Rising Stars: Meet Nenci Bates of Culver City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nenci Bates.

Nenci, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I was born tinkering. As far back as I can remember, my curiosity about how things are made and how they work has always led me to interesting places and amazing experiences.

One of my earliest memories was at the age of eight. My uncle taught me how to change brake pads on his car. The following year, we changed out a carburetor. There was never a shortage of opportunities to tinker.
I found it in the U.S. Army. At the armory, pulling apart and restoring M16s in seconds was easy. I really enjoyed that experience—and the knowledge that came with it.

When I returned from active duty in the U.S. Army, I went to work for a Japanese import-export company. I was 100 percent certain that this was going to be my forever job. Unfortunately, the Japanese economy exploded into smithereens, and the company had to close its doors and leave the United States.

I loved that job so much that I went on a warpath trying to find another job exactly like it. But they simply didn’t exist. The bursting of the Japanese economic bubble had a tremendous impact on Japanese-American companies, and my dream of continuing in the import-export industry was crushed.

At the time, I was living near the Beverly Center, and I had many friends who worked in the film and music industry. I was the exception. On one of my unemployed days, a neighbor invited me to join him on his film set as a guest. When I arrived, almost immediately my friend was called away because of an emergency, and he left me with the set decorator. Before I knew it, I was handed some props and given directions about what to do after each take. I didn’t even have a chance to say no.

That was the start of my film career.

I had the most amazing, intense, life-altering experiences within a very short period of time. I was swinging drills, nail guns, compressors, and hammers, and in a crazy way, it all felt completely natural. I would pick up a tool and just know how to use it.
I had a solid ten years of nonstop, hardcore Art Department life—and for those who are in it, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

During my second decade in the industry, there was a writers’ and actors’ strike, and it was devastating. Because of my natural instinct for survival, I picked up jobs in residential construction. I laid tile, welded, painted, and designed whatever I needed to do to get by.

That was my first real taste of residential design and build. Even though it was a nerve-racking and unstable time, it still felt natural. After the strike, I continued my career in the film industry, but I kept wondering what my life would look like if I switched careers.

I can tell you that thought was short-lived.

I got onto some amazing film projects, and another ten years passed. Time flies when you’re having fun, right?
During those ten years, I also took on residential and commercial projects during hiatuses, until I began booking film and TV jobs overseas.

Seven years of living out of a suitcase was a miraculous time. My expertise, mind and spirit expanded. I was addicted. I would be home for a week or two, and then I would be called away to the next adventure.

I would have to say that was the happiest time of my life—until now.

You may ask yourself, what made me leave the film business?

As much as I loved the demands, the challenge, the excitement, and working with the besties, it became lonely. It was difficult to date, let alone maintain a romantic relationship. I refused to follow my coworkers’ bad example of production romances.
And that was when I decided it was time to start the next chapter of my life.

I started taking fewer film projects and started searching for what felt like a natural progression into interior design.
For six and a half years, I designed, became proficient with software, and learned how to run an interior design business. But I became disillusioned with the glamour of being an interior designer.

It reminded me of the Wardrobe Department. It was flashy. It was sexy. It was cool.

But there was a lot of dirty underwear.

I was sharp enough to obtain a position at an interior design firm as the senior designer, but it just didn’t quench my thirst. I wasn’t sure what would, but I knew this was not it. Thank goodness it only took me one year to realize it.

So, I shifted.

I started working for construction companies. I took my talents with me, and I learned so much more. I worked for amazing companies, was given a tremendous amount of freedom, and was able to continue doing design work as well.
I hustled. I swung hammers. I developed systems. I was excited about the possibilities.

And then COVID hit.

I’m sure I could write an entire novel about COVID, just like all of us, but I’m not going to bore you!
What I realized was that my career as an interior designer was expendable during a crisis. I was not an essential worker.
It was painful. We suffered.

