Ep 239: The Design Besties - Friendship, Collaboration & Designing for a Bigger Purpose
What happens when four professionals in the design industry meet by chance, become fast friends, and decide to use their collective talents to give back?
Meet the Design Besties: Nikki Watson, Lori Johnson, Robin Dela Cruz, and Whitney Atkinson.
What started with a chance meeting at the Vacation Rental Design Summit quickly turned into a daily group text, a genuine friendship, and eventually a nonprofit with a big mission: transforming teachers' lounges into beautiful, restorative spaces that give educators a place to recharge.
In this episode, Michelle sits down with the four business owners behind the Design Besties to talk about how their friendship came together, what makes their collaboration work so well, and why they believe there is always room at the table.
They share the story behind their first teachers' lounge makeover, the emotional response from the teachers, and how that experience turned a passion project into a national mission. The Design Besties are now working toward bringing their work to all 50 states.
In this episode, you'll hear about:
How four creatives from different areas of the design industry became the Design Besties
The unexpected project that inspired them to create their nonprofit
Why teachers' lounges became the focus of their service work
How each Bestie brings a different strength to the team
What makes their collaboration work without ego or competition
The importance of creating welcoming spaces and making sure there's always room at the table
How they're working to scale the Design Besties nationally
The power of using your professional skills to serve others
Why adult friendship and genuine community can be such a gift
How designers and brands can get involved through donations, sponsorships, volunteering, and spreading the word
Meet the Design Besties (full bios below)
Rhobin DelaCruz
Interior designer. Creative instigator. Vibe curator. Rhobin has designed for names like GQ, TED, and MTV - but his real flex is helping clients create bold, joy-filled spaces that feel like them (just with better lighting and cuter pillows). Born in SoCal, thriving in NYC, Rhobin mixes West Coast chill with East Coast edge, all wrapped in global inspiration and a love for real estate, storytelling, and saying what everyone else is thinking.
Business name-- Rhobin DelaCruz Designs
Email [email protected]
Insta: @rhobindelacruzdesigns
Website: www.rhobindelacruz.com
Lori Johnson
Lori Johnson is a Dallas-based fine artist whose abstract work blends soft layers of color and texture to explore beauty, transformation, and connection. Featured on Bargain Mansions (HGTV, Magnolia Network, A&E) and sold nationally at HomeGoods and HomeSense, her art invites reflection and emotional connection. Represented at Dallas Market Center through McStudios and Ethan & Associates, Lori collaborates with designers, retailers, and lifestyle brands. She recently partnered with Denim Manor and Wexel Art to launch a line of textile fabrics for interiors, fashion, and home décor.
Business name- Lori Johnson Artist, Collaborator and Creative
Email [email protected]
Insta: @lorijohnsonfineart
Website: www.lorijohnsonfineart.com
Nikki Watson
Nikki Watson is the founder of The Design Quad, Dallas’s leading home staging and design firm. What began with $10 borrowed from her mother has grown into the nation’s largest-volume staging company, with more than 300 homes staged at once across Dallas–Fort Worth. Her work has been featured on HGTV, A&E, Max, and international outlets. Known for her motto “Create, Inspire, and Serve,” Nikki has built service into her brand’s DNA, supporting community charities while redefining home staging, design, flooring, and remodeling.
Business name-- The Design Quad
Email [email protected]
Insta: @iamnikkiwatson
Website: www.nikkiwatson.net
Whitney Atkinson
Whitney Atkinson, founder and inventor of WUGS Weighted Rugs and WILLOWS Weighted Outdoor Pillows, is a Gulf Coast native blending function with style. With a background in interior and commercial design, she created the first weighted rug to solve slipping, curling, and outdoor durability. Her weighted pillows also withstand harsh weather while staying beautifully in place. Whitney’s innovative products reimagine everyday living by offering solutions that are both practical and design-forward.
Business name- - Founder & Inventor of WUGS & WILLOWS
Email [email protected]
Insta: @whitney_atkinson
Website: www.wugsweightedrugs.com
Want to Get Involved?
The Design Besties are looking for schools, brands, designers, donors, and supporters who want to help them bring beautiful, wellness-focused teachers' lounges to communities across the country.
