In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Molly Dalsin, founder of Mesh Architecture, about building a practice rooted in human-centered design, community connection, and long-term impact. As an architect, educator, and researcher, Molly weaves teaching, research, and practice together—using each to inform and strengthen the others.

Molly describes her firm in three words: human, interconnected, impact. That philosophy shapes how Mesh Architecture approaches housing, social spaces, and community-focused work. Rather than treating architecture as a finished object, Molly views it as a cultural output—one shaped through collaboration, research, and open exchange of ideas. Her practice prioritizes doing more with less, responding thoughtfully to context, and designing spaces that serve people beyond a single project or moment.

Molly’s bird archetype is the Weaverbird, a symbol of resourcefulness, interconnection, and legacy. Like a weaverbird crafting intricate nests from found materials, Molly builds her practice by gathering insights from teaching, research, and community engagement—creating work that is both resilient and meaningful. Throughout the conversation, she shares how networking, inviting dialogue, and rethinking traditional business models allow solo practitioners to expand their impact without building large teams.

Her story offers a grounded reminder that solopreneur architects don’t have to work in isolation to make a difference. By weaving together relationships, ideas, and disciplines, even a small practice can create architecture that endures—strengthening communities and shaping the future one thoughtful strand at a time.

1. Website: Mesh Architecture
2. University of Minnesota: Molly Dalsin

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website.

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Elizabeth Turner, founder of Precipitate, a specialty architecture and consulting firm focused on passive house design, energy modeling, and performance-driven research. Elizabeth’s practice operates at the intersection of academia, community engagement, and real-world building outcomes. She pairs research with practice to create lasting buildings and infrastructure in our communities.

Elizabeth’s practice mirrors a Honeyguide, a small African bird known for its remarkable symbiotic relationship with humans. The honeyguide can locate wild beehives, but it cannot open them alone. Instead, it guides people to the hive, relying on collaboration to access the reward. In return, both benefit from the sweetness inside. This partnership, built on trust, signaling, and shared purpose, reflects Elizabeth’s approach to practice. She doesn’t work in isolation. She guides students, research teams, communities, and partner firms toward opportunities they could not reach alone.

Throughout the conversation, Elizabeth shares her journey of stepping away from traditional firm structures to build a hybrid practice. Her balance of grant writing, mentorship, and community-centered design has advanced her specialty in sustainability. She talks about the fear and uncertainty that comes from forging a new paths—and the freedom that follows when architects follow their curiosities. Through collaboration, Elizabeth has expanded her impact. She works on meaningful, large-scale initiatives while remaining a small, specialized firm.

Three takeaways resonate with Elizabeth’s Honeyguide practice: the power of collaboration as a professional strength rather than a compromise; the courage required to move forward despite uncertainty; and the role of generosity in building lasting community impact. Elizabeth’s story challenges the myth that solo practitioners must work small or alone. Instead, her work shows how guiding others, sharing knowledge, and connecting disciplines can create healthier buildings, stronger communities, and a more resilient future for the profession.

Precipitate: Architecture Planning Research

1. Website: Precipitate
2. Instagram: @precipitate
3. Facebook: Precipitate PLLC
4. LinkedIN: Precipitate

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website.

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Cheryl Fosdick, founder of CF Design. Cheryl brings a deep passion for storytelling to her work, designing spaces shaped by Great Lakes landscapes and the nuanced use of light that transforms how people experience their homes.

Cheryl practices in Duluth, MN. A city that invites people to enjoy the outdoors, even through the long freezing winters. She describes the unique connection between water and light, weather, and seasonality that shape the way people live and dwell. Her approach to architecture is thoughtful and unhurried. Each project begins with listening—to the land, to the client, and to the quiet cues that define a specific place. Cheryl describes herself as an “architect of a specific place,” designing homes that feel adventurous, enduring, and yet, invite the homeowner to be at ease.

Cheryl’s practice can be seen in the common loon—an iconic bird in Minnesota. The lon has an unmistakable silhouette and haunting call that echoes across open water. Its essence represents calm confidence, deep awareness, and lasting memory. Like the loon, Cheryl’s work doesn’t demand attention. It draws people in. It creates presence. It invites them to stay.

