Mark Giorgetti
Palo Santo Designs
Santa Fe, NM USA
"Get comfortable with discomfort...it’s hard for me to imagine succeeding and being comfortable the whole time."
Career Roadmap
Mark's work combines: Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and Building Things
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Day In The Life
Skills &
Education
Advice for getting started
Learn the trade by working in the field. Schooling is great in so many ways, but in a trades career, practical experience is everything. You need to build "street cred" that proves you know how this industry works and that you are capable of solving the problems that come with this work.
Here's the path I took:
High School
Bachelor's Degree
Environmental Science
University of New Hampshire-Main Campus
Graduate Degree
Environmental Studies
University of Edinburgh
Certification
Environmental/Environmental Engineering Technology/Technician
Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Principal & Founder:
High School
Bachelor's Degree: Engineering, General
Bachelor's Degree: Architecture
Learn more about different paths to this career
Life & Career Milestones
My path in life took a while to figure out
1.
Born and raised in Connecticut.
2.
Didn’t grow up in a family of builders or with any connection to the construction industry—admits that it wasn’t until his early twenties when he first picked up a powertool to build anything.
3.
Attended the University of New Hampshire, where he received his degree in environmental science.
4.
In the early 1990s, while still in college, he started working for a small company installing solar panels, before they had gained popularity, on homes.
5.
Says he was inspired after reading a series of books about homes being built in Taos, New Mexico that were completely sustainable and made out of renewable materials.
6.
Decided to take a roadtrip across the country to visit and learn more about sustainable ways of building—he began taking a variety of jobs to learn different construction skills and trades.
7.
Earned his contractors license and, with no funding, he started Paolo Santo Designs, an award winning, green, design-build construction firm located in New Mexico.
8.
He has also been a consultant for the United Nations’ UN-HABITAT project and currently serves on the Board of Directors for the Santa Fe Area Home Builders' Association (SFAHBA).
Defining Moments
How I responded to discouragement
THE NOISE
Messages from Myself:
There are no guarantees.
How I responded:
Our business is highly dependent on a good economy and people who are willing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars building their dream homes. There is always the risk that one day this will all collapse. I just keep going and try to find new and exciting projects to work on.
Experiences and challenges that shaped me
I started a business with no funding. I relied heavily on the network I had built by working in the field. Even today, we are constantly seeking out projects and clients to continue making money to keep everything going.
Managing people is the hardest part of my job. Being the boss and having to inspire and help people constantly is a really hard task and it causes stress. So does managing the expectations of clients and keeping them happy.
I was the first in my family to go to college, so I didn't have a lot of guidance.