Interview with Kylie Wolfe, Founder & Principal Designer of Wolfe Studios
"You’re going to make mistakes, it’s just part of the gig of being human."
‘Word to the Wise’ is a Client Interview Series. I have had the privilege of working with many extraordinary creative leaders over the years and this is my way of sharing snippets of their experiences. Not just because they are inspiring but because they are relatable.
Kylie Wolfe, principal designer of Wolfe Studios, creates thoughtful, holistic, and curated interiors that authentically reflect each client. A Phoenix native with a global eye, her travels through Europe, North Africa, and Asia continue to inspire her work with rich textiles and natural materials. After leading a design team at a top e-design company and serving as Senior Designer at a luxury residential firm in San Francisco, Kylie returned to her desert roots to bring her refined, client-centered approach to projects across the Southwest and beyond.
You have been running your own interior design firm for four years now. As you reflect, what have been your biggest learnings from this experience?
Where to begin! The overarching lesson has been that growth is often uncomfortable. The faster my firm has grown, the more discomfort I’ve experienced in pivotal moments—whether it's a difficult client interaction, a costly oversight, emotional decision-making around billing, or hiring the wrong person.
Each of these moments required me to confront the reality that this is my business—there’s no one above me to handle it. I’ve had to reflect, adjust, and evolve. These lessons have strengthened both me and the firm. Discomfort has become a catalyst for growth and refinement.
What do you typically feel anxious about and how do you work through your worries?
I often feel anxious about how my clients perceive me and the level of service I’m providing. Imposter syndrome is real—questions like “Am I doing a good job? Is this worth what I’m charging? Are they secretly unhappy?” can surface after an un-enthusiastic email. When I catch myself in that mindset, the first thing I try to do is take a step back and not take it personally—which is SO hard for me.
One exercise that helps, although it sounds morbid, is picturing myself at the end of my life. Will I remember this client interaction? Almost always, the answer is no. That zoomed-out perspective helps me reset. I also check in with my intentions: Did I act with integrity? Was I doing my best? Usually, the answer is yes, and that’s enough to bring me back to center.
What are you currently working on to improve the way you show up for yourself and others?
Two things: pausing, and trusting. When I feel anxious, my default reaction is to do something—send the email, make the call, fix it immediately. But I’m learning to pause. Even five minutes of breathing and grounding can help me re-enter a situation with more clarity and calm. That pause allows me to lead more effectively and respond rather than react.
The second piece is trust—trusting that if I’m showing up with integrity and doing the work, things will unfold the way they’re meant to. When I try to force outcomes—especially out of fear or desperation—it usually never results in the desired outcome. Some of the worst projects I’ve taken were ones I chased too hard. In contrast, my best projects came to me organically, and that’s taught me to trust the process and honor my boundaries, even when it’s uncomfortable.
What was a moment in your career when you felt most uncertain? How did you navigate those periods?
Hiring and managing people was (and still is) a big area of uncertainty. I knew I needed help to support the growth of the business, but I didn’t feel confident in how to train, delegate, or give feedback effectively. It felt vulnerable to invite someone into my process, and I was overly concerned with being liked.
That led me to avoid giving feedback until it became unavoidable—which, understandably, made it feel abrupt to the person receiving it. Working with you helped me reframe feedback as something that should happen casually and often. That shift helped me lead with more clarity, less emotion, and way better results.
How do you create space for self-care or at least a sense of balance in your life?
Clear work hours and strong organization. I’m diligent about working within a 9–4 window because that’s when I have childcare. Thinking long-term—again, the deathbed mindset—I know I won’t regret spending more time with my baby. That awareness motivates me to be really effective during my workday and present at home.
I also rely heavily on task management systems. At the end of each day, I write my to-do list for the next, which helps me mentally offload and transition into personal time without carrying the mental load of work into the evening.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting out in interior design or running a creative studio, what would it be?
Don’t beat yourself up when you make the wrong choice. It’s all part of it. Every decision—whether it leads to change or growth—is an opportunity to evolve your vision. You’re going to make mistakes, it’s just part of the gig of being human. In fact, it’s necessary. Success feels good, but it doesn’t teach you much. The projects that don’t go well are often the ones with the best lessons to push you forward.
Stay connected to why you started, and if that vision starts to feel blurry, it might be time to shift. That’s why we pick the harder route, it gives you the freedom to evolve and change your vision as you change personally.
How would you describe your leadership style?
Empowering and values-driven. I like to give people autonomy—I trust them to get the job done in a way that aligns with our standards and values. I personally thrive when I’m trusted to lead myself, so I try to create that same space for others.
When people feel ownership, they also feel the impact of success and the lessons of failure, and that’s where real growth happens.
What do you think is the most important leadership attribute in today’s world?
Honesty. We’re living in a time of burnout, blurred work-life boundaries, and constant pressure. Leaders who can be transparent about where they’re at—and create space for others to do the same—build real trust.
It’s not about oversharing, but rather showing up as human. People want to work for and with someone who keeps it real, especially when things are hard. That kind of honesty is really motivating, in my opinion.
Is there an artist, podcast, substack, or book you’ve recently enjoyed that you’d recommend?
The way of integrity by Martha Beck and You are more than you think you are by Kimberley Snyder – both incredible books that changed my life. They help you get down to your deepest truths with levity and compassion. For business, Essentialism by Greg McKeown had a lot of nuggets of wisdom.
You have had some tremendous growth in coaching. When you reflect on your experience, what has been your biggest takeaway?
To give myself the space to step back and reconnect to the bigger picture—both for my life and business. Coaching has taught me to let the emotion pass and then choose actions that support my long-term vision, not just my short-term relief.
When I feel like I’m not where I want to be, it helps to remember that I’m en route. I’ve laid a path, and I’m moving forward. That perspective is so encouraging especially when I’m feeling overwhelmed or down.