San Francisco is pleased to present a selection of extraordinary men who are leaders in their fi eld. These men of distinction are truly accomplished and stand out as some of the best infl uencers and contributors of our community.
WILLIAM ADAMS DESIGN PRINCIPAL
“Great design is a collaboration between the client and designer.”
Tell us about your business. William Adams Design specializes in complete design services for an array of interior architectural projects with a specialty and passion in Kitchen and bathroom design. We work with our clients to improve their environments in which you live, work and play and believe that Great Design is a collaboration between the client and designer.
What inspires you most in your work? My main objective is to infuse my client’s personality into a space - and it starts with the existing structure. Personally, I like context and continuity in my designs, so if there are architectural elements outside I like to incorporate those into the interior. I am inspired by natural textures, earthy color palettes with pops of color and my client’s personalities. I’m focused on making sure I’m pulling out all the details from the client about what they want to do. Of course, I still put my mark on it by suggesting certain finishes or details, but bottom line, I want it to be their space. It’s their home, so it should reflect their personality.
What do you consider to be the keys of your success? Honestly, always being receptive to feedback and criticism . It can be really tough to handle in a creative field, where you are putting a lot of yourself, your expression & emotion, into a client’s project. But you cannot take a client’s negative reaction or dislike of something you’ve created for them as a personal insult. It’s all part of the job - to listen - to receive feedback - to make the client happy - and ultimately create a space that is just what they wanted, even if they couldn’t envision it from the start.
What is the best advice you can share? Never stop trying and never stop chasing your dreams. It only took one client to believe in me, to get me to branch out of my comfort zone and jumpstart my own business.
What is next up on the horizon? The most exciting part about working in a creative industry is that you are constantly innovating new ways to do things - whether that be how I present to a client with 3D walkthrough visualizations or even my process of design. Being in the home industry, it’s always been a dream of mine to start introducing my own line or collection and I am excited to say that late fall of 2020, I’ll be introducing my first collection - home scents!
510.575.9914
williamadamsdesign.com
THE ENGLANDER BUILDING COMPANY OWNER
“Listen. Be open-minded. Think. Be engaged. Collaborate. Seek input from other professionals.”
Tell us about your business. I run a client service based, high-end, boutique construction firm focused on luxury residential projects, and other selected work including the interior re-do of our apartment building project. I’ve won awards, been widely published and have worked on a variety of project types.
What inspires you most in your work? The finished product and the people with whom I collaborate. I have amazing clients and wonderfully creative architects and designers. We work together on ideas that just keep getting better to deliver an environment that my clients love! My projects are large-scale art projects where I’m the conductor orchestrating many players to deliver a high-quality piece.
What do you consider to be the keys of your success? Getting along with people and being an expert in my specialty. I have a physics degree and I’m smart and creative. I can figure out how to execute a designer’s vision, visualize in 3-D and how materials will marry. The sublime detailing gives the finished product not just a look, but a feel. I’m organized and can deliver on a timeline. All my work is referral based and I’m available upon request.
What is the best advice you can share? Listen. Be open-minded. Think. Be engaged. Collaborate. Seek input from other professionals.
What is next up on the horizon? I’m excited about working on larger, more unique and complex projects, and my new alliance with a national developer. I’ve also started working on an international lifestyle-oriented project which I can’t wait to share.
San Francisco based
415.710.7843
englanderbuilding.com
IG: englanderbuildingco
K BERMUDEZ MEDICAL CORP BOARD-CERTIFIED, PLASTIC AND RECONSTRUCTIVE SURGEON
Living passionately for art, science and life.
How do you define being a Modern Man? A Modern Man is someone who tells his own multi-dimensional story, is consciously and passionately trying to be his best self, has a willingness to explore and adapt to new roles, listens, can make himself vulnerable and is calm in the storm of life. He has integrity, empathy, respect, actively participates in his home life, has a sense of humor and leads by example.
What sets you apart in the cosmetic surgery field? Meticulous attention to detail, staying current, honest, well-trained, experienced, having a good bedside manner, setting realistic expectations for my patients.
What do you consider to be the keys of your success? Always doing the right thing and having your patient’s best interest in mind. Treating patients as I would treat a family member, always trying to improve myself, passion for my craft, life balance, sense of humor.
Talk about the services/treatments you provide. Serving the San Francisco Bay Area with the full range of aesthetic services (non-invasive and surgical) for the face and body for women and men.
What are your hobbies when you’re not working? Sculpting I’ve been sculpting for about 5 years. Live models in a studio setting at Fort Mason. It relaxes me and feeds my artistic soul. (see my sculptures on Instagram @drkennethbermudez).
