When talking with Melissa Swan of Tilevita in Indian Harbour Beach, FL, it is utterly apparent she has a passion for working in the tile industry. “This is my life’s work,” she said. “It’s all I am going to do with my life. This is what I started doing right out of college, and this is probably the most important thing I will do with my life. I really realized that, solidly, when I was in my mid-thirties – when you start to get to that age where you are growing up and starting to think about life -- and thinking long term. I decided tile was going to be it.”

Swan shaved some time out during Coverings to sit down with TILE to discuss her love for the trade and her experiences in the industry. She also shared a little of her personal side with us, as she is a part-time firefighter with the Union Harbour Beach fire department.

During the chat with TILE, Swan described it as a privilege to work in people’s homes. “It is their personal space,” she said. “I get to put my heart and soul into any project. Every project is one of my kids. You meet people in their most vulnerable place and they trust you. I take it very seriously. The best part of the job is you have a sense of completion.”

Becoming a Certified Tile Installer (CTI) was a life-changing event for Swan. She explained that at the time, she was only the eighth female to be certified. Currently, there are nine women CTIs. Moreover, Swan dedicates time to train other tile installers. She is subcontracted by the National Tile Contractors Association (NTCA) as a technical trainer for their workshops, which are offered across the U.S. If you would like to learn more about what Swan had to say, watch this video.