40 Under 40: Christopher Lazzara
As the 31-year-old founder and CEO of MountainStar Capital, Christopher Lazzara spends a fair amount of his time in the spotlight. Yet, it’s the people who remain unknown, working relentlessly behind the scenes, who inspire Lazzara to pursue excellence.
“I am very inspired by the people who give themselves to charitable work full time but never get any of the credit for it,” Lazzara said. “I also draw strength from people in our company, and whenever I feel I can’t go on anymore, I just look at a colleague’s commitment and I find the will to keep going.”
MountainStar Capital, a private equity firm based in Ponte Vedra, has prospered since it started in 2013. It has made over 50 acquisitions since then and initiated three privately funded real estate development projects in nearby counties. The company also recently launched a health division Lazzara is very proud of.
Being able to impact people’s lives by providing care excites Lazzara. He uses the thought of those unsung workers – never seen by the public eye – to fuel his determination, but they keep him grounded in what’s important.
“We will continue to impact this community in a positive way by leading by example,” Lazzara said. “We certainly compete, but we never sacrifice our values by doing so. And when we come up against a company or competitor that does do that, we don’t back down because our values are solid.”
What inspired you to get to where you are today? People inspire me more than anything. I draw a lot of inspiration from people.
How do you think you inspire others? I lead by example.