Since 2001, I, Ryan Bruzan, have been doing business as

Although that is still my parent company my skill level, my operation, my company have grown up and taken a much more specialized course. One of the best things I have done in my business was to learn as many aspects of home repair and improvement as I could. I’ve studied, taken courses, asked questions, watched many of those HGTV shows as you may have, and have always been inspired by the likes of Ty Pennington, Page Davis, Mike Homes, Norm Abram, Tim Taylor and many others along the way.

Now, there plenty of reasons, both positive and negative, as to why someone would change the name of their business. I’ve heard of many such reasons. I assure you, there are no negative reasons for such change. It was a tough decision, but a worthy one at best.

Long before enlisting in the Marine Corps, I wanted to build things. My grandpa did a lot of building, from small crafts to plant stands to doll houses and furniture to even building his own house for his nine children. When I enlisted, I asked for a job that would allow me to construct and build things. One lousy number could have made all the difference, but, suffice it to say, I got stuck in the utilities end of the construction/utilities field. No complaints, though. Some of my duties included recordkeeping and office management, hazardous materials handling and safety (under the strict guidelines on the State of California), embarkation (palletization of equipment for loading aircraft), as well as numerous other duties related to military service, all of which play important roles in how I conduct my business and what I do.

After having honorably serviced my Country, I decided I wanted to start a business. While thinking about my qualifications and some options, I started the easiest business possible: Handyman. Some of the basic rules that applied were

1.       Make a lasting impression

2.       Do what is asked you

3.       Do it right the first time

4.       If you can’t do it, either be confident to learn it first or have a phone number to your backup plan or,

5.       If you can’t or don’t do it, say so and refer the customer to someone you trust can do it.

6.       Communicate well.

7.       Be on time.

8.       Communicate well.

9.       Finish the job.

10.   Communicate well.

Did I mention communicate well? Above all else I have found communication to be the most important aspect of any business. I am a consumer, too. I know what I want when spend my ever-so-scarce, hard-earned money. Such is what I deliver.

Okay, so why the name change? Two years ago, while I was reviewing photos of my work, I found that a large majority of those photos (the few that I thought to photograph) were of cabinet and closet projects that I so enjoyed doing. At that moment, I decided to turn my focus on doing what it was I wanted to do for the longest time: Cabinetry. So, onward I trudged, learning and studying even more, working jobs that would help me to better learn the craft all the while continuing to build upon my profession and my business. “little things home improvements” (lthi, LLC) was not going to fit the bill let alone a name for a professional cabinetmaking operation. I was even warned by a master mason friend about the future of my business when the “little things” became bigger things. And that was okay. I thought about what he said and decided to continue with little things home improvements. The concept was, “When it’s the little things that matter most…” It all plays an important role today in my cabinet work, having a general and sometimes advanced understanding of certain things that need to be properly planned, coordinated and completed before I can install my custom cabinetry. The plumbing, the electric, the walls, all those other aspects of a project must be known and be right for a smooth installation to occur.

After careful research, thought and consideration, I named my new endeavor

And, yes, I work with other wood species in addition to cherry. Although lthi, LLC is still my parent company; I just simply no longer promote my business under that name. Now that we’ve eliminated that fear, what can I design and build for you?