A Lifelong Love of Carpentry
We would like to introduce our newest sales associate, Michael Teti. Michael was born in Washington DC, later attending Overlea High School in Baltimore County. He has been swinging a hammer since he was eight years old. Michael’s father did all of their home maintenance himself so he “learned about home repair and self-reliance very young.” Michael spent summers with his grandparents at a family property outside of Berkeley Springs, West Virginia. His grandfather built all the structures on the property, and he introduced Michael to carpentry from a young age. Michael also worked on a framing crew during his high school summers.
Early Experience in the Industry
Michael first began working in home improvement and remodeling in 2002, starting out as a carpenter. In 2005, he began working with William Werren at his company The Olde New England Carpenter. Will was an important mentor to Michael, and helped him hone his skills both in carpentry and customer service.
He first came to T.W. Ellis in 2011, as a carpenter and worked building decks with lead carpenter, James Dorf. In 2014, Michael returned to the company as a carpenter after a brief two-year period focusing on interiors (away from T.W. Ellis). Upon his return to the company, he began working with Tim and Barry’s cousin, Chris Ellis.
Michael worked with Chris, who remains his best friend, for nearly three years. The two worked on “some of the coolest things I’ve ever built,” like decks and giant pergolas. During that period, Michael realized that T.W. Ellis was going to be a long-term career. Eventually, Michael moved into a lead position. Michael said that he and Chris “became like brothers” during the time they worked together.
An Advancing Career
In 2017 Michael began doing large interior remodels for T.W Ellis. He excelled quickly due to his extensive experience with interior work. Last year, during a company meeting, Tim announced that he was planning to hire a salesman. Michael pulled Tim aside after the meeting and told him that he was extremely interested in moving into a sales position.
What Michael likes most about T.W. Ellis is that Tim puts his name on the side of his truck. In Michael’s mind, if someone is willing to represent their company with their name, then it is a given that they stand by their work 100%. Michael appreciates the extent that quality is valued at T.W. Ellis, both quality of work and customer service. He also appreciates the company’s people.
“Tim and Barry are great people to work for, they will help you with any problems you have outside of work. They really do treat it like a family.”
Beginning to End: Michael is there for Every Step of your Project
Michael’s new job entails estimation, design, and project management. He handles clients from receiving the lead, all the way to project completion. He contacts the client to set up an appointment, meets with them, and introduces both himself and T.W. Ellis.
Michael finds out what the client wants completed, and then he takes measurements and photos. Back at the office, he comes up with a design and an estimate. He then presents his ideas to the client, and if the design works for them, closes the deal with a contract. If they decide to hire T.W. Ellis, Michael is the project manager for their job. He works with the clients, the company’s product specialist, Jennifer, and lead carpenters on the job.
“What I like most about remodeling is that you can drastically improve people’s lives and living conditions. It’s a very fulfilling career.”
Michael’s fulfillment comes from knowing his projects make clients happy. For this reason, he always strives to complete projects to the highest standards.
Work Hard, Play Hard
Outside of the office, Michael enjoys traveling, visiting breweries, and experiencing fine dining with his girlfriend or his group of close friends. He also likes hiking and rock climbing. He enjoys being out on the water “as almost every Marylander does,” including kayaking and stand up paddle boarding.
