Defining Hospitality

[00:00:00]
Dan Ryan: Today's guest is an innovative leader who uses her talented mind to create beautiful spaces. She's N C I D Q certified. She's incredibly skilled at interior design and running teams across many different time zones. She is a principal and US managing director at Design Agency, Ladies and gentlemen, Alexandra Cole.
Welcome, Alex. Hi, Dan. It's so good to have you here.
Alexandra Cole: Thanks. I'm excited to be here. Well, in the virtual bubble you've
Dan Ryan: created, well, virtual bubble, but we're also gonna get, we just saw each other and we're gonna get to see each other again. [00:01:00] And I feel like that's a really cool thing about you. I think that you are always putting yourself out there, um, and, uh, making yourself available.
Trying to make as many. Connections with people as possible. At least that's like when I really think about the Alex. I know. Um, it's just amazing and inspiring how I see you everywhere and I don't know, you, you, you kind of help make me be a better connector in some kind of a way, if that makes sense.
Alexandra Cole: Well, that's very nice of you. Just say, Dan, I do have a special connection and you know, I am omnipresent. I am in all places at all
Dan Ryan: times. I do. It's like in the, uh, in the mo well the book Dune or um, I don't know if you saw the movie Doune, but there's this idea of the Quock hot rock. Who was, uh, Paul Maddy, This is my science fiction geek coming out, but he is able to fold space by.
Cooking and eating spice [00:02:00] and he can be in all places at once. Did I just geek you out there? Did I just scare you a little bit? Yeah, just a little bit. Just a tad, Right. Well, another cool thing that I think, I think a really great moment for us as far as on our, our journey together is, I don't remember where we were.
I think we might have been at some HD expo, and I was just like, Oh, there's something in my teeth. And you're like, I have dental floss and you pulled a a thing of dental floss out of your purse. I was like, Wow, you are amazing. Not only are you in all places at all times, but you're also very handy to have around.
Alexandra Cole: Well, thank you. I try to be prepared as much as I can, no matter where I am at all times and at all places, but I love that you still remember that story and oftentimes, uh, introduce me as the girl that has dental floss. I'm not sure I've quite as prepared these days, but yes, I've gotten out of practice, you know, being on the [00:03:00] road all the
Dan Ryan: time.
I know well on the road all the time, but also working in, in something that you're super passionate about, obviously, which is. Design, creating built environments, um, around hospitality. Like, I don't think I've ever asked you this, but actually I know I've never asked you this. So when it comes to design and, and.
Living in your creative self. Right. How did you, when did you come to know that part of yourself?
Alexandra Cole: Um, probably at a really early age. Mm-hmm. , my mom was always redoing our house as a child when we were growing up and things were always moving around. Furniture was always being placed in different parts of the house.
Um, and so I kind of think I was exposed to it at a very early. Age. And um, ironically, I've married a man who's very much like that. So every time I go on a business trip, I come home and something has, uh, moved around our [00:04:00] house, which is slightly triggering. Um, but I share, I
Dan Ryan: share that by the way. I share that with you.
Uh, my wife Alexa, she is always moving stuff around and just always tinkering and trying to find the perfect. Solution for whatever is there. And it's also, I find it very unsettling because I like things to be put. I like things to be in a place, but she is always. Reinventing and recreating, which is also, it's not my thing, but I'm, it makes her really happy.
So it's, it's all, it's
Alexandra Cole: all good. Yeah. I mean, I, I feel the same way. It's also kind of that sense of when you're coming home after being away for a long time, you wanna come to a place that is, uh, settled and something that's familiar. And when you walk in the door in the whole living room's been rearranged, it's kind of like, well, uh, this isn't my home that I left a week ago.
Or what have you. But you know, it is what it is. We're moving through it. Um, but again, it's something [00:05:00] that like I grew up with, so I, it's not completely foreign to me. Um, I also, um, am dyslexic, so I knew I had to think of something to be a little bit more creative. And I have that sense in me, and I always have.
A young child. And so I actually took an interior design class in high school. Um, it was offered as like an elective and I can still remember, um, doing like 1.2 point perspectives, um, there. And so then when I went to college, I knew that's what I wanted to do. I only applied to colleges that had interior design programs and so I really sought out that, um, kind of.
Class of study and um, kind of went from there. So it is something I did know at an early age for sure, and it is something that I have a great passion for. Um, you know, even in the [00:06:00] days that are a little bit more stressful or a little bit more round tight, people always were like, Well, what would else, what else would you do if it wasn't designed?
