Kai Williamson is the owner of Atlanta-based Studio 7 Design Group, an all-female and Black-owned … [+]
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Kai Williamson owns Atlanta-based Studio 7 Design Group, an all-female and Black-owned interior, architecture, and design firm. Kai’s leadership and entrepreneurial journey began at 23 when she became head of Youth Enhancement Services (YES) in Atlanta, GA. Fueled by her commitment to the community, Kai supported the journey of out-of-school disconnected youth in metropolitan Atlanta for over a decade, including five years as the Executive Director of Youth Enhancement Services (YES), an alternative education non-profit. In the role, she grew the organization and team and currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors at YES. In 2014, Kai started and expanded Studio 7 Design Group into a full-service interior design firm. Her innovative design approach has allowed her to work with high-profile clientele, including the design and renovation of Kevin Hart’s Hartbeat LA office. In 2022, Kai’s renowned design work earned her a spot on HGTV’s “Luxe for Less” program. Since Studio 7’s inception, Kai has built a powerhouse creative team and exponentially increased revenue year over year, earning from 2019-2023 around $1M to $4M.
Kai answered questions about her career, insight into the design industry, and more. This interview was edited for clarity and brevity.
Stephanie Tharpe: Tell me a little about your background.
Kai Williamson: I was born in Oakland, California, and raised in Atlanta, Georgia. My spirit feels equally tied to and grateful for the inspiration each city provided me in my formative years. I didn’t grow up to be an obvious creative person, as I wasn’t a musical or artistic prodigy. However, I was always committed to exploring and learning. By the age of 20, I had my bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
After finishing graduate school, I moved to New York to immerse myself in fashion and design culture. Just as I was finding my way in this new chapter, I was called to return to Atlanta. The single mother who raised me to believe in my own greatness had been diagnosed with a chronic illness and was in need of someone to be the interim leader of her non-profit agency. Her life’s work for the past twenty-four years had helped hundreds of young adults who had become disconnected from the public school system. This unexpected opportunity and destined timing forced me to learn how to run and scale a business while the stakes were very high. I was in service to my community, making a true impact at a local level. I was able to make a difference.
When my mom’s health improved, I had three executive director job offers from other non-profit agencies and the City of Atlanta. I graciously turned them all down, went to Bali, and came back ready to commit to my purpose.
Stephanie Tharpe: How did you get into interior design, home renovation, and architecture?
Kai Williamson: Going back to my middle school days at the bookstore flipping through fashion magazines, I had an insatiable desire to observe composition. The art of creating cohesion is a process where I feel confident. My passion started with a love of fashion and evolved into a fascination with the transformative power of interior design and architecture.
In 2014, my company was first launched as an image consulting firm under the cheeky namesake Kaistyled. After a client asked me to expand image consulting services into interior decorating services, I began studying how to strengthen my technical skills to become a designer. In 2016, after a couple of years studying architecture textbooks and shadowing veteran builders and architects, I changed the company name to Studio 7—a full-service interior design firm. Studio is a place to create, and 7 is the number of divine completion and the day I was born! There, you have Studio 7 Design Group.
Stephanie Tharpe: You own and run the Studio 7 Design Group. What was the process of starting your own business like?
Kai Williamson: Non-linear. I started a business in an industry where I wasn’t formally trained, so my learning curve was quite steep. My general business acumen was fortified in the world of non-profit management, but design was a very different ball game. All of the confidence and accolades I had achieved in one industry had limited practical application in my new business.
In the early days, I spent a lot of time navigating administrative tasks and being super anxious about making mistakes. Fortunately, I was able to add another experienced designer to the business after my first year. My mentor and friend, the late Larry Dingle, referred me to Sydney. She had worked for some of the top design firms in Atlanta and New York. Her experience was really critical to bridging the gap in my own inexperience as a new designer. I share the importance of our collaboration because I want to emphasize my belief that your next hire in a boutique firm should be someone who has a proven skill set to help the company grow.
Stephanie Tharpe: As a Black woman in this industry, what were/are some challenges you’ve faced while establishing yourself?
Kai Williamson: The architecture and interior design industry is widely known to be institutionally exclusive. It often overlooks Black creatives and consumers looking for a wider array of talent and inspiration that represents their influences and experiences. This lack of representation ultimately leads to disconnected client experiences and an untapped market, which includes the very creatives who largely influence the design industry.
Stephanie Tharpe: You’ve designed for some of Hollywood’s biggest stars and major athletes. How have you built up such an impressive clientele? How can other aspiring design professionals do the same?
Kai Williamson: My mission is to meet the design needs of a diverse clientele and to forge a new community through design—to create a space where clients feel they have an advocate in their design journey.
My advice for building a strong and diverse clientele would be to first spend time listening to the inspiration and values of people you encounter. I seldom tell people what I do, as I prefer to learn as much about someone without “talking shop” or having my profession guide the conversation. During organic conversations, you often learn if your talents could be an asset to the person you are speaking to or to someone in their ecosystem. As for celebrities, remember that very capable teams of professionals support their complex decision matrices. If you are able to connect with the decision-makers and refrain from pitching your services in favor of sharing your journey as a capable creative, your client possibilities will expand.
Stephanie Tharpe: How can one develop personal style?
Kai Williamson: You are your own magic! It is important to honor the choices that promote your most confident and creative self. In order to explore your personal style, you must take risks. You are the curator of each day!
Stephanie Tharpe: You were a designer for “Luxe For Less” on HGTV. What was that experience like for you? What have you learned about yourself through this new medium?
Kai Williamson: For me, filming a television show centered on design was an amazing opportunity to learn more about how remodeling ideas are formatted to be more accessible. Designing for television requires a certain level of precision, as all possibilities must align with the budget and production timeline. The biggest challenge for me was having to balance the demands of a filming schedule alongside my already intense calendar as Principal of Studio 7.
Overall, the experience allowed me to grow and explore on a platform that allows everyone to see behind the scenes of the design journey for home remodeling. I was fortunate enough to be a first-time talent surrounded by my real-life friends as the cast. Truly, the best part of the experience was being able to deliver elevated design to such lovely families.
Stephanie Tharpe: What will your legacy be?
Kai Williamson: Beyond the tangible spaces created by Studio 7, I want to drive authentic narratives surrounding entrepreneurship while enhancing the world through an aesthetic lens.