Episode #67 - Interview with Allie Bierman

WEBVTT
00:00:11.759 --> 00:00:14.560
Recorded with microphones and other fancy equipment.
00:00:14.800 --> 00:00:16.719
This is All in Design.
00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:27.440
Well and welcome to All in Design Idea LMS Podcast.
00:00:27.519 --> 00:00:28.160
Thank you for listening.
00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:30.800
My name's Chad Moore here with my co-host Mark Griffo.
00:00:30.960 --> 00:00:31.359
Hey everybody.
00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:33.359
And we are back in Nashville.
00:00:33.520 --> 00:00:36.799
It seems like it's uh it's just two weeks ago that we were back.
00:00:37.119 --> 00:00:38.159
Two weeks ago we were back.
00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:39.439
Uh feels like hours.
00:00:39.759 --> 00:00:40.799
Hours, yeah.
00:00:41.520 --> 00:00:45.759
Uh we came up um recorded this is our second one we're recording back to back.
00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:48.880
Uh so which means my brother Lou is still in the room with us.
00:00:49.119 --> 00:00:49.920
He can say hello.
00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:50.719
Oh, hello.
00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:51.280
Thanks.
00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:53.119
He glanced to me.
00:00:54.880 --> 00:00:57.520
I jokingly shushed him in the previous episode.
00:00:58.159 --> 00:01:03.520
Previous episode, I mentioned my brother, and then he jumped in, and then Mark was like, You're not supposed to speak yet.
00:01:03.840 --> 00:01:05.359
I was gonna wait my turn this time.
00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:08.239
Yeah, I wasn't sure it was my turn.
00:01:08.719 --> 00:01:09.359
You're doing great.
00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:10.000
You're doing great.
00:01:10.079 --> 00:01:10.560
Wonderful.
00:01:10.879 --> 00:01:13.359
Yeah, so um, yeah, so we're back in Nashville.
00:01:13.519 --> 00:01:16.000
Um excited to have uh this person on.
00:01:16.079 --> 00:01:18.000
And so, Mark, if you'll introduce who we have.
00:01:18.319 --> 00:01:20.879
Yeah, I'm I'm happy to introduce Allie Beerman.
00:01:20.959 --> 00:01:23.599
She is an interior designing, uh interior designing.
00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:24.640
I'm off to a great start.
00:01:24.719 --> 00:01:25.519
Let's start over chat.
00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:27.680
Interior designers, why I write this down, Allie.
00:01:27.840 --> 00:01:29.439
I can I write it down, but I don't read.
00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:32.640
Interior designer at Hastings here in Nashville.
00:01:32.879 --> 00:01:38.640
And also the uh past present of I idea Alabama, Tennessee, correct?
00:01:39.280 --> 00:01:40.079
Just Tennessee.
00:01:40.239 --> 00:01:40.799
Just Tennessee.
00:01:40.879 --> 00:01:41.200
What do I say?
00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:43.519
Did I say Alabama, Tennessee?
00:01:43.760 --> 00:01:45.200
We can combine chapters on a side.
00:01:45.439 --> 00:01:46.480
Idea Alabama, Tennessee.
00:01:46.560 --> 00:01:46.640
Yeah.
00:01:46.799 --> 00:01:48.959
Did I just get a cat out of the back?
00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:52.560
It's the real reason why we're doing the podcast up here.
00:01:52.879 --> 00:01:54.879
This is actually the end game of this podcast.
00:01:56.799 --> 00:01:58.239
Chapters do get along pretty well.
00:01:59.519 --> 00:02:00.560
I think it's my favorite.
00:02:00.879 --> 00:02:04.239
Okay, past president of IDA, Tennessee.
00:02:04.480 --> 00:02:05.760
Just leave it at that.
00:02:06.000 --> 00:02:08.080
So, anyway, so back to you, Allie.
00:02:08.159 --> 00:02:08.800
So, welcome to the show.
00:02:08.879 --> 00:02:09.599
We're glad to have you.
00:02:09.919 --> 00:02:12.400
Um, the floor is yours if you'd like to introduce yourself.
00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:13.680
Sure, yeah.
00:02:14.000 --> 00:02:18.560
I am originally from Champaign, Illinois, just farm girl.
00:02:18.800 --> 00:02:24.240
My family has a farm that has kind of influenced my entire personality sometimes.
00:02:24.319 --> 00:02:28.240
Um, and I moved to Tennessee in high school.
00:02:28.479 --> 00:02:35.439
Um, was in Tennessee for about four years-ish before I went to UT Knoxville for design school.
00:02:35.759 --> 00:02:39.039
Um, and I graduated in 2021.
00:02:39.199 --> 00:02:49.599
I've been practicing for about five years now for at another firm here in town, and then I've been at Hastings for about a year, which is kind of nuts.
00:02:49.840 --> 00:02:57.199
So um, yeah, I mean interior design was never a thing that I was like, yeah, I I'm good at this.
00:02:57.360 --> 00:02:59.199
I should do this for a career.
00:02:59.439 --> 00:03:03.120
Like, I don't even I'm not really sure if I would say that now, to be honest.
00:03:03.280 --> 00:03:13.360
I just love being surrounded by cool and talented people and and um messing with with space to make people um feel better.
00:03:13.599 --> 00:03:19.199
So I think that that is probably the the main driver of of what I do.
00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:25.360
Um IDA is obviously a huge part of my career, life, all of the things.
00:03:25.520 --> 00:03:35.680
I ran the student program when I was at UT Knoxville, and then have been deeply involved for the past few years um on the state level too.
00:03:35.759 --> 00:03:39.280
So it's kind of my whole personality, farm and I idea, I think.
00:03:41.439 --> 00:03:42.080
That's good.
00:03:42.240 --> 00:03:43.039
Yeah, yeah.
00:03:43.199 --> 00:03:44.159
I've been shaped.
00:03:44.319 --> 00:03:45.919
I've been shaped by IDA, I think.
00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:46.479
And farms.
00:03:47.840 --> 00:03:51.840
I'm not I don't want to jump ahead because we want to start, we want to start with your childhood.
00:03:52.080 --> 00:03:52.400
Sure.
00:03:52.639 --> 00:03:55.439
But I do have want to ask a quick question because I will forget it.
00:03:56.240 --> 00:03:57.840
So you graduate in 2021.
00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:00.080
It's 2026.
00:04:00.319 --> 00:04:00.719
Right.
00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:04.479
You're the past president of IIDA just Tennessee, not Alabama.
00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:08.479
So you're like a couple years out of school and you're like, I'm gonna be the president of IIDA Tennessee.
00:04:08.800 --> 00:04:09.759
Yeah, yeah.
00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:11.520
Wow, overachiever.
00:04:13.599 --> 00:04:14.159
Well done.
00:04:14.479 --> 00:04:31.279
The first I mean, to be fair to myself, the first two years of being out of school, I created an entire separate organization that was not IEDA related called Young Designers Collective, and that was just a group of of young designers um meeting with reps once a month.
00:04:31.439 --> 00:04:46.560
Um, ran that for two years, and then was kind of poached to be on the IEDA Tennessee board as just director of communications, and I went from that director role into the what we call the P track.
00:04:47.040 --> 00:04:50.720
So yeah, I I was I was scooped pretty early.
00:04:54.480 --> 00:04:55.839
But yeah, I was scooped really early.
00:04:56.000 --> 00:04:56.240
Okay.
00:04:56.399 --> 00:04:57.279
Prematurely, maybe.
00:04:57.439 --> 00:04:58.079
Some might be.
00:04:58.240 --> 00:04:59.040
I don't know.
00:04:59.439 --> 00:05:04.879
We were talking our last episode, we were talking about how the chapters have been doing very well for the last several years.
00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:06.959
So you know, kudos to you.
00:05:07.279 --> 00:05:07.920
Thank you so much.
00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:10.000
Alright, I'm done giving her accolades.
00:05:10.319 --> 00:05:11.600
I wanted to go back to the farm.
00:05:12.000 --> 00:05:12.879
No, go, yeah, yeah.
00:05:13.040 --> 00:05:13.360
There we go.
00:05:13.439 --> 00:05:14.160
Let's let's back up now.
00:05:14.399 --> 00:05:19.040
Well, yeah, because I mean you mentioned how it had such an influence and so in what ways?
00:05:19.839 --> 00:05:30.079
I think m the entire kind of beerman culture and philosophy is just uh kind of based around just work ethic and discipline.
00:05:30.160 --> 00:05:31.519
And so get up early.
00:05:32.079 --> 00:05:33.279
Get up so early.
00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:36.399
If you don't get things done by noon, why try?
00:05:36.560 --> 00:05:39.279
Like what you know, your day is gone at noon.
00:05:39.519 --> 00:05:44.000
Um so you yeah, I mean I don't get up early, but I still go by that philosophy.
00:05:44.240 --> 00:05:44.560
Yeah.
00:05:44.800 --> 00:05:46.079
I also am up before noon.
00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:47.279
Started at eleven.
00:05:47.680 --> 00:05:48.000
Yeah.
00:05:48.160 --> 00:05:49.040
Oh, done by noon.
00:05:49.199 --> 00:05:59.839
Yeah, it's it I think it has just eff affected the the way I see work and work-life balance, maybe, um, is that there is none.
00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:03.600
And I think that do you write that down, kids?
00:06:04.000 --> 00:06:04.720
Work all the time.
00:06:05.040 --> 00:06:06.720
I think that just I think it's a myth.
00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:13.680
And I think that when you're passionate about something and and an and envelops your life in a certain way, I think that can be a positive thing.
00:06:13.920 --> 00:06:18.879
So um, yeah, all of the I have ten boy cousins.
00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:28.800
I grew up around just a lot a lot of strong men and women in my family, so I think that that that culture has kind of influenced the hustle a little bit.
00:06:29.120 --> 00:06:33.519
So and then how did you get into interested in interior design in the first place?
00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:47.199
My dad and I, we lived in this um uh Indiana limestone ranch house in in Illinois, and um they were constantly kind of doing projects around the house to update it.
00:06:47.279 --> 00:06:52.160
We had those kind of pink tiles in our in our bathroom, and we ripped those out.
00:06:52.240 --> 00:07:04.399
I was always a part of those renovation projects, and I would go to the wherever Home Depot or you know the tile depot, and I would just watch, and my parents would just agonize over these, you know, finishes that they were choosing.
00:07:04.560 --> 00:07:07.680
And um, I started to have an opinion about it.
00:07:08.000 --> 00:07:10.240
I was like, oh, this is my bathroom.
00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:11.759
Like maybe I should have a say.
00:07:11.839 --> 00:07:12.560
I'm seven.
00:07:12.800 --> 00:07:15.360
And so um yeah, that that was fun.
00:07:15.439 --> 00:07:17.839
And my dad you were probably like, keep the pink tile.
00:07:18.079 --> 00:07:18.240
Right.
00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:21.519
I was like, it's yeah, it's it's legacy, really.
00:07:21.680 --> 00:07:25.439
Um yeah, the kitchen tile was green and the and the bathrooms were classic.
00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:27.040
Classic, classic.
00:07:27.360 --> 00:07:28.879
Um, so that was always fun.
00:07:28.959 --> 00:07:32.160
But my I think I get my creativity from my dad, actually.
00:07:32.319 --> 00:07:37.199
He's he's a finance guy, but he's very, very like spatially creative.
00:07:37.360 --> 00:07:42.240
I think it's just learning to grow up on a dairy farm, you have to just make things work.
00:07:42.319 --> 00:07:47.680
And so he's just the king of duct taping things together just to try to make things work.
00:07:47.839 --> 00:08:02.800
And so we would have this he would print out on grid paper and he taught me about scale, and we would talk about okay, one little square is a foot, and um we would cut out the pieces of the furniture um to scale and move them around the room.
00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:13.199
Um he had me design a um my grandpa was a woodworker, and so he had me design my own desk and hutch and draw it to scale and things like that.
00:08:13.360 --> 00:08:16.000
So it was always just around me, I think.
00:08:16.240 --> 00:08:16.560
Okay.
00:08:16.720 --> 00:08:19.360
Um sounded like they were forcing you into it.
00:08:19.680 --> 00:08:20.319
A little.
00:08:21.120 --> 00:08:25.279
Yeah, I couldn't do much outside, so they're like, maybe you should do some stuff inside.
00:08:25.920 --> 00:08:26.720
I can't cook.
00:08:26.879 --> 00:08:29.600
Yeah, maybe you're just maybe you could just decorate for us.
00:08:29.759 --> 00:08:31.199
So that's fascinating.
00:08:31.360 --> 00:08:34.639
Because we um we had Isaac on uh previous to you.
00:08:34.799 --> 00:08:35.200
Yeah.
00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:43.919
And his father also um had like worked with him as far as working on design and uh and space planning, kind of.
00:08:44.159 --> 00:08:51.600
And so Mark and I were talking about before we recorded and before he showed up, was uh we didn't know if that was true of all Nashville designers that their fathers got them into.
00:08:52.080 --> 00:08:52.799
We assume so now.
00:08:52.960 --> 00:08:54.320
Yeah, so far we're two for two.
00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:55.200
Yeah, right.
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:56.080
That's a hundred percent.
00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:56.879
Yeah, it is.
00:08:57.360 --> 00:08:59.440
It's an origin story for all the designers here.
00:08:59.600 --> 00:09:01.120
It's uh space planning with dad.
00:09:01.279 --> 00:09:01.519
Yeah.
