Women Founders: A Women’s History Month Highlight
This March, Spartan kept up with one of our favorite traditions. To celebrate Women’s History Month, we spent each week highlighting talented women founders. Each of these women broke into the industry with their own business. They’ve built firms from the ground up, creating businesses that thrive in a competitive industry. Each has built a business that drives creative solutions for clients and a wonderful work environment for their employees. Check out each Q&A below from the amazing women we have the honor of featuring this year.
CHRISTI BARBOUR & CHRISTI SPANGLE | COFOUNDERS OF BARBOUR SPANGLE DESIGN
Why go from employee to employer?
Christi Barbour and Christi Spangle: The answer to this was the same for both of us. Initially, we left the safety of being an employee because we wanted to do what we love to do (design) on our own terms and for people we enjoyed working with. We learned early in our careers what we did not want to be as employers, which shaped who we are today. Over the last two decades, our focus has shifted from us to our team. What matters now is fostering a work environment that nurtures our exceptional team, creating a culture that supports immense creativity, mentors our future leaders, and creates a thriving business to outlive both of us.
Most Fun Project and Why?
Christi Spangle: My most fun project was one I did for George Washington’s Mount Vernon. They were a licensee of a furniture manufacturer we worked with, and I was able to do extensive research in order to make our display design as authentic as possible. My research involved several trips to Mount Vernon, where I had the privilege of staying overnight on the grounds, private tours of the home, and into the depths of the storage facility. The best was holding George Washington’s diary in my very own hands!
Christi Barbour: The design of our new office! This business had humble beginnings, starting in my sunroom, so this is a dream over twenty years in the making. We split our design team into two teams, and they each designed their dream office and pitched their ideas to us Shark Tank style. Out of that was an amalgamation of designs, the very best of the best, and a space our team thrives in.
Best part of your professional journey?
Christi Spangle: At this point in my career the best part is watching the amazing work our team at Barbour Spangle produces. I am now in the role of running a business that provides a workplace where our team can thrive, grow and create beautiful spaces. That really does make me happy and gives me a true sense of self-fulfillment.
What drives your success?
Christi Barbour: The vision of our future. Every year, we reflect on our past year’s accomplishments and make intentional decisions about where we want to go in the future – it’s a bit like setting a destination in your GPS. Having a vision of our future helps us stay on course and go through discomfort, risk, and self-sacrifice to create something from an invisible idea. Vision helps us make hard decisions in the heat of the moment and helps our entire team rally around their day-to-day grind – knowing what type of future we are working towards.
Words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Christi Spangle: I was recently fortunate enough to attend an event where a very dear friend spoke about building a sanctuary within our homes. A place to relax, reflect, unwind and heal. As women it is our instinct to take care of others first. Our children, husbands, families, employees, friends, and co-workers all depend on us, and we tend to put them first, often leaving very little time or energy for ourselves. Listening to Lisa speak I realized that when I am not healthy – physically, mentally, and spiritually – I am not my best self to help and lead others. So, my advice to women and aspiring entrepreneurs is to always make time for yourself first so you are filled with everything you need to support, inspire, and lead others in your life.
Advice for lifting up women in the workplace?
Christi Barbour:Trust your instincts.Have hard conversations for the greater good of all. You can be kind and successful; they are not mutually exclusive. Just start; if you wait for perfection, you never will. Speak up; you know more than you give yourself credit for. Every day won’t be rainbows and roses, and that’s ok; sometimes, you have to dance through the rain and dig in the dirt. Give space for that negative voice between your ears to share her opinion, then thank her and tell her to sit down and shut up.
JENNIFER KRANER | INTERIOR DESIGNER & PRINCIPAL OF BIG SKY DESIGN
How did you come to name your firm?
I named my firm “Big Sky Design” to inspire clients to dream big about their living spaces. The name symbolizes limitless possibilities, emphasizing our commitment to helping clients achieve their aspirations at any budget.
Most fun project and why?
The Northeast Public Library for New Hanover County. It provided me with the opportunity to unleash my creativity as a designer, using materials and colors to craft a vibrant space for the community. It allowed me to incorporate innovative elements, such as utilizing post-consumer plastic sourced from a pioneering recycling company in the Midwest. By recycling old library books and transforming them into panels for the stacks, we not only demonstrated sustainable design practices but also created a unique and uplifting environment for library patrons.
In the realm of residential design, one project that stands out was a home where we reimagined the concept of an open-concept bedroom and bath. Working closely with the client, who had a penchant for eclectic materials and vibrant colors, we sourced a stunning family tub from Seattle and complementing wooden sinks, along with tiles inspired by their favorite California resort. The result was a modern yet colorful space that perfectly encapsulated the client’s personality and preferences.
How should women lift up other women in the workplace?
