221: James Fung | Path to Ownership

Today we welcome James Fung, Principal Designer and owner of NB Design Group based in Seattle, Washington. In this episode, James shares his journey of design from architecture to interior design using an effective process of elimination. We also discuss the unexpected opportunity for ownership of a legacy studio brand and how James and his business partner, Whitney, navigated the path to ownership and what they learned about each other and the ownership side of the business. James is also an executive board member of the Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance, and he shares with us the intention of the organization and how they support the rise and visibility of design professionals. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS James shares how his early interest in creative expression, paired with a process of elimination, ultimately led him from architecture to interior design. He reflects on how his architecture education continues to shape his work, from understanding space and history to communicating ideas through hand drawings. James discusses his early career experience in New York City and how working in a small, high-end residential firm became a practical masterclass in the business of design. He shares the story of joining NB Design Group in 2013 and later navigating the opportunity to take ownership of the legacy firm with his business partner, Whitney Mayhara. James explains the importance of building a trusted support team when evaluating a business transition, including attorneys, administrative support, and experienced family members. He and Rick explore what makes a strong business partnership, including shared values, different personalities, constant collaboration, and a commitment to putting the business first. James introduces the Asian American Pacific Islander Design Alliance, also known as AAPIDA, and discusses its mission to elevate AAPI voices and designers of color within the design industry. He shares why partnership, community, mentorship, and emotional security are essential to long-term survival and success in the design business. NOTABLE QUOTES "I lean on that architecture experience and that schooling every single day at work." "The things that stress me out tends to not stress her out and vice versa." "When we say collaboration, it really is, in some ways, it's like almost too much collaboration." "I think any type of partnership that is rooted in respect and rooted in wanting to make the business better, so whether that's a mentor or even like a CFO or an advisor, those types of collaborative relationships is essential in what we do." SUPPORTING RESOURCES NB Design Group Website: https://www.nbdesigngroup.net/ NB Design Group Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nbdesigngroup/ James Fung Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jameskfung/ AAPIDA Website: https://aapida.com/ AAPIDA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aapi_designalliance/ SPONSOR LINKS Design Manager / Design Spec: https://designspec.com/survivalguide Interior Design Society: https://interiordesignsociety.org/