I’m Jamie Olinghouse, born in 1976 and raised in Michigan, where I spent much of my working life in construction, fabrication, blacksmithing, and a 15 year career as a Union Ironworker. I am also a US Marine Corp Veteran serving post-Gulf War era. I’ve always gravitated toward work that’s physical and honest—running machinery, using tools, creating with my hands, and riding motorcycles as a way to stay connected to motion and mechanics. A few years ago, I came to Costa Rica to step away from the familiar and change my surroundings, not to search for easy answers but to reset my perspective outside the gravity of my normal life. What I discovered was how placing yourself in an unfamiliar environment with real growth potential can reignite a sense of purpose and creative clarity you didn’t realize you’d lost. Leaving my career wasn’t about escaping work; it was about committing more deeply to it—on my own terms—and bringing my clients ideas to reality through authenticity and craftsmanship. I am now living here and preparing for a workshop to continue The Iron Laboratory, focused on custom furnishings and motorcycles built with intention, restraint, and respect for the craft.