So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

My journey started in Washington, D.C., where I was born to a U.S. diplomat, but I spent the first 19 years of my life moving across Latin America. Growing up abroad alongside my two siblings—who are currently living their own best lives overseas—was an incredible adventure. By the time I headed back to the lower 48 for college, I actually spoke five languages, though these days I’m strictly fluent in English and Spanish.

As a kid, I was constantly on the move and played just about every sport that would fit into my schedule, a passion that naturally paved the way for my love of triathlons. Today, I stay busy competing in Olympic and XTERRA off-road races, while also coaching a high-performance youth and junior triathlon team. Life eventually brought my wife and me to Tempe, Arizona, where we happily settled down in 1993.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now?

The absolute best part about living in the Valley of the Sun has to be the winters. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of entertainment around here, but I’m a total outdoors person at heart. For me, those mild winter months are pure heaven.

Tell us a little bit more about what your company does and how it started? How does it help your customers?

Framin’Works has a pretty interesting backstory. We originally started back in 1974 as a franchise called the Frame Factory. Unfortunately, the corporate franchise owners weren't pulling their weight, which led to a lawsuit to break free from the franchise—and that’s how Framin’Works was born. I bought the shop from the original owner in 1996, and it's been an incredible ride ever since. We’ve grown from a single location with just two employees into two thriving stores with a team of eight. Today, we’re proud to be the most complete and experienced custom picture frame shop in the Valley. Our philosophy is simple: we treat your memories as if they were our own, because if something is worth framing, it’s worth doing it right.

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

To be honest, this is a tough question for me because I didn't actually start the business from scratch. But what I did do was take a tiny mom-and-pop shop in 1996 and grow it by 900%. Looking back on that journey, my absolute biggest piece of advice is pretty simple: always be completely honest with your clients, constantly look for ways to overdeliver, and make sure you stay deeply involved in the day-to-day operations.

What was one feedback from a happy customer/client that you won't forget about?

Of course, as a business owner, you always love getting positive feedback—but that’s not really where you learn. You learn from the negative feedback, and there's one specific lesson that will always stick out to me.

We had a client drive all the way from the far West Valley because of our great reviews. Our interactions in the shop were fantastic. When we finalized the order, he asked if we could deliver the finished piece since the artwork was just too big to fit in his vehicle. I happily agreed. When delivery day came, I drove all the way out to his house, and because I was so surprised by how far it was, I casually asked him, "Why us? There must be 20 custom frame shops between your house and my store."

And right there was my mistake. I should never have questioned why he chose us; I should have just been grateful that he did. Even though the framing work itself was flawless, we ended up with a one-star review. He completely misread my surprise as a bad attitude, felt unappreciated, and told us he wouldn't be back. It was a tough pill to swallow, but it taught me a permanent lesson about customer service.

Where do you see your company in the future?

Quite honestly, I’m in the very beginning stages of thinking about stepping away from the picture framing industry. I’ve owned Framin'Works for 30 years now, and I’m ready to transition into working purely for fun, without the heavy burden of responsibility. My absolute dream would be for someone to come in, make me an offer I can't refuse, and keep our entire staff on board.

Our team is the true lifeblood of the shop. They are the ones who make it tick and make it feel like a family every single day. With the right person at the helm—someone with a sharp design sense, the right attitude, and solid backing—this place could easily keep thriving for another 50 years.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

The absolute biggest misconception out there is that custom framing is easy—like it’s just slapping four sticks of wood and a piece of glass together. That couldn’t be further from the truth!

As professionals, there is so much we have to juggle. First, we have to look at what’s actually being framed and figure out the exact right materials to preserve it without causing any damage. Then, we have to match the client’s unique design aesthetic while still respecting their budget. At the end of the day, custom picture framing is this fascinating blend of retail service and precision manufacturing, and it all has to work together seamlessly.

What has been one of the biggest struggles in building your business, and how have you dealt with it?

Unlike the tech industry, retail picture framing completely ebbs and flows with the whims of our customers and the state of the economy. It's just the reality of running a small brick-and-mortar business. When times are good and cash flow is high, you save what you can or invest in upgrading your equipment. When times get tight, you have to watch every single penny to ensure you aren't wasting money on frivolous vanity projects. I know that’s a pretty simple explanation, but at the end of the day, that’s really the best way to describe it.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

You would think that as a young athlete, I would’ve had a favorite sports hero, but that really wasn’t the case. I always preferred to just go my own way and do my own thing. Instead, my real passion was music. I absolutely loved how it made me feel—how it just penetrated right into my soul. My playlist was all over the place; I’d go from Stevie Ray Vaughan to Metallica, and then from Elvis Presley to Michael Jackson. Every single one of those artists ticked a different box deep in my psyche, and they were all incredibly fulfilling in their own way.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

To my incredible staff—Brad, Sherri, Georganne, Tiffany, Kathryn, Desiree, Nick, and Raul: I truly mean it when I say I couldn't think of a better group of people to be on this wild ride with. And to all of our clients, whom I’m now lucky enough to call friends: thank you. Without you, Framin’Works simply wouldn't exist as it does today. Thank you, each and every one of you!