Welcome to our Member Spotlight series, where we proudly showcase the businesses and individuals making a difference in our Strive community and beyond. Today we have the pleasure of highlighting Steve Elliott and Angela Hernandez with SJE Architects, a 3 -person architectural design firm operating out of Flex at the Gild in Dallas Park Cities. Join us as we learn about how Steve and Angela got into the design business, their project types and development process, and what they believe makes their work so rewarding!
Tell us a little about SJE ARCHitects.
We are a 3-person architectural and interior design firm. Most of our projects are in Texas, but we have a luxury fashion retail client that has us working in Las Vegas and Miami Beach. Steve Elliott (SJE) and Angela Hernandez (ARCH) formed the company in 2019, and we enjoy working on a broad spectrum of project types and sizes for churches, developers, retailers, corporate offices, and health clinics. Since Steve and Angela are personally involved in all projects, we wanted our firm name of SJE ARCHitects to combine our names.
What led you to start SJE Architects?
Steve and Angela had worked together for 10 years for a mid-sized DFW architecture firm. Our boss, Bruce Carlson, was retiring and was selling the business to a large national engineering firm. Bruce had encouraged us to run our own design studio within CMA, and we developed an extensive network of clients and industry partners that were going to be largely abandoned by the new firm. Our clients encouraged us to go on our own so that we could continue working with them. Almost 6 years later, we are delighted to be designing projects with many of those same clients along with many new ones.
What sets your business apart from your competitors?
Following the success of our previous tight-knit studio structure, we knew we wanted to take the best bits of working on smaller teams and combine that with our decades of experience working across many market and project sectors. We are equally comfortable designing a remodel for a small commercial interior space, master planning a large campus, or designing a new building.
What is something you wish you’d known when you were just starting your business?
We were very lucky to start this firm as a partnership rather than a solo venture for all the obvious reasons of sharing the workload, enjoying the ride together, and providing objective criticism. We had worked together before, but owning a firm together is a much different dynamic than being coworkers. The first year took some time to break out of our traditional roles as coworkers and realize we each had potential to expand and sometime switch roles as Designer, Business Developer, Comptroller, Architect, and Project Manager.
What is one unexpected way your business has changed so far in your journey?
Each new project is a new journey for us because we don’t specialize in a single project type. A year ago, we would not have known the type of projects we work on today such as luxury fashion stores or mental health clinics.
What is the most rewarding part of your job?
We are very blessed to have many repeat Clients that have literally helped us build our practice. Visiting with our clients at the completion of a design and construction project and seeing how happy they are in their new space. Sometimes we are lucky enough to design spaces for children, and it is always a delight to see how a child interacts with their new environment. Another favorite experience is being at a construction site when only the basic structure is erected and the sunlight and shadow dance about the space.
What is something you have learned about yourself/the industry since starting your business?
We’ve learned to multitask and wear different hats, and to give each other space, especially before the first cup of coffee.
How has being a part of the Flex at the Gild community affected you and your business?
Our design practice is very collaborative, and we enjoy working face to face in an informal setting. Flex at the Gild provides us the convenience of a quiet private office for design collaboration with plenty of informal break out spaces to meet with clients, consultants, and vendors.
If you could have a conversation over coffee with yourself from 6 years ago, what would you say to him/her?
Angela would say to her younger herself: Don’t freak out; you will be Owner of your own firm in the near future… yes really. Steve would tell himself that the best part of being an architect is not the buildings you design, but the people you get to design them with.
If you had a friend in town, and you could take them to one of your favorite restaurants or spots in your community, where would you take them?
Steve would take you to the Kimbell Art Museum, and Angela would take you to Klyde Warren Park & The Myerson Symphony Center.
We would like to thank Steve and Angela for their willingness to participate in our member spotlight series, and for sharing their story with us. If you are interested in spotlighting your business with us, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your community manager; we are always eager to help elevate your business in any way we can!