And I can truly say that. There isn't really anything else I would do. I think I really have a passion for this field and for this, um, industry. Um, no matter how many headaches, aneurysms, et cetera, that it may cause, uh, along the
Dan Ryan: way. So, I mean, Well, thank you. I didn't know that you were dyslexic as well, and I just had a, a recent conversation with veto from Hilton where he also shared that he was dyslexic, and now I'm wondering how many.
People that have been on the show and just other designers that are out there, how many of them have learning differences and how many, Because to be able to see things in a non-linear way mm-hmm. to be able to see a 3D space and, and turn it upside down and think about things in a different way. Um, [00:07:00] I'm curious as to.
When you said when your mom was moving everything around, when you were little that time or how did you, cuz that can also be a real point of stress in a normal learning environment as well. Right? So how did, when did you become aware of that dyslexia and how did you find the outlet to taking. Design classes.
And did, did that like soothe you or make you feel comfortable in some way?
Alexandra Cole: Yeah, I mean, I think, um, I mean, I knew at a very early age it was definitely part of my education from third grade on, um, And I think, you know, when you're dyslexic, learning, like reading and writing is not fun or enjoyable. So to get through school, um, you know, especially at the elementary, high school, middle school times, you, you have to find something else that's going to stimulate you and kind of, uh, you know, keep you engaged.
And so I think that's kind of when I started looking at. More [00:08:00] of the creative arts, um, as something that, you know, throughout a school day from eight to three or whatever it is, um, was something that I could look forward to. Um, And then funnily enough, in college that kind of transcended instead of, uh, you know, you have to take your core classes, which are fine.
And then I had my interior design classes and like a good Auburn University student, I was there for five years. And so I had some extra time. And so in college that uh, kind of like outlet outside of interior design became different sports and really picking up kind of. as I call them, the country club sports.
So, you know, golf, tennis, sailing things to, you know, get outside of the classroom because writing more papers was not gonna be, uh, the electives that I chose.
Dan Ryan: And on your journey, you know,[00:09:00]
you've worked at a, a handful of different places. You're in a leadership role now, right? So you're bringing up the next generation of leaders. Um, Are you really open with them about learning differences or like kind of like where your specialty is or do people like open up to you about that so that you can help kind of mentor them on their journeys as well?
I'm curious about that.
Alexandra Cole: Um, I'm not, I mean, I'm open to talking to them. I think anyone that's gotten an email or a quick, especially internally quick, like message probably is picked up on it over time. Especially like the informal, you know, Banter back and forth. But no, it's not something that I would say that I wear with pride.
I do wear with pride, but I'm not like, but I am definitely open to it. I think this day and age we just have to, you know, inclusivity and like embracing everybody in all different [00:10:00] shape, sizes, colors, and differences I think is really important. And so, um, I would definitely, you know, I'm not ashamed of it by any means, but it's not something that I, um, discuss every day, I guess.
Dan Ryan: Yeah. And I, it's interesting to me, just, you know, I, if you go back 20 or 30 years, like back when I was a kid, it was almost these learning differences were, I don't know, It wasn't, they weren't as celebrated as they are, as they are now. And, and in many cases they're still not, because if you are a kid who learns differently, there's so, like, you're really, you're, you're so blessed and lucky that you've found design in the creative arts as an outlet, right?
How many kids just don't, they just don't get diagnosed. They don't know, and then they just wind up hating school and learning and, and they never, they're never actually able to find. Kind of their [00:11:00] passion and what drives them or, or maybe they are at some point, but it's, it's not really something that they learn at a young age, for sure.
Definitely. Um, um, I, I also, going back to, uh, your husband moving the, the furniture around and, and my wife who does that as well. Um,
I would think that you would be the one that would be moving the furniture around as a designer. Right. So are you kind of like me with like if you come into our house, I do custom furniture for hotels. Right? I supply furniture to hotels. I could have every kind of custom, perfectly bespoke built piece of furniture in my house that just is.
Perfect. But I'm like, I can't deal with it for myself. I love doing it for others, but I can't deal with it for myself. So it's like I always come up with this metaphor of I'm like the, the shoemaker's kids who have no shoes. Right, right. Exactly. Yeah. So you're like, you're like the designer. Who doesn't like to move things around in, [00:12:00] in her own
Alexandra Cole: house?
