Today we’d like to introduce you to Brittany S. Kneeves.
Hi Brittany, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am a South Florida native and grew up in Boca Raton and Lighthouse Point. I grew up playing sports, predominantly soccer and tennis, and was on varsity sports all throughout high school. I made the decision in high school that I did not want to pursue college sports, so I had to think of an alternative career path. I thought about what else I was good at and enjoyed; I did have a creative side and always loved drawing, so that brought me to architecture.
I was accepted into the University of Florida as an architecture major and I remember the first day being so overwhelmed; there was a very steep learning curve involved with studio work. But despite the amount of work and dedication of time, I enjoyed the challenge of learning the design process taught at UF SoA, which in turn allowed me to excel in the pursuit of my degree and ultimately my career.
In 2013 I graduated Magna Cum Laude and moved back down to my hometown of Boca Raton where I also was hired by a well-respected architecture firm there. After being employed for several years and gaining experience from my time working for a firm, I started to have the desire to be independent and that’s when I formed my company, Sax Studio, LLC in 2019.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Well, I have to say undergraduate architecture had an intense workload. So, graduating with my degree in itself was a great accomplishment for me. When I was in school, we often referred to our design studio class as “architorture.” But I wouldn’t go back and change anything. It taught me how to work efficiently under pressure and how to successfully present my ideas through my drawings and models, which has ultimately helped me in my professional practice.
I think if you ask any Architect about attaining licensure, they can tell you how difficult it is to pass the examinations. That was tough and it took me almost a year of studying every day to pass all of my exams. I did not have to take any exam twice, which I am both proud of and grateful for – big shout out to Michael Riscica and the Young Architect Academy for all they’re doing to help aspiring architects. I can say without a doubt that joining their program accelerated my path towards licensure.
When starting my company, I think the greatest challenge initially was the pressure I felt to prove to potential clients I could provide what they were looking for without having a lot of past projects to show underneath my company. Ultimately, I realized people hire the person for who they are primarily; the product is secondary. I think one of the best investments I made for myself to help me in this area was deciding to do a mentorship with Grant Cardone. It helped me grow personally, professionally and allowed me to attain the confidence I needed to grow my network and in turn my business.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Sax Studio, LLC is an architecture and design firm offering comprehensive services in residential, interior design, and light commercial projects in South Florida. While our speciality resides in custom home design, we have expertise in residential interior design and interior renovations, apartment/condo renovations, as well as commercial interior renovations and additions.
Every project is unique and has different priorities and specialty concerns.
Our designs strive to achieve the balance between the inevitable requirements, needs, and aspirations in order to create solutions that are elegant, functional, and energy efficient. We prioritize our service to our clients, and emphasis is placed on our commitment to provide quality design within project constraints.
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
Be humble, learn from your mistakes, and always be upfront and tell the truth. Things may happen to you that may seem to be unfair, but they are not a reflection of who you are. Don’t take it personally. Know who you are, learn to forgive (big one), move forward, and don’t look back.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: sax.studio
Image Credits
Sax Studio, LLC
