You can't close a gap from one side.

The distance between a great idea and a great outcome is communication.

For a while, I went back and forth on which client I was building this studio to serve most. Some days I was sure it was the homeowner. Other days I was certain it was the builder. I assumed that choosing one might cost me opportunities to support the other.

I protect the homeowner's investment, because I've been in their shoes and I get it. At the same time, I bring the builder in as a creative partner, because I know they're at their best when they have input into the details. Giving both sides equal weight is what keeps a project from falling short for anyone.

Equal weight is harder than it sounds, because the 2 sides measure the same project differently. That's the gap between a great idea and a great outcome. You can't close it by guarding the spend on one side and dictating the execution on the other. You close it by stepping into the weakest part of the process, which is usually the communication. The most critical failure point in any project isn't a lack of talent or resources. It's a lack of definitive leadership.

So I won't pick a side. My role is to create a shared vision that everyone can stand behind, and a structure that keeps the whole project moving.

Right now, I'm developing that structure with the people who believe what I believe: homeowners, investors, builders, installers, and general contractors who know the best projects are led from the middle.