Yeah. I mean, I definitely have opinions and I move things around. I think, I'm not all designers, but I've, you know, moved around a fair bit already in my adult life and I've haven't found the perfect home yet. So it's kind of like the amount of energy you wanna spend into per creating and perfecting. Uh, home environment.
And so at this point, I haven't spent a ton of time on it. My husband definitely thinks that he's the designer in our household, for sure.
Dan Ryan: Awesome. Um, so I wanna go back into like, feelings. So be like before third grade or up until third grade, you're, you know, you're going through your learning. Like, I assume you're feeling frustrated through all just the normal coursework you're going through, right?
Mm-hmm. , and you just don't know. What it is. And then when you, when you had a name for, or when you had the name dyslexia for what the thing, for what the thing was, and then you found an [00:13:00] outlet and expanded that outlet into the creative arts. How did you feel in a, from a before to after?
Alexandra Cole: So great question. You're asking me to go way back in the time machine here, Dan, today really getting in touch with that inner child inside. Um, I think, you know, there's a part of my learning experience as a child too, of like being pulled out of classrooms a lot and being, having, you know, a lot of more dedicated one on one time that I can think of that also like helped build confidence.
In myself because I had that support, um, and that dedicated time with teachers outside of the classroom. And so I kind of think that, you know, um, that. Skill and that reinforcement of like you can be successful and you can do hard things has definitely carried through [00:14:00] into my professional life and also, you know, into the creative side of what I've, um, accomplished thus far.
And so I think that that kind of, um, Helped, you know, form the person that I am today. Um, I think that answers your question. No, it totally that direction you're going. Yeah.
Dan Ryan: No, it's totally the direction. Cuz I know you said like getting in touch with your inner child and like, I'm not a psychologist.
Right. But to me, the inner child is really that emotional self, right? That's where your emotional self is birthed, so to speak. And then if you think about, um, What this podcast is all about, like defining hospitality in so many of these conversations, it's about how, how, how to make others feel right. And I don't wanna lead you too much on it, but I think that's of what's really cool about all these conversations that I'm having is [00:15:00] like everyone seems to be.
If there was a scale of empathy, like they're like off of it, they're like beyond the highest in on the empathetic, emotional, um, whatever that spectrum would be. Um, so And I, so just to ask you like how, when you think about how, so, okay. You found this passion for design creativity. You could do anything with that really.
But you've chosen hospitality to design spaces for hospitality. Like how do you think about hospitality? Like how do you define hospitality?
Alexandra Cole: Well, I think it's really kind of about that feeling of welcoming and acceptance and kind of, the coming together of, experiences and people. I think that, there's a few things that like.
[00:16:00] Pop to my mind, like scenarios that like just exude kind of hospitality and warm welcome, whether that's, a big wraparound front porch or a Warm bubbling fire with, big comfy sofas and arm chairs around it with a hot drink in your hand. I think there's just different, experiences and moments in life where you really have that feeling of hospitality.
but I really think that it's kind of this overarching feeling of, arriving somewhere and feeling like you belong and having that sense of Warmth and welcome to a place or a venue or a hotel or your friend's home. Your family's family. Yes. Yeah.
Dan Ryan: You know,
as you're saying, I'm hearing like the wraparound front porch, like sinking into a big [00:17:00] couch by a fire and with a hot, right? Mm-hmm. and, and, and that's really a feeling. Of comfort. It's very soothing. Right. And, and then so as you've gone on your journey into design and then into designing spaces for hospitality or giving or receiving hospitality, like what are, like, what are some ways that you and your teams think about that filter of warmth and.
And care that can exude these feelings. Like you, like are there, like, you have a new, a new team. Like you hired someone new, they're working with you, they're doing their first board and like laying everything out. How do you, how do you give feedback or, or critique on, ooh, you know, how do we warm, How do we warm that up?
Or how would you go about doing.
Alexandra Cole: Yeah. I think what we really try to [00:18:00] emulate to our staff at Design Agency and how we really like to think about design is, um, having our designs all based on a really strong narrative. And so, and that's not, that narrative isn't just like, Geometric, uh, contrast layered.
It's more about kind of telling the story of the place. It's that, um, underlying kind of, uh, storyline that you want when you walk away from a space to be able to tell the staff like, This is what we were thinking and feeling when we were creating this restaurant, this hotel, and kind of leaving that soundbite with them.
Is really important to us because then they can be a part of that story and a part of that narrative and they can help, um, carry that through with all the guests and all the people that experience that space, um, moving forward. So I think that that's kind of really important to us and how [00:19:00] we design these spaces.
