We were lucky to catch up with Xena Stryker recently and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Xena, thanks for joining us today. Please tell us about starting your own firm and if you’d do anything different knowing what you know now.

I always dreamed of becoming an Architect, but I never believed I’d have my own firm. In 2016, I was interviewing for a design position at Harris + Smith, LLC. and Raynal Harris calmly stated “You definitely have a seat at the table here. I’d love for you to work here until you start your own practice.” Raynal must’ve seen something in me because before that moment, I never dreamed of having my own firm. Sometimes, that’s exactly what it takes…a great mentor, an advocator…and someone to push you to go for it!

Launching Xena Design + Marketing Firm has been a dream come true! I’d like to thank both Raynal Harris, AIA and Yahya Hassan, AIA for aiding me in this complex process. The gentlemen walked me through obtaining Professional and Liability Business Insurance, properly registering with the Secretary of State, and much more. Regions Bank was great with setting up my business bank account, payroll, and establishing business credit. Lastly, The City of Atlanta and Hartsfield Jackson Airport Small Business Development Cohort was a God Send by preparing me for the legalities of running an Architectural Firm and doing business with sophisticated clients!

If I could provide any advice to young professionals, it would be to get an older mentor and to stay educated! Older professionals have seen it all and it’s best to allow them to get all of the bumps and bruises for you. Middle aged mentors are good to have, but if they’re in their prime, they may be too busy for you. A mentor that’s near retirement age can definitely provide that one-on-one attention that a newbie needs. As for education, cohorts can sometimes be more of a benefit than Graduate School Degrees. I highly recommend any Cohort provided by The Urban Land Institute. I am a graduate of the 2022 Project REAP (Real Estate Associate Program) and I noticed we received most of the exact handouts and curriculum that I received during my Real Estate Development Master’s Degree studies. The Master’s Degree Program that I enrolled in is ranked number one in the nation. So, if PROJECT REAP afforded Fellows with portions of that same curriculum and access to some of the same guest speakers, that lets you know how great of a program REAP is! I am currently enrolled in the Urban Land Institute’s REACH Program which provides a year long cohort of learning and a paired mentor. Education keeps you young! As you can see, I am a life learner! I’d encourage you to be the same.

Xena, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Xena Design + Marketing Firm specializes in creative design. Our services range from residential to commercial, but with a twist! Our professional mantra is “Form Follows Function”. What sets us apart is we don’t just design, we bring the building to life before its built! Our team spends weeks conducting in depth investigations and research to understand the client’s culture and their environmental needs. We then work hands on with clients to produce realistic 3D animations to assure that our clients feel confident & satisfied with the design well before the building is built.

So far, we’ve designed an array of projects including Daycare Centers, Restaurants, Event Centers, and sets at One Music Fest for BET! We never know what a client will need from us and that’s what makes our firm so exciting! Our firm utilizes the coolest vendors to create Nickelodeon styled facilities for children, Instagram worthy brunch spots, and bucket list worthy AirBnBs! Just bring us a challenge and my Design Warriors have your back!

There aren’t many young designers out here. Most firms are full of bland older architects with very simple personal lives. As a millennial, I’m able to relate to the thriving business owners in my age group. I listen actively and understand that it’s all about them! I’m poppin’ on the nightlife and television scene as well, so I’m in the loop on the latest trends. That’s what really sets us apart. Many of my clients know me as #ArchitectBae and feel comfortable doing business with my team because we understand that the key to new aged commercial design is interesting architecture combined with great marketing.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I definitely had to pivot from the 9-5! If you know anything about Architecture, its more like 9am to 2am! When you’re on salary, it just doesn’t make sense. Your coworkers don’t see an issue with working that way because, sadly, they don’t have much of a life of their own. I made my decision to completely pivot due to multiple reasons. But I distinctly remember the moment where I knew I had to find a way out. I was working at a firm where I was the only Black Woman and I was dealing with extreme microaggressions. My project manager was just released from the hospital after battling throat cancer. When she returned, she was treated by the staff as if she was a burden. I watched this elderly woman work her butt off. She started feeling ill and we worked overtime until the project was done. She stamped the drawings then went in for surgery. Three days later, she died. This narcissistic firm packed all of her belongings in a box and that was it. I told myself, that wouldn’t be me. That can’t be my life. That entire time I had been secretly working as an Actress on the television show P-Valley. It was difficult to get my scenes in and do voice overs, but the producers worked with me. Matter of fact, I auditioned on my lunch break and came back to my desk and worked quietly as if nothing happened. The producers also found a voice over location near my firm in Buckhead so that I could record voice overs during lunch. Once I saved enough money from my acting gig, I DIPPED! With the help of mentors from previous firms, I filed my paperwork and started Xena Design + Marketing Firm and told that day job to kiss it!

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I had to unlearn what “professionalism” meant. My creativity was stifled for years because I was being trained to act like an old white man in a suit. That’s what society is taught, but nothing about that is creative…nothing. That type of behavior will get you a good day job, membership in the good ol boys club, and barely enough money to pay your bills. I knew I was special. I knew I had main character energy. I knew the world needed to see my art. I was reading a book by Dale Carnegie and he stated that in order to be successful, you have to be the same person everywhere you go. That was when I stopped hiding my Instagram page from colleagues. That’s when I stopped laughing at corny jokes told by big wigs that weren’t funny. That’s when I started telling jokes during meetings that were actually funny instead of holding them in. That was when I cut my hair into a mohawk. That was when I started driving my doorless Jeep to construction sites and didn’t swop out my Jordan’s for construction boots. That’s when the TV show offers came.

“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.” – Carl Jung

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.xenadesignfirm.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/xena.stryker/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Architectural-Designer/Xena-Stryker-125678289015830/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-xena-stryker-b62052147
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/xenastryker?lang=en
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAg8OHkGuu0YaSugOcn-MaA