Kim Price

I attribute my success to the values instilled in me from an early age, including curiosity, creativity, perseverance, and the courage to pursue my passions. Growing up in a family of scientists and creative thinkers encouraged me to explore new ideas and embrace discovery, which ultimately guided me toward a career in design. Although I initially pursued a path in medicine, I recognized that my true strengths and passion were rooted in creativity and storytelling, leading me to transition into interior design. Throughout my career, I have embraced every opportunity to learn, grow, and build meaningful relationships, from my early design experiences to my 13 years with Walt Disney Imagineering, where I learned the importance of creating immersive environments that connect with people on an emotional level. My global experiences, including designing Disney cruise ships in Germany and collaborating with international teams, expanded my perspective and strengthened my passion for thoughtful, purpose-driven design. I credit my success to the support of mentors, colleagues, and collaborators who have inspired me, as well as my willingness to take risks and pursue new opportunities. Launching my own design studio during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic allowed me to transform a lifelong vision into reality, and I continue to grow by fostering creativity, mentoring emerging designers, and creating innovative spaces and experiences that inspire others.

The best career advice I have ever received is to be genuine, embrace opportunities, step outside of my comfort zone, that all is possible if it is wanted bad enough, and to remain true to my creative vision. Much of this guidance has come from the examples set by the people who have inspired me throughout my life, including my parents, my husband of 29 years, and mentors. My father’s journey from growing up in a small city in Venezuela to pursuing higher education in the United States and building a successful career as a chemical engineer taught me the importance of courage, perseverance, and believing in myself. My mother’s love, strength, dedication, and ability to balance family and responsibilities showed me the value of commitment, resilience, and loyalty. I have also been inspired by my husband of 29 years, with his positive take on life, his support and encouragement to be the best version of myself; and also my grandfather, a talented Venezuelan tailor whose craftsmanship and creativity demonstrated the power of passion and pursuing excellence, even abroad in the US, during difficult times in the 30's. Professionally, I have admired, became inspired and appreciated the styles and visions of designers who challenge convention and view design as a form of storytelling and who try different design approaches. All these influences have reinforced the importance of being genuine, taking risks, staying curious, embracing crazy creativity, and creating work that not only looks beautiful but also is functional, connects with and inspires people.

My advice to young women entering the design industry is to believe in their creativity, trust their unique perspectives, and have the confidence to pursue what they truly love. A passion project is not simply a hobby or something done on the side; it has the potential to become the foundation of a meaningful and fulfilling career. My own journey has shown me that with curiosity, perseverance, and a willingness to embrace new challenges and explore, dreams can become reality. Growing up between two cultures as a Venezuelan and American, and navigating the experience of moving to a different country, changes and adjustments, it taught me the importance of resiliency, different perspectives, cultures, staying humble, and most importantly, not forgetting where you come from. I encourage young women to embrace their individuality, where they come from and what they bring to the table, to take risks, and recognize the value of their ideas and talents, as we are all unique. When you build a career around your passion and remain committed to your style, yourself, growth, and expansion, you can create work that is not only successful but also meaningful, impactful and that belongs to each one of us.

The biggest challenges and opportunities in my field come from the expectations of clients and audiences, who are knowledgeable of the constant evolution of design and technology, and understand where project experiences can offer their guests, but with a reduced budget. There is a need to produce spaces and create projects with a minimum budget and the maximum output of products and deliverables. This can be challenging because of clients' expectations when we are commissioned a project. Clients want their story and vision to be produced and implemented and for us as designers to be able to stay withing their limited budget. The opportunity in that, and the upside of this challenge is that us, as designers with the right knowledge, good industry resources connections, and the expanding technoloqy, it is still possible to find furniture, finishes and materials that meet all, or at least, most of the design and budget requirements based on the needs. It's a great opportunity to be creative and resourceful, to design and specify for these spaces, finding ways to come up with the same design intent, specify similar materials and finishes, and also prioritize where we propose to our client where to spend most of their budget, while saving on secondary design layers, and achieving the same goal and vision.

Today, I see tremendous opportunities in the ability to blend creativity, technology, and storytelling to create innovative spaces and experiences. By embracing change, adaptability, meeting expectations, fostering collaboration, knowledge of sources and materials and mentoring the next generation of designers. I believe we can continue to push the boundaries of what is possible in the design industry and still have happy and satisfied clients, as well as a successful project.

The values that are most important to me in both my work and personal life are authenticity, positivity, humility, creativity, and connection. I believe that the most meaningful success comes from staying true to who you are, building genuine relationships, and creating a positive impact on the people around you. Throughout my career, I have always valued collaboration, openness, and creating an environment where people feel supported, inspired, have trust, and are empowered to share their ideas. My personal experiences, from growing up between cultures to building a career centered around design and storytelling, have taught me the importance of embracing different perspectives and remaining curious about the world around me. Family, travel, cultures, design, nature, music, and meaningful experiences continue to inspire my creativity and shape the way I approach my work. I believe that great design is not only about creating beautiful spaces, but also about creating connections and experiences that resonate with people. Ultimately, I measure success not only by professional accomplishments, but by the relationships I build, the people I inspire, and the opportunities I create for others to pursue their own passions and dreams, while working on mine.