Throughout the conversation, Cheryl shares her journey of establishing a practice, navigating the architecture profession as a serial entrepreneur, and remaining deeply engaged in her community. She reflects on patience as a professional strength, adaptability as a creative tool, and the importance of understanding both site and story. The episode concludes with thoughtful advice for architects and designers seeking to build meaningful, place-based practices of their own.

1. Website: CF Design
2. Instagram: @cfdesignltd
3. Facebook: CF Design LTD
4. Lighting Studio: LUMstudio

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website.

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Sara Imhoff, founder of Imprint Architecture, who designed her firm around personal connections and thoughtful design. After founding Imprint Architecture with her husband in 2008, they have experienced steady, intentional growth. Across residential and commercial work, Sara leads with relationships first, allowing design to grow from trust and understanding.

Sara’s business is like a Bowerbird. Rather than hunting for connections, the bowerbird carefully curates its environment, shaping a setting that attracts the right partner. That same philosophy defines Sara’s work. She doesn’t chase clients through loud marketing or rapid expansion. Instead, she attracts them by being clear about who she is, how she works, and what she values. Every project is carefully composed through light, geometry, and detail, leaving a lasting imprint on the lives of the people who inhabit those spaces. And each project earns a name that expresses its unique story.

Throughout the conversation, Sara reflects on her personal journey as a firm owner, sharing how her desire to “do her own design work” evolved into a practice built on trust, empathy, and long-term relationships. She describes growth not as a sudden leap, but as a series of thoughtful baby steps. She creates chemistry in professional relationships by taking the time to truly understand people’s stories. Sara transforms stories into projects and projects into partnerships and partnerships into enduring connections.

Sara’s bowerbird leaves listeners with three key aspects of a relationship centric practice: the importance of imagining what’s possible before taking action; the value of investing in authentic client relationships; and the power of implementing change through deliberate, incremental steps. Together, these ideas form the rhythm of Imprint Architecture’s guiding words: imagine, implement, imprint. Sara’s story offers a quiet but powerful reminder that architecture isn’t just about what we build, but about the environments, relationships, and identities we shape along the way.

1. Website: Imprint Architecture + Design LLC
2. Instagram: @imprint.architecture
3. Facebook: Imprint Architecture + Design, LLC
4. Pinterest: imprintarchitecture

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website.

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Andrea Hammel-Wollak, co-founder of HW² Design, about building a highly strategic, efficient architecture practice rooted in adaptability, collaboration, and good design for everyone. Andrea runs a two-person firm with her husband, John, and together they have spent over twelve years refining a way of working that pairs thoughtful design with practical execution.

Andrea describes her firm in three words: “Good design for everyone, adaptable, flexible.”

That philosophy shapes every project they take on. HW² Design focuses on creating spaces that are buildable, functional, and carefully considered—often working with small business owners, restaurants, and clients who need smart solutions rather than flashy excess. Their work blends aesthetics with logistics, ensuring each project functions as a true workhorse for the people who use it.

Andrea’s bird archetype is the Raven, a symbol of intelligence, strategy, and collaboration. Ravens are known for using tools and working alongside wolves to achieve shared goals. In Andrea’s practice, that collaboration shows up through strong contractor relationships, quick communication, and a deep respect for the expertise of others. Rather than working in isolation, Andrea stays fully engaged with builders and consultants, keeping projects moving forward through clarity, trust, and responsiveness.

Throughout the conversation, Andrea shares how her entrepreneurial upbringing shaped her comfort with uncertainty, how she leverages technology and systems to run an efficient firm, and how she built her business around her family so she can stay present both at work and engaged in her kid’s activities.. Her story offers a grounded reminder that success as a solopreneur doesn’t require being louder or bigger—just smarter, more intentional, and quick to communicate.

HW² Design

1. Website: HW² Design
2. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hw2design
3. Facebook: HW2 Design + Architecture, llc

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website.