Playing guitar. I used to play as a kid in the church youth band and started picking back up during the quarantine. My wife is a musician/ singer and my kids play piano, so we started a little family band. Just like the Partridge family!
Playing soccer, exercising. I played Division 1 soccer at University of Washington as an undergraduate (Go Huskies!). I still love watching, competing and playing with my son. My friends/ family would say it’s my only addiction.
Traveling (I was raised in Italy and speak English, Italian and Spanish fluently). My father was in the U.S. Navy so we travelled a lot. I guess it’s in my blood.
525 Spruce St, suite 2 San Francisco, CA
415.668.2122
plasticsurgery-sf.com
IG @drkennethbermudez
COLDWELL BANKER GLOBAL LUXURY - PACIFIC HEIGHTS REALTOR/AGENT
“… the blank page yet to be written is the most exciting part.”
What inspires you? I am most inspired by the people I meet in the course of my job. As a realtor, the process of finding people their dream home is a very intimate process. I have to get to know my clients. Then I pair them with the property that has the most potential for them. You can’t help but be moved by their stories, their visions of what home means to them, and the workings of their families. I love what I do and it inspires me to keep doing it.
Keys of your success? Successful relationships require great care, attention to detail, and work. People kid me about being a matchmaker with the golden Rolodex, but they are right! I just can’t help myself. I am constantly thinking of ways to bring people together professionally - a low-tech LinkedIn. I’ll be on my Peloton thinking about someone who seeks an investment property, has mentioned a move, has a friend with a rental, or someone who just needs a painter, and then I bring them together. Building these relationships in business is a large part of my success. The rest is old-fashioned hard work. I am constantly scoping out properties that fit the clients I have. I keep my ear to the ground, my eye on the streets, and my nose to the grindstone. It’s an awkward position, but vital to my work.
Advice you can share? It sounds clichéd, but if you find a vocation you love, it contributes to happiness in the rest of your life. I love what I do and it shows. Also, finding things that ignite excitement or that you are passionate about contribute to success overall. Then stick with it! I am so happy to give back to the city that is my adopted home. Doing for others and the community is its own reward.
What is next? I am different from many people when it comes to change; the blank page yet to be written is the most exciting part. I believe in San Francisco and still see so much life and opportunity here. All the things that attract people to our beautiful city are still here. We have diversity, technology, culture, and freedom of expression. It just doesn’t get better. I’m excited to see what the next iteration of our City By The Bay looks like! And I’m here to contribute to that evolution. What’s next is what came before - love where you live.
chrismeza.com
[email protected]
DESCHAMPS-BRALY CLINIC OF PLASTIC & CRANIOFACIAL SURGERY
“Our patients being delighted after surgery is one of the most gratifying things about the work we do.”
Tell me about your business. I’m the principal of Deschamps-Braly Clinic of Plastic & Craniofacial Surgery. It is one of the longest running plastic surgery practices on the west coast. We are a highly specialized practice that deals with complex aesthetic surgery of the face. The practice is located in downtown San Francisco on Union Square above Tiffany. I moved to San Francisco in 2012 after completing my plastic surgery training as well as 4 fellowships over an additional 4 years specifically in facial surgery. I then moved to San Francisco and continued the practice of another well known craniofacial surgeon.
What Inspires me most about my work? Helping our patients is one of the greatest joys about what we do here at the clinic. Our patients being delighted after surgery is one of the most gratifying things about the work we do. The hours are long and the precision that we deal with requires a lot of mental energy. We have one shot to get the result just right. However, that energy feels well spent when a patient is overwhelmed after their procedure. In addition, the technical work is very rewarding for me. You have to be able to visualize the result, and understand how to achieve it. The work is challenging and a great result is validation of that work. The work we do in the surgery suite puts me into almost a meditative state of mind where everything else just falls away. There are very few moments in my hectic days that provide that sensation of peace other than being in surgery.
What do you consider to be the key to my success? The day you consider yourself “successful” is the day you fail to achieve your potential as a professional. One should always be striving to find ways to work better, more efficiently, safely, etc. I think to be a professional, you must always feel like you are letting yourself down just a little bit.
What is the best advice I can share? Listen more than you talk.
What is next up on the horizon? We simply keep our head down and work, and take great care of patients. That is a big enough horizon for me.
360 Post St., Suite 901
San Francisco, CA 94108
415.624.3922
deschamps-braly.com
Photography by: Casey Flanigan
Allan Kuo
