Paul Pepelaskov and Eric Bailey
Freedom & Company, a custom metal work company, got its start in April of last year when two best friends moved to Arizona from Portland, Ore.
Eric Bailey and Paul Pepelaskov decided to merge their experience in business management, construction and welding to create a company focused on high-quality, custom metal work from high-security mailboxes to automotive parts.
Co-owner Eric Bailey began studying metal work and welding a decade ago when he was still in high school.
“We had a really great program in Oregon for trades, and welding was one of those,” he said. “I took the class out of interest in my freshman year and ran with it. I was certified in multiple welding processes before I even graduated, and from there, I started working in the Portland shipyard. So since then it’s been a career for me.”
For co-owner Paul Pepelaskov, his expertise came from working for his family’s construction business. He’s now applying his business knowledge to Freedom & Company Metal Works and learning how to do metal work himself from Eric.
“My metal work started when I was working with Eric,” he said. “I have more of a construction and business management background from working for my parent’s construction company, so I learned how to manage a business and do the paperwork side of things.”
The two agree that one of their favorite parts, and most important aspects of their business, is the versatility.
“What makes us unique is that we don’t really have any limitations on what we can do,” said Eric. “We’ve set ourselves up in a way where we’ve got the equipment and the means to do just about anything from structural steel to ornamental fences and gates, to automotive work.”
With each project, the duo prioritizes customer satisfaction and creating a high-quality product.
“We pay a lot of attention to detail,” said Paul. “If we build something, it’s something we’d put in at our own house and that we would really want on our own property. We’re not just making something to get paid, we want to create a quality product that will often times even outlive the customer’s home.”
This approach has already paid off with lots of positive feedback and new customers coming through word-of-mouth recommendations.
To ensure each customer gets exactly what they want, Eric and Paul take time to ask customers what they’re looking for, review sketches or photos to conceptualize the idea, and then create a 3D model to ensure the plan is perfect before moving forward.
“Going through the process of taking a sketch to creating a 3D model on the computer, to going back and forth with the customer on ideas, and then being able to build something, and see that final product as well as the reaction of the customer when everything comes out perfect, is my favorite part of doing this,” said Eric.
For more information on Freedom & Company, or to begin a custom order, email freedomfabricationteam@gmail.com.