Today we’d like to introduce you to Fernando Sandoval.
Hi Fernando, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
My story in the construction industry begins and takes me into many interesting places which has undoubtedly shaped who I am today.
The backstory leads to the beginning of what becomes a lifelong career path. I was born and raised in the San Fernando Valley and grew up in the city of Pacoima, California, one of the toughest cities in the area. Regretfully, in my youth, I was one of the young men who not only grew up in the streets but also grew up in what we call the system. I was in and out of incarceration upon incarceration.
Prior to going home on my last and final incarceration [’emphasis added’] my uncle had a job ready for me in commercial construction as an apprentice laborer with the Labors Union working on foundations for multi-story buildings and everything to do with structural concrete. I didn’t know anything about construction at the start of my career. I didn’t know how to swing a hammer or dig a hole with a shovel. I didn’t even know how to read a tape measure. I was totally green. Even though I didn’t know much about the trade let alone the industry I was hungry to learn it all. Due to the lack of opportunities and the limits to advance with the company, I decided to move on and I joined the Carpenters’ Union as a first-stage apprentice working on commercial buildings as a steel framer, drywall installer, exterior weather proofing, and lath installation. Hungry to learn, I never said no or complained about what most people would consider an unfavorable task. I sucked it up and got to work all the way through the apprenticeship program. I successfully became a journeyman carpenter; however, my journeyman career was short-lived.
In 2009, the recession created some setbacks. I was laid off like many hard-working Americans and as hard as I tried, work was scarce. Things were difficult for many of us at this time of our lives. I kept pushing forward. I soon realized that although there wasn’t always enough work for everyone, employment turned more into who you knew rather than what you knew. This was a small part that later became one of the reasons I ventured off on my own. In the meantime, I jumped around from company to company, contractor to contractor due to the slow growth of the then current economy. I went wherever there was work and got a start working in residential construction remodeling homes, apartments, building room additions, building houses from the ground up, and above all having leadership opportunities. By accident, I later ended up working for a company building props to stage sets for T.V. commercials. It was an exciting time working on prominent movie studios in Los Angeles and surrounding areas, to say the least.
Overall, what I thought was a misfortune, turned out to be a diamond in the rough. It prepared me to have the knowledge and know-how. It made me valuable. Even though I can’t do anything to alter my past, there was always something I was able to do to change my future. Becoming a General Contractor and starting my own business is only one small part of that change.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There’s no smooth sailing when you’re in the storm. When it rains, it pours. I’m sure everyone can relate. Aside from making mistakes and learning the business side of things in the process, I would say that building a referral-based clientele has been one of the hardest-yet-rewarding-features about my career. It’s about knowing that your clients trust you and believe in you. Being able to create what they envision or creating the very thing they can’t envision is rewarding as well, especially when the vision unfolds before their eyes and you see their face light up with cheer. So, when you know your stuff and you provide great service, but people don’t know you, let alone your company, and pass you up, it hurts. People have asked me how I deal with the stress and the high demand of daily business life. My answer is always the same. I tell them that my whole life has been hard and difficult, so when I started my business, nothing changed. I was already adapted to the struggle.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about FS Builders Group, Inc.?
FS Builders Group, Inc. is a small family-owned company. I’m the CEO/President of the company and my lovely wife Erika is the CFO. She takes care of all the behind-the-scenes activities. Because no one usually sees her, I want to make sure everyone knows how grateful I am to have her, not only as my spouse but also as my best friend and business partner. I love working alongside her. Most people I know would not dare work alongside their spouse, however, I beg to differ. At the start, I knew it would either make us or break us. Our objective was mutual. I must admit that at times it wasn’t all rosy and peachy. I can, however, say that I wouldn’t have it any other way. It has drawn us and is drawing us close together each day.
Our oldest daughter Ivy, of four of our children, also works for the company. She is currently doing the hands-on work alongside the guys and is also in training to take care of the design aspects of our future projects. It is a huge pleasure to have her with us and to see her become the person she has always had the potential to become. Our crew is also a big part of our family. We are a close-knit crew bound together with a common interest. I have a lot of respect for them as individuals and professionals.
At FS Builders Group, Inc. we work on a variety of projects. In residential construction our services are Design-Build, new construction, room additions, ADUs, garage conversions, etc. In commercial construction our services are Design-Build in commercial tenant improvement projects or the change of use of a building. We are a full-service provider. We start and complete the project from beginning to end, from the moment we pull city permits to the day we call for final inspection. We provide our services with most of the group being an in-house team and we’re known for not quitting. We’re problem solvers with the capacity to think outside the box.
As simple as it may sound, keeping our word when we say we’re going to do something, showing up on time, replying to a text, email or phone call in a timely manner, listening to our clients, making them feel comfortable and making the effort to help create their dream, goes a long way. Pure and simple; this has set us apart. There’s substance in trying to always be a person of character and passing that on to your crew.
The growing perception that people have of us as a legitimate business entity has been something we’re very proud of because when you first start your small business we tend to be seen as inferior in comparison to larger companies.
I want people to know that what we do is not just because we know how to do it, it’s also because we love what we do. Why do you love what you do, you may be asking. We love what we do because we love to create. In my opinion, construction is another type of art form. This is a way where a contractor, homeowner, designer, and builder come together for an aesthetic purpose – that is, the art of building.
What do you think about happiness?
There’s no order to the list, but to name a few things I’ll start by saying that whatever we do for a living we either love it or we hate it. I am happy that I have the honor to do something I love to do. Providing for my family financially and to provide an example to my children that hard work pays off makes me happy. Seeing the happy faces of my clients makes me happy.
Contact Info:
- Email: fsbuildersgroup@gmail.
com - Website: www.fsbuildersgroup.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fsbuildersgroup/?hl=en