Supporting and empowering women in the workplace involves not only offering encouragement but also providing leadership opportunities. At Big Sky, I prioritize fostering the career growth of team members, both within the company and beyond. Personally, engaging with other women in the community through networking groups has played a crucial role in my development as a business owner and designer. Building these relationships has been instrumental in my journey, and I’m committed to extending that support to other women in the business world.
The best part of your professional journey?
Over my 25-year professional journey, the best part has been the incredible relationships I’ve built within the design community—connecting with architects, builders, and fellow designers. The team at Big Sky has been a dynamic source of joy, evolving together with our shared passion for design. And, of course, the meaningful collaborations with clients, working hand in hand to turn their dreams into reality, have truly been the icing on the cake.
Describe your home aesthetic
My home is my sanctuary, a place where our laid-back aesthetic mingles effortlessly with bursts of color and pattern. We live on a creek and just a stone’s throw from the beach, so our space embodies our relaxed coastal lifestyle. It’s all about creating spaces where we can unwind while still being surrounded by the beauty of textures, artwork, tiles, and finishes that uplift the soul.
What drives your success?
A lot of hard work!
KAREN HEROLD | PRINCIPAL OF STUDIO K CREATIVE
How did you come to name your firm?
Funny enough it took me forever, I even cried because I could not decide, I was very unsure, and it seemed like everyone had a different opinion on it. Finally it was my twin sister who told me it really doesn’t matter, and so Studio K was born
Why go from an employee to an employer?
Part of it stems from wanting to have more control over project types, project scopes, and also developing your own process. That control is what allows you to develop a brand that is unique to your vision.
Most fun projects and why?
Victory Ranch has been over a decade in the making, and one that is near and dear to me! Any work in the mountain is fun because it’s a full executed vision from masterplanning the land and the roads, to positioning the building, to deciding what amenities go where, and then of course creating the entire community’s interior spaces. We love developing large projects like that, as you get to know the team so well along the way and develop a more personal approach to the process.
As a woman leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
I haven’t found being a woman to be an obstacle ever, I’ve always felt very supported by our clients and partners.
How should women lift up other women in the workplace?
It’s important to always try to highlight one another’s successes – Developing an extremely supportive work environment that celebrates one another’s partnerships, successes and wins.
Words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Pay your dues; Surround yourself with people who are smarter than you; Pay attention to your weaknesses and position them to become your strengths; Pay it forward; Don’t focus on short term successes or benefits – Long term success is what matters most.
Best part of your professional journey?
The friendships that have grown out of collective goals – All the people we work with, and the long standing relationships that have formed.
What drives your success?
Empathy – All of our clients know what we do for them is genuine and truly important to us. What we do for our clients, to translate their visions, if not just something we do for a living. It is important to who we are as designers and creatives.
Describe your home aesthetic:
Casual; eclectic, a mix of design pieces and objects that have more of an emphasis on heritage, items that are special to me because of what they stand for. I’m 100% a curator and buy things overtime, and love to find projects or homes to highlight these amazing pieces that have had another life.
DEBORAH BRANDT | PRINCIPAL OF BRANDT DESIGN GROUP INC.
How did you come to name your firm?
The classic sitting at the dining room table thinking about starting my firm……..so thought Brandt Design Group Inc. works!
Why go from an employee to an employer?
Freedom – both creative and business focus!
Most fun projects and why?
The Carson-Tahoe Regional Medical Center – a 350,000 sf new medical center in Carson City, NV! Great client, fabulous location and the honor to be a part of a significant project that would impact the health of the community/region for at least the next 100 years!
As a woman leader, what has been the most significant barrier in your career?
Being valued as an equal team member in a male dominated industry.
How should women lift up other women in the workplace?
Mentor those evolving in the industry….. share your passion and purpose to help instill in the next generation how inspiring and rewarding it is to make a bigger impact that goes beyond you!
Words of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs?
Believe in your vision and yourself – your passion and determination will be your greatest assets as you embark upon an entrepreneurial journey! Embrace challenges as an opportunity for growth!
Best part of your professional journey?
Knowing the positive outcomes my projects are making in the lives of so many people across so many states!
What drives your success?
Knowing that my God given skills, abilities are making a difference!
Design trend thoughts for 2024?
Continued emphasis on creating environments that focus on infection control and Biophilic design principles that incorporate appropriate natural materials and textures that connect occupants with the natural world.
Check Out Our 2022 Women CEO highlights
ABOUT SPARTAN
Spartan Surfaces, a subsidiary of Floor & Decor, is a specialty flooring supplier headquartered in Bel Air, MD. Employing over 150 team members, Spartan holds warehousing and offices in Maryland and Minnesota with showrooms in D.C.and Chicago. Its geography encompasses eighty-five percent of the United States, with continued expansion on the horizon. Taking a human-centered approach, Spartan prides itself on great people dedicated to great products, great families, great friendships, and great happiness. Whatever you’re working on, we’ve got you covered!