Kyle Ortiz grew up with a “toolbox dad”—meaning, “If it couldn’t be done with a screwdriver, a wrench, a hammer and some nails, then he wouldn’t do it. He’d call somebody,” says Ortiz.
The San Bernardino, California, father of three admits that, while his dad was amazing, he wasn’t a role model who would show him how to pull up his bootstraps and take on projects around the house. But something Ortiz did have was the ambition to learn things on his own—and the passion to provide for his family.
So he did just that, starting with upcycling an old table when he bought his first home in 2002. Today, the 32-year-old can do that and so much more, including gutting entire rooms, building walls and installing flooring. Meanwhile, fans…
