To-The-Trade-S2E49 Pulp Design Studios on Strategy, Smart Assets, and Team Culture

To-The-Trade Episode Summary

Welcome to the Interior Design Community’s podcast recap for the To-The-Trade podcast. In this episode, host Laurie Laizure, with co-host Nile Johnson, sits down with Pulp Design Studios co-founders Beth Dotolo and Carolina V. Gentry to talk real strategy, long-game growth, and how a creative partnership scales across two cities without losing its soul.

Pulp Design Studios adheres to a clear operating philosophy: build a sustainable business first, make strategic decisions that grow over time, and safeguard the team experience. Beth Dotolo and Carolina V. Gentry describe how their partnership functions as one firm across Dallas and Seattle, with projects and personnel moving where needed. They treat the company as a single P&L and monitor reports to ensure revenue sharing remains consistent year after year. Working designers will appreciate the straightforward approach: one company, two cities, aligned processes, and shared accountability.

The conversation covers scaling decisions, when to hire, how to keep designers focused on design, and what to outsource or assign internally. Their test for growth is simple: when the principals are pushed away from high-value design work for too long, it’s time to put people into the right roles. They maintain high standards for team compensation and career paths, which helps with retention and supports the culture they want. Their approach will resonate with boutique firm owners, especially those balancing billable creative time with operational demands.

An important aspect is wealth building beyond just fees. Pulp reinvests in assets that support both business and personal balance sheets. They purchased their Dallas building, framing the decision as redirecting rent into an appreciating property. They also bought and renovated a Palm Springs residence that now operates as an Airbnb. This isn’t a side project; it’s a strategy to build long-term stability while maintaining creative freedom. For design entrepreneurs, this serves as a practical example of using strong cash flow periods to acquire or improve assets instead of chasing short-term hype.

Showhouses serve as both creative labs and marketing tools. The team shares their Kips Bay Dallas experience, highlighting innovative problem solving within an unusual footprint, which led to memorable moments, a secret door, and a so-called sinners lounge that caught industry attention. Their design choices demonstrate how embracing constraints can generate unique storytelling that attracts the right clients.

Decision-making is where the partnership excels. Beth is more likely to agree, while Carolina tests the idea with timing and cost questions. That tension is productive because both are aligned with written goals. They regularly develop five-, ten-, and fifteen-year plans with a strategist, including an exit strategy and retirement considerations. The result is a yes or no filter that ensures opportunities align with the vision.

Operatively, Pulp is remote fluent. Processes, shared servers, cloud tools, and distributed teammates enable cross-office resourcing. They rely on simple channels for daily collaboration and maintain a private culture feed for wins and installs. The tone is pragmatic and human, favoring systems that fit the team over performative complexity.

Design pros listening to this episode will leave with a blueprint: treat your firm as a single system, determine when to grow, invest in durable assets, and keep decisions aligned with a written plan. It is the business of interior design, minus the fluff, and a reminder that steady momentum often beats splashy moves.

Pricing and Profitability