00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:11.600
Um and it's just a side story that just reminded me because last night, so our um our oldest uh has moved to college, so she's 18, she's at Auburn, is studying to be an interior designer.
00:09:11.759 --> 00:09:14.080
Um but my They couldn't talk her out of it.
00:09:14.240 --> 00:09:19.120
My following mom's second oldest is uh has got his eyes on her bedroom.
00:09:19.840 --> 00:09:23.519
So there's been it she hasn't really fully moved out of that room yet.
00:09:23.600 --> 00:09:24.639
There's still lots of stuff in there.
00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:31.679
But he last night was like, hey, I'd like you guys and you know, my wife and I to come in and see how he wants to do the room.
00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:32.639
It's not that big.
00:09:32.720 --> 00:09:37.200
It's it's probably the size of the room we're in currently, which the people listening can't see.
00:09:37.360 --> 00:09:38.480
Uh huge.
00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:39.279
Yeah.
00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:47.919
Uh but so he but he had he'd done a floor plan, a 2D floor plan, which knowing my son, we were both, I was like, oh, okay, well, we're kind of impressed by this, you know.
00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:55.840
And he had measured like it on the wall, like what the the wall now he had not measured the desk or the bed or any of the things going in the room.
00:09:56.000 --> 00:09:56.960
He had measured the room.
00:09:57.360 --> 00:09:58.639
That's like sophomore year stuff.
00:09:58.879 --> 00:09:59.679
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:10:00.240 --> 00:10:03.919
So his bed, I was looking at it and was like, uh, are we gonna cut your bed down smaller?
00:10:04.240 --> 00:10:06.320
Because this isn't scale at all.
00:10:06.480 --> 00:10:11.039
Uh there's looks like there's plenty of room for your bed, and there's really not, but uh, I think that's fascinating.
00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:13.200
So how did you choose U2 Knoxville?
00:10:14.240 --> 00:10:19.919
I was a band kid in middle school, high school, raised, raised to be a band kid.
00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:22.080
I actually wanted to major in music.
00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:27.840
I wanted to do music performance, I wanted to do orchestral stuff when I graduated.
00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:32.320
My whole friend group either went to music school or conservatories.
00:10:32.399 --> 00:10:40.080
It was just I mean, we had a really strong music program in in Clarksville, and so I was like, yeah, I'll do that.
00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:41.759
You know, that'll be that'll be good.
00:10:41.840 --> 00:10:47.440
I competed all through high school and then applied for the music program, got a scholarship.
00:10:47.759 --> 00:10:57.600
Um, and I wanted to go somewhere with a really strong marching band, really traditional focused, um, kind of like SEC tradition school.
00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.919
Um, and then I quickly panicked through that summer.
00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:04.720
So this is this is before freshman year?
00:11:05.039 --> 00:11:08.559
Yes, this is like this is like maybe April, May of senior year.
00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:09.840
I was like, oh no.
00:11:10.080 --> 00:11:15.120
If I study music full time, I'm going to learn to hate it.
00:11:15.279 --> 00:11:22.559
Like I I was pushing myself way too much though those last few months of senior year, and I was like, I have made a grave mistake.
00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:23.360
I have made a grave mistake.
00:11:23.519 --> 00:11:27.360
So I was one of those people that changed their majors before school.
00:11:27.759 --> 00:11:38.159
And so I applied, I just like checked a box on an interest form that happened to be the application for the interior design program at UT.
00:11:38.240 --> 00:11:39.919
I had no idea how I got in.
00:11:40.159 --> 00:11:41.840
I think I got one of the last spots.
00:11:42.000 --> 00:11:44.000
I was I had no portfolio.
00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:53.039
I didn't take a single art class in high school, even though we had so many offered because I was just so focused on band and music.
00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:57.679
I think I was in the band room four hours a day out of like the seven I was at school.
00:11:57.919 --> 00:11:58.159
Wow.
00:11:58.399 --> 00:11:59.919
Yeah, I really milked that.
00:12:00.000 --> 00:12:06.720
I was I'll be like, I'll be your teacher's aid two periods, and like I'll be in comfortable band and marching band and do all of these things.
00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:12.639
And so, yeah, I mean, I I chose UT because of the music program.
00:12:12.960 --> 00:12:17.200
And then I was like, Yeah, okay, my backup is design.
00:12:17.360 --> 00:12:18.960
I'll just see what this is about.
00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:22.320
I went to orientation with my parents.
00:12:22.559 --> 00:12:32.799
We sat down and saw all of the seniors work, and I my my parents will retell the story and say that all of the color lost out of my face.
00:12:33.120 --> 00:12:35.600
They were like, oh no, oh no.
00:12:35.759 --> 00:12:38.720
They she's gonna she's gonna change majors, give it like three weeks.
00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:41.840
They put money on it in the hotel room that night.
00:12:41.919 --> 00:12:43.440
They're like, They're betting on the farm.
00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:45.600
She's so screwed.
00:12:45.840 --> 00:12:48.320
Who who was betting on you and who was betting against?
00:12:48.720 --> 00:12:55.200
I I think my mom was betting that I would drop, and my dad was like, ah, I don't know she'll make a guilt.
00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:56.320
I made the grid.
00:12:56.720 --> 00:12:57.679
Yeah, she's gonna stick with this.
00:12:57.840 --> 00:12:58.960
I made the grid and the little thing.
00:12:59.120 --> 00:12:59.840
I inspired this.
00:13:00.240 --> 00:13:00.399
I believe.
00:13:05.600 --> 00:13:08.080
Um yeah, I was so overwhelmed.
00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:17.759
The the professors in that orientation scared the crap out of my parents, and they said, Your your kid will never look at the world the same, and you know, and they were like, What?
00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:20.240
You know, what are you talking about?
00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:24.960
Um Yeah, and so I I made it into the design program somehow.
00:13:25.440 --> 00:13:38.080
And um I was like, Well, I guess I'll stick with it and see what this is about because I I look at what the seniors can do, and I was like, actually, I do think maybe this is exactly what I want to do.
00:13:38.159 --> 00:13:40.320
I just have absolutely no idea how I'm gonna get there.
00:13:40.480 --> 00:13:45.840
And so I was just like, Well, might as well just sit and wait until I figure it out.
00:13:46.080 --> 00:13:46.720
And so, yeah.
00:13:47.039 --> 00:13:48.080
I might as well go to class.
00:13:48.320 --> 00:13:51.440
Might as well go to class and then become president of IDA when I get out.
00:13:51.600 --> 00:13:52.080
Yeah.
00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:53.519
Hope I figure it out.
00:13:53.759 --> 00:13:54.960
I think she did all right.
00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:57.440
Made the right call.
00:13:57.679 --> 00:13:58.399
I figured it out.
00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:00.480
How much money did your dad make?
00:14:00.960 --> 00:14:01.519
Yeah.
00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:02.399
Yeah.
00:14:02.639 --> 00:14:03.200
I don't know.
00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:07.200
I need to follow up to see if they ever money exchanged hands for that, actually.
00:14:07.440 --> 00:14:07.519
Yeah.
00:14:07.679 --> 00:14:10.080
But yeah, they were betting against me pretty hard.
00:14:10.159 --> 00:14:14.799
So it went through um so went through UT, um, graduated.
00:14:14.879 --> 00:14:16.879
How did you find your first job?
00:14:17.600 --> 00:14:20.799
I was a big career day attender.
00:14:21.360 --> 00:14:23.039
I the UT career.
00:14:23.440 --> 00:14:24.399
I was shocked to hear this.
00:14:24.639 --> 00:14:24.799
Yeah.
00:14:24.960 --> 00:14:25.679
Overachiever.
00:14:26.320 --> 00:14:33.759
I the UT Career Day is probably the most intense thing a student can ever go through.
00:14:34.000 --> 00:14:36.080
There's probably 200 firms now.
00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:36.960
Probably two.
00:14:37.279 --> 00:14:39.120
I mean maybe two, two fifty.
00:14:39.519 --> 00:14:43.039
They all have booths and they all set up in this big kind of like banquet hall.
00:14:43.440 --> 00:14:45.200
And this is this is all interior design based?
00:14:45.519 --> 00:14:46.399
Uh in architecture.
00:14:46.639 --> 00:14:46.720
Yeah.
00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:50.000
Firms across the country and it's just booth after booth after booth.
00:14:50.320 --> 00:15:09.360
And then you can submit your uh portfolio and resume and project stuff to uh to um this drive beforehand, and the firms can uh preview it, look and see if they're interested in you, and you can schedule interviews to have that day.
00:15:09.440 --> 00:15:11.360
Or Mark, are you making notes?
00:15:13.519 --> 00:15:15.919
It's the most intense it is the most intense.
00:15:16.000 --> 00:15:25.759
You'll see um there was one kid that was printing their um you know portfolio in you know, beautiful book at FedEx, like the night before.
00:15:25.919 --> 00:15:31.519
People are bringing pillows to FedEx and like it just on campus is just madness.
00:15:31.919 --> 00:15:37.759
Um and so I mean I went and they said, Hey, you can get a job if you go to this.
00:15:37.840 --> 00:15:39.039
And I was like, Okay.
00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:43.919
So I went my sophomore year, I had no business being there.
00:15:44.080 --> 00:15:45.440
I had I didn't know.
00:15:46.159 --> 00:15:47.120
I disagree, but go on.
00:15:47.440 --> 00:15:49.039
Yeah, I I had no idea.
00:15:49.200 --> 00:15:50.639
I had no idea what to do.
00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:56.960
I ended up meeting um a residential designer interned for her that fall.
00:15:57.440 --> 00:16:08.080
And then in the summer, or I guess in the um uh COVID year, so the the career day was February 2020.
00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.759
So you just got it in.
00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:19.200
Yes, I submitted my portfolio and and resume and was offered an internship before the career day, not to brag, at Hastings Architecture, actually.
00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:21.519
Oh, nice, it's all coming together.
00:16:22.080 --> 00:16:23.600
I went to They've been waiting.
00:16:23.759 --> 00:16:26.159
Yes, I went to Career Day that year.
00:16:26.240 --> 00:16:37.919
I was like, I'm so relaxed, I have a job already, I'm just gonna go introduce myself to the Hastings people and just walk around, make more connections for next year, and that's exactly what I did.
00:16:38.159 --> 00:16:40.960
Um I probably definitely had COVID that day.
00:16:41.039 --> 00:16:47.519
I was sneezing, I was it was just had no taste, I was so sick, and I already had a job, but I still went.
00:16:47.679 --> 00:16:49.519
Um, should not have been shaking hands with that.
00:16:51.039 --> 00:16:51.279
Whatever.
00:16:51.440 --> 00:16:51.679
Yeah.
00:16:51.840 --> 00:16:53.279
Um and nobody knew, nobody knew.
00:16:53.679 --> 00:16:54.559
Super spreader event.
00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:56.879
And then April comes around.
00:16:57.039 --> 00:17:00.080
I'm supposed to start my internship in about six weeks.
00:17:00.159 --> 00:17:09.440
I've signed a lease here in Nashville for the summer, and I get a call, and they're like, we can't take interns because we don't know we don't know anything.
00:17:09.759 --> 00:17:12.640
I was like, okay, cool, cool, cool.
00:17:13.039 --> 00:17:21.680
And so I called everybody that I met at that career fair and I said, Are you hiring and can I start in two weeks?
00:17:21.839 --> 00:17:25.680
You know, and I ended up That's a I like that bold move.
00:17:26.240 --> 00:17:31.759
I yeah, I was like, people aren't, you know, it's crazy, people aren't checking their emails, I wasn't getting responses.
00:17:31.920 --> 00:17:36.400
I called Tiana Lemons on the phone and I said Former IDA president.
00:17:36.720 --> 00:17:37.920
Former IDA president, yeah.
00:17:38.079 --> 00:17:45.440
Um she's a principal at Grace Design Studios here in Nashville, and I was like, can I please have an internship?
00:17:45.680 --> 00:17:53.279
I don't care how many days you need me, I will be in the office, I will be nowhere to be seen if you want to work from home, you know, whatever.
00:17:53.680 --> 00:17:59.440
And she ended up giving me an incredible experience and internship um that summer.
00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:06.400
And to answer your question, the next year I went to career back to career day, interviewed third career day.
00:18:06.559 --> 00:18:08.960
Yes, third career day, interviewed virtually.
00:18:09.200 --> 00:18:10.559
Were you comfortable going into this one?
00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:11.839
Or were you sick?
00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:13.039
I was not sick.
00:18:13.279 --> 00:18:17.279
This one, this career fair was completely virtual, which was terrible.
00:18:17.599 --> 00:18:18.880
We were in Zoom waiting rooms.
00:18:19.440 --> 00:18:19.759
Oh my god.
00:18:19.920 --> 00:18:20.799
Oh gosh, that's awful.
00:18:21.599 --> 00:18:25.599
Even hearing about it that I had 13 interviews scheduled that day.
00:18:25.759 --> 00:18:26.960
And good number.
00:18:27.200 --> 00:18:28.160
I yeah.
00:18:29.599 --> 00:18:31.119
The world was still shut down.
00:18:31.279 --> 00:18:35.599
No one was hiring, and I weasled my way into ESA from there.
00:18:35.759 --> 00:18:39.920
So they originally said villainous laugh.
00:18:40.400 --> 00:18:44.720
They originally said that they weren't gonna take interns, and I was like, Well, I want to be full of things.
00:18:44.880 --> 00:18:46.480
You're like, you will, and I will start in two weeks.
