Today, we welcome Marcia Bryan, owner of Bryan Design Group based in San Diego, California. In this episode, Marcia shares her design journey from model homes to full-service residential and senior living design. Marcia shares how a chance opportunity evolved into a design niche for her business model and how the nuances of senior living design influence and enhance her residential design projects in a practical and meaningful way. Adding new disciplines of design requires continued education, and Marcia shares her approach to expanding her design knowledge by leveraging her network of experts and mentors.

Show Highlights:

• Marcia’s design journey from model homes to founding her own firm

• How designing for senior living is different than other design

• Things to consider for designing senior living spaces – accessibility, ADA rules, how aging people see and hear, etc

• The importance of continued education and learning from experts

• How Marcia’s exposure to senior living influenced her approach to residential projects

• Marcia’s experience of starting her own business and the challenges she faced

• Marcia’s first hire and the importance of balancing different strengths within the team

• How focusing on residential and senior living helps Marcia’s business stand out from other designers

Notable Quotes:

• “It’s the scariest thing in the world and the most exciting thing in the world to open your own business.” - Marcia Bryan.
• “For all designers out there that are doing it on their own, kudos to them. But honestly, I think they could be happier, relying on the strengths of others as well as their own.” - Marcia Bryan.

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Supporting Resources:

Bryan Design Group Website - https://www.bryandesigngroup.com/

Marcia Bryan on Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bryandesigngroup/

Sponsor Links:

https://danielhouse.club/

https://designmanager.com