The Design Pop

Heather Ashley started Cove Creek in 2022 with a computer, an LLC, and a willingness to take a risk. What began as a one-person operation has grown into a successful team of six designers serving dealers and manufacturers across the industry. In this episode, Heather shares how she built Cove Creek through relationships, word of mouth, continuous learning, and a commitment to creating the kind of flexible, supportive workplace she wanted for herself and her team. She also reflects on the challenges of working independently, the importance of finding good people, and how her team is thinking about the future of design and AI. This is more than a story about business growth, it's a conversation about building something meaningful and getting to write the story your own way. Sign Up for Experience with The Design POP promo code! Connect with Heather on LinkedIn Learn more about Cove Creek Design Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn Follow The Design POP on LinkedIn Learn more about working with The Design POP Access on-demand training at The Design POP. Questions? Email [email protected] The Design Pop is an Imagine a Place Production (presented by OFS) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Summer has been moving at full speed. In this episode, Alexandra reflects on Chicago Design Week, a record-breaking year for POP into Excellence, and the conversations that stayed with her after the event ended. With more than 2,300 seats filled across 11 sessions, this year’s event was a powerful reminder that growth does not have a finish line—and that many of the challenges designers face are shared across the industry. Curious about POP into Excellence? Take a look at the full 2026 lineup: https://www.thedesignpop.com/pop-into-excellence-2026 Want to explore past sessions? You'll find recordings from all three years of POP into Excellence, along with more information about the event here: https://www.thedesignpop.com/pop-into-excellence Looking for a little more time to learn? Throughout July, we're offering a 30-Day Learning Pass. For a one-time $50, you'll have 30 days to explore the complete POP into Excellence recording library plus more than 850 searchable training videos covering CET, Spec, Worksheet, Aline, and other dealer design technology. It's a simple way to experience The Design POP without an ongoing subscription. (And yes—even if you purchase it on July 31, you still get a full 30 days.) https://www.thedesignpop.com/offers/SoVFRjFt/checkout If you'd like to stick around after that... You can learn more about monthly and annual memberships here: https://www.thedesignpop.com/pricing Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn Follow The Design POP on LinkedIn Access on-demand training at The Design POP. Questions? Email [email protected] The Design Pop is an Imagine a Place Production (presented by OFS) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

POP into Excellence is back June 15-26, 2026 and it's FREE! Dealer designers are being asked to navigate more complexity than ever before. Today’s projects move faster, involve more stakeholders, rely on more technology, and require stronger collaboration across every phase of the process. Designers are expected to think strategically, communicate clearly, adapt quickly, and balance creativity with increasing operational demands—all while continuing to deliver exceptional client experiences and accurate project execution. POP into Excellence was created to support the people doing that work every day. Designed specifically for dealer designers and design leaders, this virtual professional development experience brings together industry experts, technology innovators, and experienced practitioners for conversations that go beyond product knowledge alone. Through sessions focused on communication, workflow, onboarding, financial literacy, creativity, emerging technology, and professional growth, POP into Excellence is dedicated to supporting both the technical and human side of design work. Show up and show us that this event is important! Sign up for POP into Excellence Join the opening session with OFS Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn Follow The Design POP on LinkedIn Access on-demand training at The Design POP. Questions? Email [email protected] The Design Pop is an Imagine a Place Production (presented by OFS) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What happens when a former consultant, startup operator, and self-described “anxious overachiever” discovers the contract furniture industry for the first time? In this episode, Alexandra sits down with Kieran Luke, founder of Cerulean, to discuss how AI is being thoughtfully applied within dealer workflows and why the goal isn’t replacing people, but helping them reclaim their time. Kieran accidentally found himself in contract furniture after growing up in Australia and building startups in New York. During this path, he realized that highly skilled dealer designers were spending hours each week on repetitive, manual tasks. Alexandra and Kieran unpack the realities of AI in our industry: the skepticism, the ethical concerns, the fear around jobs, and the opportunities to create more sustainable and fulfilling work. Whether you’re AI-curious, AI-cautious, or already experimenting with new workflows, this conversation will challenge you to think differently about what technology should actually do for people. REGISTER NOW for POP Into Excellence Connect with Kieran Luke on LinkedIn Learn more about Cerulean Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn Follow The Design POP on LinkedIn Access on-demand training at The Design POP. Questions? Email [email protected] The Design Pop is an Imagine a Place Production (presented by OFS) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

After celebrating five years of TheDesignPOP.com (with a full cake, not just a cupcake), this month's POP In reflects on milestones, AI, environmental concerns, design workflows, and the surprisingly human conversations happening behind the scenes in our industry. Alexandra gives us a first look at Pop Into Excellence 2026, new training, and some thoughts on innovation with regards to sustainability and humanity in design. Oh...and yes, there’s also a story about compostable diapers. No script. No guest. Just a thoughtful industry check-in from inside the Design POP community. Connect with Alexandra on LinkedIn Follow The Design POP on LinkedIn Access on-demand training at The Design POP. Questions? Email [email protected] The Design Pop is an Imagine a Place Production (presented by OFS) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.