Building Dreams: Benjamin Schaefer's Journey in Design

Carlsbad, people, purpose, and impact, an essential podcast for those who live, work, visit, and play in Carlsbad.

Good morning, and welcome, everyone. My name is Brett Schonzenbach. I'm the president and CEO here at the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, and I'm your host today. And I'm very pleased to have with me Benjamin Schaeffer. Benjamin Schaeffer is the owner of Little Big Design.

Good morning, Benjamin.

Good morning. Pleasure to be here.

Yeah. Great to have you. Thanks for taking some time to come down. So, I'm always doing some background, you know, checking in on my guests ahead of time. And so, looks like you were a a Bay Area guy.

I was. Yeah. I actually grew up in Ventura County, so shout out to Oxnard, California.

Alright.

But I kinda meandered up to the Bay to go to architecture school in the early 2000 with the intent of going somewhere else. But, it captured me in in 20 years of, design work in the Bay Area and met my wife, had a family, and we were kind of there for about 20 years. And then we have, 2 years ago, relocated to San Diego.

Okay. Well alright. There's gotta be a story in there. So you're up there. And and I saw it was kinda fun.

I was looking at your website and some other, your social media, and it looks like it you got your start, it says. I thought this was adorable. You got your start in the construction architecture world, sweeping job sites Yeah. For your dad. So this is this whole industry has been part of your your blood and your upbringing.

That's right. Yeah. I grew up around construction. I'm 3rd generation kind of builder maker. My grandfather was a electrician.

He worked in the San Fernando Valley kind of on the inter in the entertainment industry. And then my my dad and his brother and cousins are all kind of in the trades and eventually had their own construction companies. And so as a kid, you know, we weren't allowed to sit around the house. We had to come pick up nails or sweep up job sites. I dug trenches, you know, in high school with my buddies.

So, yeah, it was in my blood from from day 1.

And so you go to college to for architecture. Right?

That's correct.

To, Berkeley.

That's right.

And, you as you kind of already teased up, you had a a career there in the Bay Area in that field. But at some point, you make a decision to start your own firm. That's right. Little big. And and it looked like, from what I could read, that was in the year 2020, which we all know.

There's a lot of context around 2020. That's right. So first of all, why why start your own? And why at that time, give us this backstory here.

Yeah. That's a great question. So I was working for a firm, a medium sized firm in San Francisco, and we were focused on office work. So tenant improvements, and there was a lot of, repurposing of, like, light industrial space. And then COVID hit.

And as anybody knows, San Francisco was, you know, kind of at the forefront of lockdowns and, you know, kind of closing things down. So our business basically stopped overnight, and, I got laid off. And I had been threatening my wife that I was gonna go out on my own for, like, 5 years.

Threatening. I love it. You know?

And she was supportive. And, so I got laid off, and I I always had kind of residential side projects going, friends and family and things. And I thought, okay. Why don't I just work on the ones that I had going for full time, and then we'll just see where it goes. And then it very quickly blossomed into a sustainable business model.

That was 4 years ago, and I loved it. I love the residential world. I I love the intimacy of working with end users, people who are gonna, you know, live in the spaces that you're creating. So we just I rolled it into a business and here we are 4 years later.

Amazing. Now in that 4 years, however, you already mentioned that was also part of the transition period where you went from NorCal to SoCal. And, so why? What was what was what prompted the move to our beautiful slice of paradise?

Well, part of it was the slice of paradise. We were in we had been in the San Francisco Bay Area for 20 years and had never thought that it was the kind of end, you know, the final our final resting place. So we were a bit restless where my wife and I and family are pretty adventurous. And I think having the ability to reset every now and again with location is you know, it kinda helps you rethink and retool. So that was part of it.

And part of it was I just miss Southern California. You know? I felt like my roots were here, and I and I think as the business really got going and what I wanted to give back to the community, I I felt more and more like I wanted to be part of the Southern California community. San Diego was a great mix of lifestyle and business opportunity, you know, much more than, say, some of the smaller, you know, geographies in Southern California. So that's that's what drove us down here.

And now I'm part of the community, and I'm loving it. And I I feel like my work is giving back to, people here in the next generation that are growing up similar the way I did.

Right on. And it it's only been, what, about 7, 8 months since you guys made the move. Is that right?

2 years ago.

Oh. Yeah. 2 2 years ago. I picked that up,

and that like 7, 8 months.

No. That's great, though. So, I also had I I was really enjoying, how the name Little Big came about. And, first of all, your website has some cool, you know, I don't know, alliterations of how you've spun it, like, little moments and big dreams. I love that.

But, really, it came from your daughter's 4 year old birthday party. Share that story.

