Ep 15: Nani Nalu Makes Swimsuit Anxiety a thing of the Past
Ep 14: Victoria Dance Productions where Kids Can be Unique, Quirky, and Geeky in a Judgement Free Zone
Victoria McNamara, owner of Victoria Dance Productions, came to Edina 24 years ago with some fire in her belly! She had one goal: To be the best dance instructor in Edina. Period. She wanted to win dance competitions both locally and beyond. She wanted to be known as the best. But along the way she learned some valuable lessons about dance, kids and life. Hear how her focus has changed, when it changed, and what brings her the most joy in life today. Victoria Dance Productions is not your ordinary dance school. Yes, your kids, from any skill level, will learn how to dance, but they will also learn what it means to be part of a team, and what it means to be a mentor. Learn about Victoria’s journey, her dance school, her students, her outreach and even a former student who is now on Broadway! It’s all in this edition of the Edina-SW Minneapolis Advice Givers Podcast (R)!
Subscribe to the Advice Givers (R) podcast here:
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Visit Victoria Dance Productions: http://www.victoriadance.com/
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Thanks for making SW Minneapolis such a fun and fulfilling place to work, live and play. And thanks for supporting the only podcast that highlights the amazing people in this area.
Ep 13: College Nannies + Tutors + Sitters = Role Models, Coaches and Friends… Giving You Time to Get it Done
Secret Food To Get Your Kids Eating Veggies and Giving You “Peas of Mind”
Written by: Diana Wallenberg
The children are playing in the backyard after finishing their homework. Dad’s car pulls into the driveway, and as he opens the front door he asks, “What is that delicious smell?” It’s mother, of course, cooking dinner in the kitchen for all to share. Father sets the table for the family, and the kids gather around the table. As everyone comes together at the end of a long day of work and learning, each person enjoys the meal prepared lovingly by mom.
Yeah. Right. In today’s world, full of busy parents there often isn’t enough time for anyone to cook an evening meal from scratch. But even when someone at home does do most of the meal preparation for their family, there’s no guarantee that picky little ones will eat it. So, the age-old worry about kids getting enough of what’s good for them continues.
Not for long though, if Jill Litwin, creator of “Peas of Mind,” has anything to do with it. For eight years Litwin has lovingly grown her line of tasty and sneakily vegetable packed foods so kids can eat well and busy parents can stress less.
Take Unexpected Detours
Litwin never expected her life to take a turn toward entrepreneurship. She went to college for mathematics, excelled in her studies, and ended up working in the snowboarding industry in Vermont nine years ago. She enjoyed her job and working for other people never bothered her. “My only problem was I felt like I was in a box…and I always wanted to go outside my box,” Jill recalls. “I wanted to do it all, not just my job title.”
An unexpected opportunity came in the form of a three-year-old boy. One of Litwin’s coworkers was worried that her son wasn’t getting enough veggies in his diet, and was at a loss for what to do. Without a second thought, Litwin said, “Let me cook for him.” So, she did.
Let Inspiration Find You
When people ask, Litwin tells them, “My business found me, and I was open to it.” Jill didn’t realize it at the time, but in that one decision “Peas of Mind” was born. Litwin had a love of cooking that began all the way back in her childhood, spending time in the kitchen with her mother, whipping up delicious, wholesome meals together. Jill drew from her history and advice from her mom in creating her first kid-friendly nutritious all in one frozen meal, called a puffet.
Once she made the first few puffets for her friend’s little boy, Jill was hooked. And a good thing too because new orders from different moms and dads were coming in all the time. Little by little, accepting payment in the form of feedback from the busy families who requested Litwin’s food, she developed meals children loved to eat, and parents felt great about feeding to them.
Go as Far as It Takes
Even though Jill’s new venture was gaining momentum, it wasn’t until she hosted a “Name storming” session that Litwin knew she needed to commit to this business one hundred percent. It was at this meeting, fueled by chocolate and libation, that the name “Peas of Mind” was originally suggested. Afterward, with little more than her company name and the support of family, Jill made the cross-country move to San Francisco to chase after her growing dream.
Once there Litwin was inspired by the superior network and support system offered to budding entrepreneurs. She enrolled in business classes at The Renaissance Center of San Francisco and won an award for her “Peas of Mind” business plan, it was voted best in class.