00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:49.039
And I will be there, thank you so much.
00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:57.839
And they originally said no, and a few weeks later, um, an interior designer left and they called me, and I was like, I'll be there under suspicious circumstances.
00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:00.720
Yeah, we don't talk about her.
00:19:00.960 --> 00:19:10.880
Um, uh, she was actually the one who recruited me, so it was just like a really full circle moment how I got to ESA and I was there for four and a half years.
00:19:11.039 --> 00:19:14.160
So you had the internship and then they hired you on after.
00:19:14.720 --> 00:19:22.000
Well, I interned with Tiana at Grace designed and then another career day, and I was at ESA.
00:19:22.480 --> 00:19:32.960
So yeah, long, long ESA journey, and technically have been working in Nashville for about six years if I count at Grace.
00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:38.720
So um ESA it sounded like you worked primarily on healthcare, is that right?
00:19:39.119 --> 00:19:39.200
Yeah.
00:19:39.680 --> 00:19:43.839
And did you have any experience I guess just school experience, right?
00:19:44.160 --> 00:19:46.640
And so that was probably a new field to learn.
00:19:47.119 --> 00:19:47.920
Oh, for sure.
00:19:48.240 --> 00:19:58.960
The I think the reason why I got that job was because I had a kind of behavioral health focused project in my portfolio.
00:19:59.279 --> 00:20:13.680
And we were allowed to choose the um the community that we wanted to design for, and um it would just had to be a recreational, you know, um kind of building or program at some in some capacity.
00:20:14.079 --> 00:20:25.759
And I wanted to research um the autistic community, and so I just did a sensory focused space, and there was a ton of research in that project, and I think that's why I got that job.
00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:28.720
And they were like, You can do that, you can do healthcare.
00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:33.440
And I was like, Well, I just need a job, so I will do whatever you want me to do.
00:20:33.680 --> 00:20:34.319
The answer's yes.
00:20:34.559 --> 00:20:41.599
The answer's yes, and yes, and um, yeah, and within two weeks I was on a massive project that lasted four years.
00:20:41.759 --> 00:20:46.720
So but they were impressed with the level of research I imagined that you would put into this.
00:20:47.039 --> 00:20:48.240
Probably, maybe.
00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:50.720
I don't know how I don't know how we talked about it.
00:20:51.279 --> 00:20:52.240
Just a guess.
00:20:52.720 --> 00:20:53.680
Just a guess.
00:20:54.000 --> 00:20:56.240
I'm sure I was just like, yeah, this is my project.
00:20:56.319 --> 00:20:58.000
I need a job so bad.
00:20:58.240 --> 00:21:08.799
So I feel like the overachieving kind of bleeds over into a bunch of things, and I'm sure to lose point, it probably there probably was research that went into your project.
00:21:08.960 --> 00:21:10.799
I'm not putting words or ideas in your mouth.
00:21:10.960 --> 00:21:19.359
I'm just saying, in especially in comparison to other candidates that were like, they were like, you're probably like, oh, I just did this because this is what I needed to do to get the job done.
00:21:19.519 --> 00:21:22.240
Whereas they're like, no one else did even remotely this much work.
00:21:22.720 --> 00:21:24.480
Yeah, there's a lot of words on this portfolio.
00:21:24.640 --> 00:21:27.200
You must have really focused on that.
00:21:28.799 --> 00:21:31.759
Yeah, it was it was a really fun project.
00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:36.720
We interviewed local, um kind of almost the same program of space.
00:21:36.799 --> 00:21:56.079
We interviewed um directors from uh I oh I can't remember the name of it, but it's a it's a place in Knoxville for parents and kids with um parents and who have kids on the autism spectrum can just go and hang out and play and they have a a bunch of different areas and so we kind of based the project on that.
00:21:56.480 --> 00:21:59.359
Um yeah, it was so enlightening and so fun.
00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:03.119
Um And I do I I do think I got the job because of that project.
00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:05.039
So thanks to U T I guess.
00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:05.680
Nice.
00:22:05.920 --> 00:22:06.400
Where you go.
00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:06.799
Yeah.
00:22:07.039 --> 00:22:11.759
So um you're at uh ESA and now you've been with Hastings for about a year.
00:22:12.079 --> 00:22:14.000
And so what kind of projects are you working on now?
00:22:14.400 --> 00:22:16.240
Mostly workplace now.
00:22:16.400 --> 00:22:18.960
Um mostly focused in the music industry.
00:22:19.200 --> 00:22:19.440
Okay.
00:22:19.680 --> 00:22:22.880
Which is a hard pivot, I would say.
00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:24.079
Designing for kids.
00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:27.920
From from healthcare to to musicians.
00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:32.480
Which is like maybe designing for kids in both scenarios, I would say.
00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:42.880
Um they nice designing for creatives is like herding cats in a never in a in a way that I've never experienced before.
00:22:43.039 --> 00:23:10.319
They understand creative language in a different way, they understand space in a different way, and they they yeah, they they they can describe their personal style in um in uh really creative language that I've never been able to have with another client.
00:23:10.480 --> 00:23:15.680
Normally, you know, you do visioning sessions with clients to really kind of pull those ideas out.
00:23:15.920 --> 00:23:28.559
And what I've noticed in the creative industry is that they will just dump an entire kind of creative wasteland or all of their ideas on you at once, and then then you can parse through them.
00:23:29.119 --> 00:23:30.079
You pick through the rubble.
00:23:30.400 --> 00:23:34.960
Yeah, you pick through the rubble instead of um you having to you know pick things out.
00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.519
Is one more challenging than the other?
00:23:38.559 --> 00:23:40.799
I think they're challenging in both ways.
00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:41.839
But different, yeah.
00:23:42.000 --> 00:23:46.240
Because you've got you've got one where it's might be difficult to get to get information out of them.
00:23:46.559 --> 00:23:46.720
Right.
00:23:47.039 --> 00:23:48.480
And now you're getting maybe too much information.
00:23:48.799 --> 00:23:54.559
Now I'm getting way too much information, so many different opinions that are much stronger.
00:23:54.960 --> 00:23:58.799
But I also think the the size of the organization matters.
00:23:58.960 --> 00:24:07.039
You know, in a large children's hospital project, you have layers and layers and layers of decision makers and stakeholders, if you will.
00:24:07.440 --> 00:24:14.640
And especially nonprofit, you're presenting to a board, you're presenting to, you know, the community, all of those things.
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:21.599
And now I'm just presenting to the CEO and his assistant and whoever's in the next conference room.
00:24:21.759 --> 00:24:30.880
So um I think that there's a another level of like personal relationship building that has been really fun.
00:24:31.039 --> 00:24:38.640
I think that's where I like to live in client relationship um and client relationships in general, really.
00:24:38.880 --> 00:24:41.279
It's more fun to be more hands-on with them.
00:24:41.359 --> 00:24:45.200
The more you get to know them, you can kind of predict their next move a little bit.
00:24:45.440 --> 00:24:50.079
Um, but you know, designing for kids is like a whole nother level of creativity that I enjoyed.
00:24:50.160 --> 00:24:50.799
So right.
00:24:51.039 --> 00:24:54.559
Is your background in music helpful at all?
00:24:54.880 --> 00:25:14.160
Or does it not translate to you know, I I think it helps in some ways because I can understand their creative process, but the music industry in Nashville is so uh foreign to me in just the music business side of everything.
00:25:14.480 --> 00:25:20.079
Of who's making the money, who's the songwriter, who's the licensing people, who are the publishers.
00:25:20.319 --> 00:25:23.440
It really you have to understand all of the different layers.
00:25:23.599 --> 00:25:42.160
And I live with a songwriter, my other roommate is in, she works in publishing, and so I've almost I've almost learned more from them and just being adjacent to the music industry and knowing songwriters myself that I can take in to that um to the project rather than my own experience.
00:25:42.799 --> 00:25:43.920
Pull out the clarinet.
00:25:44.640 --> 00:25:49.359
I don't normally norm by request, it's like more of an ad service.
00:25:49.599 --> 00:25:50.480
Is that what you did?
00:25:50.559 --> 00:25:51.200
I skip over that part?
00:25:51.279 --> 00:25:52.960
I meant to ask, like, what did you play?
00:25:53.200 --> 00:25:53.920
Yeah, clarinet.
00:25:54.799 --> 00:25:57.599
Yeah, it was in uh Okay, okay.
00:25:58.799 --> 00:25:59.839
He is much better.
00:25:59.920 --> 00:26:00.640
I read this.
00:26:00.960 --> 00:26:01.279
Right.
00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.720
I could believe you.
00:26:03.119 --> 00:26:04.960
For years we've made this joke.
00:26:05.279 --> 00:26:08.079
He reads and highlights and takes notes.
00:26:08.160 --> 00:26:10.160
And I read you see the paper is annotated.
00:26:10.640 --> 00:26:15.599
And then I'm just like, yeah, and you probably yeah, it's probably like in the it's probably the fourth word on here is clarinet.
00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:15.920
All right.
00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:18.480
I've never even done this before, and I underlined stuff.
00:26:18.640 --> 00:26:19.200
So I can't.
00:26:19.359 --> 00:26:20.160
Oh, you guys are related.
00:26:20.400 --> 00:26:21.200
I've got notes.
00:26:21.839 --> 00:26:22.720
Yeah, of course, it's true.
00:26:22.960 --> 00:26:27.680
I just but I told him earlier, I was like, just underline, write some stuff down just to make Mark look better.
00:26:28.799 --> 00:26:30.079
We're very supportive of that.
00:26:30.160 --> 00:26:32.880
I've been curiously scribbling over here just so you would.
00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:34.079
Okay, cool.
00:26:34.160 --> 00:26:35.440
All right, well, yeah, clarinet.
00:26:35.519 --> 00:26:38.240
All right, I'll just scratch that out of my follow-up question from later.
00:26:38.640 --> 00:26:39.200
I got one.
00:26:39.359 --> 00:26:46.799
Uh obviously, healthcare entities that you work with, the different companies, have brands, brand standards, and all that.
00:26:46.960 --> 00:27:00.880
But in some of the things you responded, uh, I would and I would guess living here, these entertainment industries have much stronger or more varied brands, uh, or more they're trying to communicate with that brand.
00:27:01.119 --> 00:27:03.839
And I think you also mentioned you enjoy storytelling.
00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:10.079
So I'm just kind of interested, how do you work that together to tell their story through their space?
00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:17.519
Yeah, that's an interesting um thing to tackle in each project.
00:27:17.680 --> 00:27:22.079
I think that I love designing for branded environments.
00:27:22.240 --> 00:27:34.559
I did some work at Belmont when I was at ESA as well, and their athletic program, getting to meet their athletic director, um, and the people who are most passionate about the face of the brand.
00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:39.519
I have always described myself as like I will be your number one fan.
00:27:39.680 --> 00:27:44.960
I will be, I will drink the Kool-Aid, I will be 100% a cheerleader.
00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:47.599
That's why I love going to IADA CLC.
00:27:47.839 --> 00:27:49.359
It just hyped me up.
00:27:49.519 --> 00:27:57.039
I love getting behind a brand and um just you know, consider me on the bandwagon, really.
00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:10.720
And I think that um listening to people speak so passionately about what they think that their brand represents to them and what they want to communicate to their people is something that's just like an automatic story for me.
00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:29.440
So if they want to talk about, you know, empathy and they want to have a really, you know, kind of gentle culture and be warm and inviting and accepting, that's like a whole nother language of design than um some of the music industry clients are like, we're the best, and we want everyone to know that we're the best.
00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:54.880
And um, you know, all of our songwriters, we want them to feel like they are in the number one space in Nashville, and so you know, and they're an indie brand, so you know, we're we're the small but mighty, you know, all of the things that they use to describe themselves and how they want the employees to feel about how where they work is so interesting to me.
00:28:55.039 --> 00:28:57.599
So it's like it's a lot louder, it's a lot bolder.
00:28:57.839 --> 00:29:12.400
Um, and a lot of the more of the healthcare clients are um they want, you know, I mean, they're always gonna want places of of respite for their staff, whether they actually let that happen or not, is is another story.
00:29:12.720 --> 00:29:24.640
But at least for the kiddos that we were designing for, that was first and foremost, they wanted people to feel safe and um and and connected to the community in their own space.
00:29:24.720 --> 00:29:31.920
So I think, yeah, I think the story is kind of in how the the user describes the feeling.
00:29:32.160 --> 00:29:53.359
So and it seems like they're they're you know going from like larger healthcare entities which have strong brands, but maybe you're not uh it's different when you go to like maybe a smaller company where you're talking to the the owner that built the company or is the one that's the one every single day, they're their own cheerleader, and that passion comes through.
00:29:54.000 --> 00:29:54.319
100%.
00:29:54.720 --> 00:30:03.279
Yeah, and so one of the other things that there were a few different things that we were talking about before you arrived, that there were some themes, recurring themes, in the way you were answering some of your questions.
00:30:03.440 --> 00:30:09.920
And you talked about um finding kind of handmade things and authenticity.
00:30:10.079 --> 00:30:30.559
Um, and I can see where, you know, even like vintage, but you know, things like you know, and uh going to thrift stores and find things that have a story, um, that you can bring those much more into the kind of projects you're working on now versus bringing in something that's you know, you can't really bring in something like that into a healthcare waiting room.
00:30:31.440 --> 00:30:34.400
Yeah, there's a lot of talk about legacy.