Visit their website to learn more, apply for a school makeover, explore sponsorship opportunities, donate, and follow their work.
Email: [email protected]
Website: thedesignbesties.org
Facebook: The Design Besties
Instagram: @the_designbesties
Check out our latest campaign: Grizzlies Prep Teachers’ Lounge Movement
And remember: there's always room at the table.
Transcripts
Michelle Lynne (01:02)
Hey, hey, hey, everybody. Welcome back to Design for the Creative Mind. And I have such a treat for you today. I have been fangirling from the backs, from the background, I suppose, watching the watching this group and just kind of admiring not only their friendship that they have, but the good that they're putting out into the world. So let me introduce you to the design besties. We have Nikki Watson.
Robin De la Cruz, Lori Johnson, and Whitney Atkinson. I hope I pronounced it that right. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. See, I can make it pronounce pronounced. But what I want to do is I want to start with Nikki and then Lori and then Robin and then Whitney because that's the order you're in on my screen. with just a quick introduction of who you are, in addition to the design besties. And then I'm going to ask you guys, like, who are the design besties? Like, who are you? Like, what are you guys about? So
Nikki, take it away. All right. Well, I'm Nikki Watson. I am based in Dallas, Texas. I'm a home stager, the owner of the largest home staging company in the nation. And I'm a design bestie. Love it. She is the co-president of the design besties. Yes, the co-president.
And Lori. I'm up, I'm up. So I'm Lori Johnson. I'm an artist out of Dallas. And actually, I gotta tell you, this chick right here kept me in business with home shows, commercials, a lot of production art, things like that. And my career just kind of took off. I have prints and home goods, home sense, world market.
anyway, so I've had some it's just been really fun. So here I am, I'm in Dallas, and I'd love to make some art for any anyone. So yeah. Love, love, love it. The power of relationship. And I'm a bestie, I'm a design bestie. Robin Dela Cruz. Robin Dela Cruz. I'm so excited because this is my second time on Michelle Lynn's podcast. I'm a New York-based interior designer and I focus on residential, commercial, and vacation rental design.
And I am a design bestie. I am also the co-president of the Design Besties. Fabulous. It's good to have you again. Whitney Atkinson. Hi. Thanks for having me. I'm Whitney Atkinson. I'm the founder and inventor of Wugs Weighted Solutions. It's weighted outdoor rugs, weighted outdoor pillows, which we call willows. And then we have Woofs, weighted outdoor poofs. And I am a design bestie. You guys are awesome. The chemistry between you guys is so fun.
Let's talk about like who who like what is the design besties? Let's just start with that. What is the design besties and maybe a little bit of how it came about? Robin, you want to talk about who we are? Or Whitney? Whitney, I think you should go. Yeah, I'm I'm passing the baton to Whitney. Yes. Okay. So we so we met kind of by accident. we went to a conference, the Vacation Rental Design Summit.
And high point two years, was it two years ago? I guess two years ago. And I was showing my product, and this little spunky lady comes up to me, Lori Johnson, and introduces herself to me. And then she brings Nikki over. And then I meet Robin. And we hung out the whole next day on a tour, and we became fast and furious friends. And when we got back,
from the market or the conference, Robin started a group text and we texted every morning, every day. I would talk to them more than pretty much anybody else besides my family. my gosh. And then I I was going to a conference in Atlanta and I said, hey guys, would y'all want to go with me? And immediately they all said yes. Yes. So they came out here. We came to this influencers conference and at the influencers conference, everybody
Started calling us like the besties, or hey, there's the besties because when we were there, like everybody could sit with us. If somebody was alone, like, no, we're not gonna let them be alone. There's always room at our table. And so we were in the hotel room. I'll never forget this moment. We were kind of all laying around on the bed just talking. We're like looking at each other, like, hey guys, you know, we're being called the besties. Like, are we the design besties? And that's kind of where the name came from. So funny. Yeah.
Yeah. So I'll let Nikki tell about, you know, how the organization, the nonprofit and everything came along. Okay. So in our market, you know, I do a lot of things. one of those things is you know charity work. So our company does like charity work for you know, we bring our clients along and we do four service projects a year. We just always do something doing something.