Success Takes Time
After her experience at Renaissance, Jill states, “Doors just kept opening.” One such door was at the newly finished not for profit commercial kitchen La Cocina. It was here that “Peas of Mind” began to grow, and where Jill took on each new role of entrepreneurship during different stages of her business’ growth. Jill made the conscious choice to learn each position in her growing company. She opines that in business, “You have two paths: time or money, for me it was about taking time. I chose that path because it’s about the journey, I wanted to know how to do everything before I farmed out everything to somebody else.”
With the time Litwin invested in perfecting her product it wasn’t long before she had a place in the freezer section at a local grocery. Jill was content with her success, but after an opportune NBC Nightline feature on La Cocina, in which her product picked up some unexpected media attention, “Peas of Mind” took off, securing a place in the freezer section of a large grocery chain. Litwin was able to hire many of her old positions out and focus on her real passion, “It’s really business and closing deals that I love.”
Commitment to Goodness
But Litwin’s success comes second to the primary reason behind “Peas of Mind.” From the beginning, Jill’s commitment to creating nutritious meals that children love to eat has been the driving force behind her ambition. “Peas of Mind” first commercial product was the original frozen puffet in four flavors: Carrot Risotto, Eat Your Greens, Black Bean Polenta, and Nana’s Bananas. While these initial offerings have since been retired, Litwin continues to create innovative veggie dense frozen foods, that taste so good children don’t even know they’re eating something good for them.
Jill’s desire for creating goodness has only intensified in recent years, because she now has a family, including a little girl. Litwin’s daughter is a picky eater, and Jill is thankful to have “Peas of Mind” when she feeds her daughter products from her line.
Giving People “Peas of Mind”
Although it has fueled her success, Jill’s goal for “Peas of Mind” is not just to get good stuff into the bellies of kids. For Litwin a lot of her inspiration is helping busy parents feel confident about feeding their children. She states, “The business is here so moms don’t stress out.” Litwin encourages parents to take a more holistic view of their child’s eating habits, bearing in mind not just one meal or one day, but what they’ve eaten over the course of a week as an indicator of healthy nutrition. And finally, Jill reminds all worried parents, “When children are hungry, they will eat.”
You Can Do Anything
After having their little girl, Jill and her husband decided to relocate to the Minneapolis area because anytime they visited, “It just felt like coming home.” Litwin’s move was prompted by the desire for a better life and new opportunities to grow. Despite unfamiliar surroundings and having little network or support system, Litwin doesn’t fear remotely managing “Peas of Mind.” Jill’s confidence is best summed up in her words, “I always say the freezer section in a grocery store is a lot like New York City, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere; so, I really believe we can make it here, too.”
Litwin plans to encourage others in following their dreams, as well. Living in San Francisco Jill volunteered as a mentor to budding entrepreneurs and chefs at both The Renaissance Center and La Cocina. Now that her family resides in Minnesota, Jill has wasted no time in finding a way to give back to her community. Through “Peas of Mind” Litwin continues to donate food to the Feeding America program and in her personal time she mentors entrants in the Minnesota Cup, an annual competition offering a $450,000 award to one promising startup that stands out from the rest.
Get Some “Peas of Mind”
Maybe your life is a little overbooked and stressful. It’s possible a home cooked meal will only happen occasionally. Fortunately, Jill Litwin has us all covered, so at the end of the day we can still sit down together and enjoy a nutritious meal with the ones we love most. If you struggle to feed your children healthy vegetables you know they need, get “Peas of Mind.” It’s the fun way for children to eat vegetables that puts a smile on your face.
Ep 12: Complete Auto Repair Means Relationships First at Murphy Automotive
Team Building Reimagined at Edina’s “Escape Frenzy”
Written by: Diana Wallenberg
Imagine being a first responder at a crime scene investigation. There has been a murder. Only you and those who came with you stand in the way of the criminal and his escape from justice. Would you be able to follow the trail of clues and put the bad guy behind bars?
Or imagine you’ve accepted a challenge to spend an entire night in a notoriously haunted house. The only catch is that you may never get out. Do you have what it takes to go face to face with your fear and see the challenge through to the end? Dorian Anderson of Escape Frenzy believes you do.
Escape Frenzy opened less than a year ago by Anderson, offers the Edina community an escape room experience of a lifetime. There are several unique rooms to choose from and endless possibilities for how to solve each one.
