Leader Spotlight Series: Gabe Tavas, Co-Founder of Symmetry Wood
Jacinta Gordon | Nov 27, 2024.
Introducing 2024 Wild Gift Fellow, Gabe Tavas—an environmentalist, entrepreneur, designer, and the co-founder and CEO of Symmetry Wood. Symmetry Wood is dedicated to reducing the 2.1 billion tons of CO2 emissions from rainforest degradation and protecting the third of tree species currently at risk of extinction, with their innovative synthetic wood, Pyrus™.
Gabe Tavas, Co-Founder of Symmetry Wood and current Wild Gift Fellow.
This blog feature screams of creativity and world-changing innovation! Symmetry’s product, Pyrus™, is a synthetic wood made from bacterial nanocellulose generated from organic waste—in this case, Kombucha waste! While other types of organic waste could also be used, being based in LA gives Gabe and his team access to an abundant supply of Kombucha waste, making it the ideal choice. Curious about how Symmetry Wood makes wood from Kombucha? Read more in this Arch Daily article.
We caught up with Gabe to learn how he became the great leader he is today and to hear about what’s new and exciting at Symmetry Wood…
WG: Tell us about Symmetry’s most recent accomplishment and the upcoming concert…
G: After several years of prototyping and a move from Chicago to Los Angeles, our team has succeeded in installing the first Pyrus™ fretboard into a professional classical guitar. Fretboards are usually made with endangered ebony and rosewood. Having Pyrus™ stand in for them marks the first time that we have meaningfully demonstrated the material as an alternative. The guitar will be played by singer Irene Diaz during a live concert on December 10, 2024 to a live audience at the Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI). In-person attendees can register at pyrusmusicpremiere.eventbrite.com.
Musical Premiere of Pyrus™, Wood from Food Waste (Ft. Irene Diaz)
@ Los Angeles Cleantech Incubator (LACI) | Dec 10, 6-8 pm
WG: What are you currently working on or excited about with your venture?
G: I am currently improving and preparing to scale the production of our wood, Pyrus™, in Los Angeles. I am also reaching out to potential customers, looking for new opportunities to sell the material as a replacement for endangered tropical hardwoods and plastics.
WG: How did the Wild Gift Fellowship help in your journey as an entrepreneur?
G: Frankly, I would caution most people against trying entrepreneurship. The work can be incredibly challenging and isolating, especially with any added anxiety from the outside world. Being in Wild Gift helped me counteract the intense stimuli by guiding me to peace and clarity about my leadership approach, my values, and my motivations. Also, perhaps just as important, Wild Gift connected me into a like-minded, caring community that I will cherish for life.
WG: Was there a specific problem or challenge that the Fellowship helped you gain clarity on?
G: In some ways, I was at an emotional crossroads leading up to the trek. I was asking myself if entrepreneurship was the best route for my aspirations given all of the difficulties that had come up on my journey. I arrived at a resounding yes. After the Fellowship, I hold no doubts that I am on the right track, even if that means I live a different lifestyle and outlook from most people. If nothing else, I can at least relate to others in the Wild Gift community.
WG: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since your fellowship?
It's never too early to start relationships with potential customers and collaborators. That critical task can take as much time, if not more, to nurture as product/technical development. Also, when choosing teammates, especially early in a business's development, I have learned to look for people with a track record closely tied to the company's mission. Those are the folks most likely to endure struggles alongside me. My Symmetry co-founder, Tim Keating, is the best example: he spent 30+ years before meeting me working to reduce the use of tropical hardwood in the U.S.
WG: What are some of the biggest lessons you’ve learned since your fellowship?
Tim (co-founder) and I will be refining and scaling up production of our Pyrus™ fretboards, in addition to raising more funding and starting other engineering initiatives. I also expect to complete my transition to Los Angeles, after visiting the city on monthly stints over the past year for Symmetry.
It's always a pleasure chatting with Gabe and hearing about the exciting plans he has for Symmetry Wood. If you're interested in staying updated or supporting Gabe and the Symmetry team, follow their journey on Instagram @symmetry_wood, on LinkedIn, and by visiting https://symmetrywood.com/.
Thanks for reading the Leader Spotlight segment of the Wild Gift Blog! If you are a Wild Gift Alumni and want to be featured, please email jacinta@wildgift.org.