Architect My Business

Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Smita Sahoo— Owner, Founder, and Creative Director of āśaya | DESIGN.

In this episode, Aya and Smita discuss the intricacies of the business side of design and how creative thinking impacts overall business success. Smita goes into detail about her company's focus on emotions and thoughtfulness and highlights the importance of building strong networks and forming ethical partnerships, recognizing them as pivotal catalysts for success in the ever-evolving design industry.

She also shares her vision for the future, which includes collaborations in India and working with NGOs for rural development, women's education, and employment. Make sure you listen all the way through to learn more about the intersection of design and business!

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Smita Sahoo is Owner, Founder, and Creative Director of āśaya | DESIGN, a Chicago-based luxury interior design and architecture firm, with nearly 20 years of expertise in multifamily residential, commercial and hospitality design. Smita's passion lies in crafting spaces that foster deep emotional connections, starting with compelling design concepts tailored to her clients' goals.

Drawing from a diverse background in architecture, interior design, environmental psychology, and sustainability, her unique creations blend Western design innovations with timeless elements of the East. Through her firm, Smita aims to create projects that positively impact clients' brand equity while prioritizing economic, social, cultural, and environmental enrichment.

Smita actively contributes to Insightful Chicago and the University of Florida's Department of Interior Design's Advocacy board, sharing insights on design thinking, industry trends, mentorship, and EDI. She also supports SHaD (She Has a Deal), an organization promoting women in hotel and commercial real estate ownership.

Find out more about Smita at www.asayadesign.com/founder or connect with her on Instagram via @asaya.design.

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In this special episode, taken from Aya's talk at the Women Architects Festival, she shares her early career journey and the valuable insights she gained along the way. The episode delves deep into the fundamental principles that helped shape her success, emphasizing the significance of resilience, authenticity, and the courage to take risks. Drawing from personal experiences, she imparts practical tips on how to level up in both business and architecture as a woman, including four key strategies:

1. Acquire Knowledge
2. Build Relationships
3. It's not 'How' but 'Who'
4. Structure and Process

Be sure to listen all the way through to catch Aya's insightful answers from the engaging Q&A session. Discover her perspectives on investing in a business coach, finding the right collaborators, finding advisors to help you find your blind spots, and establishing healthy work-life boundaries.

Tune in to this episode to learn Aya's practical advice that can help you take your career to the next level and unlock your own path to success!

ABOUT WOMEN ARCHITECTS FESTIVAL:

The Women Architects Festival was a dynamic event held in May 2022 that catered to the specific needs and interests of the women in the architecture community. It covered a wide range of topics, including career development, motherhood, business growth, and working on construction sites. By showcasing the remarkable achievements of women who paved the way, the festival offered a glimpse of what was possible in architecture and beyond.

Attendees gained valuable insights and actionable strategies to foster their professional growth and sustain successful careers in architecture. The event fostered meaningful connections and provided an opportunity to network with like-minded individuals committed to supporting one another. The festival offered a collection of actionable workshops by inspiring speakers and a community specially curated for women in architecture.

Produced by Joann Lui, a licensed architect, brand designer, and personal brand strategist, the Women Architects Festival is more than just a virtual conference; it's a celebration of women in architecture, highlighting their successes and shared stories.

Find out more about the Women Architects Festival at www.womenarchitects.co or connect with Joann at www.joannlui.com.

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Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Sarah Wingo— Partner and Founding Principal of Wyn Design Co.

In this episode, Aya shares an engaging conversation with Sarah about the importance of mentorship, positive networking, and building relationships in the architecture industry. Sarah shares her experiences connecting with the community, mentoring the next generation of architects, and delves into the evolving nature of housing. As an entrepreneur, she also emphasizes the significance of having a partner and how this helped them overcome some pivotal moments in their business.

