Armando DeDona

Long Live Beerworks

40R Sprague St., Providence, longlivebeerworks.com

Former profession: I worked for the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 for more than a decade.

Why go from bricks to beer? I made the career change because although bricklaying was familiar and I was good at it, I wanted to find more meaning in my life, and I decided a good income wasn’t enough. So I traded it for long hours and lots of hard work, stress and debt. Jokes aside, I’m proud of what we’re building.

How do your skills affect your brewing? I’ve always been comfortable building things with my own two hands. Working in a brewery means being on constant maintenance — and my previous experience has given me an invaluable knowledge base to tackle the day-to-day challenges that come my way.