First Friday Female Founder Feature: Kristen Hess
As someone who has been actively involved with the Greater Raleigh Chamber of Commerce since back in 2008, I would be hard pressed to not engage regularly with Kristen Hess, but what is most impactful is the person that Kristen is, the values for which she stands, the vision she shares for our region and the way she works continuously for networks, designs, buildings, systems and processes that make individuals, teams and our overall community even better. When reflecting on Kristen, key words that resonate include meaningful, conscientious as well as value-focused, and it is an honor to share with you someone who is such an inspiration. Enjoy this peek inside the mind and heart of this absolute rock star!
About Kristen Hess
Kristen M. Hess, FAIA is a business owner, architect, international fellow and community organizer. Driven by her passion for sustainable design and an advocacy-centered approach to working with clients, Kristen started HH Architecture in 2005. In 2022, Kristen was named the North Carolina Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration, and her company was named Firm of the Year by the American Institute of Architects NC.
An active volunteer, Kristen has donated countless hours to non-profits, helping students, mentoring entrepreneurs and serving as a role model to young women. Kristen began her Girl Scout career as a young girl in western North Carolina, earning her Gold Award in 1992. She has also served as a troop leader and says her love of Girl Scouts and her belief in its tenets have guided her throughout her life.
Kristen has a continued focus on service. Internationally, Kristen has represented the United States and the architecture profession through the Zhi-Xing China Eisenhower Fellowship and the Marshall Memorial Fellowship. Locally, she supports women and minority-owned businesses through her appointed positions on the NC Governor’s Council on Historically Underutilized Businesses and State Building Commission as well as her service through the Raleigh Chamber.
Kristen is a graduate of the NC State University College of Design and lives in Raleigh with her husband, Steve, and two children. From museums and symphony concerts to festivals, theater productions and ribbon cuttings, if something’s happening in Raleigh, Kristen is likely attending or somehow involved, which goes back to the vision for HH Architecture which is deeply embedded in who Kristen is. At HH Architecture, every single day, the team makes a commitment through its work to create a lasting, meaningful impact on our community through conscientious, responsible design – design that truly reflects the mission and values of the firm’s clients. Since the very beginning of the firm, it has been important for each team member to do work that matters and has meaning.
First Friday Female Founder Feature:
Kristen Hess
How would you describe your company and the products / services you offer?
We are a full-service design and architecture firm with clients in the public and private sectors. We design spaces for discovery, wellness, recreation and civic service that are flexible, durable and adaptable. We believe good design should reflect the mission and value of our clients’ offerings, meet their organization’s goals and better serve the community.
Why did you start your company?
When I returned from maternity leave for my first child, everything was different. I felt like I was entering a world not built for full-time working mothers, not supportive of my new needs. At that same time, I was being contacted by national architecture firms who wanted me to help start a Raleigh office for them. The idea of that was very exciting, but I thought “if I’m going to go through all the work of starting a new office, why wouldn’t I start my own office, my own firm where I could really chart a course for what I felt made a great place to work and design?”.
What have been the most rewarding parts of your journey in founding this company?
Seeing the most amazing people who choose to show up for work every day and put themselves into this work.
The ability to work on the coolest projects ever - being able to build for our community, for our state, for the Triangle – it means so much to do work that serves others.
About what are you most proud?
I’m so proud about the fact that we have built a firm that is strong enough and doing well enough that it will continue on, doing great work and having a significant impact when I retire one day and move on from the firm.
Are you naturally organized, was it a skill you learned or is it something with which you regularly struggle, and what tips or tools do you use to stay your most organized?
It really depends on what it is. There are many areas of life and work where I feel very organized. I try not to hang on to too much stuff. I am a purger. The more you have, the more that needs to be organized and managed so I try to minimize that. Systems and processes are important to me – running meetings in an organized fashion, being organized in how we operate and run the firm, having an order to how work is done – all very important.
Who’s the one person who changed your life and why?
Wayne Schmidt, lifelong mentor. Wayne told me at the age of 3 that I would become an architect. I didn’t believe him until I was a sophomore in high school. He brought me to his office and showed me all the cool drawings and talked about working with his community. He said 2 things to me then about why he loved being an architect:
1. Architects need to be a little bit good at a lot of things. We are not experts in one thing.
2. Every time I design a project for a client, I learn all about a new profession. I don’t have to do what they do, but it is so interesting to learn all about their world.
These two things were attractive to me at age 16, and they are still true and wonderful for me today.
What words of wisdom would you have for someone who is overwhelmed with staying organized and / or productive?
It’s very easy to get overwhelmed. I have learned I cannot do it all, but, if I can just find a starting point, I feel much less overwhelmed. Do one teeny thing, and it will lead to getting it all done. I recently read a book that suggested to start by doing a quick pass and, then, come back and do another and another until it’s all done. I think that is very helpful.
Do you use technology to help stay productive or organized? If so, what’s your favorite program, app or tech tool?
I’m a list keeper, and I have been for years. Sometimes, I find a paper list that I can actually cross things off of feels the best. But I do use a lists app – Google Keep. I have a million little notes in there to stay organized.
How do you feel about work / life efficiency or integration in your life, including any tips or challenges for managing the personal and professional commitments in your life?
The idea of separating work and life in today’s world is antiquated. With technology and virtual meetings, work has entered our homes, our cars, any place we are out and about. This allows for ultimate flexibility for everyone. It allows me to be available for my family at my home or even during travel with a quick break for a meeting or call. The key is to know when to draw a line or set a boundary so that you have time to decompress, spend time with family, explore your passions.
About what causes are you most passionate?
Girl Scouts and music education.
What have you found to be the most effective way to relax after a long day or super long week?
Being outside in nature – taking a walk or a sit outside, porch sitting. And taking naps to recharge. I love a good nap.
What is your favorite author / book?
Barbara Kingsolver
What is your favorite inspirational quote?
“No one will care how much you know until the know how much you care.” – Theodore Roosevelt
Of the locally-owned and -operated establishments in the place you currently live, which are your top 3 favorites?
What is your favorite food?
Oysters
What is your favorite place that you have visited?
Finland
What movie could you watch on endless loop?
Mr. Mom
If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Speak all the languages in the world.
What advice would you give your 21-year old self?
You don’t need to know all the answers. You never will.
And you don’t have to be perfect. Striving for perfection will always yield failure at some level.
If you could have lunch with anyone (living or deceased), who would it be and why?
Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of Girl Scouts. She had a vision for an organization that would grow girls of courage, confidence and character, and that’s exactly what it has done. The number of girls and women that have benefitted from Girl Scouts has truly had a deep impact on the world. It is the reason I am where I am today.
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