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Heather Rose Dunning, founder of Yellow Dog Studio, about building a design practice rooted in excellence, trust, and precision. Heather is a serial entrepreneur who has launched and led multiple design firms by assembling highly specialized, high-performing teams that integrate seamlessly with their clients.

Heather describes her firm in three words: “Just the A-Team.”

That clarity shows up in every aspect of her work. Rather than spreading herself thin, Heather builds focused teams of designers, architects, engineers, and contractors who are selected specifically for each project. Every engagement stays in the hands of the people best equipped to deliver results.

Heather’s bird archetype is the Falcon — a symbol of focus, speed, and purpose. Like a falcon trained by a falconer, Heather’s teams wait for the right target before taking flight. When they move, they do so with confidence and precision, becoming a trusted extension of their client’s organization.

Throughout the conversation, Heather shares how her businesses are shaped by her personal values, how she embeds herself deeply within client teams, and why trust — not transaction — is the foundation of long-term success.

Yellow Dog Studio

• Website: Yellow Dog Studio
• Instagram: @yellow_dog_studio
• Facebook: Yellow Dog Studio

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. 

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

Joy Martin’s story and architecture firm show remarkable resilience. Like the European Starling thriving far from its origins, Joy has navigated moves across the country and built a small, multi-state practice through seasons of change and personal loss. The starling’s ability to adapt to new climates and contexts mirrors Joy’s journey, learning new rhythms, forming new roots, and thriving in unfamiliar places.

Starlings are best known for their mesmerizing murmurations, thousands of birds moving together, responding to one another to form living shapes in the sky. That same spirit defines Joy’s approach to design. Her process is collaborative, fluid, and deeply attentive, allowing projects to evolve through shared momentum rather than top-down direction. By empowering her team and cultivating trust, Joy built a firm capable of continuing even when she needed to step away, proving that collaboration creates lift.

Joy describes how her own experience in professional practice shaped the culture and structure of her firm. Her team fills in the gaps, responding to one another and to client needs with clarity and care. By being attentive, supportive, and intentional, Joy empowers team members to step into leadership roles when needed, taking ownership and rising to responsibilities they feel called to carry. For solopreneurs and small-firm leaders, this episode is a reminder that adaptability, collaboration, and trust can create practices that are not only resilient, but capable of moving together with grace.

Joy Architecture + Interior Design

• Website: Joy Architecture + Interior Design
• Instagram: @joyarchitecture
• Facebook: Joy Martin Architecture
• Pinterest: JoyArchitecture

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. 

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of Flying Solo, Katie Kangas speaks with Minnesota architect Heather Whalen, founder of Reviver Architecture and Development. After nearly three decades in practice, Heather launched Reviver to refocus her energy on hospitality design and the renewal of existing and historic buildings. Like a Barred Owl (wise and aware) Heather provides thoughtful leadership in her work. She listens closely, studies the subtleties of a site or building, and guides clients through complex redevelopment decisions with calm, steady confidence.

Heather and Katie discuss how beginning a firm later in her career created both clarity and strength in her practice. Years of working with aging buildings helped Heather recognize the hidden risks and quiet opportunities that others often overlook. Instead of rushing toward solutions, she enters every client conversation with intentional curiosity—listening for motivations, anxieties, and aspirations that shape the heart of a project. This practice of deep listening positions Heather not only as an architect, but as a trusted guide. Her ability to read a site, understand a client’s language, and foresee potential challenges supports clients through intricate adaptive-reuse decisions. Alongside this, Heather emphasizes the importance of community, collaboration, and learning from the broader ecosystem of solopreneurs. A reminder that even independent practitioners thrive when surrounded by a strong, supportive network.

Katie highlights three key takeaways from Heather’s Barred Owl practice: the power of deliberate awareness developed through years of experience; the discipline of listening deeply before acting; and the quiet leadership that builds trust through steadiness rather than speed. These traits mirror the Level 5 leadership traits described Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great. Great leaders are humble, focused, and anchored by a clear professional will. Heather’s story shows how architects can guide clients through uncertainty, revive existing spaces with intention, and shape a practice rooted in wisdom.

