Erika MacKay’s Niche for Design: How Workplace Wellness Supports Employees

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In this episode, Julie interviews Erika MacKay, the founder and CEO of Niche for Design, about her journey in interior design and her focus on workspace wellness. They discuss the evolving office environment and Erika shares her experience of balancing entrepreneurship with maternity leave. Erika shares insights into creating healthy, productive workspaces and the challenges entrepreneurs face in maintaining business operations during significant life events.

Erika is a workspace wellness expert and advocate for spaces that help us feel and perform at our best. She is a registered Interior Designer, a member of the International WELL Building Standard Faculty, and a part-time faculty member at Conestoga College. As founder and CEO of Niche for Design she is focused on growing her team and their impact. She is fascinated by hybrid offices, flexible “coworking,” environments, and the opportunity to create connection and belonging in physical “office” spaces. Her next business venture is going to be an embodiment of this new work “experience”. Erika is sought out to speak and consult, based on her expertise in work environments, space planning, and especially wellness in the workspace. She believes that the spaces we spend time in have an enormous impact on our health and has made it her mission to help more people work in spaces that truly support their wellbeing.

Erika and Julie discuss...

Erika's journey in interior design (00:02:22)
Erika discusses her childhood interest in space optimization and explains the shift in the purpose of office spaces.

Growing a business and building a team (00:12:46)
Erika shares her experiences and strategies for growing her business, including her approach to taking maternity leave as an entrepreneur.

The opportunity of stepping back (00:20:25)
Erika takes a step back as a CEO to focus on the bigger picture and plans her return to work.

Workplace design and wellness (00:23:18)
Erika discusses the reasons why business leaders may not consider workplace design and the misconceptions about the role of designers.

Reimagining office spaces (00:29:36)
Exploring alternate arrangements for office spaces. Erika describes how this shift in perspective on workplace design and wellness is not an extra but the most important aspect of a workspace. 

You can connect with Niche for Design through their website, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn or with Erika via her LinkedIn.

You can connect with Julie on LinkedIn or Instagram.

Find Julie's writing at her blog or by ordering Big Gorgeous Goals.

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