How can designers build intentional businesses while embracing an AI-powered practice?

This week, we're joined by Jessica Nelson and Stephanie Lindsay, the co-founders of Etch Design Group and the new venture AI for Interiors. They share their 10-year journey of building Etch into a celebrated Austin-based studio, driven by a "yin and yang" partnership and a desire to create a firm culture centered on autonomy, trust, and a sustainable work-life rhythm. Now a team of 10, they've successfully structured the firm to empower their designers, allowing Stephanie to work remotely and giving both founders space to explore new passions.

That new passion became AI for Interiors, a platform born from Jessica's background in tech and a shared curiosity about new tools. Through speaking, courses, and hands-on team onboarding, they are demystifying artificial intelligence and helping other designers solve their biggest pain points . They tackle the biggest misconception they hear: that AI diminishes creativity.

"If you're using AI the right way, it actually gives you so much more freedom and so much more creativity than you ever thought possible because it allows you to really dream bigger and think so much broader." - Jessica Nelson

This episode concludes with a candid discussion on the lessons learned from a decade of entrepreneurship, from the importance of always trusting your gut instinct to why they wish they'd invested in marketing and a business coach sooner. Jessica and Stephanie also explain their "community over competition" philosophy, sharing why they believe being an "open book" and helping other designers ultimately elevates the entire industry's reputation.

Jessica Nelson and Stephanie Lindsay are the co-founders of Etch Design Group, an Austin-based interior design studio specializing in residential and boutique commercial projects. After meeting at a previous firm, they founded Etch in 2015. They are also the founders of AI for Interiors, a platform that provides speaking, workshops, and coaching to help design professionals integrate artificial intelligence into their creative and business workflows .

Is This Episode for You?

This episode is for you if:

✅ You are an entrepreneur looking for candid lessons on building and scaling a design firm.

✅ You are curious about how to integrate AI into your creative and business workflows.

✅ You want to debunk common misconceptions about AI and its role in creativity.

✅ You are interested in building a firm culture based on autonomy, trust, and work-life balance.

✅ You believe in "community over competition" and sharing knowledge to elevate the design industry.

• Learn more about Etch Design Group
• Connect with Etch Design Group on LinkedIn
• Follow Etch Design Group on Instagram
• Learn more about AI for Interiors

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How do you build a tech company that champions, rather than replaces, the analog craft of drawing?

This week, we explore the intersection of design and digital innovation with Mark Collins, architect, educator, and co-founder of Morfolio. Mark's journey has taken him from the early days of paperless studios at Columbia's Cloud Lab to co-founding a bootstrapped company that now serves over a million designers worldwide.

Mark shares the origin story of Morfolio, born from a group of architects at Columbia who saw the revolutionary potential of the iPad as a creative tool. While major software companies initially missed the opportunity, Mark and his co-founders began a 10-year experiment to redefine drawing for the digital age. By intentionally staying small (under 10 people) and bootstrapped, they've avoided the pressures of venture capital and remained deeply connected to their users, creating what Mark calls an "explosion in slow motion".

"When we think about the word technology, our minds instantly go to screens and iPads, but everything is a technology. I think trace paper is a technology. We think of the design crit as a kind of technology. Anytime we're bringing to bear materials and processes and knowledge to get an outcome, we call that a technology."

- Mark Collins

This episode concludes with a look at the next wave of technology, including AI and augmented reality. Mark explains how Morfolio's innovation strategy involves fusing their own bespoke drawing engine with powerful, built-in technologies from giants like Apple, such as the LiDAR scanner used for Trace's "Room Scanner" feature. He offers advice to new graduates: avoid "doomerism" about AI, "just try things", and embrace a "multimodal" approach to design that blends drawing, data, and software to forge their own unique paths.

Mark Collins is an architect, educator, and the co-founder of Morfolio, the creative suite behind popular design apps like Trace, Board, and Journal. His career has bridged academia, where he co-founded Columbia University's Cloud Lab, private practice, and entrepreneurship. Mark's work focuses on blending analog design craft with digital innovation and keeping the human experience at the center of technology.

Is This Episode for You?

This episode is for you if:

✅ You are an architect who loves the feel of hand drawing but wants to integrate digital tools.

✅ You are curious about the "paperless studio" and its evolution since the early 2000s.

✅ You want to understand the future of AI and AR in design from a practitioner's perspective.

✅ You are interested in "bootstrapping" a tech company rather than using VC funding.

✅ You believe in the power of community feedback to shape software development.

✅ You are a recent graduate exploring alternative career paths that blend design and technology.

📍 Show Links:

• Connect with Mark on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Morpholio

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What does it really mean for an architecture firm to be transparent?

This week, we dive into the operations of Work Program Architects (WPA), an award-winning practice known for its community-driven design and radically open culture, with Associate Principal Erin Agdinaoay.

Erin shares her journey to WPA, drawn initially by their community-focused work and then captivated by their commitment to radical transparency. She details how WPA puts this philosophy into action daily: 100% open books accessible to all staff, full salary visibility (shown even during the hiring process), and a rotating Raises and Bonuses Committee that gives everyone a chance to participate in financial decision-making. Erin explains that this level of openness isn't just about fairness - it's a strategic approach designed to demystify firm operations, foster trust, and empower every team member, regardless of experience level, to think and act like an owner.

The conversation explores the practicalities and challenges, from managing growth while maintaining communication to educating staff on financial literacy through exposure and direct involvement. Erin addresses common questions and skepticism, emphasizing that while transparency can create friction, assuming good intent and approaching conversations with curiosity makes the process constructive. WPA even shares its internal templates to encourage other firms to adopt similar practices. Erin's ultimate hope extends beyond WPA.

"My hope is that firms all over dramatically increase their transparency and their ability to give access to business information and financial literacy to all staff in their firm, especially younger staff to create a long runway to learn the business. That way our very talented young professionals can learn what maybe the default is today so that they can create a different tomorrow that increases the value of architecture in the profession." - Erin Agdinaoay

This episode concludes by showcasing how WPA's radical transparency fosters a culture of trust, equity, and shared ownership, challenging traditional firm management norms. Erin's insights reveal that openness is not just an ideal but a practical tool for building resilience, improving business acumen across the firm, and ultimately, empowering the next generation to elevate the architectural profession by understanding its foundations.

Erin Agdinaoay is an Associate Principal at Work Program Architects (WPA), based in the Norfolk area of Virginia. With a people-first leadership style, she has been instrumental in shaping and implementing WPA's commitment to radical transparency, including open books and salary visibility. She is an advocate for pay equity and believes in empowering all staff with financial literacy to foster an ownership mindset within the firm. Erin is a graduate of Virginia Tech's architecture program.

Is This Episode for You?

This episode is for you if:

✅ You are curious about alternative firm management models beyond traditional hierarchies.

✅ You believe in or want to learn more about pay transparency and open-book management.

✅ You are interested in fostering an "ownership mindset" among your staff.

✅ You want practical advice on how to implement transparency initiatives in your own firm.

✅ You are a younger professional seeking firms with values aligned with equity and openness.

📍 Show Links:

• Connect with Erin on LinkedIn
• Learn more about Work Program Architects
• Connect with Work Program Architects on