We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Fernando Flores a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Fernando, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
When people think of me, I hope they will think of me as someone who is trustworthy, hard-working and professional. I’ve had so many clients over the years who trust my vision, my opinion and my work ethic, that it has allowed me to demonstrate my creativity through my woodwork. I always focus on every detail to ensure that the final product is exactly what the homeowner was hoping for. Over half of my clients have come from referrals from previous clients. I think that speaks to the reputation that I have built with my clients, and honestly believe that my success as a small business owner has come from word-of-mouth. Knowing that my clients trust me enough to create something beautiful in the sanctuary that is their home is a legacy that I would be proud of.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I always knew that I wanted to own my own business. When I started doing woodwork in 2005, I knew I had found my calling. I remember being so happy to go to work every morning because I felt like I was learning something new every day. I had the privilege of learning from some true craftsman, and I remain ever grateful for their knowledge and their guidance. In 2009 I decided to venture out on my own, and Green Artwood Austin was born.
Green Artwood Austin specializes in custom hardwood flooring installation, hardwood flooring restoration, accent walls, sound proof panels and furniture design.
I think that one of the things that really sets me apart from others is my attention to detail. I pride myself on being especially meticulous with detailed work. My goal is to help my clients bring their visions to live, and I love to combine elements to create something new and unique. I don’t come in with a goal of doing a satisfactory job in a short period of time. I come in willing to spend the extra time to ensure a finished product of exceptional quality.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
When Green Artwood Austin started out I knew nothing about running a business. I didn’t know how to sell my service, I didn’t know what to charge and I didn’t know how to find customers. What I had was a dream to make money while doing something I loved; however, in the early days I found myself pricing jobs way too low just in hopes of actually winning the bid. I won a number of those bids and then had to put in ridiculous hours with little to no help in order to get the job done. For a number of those early jobs I did well just to break even. But I didn’t give up. I kept bidding, learned how to unapologetically bid my worth, and found that people are indeed willing to pay for true craftsmanship. It certainly hasn’t been easy, but it has been a journey worth taking.
Where do you think you get most of your clients from?
The best source of new clients for Green Artwood Austin has definitely been referrals from previous clients. I have friends who are realtors who have recommended me to a client, then after I completed the work for that client, they recommended me to friends and neighbors. Friends and former customers have recommended me to other realtors and designers that I’ve ended up working with on multiple projects. My network has grown significantly over the past 13 years and I have many friends, family members and past clients to thank for that!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.greenartwood.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/greenartwoodaustin/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fernando-flores-13a131143/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/greenartwood17
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/green-art-wood-austin
- Other: https://workingnotworking.com/creative/profiles/portfolio/new https://www.houzz.com/pro/fernandojennifer-flores/__public https://www.pinterest.com/contigoyoga/
Image Credits
Fernando Flores
Jorge Zanhueza Lyon