Today we’d like to introduce you to Matthew Jenkins.
Hi Matthew, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always been handy, a self-starter and I love fixing things.
I remember my dad taking apart the dashboard of our 1985 Camry. He fixed the problem he’d set out to tackle, but couldn’t figure out how to put the dashboard back together. Much to the chagrin of my mother, the dashboard just sat in our garage, gathering dust. I kept tinkering with it until I eventually solved it, and soon enough, the Camry had a fully functioning, reconstructed dashboard again. I was 12 years old at the time.
Over the years, I dabbled in various projects and gained experience in both prefab and custom-built furniture. After relocating from Philadelphia to San Diego I started refinishing and building my own furniture, constructing large and small projects in our home. I realized how much I love working with wood and remembered how much I love creating things. At the time, I was working in retail management, but I knew it wasn’t a long-term or fulfilling life path for me. I decided to follow my dream & strike out on my own and honed all my experience into my handyman business. Now I get to create and solve different problems every day, and I love it.
I graduated with degrees in music business and graphic design from Drexel University. I worked in the record industry utilizing my graphic background before transitioning to retail management. My five years of experience with IKEA as a kitchen sales assistant manager, self-service warehouse sales manager and product quality management (building and fixing damaged products) has gifted me intimate knowledge with the IKEA brand. I’ve assembled and sold pretty much everything that IKEA sells. I am happy to give you suggestion when it comes to designing your space, if things aren’t quite right, and help you with your order.
I’ve settled into a niche by taking IKEA Sektion cabinets and modifying them for custom closets, and garage storage solutions. I used to do a ton of IKEA Pax before they changed the frame system. Pax still serves it’s purpose but less customizable, and durable as it used to be. I don’t solely do IKEA, as I work with pretty much any ready to assemble brand.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
A smooth road, much like the street outside my house it’s under constant construction for improvement, and once you have you think you have it all figured out some changes.
Been at this for 7 years, and have had to evolve and change my operations multiple times. Luckily, I’ve been able to get creative. During Covid getting supplies for closets was difficult so I collaborated with a local cabinet shop to make me Ikea Pax compatible frames so I could still use their interiors and keep my projects versatile, and affordable. Recently, I’ve pivoted yet again as that shop is relocating, and IKEA changed their Pax frames, so no predominantly utilizing IKEA Sektion frames.
I think with the experience I’ve gained over the past 7 years doing this. I’ve learned how to navigate my business by being reasonable with my timelines and really focusing on over-delivering and under promising. I don’t believe in free on-site estimates so I charge a reasonable fee to professionally measure and design a space. It’s a different mindset than most businesses in this field. I find most clients like my line item, up-front pricing on all the different aspects of their projects.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m known as the IKEA whisperer. I make some of the inefficiencies of IKEA less stressful, and reduce my clients pain points through the process that is purchasing from IKEA.
I worked there for a few years, and realized they have a great product especially regarding their kitchen cabinets. However, the 3rd party services they provide are inadequate to the needs of their average customer. There are services like Task Rabbit and other gig apps that are typically fine for simple assemblies and installations, but my focus is on more complex, and custom installations.
I really like doing closet and garage remodels and being able to transform a space pretty quickly.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
Previously mentioned in another question but maybe we can move that to this section of the interview:
I’ve always been handy, a self-starter and I love fixing things.
I remember my dad taking apart the dashboard of our 1985 Camry. He fixed the problem he’d set out to tackle, but couldn’t figure out how to put the dashboard back together. Much to the chagrin of my mother, the dashboard just sat in our garage, gathering dust. I kept tinkering with it until I eventually solved it, and soon enough, the Camry had a fully functioning, reconstructed dashboard again. I was 12 years old at the time.
Another one as well:
I ran a competitive (oxymoron) traveling tournament high arc softball team in my early 20’s on the east coast and still play more casually today. It was with my brother, and friends from high school, half of it was comprised from guys I knew since little league. The team was comprised with a lot of tradesmen, and we would hang out and work on each others houses after games occasionally, and that is where I learned various trades at least from a laymen’s point of view.
Pricing:
- $149 measurement, and design consult for 1st room for closets or garage spaces
- $75 for each additional room
- $149 TV Mounting 60″ and Under
- $199 TV Mounting 61″ to 75″
Contact Info:
- Website: https://matthewjenkinshandyman.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/matthewjenkinshandyman/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MatthewJenkinsHandyman/
- Other: https://ikeahackers.net/2023/09/reach-in-closet-pax-hack.html
