Transcript:
Lauren: [00:00:03] Hello, and welcome back to Enterprise Co-working community Spotlight this month, we are talking to Frank Mataipule and Megan Freckelton, co-founders of FAM Design. Frank and Megan, thank you so much for virtually sitting down with us today.
Megan: [00:00:18] Thanks for having us.
Frank: [00:00:19] Yeah, thank you.
Lauren: [00:00:21] Of course. So let's get right into this. So how about you guys start off by telling us a little bit about FAM design and what you guys do.
Megan: [00:00:31] So we are a full-service architecture and interior design studio, and we really focus on hospitality projects and commercial projects specializing in restaurant and boutique hotel. So we take projects with clients from the very, very conceptual planning stages all the way through to the end. And we've been lucky to do a lot of work in Denver, but also do a lot of work nationally with some of our clients moving around. So we really are soup to nuts. We work on a lot of really creative fun projects. Yeah, what else, Frank? What did I miss?
Frank: [00:01:20] Yeah, I think you hit it. You know, I think where we really have a great niche is in that creative storytelling process and really thrive in that hospitality world. You know, we have a really good focus in restaurants, restaurant design, and other hospitality works. So yeah!
Lauren: [00:01:39] Sounds really fun. Yeah. So how long have you guys been in business?
Megan: [00:01:48] So we started in 2020. Our lives changed fairly drastically like I think a lot of people did during that time, and it's something that Frank and I had been talking about for a long time, starting your own business. So we always joke we were sort of catapulted into it, but it was perfect timing and we've been really lucky to be very busy ever since, actually.
Frank: [00:02:14] I know those years have kind of flown by.
Lauren: [00:02:17] Yeah, well, great way to, you know, have the silver lining out of the whole pandemic situation.
Frank: [00:02:24] Yes, totally.
Lauren: [00:02:26] So what makes your company different than others in your field?
Megan: [00:02:33] So I think a couple items first. We've been working in the kind of food and beverage restaurant hospitality realm pretty exclusively for, call it, 10 years before that, Frank and I did a lot of different things and a lot of different sectors of design, but we really found our true passion in hospitality design. And, you know, our previous life to this, we were at a design firm for a really long time, had a lot of great hospitality clients, and then we actually worked in house for a large restaurant group for a while. So I think we have the inside look at what owners are interested in too. So we do sort of take this multifaceted way of looking at things both from the design side, but we really do understand what those big driving forces are behind the ownership kind of view. Beyond that, as Frank alluded to. I think we take a storytelling approach, so it's really important that when we are designing spaces, we're doing a lot of research upfront. What's the history of the building? What's the history of the neighborhood? What's really that business about? What do they want to say to their patrons and every detail that we work through We really go back to that story that they want to tell. So it's not when we're designing, it's really a concept-based exercise. It's not necessarily what's cool at the time. So we talk about that a lot. Trendy is actually a word that we don't like to use because we want to make sure it's sort of a timeless approach because we're really telling the story of that space or the menu or the building. We've had the chance to work on a lot of great historic buildings over time. And those sort of lend themselves to a design concept very easily because you're sort of embracing the history of that building. So I'd like to think that's something that is a little unique that we bring to the table. I don't know, Frank, if you can, if you have any others.
Frank: [00:05:01] Yeah, you know I think you hit everything on the head that was going to say, you know, I think what you mentioned about trendy being a bad word around us, you know, I think is a really good point to really bring up and offer all the factors that I can mention the research, the, you know, whole storytelling process. I think all the time that we spend really making this something authentic and really true to a client and to what we stand for, I think is a really good focus in what we like to do and actually have fun doing.
Megan: [00:05:34] That's a good point, too. We talk about that a lot, too. I mean, what are we doing about having a good time?
Frank: [00:05:39] So yeah, exactly. So we like
Megan: [00:05:41] To keep it. Keep it fun!
Lauren: [00:05:47] Yeah, you got to have fun! Love that. Love that. That's a great answer. So why did you choose Enterprise Co-working?
Frank: [00:06:01] Oh, yeah, that's a great question, so when we were looking around, you know, we kind of looked at all the typical other co-working spaces. You know, we won't mention their names, but nothing really stood out, you know, we kind of spent some time in some of them and toured them. And it's funny. We actually worked when we used to be at a firm, a block away, and we just loved the neighborhood. And we love Enterprise because it's kind of off of that busy Larimer area and you're still within kind of a more of a neighborhood setting. So it's a little bit more. Accessible. The building is great, and the location worked really well for all of us, and the people have turned out to be really fun to be around as well.
Megan: [00:06:44] Yeah, And I mean, I love bringing my dog to work. That's a plus.
Megan: [00:06:50] Even the coffee shop is like our favorite, the parking in this neighborhood is amazing. So this is really been a good fit. I mean, the really, the conference rooms are phenomenal and it's a nice sort of professional space that you can bring clients to, which is super nice for us.
Frank: [00:07:12] Yeah.
Lauren: [00:07:13] Excellent, we're very happy to have you guys here. So last question speaking to our viewers, is there anything else that you would like them to know about? You guys about FAM Design anything like that?
Frank: [00:07:33] You know, I think it's funny, we've always been traveling every time there's been an Enterprise event in the building. Yeah, every single time and we keep meaning to go to one. So we really need to clear our calendar next time we know one's coming. But we would love to meet everyone in the building. As far as knowing about us, you know, I think what we've talked about is kind of the gist of it. Geez, I can't think of anything. Again, how about you?
Megan: [00:08:02] Yeah. I would say we're just super happy to be sort of amongst the community here, it's been great. And as Frank said, at some point we'll be able to get out and meet more people. But yeah, it's been great. Please stop by and say hello. We're on the first floor towards the back and we do travel fairly frequently and our office is also very often filled with boxes. So that's how you know you're here!
Lauren: [00:08:35] And we're trying to have, you know, more member events now that we can. So I'm sure we'll have another one soon that you guys can attend.
Frank: [00:08:43] Perfect!
Lauren: [00:08:45] Yeah. Well, thank you guys so much again for sitting down with us today and talking about FAM Design. Like I said, we are so happy to have you guys as members of our community here at Enterprise Co-working. And for more information about FAM Design, you can visit their website at design-fam.com. Thank you, guys.
Frank: [00:09:05] Thank you.
Megan: [00:09:06] Thank you. Bye!
