Meet Erik Mäki of Board and Block in South Bay

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Mäki.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
-Grew up in SF, and spent childhood in my grandfather’s workshop learning to use hand woodworking tools.

-Went to UCSD for college, started a custom longboard skateboard company (Maki Longboards) to learn about business and teach myself fine woodworking skills with the idea of one day owning a traditional woodworking business.

-Moved to LA after graduating, apprenticed for a local cabinetry shop to learn the trade.

-Used experience with Maki Longboards to start Board and Block in 2012 to pursue the dream of woodworking my grandpa instilled in me as a kid.

-Board and Block has developed into a fine woodworking and design company serving private clients, architects, designers, and general contractors for residential and commercial cabinetry and custom furniture needs, from entire Strand Home remodels in Manhattan/Hermosa to custom one-off furniture designs.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Trying to start a construction company from scratch at 27 presented more challenges than I could have possibly imagined.

Every new business faces challenges, and as a young contractor learning the ropes in a business of older, more experienced contractors, it’s been one of the biggest learning experiences of my life.

It took time in the beginning to prove that even though I’m young, I care more about my clients and my work than anything. My dad is a surgeon, not a contractor, so even though I inherited his attention to detail and hands on approach, I chose woodworking because it has been a passion of mine since my childhood days working with my grandfather in his workshop. I’m lucky to have found a way to turn my passion into my profession, and I’ve worked more all-nighters, 18 hour days, and 7-day work weeks than anyone I know to give my clients the service they deserve, and my business the time it needs to grow.

So, let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Board and Block story. Tell us more about the business.
My company, Board and Block, was originally started as a cutting board and butcher-block company. My experience with Maki Longboards made me want to focus on a product based business where I could design and build designs for a larger audience than the action sports world allowed.

Over the past 5 years, I’ve developed techniques and processes for working with end grain (“butcher block”) construction that sets myself and my company apart from others. I have a process for creating and combining organic patterns using end grain in a way I haven’t seen anyone else do. I also have a proprietary process for applying graphic designs to wood that I developed with my skateboard company that I am starting to use in furniture designs for Board and Block.

Unlike other larger, more established shops, I have taken a more specialized approach to my business, where I personally design, fabricate, and install all my work with the help of two full time craftsmen who support me. I don’t know any other contractor who is more involved in any step of the process of working with clients, from the first conversation through the final walk through than I am, and it’s because I prefer quality over quantity, and my clients have come to expect that level of service when they come to me. I believe that’s how my company started as a one-man operation working small jobs, to a full-service design-build cabinetry company working on full home remodels on high end projects in the South Bay and greater LA area.

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
A friend of mine once shared the quote “luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity,” and I believe it wholeheartedly.

Everyone says starting a business is hard, but you don’t know what that means until you try. That’s when you learn how committed you are to what you do, how much you love what you do, and how hard you are willing to work to make sure you succeed no matter what challenges you face.

My motto when it comes to business and construction is “It’s always something.” You have to learn to adapt and adjust to every situation, and how to think on your feet to solve problems you’ve never seen before. Construction is hard work, mentally and physically, but there’s nothing as gratifying as the feeling of accomplishment you get from seeing your hard work turn into something beautiful and functional, that will serve a client’s needs and keep them happy for years to come.

Contact Info:

• Address: Board and Block
  1349 W 134th Street
  Gardena, CA 90247
• Website: www.boardandblock.com
• Phone: 424.218.6256
• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: @boardandblock
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/boardandblock

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