I think it's important to think about. You know, arrival. A sense of arrival. When we go through design, we always think about that one. That's always one of, we kind of break things down by areas, and arrival is almost always one of those because no matter. What type of space you're in, there's, you have to enter it in in some way.
And so what is that first impression? How do you feel? What is the vestibule look like? What are the materials? What's the carpet? What's the ceiling? Is it all metal? Like kind of having that thought through, because that is every guest, every person that's experiencing first impression. Of the space and what's going to occur within that space.
Dan Ryan: Um, thank you because as you were, as you [00:20:00] were talking, I'm, I'm just hearing you like, I love the idea of narrative and storytelling, right? Because you can, you can almost bring people on a journey through that story whatev whether they're aware of it or not, right? Like they're not aware of it, they're going through it and they're experiencing something.
I noticed like. A couple years ago, I guess with the rise of Instagram, there's this always this like this Instagramable moment, which I think became like very contrived, very quickly to create like a narrative in like a little pocket. It was like too abrupt. You know what I mean? Right. Um,
Alexandra Cole: How, and it's very isolating.
It's very, like, there is, are, are we designing spaces where in just one corner this space looks good or in just one corner we want people to take pictures and everywhere else. Well, we'll just see what happens.
Dan Ryan: Totally. It's, it's just, it, I understand why it happened. Um, I still feel like there's vesti, there's, it's still there.
And [00:21:00] even though it's moving away from that, there's like still vestiges of that. I don't know, like it's
Alexandra Cole: what I'm trying PR and marketing, Dan
Dan Ryan: PR and marketing. Right. But how do you smooth out that contrast between that moment and that also that narrative and sense of arrival? Like, do you look at things and be like, Ooh, that's that, or I, I don't wanna lead you.
Like, how, how, how do you look at that abruptness when it happens?
Alexandra Cole: Yeah, I mean, I think, uh, I agree. I think most designers would agree that the Instagram moment is one of those like fapa things that, you know, it's right up there with, uh, reclaimed wood and Edison bulbs of a moment. Um, Shiplap. Yes, exactly.
Um, but I think, uh, You know, and, and it, you're right, it still is part of what is being asked of us as designers at times. Um, but I think that, you know, especially in the [00:22:00] hospitality field, in hotels where you have these grand lobbies, I think it's interesting to see, you know, the lobbies and the designs that are being most, uh, Most acclaimed and the ones that are, you know, praised are the ones that are completely like, are complete in their narrative where it's not just in a corner, but it's carried throughout this space.
And I think that tr. Transcends into service and how you operate spaces as well. Um, and it also goes into kind of the branding and creative services of, you know, if you have a beautiful lobby bar with a lounge, what is on the table when you sit down next to the bar? Is there a beautiful kind of menu or even just, um, Uh, a coaster where you put your glass, like what, what is there?
And it's [00:23:00] kind of taking that narrative, that complete design thought and carrying it throughout the entire space so it's not just in that one Instagrammable moment. It's great to see a lobby photographed, like in social media. Yeah. And I, from different angles, You know, you, that's when you know that the Instagram moment has been transcended.
Dan Ryan: So Alex, like thinking about this idea of arrival and storytelling, right? And. Creating that sense of warmth, but not being an Instagram woman. Creating this, like that lobby space that looks good from all different directions, like you said. Um, can you think of a project that you've done or one that like inspires you specifically on the actual arrival into the lobby of a hotel or restaurant or resort that you think just really nails.[00:24:00]
Alexandra Cole: Um, yeah, I mean, I think. We all have kind of our designers that we admire and inspire. Um, I think that there are some out there that are really good. I think Enmore and all the Hoxton, um, really, you know, when you're arriving into a Hoxton, no matter what city you're in, I think they do a really good job at that arrival, um, kind of sequence.
Um, David Collins is a designer. Um, Was a designer outside in London that I've really admired and he has a really wonderful sense of kind of that residential feeling into larger hospitality environments as well as like a great eye for design, like details and kind of creating down to those details that you would see in a home.
And so I think that. Um, that he in [00:25:00] his projects, um, really are some of the best. The Connet bar in London is wonderful. Um, Oh, I love that place. Yeah, I think that, you know, there's a lot of good things, a lot of good examples of that kind of out there. There's, you know, some great hotels that are opening, um, Opening in New York right now, um, that are also doing that.
The new Ritz in Nomad seems to be, uh, very popular. And again, from that sense of going from an Instagram local bowl moment to full thought, you can already tell I haven't seen that yet, but you can already tell that that was a very thought out kind of design throughout the entire space.
