The PowerHouse Cool Collabs

A Woman General Contractor? Meet the Woman Breaking the Mold What does it take to walk away from a successful 3 decade career in IT and become a woman general contractor in a traditionally male-dominated industry? Meet Dee Thompson , Founder of Urbane Home , a boutique luxury design-build firm serving Chicago's most sought-after neighborhoods. With a hidden passion for design and construction,...

Growing beyond shy to superhero! What if the person you are becoming is someone your younger self would have looked up to? In this episode of PowerHouse Cool Collabs , Wendy Cohen sits down with Kaitlyn Stokes, Designer Extraordinaire and Showroom Leader at Belle Kitchen , located in Minneapolis and creating beautiful projects across the country. Join us for a candid conversation about confidence,...

Small by Design, Big on Success | Jarmila Singer, Sound Living What does success really look like? For Jarmila Singer, Co-Founder & CEO of Sound Living, it isn't about being the biggest company in the room. It's about being intentional about how you grow, staying close to your clients and your work, building a team that feels like family, and creating a business that is both profitable...

What if the most important thing we build isn’t a building at all, but the culture and people behind it? In this episode of PowerHouse Cool Collabs , Wendy Cohen sits down with Kassie Chapel, Director of People & Culture and Head of HR at LG Group , for a thoughtful conversation about what it really takes to create a workplace where talented people can thrive. Kassie’s journey has taken her fr...

What happens when you build a luxury brand by putting relationships before transactions? On this episode of PowerHouse Cool Collabs , Wendy Cohen sits down with Donille Perrone, Senior Brand Manager for SKS , whose unconventional career journey took her from therapeutic footwear to toilets, light bulbs, and solar before leading her to the opportunity that would bring together her talents, personal...

From Carpenter to Executive: Building a Career, a Community & a Life Well Lived with Jim Well, Executive Vice President, Urban Street Group. What does it really mean to build something that lasts? On this episode of PowerHouse Cool Collabs , Wendy Cohen reconnects with longtime friend and industry leader Jim Wells, Executive Vice President of UrbanStreet Group , for a conversation that goes fa...

Your Home Is the Backdrop to Your Life What if the twists and turns in your career aren't detours at all, but exactly what prepares you for what's next? On Episode 47 of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs Podcast , Wendy Cohen sits down with Emily Flaxman, Founder of Flax Interiors , for a conversation about curiosity, reinvention, entrepreneurship and the psychology behind great design. Emily&#3...

How Kristin Armitage Turned Marketing into Hospitality Most people think marketing is about getting attention. Kristin Armitage believes it's about earning trust. In this episode of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs Podcast , Wendy Cohen sits down with Kristin Armitage, Marketing Manager at Buechel Stone, to explore how one company has transformed the customer experience by treating marketing as hos...

What if the greatest luxury isn't the finish itself, but the knowledge behind it? In this inspiring episode of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs Podcast, Wendy Cohen sits down with Robert Chickey , President of Bespoke Finish®, internationally respected finishing consultant, educator, inventor, and mentor. With more than two decades of hands-on experience, Robert has dedicated his career to helping...

A cool new approach, where a seasoned custom design build sales leader creates a business centered entirely around client advocacy. In this inspiring episode of PowerHouse SMART Cool Collabs, Wendy Cohen sits down with Sarah Rudy, Founder of SR Design & Renovation, to discuss her unique approach to helping homeowners navigate the often-complex world of remodeling, renovation, and new construct...

Some stories beautifully illustrate the power of connection, community, and what can happen when someone is given an opportunity to shine. Nearly ten years ago, as PowerHouse SMART prepared for its very first Chicago Luxury Conference, we launched a unique initiative to recognize emerging talent within the design, architecture, and construction industries. Out of more than 100 candidates, twenty n...

What happens when a passion for design, a commitment to community, and a belief in doing business the right way come together? In this inspiring episode of PowerHouse SMART Cool Collabs, Wendy Cohen sits down with Ron Frisk, Managing Partner of Fuse MPLS, one of the Midwest's most respected luxury design showrooms and a true gathering place for the design community. Ron shares the remarkable e...

In this inspiring episode of the PowerHouse SMART® Cool Collabs Podcast, Wendy Cohen sits down with Robert Hull, President and Principal Designer of JMAD (James McNeal Architecture and Design), an award-winning residential architecture firm known for creating immersive, wellness-centered luxury homes across the country. With a unique background spanning both architecture and construction, Rob shar...

