We recently connected with Megan Kaufmann and have shared our conversation below.

Megan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Prior to starting KC Studio, I had worked at 7 different firms and none of them had a female architectural principal. Architecture schools have nearly equal representation of female and male graduates. However, as you look up the professional ladder, the top leadership roles are still mostly held by men. As Gandhi said, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” I’ve dedicated my career to uplifting other women in architecture and supporting progressive change in the industry. Architecture is a very traditional profession with long hours and relentless deadlines. Many women leave or do not progress because the work culture is not condusive to raising children and having a family. By starting KC Studio, I was able to craft what I felt was a supportive environment for having your cake and eating it too. I have a 4 year old son and a one year old daughter, a successful business, and am happily married to my husband of 9 years. My hope is that young girls interested in architecture feel supported, encouraged, and unstoppable.

Megan, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I knew I wanted to be an architect since I was in elementary school. My sister jokes that my blanket forts had foyers in them. What I didn’t know was that I was eventually going to own a business. It was never the plan – but in 2017, there was an opportunity to start a firm in North Carolina and I took it. I’ve never looked back. I have the honor of working with amazing clients helping them bring their vision to life. KC Studio has designed out-patient clinics where patients are cared for in a warm, inviting environment, a nonprofit café where individuals with disabilities have meaningful employment, and countless start-up businesses fueling economic growth in the community. KC Studio also works with several Fortune 500 companies helping to design spaces for their strategic growth and continued success. What sets KC Studio apart from other architecture firms is the high level of customer service and ability to pivot quickly when necessary. We focus on being not only great at our jobs, but fun to work with and a little bit zesty.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

The week of January 30, 2023 started with the purchase of our new office building. It was an exciting moment, and happening just in time because I was 36 weeks pregnant with my second baby. The following day, I was unexpectedly sent to the hospital for complications, and my daughter was born that Wednesday (she was a happy and healthy baby, thank goodness). I was still in the hospital when Friday rolled around and my lease was up at the old office. My entire office had to move without me, which was a lesson for me in trusting and letting go. Now rewind to two weeks prior, my second-in-command Project Manager left the company – torpedoing any semblance of a maternity leave that I had planned. I had hired a new project manager who was in the throws of on-boarding when I gave birth a month early. Managing an office move from a distance, getting a new project manager up to speed, keeping client projects moving forward, managing my team, and caring for an infant while dealing with my own postpartum health complications would have been enough to send anyone into a tizzy. To add to the stress, I had several clients fall behind on their invoices, with outstanding account receivables well into the 6 figures. It took a lot of resilience and faith to keep trudging along during those hard days that turned into hard weeks that turned into hard months. Things started to turn around that summer and our team is stronger because of it. I am so appreciative of the people in my life who were supportive during that time. Luckily my blood pressure has returned to normal levels and after surviving all that, I feel like I can handle anything!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele has been simply doing great work and maintaining a strong reputation. People talk, and ALL of my largest customers and projects were unsolicited. They reached out to me after receiving a referral from someone in the industry. You truly never know where your next job is going to come from! A wild example of that is a few years ago, I had an old client invite me to a design brainstorming session, where I met an architect from the other side of the country. Fast forward a few years, and he was asked to do a project for a national healthcare provider in the northeast, and he gave them my information instead. We’ve now worked on several projects with that client, all thanks to a chance meeting and great reputation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kcsarchitecture.com/
• Instagram: @kcstudioarchitecture
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-kaufmann-kcstudio

Image Credits

The only photo that was not taken on my phone is the Women in Architecture Breakfast one – credit goes to Veritas Digital Photography.