00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:50.480
I think with like some of the larger corporate healthcare brands, what I and you know, kind of the reason why I wanted to pivot to another sector was I think um that that children's project was such a unicorn.
00:30:50.720 --> 00:30:52.640
There was And which project was this?
00:30:52.960 --> 00:30:56.559
It was Mary Bridge Children's Hospital in Tacoma, Washington.
00:30:56.720 --> 00:30:59.599
So it was just like the most beautiful, beautiful area.
00:31:00.000 --> 00:31:00.720
West Coast, yeah, too.
00:31:02.880 --> 00:31:13.759
Yeah, and I and I think that they were so in touch with all of the different communities that made up the demographic of of the patients um that were there.
00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:23.680
I mean, they cared so much about the you know, the CEO would start every meeting saying that he wanted everyone to be able to see themselves in the in the space.
00:31:23.839 --> 00:31:33.039
So we would talk about inclusive artwork, we would talk about sourcing local artists for um the art installations and community spaces that we had.
00:31:33.200 --> 00:31:52.720
We would talk about um, you know, the child life director was in almost every single meeting and talked about the kids' experiences and you know how many times they're leaving their room a day, and just you know, just anything they were so descriptive about how they're they want every specific person in their space to feel.
00:31:53.119 --> 00:32:00.240
And um there's a you know a Mary Bridge Foundation that you know kind of funds the the hospital program itself.
00:32:00.480 --> 00:32:13.920
They have so much legacy and and and such a great story of how a group of nurses crossed a bridge and brought kids over from Seattle to receive health care into coma.
00:32:14.160 --> 00:32:19.599
And so that was like the whole, I mean, talk about you know, an ethos to bring into four years.
00:32:19.680 --> 00:32:35.680
That's how you make four years of a project last because I mean, year three, you're like, okay, this is we're now in CDs and we're you know, now I'm detailing every day and it's getting dry, but you just start to think about the people and the legacy and the stories and all of that.
00:32:36.160 --> 00:32:58.880
Now um, well you know, that it was it's a unicorn because there's not a lot of I I didn't experience that there was a lot of other healthcare clients that um went into so much detail and so and were so caring about each space and we're so involved.
00:32:59.200 --> 00:33:07.119
Um and that's how I just knew that I wanted to kind of fall in love with the client versus um the sector of design in general.
00:33:07.279 --> 00:33:16.160
And so yeah, I think I get to spend a lot more time with ownership now, and it's a lot more personal to the people that I'm working for.
00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:21.920
Um, but that's exactly the same experience I had um designed for a kid.
00:33:22.240 --> 00:33:39.599
I need to reintroduce you to my wife because she was at that dinner in Chicago when we were all together several years ago, because you and I, you and she could go off, and I'm not gonna spend any time on this, but there's a project in Birmingham, Cooper Green, which is an indigent care facility that Erin was the lead designer on.
00:33:39.920 --> 00:33:48.079
And there's not a corner of that facility that she did not touch, including the 300 plus pieces of artwork that went into it.
00:33:48.400 --> 00:33:53.440
Um, and so just you talking, you again, I'm not gonna because I've talked about Cooper Green many times on the show.
00:33:53.519 --> 00:33:55.519
Um, one because I brag about my wife.
00:33:55.680 --> 00:34:08.400
Um, but there's just a lot of parallels in what you said in terms of like just the the care and the intention and the story, but also, I mean, she kind of looks at that as a little bit of a unicorn project, and she's been a designer now for 25 years.
00:34:08.559 --> 00:34:10.639
Um hopefully there's more unicorns to be able to do that.
00:34:10.800 --> 00:34:13.039
She's a she's about to pivot into uh the music.
00:34:13.599 --> 00:34:14.320
The music industry.
00:34:15.039 --> 00:34:17.360
I think that would kind of be awesome to play.
00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:20.320
Just just just to like, you know, yellow.
00:34:20.480 --> 00:34:22.320
Like, you know.
00:34:22.719 --> 00:34:39.440
There, you know, and I worked with a a team of almost 24 interior designers at ESA, and they are all so, so talented and and really infuse their projects as much as they can with that legacy and and and storytelling.
00:34:39.599 --> 00:34:44.800
But to me, if it doesn't come from the client, if I have to force it into a project that makes it harder.
00:34:45.760 --> 00:34:57.280
Um, and I'd much rather review an art package and think about I mean, this is an actual conversation we had was like, I think that fish in this painting is a little too scary.
00:34:57.440 --> 00:34:59.440
Like, I think his face isn't happy enough.
00:34:59.920 --> 00:35:12.719
And that I would so much rather have a 30-minute phone call about that rather than okay, which which Tacoma Bridge picture are we just gonna put in there because it's a part of the art package and we need a landscape of that.
00:35:13.199 --> 00:35:13.920
This is Cooper Green.
00:35:14.960 --> 00:35:15.920
It is the exact same.
00:35:16.079 --> 00:35:27.199
I mean, we the signage we we we had an element on the signage with an animal that was you know cut out in acrylic, and Elena Morris at ESA.
00:35:27.679 --> 00:35:32.000
Um, she was the lead designer on that project, and she was like, Ah, I don't know.
00:35:32.079 --> 00:35:33.519
I just think the bear looks lonely.
00:35:33.679 --> 00:35:34.880
I think we need two bears.
00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:38.159
And I mean that is a full conversation that we had.
00:35:38.559 --> 00:35:40.480
It's like, yeah, we need a she's amazing.
00:35:41.760 --> 00:35:42.559
Yeah, she's incredible.
00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:45.679
I'm so lucky to have learned everything I know from her.
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:48.480
But she she's like, ah, the bear looks lonely.
00:35:48.559 --> 00:35:50.079
We've got to get another one in there.
00:35:50.480 --> 00:35:51.280
So we did.
00:35:51.599 --> 00:35:59.840
Um, but yeah, that's the level of detail and um that I think UT bred in in me.
00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:05.360
Um, I think they have a really, really um design thinking focused program.
00:36:05.760 --> 00:36:07.920
And so I just can't shake it really.
00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:10.480
What did you guys do on the ceilings?
00:36:10.960 --> 00:36:12.159
Yeah, tell us about that.
00:36:12.639 --> 00:36:28.320
Yeah, so one of the calls that we had um with kind of the nursing director and the child life uh director was that um we were kind of going through the path of where the kids would be rolled back on gurneys into the operating room.
00:36:28.559 --> 00:36:30.960
Sometimes they're asleep already, sometimes they're not.
00:36:31.679 --> 00:36:36.159
And I thought about my experience um getting rolled back in surgery before.
00:36:36.239 --> 00:36:36.639
It's terrifying.
00:36:37.199 --> 00:36:37.440
I don't know.
00:36:38.320 --> 00:36:58.800
You're just getting blinded by fluorescent lights, and what we ended up doing was moving the artwork up on the walls so that the kids could actually see what was happening on the ceiling and integrating really cool um painted kind of just bulkheads around um in a river pattern.
00:36:58.880 --> 00:37:10.079
So we basically took the river pattern that was on that floor and that corridor and flipped it up to the ceiling so that um the kids had something to look at and follow as they were being wheeled back.
00:37:10.239 --> 00:37:21.519
And I mean that was totally a a request from the childlife team because they're just so, you know, they're just so connected to the kids' experience all the way through.
00:37:21.679 --> 00:37:40.079
There was um and a lot of other systems have this, but they have like a what they call a kitten scanner, which is a little room where they have a an MRI machine that they can put like a doll into and they can practice um watching the um watching their stuffed animal or whatever have like a kittens?
00:37:40.880 --> 00:37:41.599
I hope not.
00:37:41.760 --> 00:37:44.159
Maybe a stuffed kitten, but I mean we had to design.
00:37:47.280 --> 00:37:49.920
And they like practice and said, okay, this is what's gonna happen.
00:37:50.000 --> 00:38:03.760
That you know, puppy is gonna go into this, and they had a kitten scanner and um and you we even designed little viewing windows so you could see another child playing with that, um, see that they're not you know being harmed or scared or something.
00:38:03.920 --> 00:38:09.199
So it's just I'm like, how how do you go from that to designing other healthcare stuff?
00:38:09.280 --> 00:38:10.000
You just can't.
00:38:10.239 --> 00:38:10.400
Right.
00:38:10.880 --> 00:38:11.440
I couldn't.
00:38:11.519 --> 00:38:12.159
I didn't put it.
00:38:12.719 --> 00:38:12.880
Right.
00:38:13.360 --> 00:38:17.920
That detail when you you wrote about them being wheeled back, that that got me.
00:38:18.000 --> 00:38:18.079
Yeah.
00:38:18.400 --> 00:38:20.079
It had to affect you too.
00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:22.320
But those two fair elements.
00:38:22.719 --> 00:38:23.920
It's not hard to get you.
00:38:26.400 --> 00:38:31.039
Um, his his two his two daughters intentionally try to make him cry.
00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:32.559
Yeah, I don't know what he's talking about.
00:38:32.719 --> 00:38:33.440
They're very good at it.
00:38:33.519 --> 00:38:35.599
But uh tearing out.
00:38:37.760 --> 00:38:40.079
I also tear up when my brother makes fun of me.
00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:44.239
Um but but I would think those are really gratifying moments.
00:38:44.480 --> 00:38:44.800
Yeah.
00:38:45.039 --> 00:38:53.440
And then it's hard to go back because I know some of the healthcare uh firms have some pretty strict standards where you have to kind of pick from this or this, and that's it.
00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:56.400
So to be able to do those elements is gotta be.
00:38:56.559 --> 00:38:56.719
Yeah.
00:38:56.960 --> 00:39:17.920
And to be fair, I learned so much from doing more of that repetitive work in between kind of the pushes that we had for that children's project, because I mean, how else better do you understand coordination and efficiency and drawing um, you know, really intuitive details other than the healthcare project?
00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:25.679
I mean, I got so good at at those things, so I think it had equal amounts of value, it's just not something I wanted to spend more time investing into.
00:39:26.079 --> 00:39:28.480
Well, they have you know they have very good reasons for it, I know.
00:39:28.800 --> 00:39:41.920
Because you also mentioned if uh people just throw something in there that's new and hasn't been fully tested, then you're pulling it back out, and now your facility is hampered, and now you've putting stuff in the landfill.
00:39:42.719 --> 00:39:48.159
So I I get why they have those, but those other elements you get to do have got to be a highlight.
00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:48.400
Yeah.
00:39:48.639 --> 00:39:49.760
And now I was spoiled.
00:39:49.920 --> 00:39:51.199
Elena will tell you that.
00:39:51.360 --> 00:39:52.000
I was spoiled.
00:39:52.159 --> 00:39:53.920
She should have never given me that project.
00:39:56.400 --> 00:40:00.239
And then with these wild brands, I guess it's something different all the time.
00:40:01.199 --> 00:40:06.480
I just want to interject real quick and just say we're our second episode with Lou, and he's doing really, really well.
00:40:06.719 --> 00:40:07.199
He really is.
00:40:07.519 --> 00:40:08.400
He's really doing well.
00:40:08.639 --> 00:40:10.400
Yeah, I mean, the first episode was rough.
00:40:10.559 --> 00:40:11.039
Yeah.
00:40:11.360 --> 00:40:12.800
I think we'd probably say that too.
00:40:13.199 --> 00:40:13.840
I gotta text him.
00:40:14.239 --> 00:40:17.119
I mean, I mean it didn't start well.
00:40:17.280 --> 00:40:22.719
You you I do I do think I mean I ended up at like hindsight, I was like, oh shit.
00:40:22.800 --> 00:40:26.400
Like someone out of his sails with a joke.
00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:26.880
Right.
00:40:26.960 --> 00:40:30.000
And then he's like, I won't, I don't talk more.
00:40:30.559 --> 00:40:31.679
But no, you're doing really well.
00:40:31.760 --> 00:40:37.599
And I think that this could be a good prelude to maybe something that you guys do here in in Tennessee.
00:40:37.840 --> 00:40:39.119
I feel like you were gonna bring that up.
00:40:39.519 --> 00:40:40.800
I never thought you were gonna bring that up.
00:40:41.039 --> 00:40:42.639
No, no, what's up?
00:40:42.719 --> 00:40:43.280
What are you talking about?
00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:43.440
Yeah.
00:40:43.840 --> 00:40:47.199
This is the only reason why we're gonna ride it here is once to be.
00:40:54.159 --> 00:40:55.199
I appreciate that.
00:40:55.760 --> 00:41:00.079
To be fair, I have followed her career since basically college.
00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:03.440
And uh for the last five years, I'm extremely fond of her.
00:41:03.760 --> 00:41:04.320
No, we've been good.
00:41:04.800 --> 00:41:05.920
Used to watch her in the band.
00:41:06.079 --> 00:41:08.159
Like for you know, I want to come back to that.
00:41:08.400 --> 00:41:23.360
Uh I didn't know she was in it at the time, but uh it has been an impressive uh career early on to say the least, and even though she minimizes it saying she's still not sure if she's any good at it, I think we could point to about 12 different points to uh say that she is.
00:41:24.239 --> 00:41:24.960
Well done.
00:41:25.280 --> 00:41:25.760
Thanks.
00:41:26.159 --> 00:41:32.159
Do you have a favorite project like or anything that like you're working on right now that like you're allowed that you can talk about?
00:41:32.400 --> 00:41:33.280
We have to preface that.
00:41:33.760 --> 00:41:57.599
Yeah, I can't yeah, I can't talk about some of them, but the um one of the music uh offices that I'm working on is for Big Loud Records, and they are just shocked full of um personality, and so that has been fun to um sit alongside um Isabella Claiborne, who formerly isabella Davis.
