Flying Solo with Katie Kangas

In this episode of the Flying Solo Podcast, host Katie Kangas speaks with Heather Rose Dunning, founder of Yellow Dog Studio, about building a design practice rooted in excellence, trust, and precision. Heather is a serial entrepreneur who has launched and led multiple design firms by assembling highly specialized, high-performing teams that integrate seamlessly with their clients.Heather describes her firm in three words: “Just the A-Team.”That clarity shows up in every aspect of her work. Rather than spreading herself thin, Heather builds focused teams of designers, architects, engineers, and contractors who are selected specifically for each project. Every engagement stays in the hands of the people best equipped to deliver results.Heather’s bird archetype is the Falcon — a symbol of focus, speed, and purpose. Like a falcon trained by a falconer, Heather’s teams wait for the right target before taking flight. When they move, they do so with confidence and precision, becoming a trusted extension of their client’s organization.Throughout the conversation, Heather shares how her businesses are shaped by her personal values, how she embeds herself deeply within client teams, and why trust — not transaction — is the foundation of long-term success.Yellow Dog StudioWebsite: Yellow Dog StudioInstagram: @yellow_dog_studioFacebook: Yellow Dog StudioSeason 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

Joy Martin’s story and architecture firm show remarkable resilience. Like the European Starling thriving far from its origins, Joy has navigated moves across the country and built a small, multi-state practice through seasons of change and personal loss. The starling’s ability to adapt to new climates and contexts mirrors Joy’s journey, learning new rhythms, forming new roots, and thriving in unfamiliar places.Starlings are best known for their mesmerizing murmurations, thousands of birds moving together, responding to one another to form living shapes in the sky. That same spirit defines Joy’s approach to design. Her process is collaborative, fluid, and deeply attentive, allowing projects to evolve through shared momentum rather than top-down direction. By empowering her team and cultivating trust, Joy built a firm capable of continuing even when she needed to step away, proving that collaboration creates lift.Joy describes how her own experience in professional practice shaped the culture and structure of her firm. Her team fills in the gaps, responding to one another and to client needs with clarity and care. By being attentive, supportive, and intentional, Joy empowers team members to step into leadership roles when needed, taking ownership and rising to responsibilities they feel called to carry. For solopreneurs and small-firm leaders, this episode is a reminder that adaptability, collaboration, and trust can create practices that are not only resilient, but capable of moving together with grace.Joy Architecture + Interior DesignWebsite: Joy Architecture + Interior DesignInstagram: @joyarchitectureFacebook: Joy Martin ArchitecturePinterest: JoyArchitectureSeason 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of Flying Solo, Katie Kangas speaks with Minnesota architect Heather Whalen, founder of Reviver Architecture and Development. After nearly three decades in practice, Heather launched Reviver to refocus her energy on hospitality design and the renewal of existing and historic buildings. Like a Barred Owl (wise and aware) Heather provides thoughtful leadership in her work. She listens closely, studies the subtleties of a site or building, and guides clients through complex redevelopment decisions with calm, steady confidence.Heather and Katie discuss how beginning a firm later in her career created both clarity and strength in her practice. Years of working with aging buildings helped Heather recognize the hidden risks and quiet opportunities that others often overlook. Instead of rushing toward solutions, she enters every client conversation with intentional curiosity—listening for motivations, anxieties, and aspirations that shape the heart of a project. This practice of deep listening positions Heather not only as an architect, but as a trusted guide. Her ability to read a site, understand a client’s language, and foresee potential challenges supports clients through intricate adaptive-reuse decisions. Alongside this, Heather emphasizes the importance of community, collaboration, and learning from the broader ecosystem of solopreneurs. A reminder that even independent practitioners thrive when surrounded by a strong, supportive network.Katie highlights three key takeaways from Heather’s Barred Owl practice: the power of deliberate awareness developed through years of experience; the discipline of listening deeply before acting; and the quiet leadership that builds trust through steadiness rather than speed. These traits mirror the Level 5 leadership traits described Jim Collin’s book, Good to Great. Great leaders are humble, focused, and anchored by a clear professional will. Heather’s story shows how architects can guide clients through uncertainty, revive existing spaces with intention, and shape a practice rooted in wisdom.Reviver Architecture & DevelopmentWebsite: Reviver Architecture & DevelopmentInstagram: @reviver.design Season 2 of the Flying Solo Podcast is sponsored by the Minnesota Architectural Foundation, whose mission is to invest in excellence, leadership, discovery, and equity within the profession of architecture.To join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram, where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group.