A Fearless Founder
Escape room puzzle solving requires a cooperative effort, a sharp mind, creative thinking, and a pinch of fearlessness. As an entrepreneur, a quick thinker, and a risk taker Anderson’s previous life experiences make her the perfect choice for creating an escape room space that checks all the boxes.
Her fearlessness is responsible for more ventures than one, however. Dorian and her husband have owned four businesses of which three are still operational. Anderson attributes her entrepreneurial success to embracing challenges and finding satisfaction in seeing them through from beginning to end.
With enthusiasm for pursuing inspiration, Ms. Anderson and her husband cofounded Escape Frenzy, an immersive escape room experience for people who think outside the box and are looking for something out of the ordinary.
You Can’t Escape Inspiration
Ms. Anderson is no stranger to the escape room experience. In fact, the idea for Escape Frenzy is related to Dorian visiting one such establishment with her family. The experience she had there was so unique and memorable that she was immediately intrigued.
After their visit, Anderson and her husband began separate private research into how to open their own puzzle room adventure. Dorian states, “[My husband and I] went to an escape room…and afterward we said we could do something cool with that; so on the side, we were both secretly looking for ideas.”
Do Something Crazy
Once they discovered they were both privately researching the same thing, their plans gained momentum. Anderson got on the phone with her contractor who said, “You’re crazy; let’s do it.” From there it was just a matter of making Dorian’s ideas a reality.
As Anderson and her husband brainstormed, they decided one of their first goals was to make Escape Frenzy fully immersive. They wanted each room to feel like its own world, separate from life outside. Ideas for the rooms fell into place soon after, and construction was rapidly underway.
Creating An Immersive Experience
Once complete the rooms took on a life of their own. The attention to detail for each theme in Escape Frenzy is incredible. Each escape room has been meticulously designed and entering each is like stepping into another reality.
While she wants guests to feel totally immersed in their escape, Dorian understands that not everyone enjoys high intensity or frightening experiences. Anderson emphasizes, “We want everyone to be on that cusp of being a little bit nervous and then getting into it and thinking that was the coolest experience I’ve had in a long time.” In creating Escape Frenzy, Dorian took all types of people into account and included four themes from which visitors choose one. From pirate adventures to deep sea diving, crime scene investigating to paranormal encounters, visitors will find an escape room they’ll want to try.
Can You Solve Them
But don’t expect to solve the theme you choose in a hurry. Dorian admits that while each room has a solution, even the most creative thinkers need some help figuring out a clue from time to time. Each theme in Escape Frenzy has game masters located outside the room who will give a hint or a little help if a group looks stuck. But only up to a point; during the last five minutes, “we let you solve the rest of the room on your own,” Anderson asserts.
Statistically speaking, even with some game master tips, only twenty percent of all guests solve an entire escape room. That doesn’t deter visitors from giving Escape Frenzy a try, though. Dorian asserts it isn’t uncommon among people leaving an unsolved room, “for everyone to be high fiving us on the way out, it’s that experience of excitement in that they did solve something,” even if a little mystery remains.
Team Building Outside the Box
It’s not just friends and families visiting Escape Frenzy. Dorian has had some big names in business come through her doors as well. Companies like Optum, General Mills, Wayzata Children’s Clinic and more have all brought teams of employees to Escape Frenzy for team building with fantastic results.
What can an escape room experience do to help create better coworker relationships? Plenty, says Anderson and with good reason. Dorian has seen people who work in entirely separate departments of one company team up to solve a puzzle and, in her words, “get a different feel for how someone is as a person not just in a work environment.” Escape Frenzy allows coworkers to communicate, get creative, and solve problems in ways they haven’t experienced before. Anderson remarks, “You can take that back to your work environment and really go far with it.”
A Permanent Escape
While Escape Frenzy is a new addition to the area, Dorian plans for the long term. Her goal is to have the business become a staple in the community. Anderson wants, “people driving by to know, oh that’s Escape Frenzy, we’ve got to check that out.” She loves her work, and loves, “to see people happy and getting enjoyment from something they did.” Anderson plans to continue sharing the fun and mystery of Escape Frenzy well into the future.
If you are looking for a new experience or an exhilarating escape from everyday life, Dorian Anderson is waiting for you at Escape Frenzy. Gather your wits and your group about you. The puzzle you are about to attempt is perplexing but not impossible; are your friends, family or co-workers up for the challenge?