00:41:57.760 --> 00:41:59.760
She was my TA in school, actually.
00:42:00.559 --> 00:42:13.440
And so that's who I was on this project with, and I I came in thinking I came into Hastings thinking that I had a real handicap, honestly, of just like I don't I don't know where to spec a rug.
00:42:13.599 --> 00:42:16.000
Like I you can't ask I I don't know that.
00:42:16.239 --> 00:42:22.400
I don't know um a lot of other, you know, hospitality fabric brands.
00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:24.239
I have no business knowing that.
00:42:24.400 --> 00:42:29.760
And so um she I mean, I I prefaced that my first day.
00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:36.480
I was like, you know, you're gonna get a real technical designer out of me, but you're gonna have to, you know, shake me loose of of some habits.
00:42:36.639 --> 00:42:42.960
And she was so gracious and so uh willing to share her creative process.
00:42:43.119 --> 00:42:46.159
Um, and it was just so fun to learn from her again.
00:42:46.400 --> 00:42:50.559
And um I think that's what has made that project so fun.
00:42:50.960 --> 00:43:06.079
She has just looked at me and said, um, you know, putting the word custom in front of that phrase is not a scary thing, you know, it's okay to think outside of the boundaries that you've already, you know, defined for yourself.
00:43:06.480 --> 00:43:19.920
No, and I think we balanced each other out because there was one day that she was describing this millwork detail, you know, she drew it on a piece of paper and I was like, and she said, Oh, just call it out as a custom, you know, metal base, metal trim.
00:43:20.079 --> 00:43:28.159
And I was like, right, but um, and I just pulled up the Fry Regulate website and I said, This is um this is standard and we can buy this.
00:43:29.280 --> 00:43:30.800
And we should do this.
00:43:31.039 --> 00:43:34.159
And she's like, Oh right, okay, yeah, it doesn't have to be custom.
00:43:34.320 --> 00:43:38.239
And so I think we we kind of balanced each other out in that way.
00:43:38.480 --> 00:43:48.079
And I think I'm just proud of how much I've learned in such a short amount of time on that one and just been able to throw my brain into it.
00:43:48.239 --> 00:43:51.599
Um so yeah, that's probably my favorite right now that I'm working on.
00:43:51.760 --> 00:43:56.239
Everything else is complicated and confidential, so it's a real a real bummer.
00:43:56.960 --> 00:43:59.519
Dang to be continued.
00:44:00.239 --> 00:44:03.679
Um do you want to cover the University of Tennessee marching band thing?
00:44:03.760 --> 00:44:05.280
Do you had questions about that or you wanted to circle back?
00:44:08.239 --> 00:44:08.639
Okay, gotcha.
00:44:08.880 --> 00:44:12.079
That's what they're gonna call it for the Tennessee chapters, the lightning round.
00:44:12.400 --> 00:44:12.639
Okay.
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:14.320
We call it wrapping.
00:44:15.920 --> 00:44:16.000
Yeah.
00:44:16.639 --> 00:44:16.880
Sorry.
00:44:16.960 --> 00:44:17.199
Sorry.
00:44:17.760 --> 00:44:18.159
I messed up.
00:44:18.559 --> 00:44:19.039
Oh no.
00:44:19.840 --> 00:44:20.159
Yeah, yeah.
00:44:20.320 --> 00:44:21.280
What episode is this?
00:44:21.440 --> 00:44:21.840
What is this?
00:44:22.480 --> 00:44:23.119
67.
00:44:23.760 --> 00:44:24.159
6'7.
00:44:24.559 --> 00:44:24.960
6'7.
00:44:25.440 --> 00:44:25.840
6'7.
00:44:26.800 --> 00:44:27.039
No, no.
00:44:27.440 --> 00:44:30.960
That's just to say he's got a pretty solid template to work off of.
00:44:31.280 --> 00:44:35.760
You know, because uh Chad and I have paved quite the smooth road.
00:44:39.360 --> 00:44:40.559
Just go places in reality.
00:44:41.039 --> 00:44:42.159
I don't have anything to do with that.
00:44:42.320 --> 00:44:44.480
I was 20 minutes late to this as a guest.
00:44:44.880 --> 00:44:46.800
How was I supposed to be?
00:44:47.360 --> 00:44:49.119
I have a limited amount of time, Lou.
00:44:50.000 --> 00:44:52.320
I have nothing to do with this lobbying effort.
00:44:53.440 --> 00:44:56.639
I also don't think I don't think they're saying you would have to be in this.
00:44:56.960 --> 00:44:58.880
No, and I really I really can't and won't.
00:45:00.239 --> 00:45:01.599
You've got to set down to reach.
00:45:01.840 --> 00:45:03.039
She's able to say no, too.
00:45:03.360 --> 00:45:03.440
Yes.
00:45:03.760 --> 00:45:05.440
All of her many uh accomplishments.
00:45:05.920 --> 00:45:09.440
I don't say no to much, but I have said no firmly for this for a while.
00:45:10.719 --> 00:45:11.280
Firmly?
00:45:11.920 --> 00:45:12.480
Firmly.
00:45:12.719 --> 00:45:14.159
Oh, that is a descriptor.
00:45:15.599 --> 00:45:21.840
As I move out of past president, I can observe and I I can because I just I mean, doesn't Lou need a babysitter?
00:45:22.000 --> 00:45:25.440
Obviously, if it's gonna have the idea of name on it, I'm gonna have to.
00:45:26.079 --> 00:45:28.000
Which one of them is which one of them is the babysitter?
00:45:28.320 --> 00:45:32.400
Does Jess does Jess approve of all of the does she read a transcript?
00:45:32.480 --> 00:45:33.519
Like what's going on?
00:45:33.760 --> 00:45:33.920
No.
00:45:34.880 --> 00:45:35.760
They just let you run.
00:45:36.159 --> 00:45:36.960
Yeah, they'll just let us do it.
00:45:37.280 --> 00:45:37.599
100%.
00:45:37.840 --> 00:45:38.000
Yeah.
00:45:38.159 --> 00:45:39.039
Yeah, we just run.
00:45:39.760 --> 00:45:40.719
Become trusted.
00:45:40.960 --> 00:45:41.199
Right.
00:45:41.360 --> 00:45:41.599
Yeah.
00:45:41.679 --> 00:45:45.920
No, yeah, honestly, from what I'm saying is that I don't trust Lou, and I think that's maybe what I'm saying.
00:45:46.480 --> 00:45:46.880
I get it.
00:45:46.960 --> 00:45:47.360
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:47.679 --> 00:45:48.800
I was definitely feeling that.
00:45:49.039 --> 00:45:49.199
Yeah.
00:45:49.360 --> 00:45:49.440
Yeah.
00:45:49.679 --> 00:45:55.119
I think this is a different episode that we're getting, we're leading to a different type of sidebar or whatever to say.
00:45:55.360 --> 00:45:55.679
Yeah, yeah.
00:45:55.840 --> 00:45:56.800
But enable that.
00:45:57.119 --> 00:45:58.159
You don't have to have him as the host.
00:45:58.320 --> 00:46:00.400
We can yeah, you can get rid of somebody you can trust.
00:46:00.639 --> 00:46:00.719
Right.
00:46:00.960 --> 00:46:03.440
Yeah, well, you were lobbying to be.
00:46:06.559 --> 00:46:06.960
Yeah.
00:46:07.199 --> 00:46:10.239
No, it's a good idea, and I do it's a good idea.
00:46:10.559 --> 00:46:11.920
You know, because what it what it is?
00:46:12.159 --> 00:46:13.440
It's all about storytelling.
00:46:13.760 --> 00:46:14.079
Right.
00:46:14.159 --> 00:46:14.480
Okay.
00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:15.840
You're using that against me.
00:46:16.400 --> 00:46:18.800
I did write that a few times in my thing.
00:46:19.920 --> 00:46:22.639
Well, I did want to pivot to IDA.
00:46:22.800 --> 00:46:25.360
Um, because and Isaac was the same way.
00:46:25.440 --> 00:46:31.119
Um at the end of our questionnaire, we have kind of a question like, is there anything else you would like us to discuss while you're on the podcast?
00:46:31.199 --> 00:46:35.199
And he wrote the same thing, which was kind of like, I'd like to talk about IDA if there's time.
00:46:35.519 --> 00:46:37.920
So um so let's talk about IDA.
00:46:38.000 --> 00:46:48.559
I mean, I think it it is fascinating that so quickly out of school that you went into a leadership position and that it's become such an integral part of your life.
00:46:48.800 --> 00:46:57.199
Um what I guess what advice would you have for other designers out there that maybe currently aren't uh as involved in IDA and why should they be?
00:46:58.159 --> 00:47:02.320
I mean, I've always said that you get out of IDA what you put into it.
00:47:02.400 --> 00:47:08.320
It's like, you know, a mantra that any nonprofit uses for recruitment, I think.
00:47:08.480 --> 00:47:10.559
But it really is true.
00:47:10.880 --> 00:47:18.239
I started really inexperienced in an IADA in in school.
00:47:18.639 --> 00:47:22.320
I think I joined maybe my freshman or sophomore year.
00:47:22.480 --> 00:47:32.639
Um, and we my friend and I kind of revamped the organization to to mean a little bit more and to have a little bit more presence at UT.
00:47:32.960 --> 00:47:48.159
And so I just started a passion for organizational leadership, I think, and just seeing what is what I'm capable of and what people are capable of when they just put effort into the things that matter to them.
00:47:48.320 --> 00:47:54.239
So I think IDA to me represents more than just social events, like we have the gala tomorrow night.
00:47:54.320 --> 00:48:02.559
The gala is not about um, you know, I mean it is about getting together and drinking and having fun.
00:48:02.800 --> 00:48:11.440
But to me, like I'll be standing at the IIDA info booth tomorrow night getting um a reprieve from talking to people, and that will be great.
00:48:11.760 --> 00:48:15.519
And I think that's you'll be talking to people, just not on a mic.
00:48:16.000 --> 00:48:16.239
Right.
00:48:16.400 --> 00:48:18.639
I do I do have to go up on stage and I did find about that.
00:48:19.920 --> 00:48:22.960
No, I I thought about that, but I did not win.
00:48:23.199 --> 00:48:31.039
But I think that um IDA is really about creating a community of people who have the same passion as you.
00:48:31.199 --> 00:48:35.039
So it's like we all love interior design, we all love the design industry.
00:48:35.360 --> 00:48:41.119
How can we make each other's lives the majority of our lives that are spent working better?
00:48:41.519 --> 00:48:48.719
Um and that involves, you know, getting students jobs and helping them feel comfortable financially as they step into their 20s.
00:48:48.800 --> 00:48:59.199
That involves, you know, helping them through that like weird one to five year gap, knowledge gap that you're just thrown into a job and expected to know things.
00:48:59.519 --> 00:49:00.880
I didn't know anything.
00:49:00.960 --> 00:49:02.559
You can ask Elena Morris.
00:49:02.800 --> 00:49:16.559
And um I think that IDA just it matters so much more than people realize, and the only way to see that sometimes is pouring into it and just raising a hand.
00:49:16.800 --> 00:49:18.800
That's how Isaac got involved again.
00:49:18.960 --> 00:49:34.000
He took some time off after being president, and um we he was actually on a nomination committee for this next board because he's a trusted voice in our industry and we needed somebody who had board experience.
00:49:34.320 --> 00:49:39.599
He was just supposed to find other people that would be great for and he couldn't find somebody better than himself.
00:49:40.159 --> 00:50:02.559
He was on the call, he was on the call, Claudia Lofton told me, and he said, Oh, maybe maybe I could do that role, and now he's the vice president of City Centers, a brand new role that we've never had before, kind of leading the charge and creating you know new um new importance for that, for those people, a new organization for that people, so for those people.
00:50:02.719 --> 00:50:12.559
So I just I don't know, it's long-winded, but it's just if you can give five minutes a week, you can be super involved in IDA.
00:50:13.199 --> 00:50:23.119
You can give an undisclosed amount of hours a week to IDA, and you can still feel like you're a part of something bigger, because it is.
00:50:23.360 --> 00:50:23.599
Yeah.
00:50:23.760 --> 00:50:34.800
So well it does seem like um, and we talked about it on the last podcast, that um IDA Tennessee, not IDA Alabama, Tennessee, um, has been kind of on a roll, like really has grown.
00:50:34.960 --> 00:50:36.480
Um can you talk about that?
00:50:36.559 --> 00:50:38.159
Just kind of the growth of the chapter?
00:50:38.559 --> 00:50:48.960
You know, people tell me that, and people say that it it used to be slower or it used to be a little bit more unreliable, maybe, or just maybe that was the appearance.
00:50:49.039 --> 00:51:03.360
And I just think it has to do you know, I came in at an interesting time as the board was transitioning over into a new spirit of leadership, I would say, and it's just about giving each other grace.
00:51:03.679 --> 00:51:33.519
And so I think it's it's really similar to any other organization when you have leaders that are empowered to be kind to each other and who try to protect each other from being overwhelmed and overworked and outburned in in burnout, then that trickles down to really healthy committees and healthy um ways to nominate people and you know people want to be a part of of an organization where they think that people are happy.
00:51:33.679 --> 00:51:38.159
And so when you have happy people, that it it makes a huge difference.
00:51:38.320 --> 00:51:43.519
And I think that we just had some really pivotal leadership come in.