Dan Ryan: Mm. I love it. Um, I, I've seen a lot of the pictures of the Right.
My office used to be right across the street. Yeah. Like right next to it. Um, but I'm very excited to get in there and, and experience. But [00:26:00] what that's all about, um, as you, like, everyone in our industry and the world, like we've all been through whatever we've been through in the past year and a half or two years.
Um, as you think about, um, The future. Short term. Long term. What's exciting you most?
Alexandra Cole: Um, short term. I'm excited to get back on the road, um, to your first intro of me. I don't have, don't feel like I've been very omni present over the last couple years. Um, and I know we're gonna see each other. Next week. And I was talking to a good friend of ours, Miss Ali Con this morning, and I was telling her, Oh, the great con, yes, I was telling her I was, I was feeling off of my, off of my, uh, travel circuit and she reminded me that we have all been off of our travel circuit.
Um, but that's kind of really inspiring and something that I'm looking forward to in the. [00:27:00] Short term. Um, I think traveling again for work is great, but I also think leisure. Um, I'm really, really gunning for a big European vacation summer of 2023. Haven't been to Europe in quite some time. So I think that, um, you know, just getting back out there and being in different environ.
That are inspiring and you know, keep the design juices and the creativity within me alive or something like, That's very exciting. Now that we're getting back into it, I think long term,
you know, we should remember this moment in time and I think, um, we will, um, You know, I think it's been interesting to think about from the early days of Covid and how everyone was [00:28:00] super germ. Cautious. And, you know, I think that that's not necessarily a bad thing in hospitality spaces, but how do you do that creatively and, you know, inclusive of the overall design and not just have, you know, your pump of, uh, hand sanitizers slammed on the front desk there.
Um, but kind of just it's, it's a good reminder that we are a global. Uh, global reach, the things that we do, the places that we design and that, you know, we have people from all over coming to these places and, you know, just kind of thinking more inclusive and, you know, expanding the breadth of that, uh, those designs I think is really important.
Um,
Dan Ryan: You know what I'm really excited about and you just, um, said it with breath. I'm just excited to be back in these big rooms full of people breathing each other's [00:29:00] air.
Alexandra Cole: Are you, I love it. Are you really? Yes. Those big
Dan Ryan: ballroom. Yes. Air airplanes, ballrooms. Although I will say, um, I do still wear a mask on airplane.
Longer fights. I, I do too, but on a longer fight, like a red eye, I'm wearing mask. But I, what I find is, and I don't know if this is scientifically proven or, or not, it's probably just me. I find myself less tired or less dehydrated if I wear a mask because somehow it like keeps all that recirculating air and moisture in my.
That might be tmi Dan, In my world. Yeah. I was told that we could, We should really only use the word moist when talking about baking or something
Alexandra Cole: else. Yeah. Yeah. Okay.
anyway. Yes. I'm still wearing a mask on planes too. I don't know. I feel like that might be something that might stick with us for a minute. I don't know. It's just seems like the thing to do. You don't know where all these people from on this [00:30:00] plane are coming from? I don't know. Mm. It's also becoming flu season.
You know, we're getting.
Dan Ryan: right now. Now, just by talking about this, we're probably gonna get some like stop Covid Covid stamp on Spotify. Put on this, on this, on this conversation. Uh uh. So design agency Toronto based, you guys are growing. Um, You obviously people were on a growth path before the pandemic. I feel like you guys continued with a lot of that growth as far as offices, um, and people even through the pandemic.
I know that everyone did have to retract, but like where are you guys on growth and, and office locations now and kind of what's exciting you most about design?
Alexandra Cole: Yeah. Um, we were very fortunate to have an okay [00:31:00] co covid experience. You know, we definitely had some bumps in the road and there were a few months there that it was a little bit tricky and touch and go just like everyone else.
But I think we have really been able to come out of it on the other side for sure. Um, we are Toronto based. Um, and our office there has grown both in numbers of staff but also space and kind of, you know, part of that is also what is the new workplace and what does that look like specifically for the design world where, you know, we're not requiring our staff to come in, um, every week or every day, rather, um,
And so yes, we've grown there, but we've also grown, Uh, we opened our DC office, um, one of the ones that I manage March of 2020, which is great, great time to open an office. Um, so that was a little, uh, touch and go there for a little bit. Um, but we've definitely been [00:32:00] able to grow that office pretty significantly, I would say in the last 12 to.
