintenance Manager. What did I know about wood working machinery? Not much, but I somehow managed to convince management that if I can fix a truck or a navy ship, how difficult could a wood-working machine be?

When a position in sales became available a few months later, I applied — and before long I became the the area sales manager.

In 1995 I was offered, and took equity in my father-in-laws small leather furniture store.

At that time it comprised of two stores specializing in leather jackets and sofas. Over a period of five years we expanded and grew the business. At one time we had 10 stores, one in all the major shopping malls in and around the city of Cape Town.

The business grew significantly due to a surging middle class after the fall of Apartheid, and the slow but definite inclusion of the entire population in the economy.

During the last five years of my life in South Africa, I personally experienced three armed robberies at my head office location. With so much political uncertainty and potential instability in South Africa at the time, my wife and I reluctantly decided to relocate our family to Vancouver, Canada.

We arrived in August 2008, in the midst of a worldwide economic meltdown. I worked for a short time in retail and manufacturing, realizing it was a terrible time to start my own business.

In January 2010 — ignoring the woes of the economy — I established Pallucci Furniture. The business was registered that January, and by springtime of that same year we opened our doors at 32 East Broadway In Vancouver.

Our business model will never change; no frills, no fuss, just good value and style at the right price. The strategy of including tax in all of our pricing helped to set us apart from other stores, because paying what you see is a huge aspect of our value package.

After the first two years of success, the facilities next door to us became available — so we expanded from 3000 sqft to 6000 sqft.

In May of 2013 we were devastated by a fire in the restaurant on top of 32 East Broadway, this resulted in us having to downsize the store while the building was repaired and renovated.

Not one to be held back, I was on the lookout for another store during the renovation process to expand our business. In July of 2014, I opened a store in Langley.

Since then, we have maintained two locations and in December 2015, we were able to move back into the fire damaged portion as well.

From armed robberies, to immigration and relocation, to economic meltdowns, fires, and back again — it’s been quite a roller coaster of a ride.

When I wake up every morning in this beautiful country — I realize how happy I am. I’m forever grateful for the safe and prosperous life Canada — and Vancouver especially — has provided for my wife and children.

My name is Clive Braude, and I don’t find myself asking ‘what’s next?’ anymore; I’m more interested in what’s right in front of me.