And a PTA member reached out to me. She said she'd been following me for a little while and said, ask if I had any free or cheap furniture. They wanted to do something for their teacher's lounge. And I was like, send me some pictures and let's see, you know, let me see what it looks like. Let me back up. Before that, when when Whitney said, Hey, are we the besties? We talked about doing a project together. And we wanted to see, we didn't know what that project would be.
And we were kicking around some ideas and and all of a sudden somebody said my backyard. And I was like, My backyard, that sounds crazy. But this was the only project that we had in mind until the PTA reached out. And when they said, Hey, do you have anything for us for free? And they sent the pictures over, I was thinking, I think this is our project. And I sent it to everybody and said, Would y'all come to Dallas to do something like this? It was in Plano.
And they immediately the same way that they we said yes to the influencers conference, they immediately all said yes, we'll come to Dallas to do this. And we go and Robin does the design, he picks all all the colors, all the furniture, everything for the room. We, you know, kind of jump in where we need to, like everybody's doing their strength. So Lori is painting the painting the artwork on the cafeteria floor. Whitney has
Wugs shipped from corp from Corpus Christi to Dallas so that we can have everything ready to go to install on the day. So we were just we did a lot of planning before we did the install, and the teachers' reaction, the reason we are the besties today is because of the reaction from the teachers on the reveal day. They came in, there were tears, there was so much appreciation for what had been done, and that
immediately told us this is something that we need to be doing across the country. Like we don't do this. The teachers are underappre underappreciated. You know, of course we know they're underpaid. And it's a lot of turnover in the in the teacher industry, in the in education industry, because they don't get appreciated from from their community, from their schools, a lot of times from the students. So we we realized right there that this was something that could change
not only the teachers' lives, but it would impact generations. It's like a huge domino effect. So that is how it started. I love that. And how many teachers lounges have you done? We've done three, four three, three so far. And that's amazing because you I think Robin said you guys have been around for two years together. Yes. Wow. And so we have
Three big projects coming up this year so far. three or four. and Robin, I'm sure that you'll want to fill everybody in when time comes. Okay, so this is fun. So so basically this was just kind of a fortuitous meeting. Yes. And then you put it off. I love the fact that you said that there's room for anybody at your table because that's so true. In this industry, it's so sometimes intimidating.
Yeah, awkward. So I went out to High Point by myself, did not know a single person. And Ms. Donna Moss took me under her wing. And I'm sure you know Donna. Yes. Yes, yes, yes. I always joke, you know, in regards, it's not competition, y'all. There's enough ugly houses for all of us. Definitely. Yeah. So like be friendly. I love that. Okay, back to design besties. So you've done three school lounges. You have
Three more, slate it up. How are these things getting paid for? Great well. Is it all donations, sponsors? Like, like let's let's talk about the nuts and bolts. Of course, that's where my brain goes first because it's business. Like how in the hell is this working? Yes. So so for for the four for the first year,
A lot of it was bootstrapped by us. and then when we did our most recent project, which was one of the schools at High Point Market, we were able to partner with High Point by Design and also High Point. Exactly. High Point High Point School Partnerships, who the executive director is the mayor, the wife of the mayor.
and with that level of people on board, this collaboration was incredible. from that, we got pretty much 90% of the furniture donated, which was crazy. and but we were still bootstrapping ourselves, you know, and we're now going into our second year. we were able to build so much visibility within the first year within the design industry because of all that.
We have been seen by the educations world and we are now partnered with Ed Spaces, who is our strategic educational partners. really? They so we didn't even know this. Did you know that there is a trade show, a furniture trade show, where all the vendors are all doing furniture for wellness and it's all academic-based furniture, and all of the attendees are besides the furniture vendors.
they are interior designers that do schools, architects that do school, and all the rest of them are all superintendents, vice pr the vice principals, all academia. The riches are in the niches. Exactly. That's true. Exactly. Wow, I had no idea. That's really cool. Neither did we. We were we were we were actually kind of shocked when this was pr presented to us. and now the education world is starting to hear about us.
