Influential Woman · Interior Design

Paty Duran

Design Principal, Hybrid Creative

Miami, FL

1Award received

Certifications · Degrees · Memberships

Degree Master's Degree in Architecture from FIU Degree International Schools in Latin America Degree Mexico Degree And Venezuela Cert Lighting Design Course Member IIDA (Interior Design Association)

Her Story

About Paty

My love for design and art has been there since I was a child. I grew up moving a lot, so as a child, I would move every 2 years with my family, and so I got exposed to different cultures, different people, different houses, and I think, just naturally, that was normal to me. As an adult, gravitating towards design felt organic - it was just part of me. I began thinking of architecture when I was in high school. I got the opportunity to live in Mexico City when I was a senior, and I got to experience the world of several architects that were well known, and I just got inspired by architecture. I studied architecture here in Florida, and then the more that I got into architecture and design, I liked the human scale of experience and how people feel in spaces, and that led me towards interior design. I think specifically exploring interior design is something that I discovered after college. Now I run my own firm, Hybrid Creative, where we work in the commercial interior design space, creating experience-driven environments for hospitality clients, restaurants, and retail spaces. We don't just care about something looking good and being beautiful, but that it's truly connected to the essence of what it's supposed to be.

Quick Facts

IndustryInterior Design
Based inMiami, FL
Specialty Interior Design, Hospitality Interior Design, Commercial Interior Design
- Experience-Driven Design
Volunteers with Very involved at local church, Creates community gatherings and events for women

Her Interview

Ten minutes with Paty

01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?

I would advise them to stay curious. I would advise them to, within the firm that they are in, try to get as much exposure to doing different things within the firm. Something that I feel really leveraged me to go off on my own was that I was never put in one box - I got the chance to work on the field, and work on admin things, and work on business development, and do the creative. I worked at smaller firms, and so I was able to touch all the different areas that take to run a business, and I think that was really a part of me being able to go off on my own. I think you need to take risks. Not everybody's supposed to be an entrepreneur, some people are meant to stay and work within a firm, and that's perfectly fine. I do think that even as an employee, you need to take more risks and be able to stand your ground and put your ideas out there and demand for growth. Especially as women, I think we're at a time where women have taken big steps, but there's still so many more steps that women need to take and have a voice. So I would advise, like, get the experience, get the knowledge, and don't be afraid to take more risks. Just stay true to you.

02What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?

Faith is a big one for me - I'm very involved at my local church. I am very involved with self-growth. One of the things that I've realized when you own your own business is that it can be very stressful, and you have to wear a lot of the hats. And so, I think equal to the success of what you do for a living, if not more important to sustain that, is the character and the values that are behind the person, behind any founder. I think the success of any founder is usually in the character traits and the values that they live by. So for me, I'm very holistic when it comes to growth and health - mind, body, soul. It really is the combination of all of those. I've done a process, and I continue to find freedom in the true source of where I'm getting my identity from.

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