The episode also provides valuable insights into emotional intelligence and mentorship in leadership, work-life balance, and the importance of relationship-driven approaches in the architecture industry. Make sure to tune in for an engaging discussion on entrepreneurship and valuable tips for building lasting connections.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Sarah Wingo, AIA, NCIDQ is a licensed architect and licensed interior designer. She started Wyn Design Company in mid-2020 to fill a hole in the market of residentially-informed commercial spaces and hospitality-informed residential spaces. The firm became a partnership in late 2022 with past-colleague and long-time friend Ashley Kirkland. The two have aspirations for continued growth in the residential and boutique commercial design industry.

Sarah also teaches as an adjunct professor of interior architecture at The Corcoran (GWU) for both a Studio 4 course and Leadership in Design, a curriculum she designed to provide graduating students with the leadership skills needed to excel in the profession early in their careers. As a leadership skills advocate for all, especially students and emerging professionals, Sarah has served as AIAS National President, Chair of the AIA|DC Emerging Architects Committee, Chair of the DC Chapter of the Christopher Kelley Leadership Development Program and an incoming member of the Washington Architectural Foundation Board.

Find out more about Sarah at www.wyndesignco.com or connect with her on Instagram - @wyndesignco.

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Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with EunHea Kim— Owner and Principal Interior Designer of Pen110 Studio.

In this episode, Aya and Eunhea share a laid-back conversation about their experiences as women working in the fast-paced field of architecture and design. Considered a seasoned retail store designer, Eunhea delves into her retail job experience in different brands and discusses the pros and cons of working for large companies. She recounts her previous hectic life, how she suffered from burnout, and why she eventually decided to leave the retail corporate world. Eunhea also goes into detail about the value of work-life balance and setting boundaries to manage multiple projects without compromising leisure.

As a bonus for this episode, Aya and Eunhea outlines their takeaways from the ILC Indie ConFab in Austin, Texas, and shared an exclusive overview of the event. Make sure you listen all the way through to get an inside scoop!

ABOUT THE GUEST:

EunHea Kim is an interior designer with 15+ years of experience, previously working in-house at world-renowned luxury brands. Having honed her knowledge in integrating design and construction with brand growth strategies at both regional and global levels, she has gone on to build an extensive portfolio in boutique commercial, private, and creative projects. Today, she leads Pen110 Studio since 2016 with an eye for artful curation and confident storytelling, a rich sense of history, culture, and community—and the je n'ai ce quoi of being very New York.

As a self-taught artist in drawing and illustration, she finds as much beauty in the great histories of the world as she does in the small intricacies of everyday life—through the exploration of her personal artwork.

Find out more about Eunhae at www.pen110.com or connect with her on Instagram - @pen110.studio

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Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Jazz Smollet— producer, author, cook, interior designer, and co-host of CleoTV's Living by Design.

In this episode, Aya shares a candid conversation with multi-hyphenate female creative, Jazz, about motherhood, food, and the importance of storytelling in interior design. Jazz emphasizes how storytelling elevates a design and why she believes that getting to know her clients personally is the key to putting their vision into reality.

Described as an inherently crafty person, Jazz reveals more about her greatest influence growing up– her mom, and how her childhood nostalgia contributed to her modern yet practical design aesthetic. She also discusses the lifestyle series Living by Design, which she and her brother co-hosted, and how this show serves as a great platform to express their creativity and witness how design impacts people.

Known as a jack of all trades, Jazz gets asked quite frequently about how she handles multiple roles at once. Her secret? Listen to the entire episode to find out!

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Producer, author, cook, interior designer, and joy creator, Jazz Smollett is the ultimate millennial mom. Jazz serves as the lifestyle guru, designer, and cooking expert on Cleo TV's Living By Design. Now airing in its third season, Jazz serves as both co-host and co-executive producer.

Her first cookbook The Family Table: Recipes and Moments From A Nomadic Life, published by William Morrow Books for HarperCollins Publishing, includes more than 130 delicious, comforting recipes that pay tribute to the culture, past and present. She previously starred in Food Network's limited series, Smollett Eats.

She has appeared on The Today Show, The Chew, The Rachael Ray Show, The Real, The Dish On Oz, and Home and Family sharing design and cooking tips, to name a few. She can also be seen sharing recipes, lifestyle tips, conversations, and mom hacks on her social channels.

