Profile of a Business Owner: Tammy Thiessen
Founder of Thiessen Design + Construction, a design-focused GC remodeling and construction company offering an innovative approach to designing homes from concept to completion. Known for her clean and bright aesthetic and concierge approach to helping her clients design, remodel, and furnish their homes, Tammy takes what has been a fragmented and overwhelming process and makes it a comprehensive and enjoyable experience.
TK: If you were stranded on an island, what 3 items would you be sure to have with you?
Hands down, my people! I'm an extrovert and my biggest risk on an island by myself would be missing my people! Fine, if you really make me pick an item I'll take my Kindle so I can catch up on the endless list of books I'm working my way through. I'm going to say a box of protein bars and hope they keep me from getting hangry until my family finds me!
TK: What inspired you to start your business?
Shortly after we had our fourth son, my husband and I realized we needed room for these little guys to run. There was this perfect little street, tucked right behind the cul-de-sac that we lived on. Each house sat on several acres with huge trees lining the slightly curved road. We purchased our home from the couple who built it 35 years ago and renovated it into an open concept floor plan with a kitchen island to fit eight. I poured over the layout and what walls to remove and windows to add, and how we wanted the house to function with our love of hosting. My sister, a gifted architect, and I massaged the design until the home spilled with natural light and room to entertain.
I was captured by it all - how home design is this perfect blend of functionality for the way a family lives as well as how you could weave beauty into every detail. Each decision had a domino effect on the next, and what felt overwhelming to others energized me. I knew I wanted to do this for others - to take this overwhelming process, this huge investment, and make the process individualized for them. I wanted to walk clients through the questions of what they want out of their remodel while perfectly tailoring the design to fit their personality. I moved right from gutting my entire home, to helping others with theirs. Thiessen Design + Construction conceptualizes the design, works on the floor plan, and then guides our customers through selecting every single detail of the space to make sure it flows and functions in an Instagram-worthy way. But to get the great design to the finish line, we realized that it had to include construction as well. My brother and business partner, Daniel Carlson, is a licensed general contractor so we know that every design element we dream up gets executed perfectly, with just one company to work with!
TK: What has been your greatest success?
When you start a business it begins with you as the founder, but as that business grows you begin hiring people and you're faced with the opportunity to really clarify the WHY of your business because you have to cast that vision to your team. Today I sit here with a team of people and I know with certainty that their caliber of work is excellent and their commitment to our clients and customer service is their priority. To have this team working together is our greatest success.
TK: What has been your greatest challenge?
When we really hit our growth the scale of jobs and amount we were working on exceeded my capacity. I started having a hard time sleeping and the stress was setting in. My husband had some very impactful advice. He told me that I had to create space to build my team and then I had to systemize everything that it could be. It felt counter intuitive at the time because I didn't have the time I needed to get my workload done, let alone time to invest in developing others, but that's been the best advice I've received. To grow your business and continue to service your clients well, as the leader, you have to commit to developing your team.
TK: What is the biggest risk you have ever taken?
The biggest risk I took was Day 1, not just starting a business, but starting this business. This hybrid of a business didn't exist, and so there wasn't a blueprint for what I had set out to do. In those early days I wondered if the reason it didn't exist was because someone had tried it and there was a reason it didn't work. But I knew for the homeowner that having someone to walk them through the process AND who could deliver on their vision for their home was something that would make the client experience really stress-free and enjoyable. This is especially true for those who want the end product but are too busy or would not enjoy the process.
TK: How did your previous work lead you to business ownership?
My background is in marketing and graphic design and I worked in advertising and brand management for years. That experience provided a lot of groundwork for how our company now runs. There are similarities to ad campaigns and construction in the way you're working toward an impactful and beautiful end product, but along the way there is client service, timelines, budget meetings, and a whole lot of details on the backend that make the final project appear effortless.