Trusted Edina Mortgage Lender-Dedicated to a Lifetime of Serving
Written by: Diana Wallenberg
Superheroes do exist; they walk among us. Men and women of such outstanding character and ability that their effect on the world sends out ripples, the furthest reaches of which remain hidden from view but are still felt. These superheroes save people in distress, lead people out of trouble and in the right direction, and encourage those around them to achievement by their example and word.
Sometimes superheroes are found in the most unlikely places. Living in anonymity, but leading and inspiring those around them each day. At Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation one such hero leads an unsung life of extraordinary courage and service. Her name is Carrie Guarrero.
An Origin Story
Every superhero has an origin story. This story paints a picture of the life experiences and lessons responsible for making the hero who they are. In the case of Carrie Guarrero, this story starts very early. When she was eleven, Carrie’s mother, a home mortgage lender herself, paid Guarrero to go door to door in apartment and townhome complexes handing flyers out to potential homebuyers explaining first-time mortgage loans. This first job prefigured her future life.
But, as happens in many origin stories, Carrie first had to battle her demons before she could emerge victorious as a budding young superhero. Carrie became a mom to two children and struggled through a divorce all before the age of twenty. After Guarrero had overcome tumultuous teenage years, she was determined to be the example of what she wanted her children to one day become. In her words, “I got…lost between 11 and 20, but I didn’t lose the understanding of mortgages and the worthwhile work my mother taught me about.”
In heroic fashion, Carrie never missed an opportunity to grow and learn from past experiences. Mistakes and career hurdles became to Guarrero opportunities in disguise. She asserts that “You experience failure and it hurts…but the truth is you’ll get up and get back out there…and reinvent yourself.” It’s that mindset that set her on the path from mortgage sales to becoming one of Fairway Independent Mortgage’s most successful representatives and every opportunity she’s seized since.
Behind Every Superhero is a Mentor
Even superheroes need mentors encouraging and supporting them on their path to greatness. For Carrie, this mentor was her mother. Guarrero became a mortgage lender at 20 years old, with little more than a brief education in the field and sheer determination. She leaned heavily on her mother for guidance and support.
In Guarrero’s words, “My mother, bar-none, is one of the best mortgage lenders ever to exist; not just because she is my mom…she has a reputation for doing things right and doing them with excellence.” She credits her mother for teaching her everything she knows during the time they worked side by side, and in 2004 Carrie made her mother’s mentorship advice the cornerstone upon which she founded her independent career in mortgage lending.
The Unsung Passion of an Everyday Hero
Although most of the deeds of everyday superheroes go unsung, it doesn’t deter Carrie from walking the path of excellence. She has a passion for her work that extends well beyond just selling a commodity. Guarrero believes that in her line of work it’s “who you do business with that matters.” She goes out of her way to learn about the people who walk through the doors of Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation, and if Carrie isn’t the best fit for them, she’ll find someone who is.
Guarrero understands the impact mortgages loans can have on the greater economy, so when she meets with clients, her priority is education. She has an in-depth understanding of each loan’s ins and outs and knows that not all loans will suit every customer. Carrie loves helping others purchase their homes, but her true heroism is shown in how she helps others plan for the long term. Some of her most rewarding moments happen when clients, “come to see [Guarrero] thinking they have no opportunity to own a home, but they sit down with [her] and charter the path to figure out how they can get from where they are to where they want to be, and they achieve successful homeownership.”
The way Guerrero conducts her business is based on her belief in putting others first and taking exceptional care of each client. Some of Carrie’s customers may be catching on to the fact there is a superhero in their midst because many of them are repeat or multigenerational clients. “When you take care of people [from the same family] three generations back, you know you are doing something right,” she notes.
Superheroes Lift Others Up
It isn’t Carrie’s business acumen or interpersonal skills that make her the superhero that she is, though. Guarrero’s heroism comes from a combination of these things alongside her dedication to building up the people around her. Speaking about herself, Carrie puts it this way, “It is in my DNA to lift people up, to help them strategize to figure out how to win, it’s what I love doing every day.” So, when the life coach Guarrero had seen for more than a decade invited her to join him in his work, it was a natural fit.
Superheroes Plan for the Future
Guarrero’s has plans to grow her team and significantly increase their productivity at Fairway Independent Mortgage. But Carrie’s plan for adding team members isn’t for personal gain. Guarrero’s superpower is dedicating her life to uplifting those around her, and her successful business is, “the funnel” through which her advocacy for issues close to her heart is accomplished.