00:51:43.679 --> 00:51:56.639
Kristen Vaughn kind of I feel like started the the move towards grace and understanding with the board, and you know, Morgan Black followed her, and Claudia Lofton followed her, and then it was me.
00:51:56.800 --> 00:52:03.119
And so I think that there was just just this acceptance of like, okay, this is where we're at.
00:52:03.519 --> 00:52:11.280
This is how many board roles we have open, and we're just gonna do what we can to show up for the people that um support us.
00:52:11.519 --> 00:52:23.920
And our our sponsorship has you know increased significantly, but it really didn't falter that much in that in those time periods of you know that that kind of um uneasiness.
00:52:24.079 --> 00:52:33.280
And it's because the community, especially like the rep and and and the brand communities in Tennessee, still believe in the mission.
00:52:33.360 --> 00:52:48.880
It's just that you needed people to believe in themselves enough to volunteer um and trust that they weren't going to be mistreated or or um you know taken advantage of, I think, for their time.
00:52:49.280 --> 00:52:49.760
Overworked.
00:52:50.079 --> 00:52:53.280
Yeah, or abandoned in their role without support.
00:52:54.320 --> 00:53:10.880
It it really has to do a lot with onboarding, and it really has to do a lot with um consistency, and I think Brandy Kelly, who's over at Gresham, Brandy and I have really focused on just providing resources for new people.
00:53:11.039 --> 00:53:13.519
And so that's kind of just been the goal.
00:53:13.760 --> 00:53:14.800
I think that's why it's better.
00:53:14.960 --> 00:53:17.199
I don't know if you have a different perspective, Lou.
00:53:17.599 --> 00:53:18.400
But I I don't know.
00:53:18.800 --> 00:53:36.159
No, I mean the perspective is that uh is that we've we've had a uh run a handoff from one unbelievable leader caring to another, and it's it they're just continuing this momentum with really great people.
00:53:36.320 --> 00:53:41.280
And when you have really great people like that, it draws other people to want to be a part of it.
00:53:42.800 --> 00:54:14.960
Yes, because you see, oh, these are very successful people at our top firms who somehow are also able to run this volunteer organization, put on tremendous events, help students, so on and so forth, all the things that we they have been doing, uh, up to and including um taking on our state government at the last minute, uh, when uh which that was uh Allie's uh one of Allie's things that just there was a strange thing came up in the state legislature.
00:54:15.119 --> 00:54:25.920
Some I don't know who politician she could explain it a lot better, but just decided it's no longer gonna be, you know, a regulated part of uh industry and we're gonna vote it in committee.
00:54:26.239 --> 00:54:42.000
And the outpouring, the the people that showed up, it was unbelievable how fast Allie and team were able to get people together to get it organized to knock that down to show that this this community has some togetherness.
00:54:42.159 --> 00:54:44.639
We've got each other's back, we're gonna show up.
00:54:45.199 --> 00:54:47.920
Yeah, and it's important, and there's a lot of passion behind it.
00:54:48.400 --> 00:54:54.880
And well, you could tell that story better, sorry, but it was just it's been amazing to watch over the last five, six years.
00:54:55.679 --> 00:55:02.480
Yeah, I don't think that that um level of response to the advocacy effort would have happened even three years ago.
00:55:02.960 --> 00:55:03.440
No chance.
00:55:03.920 --> 00:55:07.599
Um and part of it, we've learned a lot from the Alabama chapter, actually.
00:55:07.760 --> 00:55:21.199
We they have held our hands in in understanding the legislative process in a very similar political climate, but also just the structure of how state government works is pretty similar kind of.
00:55:21.519 --> 00:55:49.199
And just the struggles that they've had to go through with their sunrise, sunset laws and all of those things, um, we've leaned a lot on um on Alabama to kind of just teach us um because we we've always had the the advocacy team theoretically, but we've never been challenged or we've never pushed for a a new um a new definition of what our our registration looks like.
00:55:49.440 --> 00:55:57.519
So yeah, I mean in February I was like eight weeks into my new job, and Claudia, I was sitting next to her and she looks at me and she's like, Allie?
00:55:58.159 --> 00:56:01.039
Oh shit, oh oh no, oh no, oh no.
00:56:01.119 --> 00:56:01.840
And I was like, okay.
00:56:02.159 --> 00:56:06.239
She got a call from Susan Ballard, who's kind of the queen of advocacy in Tennessee.
00:56:06.320 --> 00:56:11.360
She runs um SK Ballard Interiors um over in Knoxville.
00:56:11.440 --> 00:56:14.880
She's an incredible um experienced designer.
00:56:15.519 --> 00:56:17.199
And she kind of rang the bell.
00:56:17.280 --> 00:56:25.039
She just had her notifications turned on for when things were gonna affect interior design in Tennessee, and she kind of saw this coming.
00:56:25.360 --> 00:56:44.239
Um, yeah, and so it was proposed to take the uh the representative, uh the interior design representative off of the architectural and engineering board completely and uh deregulate the industry by removing the ability to become a registered interior designer in Tennessee.
00:56:44.320 --> 00:56:48.159
So it's just like I mean they I mean they've done similar things two years ago.
00:56:48.239 --> 00:56:51.920
They did this to funeral directors and hairstylists.
00:56:52.320 --> 00:56:54.079
Yeah, there's there's been a big push to deregulate.
00:56:56.079 --> 00:57:03.119
And so the lobbyists that fought for the funeral directors and the hairstylists actually is now helping us, which is really great.
00:57:03.519 --> 00:57:08.400
Um but yeah, it's like yeah, I d a funeral director needs to be licensed in some way.
00:57:08.480 --> 00:57:10.159
Like, let's use some common sense here.
00:57:10.400 --> 00:57:10.480
Right.
00:57:10.800 --> 00:57:14.320
We use the same argument for interior design.
00:57:14.639 --> 00:57:17.599
We right we uh work in code-regulated spaces.
00:57:17.920 --> 00:57:22.800
At that time, I was just fresh off of being an experienced healthcare designer.
00:57:22.880 --> 00:57:26.480
I'm working in, you know, I'm working with life safety.
00:57:26.639 --> 00:57:28.639
I'm drawing my own life safety plans.
00:57:28.960 --> 00:57:32.480
I know much more than you know, fit and finish.
00:57:32.639 --> 00:57:54.800
And so our whole thing was just about promoting health safety welfare to um and how we affect it to the local representatives, and we created a link um to um to send an email to your local um representative, and through our link alone, we had 1800 emails which is insane.
00:57:55.280 --> 00:57:56.000
That's fantastic.
00:57:56.320 --> 00:58:01.599
I mean, people who had no idea what was happening were emailing, yelling at their representatives.
00:58:02.639 --> 00:58:03.199
That's what you want.
00:58:03.280 --> 00:58:09.119
That's how the government functions contractors association, their lobbyists really went about for us as well.
00:58:09.360 --> 00:58:15.119
Um uh AIA was really helpful, and everyone was like, What do you mean?
00:58:15.360 --> 00:58:16.159
What do you mean?
00:58:16.320 --> 00:58:18.559
And so they really had just not read the bill.
00:58:18.639 --> 00:58:21.679
That's what the answer was that we got of why this started.
00:58:22.079 --> 00:58:28.079
They really had just not read it, and they just knew that it was gonna check a box if the committee was smaller.
00:58:28.239 --> 00:58:30.159
So now they've pissed us off.
00:58:30.320 --> 00:58:35.119
And so we in the next legislative session are gonna try to expand our permitting privileges.
00:58:35.519 --> 00:58:35.760
Good.
00:58:36.000 --> 00:58:39.440
So, yeah, we have a lobbying effort and the whole thing.
00:58:39.760 --> 00:58:42.320
Not just a lobbying effort, but a mascot.
00:58:42.719 --> 00:58:43.519
We do have a mascot.
00:58:43.920 --> 00:58:45.840
Oh my gosh, how can I forget about it?
00:58:46.000 --> 00:58:47.760
We're missing myths with merch.
00:58:48.000 --> 00:58:48.880
Yeah, we do have merch.
00:58:49.039 --> 00:58:49.199
What?
00:58:49.599 --> 00:58:52.800
Roxy the raccoon is our mascot.
00:58:53.119 --> 00:59:00.400
She holds a tomato, um, our state fruit, and um Roxy is our state animal, the raccoon.
00:59:00.559 --> 00:59:03.599
Okay, and she is so mad at everyone.
00:59:03.760 --> 00:59:06.480
And she represents the gritty.
00:59:06.559 --> 00:59:07.679
They can get so angry.
00:59:07.920 --> 00:59:15.280
And they represent kind of the grit of the interior design profession of how we should stand up for each other and how we should represent Tennessee.
00:59:15.360 --> 00:59:17.280
So who came up with Roxy the raccoon?
00:59:17.440 --> 00:59:18.480
Um, that was Tiffany Clegg.
00:59:18.719 --> 00:59:18.880
Okay.
00:59:19.119 --> 00:59:19.920
She's a genius.
00:59:20.239 --> 00:59:22.559
So obviously, that goes without saying.
00:59:23.039 --> 00:59:31.280
We already had a graphic designer on board to help us with some other stuff, and we were like, how much is the ad service to create a raccoon for us?
00:59:32.400 --> 00:59:35.199
And she was like, Okay, yeah, I can add that to my scope.
00:59:35.360 --> 00:59:45.599
So now, yeah, premiering tomorrow will have Roxy pins and stickers and all of it goes to the advocacy fund because uh lobbyists are really expensive.
00:59:46.079 --> 00:59:47.360
We got merch, guys, we got merch.
00:59:47.840 --> 00:59:52.639
Maybe maybe that's something we need to add to our advocacy and IDA and ID.
00:59:53.599 --> 00:59:55.599
What's your state what's your state animal, you think?
00:59:55.840 --> 01:00:00.480
I don't know what the state animal is, but the fight between Yellowhammer is a cigarette.
01:00:01.679 --> 01:00:02.559
I don't know what the animal is.
01:00:02.719 --> 01:00:04.719
I think that's a cool name, a yellow hammer.
01:00:04.880 --> 01:00:05.280
Yeah.
01:00:05.519 --> 01:00:05.679
Yeah.
01:00:06.000 --> 01:00:07.199
There's something in the left.
01:00:07.920 --> 01:00:11.519
You could alternate elephants and tigers, so you could sell more shirts that way.
01:00:11.760 --> 01:00:11.920
Right.
01:00:12.159 --> 01:00:12.400
Certainly.
01:00:15.519 --> 01:00:15.840
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
01:00:16.239 --> 01:00:18.320
It's all yeah, it's very targeted marketing.
01:00:18.800 --> 01:00:20.880
You have to deal with the cookies on the on the browsers.
01:00:21.039 --> 01:00:21.360
Yeah.
01:00:21.760 --> 01:00:22.880
Really targeted ads.
01:00:23.440 --> 01:00:31.360
Well, I hate I hate to cut this conversation short uh because we are we are at Alfred Williams again, which thank you uh to Alfred Williams for hosting us.
01:00:31.519 --> 01:00:36.800
Um but it is five o'clock, and right before we started recording, it dawned on us that none of us work here.
01:00:38.400 --> 01:00:38.960
It's fine.
01:00:39.039 --> 01:00:39.679
Yeah, it's fine.
01:00:42.800 --> 01:00:44.559
Around when you would normally leave work.
01:00:44.639 --> 01:00:46.559
So um they've not bothered us at all.
01:00:47.920 --> 01:00:48.400
We were here.
01:00:50.880 --> 01:00:51.440
Maybe a lot.
01:00:51.840 --> 01:00:55.840
Um so if we'll do the uh lightning round, is that what we're calling it here in Tennessee?
01:00:56.079 --> 01:00:56.800
Sorry, sorry, I didn't.
01:00:57.039 --> 01:00:58.480
We're calling it here in Tennessee, the lightning round.
01:00:59.360 --> 01:01:01.360
He's debuting a new segment.
01:01:02.159 --> 01:01:04.559
So uh Lou, do you want to go first since you had a question?
01:01:04.800 --> 01:01:06.159
I do want to go first in this.
01:01:06.239 --> 01:01:08.159
These are these are fun, hopefully.
01:01:08.320 --> 01:01:17.199
Uh, but uh as of all myself, incredibly intrigued with the idea that you were indeed a member of the Pride of the Southland marching band.
01:01:17.599 --> 01:01:22.480
So, how awesome was it to get to form the T on game day and it was incredible.
01:01:22.639 --> 01:01:23.199
It was incredible.
01:01:23.360 --> 01:01:26.320
Smokey um the dog ran over my shoe one time.
01:01:26.639 --> 01:01:27.199
It was incredible.
01:01:27.519 --> 01:01:28.559
Brush with greatness.
01:01:28.800 --> 01:01:30.960
Still have that shoe, never watched it.
01:01:31.360 --> 01:01:33.039
Yeah, so it was incredible.
01:01:33.920 --> 01:01:42.239
That just seems like one of the most I mean, it is one of the more fun entrances to uh for a college football game and to be actually participating in it.
01:01:42.800 --> 01:01:43.360
Incredible.
01:01:43.519 --> 01:01:46.159
Did you have all the crazy lights and hats they have now?
01:01:46.320 --> 01:01:50.880
Because they light up the tea at night somehow and the the band has lights on their own.
01:01:51.119 --> 01:01:55.519
I never had a light on my on my Shako, which is what the hat is called, by the way.
01:01:55.840 --> 01:01:56.079
Shako.
