204: Kaitlyn Wolfe | Trust the Process

Today we welcome Kaitlyn Wolfe, Founder and Principal Designer of her namesake design and construction studio based in Phoenix, Arizona. In this episode, Kaitlyn shares her multifaceted business model, her intention behind bringing construction services into the mix, and her approach to building a diverse team of leaders to support the brand. We also discuss her perspective on mindset and comparison, and how expanding one and limiting the other creates room for innovation, growth, and creativity.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

• How Kaitlyn built a hybrid design-build firm and the importance of clearly defined processes for each
• The evolution of her business from solo design-build to a team of 30 with multiple divisions
• The mindset shift needed to scale a business and empower team leaders
• How she approaches the design process with construction costs in mind to manage expectations and budgets
• The origin of her retail concept "Shop My Warehouse" and her philosophy on curated, intentional materials
• Launching her own furniture and lighting line, and how travel inspires her product collections
• The importance of staying true to your "why" when making business decisions
• Why mindset is Kaitlyn's ultimate key to survival in the design business

NOTABLE QUOTES

• "Just make it exist, and then we'll make it perfect over time."
• "It's like falling in love with a wedding dress you can't afford."
• "There's way more differences than there are similarities between a design process and a construction process."
• "Finding the confidence to delegate allows the business to grow and allows you to continue to be in your zone of genius."

SUPPORTING RESOURCES

• Kaitlyn Wolfe Instagram: @kaitlynwolfe__
• Kaitlyn Wolfe Website: kaitlynwolfe.com

SPONSOR LINKS

• Design Manager
• Design Biz Retreat + Business of Interiors Community Summit