What are the issues about which this hero feels so strongly? The answer is fourfold. Carrie supports the American Warrior Project, an organization that encourages respect and acknowledgment for veterans of the U.S. military. With one son in the army and a history of veterans in her family, this initiative is close to Guarrero’s heart. Carrie also plans to advocate for access to better care for individuals struggling with mental illness. Mental illness affects one of her sons, and Guarrero has experienced the broken mental health care system first hand. In addition, Carrie and her husband run a ministry for families struggling to make ends meet in the Waterville area. And finally, Guarrero plans to continue life coaching and to start speaking publicly about the issues that she believes deserves a spotlight shone upon them. Carrie’s increasing revenue will contribute funding to each of these noble endeavors.
They Walk Among Us
Maybe Carrie Guarrero started out like any 11-year-old girl, looking up to her mother and doing as she was told. But somewhere along her road to becoming one of the highest regarded mortgage professionals in this region, Carrie made a choice. She chose to walk the upright path, to lead her field in excellence, and to encourage others to do the same. This decision makes Guarrero one of the extraordinary secret superheroes that walk among us every day.
Edina Assisted Living: Like You Never Left Home
Written by: Diana Wallenberg
What does home mean to you? The word home calls to mind the delicious scent of your favorite meal cooking in the kitchen, the comfortable place you always sit and watch your favorite show or read an enjoyable book, or being surrounded by people who love and care for you. Maybe, to you, home is simply a place where you are free to be and do whatever you desire.
For campus administrator Cherie Camuel, and executive director Barbara Mekenye of Aurora on France, creating a home for the senior community in Edina is more than a job; it’s a passion.
A Passion for Serving Others
In any nurturing home, the members share a love of service and a profound sense of empathy for one another. These have always come naturally to Mekenya and Camuel.
Barbara first recognized her compassion for others at an early age. As a teenager growing up in Kenya, Mekenye realized that serving others was one of her greatest abilities. After graduating from school in America, Barbara’s followed the call to serve led and started a career in senior health care as a nurse. Mekenye’s ability to extend top-tier care to her clients now extends to the role of executive director at Aurora on France. As executive director, Barbara oversees every new hire; she is highly selective when choosing the right candidate for any position because her dedication to Aurora’s residents is her priority.
Cherie also grew up knowing that helping others was her calling in life. Camuel’s path of service began at university where she studied to become a nurse. While there she quickly realized her abilities were better suited to accounting. Cherie’s sincere desire to serve others led her to administration in senior health care. Camuel credits her firm conviction for assisting others and doing the right thing as the reason she faithfully caters to the individual needs of each resident at Aurora on France. Cherie considers her work deeply fulfilling, stating, “[I] fell in love with long-term, skilled care…the interaction you have with residents and [being] there every day for them and their families.”
As a team, these two women resolved that Aurora on France would be more than assisted living, it would be a home.
Establishing Trust
A house that has become a home holds years of memories; raising children, birthdays, graduations, weddings, and grandchildren. Moving from such a treasured place comes with its fair share of sadness. No one understands the complex emotions her resident’s experience, as well as Mekenye. In her words, “For anybody to move at any time it is a heartache…we try to be very sensitive to the change in dynamic that [our residents] go through.”
Barbara and Cherie channel their empathy into establishing a feeling of trust with each person in their care. The women understand that their residents are making a difficult choice; they are leaving behind one home to make a new one. From extending the hand of friendship to inquiring guests and home visits before your move to better understand your individual requirements, to making sure you have all the comforts of home from the moment you move in; these two ladies spare no effort in making this a smooth transition for new residents.
Mekenye and Camuel are dedicated advocates for their residents, as a result trusting relationships flourish between the staff and seniors living in Aurora on France. By the time moving day arrives, most new residents feel like they are coming home.
Help Them Feel at Home
The personality of a home comes from the people living in it and no two homes are exactly alike. Camuel understands it takes an individualized touch to make a house into a home. She encourages her residents to make their apartment their own, and reach out with any specific needs that may arise. Residents are surrounded by familiar furniture, mementos, and often the people they love most. What’s more, Cherie makes sure residents who move to Aurora on France experience a vibrant, diverse community where they can continue to engage in activities they have always enjoyed.
