A Week with BPC

VOLUME TWO: FROM CASTLES TO construction sites

Day One:

An Evening at the Pillsbury Castle

When attending such a exquisite affair, our first thoughts linger towards attire: How do we style ourselves for such a classy event? How do we intertwine our brand to make a statement? This is, after all, an industry occasion of the finest. We, like most, are not only here to take in the wonders of the architectural design, we are also here to meet, engage, and forge lasting connections. Opting for a Bridgerton vibe with a twist fit for a castle, we set out in our metallic gowns and crowns to make our appearance.

The evening began with a dinner hosted by everyone’s beloved Thibaut representative and dearest friend, Michelle Mlinar, at P.S. Steak. Michelle’s company, along with that of the talented designers from Sustainable 9, Liz Welsh and Brittany Blunt, made for a fulfilling conversation over amazing food and drinks. Dressed to impress, we couldn’t resist a photo op in the posh eatery – as designers, we are always inspired by our environments!

Our souls and bellies full, we head for the Pillsbury Castle, where we are greeted by an iconic red carpet leading us to the expansive entrance. It felt as though we were actually in an episode of Bridgerton! The majestic two-and-a-half story, English Gothic Tudor-style castle stood before us, bustling with energy as people entered into the creative world of the MN A+D community, eager to view the 43 rooms thoughtfully designed by different agencies. Each room, defined by a unique personality yet still connected to the castle’s rich history, created a cohesive and breathtaking experience as we moved through the 10,600 SF. We were positively inspired as we absorbed the sheer amount of talent, rich architectural details, character, and scale within the historic mansion.

Assuming we had experienced the castle in full, we began our exit, but the night held a surprise. As we wandered into the lower level, our curiosity opened a mysterious door, leading us into “another world” where our senses were immediately ignited. Leaving behind the quiet inspiration of admirers, we found ourselves within an electrifying social event fit for a queen! Fun beats, tasty treats, and camaraderie filled the elegantly lit outdoor venue. We couldn’t help but join the rhythm of the night, dancing the night away until our Uber in shining armor arrived, whisking us back to reality.

Day Two:

Part I: Construction Site Visit

As the nostalgia of Bridgerton falls behind us, reality patiently awaits. Jumping back into our CEO/Boss roles, we take on the new day at our very own dreamy projects. Granny Chic is one of four full home renovations currently under construction. BPC, with the contractor, Bill Robey of Robey Construction, visit the site regularly to review site conditions and problem-solve with the team of sub-contractors.

Granny Chic is full of meticulous details that elevate the rich history and architecture of this historic home. Collaborating with the build crew is one of our favorite parts of what we do, not to mention one of the most crucial points of a design-build process. It’s when all the pre-planning and designing are put to the test of reality, and visions come to life!

Part II: PARTNER MEETING

Another invigorating site visit behind us, we head to the office for our weekly partner meeting. It’s an 8-9 hour information-packed day that involves all the key team players! Business operations, marketing, project forecasts, financials, and current projects are reviewed and coordinated. Albeit exhausting, the time and deep focus are worth it in order to prepare for another week of success!

Day Three:

Part i: DIVIDE + cONQUER!

While Regan sets up at a local coffee shop for the morning, Kasey heads to the office to jump on the first of many virtual meetings. First up, a 30-minute discovery call with a potential new client. We dive deep from the start, getting up close and personal in a candid, open conversation filled with a curiosity to understand not only the project logistics, but more importantly, each other — we’ll all know right away if we were meant for each other! This short meeting is just the beginning of what is most often years of project work together. It’s important we set the foundation for a strong relationship from day one!

After a fun conversation and couple MN goodbyes, we jump into another meeting with our incredibly talented brand team, Free Afternoon. It’s time to chat details for our upcoming project photoshoots. One thing about photoshoots — they may look effortless, but they take months of planning, coordinating, and preparation with various players. And let’s not even get into the details of the actual shoot; that’s a story for another day!

It’s 10:00am and we are feeling productive and energized! Regan heads back to the Granny Chic job site for an impromptu meeting with the Bill and the millworker. There are time-sensitive questions to be answered and trim work to be installed. Every detail is reviewed as quick mockups are created for discussion amongst experts, each inspiring the other to come up with the best possible solution for the design.

While Regan is at the job site "chit chatting,” Keilyn (BPC’s marketing + PR director) and Kasey head out for a coffee date with Sarah Ramsay of J. Hilburn to talk shop and explore collaboration opportunities. Can fashion and architecture intertwine to elevate a brand? We shall see and so shall you!

Part II: NARI GOLF EVENT

Although we wouldn’t call ourselves Tiger Woods, we do enjoy hitting up the course from time to time. Make it an industry event hosted by NARI, and there is no stopping us from showcasing our skills on the green. With our partners in crime and host with the most, Jon Coty of Dwell44 and genuinely hilarious golf trainer, Nathan Carlson of Highmark Builders, we were sure to create a little “chaos.” These events are the perfect opportunity to build personal and business relationships, and there’s always room for fun — something we fully embrace (we’ve earned it!). 18 holes later with several new contacts in our Rolodex and a few more laugh lines, we crawl into our beds, already halfway asleep!

Day Four

Part I: ON THE ROAD AGAIN

Re-charged, Regan heads to another one of our projects currently under construction, “A” Typical Cabin, in Comstock, WI. With a long drive ahead and the project manager, Emily of D.T. Carlson at the wheel, Regan, in true road trip form, pulls out her computer and begins working from the road taking full advantage of every minute! The GC, Dan of D.T. Carlson is busy directing the concrete crew as the foundation and footings are poured. Things are moving along smoothly in this first stage of the build. So far, so good…

The site is complicated — narrow and steep. DTC and BPC review the drainage plan and verify site conditions. Next up: framing!

Emily and Regan head back to the office, but not before a quick stop to pick up Regan’s daughter from her summer program. The life of a mompreneur!

PART II: Meanwhile, AT headquarters

While Regan is off gallivanting again, BPC’s headquarters is all business! Kasey and the BPC team focus on operations, marketing, and most importantly, projects, including a new breathtaking residential development soon to be announced. 😊

Day Five

Fueling creativity and BFFs

The day kicks off at Fairgrounds Coffee & Tea in Minneapolis to meet with the CSO and regional sales team from Cambria Surfaces to discuss big things ahead! We share, we learn, and we chat about our thoughts, history, and future plans over an “abnormal” amount of laughter; creating opportunities, ideas, authentic partnerships and a mutual drive to support each other. Co-building business is so infectious!

After such an exhilarating conversation, we’re pumped to head back to the office and focus on providing the best possible designs and services to our existing clients. We have a small window of focus time, and we need every minute before our next adventure.

And another adventure is just where we are headed…with a state of exhaustion ahead of us, why not squeeze one more in?! We do what we do for soooo many reasons! And this particular evening was a true testament to the most important one — bringing families together!

A perfect night hosted by a past client-turned-BFF, at the home they so trustingly let us create a few years prior. Project Hygge House is just that: a home filled with love, laughter, and purpose. We turned off the daily rush to be with people we care about and relaxed with some of the most humble, giving, and authentic people. Not only did they host us and our kids, but they also welcomed our newest team member, Christy, to join.

Side note on Christy: You might wonder how we found, after years of searching, the absolute perfect fit for our team. It was this particular client, Leah Pitzenberger, CEO of A People Revolution, and her business partner, Heather Orth, who took on the challenge of recruiting our Architect / Unicorn, exceeding all expectations. They are absolutely brilliant women!!!

WOW! What a week…and new experiences are happening like sands through the hour glass….

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