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with Hong Kong–based architect Vicky Chan, founder of AO Architects. Vicky’s practice pairs agriculture and urban design, weaving farming and food production into architectural projects. His work is fueled by listening deeply to the needs of communities and responding with designs that nourish both people and place. Beyond his practice, Vicky runs four nonprofits, extending his mission to feed people—literally through urban farms, and figuratively by providing education and resources that strengthen communities.Katie draws a vivid comparison between Vicky’s practice and the humble chicken. At first glance, chickens may seem ordinary, but they are resourceful and resilient, giving back far more than they take. In the same way, Vicky’s firm often begins with “small seeds” of projects that generate lasting value for clients and communities. Vicky nourishes his clients like a chicken providing eggs. Through thoughtful design, nonprofit leadership, and educational initiatives, Vicky has created ripple effects that extend far beyond individual buildings. His work embodies three defining principles: Community, Innovation, and Sustainability.The conversation highlights three lessons from Vicky’s approach. First, architects can “feed their clients” by going beyond design to educate, empower, and equip them with tools for success. Second, real innovation often comes from building hybrids—like Vicky’s blend of farming and architecture—that spark fresh, unexpected solutions. And third, a specialized mission can transcend geography. Just as chickens thrive worldwide, Vicky’s practice has expanded across international boundaries to serve communities wherever his expertise is needed. His story is a reminder that architecture is not only about shaping structures, but also about nurturing people, cultivating ideas, and sustaining communities near and far.AO ArchitectureWebsite: aoarchitect.us Instagram: @avoidobviousLinkedIn: Avoid Obvious Architects & Architecture for ChildrenTo join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free EntreArchitect Community Facebook Group. Mark R. Page, founder of EntreArchitect and Gabl Media, has been building a community of small firm architects who are having tough conversations to improve their professional practice and live their best life...

In this episode of Flying Solo, host Katie Kangas speaks with East Coast architect and solopreneur John Clark, founder of REDjay Architecture. John describes his practice as classic custom residential design with a modern twist, much like the bird behind his firm’s name—a cardinal reimagined as a REDjay. For John, architecture is about more than design; it’s about keeping it real. His firm reflects his own personality and interests, enabling him to connect authentically with clients and address the unique challenges they face in their homes.Much of John’s work grows out of the relationships he builds in everyday life. Whether through his kids’ activities, hobbies, or simply meeting new people, he listens closely to the stories and struggles people share about their living spaces. These casual conversations often lay the foundation for trust—trust strong enough to invite an architect into the personal process of reimagining their home. By living fully in his own “backyard,” John has created a practice rooted in community, connection, and authenticity.Katie draws out three important lessons from John’s approach. First, his ability to live life fully and show up for the people around him. This demonstrates how a firm can grow naturally out of genuine human connection. Like a cardinal returning to a reliable feeder, he shows up consistently and follows through—whether that means answering a potential client’s question or providing a referral. Just as importantly, John makes himself visible. His presence at school drop-offs, games, hikes, and professional gatherings serves as a reminder of who he is and what he does. His visibility never feels forced because it reflects who he is. Finally, John leads with curiosity. He doesn’t approach conversations as sales pitches but as opportunities to ask questions, listen, and understand what people truly need. As he puts it, it’s simply about “being a good human.”Together, these qualities illustrate how a solo architecture firm can be an authentic extension of the architect behind it. By living fully, being visible, and staying curious, John has built a practice that doesn’t rely on traditional marketing, but instead on trust, connection, and problem-solving. Just as the cardinal’s bright red presence spreads through the neighborhood, John’s REDjay practice reminds us that being yourself can be the most powerful strategy of all.REDjay ArchitectureWebsite: www.REDjayarchitecture.com Instagram: @redjay.architectureTo join this flying solo movement, you can follow Flying Solo Arch on Instagram where Katie posts content to encourage your business life. Find out which bird defines your marketing strategy with the Bird Quiz on the Flying Solo Website. Listen to more encouraging content on the Gabl Media platform including podcasts with CEU and HSW credit towards your licensure renewal. Consider joining the EntreArchitect Network by becoming a member or joining the free