Yeah. It was really funny. So, you know, the very traditional way of of providing professional services is just to put your name on the door. And I really wanted something that was more creative and more descriptive of what we were trying to do. It's not just me.

It's my team and the Yeah. And and what we're really trying the the brand. It's much bigger than than than just one person. So I was thinking about my career and kind of what we're what we're trying to achieve, which are little projects and big projects, little really being focused in on little details and kind of big goals. And was just ruminating in my head.

And and my daughter, we were getting ready for her 4th birthday, and I said, her name is Lila. And I said, hey, Lila. You know, you're you're gonna become a big girl now. And she said, no, daddy. I'm little big.

And I just thought instantly it was, like, serendipitous. You know? I said, that's that's describes what we're trying to do here is we're a a little shop. There's 3 of us, but we do big projects, and we have kind of big aspirations for our clientele. So it really fit well.

Yeah. What a great story. I love it. Out of the mouth, mouths of babes. Right?

Yeah. Yeah.

It's great.

I have to pay her royalties.

Yeah. I bet.

Yeah. For a long time. Opportunity.

Yeah. In perpetuity. We're gonna take a brief pause. I'm talking to Benjamin Schafer, the owner of Little Big Design, and we're gonna come back. We're gonna talk a little bit about more all the the services that they provide and where they're taking this.

So stick with us. We'll be right back. So, Benjamin, we were talking about, your creation, and your evolution into creating little big design. But why don't we just take a moment and have you really articulate what it is exactly that you provide? What do you offer?

And what's available to people?

Yep. So we are a full service residential design firm. So what full service means is from initial concepting of ideas, so that could be site selection. It could be a property owner who has a site. There may be there's an existing billing on there, and they're trying to understand what the possibilities are all the way through to construction.

So we are a kind of a typical residential firm in a sense that we do not build. We partner with builders to build, but we are part of the construction process too. So that full suite of services is basically initial concepting, bringing other design partners on, like engineers, navigating the, city regulatory process, which people generally understand is permits, but it could be more than that. And then all the way through to contractor selection and then actual construction and kind of getting the projects built.

Oh, that's amazing. And, yeah, that that permit process that you alluded to can be quite onerous, and and every jurisdiction's got its own wrinkles and nuances and

That's correct.

Yeah. That can be quite challenging. I I really liked on your website, it said, you draw inspiration from each client's personal story, goals, and desires. Explain that. Tease that out more for us.

Yeah. So we're an open book. The the way I always have seen the architect's role is we're really a guide. You know, we have specific skills, but it's really about the client and what they're trying to achieve and their goals. And sometimes they don't always know.

It it may be we're feeling that we need this, but we're not exactly sure how to manifest that into physical space, right, or opportunity. So our our role really is a guide. We are the graphic guide. So we take the ideas of our clients. We add to it to ours and kind of get it on paper, have something that everybody can respond to, and then we develop it with them.

And it really for a project to sing and to be successful, in our opinion, are kind of how we hold our standards is does it really meet the client's needs. Right? And and it it has to be done in a beautiful way. That's we have an aesthetic, but it's really about not applying an aesthetic, not applying this kind of predetermined solution, but really what are the clients trying to get after and what will make their life better for this res we focus on residential for the for the residences. So we we help them kind of tease out and develop the, their their goals and ideas for a better life.

I love that. And so if we were to just make it super duper concrete, you're talking about helping people design a home, would an an ADU?

That's correct. Yeah.

A a kitchen, remodel a bath, things like that too?

Yeah. So we focus on kind of everything in between on residential. We are Greater San Diego County, but our real sweet spot is Coastal, San Diego, which, you know, I I tend to say is urban. People think urban as, you know, downtown San Diego, but but it's it's it is urban. I mean Yeah.

Lots are small, and you really have to be creative about how to maximize the potential. You know, you have neighbors, and there's there's all sorts of constraints in coastal San Diego. So, we we provide, yeah, remodels, additions, ADUs, lot splits. I mean, there's all sorts of creative solutions to try to maximize, the potential of a property. Right?

And and a lot of times, it's not just solving the client's goals, but it's also how to maximize the potential because the the blots are heavily constrained. Coastal San Diego is highly regulatory. Yeah. So Highly. We Highly.

Highly. Highly. Yeah. But we're experienced in it, and we're, again, we're a guide to help kinda navigate through that process. So, that's that that's generally what we provide all the way to new construction.

So if

somebody had a lot or wanted to do a teardown, if it made sense to do a teardown to to kind of provide what they need, then we can do that as well.

Yeah. I like your, your your description of it as, like, urban even though, you know, we typically think of ourselves as suburban, but it's really because of the maturity of these communities. I mean, there's a lot of infill little, you know, pockets that

That's right.

