We had the good fortune of connecting with Gerald Barksdale and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gerald, how would your deploy a million dollars, if you had to invest it right now?
If I had a million right now, I would buy 3-4 rental units outright, then do a cash-out refi at an amount that keeps the units cash flowing a little each month, and repeat that process as many times as I can to pick up the most number of rentals with the million.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Design Build | California is a unique family of companies serving San Diego & beyond. We offer the same Design Build services as the other companies in town, but we aren’t just one company, so we don’t carry that overhead. We bring the showroom to you, essentially, rather than having to charge our clients more to cover those expenses. I graduated from Auburn Architecture School in 2006, but ended up becoming a contractor in 2008. I did design-build for eight years before I decided to hang up the construction to return to full-time design. I completed my last official construction project in 2016. Knowing how things are built from hands-on experience is extremely valuable when designing new buildings. I am most proud of my ability to produce the same quality across all design styles. San Diego is a mix of just about every aesthetic there is and I’ve been lucky to have worked on them all. Modern design is the bulk of our work because that’s what most of our clients like and want, and there is a lot more room for wow-factor in modern homes, so that’s most of what you see from us. However, we have done quite a few projects in specific styles – Craftsman, Spanish, Victorian, etc. – that have come out just as stunning as the really modern projects. We make a conscious effort to display those as prominently as the modern projects so that our range can be seen. I think we stand apart pretty well as a design group that can handle any style any client may want. We’ve learned pretty much every lesson there is to learn. We know what not to repeat and how to react to red flags. Every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow and we’ve done very well over the years to learn these lessons and not repeat mistakes. We’ll never stop learning…

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
For me, it’s the water. I have a boat. If the weather is nice, which it typically is, it’s crab cakes at Bluewater Boathouse and dinner at Hilton Mission Bay. Maybe a stop in at Barefoot bar. The best shots of the skyline are from the bay. Can’t wait for the new thing they’re building to be completed. They’ll have a dock and several restaurants to check out. Something about going to a restaurant by boat that elevates the whole experience. If it’s summer, we’d catch a Padres game. Assuming the world isn’t on lockdown, of course. Eddie Vs in La Jolla is one of my favorites, both food and views. Maybe a hike at Torrey Pines. Drinks at Top of the Hyatt. Hang out at Rustic Root, the rooftop at Andaz, The Nolen. Maybe a nightclub, depending on the friend. Track down the Taco Love food truck for some Chicken Adobada (?) tacos. Best in the world.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Balentine Consulting & Citrine Build Group. Balentine is my business partner and handles all of the technical aspects of what we do. Citirne Build Group is pretty much our only contractor. They knock it out of the park every time. Since we aren’t under the same umbrella, but rather a family of companies, we offer the Design Build experience without all of the overhead and added cost.

Website: designbuild-ca.com
Instagram: designbuild_california