We're going into our second year and our focus this year, we want to scale this so we can do this nationally, so we can hit all 50 states is the mission. Right. and in order to do that, we're building an organization. And part of that is the requirement of brands who are willing to be allies and donate furniture, but we also need funding to build out a team, the executions.
And that's where just to buy the flights. Exactly. Exactly. Operating expenses and everything. Marketing, CR. And we made social nonprofit. So we're based in North Carolina. Our our nonprofit is 501 C three is based in North Carolina. Well that's a great place to be based out of if you're looking for So if you're local in North Carolina, you will be reinvesting in the community. And you can say you're supporting locally, even though it's a national
Brand. Well that and just the fact that I I mean, think about like I remember literally when I found out what you guys were doing. We were at high point, we were across the street, I can tell we were right there by the parking lot. Yes. up the street from FaZe. And I was like, What are you guys doing? Like, what is the design besties? And you told me, like, this is what we're doing for schools, and I thought, holy moly, like that the trickle effect from the teachers.
To the students. I mean, just walking out of that lounge and back into your classroom, you've got to have a complete different frame of mind. And the kids are gonna get better education, they're gonna get better all the things. I mean, that is such an impactful mission. So trying to get it across the country.
How how what are you envisioning for that? Like what do you need? Do you need designers from around the country? Do you it I obviously we need furniture and we need donations? Do you guys have links and stuff where we can post that? Well, we do. So a lot of it is in-house at the moment, but we are planning on on scaling. So we just added a VP of strategic development, Jess Rob, who is our founding board member, but she's also our publicist and also does strategy. So it it's it's it's tight knit right now.
But a lot of it is like we're handling it and it's time to start building the team so the operations so we can wear our CEO hats and we can start delegating so that we can scale this out larger. So No, it makes sense to stay nimble. Yes. But you can't be everywhere all the time. Exactly. Exactly. And there's a huge push right now. So
Well we're having a lot of fun. Let's just let's let's put that in there. We are having a lot of fun doing it. That's where it all started. Exactly. That's where it all started. So fun. So like I'm just trying to think. So what you're doing is how can I help get people involved? So like if you have an installation on the west coast and one on the east coast and one, I don't know, like somewhere else.
Like how are you gathering people? Not like any of y'all are shy, because I would imagine you would just finally like, hey, you're from here. This is what we're doing. I'll see you on the 27th. So what what has been helpful, we're we're still on a learning curve as we go to more places. but this next project that we're working on, what has been helpful is that we have another designer that's boots on the ground. we have another designer that's gonna be boots on the ground for us in Columbus, Ohio.
That is extremely extremely helpful. and then just spreading the word, you know, it's like there's a lot of people that want to give back, they just don't know what we do. And there's a lot of supporters of teachers and being able to let people know that there's an organization that is using their skill set to create wellness spaces. Do you want in? Yeah, absolutely. No, I'm thinking of I'm just thinking of some people that I might be able to connect you with.
so donations of furniture, I'm sure cash donations wouldn't suck. Yeah. Okay. And then getting the word out. That's really fun. That is really fun. Do any of you guys have like an educator in your family? Or my mom is a secretary at our elementary school. And I mean, I see, you know, behind the scenes and what they go through every day and hear from the teachers. And it's a tough, it's a tough environment. It's a tough job.
But we have to have people to do that, right? We have to have educators who mold our children. And going back to our first install, seeing the reaction of the teachers was was overwhelming and so fulfilling. It was like something I didn't know that I needed. And it really impacted us in a way that made us four think, how can we make this bigger? Because we need to touch every teacher in this country because this is very important.
There's well yeah, just something that started off as a passion project. Exactly said about like all of us all have our gay jobs, but what this is providing us is a completely different level of purpose. It's like a heart mission. I mean, it's you know, it's just been amazing. Yeah. And I do have education educators in my family, the Wichita, Kansas.
project that we're gonna do. I have a cousin that works for the district, but she was actually a middle school principal before she got promoted to the to the district. So she's the one kind of helping us there. She's the local person that is is going to be the boots on the ground for us, you know, running around doing the things that we need. But she she's was, she started off just a classroom teacher, then she went to, I think assistant principal, and then she was a principal for several years of a middle school. That's a hard job.
if you think about middle school age kids, it's god. You know. And we'll get to the hormones. We get to go what week after next. Yeah and we're doing a big rally with them, the local news 40,000 teachers that we're going to be in front of there in Wichita. So it's gonna be a really crazy thing. It'll be amazing. Yeah. How do you guys find the schools? Like how do you or and how do you vet them?