18 months, um, kind of coming out on the other side of Covid, um, as well as our LA office. Um, we have, uh, about eight people there. And then, um, we've also like very organically by no one's design, have kind of created a little bit of a cluster of people in Denver, which I think was one of their most interesting things about, uh, Covid and this whole remote working is that all of a sudden.
I think this applies globally, that we're all kind of more open to this. What does it mean to be a remote worker and how does that expand your office? And so, um, we have a few folks in Denver as well who work with the LA office, who work with the DC office, who work with the Toronto. So, um, that's [00:33:00] been super exciting.
And then we also have a pretty strong contingent over in Europe, so we've really grown that office as well over Covid. Um,
Dan Ryan: where in Europe, I did actually didn't know that. I, I guess I'm a bad
Alexandra Cole: researcher. The main office is, the main European office is based out of Barcelona. Oh, great. But just like what's kind of happened with in the States, with Denver, we also have kind of a cohort in the UK as well.
A few people there. So we have almost close to 20 people in Europe. Um, I'm approaching my sixth year anniversary with design agency. Uh, next week actually, I think. And when I started I was employee number 37 and we're now well over 110, so. Wow. Um, we're definitely growing and it's very exciting, um, to do so and be a part of that for sure.
And help in that.
Dan Ryan: Of all the offices that you have in the types of [00:34:00] projects, like what are the range of projects as far as like hospitality, office, residential, like how, how do you, how does it all mix up in there?
Alexandra Cole: Yeah, I mean, I think we, we have a wide variety. I think if any Covid taught us anything, we should all have a good diversity of our projects.
Mm-hmm. . Um, and so we have all, all types of project shape, sizes, budgets, and scales. Um, so I think, you know, we're getting back to a pretty. Even divide, I think between, um, hospitality projects and more of the multi-family projects, I think what's becoming really interesting in a trend that's been happening for a few years now is the hospitality.
Elements and design philosophy transferring into different market segments. And so we have, um, we're starting to see that more and more in our multi-family [00:35:00] projects. Um, we have a fair amount of work in the Miami market, which right now is, uh, Kind of having this, uh, growing popularity, if you will, of, uh, branded residential really.
And so having kind of, you know, I think there's, you know, the all types of different branded, um, Condo buildings in Miami. And we are also working on of those at the moment, um, with the nomad, uh, team. And so it's just very interesting to kind of see how though there are these different market segments, they kind of eventually kind of all overlap and cross paths and to the hospitality world.
That's what everybody wants to have in an experience.
Dan Ryan: Um, yeah. Just in talking to some people that work for like [00:36:00] super huge firms, what's been illuminating to me through these conversations is how many of them are, There could be a project that's doing aviation or industrial or whatever, that's not hospitality, but they're bringing in their hospitality people at a project kickoff to, to really like look at everything through.
For sure. Whatever that hospitality lens might
Alexandra Cole: be. For sure, for sure. I think that's definitely something that we're also seeing, um, in, in. We're doing as well. I think, you know, co-working, um, and just cultural gatherings. Places and office environments are also kind of seeing all of that, you know, hospitality, you know, cross section, um, between the different markets as well.
Mm.
Dan Ryan: Um, I know you mentioned earlier [00:37:00] we're gonna see each other next week at I L C. Independent lodging Congress. And I asked this of, uh, of Daniel Del Omo. Um, look, we go all go to so many conferences, right? Yes. Um, and they're all good in their own, in their own ways. Like I think I get a lot out of each of them.
But there's something about ilc, which I really just enjoy so much. And I know that you've been an early supporter of I, of ilc. Like what do you love most about ilc?
Alexandra Cole: Um, That's a great question. Uh, and it's changed over time for sure. I definitely was one of the more early adapters, I guess, to that. And I think that the group of people has enlarged and is probably even more diverse than it was.
I think what Andrew does really well is, um, bringing in people that you and I probably don't see [00:38:00] or cross paths with in our. Travels or daily lives, um, and kind of bringing in some different, uh, industry thought leaders that are maybe outside of what you would think are your typical hospitality, hotels operator kind of bubble.
So I think that that's really interesting. I also think that, uh, there's just like a casual and fun flavor to what ILC. Um, I remember the first one I ever went to. We had a, uh, cocktail making, like team building contest with the table you were sitting at. Really? So, Yeah. Um, so it's, I think it, it's different, I guess I would say is what attracts me to it different in the population and how it's run as well.
