Joppe Aguirre, Owner of Cascadia Tile Company, LLC in Bend, Ore., has known since graduating high school that he was in love with tile. “I’ve always enjoyed working with my hands and seeing a space come to life,” he said.
His career started in Central Oregon, with some time in Portland and the Bay Area, diving into high-end custom work and honing his skills in custom residential work. He returned to Bend in 2022 and established Cascadia Tile Company.
“What sets me apart is my focus on quality and craftsmanship, along with bringing that higher-end experience back to a smaller market,” he said. “I take a lot of pride in doing things the right way and creating something that lasts.”
His primary focus is on residential tile work—both new construction and remodels. “Recently, I’ve started incorporating mosaics into my projects, which has added a more artistic side to what I offer,” he added.
The value of NTCA
The same year he started Cascadia Tile Company, Aguirre signed on as an NTCA member to connect with like-minded people in the industry.
“I also really respect what the NTCA does, bringing education, training, and technical support to contractors. That kind of support is huge in helping raise the standard of our trade,” he said.
The biggest value for Aguirre has been the relationships he’s built through NTCA membership. “Being able to connect with other contractors, especially those with more experience on the business side, has been really helpful,” he explained. “It feels more like camaraderie than competition.”
Earning credentials
As a solo contractor, Aguirre has equipped himself with an array of industry credentials, including the Certified Tile Installer (CTI) credential and four ACT certifications: LFT, GPTP, Mud Walls, and Mud Floors. He’s on track to complete the remaining ACT certifications soon.
“I think certifications and continued training are important,” he said. “They help elevate the trade and show clients you’re serious about your craft.”
Combining art with technical excellence
In the summer of 2024, Aguirre took part in the Artisans Revolution in Tile (A.R.T.) training on creating hand-shaped mosaics, held in Milwaukee, Wis. In the fall of that year, he joined Angie Ré’s mosaic class in South Salt Lake, Utah, to expand his mosaic prowess. Before these classes, Aguirre had yearned to create mosaics, but wasn’t sure how to begin.
“Those classes gave me the confidence to start taking on that kind of work,” he said. “Since then, I’ve completed four mosaic projects, and I’m looking forward to doing a lot more.”
An important benefit of the classes has been the people he learned alongside. “I’ve made some great connections and friendships with others in the classes who are driven to keep learning and pushing themselves,” he noted.
Spanish-speaking community
Over the years, there have been efforts at NTCA to bring more visibility and support to Spanish-speaking contractors, who comprise roughly 1/3 of the U.S. tile contractor community.
This year at Coverings, NTCA’s Elena Grant brought together Spanish-speaking professionals for two discussion panels. Aguirre took part in the panel about continuing education and certifications in the tile trade, titled, “Educación, Certificación y Oportunidades en la Industria de la Loseta.”
“I was really honored to be part of it,” he said. “Over the years, I’ve noticed there aren’t many Spanish-speaking folks at these events and trainings. I don’t think it’s from a lack of interest; I think it’s more about not knowing these opportunities are out there.
“It’s great to see the NTCA putting in the effort to change that and bridge that gap. I’m looking forward to helping out more any way that I can with this effort in the future.”
Growing pains
Having a successful business grow to the point of expanding is a good problem to have—but it has its own set of challenges. For Aguirre, it’s a struggle to find the right employee who is motivated to learn and committed to quality work.
But Aguirre is optimistic about where things are headed. “I’m continuing to build my skills, expand into more custom work like mosaics, and slowly grow the business the right way,” he said.
Hands-on satisfaction
“The best part of being a tile contractor is getting to work with my hands and create something from start to finish,” Aguirre said. “Tile work has a lot of artistic elements—from layout to material choices—and that’s something I really enjoy.”
He credits adding mosaics to his work as elevating it even further. “Honestly, it reignited my passion for the trade,” he concluded.
Lesley Goddin has been writing and journaling since her first diary at age 11. Her journey has taken her through a career in publishing and publicity, landing her the editor position of TileLetter and its special publications in 2006. Her goal is to educate, inspire, recognize and encourage those in the tile industry -- especially the tile and stone contractor.
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