Designing a Life You Love with Dala of House of Form | EP 189

Get ready for Episode 189 of On the Delo as David DeLorenzo reconnects with designer and founder Dala for a real, behind-the-scenes conversation on motherhood, leadership, and building a boutique hospitality design firm that actually supports life outside of work. From early episodes recorded in a conference room to a thriving studio with 12 team members, Dala opens up about how becoming a mom, facing an early breast cancer diagnosis, and scaling House of Form have sharpened her focus on time, team, and purpose.Dala shares how “$1 tasks,” choosing CEO over designer, and building the right leadership layer allowed her to step out of the day-to-day and into higher-value work, all while expanding from food and beverage into hotels, multifamily, branding, retail, and events. The two dig into why thoughtful design is a business tool—not a luxury extra—for restaurants and hospitality concepts, plus how Off the Menu, her nonprofit for emerging F&B concepts, is now supporting founders across the country with mentorship and grants. If you’re a restaurateur, hospitality operator, or creative entrepreneur trying to grow without burning out, this episode delivers tactical insight, honest reflection, and plenty of laughs.Chapter Guide (Timestamps):(0:00 - 3:13) Four Years Later: Return to the Pod and Episode 189(3:14 - 8:45) From Two Employees to Twelve: Team Growth, New Verticals, and Culture at House of Form(8:46 - 16:55) Systems, AI, and One-of-One Design: How Dala Scales Creativity Without Losing Soul(16:56 - 22:30) Off the Menu and Early Detection: Nonprofit Impact and Dala’s Breast Cancer Journey(22:31 - 29:54) Projects, PV Mall, and A Week in the Life of a Mom-CEO(29:55 - 39:58) Travel, Calendars, Spa Dreams, and What Really Recharges Dala🌐Learn more about Dala and House of Form at https://houseofform.com.👉 If this conversation hit home, tap Subscribe for more real-world stories from hospitality pros, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders. 📲Share this episode with a restaurant or hospitality friend who needs a strategic design partner, and help grow this community of owners who care about both business and lifestyle.LINKS: Connect with DELO: https://linktr.ee/iamthedelo Grab DELO’s Free eBook: https://iamthedelo.com/3f-method-book DELO’s Preferred Business Service Partners: https://iamthedelo.com/connect Entrepreneur Community: https://www.builtdifferentcommunity.com Facebook: https://facebook.com/IAmTheDelo Instagram: https://instagram.com/iamthedelo LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/daviddelorenzo1 Restaurant Resources: https://www.runningrestaurants.com/subscribe DISCOUNT CODE: DeLo2025