Different ways. Yeah, we have a website and it's thedesign besties.org. And isn't it work? Yes. And the schools will will submit their own submissions and write in. It's really heartfelt. Like when we get, you know, their submissions about why they really want their teachers lounge, you know, makeover and it's just that I love reading them. Yes, you know. And seeing videos. yeah, they send in videos too. my gosh, how fun is that? It's almost yeah, it's
Almost like a tr an audition. Yes. Yes. So there's there's three different ways that we select schools. One is what Lori just said. we would love schools to start applying, give us their stories. the other way is that one the other angle is that we're very strategic about one school each year. because we are trying to build the brand and the visibility. We know that certain partnerships will help us elevate the mission and then
Because of our relationship with EdSpaces, each year they have a conference. We bring the design besties there and have a contest in that city. And EdSpace isn't involved. We have the superintendent set on a mass email. All these schools apply. And then a committee from EdSpaces selects who the winning school is. Wow. How do you guys even have time to do the rest like your day jobs? I don't know.
Well, I will say Robin does take most of the heavy lifting from us. We do have a couple of assistants that that helps with but mostly it's Robin. Robin is in charge of of everything, operations, so that we can run our businesses. Cause when we first got into this, we're like, we know we all have su stuff going on. And Robin was like, hey, let me just run with this. I want to build the infrastructure. I want to make this.
You know, I want to see how far this can go, and he's done an amazing job. So he does a lot of this, the things that we can't get to every day. And Whitney's blowing up and she's got this big deal going on. So we don't we really don't have the the time to do the little stuff, but we can actually go and do the installs and and participate where we were needed. But and promote, promote, promote, right? Talk about yeah. But thanks to Robin. And the cool thing is Robin is a
genius with layout. And so as our principal designer, we I think we just appreciate everyone's crafts so much. And I think that first project made us kind of realize like, wow, like like everyone really respects everyone here. And we work together so well. And it's it's almost scary how that first project went, how smoothly it went. Because it would have could have went
Crazy. If you've ever worked with another creative person or another designer or you know, try to work with on a project, which I have, it has never it's never gone this smooth. And it was very surprising to to all of us, I think, when we finished that first project that hey, we understood when somebody got hungry and they were tired and somebody was cranky and somebody, you know, we figured out.
everybody's mood and everybody's strength like what everybody's good at and it was it was magical i will say like this is that was how good it went and it's gone you know it's supposed to be it's supposed to be well i can tell you i've never painted an eight foot painting in a cafeteria floor before but it was such a meaningful project because all of our volunteers
And we really didn't have any teachers there because we were making a surprise. But the school principal was involved. The PTA. you know, the PTA group. so I had I gave everyone china pens and I said, okay, I'm creating a piece for this space, and I want everyone's feedback as far as like what you want for these teachers. Like what I want you to feel this room, feel this space, and I'm gonna embed it in this piece of work. And so everyone was able to like scribe in like how they wanted.
You know, to build a space that's calm or whatever they were feeling at the time. And it it just I love the process. The and thank you, besties, for like bringing, you know, buckets of water and just like everybody was so helpful towards each other at every at every step of the way that it just came together beautifully. And then with the teachers' reactions, it was just like, wow, this is it. Like this is this is what we need to do. Yeah. So I'm gonna put you guys on the spot. tell me.
Who brings what what strengths do you bring? Well, before we move on to that question, I just wanted to use this opportunity to give Michelle Lynn flowers because three years ago was when I decided to restructure my business and accept the failings that I had and accept the strengths. And Michelle's business coaching program was one of the two coaching programs that I took on.
And took a year back and kind of reset. And if it weren't for the structure of what she was able to teach me, what this program taught me, I would not be able to do what we're doing today for all of us. And it has been an incredible asset to my own personal growth and also the growth of the design businesses and Robin Delacruz designs. So thank you, Michelle. And he talks about the time. Yes, he does.
