Today we’d like to introduce you to Travis Vickers.
Hi Travis, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My dad was an architect, and I grew up surrounded by his architecture practices, both professionally and personally. This set the foundation, and I knew I wanted to follow in his footsteps. While I was in college, my dad started his own architecture firm, and that really turned my eye toward the business side of the industry. I attended the University of Florida for a degree in architecture, and I also received a business minor in preparation for one day starting my own company.
At the beginning of my career, I worked on the Orlando and Jacksonville airports and a variety of Disney hotels. Throughout my first few jobs, I took note of what I saw the owners of those companies doing, knowing that my end goal was not only to be an architect but also run a company.
I ran an Atlanta branch office for a company based out of Orlando for a while and began growing my Atlanta network. When the 2008 recession hit and the world was somewhat upside down, we had to lay off most of our team. This is when I really decided to take the plunge and start my own company.
Our concern at the time was taking this risk and potentially having to lay off more people, and this risk really influenced the way we set up our company. We always wanted to be forward-thinking in our business practices, hiring practices, and financial model to remain as recession-proof as possible. We knew it was important to remain open-minded in the projects that we would take on, never limiting ourselves to just one project type or project size. We divided our work into four studios: Corporate Tenant Solutions, Corporate Landlord Solutions, Special Projects, and Architecture, and we tackle a variety of projects ranging from corporate and industrial to retail, restaurants, and breweries.
We’ve built our team around our core values – character, expertise, passion, and enthusiasm. These come into play every day, from initial conversations when we are interviewing a potential candidate to how we approach our clients and take on projects. These values have created a firm culture around collective expertise and passion for the industry, and I think it really shows in our designs, relationships, and the repeat business we are receiving.
I’ve always believed in leading my team with compassion and the understanding that we are always learning. Personally, I learn something every day, whether it is from challenges with a project that comes across the table or just being out within the community. It is important to me to remain at the forefront of the industry, but I know that I am not the authority on the latest technology or most efficient way to do something. This is where I really trust my team and am willing to test the waters with new software, technology, and methodology. As a team, we are never going to get stuck in one way of doing something; we reflect on what works and what doesn’t work, and we adapt.
After restructuring and rebranding over the last couple of years, we’ve been able to grow our market reach and have been lucky to experience exponential growth, especially in 2022. This year, each of our four studios grew, bringing many talented individuals to our team. We also moved into a new office, and after only eight months in our office, we are about to expand our space.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s never going to be a completely smooth road. Rates and construction costs have gone up tremendously, and it is hard to find people. Some folks I have spoken to have said they are starting to see the pipeline slow down, but it certainly is not a halt like it was two years ago. During the pandemic, the world literally stopped. We are thankful that we were able to survive through that without any layoffs or pay cuts.
Looking into next year, I am still bull-ish in believing that with our diverse project types, we will be able to weather almost any storm. Everything is very speculative right now, but we are fortunate to be in Atlanta and have some insulation from the uncertainty. We definitely aren’t going into anything scared.
We started this company in a recession, and we lived through a pandemic. We are still hiring. We are moving forward with our office expansion, and we still have a great runway of opportunities in front of us. We can control what we can control, and we will react to the things that we can’t.
As you know, we’re big fans of Vickers Design Group. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
At Vickers Design Group, we are creators and innovators. Our team is passionate about creating smart, responsive, and responsible design solutions that positively impact the lives of our clients and community. Vickers Design Group was shaped to be intentional yet fun. Fresh yet rooted in experience. Inspirational, but not heavy on ego. We provide limitless architectural and interior design solutions for businesses to thrive.
At Vickers Design Group, our style is not one-size-fits-all. We’re not constrained to one look or one type of project. Instead, we make spaces uniquely suited to each client. Through a disciplined design approach, efficient project management, and leveraged technologies, we work smarter allowing us to design for all shapes and sizes. Nimble and versatile, we jump at the chance to discover hidden corners of function or unearth design opportunities that create truly successful projects.
We are well-rounded, inspired professionals who focus on crafting design solutions that fit your business. We are honest, dedicated, positive, fun, and excited to go above and beyond to deliver unparalleled service that shapes impactful and lasting connections.
Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
When I first started in Atlanta, I had lunch with a friend and asked him which organizations I should be a part of. He stressed NAIOP, the Commercial Real Estate Development Association. I have now been a member of NAIOP since 2005 and was part of their Future Leaders class of 2008. I went on to be the Director of the Future Leaders Program, have served on multiple committees, and was on the Board for seven years.
Through NAIOP, I got involved in philanthropy for the Ron Clark Academy. This year, our team has also begun working with Sunshine on a Ranney Day to help build dream bedrooms and accessible bathrooms for children with special needs. We are designers and architects, so we influence the built environment every day, but getting to use our talents and expertise to give back to the community on a deeper level is the greatest gift.
When you are looking for a mentor, be genuine and get involved with the people and organizations that inspire you. If you really immerse yourself in an organization, you can learn so much from your peers and form long-lasting relationships. Networking is how I have built this business and formed, created, and maintained relationships. Being able to foster those relationships and gain business from those relationships is just icing on the cake.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://vickersdesigngroup.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vickersdesigngroup/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/vickersdesigngroup/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@vickersdesigngroup
Image Credits
Heather Rendle Photography Jason Buch Photography
