Meet Felisa Benton | Designer/Builder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Felisa Benton and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Felisa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I started my professional career in franchise marketing. Spending time with my father in his woodworking shop when visiting him, I developed the desire to work more with my hands.

I started purchasing tools and dumpster diving in the neighborhood of my new home to create my first handcrafted projects. From there, I received requests from neighbors and friends and started creating custom projects. A few years later, I opened up my own custom furniture company and started creating homes full of custom furniture using exotic and domestic woods and other products.

Now, 20 years later, wanting to tap into the tiny house movement, I’ve started taking my custom furniture expertise to build custom tiny homes. This was an easy transition as I had been transforming living spaces for years.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Women are not traditionally known to be builders but more should be. This was more of a challenge for me in the beginning because there wasn’t many women in this field and I had to rely mostly on men and their experiences. For example, I would go to the lumber yards to purchase lumber and the associates would ask if I was shopping for my husband. Immediately, they failed to recognize that I could be shopping for myself or for my business.

We are mostly known for the design aspect of a project but not the actual builds. I feel women are more in tune with taking advantage of creating custom spaces for clients. We think more through all the multiple uses. We ask more questions and walk the client through the entire process of living or working in these spaces.

I took from the best of what was out there and made up my own company brand and image. Meeting with clients where they currently are and to be able take them through the process of transforming spaces is what makes my job awesome. I always think of ways to step it up a notch. I actually enjoy this because it provides an opportunity to conduct extensive research to provide the best products and services I can. Staying on top of what is trending and available is why I still have clients from the day I started my business. I don’t compromise on the quality I provide either. Every time I get a call from a previous client, I know I’m doing it right. My company exists from them and their referrals. Not a lot of companies can say that.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love the views of this city and state. Any opportunities to view a different perspective is on the top of my list.

Day 1. A hike at South Mountain or any of the beautiful mountains we have in the Valley. Day 2. Lunch or dinner at the HYATT downtown with the rotating floor. Day 3. Golf at the Phoenician then lunch or dinner on the patio. Day 4. Dinner at The Hearth 61 at Mountain Shadows for an awesome view of Camelback Mountain area at night. Day 5. Carefree and Cavecreek, AZ trip with lunch or dinner at Raven’s View. A hidden oasis by Bartlett Lake. Day 6. Shopping at Scottsdale Quarters. Lunch or dinner at the Soul cafe taking the scenic trip from Scottsdale Road to Pinnacle Peak. Day 7. A day trip to Sedona is a must. Lunch at The Hudson for the views with dinner at Mariposa for the experience.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Growing up in a small rural town in Kentucky, I had limited examples, particularly of females to demonstrate long term goals and success. My small group of female friends, now women, provided a source for me to become a sponge where I soaked in as much of their future goals and plans that I could which assisted with opening up my personal map of what success for me looked like.

These women are my best friends even today as they too, are very powerful business women doing amazing things everyday.

From these friends, I was always drawn to female mentors and strong women that continue to shape me today. I have met some very unique women responsible for a variety of amazing jobs throughout the USA, most of which, are not normally recognized as a job for women.

I am proud to be featured in a book “Love Your Work” by Joanne Barrett. This book features 100 women from across the country who are doing some amazing work from actresses, astronauts, engineers, etc. This book is meant to be a great inspiration for girls and women.

Website: Bentonchf.com

Instagram: Tinyhouseconversions

Linkedin: Felisa Benton