01:01:56.400 --> 01:01:57.840
It's called a what a Shako.
01:01:58.320 --> 01:01:59.760
Yeah with a K.
01:02:00.079 --> 01:02:03.280
I've asked some of the U T designers like, how do you do this exactly?
01:02:03.360 --> 01:02:05.119
But I didn't get a detailed response.
01:02:05.360 --> 01:02:05.519
Yep.
01:02:05.840 --> 01:02:06.800
Did they mention the Shako?
01:02:07.280 --> 01:02:08.239
They did not mention the Shako.
01:02:08.559 --> 01:02:11.440
They mentioned a lighting company for lighting the tea itself.
01:02:11.599 --> 01:02:14.880
But um very designer answer.
01:02:15.119 --> 01:02:15.360
Ohio.
01:02:15.920 --> 01:02:16.960
Give you the manufacturer link.
01:02:17.039 --> 01:02:18.159
Is that what you're looking for, Lou?
01:02:18.400 --> 01:02:19.119
Yes, yes, I know.
01:02:19.199 --> 01:02:20.639
It's Pentone 151.
01:02:20.800 --> 01:02:21.599
I know what the color is.
01:02:22.079 --> 01:02:23.039
C, to be specific.
01:02:23.360 --> 01:02:24.800
C, right, exactly.
01:02:25.119 --> 01:02:25.599
All right.
01:02:25.760 --> 01:02:27.280
That was that's all I had for that one.
01:02:27.440 --> 01:02:27.679
Yep.
01:02:27.920 --> 01:02:28.719
Wow, great.
01:02:29.039 --> 01:02:30.320
We talk more about Tennessee.
01:02:30.480 --> 01:02:31.679
We've never talked about Tennessee this much.
01:02:32.000 --> 01:02:32.239
We haven't.
01:02:32.400 --> 01:02:34.320
No, it's strange that we would do that in Tennessee.
01:02:34.559 --> 01:02:35.519
Yeah, yeah, I know, right?
01:02:35.679 --> 01:02:36.079
Weird.
01:02:36.239 --> 01:02:41.039
Um, what's something you've gotten really into lately that has nothing to do with work?
01:02:41.679 --> 01:02:42.000
Okay.
01:02:42.159 --> 01:02:43.760
I'm taking a sewing class.
01:02:43.920 --> 01:02:44.079
Oh.
01:02:44.480 --> 01:02:47.280
And it has become a new leg of my personality.
01:02:47.440 --> 01:02:47.760
Okay.
01:02:48.079 --> 01:02:56.400
Um, I take this class at Turnip Green Creative Reuse, which is an incredible store nonprofit here in town.
01:02:56.719 --> 01:03:04.960
And I really am working towards, you know, extracurriculars that I can do without the computer.
01:03:05.199 --> 01:03:08.159
I'm really used to the control Z of it all.
01:03:08.239 --> 01:03:11.599
I can just erase whatever, you know, mistake I make on the computer.
01:03:11.760 --> 01:03:15.599
But it's you have to focus a little bit more when you're sewing.
01:03:15.840 --> 01:03:22.480
Um and yeah, I just I've been really inspired by just embroidery and collaging and all of the things.
01:03:22.559 --> 01:03:23.199
And so I wanted to.
01:03:23.440 --> 01:03:24.320
She really should meet Erin.
01:03:24.639 --> 01:03:26.400
I was gonna interject against it.
01:03:27.920 --> 01:03:30.639
So she's a she's a phenomenal knitter.
01:03:31.280 --> 01:03:33.599
And she's recently gotten into sewing.
01:03:33.760 --> 01:03:34.000
Yes.
01:03:34.159 --> 01:03:36.800
Which means she bought a stupid expensive sewing machine, but it's a little bit more.
01:03:38.159 --> 01:03:40.960
I I can't remember, but it wasn't the most expensive one.
01:03:41.280 --> 01:03:42.000
I do know that.
01:03:42.320 --> 01:03:43.280
Yeah, I will find out.
01:03:43.440 --> 01:03:43.599
Okay.
01:03:43.920 --> 01:03:50.880
And then recently, in in our our our kitchen table, which is a little bit bigger than the table we're at, it's probably it's probably 10 feet wide.
01:03:51.039 --> 01:03:55.199
It's now basically a whole sewing going on.
01:03:55.280 --> 01:03:57.920
And she bought a tabletop projector.
01:03:58.239 --> 01:04:00.000
Okay, this I've heard about these.
01:04:00.480 --> 01:04:02.320
Yeah, so she bought when they put together.
01:04:03.199 --> 01:04:04.719
It's like the new way to cut patterns.
01:04:04.960 --> 01:04:13.760
Yep, so like a regular projector, you know, like it's you know, it's a rectangle, it sits flat, so this sits on its side and then it projects down on the table.
01:04:14.079 --> 01:04:14.480
Yeah.
01:04:14.719 --> 01:04:20.480
And somebody I was telling this about somebody telling somebody the other day, I don't think it was you, but somebody was like, I was like, yeah, that Aaron bought this projector, da da da.
01:04:20.719 --> 01:04:22.719
And they go, how much how much did she spend?
01:04:22.800 --> 01:04:24.239
And I go, I don't ask questions.
01:04:24.400 --> 01:04:24.880
Yeah, it's her.
01:04:25.280 --> 01:04:25.920
It's her money.
01:04:26.159 --> 01:04:27.039
And her money, too.
01:04:27.119 --> 01:04:32.320
So like it's it's it's fun, but it's it's a complete chit show in the kitchen right now.
01:04:32.639 --> 01:04:37.440
And she would go, I made a I made a sewing comment the other day, and she looked at me as also very errand.
01:04:37.679 --> 01:04:40.079
She goes, Well, technically, Mark, it's garment making.
01:04:40.239 --> 01:04:42.320
Right because she's already making a shirt.
01:04:43.039 --> 01:04:44.239
She's bought these rolls of linen.
01:04:45.199 --> 01:04:45.440
Wow.
01:04:45.599 --> 01:04:45.760
Yeah.
01:04:46.079 --> 01:04:51.679
There's a new sewing store opening in um in my neighborhood, and it's called the Sewist.
01:04:51.920 --> 01:04:52.960
It's October 1st.
01:04:53.119 --> 01:04:53.679
Shout out.
01:04:53.840 --> 01:04:57.039
If anybody wants to drive from Birmingham, it's too fast, though.
01:04:57.519 --> 01:04:58.880
I would have to tell her because she's not going to listen to it.
01:04:59.199 --> 01:05:00.320
Thursday afternoon.
01:05:00.559 --> 01:05:00.719
Yeah.
01:05:01.039 --> 01:05:01.760
Is this the Nash Bridge?
01:05:02.639 --> 01:05:03.039
Is that the neighbor?
01:05:03.280 --> 01:05:04.000
It's actually on Whitebridge.
01:05:04.239 --> 01:05:04.559
Whitebridge.
01:05:04.880 --> 01:05:05.199
Wait, what?
01:05:05.280 --> 01:05:07.920
So it's a new sewing store in Nashville called the Sewist.
01:05:08.239 --> 01:05:11.760
Yes, we really haven't had a lot of like sewing and notion stores.
01:05:11.840 --> 01:05:12.400
It's been a drought.
01:05:12.880 --> 01:05:13.840
I will have to tell her that.
01:05:14.159 --> 01:05:14.880
Do they sell yarn?
01:05:15.280 --> 01:05:17.599
I can't believe I'm about to ask this question, Jack.
01:05:18.000 --> 01:05:19.599
Do they have yarn stores here?
01:05:19.840 --> 01:05:21.039
Yes, the house of yarn.
01:05:21.280 --> 01:05:21.599
Okay.
01:05:21.840 --> 01:05:22.159
Okay.
01:05:23.679 --> 01:05:24.400
But how is it?
01:05:24.559 --> 01:05:26.079
Is there a bar nearby?
01:05:26.400 --> 01:05:27.760
Um, Trader Joseph's store.
01:05:28.079 --> 01:05:28.800
Almost certainly.
01:05:29.119 --> 01:05:29.760
Well, I think that's a good one.
01:05:29.920 --> 01:05:31.440
Almost certainly here there's gonna be a bar.
01:05:31.840 --> 01:05:31.920
Okay.
01:05:32.480 --> 01:05:43.199
Yeah, we kind of derailed from the lightning round here, but there's also an ongoing joke between me and Aaron and a lot of our friends that we've when Aaron and I have been in Chicago, we've been in DC, just different we were in Denver.
01:05:43.440 --> 01:05:45.519
She can't go anyplace without looking for a yarn store.
01:05:45.599 --> 01:05:52.239
And I will go to her, go with her to these yarn stores, and then I'm there for five minutes, and then I'm literally like, and Aaron looks at me and she knows what's gonna happen.
01:05:52.719 --> 01:05:53.360
She doesn't want you there.
01:05:53.519 --> 01:05:56.400
I'm like, I found the bar around the corner.
01:05:56.880 --> 01:05:57.039
Okay.
01:05:57.440 --> 01:05:58.719
Come come get me when you're done.
01:05:58.960 --> 01:05:59.199
Yep.
01:06:00.400 --> 01:06:00.639
Yeah.
01:06:01.039 --> 01:06:01.599
New hobby.
01:06:02.079 --> 01:06:02.239
Okay.
01:06:02.400 --> 01:06:02.559
All right.
01:06:05.920 --> 01:06:10.079
And I will y'all will connect and then we'll go to the bar manually.
01:06:11.119 --> 01:06:17.119
And then Aaron and Allie will have a new podcast about uh garment making and yarn.
01:06:17.519 --> 01:06:17.679
Yep.
01:06:18.000 --> 01:06:18.159
Yeah.
01:06:18.480 --> 01:06:18.800
Perfect.
01:06:19.199 --> 01:06:20.159
I'll do that podcast.
01:06:22.000 --> 01:06:22.960
She'll say yes to that one.
01:06:23.199 --> 01:06:23.679
She'll say yes.
01:06:24.400 --> 01:06:24.800
No boundaries.
01:06:25.119 --> 01:06:27.119
But we have to look at the transcript to prove it.
01:06:28.639 --> 01:06:30.480
What are you uh militant checking?
01:06:31.519 --> 01:06:33.519
What are you currently binge watching?
01:06:34.239 --> 01:06:39.119
Um this is a sh it's a it's a shameless.
01:06:39.360 --> 01:06:41.760
Not shameless, but what it's a guilty pleasure.
01:06:42.639 --> 01:06:43.760
I love tires.
01:06:44.400 --> 01:06:45.840
Shameless is so good.
01:06:46.239 --> 01:06:46.800
It is so funny.
01:06:47.039 --> 01:06:48.400
I hate high expressions.
01:06:48.960 --> 01:06:50.559
It's just good.
01:06:50.719 --> 01:06:52.000
And also Dancing with the Stars.
01:06:52.480 --> 01:06:52.559
Okay.
01:06:52.880 --> 01:06:54.079
I'm really into Dancing with the Stars.
01:06:54.559 --> 01:06:55.840
That is a very good list.
01:06:56.320 --> 01:06:56.800
Yeah.
01:06:59.039 --> 01:06:59.920
That's a spectrum.
01:07:00.559 --> 01:07:00.880
Yeah.
01:07:01.199 --> 01:07:05.519
I am a huge stand-up comedy person, so I've got to respect the game.
01:07:07.280 --> 01:07:07.760
Nice.
01:07:08.400 --> 01:07:09.360
Oh, is it me again?
01:07:09.440 --> 01:07:10.559
I didn't know if we were going around the table.
01:07:10.719 --> 01:07:12.400
I don't know if Lou might have only had a lot of.
01:07:12.480 --> 01:07:13.199
Is that your only one Lou?
01:07:13.599 --> 01:07:14.000
I've got one more.
01:07:14.239 --> 01:07:14.800
Oh, he's got another one.
01:07:15.280 --> 01:07:15.840
I got another one.
01:07:15.920 --> 01:07:16.079
Okay.
01:07:16.239 --> 01:07:16.400
Yeah.
01:07:16.800 --> 01:07:17.199
Alright, so.
01:07:17.519 --> 01:07:18.880
Oh, I thought you were thinking for a second.
01:07:19.119 --> 01:07:20.000
I was like, I've got another one.
01:07:20.079 --> 01:07:20.639
I've got another one.
01:07:21.679 --> 01:07:22.000
No.
01:07:22.639 --> 01:07:24.400
So let's say you weren't a designer.
01:07:25.519 --> 01:07:34.159
Any chance that you would be able to run like an absolutely outstanding hospitality party planning and throwing uh organization?
01:07:34.639 --> 01:07:37.199
To be honest, I hate planning events.
01:07:37.519 --> 01:07:37.679
Okay.
01:07:39.519 --> 01:07:40.960
It's really, really bad.
01:07:41.360 --> 01:07:42.639
There's too many moving parts.
01:07:42.719 --> 01:07:44.880
I'd much rather focus on going.
01:07:45.599 --> 01:07:45.840
Going.
01:07:46.159 --> 01:07:46.400
Yeah.
01:07:46.559 --> 01:07:46.880
Alright.
01:07:47.599 --> 01:07:47.760
Same.
01:07:48.079 --> 01:07:48.800
I get it.
01:07:49.039 --> 01:07:53.039
I thought you I just I had an impression that you throw some elaborate type things.
01:07:53.440 --> 01:07:55.840
No, I like hosting small dinner parties.
01:07:56.320 --> 01:07:56.639
Yeah, okay.