Jazz collaborated with Will Packer and Universal Pictures as content producers for the social media campaign and home entertainment creative content for the feature film Little. She was tapped again by Universal to serve as a behind-the-scenes Content Producer for the Jordan Peele film, Candyman. Jazz has also served as Executive Producer and showrunner for Urban One Honors and has produced several award shows, tv specials, and unscripted television shows.

Find out more about Jazz at www.jazzsmollett.com or connect with her on Instagram - @jazzsmollett

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Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Andrea Steele— founder and principal of Andrea Steele Architecture.

In this episode, Aya shares an insightful conversation with Andrea on building and strengthening human connections through sustainable architecture. Andrea also discusses her exciting journey to establishing a firm in New York City, how sustainability extends beyond the conservation of natural resources, and why it's essential for architects to challenge the norm and encourage greater accessibility in their projects.

Be sure to listen to the end of the episode to learn more about Andrea's thoughts on the business side of architecture, the value of client relationships in achieving an immersive design process, and what she enjoys doing in her leisure.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Andrea Steele has more than two decades of experience overseeing a wide range of complex urban design projects throughout the U.S. With a focus on institutional, cultural, and community-oriented architecture.

Before establishing Andrea Steele Architecture, a firm that grew out of TEN Arquitectos' New York office, where she served as partner and principal for more than 8 years, Steele practiced independently as Andrea Steele Architect.

She received her Master of Architecture from Harvard University's Graduate School of Design; has taught several architecture studios, including at Cornell University; and is the recipient of numerous awards, most recently a New York AIA honor award for the New York Public Library project on Manhattan's 53rd Street.

She lectures widely throughout the United States, is a frequent participant in academic juries, and serves as an advisor to the Urban Design Forum and Pioneer Works.

Find out more about Andrea Steele Architecture at www.asa-ten.com.

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"If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail."

Effective and realistic planning promotes continuous growth and brings us closer to success. In this year's special first episode, our very own Aya Shlachter will be speaking on how to set yourself up for success through planning.

In this episode, Aya will be sharing some practical tips on how she managed to accomplish her objectives in the past year and remained on track with her goals both personally and professionally amidst the pandemic. She will also talk about how she prepares for a possible recession and what has already helped her survive them as an entrepreneur who has been through two of them.

Make sure to listen all the way through to know what's in store for Architect My Life this year. Plan your 2023 with us and let's kick this new year off on the right foot!

BE PART OF THE PODCAST:

Do you have a question in mind? Send me your questions and I'll answer them on a podcast episode!

If you'd like to be a guest on Architect My Life, click HERE.

Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Michelle Kolbe, CCO, Co-Founder, and Head of Design of EvoDOMUS.

In this episode, Aya and Michelle take a trip down memory lane as they talk about Michelle's journey as an architecture major who traveled to Europe and how this opportunity exposed her to various experiences that soon served as a compass that helped her navigate her career life.

Michelle also discusses the idea behind the creation of EvoDomus, their design process when working on pre-fab homes, and how she handles tasks and the people on-site. On top of that, Michelle shares how she developed her business acumen, how she navigated their firm amidst the pandemic, and how one of the most crucial aspects of being a successful creative entrepreneur is understanding how to deal with challenging situations and clients.

Make sure to listen until the end of the episode to know more about Michelle's views on design, business, and work-life balance!

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Michelle Kolbe is the CCO, Co-Founder, and Head of Design of EvoDOMUS, a firm that specializes in the intersection of modern and green architecture. They create solid, warm homes for people who are environmentally aware and love modern architecture.

Michelle traveled to Europe after finishing her degree in architecture at Kent State University, gaining valuable international experience in residential, retail, and commercial design in both Germany and England. She collaborated with architect Arata Isozaki in his Berlin office in the mid-nineties, soaking up the vibrancy and excitement of the post-reunification era in this truly amazing city. After 17 years abroad, she returned to the US, bringing with her a wealth of experience in the fields of energy-efficient architectural design, client relations, and construction management. Her admiration of the clean lines of Bauhaus-inspired modernism coupled with contemporary materials, and advances in current building science, serve as a perpetual source of inspiration for her home designs.

