Founders & Friends

In this episode of Founders & Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Brad Leavitt , founder of AFT Construction , to unpack what it truly takes to build a thriving construction company — from humble beginnings to leading one of the most respected firms in the industry. Brad shares his entrepreneurial journey, the challenges of starting and scaling in the construction world, and what se...

In this episode of Founders & Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Judi Lee-Carr , founder of Jubilee Interiors , to explore her unexpected path from fashion merchandising in Singapore to running a thriving design studio in California. Judi opens up about starting her firm in 2020 after being laid off during the pandemic, embracing uncertainty with courage and calculated risk. They d...

In this episode of Founders and Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Breanna Cain, founder of the VA Leadership Academy and agency owner, to talk about her journey from stay-at-home mom to seven-figure entrepreneur. Breanna shares how she built a thriving business teaching and connecting virtual assistants, the strategies that fueled her growth, and the lessons she’s learned along the wa...

In this episode of Founders and Friends , Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Meredith Huck of House of Huck to talk about the realities of building a thriving interior design firm while raising a family. Meredith shares how motherhood shaped her entrepreneurial journey, why setting boundaries with clients is essential for work-life balance, and her approach to pricing luxury design services. We dive...

On this episode of Founders and Friends , Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Caroline Lewis, CEO of Lawson House , to talk about her journey from administrative assistant to business owner, and the mindset shifts required when moving from employee to CEO. Caroline opens up about leading her team through transition, building a strong brand identity, and shifting Lawson House’s focus to create deeper i...

In this episode of Founders & Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Rumble Interiors to unpack their inspiring journey from a 30-year hairstyling career to launching a thriving interior design business during COVID-19. We talk about taking a leap of faith into design, finding clients through Instagram and word-of-mouth, and the power of playful, authentic branding. Stephanie with Rumb...

On this episode of Founders and Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Kiara Magee , founder of Honey Home Designs , a thriving home staging business in Spokane. Kiara shares her journey from staging one home a month to running a business that now transforms 15–18 homes every month —all while balancing motherhood and entrepreneurship. She opens up about the real challenges of starting a st...

In this episode of Founders & Friends , Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Kate Greunke, founder of The Socialite Agency, to talk about the real journey of entrepreneurship—the grit, sacrifice, and resilience it requires. Kate shares how early influences shaped her path, why she walked away from traditional employment, and how rebranding her business unlocked long-term scalability. Together, she...

On this episode of Founders and Friends Podcast , I’m opening up about the six major marketing shifts I’m making for Alder and Stone between now and the end of 2025. After taking 18 months of maternity leave and going through a challenging client experience that almost made me close my business, I realized I needed to rebuild with intention. These shifts are all about setting myself up for stronge...

In this episode of Founders and Friends , Ronniesha Rivera sits down with Lindsey Borchard, founder of Lindsey Brooke Design and co-founder of Design Camp, to explore her journey from unpaid passion projects to running a profitable, full-service design firm. Lindsey shares how she overcame early pricing fears, built a supportive team, and learned to separate emotion from business decisions. The tw...

In this episode of Founders and Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with bold-but-introverted designer Lesley Myrick, founder of Lesley Myrick Interiors and co-creator of a designer coaching program alongside Nancy Quinn. Despite identifying as an introvert, Lesley shares how she's grown a public-facing business by leaning into relationship-building, in-person networking, and staying tr...

In this episode, I sit down with Ben Rutledge , co-founder of Sidemark , a marketing and lead-generation platform created specifically for interior designers. Alongside co-founders Michelle Lynn, Nicole Ogden, and his brother, Ben shares how Sidemark evolved from a simple marketing tool into a full-service growth engine for creative entrepreneurs. We unpack Sidemark’s journey from MVP to a hybrid...

In this episode of Founders & Friends, I’m joined by Emily Aborn — content writer, podcast host, and creative entrepreneur — who helps businesses find their voice and communicate with clarity. Emily shares how thoughtful copywriting can transform how you connect with your audience, what most creatives get wrong when writing about their work, and why being yourself is one of the most powerful t...

When the traditional path in interior design didn’t feel like the right fit, Ashleigh Cochran trusted her instincts and chose something different. In this episode, she shares how that bold decision led to the creation of Oar Haus Interiors — a CAD and rendering studio built specifically to support other designers behind the scenes. Ashleigh opens up about her early love for the technical side of d...

In this episode of Founders & Friends we chat with Nina Silver, the founder of Drafted by Design. Nina talks candidly about how the birth of her son inspired her to make big moves within her drafting business. As her family grew so did her business so she talks in depth about the struggles and advantages in balancing the two.  She also dives into the complexities of hiring employees and how sh...

In this episode, I open up about my own entrepreneurial journey. A path that, honestly, started with what felt like three major failures. My very first design job out of college was at a small boutique firm. I had interned there previously, built great relationships, and landed what felt like my dream “big girl” job. But as time went on, I found myself craving more responsibility, more creativity...

In this episode of Founders and Friends , host Ronniesha Rivera sits down with longtime friend and designer Summerlyn Feckner, founder of Ginger Designs, for a candid conversation about building a creative business, balancing motherhood, and embracing the unexpected turns of entrepreneurship. Summerlyn shares her early days juggling multiple jobs during design school, working her way up in a const...

In this episode of Founders and Friends , we’re joined by Kathryn O'Neil, a virtual CFO and bookkeeper who’s on a mission to help interior designers ditch the spreadsheets and build thriving, profitable businesses. With a degree in architecture and a promising career at a design firm, our guest never imagined pivoting to finance until the 2008 recession hit. After being laid off and watching...