Founders & Friends
Founders & Friends is where interior designers and creative entrepreneurs come for real conversations about building a business—and a life—that feels good.
Hosted by a designer-turned-founder, each episode dives into honest, behind-the-scenes stories from industry leaders, creative thinkers, and bold business owners who are shaping the design world on their own terms. We talk about the big wins, the hard lessons, the financial truths, and the messy middle of entrepreneurship.
Whether you're just starting out or scaling something big, this podcast is your reminder that you're not doing it alone—and that success can look a lot of different ways.
Come for the insights, stay for the community. This is Founders & Friends—where business gets personal, and conversations get real.
Founders & Friends
20. Leading with Heart: Kristen Thomas on Building a Firm That Lasts
In this episode of Founders and Friends, host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Kristen Thomas, founder and principal designer of Studio Thomas, for an inspiring conversation on building a design firm rooted in integrity, education, and heart.
Kristen shares how her journey began with a desire to provide for her family and a love of design inspired by her late father. She opens up about the early challenges of balancing motherhood and business ownership, the evolution from working with investors to leading a luxury interior design studio, and the mindset shifts that helped her scale with intention.
From formal education and business systems to integrity, billing structure, and leadership growth, Kristen offers a transparent look at what it truly takes to grow a firm “brick by brick.”
If you’re a designer or creative entrepreneur navigating growth, leadership, and longevity in business — this episode is a must-listen.
This Episode was brought to you by Vetted by Design
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