Yeah. Um, I won't say it's one of my favorites. I have others. [00:39:00] No,
Dan Ryan: there are, We can all have favorite, I'm not saying. Yeah, exactly. I mean, I think they all have their own kind of
just strengths, but what I, I think I, what, what I really enjoy about it too is just all these like much in the same way that these larger firms are bringing this hospitality lens to look at everything because it kind of touches everyth. Everything outside of hospitality also touches hospitality. So it's just nice to, you know, get in artists or writers or chefs or f and like all these other things that fragrance
Alexandra Cole: might not chemists,
Dan Ryan: fragrance, whatever.
Yeah, exactly. And I cuz it all informs this sense of kind of empathy and, and how we make others feel. Right. Right. And then I also, in the casualness, I also like [00:40:00] the conversations that happen amongst the attendees are, is really freaking cool too because, you know, you can have some really open, honest and like, quite frankly, difficult conversations that it's, it's like a very safe place to kind of push the envelope of curiosity, if you will.
Right? Yeah, for sure. Um, Okay. So when, when, earlier when we first started the conversation, you, you were in third grade. There's, there's the, How old are you when you're in third grade? Uh, 10. No, Eight. Seven. Seven or six? Seven. Let's just go with seven. Yeah, I know. I, I, I a blur for me, there's too many of them.
Um, let's say you're seven. So when I think of the seven year old Alex, I'm envisioning. Do you know that statue of the, uh, of that little girl outside the stock exchange? Not yet. Okay. So let's picture, that's [00:41:00] you, that statue there in front of the stock exchange. Okay? That's, that's the seven year old you and you're walking up to, but it's not inanimate.
It's she's real you, but it's you and you are walking up to the seven year old version of yourself on Wall Street. What advice do you have for yourself?
Alexandra Cole: That's a great question, Dan. Um,
buckle up. It's gonna be a ride. I mean, I think take every challenge and go with it. I mean, I think. I've had a lot of unique, uh, growing experiences in my lifetime, personal career, all of the above. And I think that, you know, that creates the person that you are. And so, yeah, to my seven year old self, I would say buckle up.
It's gonna be one.
Dan Ryan: Yeah, I [00:42:00] love that. And, and you know what else? I find it that's really cool about that. It's also buckle up because it's not like you're. It's not like you're fighting the journey, right? It's like buckle up. You're on the journey and just like embrace. .
Alexandra Cole: Yeah, for sure. I mean, I wouldn't change anything about any of my life experiences I don't think today.
But, um, yeah, I think they, it makes you, again, everything that each one of us experiences, all of our personal, you know, experiences through life make us who we are and, you know, form us into being the people that we are. Um, some of them have been easier than others. Some of them have been more challenging.
Um, but I think that, Yeah, it's definitely been a ride so far in life, my very young life. Mm,
Dan Ryan: Yes. Um, one other thing I wanted to touch on, and you brought it up not too long ago, was this idea of [00:43:00] branded residential. Um, if you were to, like right now, if you were to look at, let's just say you were doing a hundred proposals for projects out there.
What percent of those are in this branded residential space and like if you were to like look into the future, how many more of these projects are there? Are we just, are we just at the very early stage Or is, is this, is this like an experiment or do you see this like growing in a massive way and who's staying in them?
Alexandra Cole: Right. Um, how many proposals are, how many of the proposals that we're putting out there are that, that Probably not too many. I think it's still a little bit of a unique, uh, niche market. Um, I think that it is something obviously that a lot of different brands, whether it's a hotel brand, a car brand, a jewelry brand, I think Tiffany's has a brand.
[00:44:00] Residential now. Um, I think it's, uh, interesting like cult following tactic. You know, if you're really love your, you know, super nice car or you really love staying in an X, Y, Z or ho hotel type of hotel, that, that's an interesting model to have these branded residential, um, Opportunities. But I also think, you know, especially coming out of Covid, it's been a, it's been an area that can make money and, you know, there's a return on that.
So I think it's probably not here. I think it's here for the long haul. I will be interesting to see how it develops over time. And if you know the one off. Um, I don't, I'm going to, I'm just making guesses here. I can't think of all of the different branded, but let's say if like the one off Bentley residences, like is it just that one off or are there going to be more?
I think [00:45:00] that's still, time will tell. Um, but I do think kind of having, even the residential that we're doing either condos or rentals, I think are becoming more sophisticated. Mm-hmm. in the sense that, you know, even if they're not tied to a brand, whether it be, you know, a luxury brand or whatever, that those buildings and the design of those buildings are still becoming, again, more hospitality driven and more, how do I get my.