I'll send you some cash later, my friend. No, that's that that's absolutely honest and really true because he talks about it all the time that he learned so much about himself and in the And he's able I really do feel like that he's able to bring so much to this project based on what your program, you know, has going on. So it's it was one it's been great. Yeah. I I could be like a little baby bestie.
Maybe you're the original bestie and we didn't even know. Really? Started this whole thing like, whoa. Usually call up something that's actually know it's not bestie. Well, we are grateful. So thank you for putting Robin in place and getting him lined up. Yeah because he never cooking it for us. Well, you know, it's just funny how everything ends up pointing to the greater good.
Yeah, that's where that's where things are. Okay, so so let's switch it up. So tell us what Robin's strengths are, and then we'll go around and I'm gonna call each one of you and you guys feed into them. Okay, good. Robin's strengths, and then if you guys gush too much, I'm gonna give you this so that we can keep us on in the actual projects. Robin is he's the designer, so he actually does all the layouts.
He does all the designs for the projects. we know him as the layout master. Like that's what we call him. He is great. These layouts are I I feel like there's there's a niche, like you said, niche down. He could make lots and lots of money just doing layouts for other designers. I feel like he he could make these the layouts are so perfect. It's just it's crazy. I mean, the flow of the space. Wow. He is like
King Master and has it down to the inch. Like every no, there's one inch on the side of this couch. I mean you better make sure. And he surprised us so many times. Like and then now we're like, yeah, there's no question. Yeah, you look at the layout and do it exactly that way. the design is always really good. It's always he's thinking about the teachers, how they're gonna feel in the room. we did have a situation in High Point where the art teacher wanted to bring in some of the kids' art.
And we had to do a little bit of a veto because we wanted them to feel like they're not that they're outside of the school and not in the school. Yeah, they know where they are. We're trying to take them into a whole oasis. They're they're they're going into another room. So so Robin is really good at creating the perfect space for them that's an escape from the actual school. So it's almost an experiential
Yes. There you go. Perfect. But Rob can do the vibe. Rob has just his own little vibe. He's just this little firecracker that just goes around and he's but we know when he's tired and he needs his little 15 minute nap in a showroom. And then that's all he needs. And then he's back at it. So it's amazing what a power nap can do for somebody's attitude. yeah. You can go from a bad attitude to a good attitude. Yeah.
And I've kind of taken that note from Robin. I'm already like, okay, you know what? I need 15 minutes. I need to close my eyes and get a reset. Cause I've never done that before, but it's really helping me now. It's a beautiful thing. In my old studio, pre pandemic, we had a sofa and then it was like a storefront almost. I would close the draperies and I would tell my team, I just need 15 minutes. And they'd look over and they'd be like, What is she doing? I'm like, just just trust me.
It's a it's a whole new person that gets up off that couch. Exactly. Well, if you watch Bluey, I have a six year old little girl and Bluey's mom sometimes needs a 20 minute break. And so that's what I've been saying. I tell my kids, I need a 20 minute break, I'll be back. They know I'll be a new person when I come back. I'm totally gonna reference that. I have an eight year old. Yeah, still dance with around top. Okay.
So now let's take a moment and pour into Lori and what are Lori's strengths in this Lori. Lori's like a walking piece of art. Lori is yeah, Lori's for fun. She is our our fun committee for the whole project.
She is she takes her and Robin work well together because Robin kind of he he tells her, gives her direction on what he wants, but he doesn't tell her. And I think that's what she appreciates. She's not being told, okay, I want, I want a a orange partner. Orange artwork. Right. He doesn't say, I want orange. He'll say, I just want it to feel like this. And then she takes that direction. I don't even know how. And creates something that works perfectly in the room every time. But
We're having fun the whole time. She's like, okay, I'm just going in my little corner. Watching her work is amazing. It is so much fun. Yeah. Getting to see her create art. Didn't she do a live art demonstration recently? Yes, she did. Yeah, that would be fun. Best event. What each lounge gets is a personal piece that Lori creates on the spot.
