Meet Brian Hirdman

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Brian Hirdman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Brian with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

Work ethic is an intriguing concept to me, something I’ve embraced as an integral part of who I am. I’ve learned not to judge others based on their work habits but rather appreciate our unique journeys.

Growing up with separated parents gave me two incredible sources of masculine influence. My father, Bill, is a craftsman. I watched him build custom homes alongside exceptional artisans, construct high-rises in the San Francisco Bay Area, and transition into home inspections as his body bore the marks of hard work. His Nordic heritage has gifted me with strength and a love for craftsmanship. On the other hand, my stepfather, Billy, was my spiritual guide and a self-made entrepreneur who transitioned from musician to tech guru to wedding DJ. Together with my mother, they nurtured my mind, spirit, and education, helping shape me into a well-rounded person.

My work ethic began to take root at a young age. Inspired by my stepfather, I worked alongside him to earn money for video games and toys. While my family wasn’t wealthy in material terms, we were rich in experiences, love, and quality time together. As I entered my teenage years and technology began to explode, my desire for gadgets grew. My parents, wanting to instill a sense of responsibility, assigned me chores, which eventually led to working for Billy’s wedding DJ business. Meanwhile, visiting my biological father meant spending time at construction sites, learning the ins and outs of craftsmanship while navigating the unique humor of the crews. Trust me, construction humor is a wild ride!

Two key lessons from this time have profoundly influenced me. From my stepfather, his mantra, “Don’t be SORRY, be more AWARE,” has become my guiding principle. This awareness, from the smallest details to broader life lessons, has shaped my exceptional design skills in regenerative landscaping, my attention to fine details in art, and my growth in patience—an essential trait in the creative process. From my dad, I learned that “your hands are your most important tool.” This belief has led me to view my skills as my currency; the more I can do with my hands, the more opportunities I can create. My tool belt is a testament to a life filled with diverse skills, primarily rooted in blue-collar work and trades, yet I’m always eager to learn more.

So, where does my work ethic come from? It springs from awareness and my skill set. The ability to identify challenges and utilize my diverse skills to craft solutions has fostered an efficient and effective work ethic. What many perceive as mere hard work or drive, I see as a dynamic way to approach problem-solving and artistic creation. It’s all about channeling my energy into meaningful expression!

