Fortitude Founder

Allen County
Founder Profile

David

De Leon

Business

DL Enterprise Properties

Founded

2019

$500 Grant Date

February 2021

Idea

To educate buyers with a philosophy of: Do it now, do it right, and do it once.

Do it now, do it right, and do it once.

This has been David De Leon’s philosophy since he started his business in 2019.

Although David received degrees in teaching and child psychology, his language barrier made it difficult for him to get a job in either field. He began working in construction nearly 16 years ago and learned the ins and outs of the industry and gained 2 takeaways:

  1. Many people only renovated their homes when it was time to sell
  2. Many people don’t know what goes into building or renovating a house and are often taken advantage of
David De Leon in front of a build

David founded DL Enterprise Properties with the goal of acquiring homes for renovation and revitalization so that people can reap the benefits of a high-quality and beautiful home environment while they’re living on the property.

DL Enterprise Properties’s revitalization efforts especially focus on the South side of Fort Wayne, where David hopes to combat cheap landlords with little regard for the quality and upkeep of their properties.

David’s business has also taken an unexpected turn in the past year: Together with a friend in construction, DL Enterprise Properties has built several new homes from the ground up.

Although David is thankful for this extra business, his heart is still in acquiring and renovating homes in Fort Wayne. He ultimately wants to get back to a place where this is his focus.

David plans to use his $500 Grant on marketing his business to the community.

Business Updates

Meet an immigrant entrepreneur revitalizing Fort Wayne’s neighborhoods—one home at a time

David Perez De Leon only renovates a house when he feels a connection to it.

“When I walk into a house, it’s got to click with me,” he says. “I will spend four months looking at houses because I want to have that connection with the home.”

Contact David De Leon