Today we’d like to introduce you to Michael Dolatowski.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Michael. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I always identified the begging of my professional career in design in my fourth year of architecture school at Pratt Institute in New York. I had designed a piece of furniture that got shown at ICFF that year. It was the first time I was presenting something that was tangible to the broader world and it was a quick lesson in the design industry that taught me about the importance of ingenuity, innovation, and persistence. Following Architecture school, I took a job in the City that eventually relocated me to Miami where I took on a role as Studio Director. Craig (my now business partner) was the Lead Fabricator, and we worked together designing and producing some really great work before deciding we were ready to break off on our own. We always just “got each other” and had the same excitement for the process and the challenges of a design/build operation. And together we launched Deft Union some three years ago. We have been lucky enough to work on some great projects in Miami. Seeming to grow with the city.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would love to say it has been smooth but I think the small business game is anything but the design is always about solving problems so from a work product perspective there are always challenges and that is just the nature of the game. But form a broader perspective I would say finding the team I have now has taken a lot. The saying “hire slow fire fast is probably the best advice.” Finding the right team has been a really challenging journey. Just being able to afford to support a team isn’t enough, you have to work with people you trust and admire and that takes time to find. It’s been challenging but to get here but the talent level in our studio and shop right now is outstanding.
Please tell us about Deft Union.
We combine architecture, furniture, and interior design and truly invent new spaces. Our most successful projects are commercial projects where we get to take the project from concept to execution. And this year we opened our construction arm of the company with Deft Build and are now licensed General Contractors. We have a multidisciplinary approach to design and it allows us to function more like an atelier of spaces: thinking and drawing and creating and inventing and testing and producing altogether. It’s a really exciting process.
It’s about asking what’s possible, where are the moments we can really create something. How can our projects respond to location, brand goals, customer base and help local brands compete? The response has to be intelligent and sophisticated and is always the best when there is an opportunity to flex our creative muscles.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
The first thing that comes to mind is summer camping in Door County Wisconsin with my family. It’s a really beautiful place and I still have a deep connection to nature and family.
Contact Info:
- Address: 7101 N. Miami Ave #109
Miami Fl, 33150 - Website: Deftunion.com
- Phone: 3056994402
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: deftunion
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DEFTUNION/
Image Credit:
Kris Tamberello
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