Meet Adam Bergeron and Kevin Leis of Inspired Ornamental in Salem

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Bergeron, Kevin Leis.

Adam and Kevin, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Inspired Ornamental was founded in February of 2014 by myself and business partner Kevin Leis. We had met while working together at another company and decided the time was right to throw caution to the wind and start our own company, We started out small by working out of my garage. We designed and fabricated everything there. The mudroom of my house became an office and the basement was storage for everything that could not fit in the garage. It was tight quarters, but low overhead. We made it work for as long as we could.

Throughout our time working in Boston, we had formed strong relationships with members of the trade industry. When we made the decision to open our company we reached out to everyone we had worked with in the past and asked for an opportunity. We started with one customer and when the project was completed the client was delighted, and our word of mouth campaign was in full swing. Inspired Ornamental has grown from one client to over seventy. We now work for the biggest and best renovators and builders in and around Boston.

Our growth has been rapid. We have grown from a company of two in my home garage to a company of six with a 2,000 square foot studio.

We are excelling for several reasons. Hard work is one of the biggest reasons for our success. Our business hours are 7 am -3 pm, but typically we start early in the morning and work late into the evening. Because of our commitment, we are able to complete projects within the timeline and often finish ahead of schedule. We realize that is very important to our clients. Another reason for our success is our customer service. We recognize that our customers are our most vital asset. Without our customers, we would not exist. We strive to meet and exceed their expectations on every project.

Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not! The struggle is real and entrepreneurship is not for the weak of heart. When we first started the company I invested most of my savings to get the business up and going along with buying equipment needed to perform the work and transforming the garage into a feasible workspace. My partner and I worked other jobs during the day and then we would work at our company at night and on weekends when we were first starting out. Long days and many hours for little money at the start, but we both love what we do so it isn’t working for us. We see the big picture and are great friends that are passionate about our trade.

The start of our second year we landed our first large-scale project which allowed us to start working for ourselves full time. We worked around the clock until we finished the job. We knocked it out of the park and finished ahead of schedule. Once this project was completed work started to roll in. We used some of the profit to advertise in several Boston papers and more work developed from there.

Working long hours day in and day out is not easy, but it especially not easy for our families. Lauren (my wife) works full time and sometimes plays the role of a single mother to my two boys as I am putting in the hours building the business. Kevin’s wife Liz does the same for their little girl. It’s hard not to be able to play with them every day as some days I roll into the house right before they head to bed, but the goal is to put in the hours now and build the business so that at some point in the future my schedule will become a bit more flexible. Thank goodness our brides are so understanding and put in the work with us. “DO TODAY WHAT OTHERS WON’T DO SO TOMORROW YOU CAN LIVE LIKE THEY CAN’T.”

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Inspired Ornamental story. Tell us more about the business.
Inspired Ornamental specializes in new custom plaster crown molding, restoration of existing plaster crown molding, plaster ceiling medallions, decorative plaster ceilings and walls, historic preservation as well as model and mold fabrication.

Our team cuts the profile knives for plaster crown moldings and other plaster works in the house so we are able to match any existing profile perfectly. We have the ability to restore aged and damaged plasterwork like new.

Our team of artisans works side by side with designers and decorators to dream up unique and one of a kind spaces that completely transform homes.

Inspired Ornamental is becoming well known for our decorative plaster ceilings. Our decorative ceilings transform spaces and bring rooms to life. We have completed five so far this year and currently working on our sixth at new Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar location opening at 253 Summer St in Boston near Fort Point Channel. This ceiling we are currently working on is one of our most impressive. The vaulted ceiling in a private dining room contains roughly 1,200 cast plaster skulls and a hand sculpted ceiling rose at the center. The skulls have been cast, bushed and antiqued before being attached to the ceiling. It’s unlike anything we have ever done, but loved the challenge of the project.

I think the difference between our team and others is that our team is truly dedicated to our craft. Our team does whatever is needed to meet a client’s expectations and deadlines. We are all passionate about what we do and the way we do it.

One thing I personally do at the end of every day is return phone calls and emails the same day they are received. It may seem like a small gesture, but our clients and trade partners truly appreciate it.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
We have been working on decorative ceilings and decorative walls as of late. Years ago homeowners and designers would contact us to add or restore plaster crown moldings and ceiling medallions to add to their space, but recently the trend has been to completely transform rooms with our ceilings and walls. We have done 6 so far this calendar year, working on the 7th and have just been contracted to create an 8th. We love the challenge of scaling a design to fit a space and bring the room to life. Our ceilings are the focal points of homes and restaurants around New England.

Contact Info:

• Address: 34 Pelham Rd, Suite B Unit 5
• Website: Inspiredornamental.com
• Phone: 6038931001
• Email: adam@inspiredornamental.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/inspiredornamentalllc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Inspiredornamentalllc/

Image Credit:
Phill Naylor

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