Equally as important to creating a home is the anticipation of comfort and convenience. Mekenye’s directs her staff to fulfill this expectation for residents at Aurora on France. Before Barbara makes a new hire, she carefully vets each applicant to ensure that they have a passion for their work. Each person on staff at Aurora on France is expected to go above and beyond to accommodate every resident’s unique preferences and requirements.
As an example of this passion for creating a comfortable home environment, Barbara recalls one resident who moved in and was visibly uncomfortable in her new home. Because she struggled with limited mobility, the resident was unable to bend down and reach into her kitchen cabinets. The day after she voiced this concern, the cabinets in her kitchen were fitted with sliders so that she could feel at home in her kitchen.
Both Camuel and Mekenye agree that moving once is stressful enough, which is why once residents settle in, they never have to move again. Cherie states, “You might not need any services once you move in, but you don’t have to move to another apartment [when you do require assistance] …we bring our assisted services to you.” She along with everyone at Aurora on France are passionate about making sure residents make their new house a home.
Create Personal Connections That Last
When you’re at home, you’re with family, which is why both Cherie and Barbara foster strong connections with their residents and form long lasting relationships with the men and women they love to serve. The warmth and support of a family are visible even from the outside looking in.
This atmosphere was apparent at Aurora on France before it opened its doors; inspiring one man to call and request transitional care months before the facility was complete. According to Camuel, “He called us before we were even open and said he wanted to stay with us…we still have his picture posted at the nursing. Cherie and Barbara keep in touch with him to this day.
Their passion and generosity are contagious. Because of the family environment Barbara and Cherie have created at Aurora on France residents love where they live, and many transitional care patients miss being there so much they return to volunteer.
Home is Where the Heart Is
While Aurora on France is an exceptional home for seniors, Barbara and Cherie aren’t satisfied to create a network of support for her residents confined within its four walls. Her vision for the future includes a wider community effort.
According to Barbara, their goal is for, “seniors in the larger community to feel free to enjoy our programs” and “the neighborhood to come in a volunteer…and mix with the [residents}. In Mekenye’s and Camuel’s passion for service, their aim is to inspire the surrounding community to give back to the senior residents in their care.
These two remarkable women are more than caregivers or professionals. Through Camuel’s and Mekenye’s passion for serving the seniors of Edina, they are creating a warm and inviting environment for their residents and making what could be a painful transition as comfortable as possible. They may not know it, but Barbara and Cherie are the heart that makes Aurora on France a home.
Edina Custom Cabinet Maker: Living the American Dream; Doing What He Loves And It Shows
Written by: Diana Wallenberg
A real artist sees beauty everywhere, especially in places other people miss. The artist takes his vision, and from it, he crafts something beautiful and lasting, a work worth treasuring and passing on to future generations.
In a world full of build-it-yourself furniture and prefabricated cabinetry, it is hard to imagine anyone looking at unfinished wood and seeing the potential for a work of art. But that is precisely what Dmitry Ivanovs of Elegance Custom Cabinetry creates; outstanding works of artistic craftsmanship that will last for generations to come.
Remember Your Roots
Many artists travel great distances to achieve the vision they have for their work, and Ivanovs is no exception. Growing up in Latvia with his loving grandparents Dmitry always dreamt of making an independent and prosperous life in America, so when he received his green card, he was ecstatic. He arrived in America with little more than what woodworking skill he had learned at university and determination.
Ivanovs hasn’t forgotten the people who gave him roots. Dmitry has a great appreciation for his family in Latvia and the education he received there because they gave him the skills he needed to begin his story, in his words, “Everyone has a story; if you don’t have a story you don’t have a life.”
It Starts with a Dream
Dmitry Ivanovs’ magnum opus is the story of his life; it is a story of the fulfillment of the American dream. When Ivanovs arrived in this country he understood and spoke almost no English, but the few words he learned from a movie, “Hey, how are you? Give me a job, look what I can do,” were enough to land Dmitry his first job.
Like a true artist, Ivanovs and his boss communicated through pictures to overcome the language barrier, but Dmitry’s love of Dostoevsky helped him learn English. His boss found Ivanov’s’ craftsmanship so impressive he worked with this same man for three years. “I still have fond memories of that time” Dmitry recalls, saying that from time to time he runs into his former employer and they greet each other with a smile.