01:07:56.960 --> 01:07:58.559
That's I would love to do that.
01:07:59.199 --> 01:08:01.280
Okay, well that's kind of where I was going with it.
01:08:01.360 --> 01:08:01.840
But yeah, yeah.
01:08:02.159 --> 01:08:02.559
I would yeah.
01:08:04.320 --> 01:08:08.559
Okay, I wasn't saying, hey, invite me to one of these super cool dinner parties.
01:08:09.360 --> 01:08:11.519
But she does do these elaborate dinner parties.
01:08:11.840 --> 01:08:18.239
I I do elaborate dinner parties, and I will, this is short, but I will say that I did, I was brainstorming the other day.
01:08:18.319 --> 01:08:20.880
My roommates and I want to have a Friendsgiving this year.
01:08:21.119 --> 01:08:23.680
We need to get on people's calendars early for this.
01:08:24.000 --> 01:08:26.479
But we all have so many friends.
01:08:27.840 --> 01:08:28.880
We have so many friends.
01:08:29.439 --> 01:08:34.000
They're so popular that and we have a lot of friends.
01:08:34.079 --> 01:08:38.159
And I was like, well, and we can only fit 20 at our table at home.
01:08:38.319 --> 01:08:41.119
And that's just card tables from the door to the kitchen.
01:08:41.359 --> 01:08:45.039
And so I was like, what if what if I called out for buttons?
01:08:45.520 --> 01:08:47.039
I literally did think about that.
01:08:47.439 --> 01:08:52.960
Like hosting a really fun party here, and I would probably pick them maybe.
01:08:53.119 --> 01:08:56.000
And yeah, and I was I did consider it.
01:08:56.079 --> 01:09:00.399
So it's I do love the rabbit party, but just not an industry one.
01:09:01.039 --> 01:09:04.399
I think this is gonna work out for several reasons.
01:09:05.119 --> 01:09:10.399
One you have a lot of friends, as we've we've noted.
01:09:10.640 --> 01:09:16.640
But also you're on a podcast talking about an event that a lot of people will not get invited to.
01:09:16.880 --> 01:09:17.119
Right.
01:09:17.600 --> 01:09:20.880
But we are also in Alfred Williams talking about them right now.
01:09:20.960 --> 01:09:26.800
So I think that the stars are gonna align that at least for one year they will let you have a party.
01:09:26.880 --> 01:09:33.359
I I offer a lot of things on this podcast that I have no control over, including that Alfred Williams will let you host your Friendsgiving this year.
01:09:34.319 --> 01:09:35.359
And you won't have to pay them anything.
01:09:35.520 --> 01:09:36.159
There's a lot of designers.
01:09:36.560 --> 01:09:38.239
But more solutions might have to sponsor it.
01:09:38.560 --> 01:09:41.520
Alfred Williams may like sponsor it, like pay for the whole thing.
01:09:41.760 --> 01:09:43.279
Or yes, we can't do that.
01:09:43.359 --> 01:09:43.760
We can't do that.
01:09:43.840 --> 01:09:45.119
I can't sell my soul like that.
01:09:45.760 --> 01:09:47.279
I have to keep it potluck.
01:09:47.600 --> 01:09:47.840
Okay.
01:09:48.880 --> 01:09:49.199
Fair.
01:09:49.359 --> 01:09:55.119
And since I have no say in what they do, but I will say Chad and I do look forward to the invitation.
01:09:55.439 --> 01:09:56.239
Yeah, as you should.
01:09:56.800 --> 01:09:57.600
Mostly Aaron, though.
01:09:57.680 --> 01:09:57.840
Probably.
01:09:58.159 --> 01:09:59.119
Mostly, mostly, yeah.
01:10:01.359 --> 01:10:02.960
Um, you can give her a plus one.
01:10:03.199 --> 01:10:03.600
Yeah, okay.
01:10:04.720 --> 01:10:06.159
Well, that that happens.
01:10:06.399 --> 01:10:09.359
Um I think this is a good follow-up question to all this.
01:10:09.520 --> 01:10:12.159
What's your default role in a group setting?
01:10:14.880 --> 01:10:18.800
Um I love to be number two.
01:10:19.279 --> 01:10:23.359
Like I will support whoever wants to lead and who has the strongest opinion.
01:10:23.680 --> 01:10:25.439
I am a I'm a real good number two.
01:10:25.840 --> 01:10:27.680
The president, I like to be the vice president.
01:10:27.840 --> 01:10:32.800
I want to be the personality higher, I want to clean up their mess that they leave behind.
01:10:32.960 --> 01:10:36.159
Wherever the president walks, I will be cleaning behind her.
01:10:36.640 --> 01:10:42.079
And um I yeah, I like to be more behind the scenes supportive role.
01:10:42.399 --> 01:10:51.039
But unfortunately, if I feel like the leader isn't leading well enough, then I might offer to help.
01:10:52.479 --> 01:10:53.119
I might say that.
01:10:54.399 --> 01:10:56.960
Well, the vice president, if the president dies, it becomes the president.
01:10:59.760 --> 01:11:01.039
But I love I love a number two.
01:11:01.520 --> 01:11:01.680
Okay.
01:11:01.920 --> 01:11:07.520
I was always second in line, Beerman, you know, could be assumed the position.
01:11:08.159 --> 01:11:08.319
Yep.
01:11:08.560 --> 01:11:08.800
Okay.
01:11:09.199 --> 01:11:14.159
Um and I'm um since Lou's asking questions, we'll probably just do two each unless you've got a you have a third.
01:11:14.399 --> 01:11:14.560
Okay.
01:11:14.880 --> 01:11:16.399
So this will be the final one, I guess.
01:11:16.560 --> 01:11:20.399
Um You're given$10,000 to spend on yourself.
01:11:20.479 --> 01:11:21.439
What do you spend it on?
01:11:24.720 --> 01:11:26.319
Can I be boring about it?
01:11:26.720 --> 01:11:27.600
You can spend it on whatever you want.
01:11:29.359 --> 01:11:34.159
I really badly.
01:11:34.640 --> 01:11:35.760
I want a garage.
01:11:35.920 --> 01:11:45.279
I want a I want a garage that can't fit any cars, that's just a wood chop that I can refinish furniture, and I want a whole like tool set up.
01:11:45.439 --> 01:11:48.720
And I know$10,000 won't get me that far, but it would be great for the five.
01:11:48.960 --> 01:11:50.399
It just got bumped up to$500,000.
01:11:50.800 --> 01:11:52.399
That's incredible news, actually.
01:11:52.560 --> 01:11:54.800
Actually, in Davidson County, still won't go that far.
01:11:55.359 --> 01:11:56.079
$1 million.
01:11:57.760 --> 01:11:58.640
$1 million.
01:11:59.439 --> 01:12:04.319
I found this, I found this tool chest on Facebook Marketplace the other day for$4,500.
01:12:04.960 --> 01:12:06.239
I was like, hmm.
01:12:06.479 --> 01:12:10.640
Okay, so maybe I need to put the goalposts a little bit further out.
01:12:11.279 --> 01:12:12.640
But yeah, that's what I want to buy.
01:12:12.720 --> 01:12:18.000
I want a house that I can I can redo and work a little and build things.
01:12:18.079 --> 01:12:18.800
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.
01:12:19.039 --> 01:12:20.239
I don't think that was a boring answer.
01:12:20.319 --> 01:12:22.560
I thought that was a pretty solid answer.
01:12:24.000 --> 01:12:24.479
I want a loan.
01:12:24.560 --> 01:12:25.760
That's why I want to do that.
01:12:26.000 --> 01:12:30.399
Yeah, if you would have been like, I want to like invest it in the bank, I'd be like, oh boo, come on, spend the money.
01:12:30.960 --> 01:12:31.680
S P 500.
01:12:32.079 --> 01:12:32.880
Bitcoin, probably.
01:12:33.199 --> 01:12:33.760
Yeah, I don't know.
01:12:36.239 --> 01:12:37.760
Yeah, I want to put it into the Dogecoin.
01:12:38.000 --> 01:12:38.239
Yeah.
01:12:38.399 --> 01:12:42.800
Invest in whatever AI software the Moors use for their neocon recaps.
01:12:43.600 --> 01:12:44.159
Yeah, right?
01:12:44.239 --> 01:12:44.560
Yeah.
01:12:44.720 --> 01:12:45.600
It's proprietary.
01:12:45.760 --> 01:12:46.000
Yeah.
01:12:46.560 --> 01:12:47.279
They have their own.
01:12:47.760 --> 01:12:49.760
Yeah, I'll invest in their LLC.
01:12:50.560 --> 01:12:52.479
It's their program that takes over the world.
01:12:52.720 --> 01:12:54.239
That's what's funny about all this.
01:12:55.520 --> 01:12:58.560
It takes it over doing, you know, snarky presentations.
01:12:58.720 --> 01:13:00.800
So it's not the end of the world.
01:13:01.520 --> 01:13:02.640
There'll be a little humor to it.
01:13:02.800 --> 01:13:04.000
Yeah, hopefully people will be laughing now.
01:13:07.520 --> 01:13:08.800
That was clever.
01:13:10.239 --> 01:13:11.680
It's a lot of pictures of furniture.
01:13:11.920 --> 01:13:12.319
I don't know.
01:13:12.479 --> 01:13:12.960
Whatever.
01:13:13.520 --> 01:13:16.000
Well, uh, thank you so much for having me.
01:13:16.079 --> 01:13:16.960
This is coming on.
01:13:17.119 --> 01:13:20.239
We um we usually finish the episode with a custom song.
01:13:20.800 --> 01:13:25.199
Um I need a music genre that you'd like the song to be in.
01:13:25.760 --> 01:13:28.720
Um okay, I'm gonna go folk Americana.
01:13:29.039 --> 01:13:31.359
Kind of like steps, uh Stomp and Holler vibe.
01:13:33.359 --> 01:13:34.079
Very specific.
01:13:34.319 --> 01:13:36.239
I'm sure you'll write all that down.
01:13:36.640 --> 01:13:40.239
I was gonna say just march marching band, but you know, that's that's probably working.
01:13:40.560 --> 01:13:43.520
Collegiate marching band as number two.
01:13:46.479 --> 01:13:47.199
Throw two tracks.
01:13:49.039 --> 01:13:50.319
One for the intro, one for the outro.
01:13:50.720 --> 01:13:53.279
Yeah, we haven't done a bonus track yet on anybody.
01:13:53.760 --> 01:13:54.399
Like a B-side.
01:13:54.640 --> 01:13:54.800
Right.
01:13:54.960 --> 01:13:55.279
We haven't.
01:13:55.680 --> 01:13:57.119
A B-side on the podcast stream.
01:13:57.359 --> 01:13:58.720
Just release that alone.
01:13:58.960 --> 01:14:02.399
Just it's a little sample of Rocky Top in there somewhere.
01:14:02.640 --> 01:14:02.880
Sure.
01:14:03.039 --> 01:14:03.279
That's all.
01:14:03.439 --> 01:14:04.079
Oh, calm down.
01:14:04.399 --> 01:14:05.520
My my Tennessee is a lot of fun.
01:14:07.119 --> 01:14:08.880
Yeah, we've talked about it enough, I think.
01:14:10.319 --> 01:14:10.960
Go balls.
01:14:11.199 --> 01:14:11.680
We're shutting it.
01:14:13.279 --> 01:14:13.920
We're shutting it down.
01:14:14.000 --> 01:14:16.960
He got too comfortable, and now he's yelling gold go vols.
01:14:18.399 --> 01:14:19.119
That's fine.
01:14:19.600 --> 01:14:20.720
Thank you again so much.
01:14:20.880 --> 01:14:21.520
Really enjoyed it.
01:14:21.760 --> 01:14:22.319
Thanks, Allie.
01:14:22.479 --> 01:14:22.800
Thanks.
01:14:22.960 --> 01:14:23.760
Thank you, Allie.
01:14:40.479 --> 01:14:51.439
She grew up on a farm in southern Illinois, where the field stretched out and the days brought joy from the gravel roads to the Tennessee line.
01:14:51.680 --> 01:14:55.119
She was writing a story one step at a time.
01:14:55.279 --> 01:15:01.680
With a clarinet marching bandry, she joined the pride of Southland.
01:15:03.039 --> 01:15:06.000
Dressed in orange, marching strong.
01:15:06.239 --> 01:15:09.600
Who knew designs where she belongs?
01:15:09.840 --> 01:15:13.359
Every place has a story, every time has a song.
01:15:13.600 --> 01:15:16.720
Every place has a purpose where the people belong.
01:15:23.039 --> 01:15:23.920
Every design.
01:15:25.920 --> 01:15:30.560
Come on, come on, for the back.
01:15:34.640 --> 01:15:38.800
And we're going all in, all in, all in design.
01:15:43.840 --> 01:15:50.960
I think it has been with a whole lot of designers.
01:15:51.359 --> 01:15:55.119
I'm there, boys, building community makers.
01:15:56.239 --> 01:16:11.520
Whether it's a studio or workplace, or she knows there's always something, or it's not just artists, or that story gonna make a space to every space.
01:16:54.479 --> 01:17:08.479
One more design, one more tale, another conversation, girl, marching to a clarinet, to design for the focus on music, roll the street.
01:17:12.720 --> 01:18:07.600
Stories we tell in the spaces we do every space, has a story, has a song every place, as a place where the people belong, from the field of the boy, to the natural sky, and so every side, so that's the same.