And it always becomes a focal point of one of the teachers' lounges, of each teacher's lounge. So not only is she an incredible artist and is able to bring in her skill set on that, but she is like this wonderful cheerleader that gets everybody together, not just the besties, but like all the people that are volunteering, all the people that are are working. She has this natural ability to make everyone happy and everyone part of the team.
Yes. that's true. They can feel like they are a bestie. Yeah. Well, I I have been told the last time that I am, what did you say? You're highly sensitive to color, Lori, because I I want to make sure the color is right. And it's really important for me to get that translation of what Robin envisions. The black door. She's talking about the black door. well, actually, no. I was talking about how the artwork on that dark.
Plum wall. yeah. We were trying to get the blues right, but Robin had a vision and he and he actually was like, no, I want it like brighter than the mint. Yeah that we were do it. So it's like this creative, like you have someone, you just have to like feel it almost. It's like so crazy. But your relationship is that he can tell you kind of the vision and you just take it and roll with it. Yes. That's amazing. Amazing. Thanks, guys. Everybody's gonna leave here feeling good.
And Robin started it with my flowers. man. No, it's true. It's really true. Yeah. Let's give some, let's give some to Whitney. What is first here? There is nothing that she can't do. Nothing. There is nothing she can't do. And I am not kidding. If you told her, hey, I need three working websites, like whatever it is, she's gonna figure it out. It's so it is like she's the MacGyver of all.
marketing experiences. It's unreal. So I it's just crazy. I I I have so much respect for you, Whitney. You don't stop working. Yeah. Like and she can literally do anything. Yeah. Anything. And she makes everyone around her feel like well actually that's that one's for you. But but it gets empowered. Like, hey, you know, if you have an idea, like go for it. Go for it. And it's just awesome. Yeah.
So Whitney, Whitney and I, our job on the day of install, while Robin is, you know, thinking about where all the furniture is being placed and what's going on, especially if there's some construction going on. He's busy and Lori is doing her painting. Whitney and I, we are the hands and feet of the project. So we are running the Home Depot 12 times. We're going to Hobby Lobby. We're going to, you know, we're doing all of the running around. And I love the way Whitney and I
do all of that stuff together because it's like okay what do you think about this what do you should we get a tv yeah let's do it and we're we're overriding stuff like we're doing stuff we don't make decisions we're making decisions but it is so much fun to work with because we just have a blast on install day like this that's the most fun to me like we're we're doing all the fun stuff. I love to see all the footage that they come back with.
Even though Whitney is the baby of the four of us, she's like the mother and keeps us on track and makes sure things get done. She's like, nope. I'm the overthinker. Just say I'm the overthinker, right, Robin? Yeah, Michelle. And if you didn't know this about us, the three of us, Robin included, we are fifty. We just turned fifty this year.
And Whitney is 10 years younger than us. So she is, she's the baby of the group, but she is definitely the most responsible. She's the reason why I'm alive, actually. She keeps us alive. She keeps us, she's like, hey, is anybody hungry? Let me get like she's the mom of the group because she has smaller kids. And you know, that that's the the thing that we like about Whitney because she's always keeping us in in check. it's nice though, because you're so can you come to Dallas?
Please hear me. It's just an eight hour drive. It's not bad. Awesome. Not a coming to Dallas, every my whole family's coming to Dallas because when we say we're like family, we are literally like family. Like my kids love these three and my husband loves these three and we all I mean, it's like I don't know. It truly is like we have extended family, which you know, it's just crazy. Thank you.
Yeah, to go out, family. It's something special we have for sure. We all inspire each other. Well, and the fact that you're turning around and putting it to good work. Yeah. Yeah. All right. Well, speaking of work, old Nikki, let's talk about I wanna I wanna start I wanna start talking about Nikki. So I I'll be first. So it's so crazy because Nikki is this super low key
serial entrepreneur, she has so many hands dipped in so many different cookie jars, which we didn't even find out until like six months to a year because it just the onion just kept start slowly and peeling. It's like you do that too, you do that too. So her drive as a as a woman entrepreneur is incredible, but the other thing that's so admirable about Nikki is that.
her philanthropic efforts that she has constantly been been doing for over a decade. The goodness the goodness that she puts out in the world is what inspires us. Yeah. And I I want to give her some props there. I've known Nikki since like nineteen two and she's always been that way. I love hearing this. Michelle, tell us more. I mean I just She's known me forever and ever.
