Today we’d like to introduce you to Steven Reyes.
Hi Steven, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
How did I get started and how did I get to where I am today? If I am being honest, I don’t see myself as someone who “got somewhere” but I am for sure a lot further than when I first started. And that’s what it took, a start. The easiest past of the whole process somehow becomes the hardest. The funniest part of it all is that what I started with is not what I even do anymore, a lot of things I’ve started are actually things I don’t do anymore. But in a funny way they all feed each other in some way. An experiment gained, a lesson learned, an endeavor explored, a story to be told. Experience.
Ever since I was kid I have been obsessed with business, inspired by seeing my father start his Air Conditioning Company or seeing my mom go out of her way to start a cleaning business to clean homes so we can make ends meet at home. Having divorced parents and bouncing home to home was interesting. At a young age I stated seeing the polarity of those realities. My dad going after what he wants and getting it, and my mom going after what she needs for my herself, brother and I. If there was anything that was clear to me it that whether you want something or need something, we ultimately have the power to go after those things. There is and was no excuse. It’s something I hold dear to me now, something I try to instill to my daughters, and a philosophy I live by to this day. If you want something or something needs to get done, go out there and do it.
I have been an entrepreneur ever since I was fresh out high school, 2015. Granted I couldn’t keep a job at all no matter what I did or where I worked, I just couldn’t keep one. Either I’d get bored, become insubordinate, challenge the systems placed upon me , or the power of authority that was management at the time. Out of the 15+ jobs I’ve had in this life, I couldn’t keep one. So while working I always decided to do my own thing on the side in hopes of something taking off, something clicking, something that can give me that power and confidence that I can do this. Granted many of those ideas have failed, but they all taught me something, and I always walked away with something, even if there was nothing left.
At 18 years old I was a full time worked, full time student, and trying to start and grow my own Mobile Car Detailing business. God I loved that business so much, a failure nonetheless, but I LOVED it so much. Met a lot of great people, detailed a lot of amazing cars, learned a lot of things about what a business is, people, customer relations, delivering a product, expectation, etc. I can go on an on. In the duration of that business I worked like 3-4 different jobs because as I said, I couldn’t keep one. I think a part of me always knew that I was better off working alone but didn’t have the confidence to do so yet.
At 19 years old I was met with the news that I was going to be a father. The most scary, best, amazing, incredible turning point in my life. Gave me my oldest daughter, Elena. Being young, I had decisions to make as my life was going to change forever. My grades at school plummeted, which worked out because I wasn’t sure what I was doing in school anyway, jobs had to change, and the idea of me having to conform to things at work because of the need of income set in. I always saw myself as a provider. I still kept the detailing business going to help me do what I had to do for my own family. And that taught me balance in a way.
Fast forward a couple of years later, I finally started a good paying stable job, I hated it. Grateful don’t get me wrong, but everyday was an internal conflict. Contradicting what I thought of myself and where I wanted to go to what I had to do to make sure my family was good. I was working 64-96 hours A WEEK at one point and that took a toll on me after some time. Fast forward another year or so later, things started to get dark for me, very dark. Just the constant routine of a life I didn’t want to live. It felt like a never ending loop that I had no control over. This is 2019 around this point in life. I ended having to make some hard personal decisions to get myself right. I won’t go into those. In 2020 is when I made a promise to myself that “I will not let this decade of my life be like the last”, that I will do what it takes to get where I want to go. In August of 2020 I enrolled back in school due to academic probation and dropping out for a year. But this time I went to school for HVAC, just like my pops. And honestly, it was another thing I didn’t want to do, but I knew it would give me the time to learn something I can make something out of, and still pursue my personal interests outside of school, work, being a father. A few week into August before my semester even got started, I got into a mountain biking accident that broke my collar bone in half and eventually needed to get surgery. All of a sudden I couldn’t work anymore so I had to take a short term disability at work. Doing that I decided to go to school full time again and just rip the bandaid off.
December 2020 is when I got my shoulder surgery. A very tough recovery but I got through it. It led me to a pretty deep depression again. In February of 2021 I was doomscrolling on TikTok and came across a video that was about making Rugs and felt inspired. I didn’t know if I could do it, especially being in a sling and all, but I purchased my rug gun and began studying rug making. Which eventually led to what it is now, The Rug Laboratory.
In October of 2021 I had made a pretty tough decision, do I go back full time at work since I was recovered now from my surgery, or do I make the jump, finish school, build off the traction with The Rug Laboratory I’ve built up to that point and roll the dice? This was the biggest turning point of my life and biggest decision I made. Granted I had another baby on the way at this time too, my little Ella. A decision had to be made. So I jumped ship, told work I will not be going back, continued full time with school, and did nothing but The Rug Laboratory and any HVAC install/changeout jobs I could do to make ends meet for my daughter. Living at my mom’s made this easier for me a the time, so shoutout to her for real. But I took the gamble and put the bet on myself and well I’m still going. Still here. Still building. Always.
