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Concrete Decor - Index

Concrete Decor - Concrete Decor Magazine, The Journal for Decorative Concrete - Index

Around the border of the driveway, his crew
stamped a pattern that looks like a dog ran
through wet cement. “The owners know
which dog’s footprint is whose,” he says. “It
made the finished product very special to
them.”
Adding that something special is part
of what stands out about Mata’s work.
“We’ve always done that,” he says. “We try
to do something unique with every project
by including something that’s not available
at the local supply store.”
He says that he’s created a number of
custom stamps for people because there are
56 | www.ConcreteDecor.net | Dec. ’07/Jan. ’08
only so many tools readily available. “My
mind is always whirling with things that
could be. I like to look for things and see
how I can make them do something they
weren’t made to do.”
He also likes to surprise his customers
by giving them something they didn’t
directly pay for, like a birdbath made out
of leftover concrete or a bench that bears
the same stamping pattern as a patio. “My
customers appreciate that little something
extra. It’s always a big hit,” he says.
He urges others in the business not to
be afraid to try something new. “Explore the
possibilities,” he says. “Create things that
have yet to be created. Push the envelope.
Push yourselves. Push the industry. There
are so many things that can and will be
done. It’s just a matter of trying. Ask the
customer to give you a chance.”
But above all, don’t sell yourself short.
“Give yourself the credit that’s due and
charge what you’re worth. You deserve to
get paid for what you produce. There’s an
incredible amount of work that goes into
producing these things. You need to be fair
to yourself as well as your customer.”