Rental building in Coral Gables or my rental building in Washington DC or Denver or San Francisco to stand out among the others. And even if it's not branded, it's how do I have the, you know, you have all these amenities spaces in, uh, multi-families, like, but do people actually use them? And how do you get people [00:46:00] to use them?
What, what about your buildings, amenities attract. People to either buy within your building or to have renters within your building. So I think it's kind of an evolution of creating more interesting places in which we live. Mm-hmm. . And if anything, during Covid, I think we've all examined the four walls that we live in.
No matter if it's a standalone house or a apartment or a condo, a little bit more. And so I think that that's kind of where we're going in that kind of segment of design.
Dan Ryan: Yeah. I'm, I'm also, I'm very intrigued by it too, because if you, if you think about hospitality or not even hospital, if you think about a brand, right?
And then you can tie all those small moments that you mentioned before from sent to the coaster to the sense of arrival at each place. And if you, you think of like a retail product and an immersive brand experience, it's like [00:47:00] the ultimate because you could have a person basically living in your brand, right?
From a, from a, from a marketing and experiential perspective. That's really cool. I don't know why it hasn't caught on more. And then on the residential side, are you also doing all of the, um, so you have all the different public spaces and a and. But what about within the apartments? Are you doing like all the F, F and E F, For those of you who don't know the furniture, fixtures and equipment in the, is, is it like a fully furnished apartment or is it dealer's choice at that point?
Or is it an
Alexandra Cole: option? Completely dependent, I think on the project, the owner and the location. We have a lot of work in Miami right now in the multifamily, uh, sector, and we have a mix within that market of, you know, whether or not we're doing units. Interiors and whether or not they're furnished or not [00:48:00] furnished.
Um, Miami is a little bit of an interesting market in the sense that it is kind of an investment market and, you know, to fight the Airbnbs and whatever of, you know, the hotel to Airbnb, uh, conversation. Miami's uh, condo market is also entering into that. Um, Kind of game there because they do sell condos that are fully furnished and people buy them as investments, but then they kind of go into a rental pool.
So it's like, Oh, that's cool. Additional kind of, I don't know, barrier, uh, competition between the hotels.
Dan Ryan: So then as an owner, if I, if I owned one of those branded condo, Units. Um, do, do I get like a closet I can keep my personal stuff in or like how, how does that work? It
Alexandra Cole: kind
Dan Ryan: of just depends. . Okay. . I've never really
Alexandra Cole: understood how that works.
This isn't a beach house though, Dan. [00:49:00] This isn't like your owner's house owner's closet at a beach house. Like, it's not like, you know, you're locking up that type stuff. We're talking about like, you know, 500 square feet of space.
Dan Ryan: Yeah. I'd love to keep a toothbrush or a change of clothes in there. Okay. You know, or some, or some dental floss.
Alexandra Cole: There you go. Full circle. There
Dan Ryan: you go. Full circle. That was not intentional, but I liked that. Um, alright, well hey Alex, this has been freaking amazing. I can't wait to see you. Um, if people wanna learn more about you or design agency, how do they get in touch?
Alexandra Cole: Yeah, definitely shoot me an email or you can go to our website.
Dan Ryan: Okay, cool. And we'll also put your LinkedIn up there as well as well.
Alexandra Cole: Yes though don't send me a message. Shoot me an email. .
Dan Ryan: Yeah. Um. Well, hey, I know you're so busy. I know that your start, you like, even though you say you're not in all places at all times, you are. So I wanna say thank you for your time.
I'm so grateful and appreciative of that, and also our friendship [00:50:00] because not only for dental hygiene, but just life in general. You like, I don't know, I just love seeing you everywhere and you inspire me to get out. And have fun. So thank you.
Alexandra Cole: Well, thank you Dan. This has been a great pleasure.
Dan Ryan: Oh yeah. And also I don't, I want to thank our listeners because again, we keep growing every week, and I know it's not me, it's the guests like Alex and everyone else.
Um, I think people are really intrigued by hospitality, how of, how that affects life and business and, and, and the built environment. So if this has changed your perspective or helped you, Get an idea for something, please pass it along As someone that's all been word of mouth, uh, and I'm just very humbled, um, by the continued growth.
And I just wanna say thank you again and thank you to everyone out there. Um, we'll see you soon. Sounds good. Thanks
Alexandra Cole: Dan.
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