We recently connected with Erike De Veyra and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Erike thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Ever since I was in architecture school, my true north and philosophy on design has always been: design should be accessible to everyone. Fast forward to 2020, I’m almost three years into a dream job I didn’t know existed and had worked towards for almost a decade. It was the fourth (business) day into the lockdown in Philly, my partner and I have our kindergartener and 1.5 year old set up with activities next to our laptops as we work. I have a meeting that afternoon with an architect to work on grant-funded exhibition, so I’m finishing up a task thinking “what do I need to prep” and then the phone rings. It was midday, and I was told I had to be let go because event space revenue was not going to cover my salary. Two of us were let go that day. My first reaction–relief. I did not have to juggle the kiddos and work any longer. Then I cried. I gave myself (a month of) grace, then like any designer, I took pen to paper and started sketching out what I wanted to do next. My oldest child told me, “Mama, you should be a boss or a pastry chef,” the latter was because I made egg-less chocolate cupcakes for almost every birthday they could remember. Between my “living” sketch and my “school not school” days with my children, I set out to develop a “design studio for the non-designer,” providing access to the design industry and expanding representation in architecture, fashion design, graphic design, interior design, textile design, and more. Exposure to all ages, of all design experiences–the design curious, the design enthusiast, the design converted, and the design professional. All people being being able to experience design through tools, workshops, and experiences to become stewards, or students) of design. I continued developing the concept of this studio on my own and then further into graduate school in Chicago, and that company has (officially) been Design Gym since late 2022.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am a daughter of Filipino immigrant parents with two other siblings, born in Australia, lived in four countries (different continents), and when university was the next chapter I transplanted from Humble, Texas to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. When I decided to pursue architecture for my undergraduate studies, it was never to be an architect, I wanted to become a set designer for theatrical productions. I did not go down that route because I found out the journey to become a licensed architect and wanted to help all students along their journey and experience more than just studio work. Then, I graduated in 2009, a challenging to find architecture jobs, graduates before my year were being laid off, and I wanted to be sure of my future. I decided on architecture-adjacent work (I worked for the federal government working on renovation and alteration projects) that allowed me to use my degree and skills to learn on the job, and eventually return to architecture. Since I wasn’t in architecture, I stayed involved in the industry by participating in the American Institute of Architects Philadelphia Chapter and the Center for DesignPhiladelphia (formerly the Center for Architecture and Design) volunteering for architecture and design events, committees, and boards. While I found myself working for small and medium firms, I was able to flex my leadership and experience design skills to manage a team of leaders providing programming for emerging architectural professionals for professional development, networking, and community service. After serving on a committee for the oldest design festival in the country, DesignPhiladelphia, and understanding its origins from its founder during a storytelling event I figured out what I wanted to be when “I grew up.” When the opportunity arose to manage DesignPhiladelphia, it was my opportunity to converge all my worlds together–a designer, the design industry, and the general public. It was the true test to see how my skills would translate in a non-architecture, non-profit platform. I enjoyed every minute of it launching design exhibitions, youth-oriented programming, and developing design competitions and collaborations.

At Design Gym, we educate through design workshops and experiences that connect non-designers with designers, demystifying design. Our expertise, we design and manage events, projects, and programs for clients who need additional support, strategy, or both!

We take a design thinking, visual, and thoughtful approach to solving clients’ challenges or developing their initiatives, whether it’s a competition, an event, a social media strategy, creating a course, temporary installations and activations, or a poster. We use the same process to solve your challenge best that you can implement or sustain. We also love a challenge and being given the chance to flex our own creativity even further.

Designers are problem solvers and consider almost every aspect of a design solution for any challenge. Their expertise is invaluable, and most are usually collaborative, which comes at a cost–time, money, and scope. When you decide to engage a designer(s), consider bringing clarity, understanding, and kindness into the working relationship, so don’t disregard that discovery call and their questions. We love asking questions, just like anyone else, and it helps us navigate through your concerns and the hidden corners of your project.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

In the midst of the pandemic, I figured I was going to eventually get back to a “9 to 5” working for another entity. I was submitting cover letters and resumes and even scheduling interviews. I distinctly remember getting emotional during a second interview (it was July 2020) because I was giving it my all, knowing that if it was offered to me, I was going to decline it because of our family situation–virtual school, and all the things during that time–I wasn’t going back to the “9 to 5” life. As my kindergartener was wrapping up the school year, the school district was sending out surveys on how to address the 2020-2021 academic year. After reading through them and having the time to answer all the questions, including the consideration for outdoor learning spaces that I was already thinking about as an architecture professional; I reached out to the Community Design Collaborative, where I volunteered my expertise on pre-design architecture projects for community organizations. I sent a simple email asking if there was a project around the school survey I, and other school district parents, were receiving since it was heavily focused on space. The following week they said there might be a potential project and asked if I would consider managing it if there was funding. I was a full-time parent and not employed, so I said, “Sure, I would do that!” The following week, they contacted me that they had funding and wanted to get started. I started working on a program brief for an outdoor learning spaces design competition in late July 2020, my first client. In February 2021, I began services for a second client who then gave me a program to develop two months later (they’re still presently a client). I shared a reflection on that experience that summer, and my third client came along. Three and a half years later (and a master’s degree in design thinking and entrepreneurship), I’m finally developing Design Gym programs, designing experiences, and continuing to engage with prospective projects that help us provide access and demystify design.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Design Gym was a whole pivot in my career and life. I think I always knew that I would end up working for myself or alongside partners. I just didn’t have a clue when it would be, I honestly didn’t think it would be this soon in my life. One thing is for sure, I don’t want to do this work on my own. I have dreams of building a team and engaging with their interests and expertise, as well as how it fits within Design Gym (or not). In order to do that, I have been thoughtful in engaging clients so that I can build out Design Gym and work towards expanding the team and expertise in varied disciplines. To be selective with projects is very challenging and it makes me anxious to give up steady cash flow for calculated uncertainty because I know I am looking farther into the distance of Design Gym’s growth.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.designgym.co/
• Instagram: @designgym.co
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designgym.co/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/design-gym
• Other: Founder: https://creativemornings.com/individuals/edeveyra https://www.linkedin.com/in/erike-h-de-veyra/

Image Credits
Headshot of Erike: Arekusn DesignPhiladelphia Designer Spotlight conversation between Erike and Karina Puente: Joseph Kaczmarek Reserved for PARK(ing) DAY Philadelphia: Kendon Photography Design A Doodad, closeup of workshop attendee designing beer can label: Arekusn Design A Doodad, Erike is standing explaining further designing a beer can label by a table filled with adult designers: Arekusn PARK(ing) DAY Philadelphia After-Party, standing at the podium: Kendon Photography Erike being interviewed with a handheld microphone in a sea of foldable chairs for an outdoor PHILADELPHIA250 press conference: Albert Yee Erike standing on a pair of wooden boxes infront of a crowd holding their phones to take photos and the Best In Design exhibition displayed in storage containers at Cherry Street Pier during DesignPhiladelphia 2019: Chris Kendig Photography Gateway at the Greenhouse, Design storytime and activities led by Erike with young designers and their grown-ups: The Workshop School Design Assistant, Design Gym Archives