Reviver Architecture & Development

• Website: Reviver Architecture & Development
• Instagram: @reviver.design 

Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram, where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. 

Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas explores the many ways architects define their practice and how those paths shift when working independently. It starts by questioning the traditional roles in the profession—are architects problem-solvers, designers, preservationists, or business leaders? In truth, the answer is “all of the above.” Drawing from her own journey, Katie reflects on how the skills of an architect extend far beyond design to include marketing, client management, contracts, and the realities of running a business. This wide range of responsibilities becomes even more pronounced when you’re flying solo.

Katie then introduces the triangle of traditional practice, a familiar model where principals lead, project managers coordinate, and emerging professionals execute the day-to-day work. Drawing on Rena Klein’s An Architect’s Guide to Small Firm Management, she outlines three staffing models: the obtuse triangle of efficiency, the balanced equilateral triangle, and the expertise-driven narrow triangle. While these structures provide stability, what might happen if instead of being grounded in tradition, an architect could adapt and fly. Solopreneurs aren’t confined by hierarchy—they shape their practices around their own strengths, visions, and goals.

Through vivid bird metaphors, Katie illustrates how solo architects carve their niches. Some resemble songbirds, thriving on referrals and moving fluidly from project to project. Others adopt the flair of peacocks, cultivating a distinct style that attracts clients through visibility and recognition. Still others build expertise like toucans breaking through the tough shells of RFPs, or herons who know their geography and seize opportunities when they surface. Specialists might fly like hummingbirds, bringing a light but brilliant touch to many projects, or like falcons, honing in on a single project type with fierce focus. Each bird archetype reflects a different path for shaping a solo practice.

Katie concludes by encouraging listeners to consider their own flight path. Flying solo means deciding what strengths to leverage, what clients to serve, and what projects to pursue. With that clarity comes faster decisions, clearer referrals, and a stronger direction for growth. As she reminds listeners, “form follows flight”—and there is no single way to practice architecture. The possibilities are as limitless as the sky, and this podcast offers stories and strategies to inspire architects to shape practices that are both sustainable and deeply personal.

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group. Mark R. Page, founder of EntreArchitect and Gabl Media, has been building a community of small firm architects who are having tough conversations to improve their professional practice and live their best life every day.

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas sits down with New Jersey architect Vin Minkler, who has spent nearly a decade refining his solo practice. Vin has shaped his business around serving middle-class clients through smaller residential projects, managing dozens of remodels and additions at a time. Like a puffin—diving into the waves and catching multiple fish with its serrated beak—Vin keeps a tight hold on every project while balancing efficiency, quality, and client engagement.

Throughout the conversation, Vin shares the systems that allow him to manage such a high volume of work without losing focus on what matters most: his clients. He emphasizes the power of keeping things simple, leaning on tools like a whiteboard to track projects at a glance, and maintaining a running record of past zoning and code research to build on prior work. His “KISS” approach—Keep it Simple, Silly—reminds solo practitioners that even with repetitive projects, it’s essential to find one anchor point that keeps the design process personal and connected. For Vin, redrawing the building section provides that meaningful touchpoint.

Katie highlights three key takeaways from Vin’s practice: the importance of visible, low-tech systems like a whiteboard; the value of documenting past research to streamline future work; and the discipline of staying connected to the unique conditions of each project. Vin communicates promptly to clients because, “It’s better to say something than to say nothing.” While not every architect is built to manage dozens of projects simultaneously, Vin’s puffin-like persistence demonstrates how thoughtful systems and clear values can create a lean, client-focused practice. His insights offer inspiration for solopreneurs looking to balance structure, efficiency, and meaningful design in their own work.

Minkler Architecture & Design

• Website: www.minklerarchitecture.com
• Instagram: @minklerarchitecture
• www.facebook.com/MinklerArchitectureandDesign

To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group. Mark R. Page, founder of EntreArchitect and Gabl Media, has been building a community of small firm architects who are having tough conversations to improve their professional practice and live their best life every day.