Sam Mercanti: A lasting legacy

Hamilton entrepreneur has shared his life’s journey in RISEN, which is now both a book and an award-winning documentary.

Sam Mercanti’s life as a man of faith, a man of business, and a man of philanthropy was documented in a book two years ago. It’s now an award-winning documentary, too. 

Mercanti grew his auto body repair business from a single location in 1967 into a network of 220 CARSTAR Automotive Canada locations. He sold that business in 2015, but remains president of Mercanti Management Inc., a director of the Sam and Roma Mercanti Foundation, and the founder of Hamilton’s Charity of Hope, which gives back to those in need.

He shares his journey and the wisdom he’s gained along the way in RISEN from the Shop Floor: Lessons from an Entrepreneur. 

“I wrote this book as a tribute — to God, to my family, to my friends — so I could leave a legacy and hopefully inspire others along the way,” Mercanti told HAMILTON CITY Magazine. “If I, Sam Mercanti, could come to Canada with nothing and build a life from the ground up, I truly believe you can, too.”

Mercanti told his story to personal biographer Romy Terkel.

“The process was beautiful. We began the story long before I was born, in Castelli, Teramo, Italy. We talked about my parents, my grandparents, our journey immigrating to Canada, and how we eventually found our way into the collision business. Reflecting on and sharing the lessons I’ve learned over my 50 years in business was a truly powerful experience.”

Hamilton filmmaker Moe Masoudi worked with Mercanti and his business partner and daughter Samantha Mercanti to bring the book to the screen. The documentary has been screened at international film festivals and was a three-time winner (Best Inspirational Film, Best Biography and Best Director) at a world film festival in Cannes that is dedicated to emerging filmmakers. 

It was screened at the Hamilton Film Festival in October. The hope is to see it find its way to TV screens, too.

“The documentary made the book come to life. The creativity by our producer Moe was amazing. Moe used AI to make people in the past come alive. Like, my Uncle Eugenio, my parents, my other uncles and my cousins. It was so cool.”

Mercanti is a true made-in-Hamilton success story. 

“I love Hamilton. This city has my heart, my soul and my mind. Hamilton has been very good to me and our family, and I want to repay the city, and I think I have been repaying the city for being good to me.”

All proceeds from RISEN go to Cystic Fibrosis Canada.