In Episode 40 of the PowerHouse SMART® Cool Collabs Podcast, Wendy Cohen welcomes dear friend and respected interior designer Michelle Rohrer-Lauer, Principal of Michelle’s Interiors, for a heartfelt conversation centered around mentorship, teamwork, gratitude, sustainability, and the human side of design. Michelle shares her inspiring journey from being encouraged by her artist aunt to pursue int...

What happens when operational strategy meets humanity, emotional intelligence, and purpose-driven leadership? In Episode 39 of the PowerHouse SMART® Cool Collabs Podcast, Wendy Cohen sits down with Julie Finelli — Founder of Root Work Collaborative and Director of People & Operations at Spinning Babies® — for an inspiring conversation about systems-thinking, organizational growth, employee exp...

What does it really take to build a meaningful and lasting career in real estate? In this inspiring episode of the PowerHouse SMART® Cool Collabs Podcast, Wendy Cohen sits down with Kim Lindquist, Vice President of Corporate Services at Edina Realty, for a heartfelt conversation about leadership, collaboration, mentorship, and the power of human connection in business. With more than 33 years in t...

In this heartfelt and wisdom-filled episode of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs Podcast , Wendy Cohen sits down with longtime colleague and respected industry leader Alan D. Lev, Chairman of Belgravia Group. What unfolds is far more than a conversation about business success. Alan shares his remarkable journey—from accounting and law to building one of Chicago’s most respected development firms—and rev...

In Episode 36 of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs Podcast, Wendy Cohen sits down with Tina Timm, Builder Development Manager at Water Doctors, to explore one of the most essential—yet often overlooked—elements of the home: water quality . With over 35 years in the building industry, Tina shares her evolution from working alongside builders to becoming a passionate advocate for healthier water systems—a...

Wendy Cohen welcomes Rory Rubin, Founded and CEO, S.I. Container Builds Inc., to the PowerHouse Cool Collabs podcast for a powerful conversation on purpose-driven leadership, modular construction, and the future of housing. In Episode 35, Wendy sits down with Rory to explore modular construction, container-based building, and the opportunities this innovative model creates for developers, nonprofi...

In Episode 34 of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs Podcast , Wendy Cohen sits down with Nikki Peters, Well-Being Intelligence Expert , to explore how wellness is transforming the built environment, workplace culture, and leadership. With a background in kinesiology, yoga, and entrepreneurship—including leadership roles with CorePower Yoga and founding Studio 9 to 5 —Nikki brings a unique perspective on...

In Episode 33 of PowerHouse Cool Collabs, host Wendy Cohen welcomes Lynn Walsh, Founder & President of Walsh Communications, one of the most trusted PR and marketing leaders in the IL/WI building industry.  Together they explore why builder marketing starts long before construction begins, how to find the true “hook” that earns media placement, and why reinvention, gratitude, and authentic rel...

In Episode 32 of PowerHouse Cool Collabs , Wendy sits down with longtime business friend and Carlson Dash Attorneys Founder/Principal Partner Jim Dash for a grounded, insightful conversation about protecting the business behind the passion. With more than 40 years of experience, Jim advises owners, designers, builders, and leaders across the construction and design industry. In this episode, Wendy...

In this inspiring episode of the PowerHouse Cool Collabs  Podcast, host Wendy Cohen welcomes the lovely and talented Jennifer McGraw, Principal & Founder of Jennifer McGraw PR, a leading publicist in the luxury home and design industry. Jennifer shares her journey from working at Rolling Stone Magazine in New York City to building a thriving yet boutique PR firm that serves bespoke interior de...

In this episode, Wendy Cohen, Founder of PowerHouse Companies and host of PowerHouse Cool Collabs , sits down with Philip Sassano, Founder and Principal of The Design Coach , for a soulful, 25-minute conversation designed for your daily commute. Cool Collabs invites you inside Wendy’s trusted inner circle — a curated community of the coolest, most thoughtful leaders in design, build, and real esta...

In this heart-opening episode, Wendy Cohen sits down with longtime friend, designer, and creative force Raad Ghantous to explore what it truly means to live — and lead — from wholeness. Together, they journey through themes of collaboration, gratitude, intentional living, and the courage it takes to keep evolving in a world that’s always changing. Raad shares the personal and professional path tha...