Episode 105: Trio: The Creative Business Partner for Builders & Developers with Angela Harris
Today Brad speaks with Angela Harris, CEO and Principal of TRIO Design. Established two decades prior, TRIO is an eco-conscious firm that has grown equipped to take on a wide variety of projects which include master planned communities, model homes, clubhouses, sales centers, commercial and hospitality projects, and multifamily apartment communities.
Angela herself is an award-winning designer and a recognized innovator in the builder and developer community. Under her leadership, TRIO has received more than 50 Awards in the past five years, including both Detached Community of the Year and Master Planned community of the Year at NAHB’s The Nationals in 2019.
In 2019 Angela launched her own lifestyle brand, which includes an innovative furniture line with Phillips Collection and a successful tile line with TileBar, which can now be found at Home Depot and Wayfair.
Listen in as Angela looks back on her 20-year career and how she was able to marry her passion for creativity and entrepreneurship to become what is now TRIO Design.
She describes why wellness is such a huge component of TRIO’s company culture, as well as how her team of 95 has become so effective at managing complex projects, from two office locations to boot.
Brought to you by Pella Windows & Doors
Topics Discussed:
[01:42] All about TRIO’s Wellness Week and how it has impacted the company culture
[08:36] Managing Wellness Week while working in a very demanding industry
[12:32] How leadership works at TRIO with its team of 95
[17:51] How TRIO handles logistics when working on a project
[21:40] Navigating the challenges that come with an acquisition
[28:43] Coming up with the values that set TRIO apart
[31:45] Where Angela got her intense drive to succeed
[34:42] Maintaining the company’s vision while continuing to innovate and optimize
[40:06] Where Angela developed her passion for design and confidence as a designer
[44:56] The elements of great design and the best way to work with clients
[47:19] Other ways TRIO promotes wellness and all about the DO GOOD initiative
[53:21] How Angela manages the dynamic of two offices
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Key Quotes from Episode:
A failure for one is a failure for all and a success for one is a success for all. Especially now, with all the challenges that we’re seeing in our industry, [...] my philosophy or strategy as CEO of TRIO is, “Hey, we’re going to take care of our people first so that our people take care of our clients and industry partners.”
I love to say, “We are a creative firm.” And that doesn’t mean just from a design perspective: Our business people are just as creative as our creative staff and it takes everybody to have that open mind to constantly problem-solve and just be creative in every aspect of the organization.
I’ve never been fond of the slogan, “It takes a village.” It takes so much more than just a village. It takes a group of stakeholders coming around the table that share the same vision and have the same values, coming together time and time again to solve for the challenges and to celebrate the wins.
We didn’t just want to
be a creative partner. We wanted to be a business partner.
I think what makes great design is being able to understand our consumer, where the consumer is going, and the demands of the consumer—and then marrying that with unlimited creativity and being able to tell that story.
We do so much more than design: We create communities.