Are still, you know, needing to be developed or, you know, in the process of being developed, whatever the case might be. So it it is quite urban in that sense.

It it is. And and, actually, the what I think trips a lot of, people up and maybe some you know, I would say some of my competitors is the regulatory process is kind of set up as an urban regulatory process. I mean, I worked in San Francisco in the Bay Area for 20 years, which is really urban. Super urban. And so I we're well adapted understanding the intent of what, the regulatory kind of structure is trying to achieve.

And coastal coastal, San Diego, you know, it's set up really it's not a suburban kind of regulatory structure. It's it's actually urban.

And

so if you understand the intent and what they're trying to usher in, it it may seem very prohibitive, but it's actually trying to help develop communities as we urbanize more in a in a smarter way. And you just have to kind of partner and understand that. That you can be very successful in in, solving problems.

Yeah. That's great. And I I think that level of experience that you're talking about, makes a lot of sense. And you also mentioned, you know, would it pencil for somebody to do a tear down and a rebuild? And, of course, as you see generational things turn over, sometimes it like, especially if it passes, within a family.

And so, like, oh, there's no you know, they're not necessarily paying for that home, and it's on a super prime lot, but the home's old and outdated and, you know, need of a massive renovation or sometimes because of the values going up so high, a tear down makes sense.

Yeah. What what we're finding a lot is lots that could support ADU or a lot split that's has a small, you know, older single family home that it just doesn't make sense for the value of the lot. Right? If you're the the upfront costs are high enough or the value is high enough that it makes sense to to max to densify it, right, and to get get another housing unit on there, whether it's for passive income or somebody you know, a family who needs more space or an office or a, you know, a a a grandparent move in or whatever. So those those are all things that we do early on in the feasibility phase.

And a lot of times, we'll bring in, contractors to help estimate a little bit kind of thumb to the wind of if we did x versus, you know, y, what what makes sense from a construction cost. And then it helps our clients make informed decisions to move forward before we've spent, you know, too much time putting pen to paper, right, and fee.

Yeah. No. That's excellent. And so valuable because this stuff is it's it's going up in value so quickly, you know. And so and then you already mentioned, the rules keep changing.

Right?

Yeah.

You used the word densify. The state is all about density these days. And, you know, some of it's a little painful, right, to see our beloved communities get more dense. It's not, it's not the most fun thing to witness, but it's but it's something the state has put in motion and and it's available to people. Yeah.

And I'm not talking so much about the ADU side of it. The real painful densification is when you see the village go, you know, up to 5 stories and things like that. It it's a little jarring Yeah. To to long term residents and and to you know, I get that. I feel it myself.

But, I what we need to do now is pivot to some really important important work that I saw that you were engaged in. And this is a first. I've I've, you know, I've I've gone through a lot of LinkedIn profiles in doing this. And, this is the first time I've ever seen somebody who volunteered as a sandcastle builder. I really need to know this story.

Yeah. So we, in the Bay Area, and I'm sure they probably have it down here, but there's a nonprofit that, does great work for kids. So it's all about, helping better education. And so they have this fundraiser every year, and it's, a sandcastle building contest. It's called LEAP, l e a p.

And so you partner with a classroom. So there's a team of us. Right? It would generally be an architect, an engineer, a contractor, kind of everybody from the, AEC industry as we say. And you partner with a class.

They come up with a there's a theme, but they come up with a design. And then you go to the beach on a, you know, a designated day, and everybody goes at it. Oh, good. And they build these monstrous sandcastles, and we would do it every year. And the kids just you know, they're like they love it.

They think it's the coolest thing ever.

That is tremendous. Yeah. You're Bringing in all these professionals and and applying it to say but at the same time, it's how cool for the kids to see how a concept that they come up with in classroom can come to reality.

That's right. Yeah. Yeah. They're really, it's it's pretty amazing to see the wheels start to turn Yeah. In in, you know, younger generation, which is you know, reminds me of myself.

When I was a kid, I loved making things and figuring out how to build things and all this. So to see other kids have that intuition

Yeah.

And then get jazzed about it is fun. And then, of course, just to get messy on the beach Yeah. Is such a good time.

It's awesome. Yeah. The beach is fun because it's, it's limitless ways of enjoyment. You know? It's, you know, between the water, the waves, the sand, the whatever.

I mean, you just I mean, you see little kids just dig a hole and have fun. Yes. And then others construct something, and then who knows? Others just drawing in the sand. I mean, it's the beach is limitless.

It's

Well well, the best part is they do the contest, and then they judge, and then they take photos for media and whatnot. And then we let the kids just go at it, and they just tear get it to tear it down, and that's, like, the best part of the day.