Yeah, we both started as stagers back in the day. Yes. Wow. Lots of history. Lots of history there. Yeah. No, Nikki's always, always turned around and gives gives more than she ever asked for. So keep going. You guys keep going. But else, she's like the heart of the project. Like she just keeps us constantly reminded about the mission. Right. Why.
That's probably like a cliche thing to say or whatever, but it's you are the heart of the mission. And the fact that this isn't just like something that she's making up, like her company is revolves around service oriented projects that sh that I mean, she gets her clients involved in in them and things like that. And I could go on and on, but for the heart. Thank you.
I agree. Every time I like I'm I don't wanna cry. I don't wanna cry. But like Nikki is like such an inspiration. When I first met her at the VRD and I started, you know, hearing about everything that she she does and I was just like, wow, and her story of how it all started and I I swear Nikki and I are almost the same person. We really are. We we are. We have so much in common. We finish each the other sentences. We say the same thing. it's it's incredible.
We love claims though. yeah. We're obsessed with the Dallas Cowboys. Like so these two, we go to a Dallas Cowboy game in Dallas and those two are over in the corner eating candy. And Nikki and I are up like cheering and hollering and high fibing. Whatever. Go home, leave us at the game. Mom's like, I am not leaving these cowboys. But she grew up with it. I grew up with it. And it's I don't know, we have just so much in common. She's just an inspiration. Whenever
I'm so happy that God put them in my path because I didn't know I needed this. And I swear he puts people in your path that he knows you need. And those are these three for me. He provides. Yes. Absolutely. Well, I think that this has been a really cool story of just how friendships can be made as adults. Sometimes that's even harder within our industry. Sometimes because well that and let's just say women can be bitchy, right?
So it's sometimes hard to break into that little click sometimes. Speaking of that, Michelle, I just have to say speaking of bitchy. Okay, that so I have to say there's like I think what makes it really unique is the level of support. There's no I mean there's not there's nothing I wouldn't do for any of you all.
and you included Michelle, you got a call. If you need anything, you let me know. But like there's no jealousy, there's no it's pure, yeah. There that yes, there's no ego, and they're you know, it's at the door, and it's almost like how you feel about family, even actually better than family in some cases. You're not just like you get what you get and you don't throw a fit.
I mean they love me more than my family, I'm pretty sure. So yeah, but regardless, that's you know, the ego's at the door and there's d it's just so supportive and like there's so much love that it and it just keeps getting better. I love that. And I'm sure that the teachers can can feel that in the school and the students and so forth. How can our listeners learn more? How can our listeners
donate get involved like whatever whatever the win brings at the time of the need like where are you you're you said you had a website the designbesties.org so on our website schools can apply to be selected we also have sponsorship information for brands or organizations that would want to be part of part of this
our Instagram we're constantly when we have a project, we announce that. We also put in donation links. we have a give butter account that we'll also share with you. we do a give butter account per school, but also a general one if you're interested in being regular donations. and then you said it's a five one five one two three.
So it's tax writable offable, right? All of that. Deductible. That's the word deductible. Exactly. good. Well, the to the listeners, I really hope that you do follow along. I hope that you have learned that, you know, just serving serving outside of ourselves is truly the basis. You know, services, services where are I think our are true.
peace and happiness comes from. It's not it's not necessarily just making all the money. It's not making beautiful rooms, beautiful art, things along that line, beautiful furniture. so I I feel like this episode has a little bit more heart than just service as well. So I thank you guys for being here. I will make sure that all of those details are in the show notes. And just remember when you guys are listening, the there, you know
There's always room at the table. So if you're if you're lonely at high point or at a market or something, look for one of these faces. Be a bestie. Come on in. Yeah, be a bestie. So thank you guys for being here. I appreciate it. And thank you guys for listening. I will make sure everything's in the show notes. And for those of you who are listening, please don't hesitate to drop a a review wherever you listen to your podcasts.
And just remember to build something that you're proud of. See you next episode. Good. Bye.
