When his chosen career in information technology was unable to satisfy the call for something more, Ryan Wilson traded in programming for morning glory, throw pillows and accent walls.
The youngest son, of seven children, the 36-year-old recalls summer holidays spent on construction sites helping to carry materials, cleaning up after the crew and learning the trade at the feet of his father, Baron Wilson.
As such, when the University of Technology (UTech) graduate decided to follow his passion for design and decorating to the family business, he turned his love for transforming spaces, into a career, where he is now a project coordinator at Wilson Construction and Interior Designing.
Specialising in corporate spaces, the 35-year-old construction company, located on Sundown Crescent in St Andrew, has transformed many spaces across Jamaica, including the National Land Agency, Companies Office of Jamaica and the restrooms at the Club Kingston VIP lounge at the Norman Manley International Airport.
Not one to shy away from a challenge, the St Mary native says he occasionally butts head with the patriarch of the family. “He’s a bit hard-headed and more of a brick and mortar guy,” said the younger Wilson.
But expanding the family business is a challenge Wilson says he is ready to accept. With a high customer approval rating, the entrepreneur has taken on the task of diversifying the company’s portfolio, from commercial to residential, into what is now his own interior design house, Ryan Sean and Company.
“What personal life? This is my baby. I work Sundays to Sundays for Ryan Sean and Company.”
But the forfeit of a personal life, rising construction costs and COVID-19 haven’t stopped the new kid on the block, who said the thing that sets him apart from his competitors is “our attention to detail. We’re just as excited as our clients to see the finished product”.
SMART TECHNOLOGY
With a focus on modern designs and smart technology, Wilson took us on a tour of a renovated Norbrook, St Andrew apartment where clean lines and subtle touches made it like a picture out of an Elegant Homes magazine.
But the postal code is of no consequence as he shared that “adding textures and textiles to any space makes it cosy”.
His advice: adding “rugs to ground a space, and dressing up empty walls with photos and objects that showcase your style”.
When asked about the challenges of the industry, Wilson said, “The cost of construction materials is going up. That within itself is a challenge. As well as disposable income among residential clients. But, I find that once a client wants a space and wants it done properly, they are willing to do whatever it takes.”
As for COVID-19 and a hit to his industry, he says he is not worried or second-guessing his choice as “construction can’t be done online”. Sanitisation efforts have been doubled and the team social-distances where possible.
Wilson is cognisant of the leap of faith he took venturing into another industry, and deciding to expand in a pandemic, but “you just have to be willing to put in the hard work”, he said matter-of-factly. And he is.
View his work on Instagram at @wilconsrv and @ryanseanco.
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