Although his first paycheck was humble, Dmitry saved as much of his $8.50 an hour as he could, and worked small side jobs as time went on, steadily building his savings and a client base. Finally, the time came for Dmitry to buy his first router, “I explain to everyone that that router started Elegance Custom Cabinetry.”
Patience is Key
No artist achieves instant greatness; renown is something that requires hard work and patience. In its first stages, Elegance Custom Cabinetry was just a promise of the fulfillment of Ivanovs’ dream; but it was not an overnight success. But Dmitry’s passion for his craft gave him the inspiration to continue to follow his dream, and build his business from the ground up.
Although Dmitry couldn’t afford his own space at first, he kept expenses down by sharing a shop with other independent craftsmen. Little by little, Dmitry’s client base grew, by word of mouth mostly. Ivanov impressed his customers with his skill and dedication to honing his artistry. Then, one by one, his shop mates left, and each time one moved on Dmitry asked himself if he could afford to grow a little bigger. Ivanovs was excited that his answer was always yes.
Eventually, the entire shop was his, and for seven years Elegance Custom Cabinetry and Dmitry have created heirloom quality furniture and cabinetry for their loyal customers.
Craftsmanship is a Labor of Love
Today Dmitry has earned a reputation for excellence among his clients, but many have little idea how painstakingly he works to create each wooden masterpiece. Leonardo da Vinci took four years in painting his Mona Lisa, and it took just as long for Michelangelo to paint the Sistine Chapel. Great artists know it takes some time to create something truly worthwhile. Ivanovs’ level of craftsmanship is reminiscent of these renowned masters. It can take up to 40 hours to create one cabinet, but the results are exquisite.
When people ask Ivanovs how he creates each work of art, he answers them honestly, “There is no easy way,” he emphasizes, “you have to put in the effort and hard work…it’s about challenging yourself to see how much farther you can go.” In doing these things himself, Dmitry has become a master of his craft.
Commit to Excellence
Although he rarely does anything halfway, Ivanovs’ real passion is restoring artistic vision to carpentry. His dedication to woodworking hearkens back over a century ago to the Arts and Crafts movement, when artisans like the Stickley brothers built homes that still stand as monuments to their handiwork, and are more like art than private residences.
Dmitry understands that an artist is not content to be “good enough,” and he looks at each project as an opportunity to hone his craft, comparing completing a job to an artist standing back and observing his work. “It’s motivating,” he observes, “also I have a better idea what to do next time.”
The same relentless commitment to quality Ivanovs applies to his work; he also applies to the equipment with which he creates it. He knows that to make extraordinary works of craftsmanship, it takes excellent tools. Even his first router was top of the line, “Most people are happy to get a tool that is decent and will most likely work out,” he states, “but I wanted the best because…I am committed to what I am doing.
Have Confidence in Your Passion
Even though Dmitry has achieved remarkable success and fulfilled his American dream, he still pushes himself toward higher levels of accomplishment and skill. His constant striving for something better is evidence in Ivanovs of the one thing that connects every master craftsman or talented artist: passion.
Passion gives artists inspiration and drives them to create. It pushes them continuously to be and do better than anyone else. That is the type of passion Ivanovs’ holds for his woodworking. In his words, “If you are not passionate about your design, it will be revealed in the final product…each beautiful form was created with passion.”
Dmitry’s passion for perfection in his craft makes him confident that his custom work superior to other cheaper options. He explains that inferior materials and craftsmanship will fall apart over time, and are not attractive when installed. Dmitry’s goal is to create works of art from wood, “I want to create something different…my drawer box for a walnut drawer will also be solid walnut. Who cares? I do.” His vision is to build works of incomparable quality that will be passed down for generations to come.
Crafting Masterpieces: A Lost Art
If you are looking for a quick fix, something good enough, or something cheaply made, you’ve come to the wrong place. There are plenty of options available for those looking for something disposable, but Dmitry Ivanovs will never be one of them. Comparing prefabricated cabinets to Dmitry’s is like comparing a child’s stick figure to a Picasso, or a play dough angel to Michelangelo’s David.
Ivanovs is dedicated to inspiring a new generation of master craftsmen through his beautiful work. His mission is best stated in his words, “Elegance Custom Cabinetry is committed to manufacturing quality products that can be passed down from generation to generation.”
Dmitry is an artist whose passion is crafting one of a kind furniture from wood. If you are like Dmitry and only want the best, then he is your man.
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