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

A Little About Myself
Life is a vibrant tapestry of experiences, and I choose to immerse myself in creating beauty and uplifting others. As a multi-faceted entrepreneur, I thrive on getting my hands dirty and crafting things that bring joy to myself and others. If a book were to be written about me, much of it would revolve around the adventures I’ve shared with friends, which have shaped my diverse skill set and deepened my desire to contribute.
My journey began with a passion for exploration, learning, and creativity. After leaving home at 18, I was eager to understand the world around me. The public internet was still in its infancy, brimming with information that sparked my curiosity. At 19, I found myself diving into conspiracy theories, which led me to grasp the fundamental needs of life: water, shelter, food, and health. By that time, I had built enough structures as I worked with my father to appreciate the intricacies of building homes and quality craftsmanship. Water was abundant, and health was primarily my responsibility—leaving me with food as my focus. My knowledge of food was that it came from the grocery store, large farms, and small gardens, so I sought to expand my understanding of this topic.
This quest to understand food opened up a world of inquiry. I learned about the influence of mega-corporations on our diets, the technologies that alter food, and the often-nutritious void in what we consume. During my research, I discovered permaculture, a transformative concept that marries “permanent” and “agriculture.” The principles of permaculture became foundational in my life, guiding my art, work, and daily experiences. After three years of rigorous study, I pursued certification from professionals who were pupils to the originator of the term Permaculture, earning my permaculture certification in 2011. That year marked a turning point: I launched my regenerative landscaping company, Nature’s Gardener, and began crafting wire jewelry to supplement my income.
2011 was pivotal for me personally. Following the tragic suicide of my stepfather the previous year, I faced a choice: to remain mired in grief or to transmute that pain into inspiration for my future. It was a year of profound growth, coinciding with the start of my relationship with my wonderful partner, who has supported me ever since. My stepfather’s passing motivated me to create a meaningful life, one dedicated to helping others grow food and cultivate health. After my first Burning Man that Aug/Sept and using that experience to look inwards, I found my calling in designing beautiful edible gardens for clients, envisioning it as my life’s work.
However, the seasonal nature of landscaping in South Lake Tahoe limited my work to about six months a year. To navigate this, I turned to my artistic side, transforming my jewelry-making from a part-time venture into a full-time endeavor by 2015. I would build gardens and landscape from May to October, then craft jewelry from November to April. It’s fascinating how often landscaping clients would purchase my jewelry, and vice versa—this intertwining of passions has shaped my life and work over the past eight years.
Today, I proudly own two businesses, with a third on the horizon. Nature’s Gardener fulfills my passion for teaching others how to grow food, build nutritious soil, and create vibrant outdoor spaces. I co-own Crafty Fingas, where we harness the beauty of stones and metals to create meaningful wearable art. And soon, we’ll be launching a new venture focused on designing and curating immersive experiences. Each of these businesses reflects my passion for creating, learning, and fully experiencing life, allowing me to express my core values through my work and art.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back, I can pinpoint three qualities that have profoundly impacted my journey: Resilience, Drive, and Passion.
Resilience stands out as the most powerful of the three. My life hasn’t always been easy; I’ve faced my share of health challenges that have made frequent hospital visits and hardships a part of my reality. While no one enjoys being in a medical setting or going through hardships, these experiences cultivated a deep sense of resilience within me. There were times when my health was so compromised that I was on the brink of death, and the healing process was often slow and arduous. From severe allergic reactions, to injuries from snowboarding and rock climbing accidents, and even a bout of myocarditis at 19, I learned to navigate setbacks year after year. Each time I made progress, I often faced new challenges, but this taught me the importance of rising after each fall. I believe that our failures reveal more about us than our successes, even if society tends to highlight the latter. It’s important to remember that all living creatures experience failure, and it’s okay to stumble along the way. My setbacks have shaped me into a solution-oriented individual, and this ability to endure hardships is a cornerstone of my work and art. Embracing failure is essential; it’s a universal experience that defines the human spirit. Those who rise after being knocked down inspire others, and I take pride in my resilience.
Drive is another key factor in my journey, closely linked to my work ethic. When I dive into a project, I immerse myself completely. My “off” button often feels non-existent, and I push myself until exhaustion sets in. Whether a task takes minutes, hours, or even years, once I commit, I see it through to completion. My creative process often extends into my dreams, where concepts and ideas flow relentlessly. It’s as if my creations become part of my psyche, and I feel a biological urge to bring them to life.
But here’s the harsh truth: Relentless drive can be both a blessing and a curse. It’s the force that keeps you moving when others would give up, but it’s also the thing that will burn you out if you’re not careful. You will lose sleep, relationships might be strained, and there will be moments when you question if it’s all worth it. But this is the reality of ambition—it’s not easy, and it’s not glamorous. The road to bringing your vision to life is often lonely and hard. But if you embrace the grind, if you let your drive push you past every boundary, that’s where the real transformation happens. The exhaustion, the frustration—they’re part of the journey, and they’re also proof that you’re chasing something bigger than comfort. For those willing to endure the discomfort, there’s no greater reward than seeing your vision realized.
Passion is the final piece of my puzzle, but it’s far more than just a spark—it’s the lifeblood of everything I do. My passion extends beyond just creating art; it’s rooted in a profound love for the earth and a commitment to healing and regenerative landscaping and helping others energetically. This approach isn’t just about making beautiful things, it’s about restoring energetic balance, nurturing ecosystems, and creating environments where both nature and people can thrive. That’s what fuels me—knowing that my work has the potential to contribute to something bigger than myself.
Passion is what pushes me forward when resilience and drive alone aren’t enough. It’s the reason I get back up after every fall, and why I keep going even when exhaustion creeps in. When my health challenges tested my resilience, it was my passion that reminded me why I fought so hard to overcome. Passion isn’t just excitement; it’s a deep, unwavering commitment to something you love. It’s the thing that makes the grind worthwhile and gives meaning to the relentless drive I throw into every project. Passion ignites resilience and drive like a wildfire, spreading rapidly and fueling everything in its path. It’s the intense, all-consuming flame that turns obstacles into ashes and powers you through the hardest moments. When setbacks threaten to extinguish your efforts, it’s passion that keeps the fire burning, sparking the resilience to get back up and the drive to keep pushing forward. Just like a wildfire, passion spreads to every corner of your work, making the challenges feel less like barriers and more like fuel for the next leap forward.
For upcoming artists, the most important lesson is to tend to your spark and flames each day. Daily practice is not just routine—it’s how you shape your thoughts into tangible reality. Over time, these practices become a deep dedication. Every artist devotes time, energy, and emotion to their craft, and it’s through this devotion that we shape our unique voice. Like monks devoted to their beliefs, we too devote ourselves to the mastery of our art. In doing so, we reveal the true power of our inner flames. It is not simply about letting them burn wildly, but learning to control and shape them—this is how we express our vision, and ultimately, our unique expression of life.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

Interestingly, as I began writing the first two answers to this interview, life threw me a major curveball. My partner was tackled by three dogs at a park, resulting in a broken ankle, torn ligaments, and a spiral fracture in her fibula. Just three days later, I was rushed to the hospital with acute appendicitis and had to undergo surgery to remove my appendix. The challenges I now face are testing my core strengths: resilience, drive, and passion. There’s a certain irony in this—having to get back up after my own surgery while caring for my partner, who’s in even worse shape than myself. It’s as if the universe is telling us both to slow down, take care of each other, and focus inward.
I’ve always taken pride in being self-reliant, so learning to ask for help has been a humbling experience. With my ability to work and manage daily responsibilities sidelined, I’ve had no choice but to rely on friends and family. It’s tested my pride and pushed me to confront my limits in ways I hadn’t anticipated. Having to pause all of my projects—just as they were gaining momentum—has been frustrating, and finding the drive to start over has been one heck of an uphill battle. But through it all, I’m discovering the silver and gold linings of it all. This time has taught me the value of slowing down, focusing on healing, and prioritizing what truly matters in my life; health and family. In the end, I believe I’ll look back on this chapter with gratitude for the lessons learned and the decisions I made to put myself and my loved ones first. This experience has not only made me stronger but has also reignited my passion, inspiring me to move forward with a deeper sense of purpose, and I know it will fuel even greater creativity in my art and future projects

Contact Info:

• Website: Craftyfingas.com and Naturesgardener.org
• Instagram: @craftyfingas @natures_gardener @tree_born_art
• Facebook: Brian Hirdman