We recently connected with Shaina Kay and have shared our conversation below.
Shaina, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
SK Design Studio is an innovative hospitality design firm that has standardized an efficient design process which maximizes project schedules and mindful to project budgets. We are unique in the industry by being an urban, millennial, minority, women-own business. We study commercial real-estate development programs or PIP’s and deliver curated experiences, and authentic designs by a culturally diverse design team.
The idea of the business developed from an observation of the construction and design industry post-pandemic. Supply shortages, long lead times, high un-employment, accelerated project timelines and increased client expectations created a new atmosphere in the industry where I saw traditional architecture and interior design firms struggling to adapt. Established architecture and interior design business models are outdated, and management staff unwilling to change and evolve.
A culturally diverse design team is rare in this field. Less than 6% of architects and interior designers are black minorities, this leaves an unexplored void in the infinite realm of creativity and design. The public responds best to spaces they can relate to. Users seek spaces that excite their emotions while providing a sense of comfort by touches of nostalgia. Users experience spaces differently based on their backgrounds and cultures. A diverse design team is essential to achieve a culturally successful design.
Our Ideal client has passion for the success of the project as an economic investment and cultural contribution to society. We design spaces that make people feel balanced, relaxed, and confident. Our ideal client understands design can be used as a tool to impact the environment, society, and the world.
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 have a Bachelor of Interior Design from the Fay Jones School of Architecture and Design at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. I’m currently a member of The Professional Advisory Board for the Fay Jones school of Architecture and Design. I have a continued goal of completing my Master of Architecture. I have attended UT Arlington graduate architecture program and the Academy of Art Master of Architecture program. I spent a semester living in Rome sketching beautiful sites and studying architecture and design through-out Italy.
After graduating in 2010 I got a strong start in the industry by working at the largest black architecture firm in Arkansas at the time. Woods Group Architects is owned by a great black architect, Ron Woods. While under his training I designed mega churches and collegiate building around the city and state. l also had the opportunity to work on the Bill and Hilary Clinton National Airport a few times. For the recent 9 years my career focus has been hospitality design working on hotels, resorts, corporate, and now healthcare projects.
Being grateful for my opportunities, I enjoy speaking at schools and colleges to encourage creative careers to underrepresent students. Attendance for black minorities in architecture and design school is very low. If I share my passion and journey, it may inspire someone else to feel confident in starting their journey.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
Funding to start my design studio was minimal. I did not have any monetary funding. I started my business’ after working 11 years in my field. My experience and skill were my funding. I felt confident in the work I could deliver. I searched for possible clients on LinkedIn and made a connection with amazing design firm in Boise, ID very quickly. My next client was a referral. All other clients since have found my studio. Think of funding not only as monetary, but as time and skill. If you can afford the time and have the skill that equates to money.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I’m a devoted networker! This helped me build my presence in the design industry. Networking is what I enjoy and ultimately led to the start of my own design studio. During my career I was always drawn to the business development side of design. I found the business developer positions in the firms I worked for the most interesting as they frequently traveled to conferences and events to network with industry leaders, developers, and hotel owners. I was not awarded an opportunity to attend conferences by any firm I was employed by in my entire career.
My first industry conference I attended was HD in Vegas 2021. A Diversity and inclusion board member of NEWH reached out to me with a full conference pass to attend! Their goal was to diversify the event and bring in designers that didn’t usually attend. I was able to see the industry from a business level and understand the life of a project before it reaches the designer’s table. Networking connects you to the full project team including the brand leaders, stakeholders, investors, developer, analytics, logistics, legal, and procurement. Having an in-person, personal introduction and repour with people are how doors open.
This year has been a big networking year for SK Design Studio. We attended Global Hospitality Design Talk in Los Angels; HD Vegas Hospitality Design conference; NECON in Chicago, ISHC International Society of Hospitality Consultants 35th annual conference in DC, and 2 Professional Advisory Board member meetings at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Now planning 2024…
Contact Info:
- Website: www.HospitalityStyle.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sk.design.studios/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SKDesignStudioLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shainakay/
- Other: Resume: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SU2KLsQ1NSXbkao9KVaW4wVMPbg4j_4N/view?usp=drive_link
Image Credits
Hotel Rendering – The Cornerstone Collective