But I made the decision to obtain my contractor’s license. I had already been in the construction industry for eight years at that point. COVID was what finally allowed me to pull the trigger.
I studied hard over many sleepless nights. I was hustling to stay afloat, and I ate a lot of chocolate!
Up until that point in my life, I didn’t even like chocolate. But I remembered my dear sister back in high school claiming that she needed chocolate to study hard.
So, I ate chocolate while I studied. Every day. Every night.
I ate chocolate for three months like my life depended on it!
Thank God I passed the test on the first try, otherwise the next size in wardrobe would have been required.
I opened my own Design & Construction company, nbuilt, bringing together everything I had learned throughout my career—from and art direction to interior design, construction, problem-solving, and, of course, my lifelong love of tinkering.
And so this new chapter began. Not only has it begun but it has grown and flourished into a thriving company that allows me to collaborate with some of the most interesting and talented architects, engineers and designers in the industry.
I have been incredibly fortunate to have crossed paths with so many individuals whom I now call friends. Inspection after inspection, building the business, building new clients, building new friendships—and building a wonderful team: Sonia, Ilka, and Demar. They have supported me and given me the time and space to develop the business and our new division, Madura Millworks.
What I can boldly say is:
I LOVE WHAT I DO.
My next big adventure?
Rebuilding our fire-devastated areas and providing community-accessible housing.
I want to contribute and give back to the community that has given me so much opportunity, adventure, and more than 35 years of loving my craft.
Thank you, Los Angeles!
I am a native Angelina, born at Memorial Hospital in downtown L.A. I’m a first-generation American, with parents from our beloved Mexico.
I’d also like to acknowledge all of those who have nurtured and supported me. There are far too many to thank—you know who you are.
Robert and Taline Saad, I’m eternally grateful for your patience, your kindness, and your fidelity. I wouldn’t have my construction company without you.
My film / life besties, Kelly and Effney.
My family, Margarita, Norma, and Phil. I wouldn’t be the person I am today without your undying love and support.
And to my life partner, Maya: forever grateful that we crossed paths when we were supposed to.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My path to founding nbuilt was anything but a straight line. It was forged through major economic shifts, industry disruptions, and the constant demand to reinvent myself:

Navigating Economic Collapse: Early in my career, I was certain I had found my forever job at a Japanese import-export company. That dream was abruptly crushed when the Japanese economic bubble burst, forcing the company to close its U.S. operations and leaving me to start over from scratch.

Surviving Industry Strikes: During my second decade in Hollywood, a devastating writers’ and actors’ strike completely halted film production. Guided by pure survival instinct, I pivoted into residential construction—laying tile, welding, and painting just to get by during a nerve-racking, unstable time.

The Toll of the Road: While booking international film and TV projects was an exhilarating adventure, spending seven years living out of a suitcase took a heavy toll. The extreme isolation and the difficulty of maintaining a personal life eventually forced me to walk away from a industry I deeply loved.

Disillusionment and Hidden Realities: Transitioning into interior design brought a new challenge. I quickly became disillusioned by the gap between the flashy glamour of the industry and its messy operational realities. Even after earning a position as a senior designer, I realized the corporate firm environment simply didn’t quench my thirst for true craft.

The Reality of COVID-19: When the pandemic hit, I faced the painful realization that my design business was considered non-essential and expendable. We suffered through the crisis, but it became the exact catalyst I needed to pull the trigger on my true calling.

The Grueling Grind to Ownership: Turning that crisis into an opportunity meant enduring three months of sleepless nights, financial uncertainty, and a grueling study schedule powered entirely by adrenaline (and an unprecedented amount of chocolate). Passing that contractor’s exam on the first try was the ultimate test of resilience.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am the founder of nbuilt, a comprehensive Design & Construction company based in Los Angeles, alongside our specialized division, Madura Millworks.

My expertise lies in a seamless, hybrid approach that beautifully connects high-end interior design with expert physical building. With over 35 years of hands-on experience, I collaborate daily with premier architects, engineers, and designers to guide ambitious residential and commercial projects seamlessly from design development through final handover.

What I Am Known For. I am a lifelong tinkerer and instinctive problem solver with an innate ability to master any tool, software, or structural challenge. Within the industry, I am known for my unique background: 25 years in Hollywood film Art Departments delivering highly visual, fast-paced work, combined with over a decade of deep construction experience. My clients and peers know me for my systematic efficiency, absolute dedication to the craft, and highly collaborative nature.

What truly sets me apart is that I understand both sides of a project completely because I have lived them. The Harmony of Vision and Execution: While designers focus on the creative vision and builders focus on the physical structure, I naturally balance both. Having swung hammers, managed construction workflows, and served as a Senior Interior Designer, I look at a blueprint and instantly see both the aesthetic potential and the practical execution. Production-Level Problem Solving: A quarter-century in film production trained me to operate flawlessly under tight deadlines and intense pressure. I bring that exact level of adaptability, precision, and visual storytelling to permanent, real-world spaces.What I Am Most Proud OfOn a professional level,

I am incredibly proud of earning my contractor’s license on the very first try during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. That grueling, chocolate-fueled chapter of sleepless nights allowed me to establish a thriving business of my own. Beyond the builds, I am deeply proud of the dedicated team I have grown with Sonia, Ilka, and Demar.

Lastly, my next big adventure on community-driven work: rebuilding fire-devastated areas and creating accessible housing to give back to the city of Los Angeles that has given me everything.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Hmmmm That is a good one. While I generally keep my personal life private, my background is shaped by a unique global heritage, with roots tracing back to my grandmother’s family in Africa and my grandfather’s family in China

Contact Info:

• Website: www.n-built.com and www.maduramillworks.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nbuilt_la/ and https://www.instagram.com/madura_millworks
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nenci-bates-79752411/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/nbuilt-culver-city?osq=Nbuilt
• Other: https://archinect.com/maduramillworks

Image Credits
Nenci Bates

Photography by David Lauer Carmen crest home