I did end up graduating with an Associates degree for HVAC as well eventually which has led me to the HVAC career I am also pursuing at the moment. Fast forward a few years later and looking back, I just see all that I went through, all that has led me to where I am today, all that has been accomplished, all that has been failed, let go of, forgotten, remembered, gained, lived, just everything. That’s the thing with life, that’s what life is, everything. The good, the bad, the ugly. They all accumulate to some mixed up product that we get the privilege to experience daily.
As I said, I don’t see myself as someone who made it somewhere, just someone on a journey called life who is just trying to get further than where I started. A long way from the lost, ambitious, no back bone, lack of confidence, 18 year old boy version of myself who knew there was something more inside and just wanted to prove something to the world and himself that I was more than what the world was telling me I was. I was never going to let the world define me. Everything I do today, I do it for that guy, that version of myself. I think a lot about that mountain biking accident, how scared I was, the fear that ran through me, the decisions I made in that state of mind, all the unknown, and I am just thankful for it all. Without that accident, I may have never made that jump to go on my own. To do all of this. Who know’s where I would be? I am just thankful for it all.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I don’t think anything worth pursuing will be a smooth road. Ever. I think things worth obtaining are never smooth in the pursuit of that thing. And I also think difficulties, tribulations, challenges, to a certain an extent; are an indication of alignment. Smooth roads lead to comfort. Comfort leads to complacency. Complacency leads to laziness/distractions/stillness. Stillness leads to decomposition. Therefore it can be the start of the destruction of the very thing you did so much to get in the first place. There will always be struggles, both internal and external. Always. I call it noise. If you can figure out a way to minimize the noise then you can continue your pursuit. In my personal experience on this journey I have dealt with struggles of all kinds. Family, fatherhood, divorce, loss of family, death, losing friends, relationships, insecurity, self doubt, creative blocks, negative internal dialogue, imposter syndrome, being misunderstood, being put in boxes you know aren’t for you, misjudged or judged in general, car wrecks, injuries, financial struggles, thinking the grass is greener elsewhere, ungratefulness, bitterness, cockiness, hurting people, being hurt by people, being let down, letting down people, guilt, loneliness, depression, anxiety, emptiness, never being satisfied, obsession, etc. I can go on all day. These are all things that just come with it. Or at least that what I tell myself. And the only thing I can say to any and all of this is, don’t’ ignore those feelings. Sit with them, give them a name, give them the time of day, work through them, make peace with them, be aware of them, don’t bottle them up, if you have the power to change them then change them, and if you don’t learn to accept them. Whatever you do, do not ever let any of it stop you from pursuing what it is you want in your life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I do two things at the moment. Anyone that knows me may refer to me either as the “Rug Guy” or the “AC Guy”. I make custom rugs as my way of expression and art form, The Rug Laboratory.. And I operate and work for my father’s HVAC company, Mike Reyes Heating and Air Conditioning. Both representing two different side of myself. For The Rug Laboratory I specialize in creating custom hand made rugs from an idea or drawing that are eventually produced in the highest quality I can possibly make them. This is a personal passion and love that I have. It is truly an enjoyable thing for me to do and makes me the happiest seeing people’s reactions to their idea or to the work that I create. It is a real passion and pleasure of mine to do. With the HVAC stuff, I am currently trying to build one of the most efficient, honest, scalable, and reputable, HVAC companies that has ever been brought to market. I do all of this in honor of the sacrifices and values that my father, Mike Reyes, has made/taught/instilled throughout his life and career to both myself and his company. I would not have the passion for business the way I do without the footsteps I was able to witness and follow to a certain extent from him. I am proud of both of these business because of what they both represent to me. The Rug Laboratory is a direct expression from me, my playground so to speak where I can experiment with anything and everything I choose to experiment with in hopes to get the final result I envision in my head or on paper. I love the process behind it all, it gives me a lot of self reflection, and understanding and acceptance of life. Each rug is it’s own therapy session for myself and I am truly in the presence of myself during the production of any rug. It shows me my limits, my capabilities, what I am willing to do, and what I am made of. It is a test to see if I can beat all the self doubt that runs through me during the creation of that particular piece or pieces. With HVAC it allows me to test things on a more human and practical level. In the state of Texas, air conditioning is a necessity. And I love being in a position in which I am able to help people. The satisfaction on their face when I get a system going again or a new system installed in their home, and seeing how grateful, happy, and relieved they are makes me very proud. I would say the thing that makes me different is my way of thinking and feeling. Which is what I believe creation stems from, thoughts, feelings, and love. I would consider myself a systems thinker and builder and I always try and help people where I can, whether that is directly or indirectly. The end goal for all of this is not one of monetary value. It is more of an obsession and pursuit of what I am building that I am chasing, that being the vision of the system I am trying to create. I don’t know how long it will take, I don’t even have the final form drawn up yet, but each day I chip at it in hopes to see new perspective, opportunity, and clarity towards the ultimate vision.
Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
Through any of my social media pages. I am always open to collaborations when it comes to The Rug Laboratory. And as far as support goes, just following the journey, liking and sharing stuff or talking about my work with friends or family is plenty support for me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Mikereyesac.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theruglaboratory/ and https://www.instagram.com/mikereyeshvac/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheRugLaboratory/ and https://www.facebook.com/MikeReyesHVAC/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@ruglaboratory
