Agenda
Empower the Designer Retreat

Day 1: Welcome

Opening Key Note Session

Bria Hammel

  • 2:00PM - 4:00PM Retreat Check In

  • 5:00PM - 6:00PM Cocktails

  • 6:00PM - 7:00PM Key Note

  • 7:00PM - 9:00PM Dinner at Hotel Noelle

Day 2:
Growth & Legal

  • 8:00–9:00AM: Breakfast & Connections

  • 9:00–10:15AM: Workshop Session I – The Best Decision Making Filter for Growth Minded Businesses (Jonathan Gulley)

  • 10:30–11:45PM: Workshop Session II – Building Creative Dream Teams (Jonathan Gulley)

  • 12:00–1:00PM: Lunch Roundtables

    Peer discussion: Operations challenges & successful strategies

  • 1:00–2:15PM: Workshop Session III – Interior Design Contracts 101: Protecting Your Work and Your Profit (Wendy Estela)

  • 2:30–3:45PM: Workshop Session IV – When Good Projects Go Bad: Navigating Disputes, Difficult Clients, and Legal Exposure in the Design Industry (Wendy Estela)

  • 4:00–5:00PM: Workshop Session V – Business Hacks for Decision Making (Jonathan Gulley)

  • 6:00PM - 7:00PM: Drinks & Dialogue

  • 7:00PM - 9:00PM: Dinner at the Hotel

Day 3:
Operations & Growth

  • 8:00–9:00AM: Breakfast & Connections

  • 9:00–10:15AM: Operational Q&A

  • 10:30–11:45PM: Workshop Session VI – Creative Compensation Structure (Jonathan Gulley)

  • 12:00–1:00PM: Workshop Session VII– Your Business Is Your Brand: Protecting Your IP, Your Name, and Your Work as an Interior Designer (Wendy Estela)

  • 1:00–2:00PM: Lunch Roundtables

    Peer discussion: Ask the Experts in the Room

  • 2:30: Departure 

Solving what matters most…

Empowering designers to conquer the challenges of growth, turning challenges into opportunities.

Growth Pain Points

Scaling Systems & Operations

As firms grow, outdated processes and manual workflows begin to limit capacity, slow execution, and create inefficiencies. Sessions will focus on implementing scalable systems, technology, and automation to support growth without increasing overhead.

Building and Retaining a High-Performing Team

Growth often exposes gaps in hiring, training, and team structure. Many firms struggle to attract the right talent, develop consistency across the team, and retain strong performers. The agenda will cover strategies for building a team that supports long-term growth.

Managing Growth Without Losing Control

As project volume increases, maintaining quality, communication, and profitability becomes more complex. Without clear workflows and delegation structures, growth can quickly become overwhelming. Workshops will help attendees design workflows that support expansion while maintaining control and consistency.

Legal Pain Points

Legal complexity increases as design firms grow.

What may start as simple client agreements and vendor relationships quickly becomes more layered—introducing greater exposure around contracts, procurement, and project responsibility. Without intentionally building legal structure, growth can create risk rather than stability.

Many firms operate without the legal frameworks needed to scale.

Gaps in contracts, unclear responsibilities, and inconsistent documentation often lead to scope disputes, payment issues, and unintended liability. As project size and volume increase, these gaps can directly impact profitability and business continuity.

Sustainable growth requires proactive legal strategy.

Establishing clear agreements, defined roles, and consistent processes allows firms to maintain control as they expand. With the right legal foundation in place, designers can confidently grow their business while protecting both their work and their bottom line.

At Empower the Designer, attendees will walk away with actionable solutions—enhanced systems, clear tax and operational strategies, and a robust support network—empowering them to grow their businesses with clarity and confidence.