As we move toward Thanksgiving this Thursday, I thought I would take a moment to introduce our team and to share with you the things that bring each of us feelings of gratitude. If you’ve visited the blog before, you’ve likely read about my experience in the furniture industry and my path to becoming CEO of Hand & Grain so I’ll dive right in to sharing with you what makes me feel grateful as we approach another Thanksgiving holiday.
Introducing Our Hand & Grain Team
It is my favorite holiday because we have a family tradition where we go around the dinner table sharing what we’re grateful for. I feel fortunate to say that it’s not hard to find things in my life for which to be thankful, but first and foremost, my gratitude is to my family. They are my sounding board, my support group, my best friends, and my biggest cheerleaders.
And then because my other passion is my work, I am thankful for the talented team of people at Hand & Grain who make this venture so positive and rewarding. Here is a bit about each of them, along with how they answered the question “What brings you feelings of gratitude this Thanksgiving?”
Charlie Velázquez
In 2011, Charlie Velázquez earned his B.A. at the age of 23 and immediately found an excellent fit for his talents in the furniture manufacturing realm. “Being my first ‘real world, full-time job,’ I didn’t have as much experience in the field as some manufacturers would have demanded but the owners were very willing to allow me to learn the complexities and fine points of the immense world of the furniture industry because they saw promise.” By 2017, he was offered a job that provided him with an opportunity to grow: building a new online company from the ground up.
“I felt grateful to my previous employers,” he says, “but knew this was an opportunity not to pass up so I jumped at it. One year later, here we are; and working at Hand & Grain allows me to use all of the skills that I have learned so far, whether it be photoshopping a sofa, taking a photo of a chair or capturing that precise moment of master craftsmanship in the making.” Charlie is the person who visually communicates to those of you who visit our website the heart and essence of Hand & Grain. The talent he unleashes when he is behind a camera or moving around in photo/video editing programs allows us to be seriously creative and we are thrilled to have such a maestro of inventiveness on our team.
Charlie is thankful for his wonderful wife and two beautiful kids, and for being able to live a life and have opportunities that few are able to achieve. “I say feeling thankful is not just a one-day thing,” he adds; “but it’s good to have one day to really think about everything you have, everything you really need and how to keep making the most of life. Thanksgiving day is also a great excuse to have a nice meal around friends and family!”
Karina Velázquez
Karina Velázquez was born into a family whose grandfather created hand-carved creations that embellished many homes in their community and grew up with a mother who was a regional saleswoman for Coaster, so she is far from new to the furniture world. “I started my own professional journey in this industry in 2013 working for a high-end upholstery manufacturer,” she says. “I helped establish the Customer Service and Order Entry departments.” After learning the ropes of customer care, high-end furniture became her area of expertise and this began her path toward joining the Hand & Grain family, her move from brick-and-mortar to e-commerce a seamless one.
“At Hand & Grain, I am your go-to person when you need information about our furniture,” she notes. “I am ready to send you swatches and make all the decisions required to make sure that after you place an order, you are updated until every piece is shipped and installed in your home.” Though customer service is as natural to Karina as breathing, she knows so many other aspects of online sales that she is a whiz at streamlining processes. “My main goal is to make sure that your shopping experience is as great as sitting on your brand-new sofa,” she explains. “If you can dream it, we can make it!”
Karina says she is thankful for her family that includes her mom and brother, and cats, dogs and 18-year-old turtles. “I am also thankful for my job where I work with friends and meet new people, and it helps me pay for my travels and see beautiful places and pet cows (one of my funny obsessions!). Last but not least, I am thankful for great friends, excellent food and good music. Happy Thanksgiving!”
Alicia Ortega
Alicia Ortega’s passion for computers began around the age of six when an uncle bought a very old P.C. The vintage machine took diskettes, had a black screen, and showed only green text! At 12, she expanded her knowledge with another uncle, a computer engineer, through whom she upped the ante on her skills. By 15, she was taking graphic design and computer classes in high school. “I took administration, accounting and marketing classes,” she explains, “through these completing business projects involving a photography studio and the design of an Italian restaurant.”
During her university years, she helped to build a virtual test that detected children with special needs and provided them with the results immediately; and participated in the design of a tablet/mobile application dedicated to children with autism, helping them to communicate with the world about their needs and desires. Her career began in a position of tech support, and she was simultaneously completing an internship dedicated to made-to-order websites. All of this, and being involved in her family's business, led her to Hand & Grain where she is a key player on our website development team. Her love of computing, skills at researching and coding dexterity make her an invaluable asset for us.
Alicia notes she is thankful for being part of a team “where we are not only co-workers, but good friends, where we learn from each other and grow not only as people but also professionally. Personally, I'm thankful for my family, pets included; and regardless of the hard situations, I am more than glad to have the right people with me.”
We hope each of you is surrounded by the same as you celebrate the holiday on Thursday!