Charlie Puchala

From humble beginnings growing up in a small rural village in Poland, to founding and leading a multi-million dollar construction company, Charlie Puchala is testament to the fact that discipline, determination and focus can yield incredible results.

A successful entrepreneur, businesswoman and author based in Sydney, NSW, Charlie is the co-founder and director of commercial construction company, Puch Constructions PTY LTD, founder and director of residential construction company Charlies Interiors and fashion label Za Collective as well as an up-and-coming author, with her debut book; Sex, Control, Money, due out in late 2024.

She attributes her success to the resilience she built during her unusual childhood and the conscious decision she made as a young woman to shift her mindset after years of ‘fumbling around in business’. 

Charlie spent her early childhood in Poland herding geese, climbing trees and picking fruit and vegetables. The family’s modest house had no access to running water and only an outdoor toilet. At eight years of age, along with her mother and sister, she immigrated to Australia where they would re-unite with her father in Donnybrook, WA.

It would be a rough start for Charlie in rural Western Australia, whose shyness and Polish accent made her the perfect target for bullies.

Despite these setbacks she excelled academically teaching herself English and discovering an aptitude for maths. Away from the classroom, she would pick potatoes on the family farm. 

After leaving school she backpacked somewhat aimlessly around Australia working hospitality gigs. She landed in Sydney and realised she wanted to stay. She soon set about starting a bookkeeping and financial services business and as Charlie admits she “fumbled her way through the first few years, with a tendency to react to people’s needs, emotional outbursts and requirements, rather than take control of each situation as they rose”.

After meeting her partner, children soon followed and Charlie was left wondering how to support a young family in Sydney. She knew things had to change so she made a conscious decision to shift her mindset, becoming laser focussed, disciplined and structured. 

With an idea to combine her financial skills with her former husband’s project management skills, she co-founded Puch Construction & Building in 2008.

Identifying a gap in the market, she eschewed the glamorous, competitive building developments choosing instead to focus on less glamorous but reliable and under-serviced government projects. 

It was a decision that stood the company in good stead. Today PCB is a multi-million dollar organisation. With almost 50 full time employees and over 300 contractors, it is one of the most trusted service providers in the state. 

But Charlie’s resume doesn’t stop there. In 2014, she founded Charlies Interiors, a residential property development company that Charlie describes as her ‘creative outlet’.

Purchasing properties in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, she designs, develops and fully furnishes homes, with a focus on ethics and sustainability, before taking them to market ready to move in. She also established the Attunga Group, a premium hospitality group with luxury properties situated in idyllic holiday locations, and Za Collective an ethical fashion label created by artisans in India and inspired by the women Charlie meets on her many travels to far flung destinations like Mongolia.

In her very little spare time Charlie is learning to fly a plane!

A business and creative dynamo and an expert in creating immense success in both her professional and personal life, Charlie is set to share her wisdom with the world through her debut book, set for release in late 2024.