Find out more about EvoDOMUS

www.evodomus.com

Instagram: @Evodomus

www.evo.supplies

Instagram: @Evodomus_kitchen_studio

BE PART OF THE PODCAST:

Do you have a question in mind? Send me your questions and I'll answer them on a podcast episode!

If you'd like to be a guest on Architect My Life, click HERE.

Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Evelyn Lee, Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation at Slack Technologies, founder of Practice of Architecture, and co-host of Practice Disrupted Podcast.

In this episode, Aya and fellow podcaster Evelyn delve into the intersection of architecture, technology, and innovation. Evelyn discusses her career pivot, how her extensive background in technology and design prompted her interest in business operations, and how she made the decision to support architects in expanding their expertise and offering new services in order to remain relevant and profitable in a rapidly evolving industry.

Evelyn also gives a short but sweet discussion about the topics of her most recent affiliation with LinkedIn's US Creator Accelerator Program where she publishes cross-disciplinary content focusing on business operations. Stick around until the end of the episode to know how she maintains a healthy work-life balance, and who she is outside of AIA, Slack, and Practice of Architecture.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Evelyn Lee, FAIA, is the first-ever Global Head of Workplace Strategy and Innovation at Slack Technologies, Founder of the Practice of Architecture, and Co-Host of the Podcast, Practice Disrupted. Lee integrates her business and architecture background with a qualitative and quantitative focus to build better experiences for the organization's employees, clients, and guests.

She is widely published, wrote a monthly column for Contract magazine for over three years, and is now a frequent contributor to Architect Magazine. Evelyn has received numerous industry awards, including the 2016 40 Under 40 award for Building Design + Construction and the 2014 AIA National Young Architects Award. She recently served as the first-ever female Treasurer to the AIA National Board in 2020-2021.

BE PART OF THE PODCAST:

Do you have a question in mind? Send me your questions and I'll answer them on a podcast episode!

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Your host, Aya Shlachter, talks with Aimon Ali, fashion entrepreneur, runway show producer, creative director, and founder of Fashion Talks.

In this episode, Aya and Aimon share a lovely conversation about Aimon's life as a creative entrepreneur in the fashion industry. Aimon discusses how her passion for fashion developed, her early creative endeavors, and how her familiarity with a busy lifestyle enabled her to manage time gracefully while having several commitments.

This episode also dives into Aimon's journey organizing her successful fashion runway event at the Cleveland Museum of Art, as well as the challenges she encountered and how she overcame them. Be sure to stick around until the end to know a fun fact hear the extended post-recording session where she shares her first NYC collaborative fashion event experience!

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Aimon Ali is a fashion entrepreneur as well as an experienced Fashion Runway Show Producer, Stylist, and Creative Director from Toronto, Canada. With 7+ years of experience in the Canadian Fashion Industry, she has done events in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Vancouver.

After her move to Cleveland, she started exploring the creative industry in Cleveland in search of the fashion she loved and was used to. She soon realized there was something missing. There were so many amazing creatives with some amazing work but no outlet when it came to elevated fashion.

So she made it her goal to bring elevated and diverse events and services to Cleveland. Events you don't have to think twice about before attending. Events based on quality, high fashion, and community.

HIGHLIGHTS & TIMESTAMPS:

00:00 Teaser and Intro

02:53 What sparked Aimon's interest in fashion

04:43 Aimon's early creative and fashion endeavors

06:20 From Psychology to Fashion

09:09 Behind the scenes of Fashion Talks' Runway Show in the Cleveland Museum of Art

15:30 Managing time and enjoying the 'busy life' doing what you love

19:00 Setbacks and challenges while organizing the fashion show at the CMA

23:19 Being authentic to attract people and build a solid network

25:55 What inspired her to pursue fashion entrepreneurship

28:00 When to take the "big leap"

28:55 Aya and Aimon's fun common interest!

32:57 Aimon's NYC event recap

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Do you have a question in mind? Send me your questions and I'll answer them on a podcast episode!

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