Adrien Finzi is a Boston real estate entrepreneur who leads Ataraxia Construction, pursuing a strategy of identifying properties and neighborhoods with significant upside potential. His team undertakes meticulous renovations on homes with high aesthetic merit and historic value. This activity helps revitalize homes and neighborhoods in the greater Boston area.
With an emphasis on quality materials and market analysis, Mr. Finzi develops high-quality, competitively priced real-estate in the Boston area. The homes are distinguished by their restored period details and modern takes on kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces. The result is an exceptional blend of old-meets new. One of Mr. Finzi’s recent transactions was the $1.43 million sale of a Roslindale property that was listed for only four days and sold for $76,000 above the asking price.
Mr. Finzi maintains a strong volunteer presence, working with Habitat for Humanity on building and rehab projects that benefit families of limited income. He is also active with the humanitarian organization Team Rubicon, which provides disaster relief planning and assists with post-disaster efforts such as debris removal, clearing roadways, and community resilience building.
Mr. Finzi has a significant educational background having completed a B.S. degree at the University of New Hampshire and an MS and Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut. He developed a passion for residential construction in the summer of his college years where he built new homes on Cape Cod, MA. This passion drives his work to this day.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
I typically wake up early in the morning, drink a coffee, and journal all that happened in the last 24 hours. This gives me time to reflect on what I accomplished, what I learned, and what to focus on during the upcoming day. Next, I go to the gym. Maintaining physical conditioning is essential to building in the long term. It also focuses the mind. In the warm months, I add a four-mile run to the routine. When I return home, I make a list of three things to accomplish. I then work until the evening. After a dusty day on the job, I clean up and cook a fresh, healthy meal for myself and my children or friends. Before bed I practice the guitar, read, and then meditate.
Keeping to this routine allows me to be both productive and expansive. Construction keeps my mind active; there is a tremendous amount of thinking required. Physical exercise keeps my body strong and limber. Playing the guitar grants me access to the arts. Cooking and sharing meals bring great joy and camaraderie.
How do you bring ideas to life?
Residential construction and renovation is an arena full of possibilities and ideas. They are endless. It is amazing what can be achieved with modern construction techniques and building products. I bring ideas to life by first defining the outcome desired for each home that is renovated. This is the 30,000-foot view that is essential to achieving the goal. Next, I describe each piece of the renovation project. A home typically needs a new kitchen, a new bathroom or two [or three], a new laundry facility, new or modified exterior cladding and landscaping. Each of these activities requires special considerations of time and money. I write down all the goals and get bids for the work. I then circle back to the beginning and review. How do the pieces add up to the whole? What’s the optimal schedule of activity? How close did the bids line up with available funding? Where can I save money by modifying, but not eliminating, a project goal? This is an iterative process, but it makes a world of difference in achieving a successful home renovation.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Technological change in home renovation. The innovation in heat pumps, insulation, and the tightness of building envelopes is revolutionizing the efficiency with which we build and power homes. Technological development in electrical energy delivery and home usage seems to grow every day. Home construction is seeing a tremendous gain in the efficiency of energy use with stunningly beautiful detail in the finishes.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Slowing down. Residential construction is exciting. There is nothing more satisfying than taking something old and dilapidated and transforming it into something new. The enthusiasm is contagious and often makes you want to do far more than possible in one day. I have found that by working slowly, I achieve a lot more. Working slowly gives me the time to think before modifying, fastening, or altering a structure. It also allows me to think two-to-three steps ahead. Construction is all about layers. The quality of one layer depends upon the quality of the previous layer, which, in turn, depends upon the quality of the previous layer, etc… By slowing down, each layer is laid with precision, allowing us to build exceptionally well and, ultimately, efficiently. Efficiency begets productivity.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Enjoy the journey. Days can feel long, especially when you don’t complete your to-do list. Yet the years go by so quickly. Enjoy every day to the best of your ability, even if it didn’t go as expected. Because in actuality, the day went exactly as it should have. It’s just that it may have happened to differ from your plan. There’s nothing wrong with that. Consistency of effort is the key.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
There are no rights or wrongs in the world, only differences. While many people may accept this at face value, living it is a challenge.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Exercise regularly and journal. Both increase clarity of mind.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
Slow down. Do one simple thing to move your day or activity forward. Soon enough, you’re back in the swing of things and in a state of flow.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
A pivotal decision was to shift from client-centered construction to home purchase and renovation. We spend more time building—our passion. Decision making is streamlined, material purchases are well understood and workflows are greatly improved. As a result, we create value in the community far more efficiently.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Hiring the wrong people. It is essential that your team reflect your approach. No one set of approaches is necessarily better than another, they’re just different. Therefore, work with the people that share your approach. Take the time to make your expectations clear and be sure that you only bring people on who have the same or a very similar mindset.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman. This book explains how the mind works and provides tremendous insight into the basis for decision making. It changed my way of thinking. The book helps you to understand the role of “fast” or system 1 thinking versus that of “slow” or system 2 thinking. In my line of work, system 2 must work at all times. The diversity of examples provided in this book is simply astounding. There is something for everyone in this book, which also happens to be very well-written and digestible.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
McCartney 3,2,1 on Hulu. This series follows casual musical conversation between Paul McCartney, formerly of the Beatles, and preeminent music producer Rick Rubin. It is inspiring to hear and see great minds exchange ideas and describe their processes. At its core, it comes down to simple ideas, passion, and relentless pursuit. It’s something we can all learn from and replicate in our daily lives.
Key learnings
- Build a team that reflects your approach to desired outcomes.
- Remain flexible and pivot as necessary to achieve results.
- Consistency of effort is the key to achieving outcomes as a successful entrepreneur.
- Speed does not equate with efficiency. More often than not, it is the opposite.