Flying Solo with Katie Kangas

Architect, musician, and creative storyteller James Ray Polk has spent decades exploring the connection between music and architecture. He founded his firm, Music in Architecture so that his practice would resonate with the other creative endeavors in his life. He has continually found inspiration in the work of Frank Lloyd Wright and this summer his ensemble, the Mississippi Sawyers, will embark...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Laurie McGinley, licensed architect, private advisor, and author of The Dissolve . Laurie began her career in architecture but found herself increasingly drawn to design transformation in people’s lives. Today, through her advisory practice Via Lucent, Laurie guides leaders to refine their career, recover from burnout, and d...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Damaris Melo-Gyasi, founder of Design by Melo. Her small architecture designs inclusive projects focused on long-term community impact. Damaris did not originally plan to become an entrepreneur. After working within multiple firms and striving to reach her full potential, she realized she was seeking deeper alignment—more in...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Ashley Mitlyng, founder of Mitlyng Design + Architecture , a Twin Cities–based residential practice focused on renovations and additions. Ashley’s work aligns with the House Wren—a bird known for thriving in tight, overlooked spaces. House Wrens don’t seek wide-open fields or blank slates. They nest inside existing structure...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Meghan Elliott, a structural engineer, historic preservation expert, and founder of New History. Meghan shares how her career was shaped by early experiences with earthquake engineering and how that foundation led her to build a consulting practice focused on the complex realities of historic building redevelopment. Meghan d...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast , host Katie Kangas speaks with Molly Dalsin, founder of Mesh Architecture , about building a practice rooted in human-centered design, community connection, and long-term impact. As an architect, educator, and researcher, Molly weaves teaching, research, and practice together—using each to inform and strengthen the others. Molly describes her firm in thr...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast , host Katie Kangas speaks with Elizabeth Turner, founder of Precipitate, a specialty architecture and consulting firm focused on passive house design, energy modeling, and performance-driven research. Elizabeth’s practice operates at the intersection of academia, community engagement, and real-world building outcomes. She pairs research with practice to...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Cheryl Fosdick, founder of CF Design. Cheryl brings a deep passion for storytelling to her work, designing spaces shaped by Great Lakes landscapes and the nuanced use of light that transforms how people experience their homes. Cheryl practices in Duluth, MN. A city that invites people to enjoy the outdoors, even through the...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast , host Katie Kangas speaks with Sara Imhoff, founder of Imprint Architecture, who designed her firm around personal connections and thoughtful design. After founding Imprint Architecture with her husband in 2008, they have experienced steady, intentional growth. Across residential and commercial work, Sara leads with relationships first, allowing design t...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Andrea Hammel-Wollak, co-founder of HW² Design, about building a highly strategic, efficient architecture practice rooted in adaptability, collaboration, and good design for everyone. Andrea runs a two-person firm with her husband, John, and together they have spent over twelve years refining a way of working that pairs thou...

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Heather Rose Dunning, founder of Yellow Dog Studio, about building a design practice rooted in excellence, trust, and precision. Heather is a serial entrepreneur who has launched and led multiple design firms by assembling highly specialized, high-performing teams that integrate seamlessly with their clients. Heather describ...

Joy Martin’s story and architecture firm show remarkable resilience. Like the European Starling thriving far from its origins, Joy has navigated moves across the country and built a small, multi-state practice through seasons of change and personal loss. The starling’s ability to adapt to new climates and contexts mirrors Joy’s journey, learning new rhythms, forming new roots, and thriving in unfa...

In this episode of Flying Solo, Katie Kangas speaks with Minnesota architect Heather Whalen, founder of Reviver Architecture and Development. After nearly three decades in practice, Heather launched Reviver to refocus her energy on hospitality design and the renewal of existing and historic buildings. Like a Barred Owl (wise and aware) Heather provides thoughtful leadership in her work. She listen...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Edward J. Shannon, an architect whose career embodies the steady persistence of a woodpecker. Day after day, Ed has built his solo practice by connecting deeply with clients and crafting homes that tell a story—one that resonates with their lives, goals, and values. His work leaves a legacy not only for today’s homeowners but also for t...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Innes Henderson, founder of S2S Architects, whose practice embodies the focus and agility of a hummingbird. Innes has developed a specialized architectural process centered on intentionality, adaptability, and aligning his expertise with the unique needs of each client. Like a hummingbird hovering with precision at a flower, his approac...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Minnesota-based architect Marcy Conrad Nutt, whose work centers on bringing high-performance design to everyday projects through the principles of Passive House. Marcy’s mission is to make better buildings—homes and businesses that are energy-efficient, resilient, and supportive of the people who live and work in them. Like the chickade...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Hong Kong–based architect Vicky Chan, founder of AO Architects. Vicky’s practice pairs agriculture and urban design, weaving farming and food production into architectural projects. His work is fueled by listening deeply to the needs of communities and responding with designs that nourish both people and place. Beyond his practice, Vick...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with East Coast architect and solopreneur John Clark, founder of REDjay Architecture. John describes his practice as classic custom residential design with a modern twist , much like the bird behind his firm’s name—a cardinal reimagined as a REDjay. For John, architecture is about more than design; it’s about keeping it real. His firm reflec...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas talks with Darguin Fortuna, founder of Flow Design, about the journey from feeling like an ugly duckling in other firms to becoming a fully fledged swan leading his own practice. Early in his career, Darguin struggled to find a place where he belonged, migrating from one workplace to another in search of a supportive environment. When he finally la...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas talks with Sam Williams about his residential practice and the unique niche he has built. Sam works with families whose remodels and additions are not too big and not too small, thriving in the challenge of problem-solving within the constraints of existing homes. His practice is much like a nuthatch—a small tree-climbing songbird that descends hea...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Angie Boersma, founder of ID8 . Angie has shaped her practice to be unapologetically rural —rooted in the needs of small towns and built on the belief that architecture alone isn’t enough to create lasting change. As an intentional generalist, she draws on a wide range of skills, from interior design to civic leadership, local legislati...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Duluth-based architect and solopreneur Tiersa Wodash, founder of Brick and Mortar . Tiersa has built her practice around helping small business owners navigate the complexities of opening their own physical spaces. Like a heron standing still in the water, she has immersed herself in her community, observing the needs of entrepreneurs a...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas sits down with New Jersey architect Vin Minkler, who has spent nearly a decade refining his solo practice. Vin has shaped his business around serving middle-class clients through smaller residential projects, managing dozens of remodels and additions at a time. Like a puffin—diving into the waves and catching multiple fish with its serrated beak—Vi...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas explores the many ways architects define their practice and how those paths shift when working independently. It starts by questioning the traditional roles in the profession—are architects problem-solvers, designers, preservationists, or business leaders? In truth, the answer is “all of the above.” Drawing from her own journey, Katie reflects on h...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas explores what it really means to fly . She begins with perspective—examining why choosing to step into the unknown and aiming for “blue oceans” can open up new horizons for both personal life and professional practice. Drawing inspiration from Blue Ocean Strategy by Renée Mauborgne and W. Chan Kim, Katie reflects on how architects and solopreneurs...