Behind the Studio
Your friendly expert in creative operations.
Hey there, I’m Kat
I’m the Founder + Creative Operations Consultant at kat&co.
I've spent more than a decade behind the scenes of interior design businesses, helping studios navigate everything that happens beyond the beautiful finished work. Today, I work with interior designers on the business side of their studios, from figuring out how they want to work to building the systems, structures, and support that will help them get there.
I believe the best businesses aren't built from someone else's blueprint, they're built around the people running them. My approach combines practical operational experience with a deeply human understanding of creative business ownership, helping you create more clarity without adding unnecessary complexity.
While interior design is at the heart of my work, I also partner with a select number of creative founders in adjacent industries when my experience and approach are a strong fit.
Who I Am
I’m a California native, creative, and operations specialist. I grew up in the Central Valley and eventually made my way north to study Psychology at UC Berkeley. After years spent in the Bay Area and Los Angeles, I now live in the Napa Valley which I consider my true home.
Creativity has always been part of my life. I have built sets for community theaters, practiced pinstriping on vintage motorcycles, designed custom beer can labels, sold paintings at underground art shows, taught myself block printing, created a wallcovering collection from scratch, and of course led in the world of interior design, custom furniture and installation.
My Psychology background has never really left my work either. I'm highly analytical, but deeply interested in people. I want to understand not only what isn't working in a business, but why, who it affects, and what kind of solution will actually work for the humans expected to use it. That combination of creativity, logic, and empathy is at the heart of kat&co.
When you work with me, you are not getting generic advice. You are receiving thoughtful, tailored insights based on real experience inside real creative businesses.
So, what does the “&co” mean?
When I started kat&co, the “co” was intentionally open-ended. I knew I wanted the business to eventually represent something bigger than one person, one service, or one way of helping.
The deeper I've gone into the interior design industry, the more I've seen how much support it takes to bring great design to life. There is the business owner making decisions about growth, pricing, teams, clients, and what they actually want their company to become. There is the enormous amount of operational work keeping projects moving behind the scenes. And then there are the makers, fabricators, builders, and partners responsible for turning the design itself into something tangible.
Today, the “&co” has grown into an ecosystem of businesses:
kat&co
Business strategy, creative operations, coaching, and community for interior designers and creative founders.
Flexible behind-the-scenes support for interior design studios, including procurement, project administration + design operations, and time billing.
Custom furniture + architectural millwork for interior designers, architects, builders, and hospitality teams.
My Approach
I am not a one size fits all person. Every creative studio has its own rhythm, personality, and way of working. My job is to understand your world and help you build a business that supports you instead of draining you.
Together we look at what feels intuitive, what feels overwhelming, and what needs to change. We break big, scary tasks into something doable. We create clarity where there has been confusion. And then I roll up my sleeves and support you as you move forward.
The work we do together is often deeper than organizing a workflow or building a template. It is the feeling of having someone in your corner who can battle the storm with you, laughing along the way.
Why I Do This Work
Designers and creative people deserve businesses that feel supportive and sustainable. You deserve clarity, confidence, structure, and room to breathe. You deserve a partner who understands both the art and the operations. That is what I bring to kat&co, and that is what I hope to bring to you.
Studio Values
At kat&co, everything begins with people. Creative work is personal, emotional, intuitive, and often nonlinear and the support behind your business should honor that.
These are the principles that shape every partnership, every project, and every conversation.
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You are more than your client load, inbox, or task list. I meet you where you are, without judgment or a predetermined blueprint, and with respect for the very human realities of running a creative business.
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Creative businesses naturally collect complexity. My job is to help untangle what's become unnecessarily heavy and create simple, thoughtful structures that make it easier to move forward.
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Your creative brain isn't something that needs fixing. The best systems work with the way you think, create, and lead, rather than forcing you into a rigid framework that was never designed for you.
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Business decisions don't happen in a vacuum. Operations, leadership, confidence, relationships, and emotions are often deeply connected. My role is to bring both practical perspective and human understanding to the conversation.
kat&co is proud to support interior designers + creative business owners exactly as they are. I welcome LGBTQ+, BIPOC, AAPI communities and people of all abilities and neurotypes. I am committed to creating a space where all underserved creatives feel supported and seen.
