Boutique Design - July/August 2014 - 50

Hotel in Boston (a Gold Key Finalist in 2013) and the
design of the InterContinental Barclay in New York
City (soon to be realized), all lifestyle and luxury
brands. I had accomplished a great deal at the
company and was eager to hone my skills at a new
firm, specifically Puccini Group, because it was
already well-versed in the opportunities and the challenges of navigating the international boutique hospitality sector (though on the food and beverage side).
YOU MUST HAVE HAD LOTS OF OFFERS. WHAT
MADE PUCCINI'S THE RIGHT ONE?

I had what must have seemed like a never-ending
list of questions for Bob. He was great about
indulging me in regular chats. The evolution of our
dialogue brought me to recognize that there was an
incredible future and opportunity for growth, both
for me and for Puccini Group, and that realization
served as the defining moment in my decision.
While there certainly were many enticing offers
from larger firms, I was looking for a company that
embodied an entrepreneurial spirit. I felt Puccini
Group did, and I knew that it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make my mark on the hospitality industry-similar to what Bob has done in
the restaurant sector. Had I chosen a larger firm, I
would have (potentially) folded into their philosophy and their structure. Puccini Group allows me
the flexibility to test the limits of what our
company is capable of accomplishing. When I
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brought the idea of the hotel division to the table,
Bob empowered me to put a plan in place in order
to launch the new business arm.
NAME RECOGNTION ASIDE, YOU'RE STILL A
START-UP IN A CROWDED, COMPETITIVE FIELD.
WHAT'S YOUR TRUMP CARD?

Marrying the energy of a startup with the credibility
and respectability of Puccini Group's existing brand
gives us a strong advantage. With a 70/30 domesticto-international portfolio mix, experience in 11 countries and offices in Madrid and Macau, we also have
the proven capabilities to work anywhere in the world.
A big selling point is our inter-disciplinary
approach. The expertise within each of our three
studios-marketing, design and operations-allows
us to find solutions that lead to profitable restaurants. By conducting extensive market research
through our "Concept Strategy Reports," and by
operating, branding and marketing a diverse assortment of spaces, we are able to explain the business
logic behind each and every decision we make
concerning all aspects of design.
WHAT ARE YOUR NEAR-TERM GOALS?

Here's my to-do list:
1. Strengthen our foothold in the hospitality
sector through strategic hiring, by forging paths for
ourselves in key emerging markets, and by taking
thoughtful and creative approaches to making

A flame-like red sculpture
draws customer's
attention from the front
to the back of Capa, the
Four Seasons Orlando's
gourmet contemporary
Spanish steakhouse.

tough business decisions.
2. Make a seamless transition of the company
through collaboration with leaders such as Shelia
Turner, vp of restaurant operations; Robert Polacek,
chief creative officer; Jacob Cross, vp of marketing
and public relations; and with Bob, our champion
of a leader. We also need to explore what's next in
operations and marketing.
3. Restructure the design studio in order to
develop a strong hotel division by making strategic
hires (such as I made by bringing on design director
Grace Machado McClurg and project manager
Daniel Hong), and by arming each employee with
the knowledge to tackle projects of any caliber, for
both restaurants and hotels.
4. Position our brand as a full-service hospitality
firm capable of designing, marketing and branding
not only restaurants, but also boutique luxury and
lifestyle hotels. We're thinking through the next
iteration of Puccini Group and what that means
with regards to naming, branding and structure.
5. To further each of the services we provide by
developing more systems and channels through
which employees in each of our three studios can
better utilize the expertise found in each studio.
WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGE?

Time. We can't rush the process of creating a new
business arm within an existing business. We need to
approach each new path thoughtfully and strategi-

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