They've, like,

the the the destruction of it.

After you get all the pretty pictures for social media and everything That's right. And then you just get to thrash it. That's awesome. But I also saw you, were engaged in some sustainable housing things down in Tijuana.

That's right. So when I got out of school, we we had, one of my classmates had started a nonprofit, and they were trying to figure out a prototype, an easy way to to make, mass housing for residents in Tijuana. So we went down there for 2 weeks and built a prototype kind of Nice. Maybe 30 miles south of the border. It was in Tijuana, but kind of on the outskirts.

And that was a really amazing experience because they built it for a family. Mhmm. The family was there. They were involved in it, so we really got to, understand how they live. It was kind of, you know, like, up it kinda shantytown up in the hill and, like, I I remember they had, somebody had, like, poached the overhead power lines, which is what they do.

They, like, take them down, and it's like, these high voltage lines would be laying on the ground, and then all the these little shacks would just poach power off it. I mean, it was that kind of, like, live or die almost, you know, kind of struggle. That's cringey.

Yeah. I was like,

ugh. It's cringey. Yeah.

But it's real.

But it's real.

Yeah.

Right? And so we were trying to figure out how to, you know, do it better and how to do it faster and with materials that were available. So, the the organization had devised this prototype that was kind of, like, made out of pallets. Like, because there's all these, like, just, you know, derelict pallets and Sure. Construction materials and then do kind of an Adobe kind of infill to it.

So that was a really coming right out of school and, you know, going into the profession, and I, you know, eventually ended up working for developers and kind of getting into the private industry. It was like a really nice start to my career Yeah. Of to to give back to to somebody with design and to think about what are we really doing and how does it affect people and how can we, you know, benefit.

Yeah. I love that. So if somebody, wanted to learn more about Little Big Design, I believe the website is littledashbig.com?

That's correct. That's that's the best way. We're, you know, in the process of kind of rolling out our social media. So Little Big is a rebrand. It was Benjamin Schafer architect before, which you can still find, but, since we've been in San Diego, we felt that that that identity is a much better suit to what we're trying to do.

So right now, we've got the website going, and we're just in the early ground stages of kinda getting social media going. But, you know, we're I'm a people person, and I like meeting people. So, you know, yeah, website's the easiest way. Our contact my contact information is on there, and I'm always happy to to, you know, do consultations through Zoom or on-site, talk to people, find out what they're trying to do, and then, you know, decide what, the right path forward

is. That's that's awesome. So how old is that 4 year old who, came up with the name? How old is she now? She's 6.

Okay. Okay. So this is a couple years ago. Alright. And I can't remember.

Did you say you have others? Or I I I

have an older, boy. He's 9. He just turned 9.

Okay.

And he is he is already, I don't know if he's gonna follow my path, but he's definitely into making things and tooling around. I mean, I I remember my father, you know, he was a contractor, and so he always had materials in his in the garage. And, I would go in there and, like, you know, glue all his pipe together and, you know, cut cut cut all the lumber and whatnot and get into all the stuff, and he would get, you know, mad at me because they were gonna use it on a job. My son's kinda doing the same thing. He's got I opened his closet the other day, and he's got PVC pipe in his closet, like, you know, mangled into something.

That's awesome. So the 4th generation might be on its way.

That's right. Yeah.

That's awesome. That's right. So great. Yeah. And that's those are fun ages, that your kids are.

So that's wonderful. I I saw also that, you definitely are fitting the SoCal vibe. It looks like you're into paddle boarding and drumming. Yeah. So, hey, that's that's pretty much every SoCaler.

Yeah. It's pretty funny. Yeah. I mean, like, I like to think that I'm a creative person, and it it comes out in many ways. I mean, I'm a huge music fan my whole life.

I've been been into music. So, you know, playing instruments. I played violin when I was, you know, in school.

Sure.

Has always been an outlet for me, you know, outside of kind of drawing and and design. So, yeah, we try to keep it we try to keep it SoCal as as much as we can and get out, you know, get outside and enjoy and be creative in in as many ways as we can.

Love that. Well, we're super excited to have you as part of our community, as part of our Chamber, part of our Chamber family. It's great getting to know you, and, I have a feeling that there's gonna be a lot of little, big things happening in this community.

Yeah. We're excited. We're excited to get back, and I really appreciate the opportunity to be here. Thank you.

It is our pleasure. Thanks for joining us today on our Carlsbad People, Purpose, and Impact podcast. If you got value out of our episode today, please hit the follow button on your favorite podcast app, and please tell a friend. Can't wait to see you next time on Carlsbad People, Purpose, and Impact.