Episode 77: From Legal to Architecture & Design with Christian Daw Design
Today Brad speaks with Christian Daw of Christian Daw Design.
With a passion for beautiful homes and an appreciation for practicality and comfort, Christian Daw runs a successful boutique interior and architectural design firm. In addition to rethinking classic interior design, tailored to today’s homeowner, he creates spaces that are luxurious yet unpretentious. Christian’s aesthetic is timeless, a look he achieves by blending simplicity and modern lines with historic details and rustic elements. His approachable affect is evident on Instagram, where he shares his life, work, and inspirations. Based in Washington, DC, Christian has projects across the United States and internationally.
Listen in as Christian explains why he decided to make a shift from the legal profession into architectural design and which skills he was able to transfer over into his new career path. He also shares how he was able to hire five full-time employees and create a tight-knit team in a relatively short span of time.
Christian also discusses how he builds his network on social media as well the approach he takes to vetting the countless potential clients who he and his team communicate with online. Finally, he talks about his current growth strategy for the firm entering 2021.
The Sub Zero, Wolf, and Cove Showroom
You are invited to experience Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove in a showroom unlike any other. Welcome to a space where conversation sparks, ideas flourish, and relationships begin.
Topics Discussed:
[02:21] Did having a legal background prepare Christian architecture or design?
[03:19] Why Christian switched career paths
[06:00] How Christian developed his business model and learned to price his services
[09:48] Managing the hiring process
[15:23] Getting the hang of cashflow and compensating a team of five
[23:50] Why Christian wanted to bring on two architecture students
[27:18] Dedicating time for daily consults
[29:50] How Christian vets clients
[35:44] Delegating tasks as the company grows
[38:00] Where Christian puts most of his focus on as the owner of his firm
[39:36] Christian’s Instagram strategy
[46:52] What Christian wishes he would have known at the start looking back
[48:17] Handling business development for the firm
[50:25] Working with local architects and builders
[51:33] What’s next for Christian Daw Design?
Key Quotes from Episode:
I want to be the best, and in order to be the best, I have to realize that the company is not just me. I surround myself with people who have experience that I may not personally have.
Time does cost money, and right now we have more work than we have time; so, if I can pay someone to do something that is better at that task than I am, I would love to do that.
