Madera Del Sol

I remember my first day as an apprentice, overwhelmed by everything around me. The house my boss drove us to was new but small compared to the rest of the community. As eager as I was to learn carpentry, all I knew then was how to sweep and carry material from point A to point B. So that’s what I did until my boss handed me an orbital sander to sand cabinets. I immersed myself in the wood grain, curious about the process. My curiosity led to questions which led to work, for my boss was quick to make a carpenter out of me without the classes. He calls it old-school trial and error and advocates for failure as our great teacher in the trades. I came to understand the basics through mistakes and technique through practice. Coming from a two-man team resting on hard work, I know the urgency of finishing projects and the value of communication. The language barrier between my boss and our clients allowed me to communicate by answering questions and easing doubt. Slowly, I gained the confidence to carry out more responsibility, pretending to be in charge while developing my work ethic. Six years in and the next step is clear to me: creating my business and continue sharing work I’m proud of.