Episode 26: Scaling What Matters with Trent Morano

Episode 26: Scaling What Matters with Trent Morano

📍 Recorded at Power Design HQ in St. Petersburg, FL What happens to culture when a company grows from hundreds to thousands of employees? In this episode of Create A Place, I sit down with Trent Morano, Senior Vice President at Power Design, to talk about leadership, growth, and what it really takes to scale without losing the people, values, and culture that made the company successful in the first place. From hiring for attitude over aptitude to building systems that reinforce trust, accountability, and connection, Trent shares how Power Design has intentionally protected a strong people-first culture while continuing to grow across the country. Our conversation also explores leadership accessibility, field and office alignment, and how workplace design can support collaboration, transparency, performance, and belonging at scale. Recorded inside Power Design’s St. Petersburg headquarters [where CREATE+CO has designed multiple spaces across the campus] this episode offers a thoughtful look at how leadership and environment work together to shape culture over time. Trent and I also serve together on the board for the CoreNet Global Tampa Chapter. In this conversation, we get into: • Scaling leadership from 300 to 3,000+ employees • Hiring for long-term potential and cultural fit • Protecting culture during rapid growth • Supporting field and office connection • Leadership accessibility and transparency • Workplace design as a tool for collaboration and performance • Why culture is built through action, not statements on a wall 🎙️ At the heart of it all, culture isn’t just something you talk about...it’s something people feel. Connect with Trent :: - LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/ttursi31/ - PowerDesign : https://www.powerdesigninc.us/ - Project Photos : https://www.createandcompany.com/powerdesignhq Connect with KY :: 👊🏼 LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinayorkofficial/ 📐 Design : https://www.createandcompany.com   🎙️ Podcast : https://createaplace.net   📺 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CREATEAPLACE 🎧 Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-a-place/id1779942208 🎧 Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/7fIVCgnR433sniYRvrRwNZ?si=b77e418c27524bc4 🎧Podbean : https://createaplace.podbean.com

Episode 25: Leasing Beyond the Deal with Jim Moler

📍 Recorded on site at 311 Park Place Leasing isn’t just about filling space. It’s about shaping how a building performs over time. In this episode of Create A Place, I sit down with Jim Moler, Senior Vice President at JLL. With decades of experience in commercial real estate and a deep understanding of the Tampa Bay market, Jim brings a thoughtful, long-view perspective on what makes buildings not just lease—but perform. Jim and I have worked together for years across multiple projects, with my CREATE+CO team partnering alongside him to reposition amenity spaces at 311 Park Place, reactivate common areas at Urban Centre, and support tenant space planning and spec suites at Gas Worx in Ybor City. Through that collaboration, we’ve seen firsthand how leasing strategy, design, and experience come together to shape the success of a building over time. In this conversation, we unpack: • What thoughtful brokers are really looking for when they walk a building • How tenant mix shapes energy, perception, and long-term value • Why leasing today is as much about curation as it is about transactions • The role of common areas and amenities in influencing decision-making • How experience, not just economics, drives performance • Why the story a building tells matters as much as the numbers behind it If you’re rethinking how buildings are positioned, experienced, and ultimately chosen, this conversation offers a broader perspective on what drives performance today. 🎙️ It’s not just about closing the deal. It’s how you get there—and what happens after. Connect with Jim :: - LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-moler-ccim/ - 311 Park Place : https://www.311parkplace.com/ - Gasworx : https://gasworx.com/   Connect with KY :: 👊🏼LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinayorkofficial/ 📐Design : https://www.createandcompany.com   🎙️Podcast : https://createaplace.net   📺 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CREATEAPLACE 🎧Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-a-place/id1779942208 🎧Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/7fIVCgnR433sniYRvrRwNZ?si=b77e418c27524bc4 🎧Podbean : https://createaplace.podbean.com

Episode 24: The Rhythm of Place : Inside Gasworx with Lauren Campbell

📍 Recorded at Hotel Haya, Ybor City In this episode of Create A Place, I sit down with Lauren Campbell, Founder of Archer Group, whose work spans retail leasing, development, and placemaking across Tampa Bay. Lauren is currently leading retail leasing for Gasworx in Ybor City, bringing a perspective shaped by years of studying how people move through space, and how culture is shaped at street level. CREATE+CO is actively engaged in the Gasworx development, designing common areas and spec suites for the office building in partnership with Kettler and JLL. We’ve also had conversations with Lauren’s team around prospective retail and hospitality tenants for Gasworx and beyond. As a firm rooted in Ybor City and invested in its continued evolution, this conversation carries added meaning for us. At its core, this episode is about shaping place, how movement, energy, and human behavior at street level determine whether a development simply exists or truly belongs. In this episode, we unpack: - Why Ybor felt familiar the moment Lauren arrived — and why that matters - What most people miss when they walk the neighborhood - How architecture teaches you to think in space and time - Why leasing is cultural curation, not just deal-making - How tenant mix shapes movement, energy, and daily rhythm - The balance between participation and observation in retail environments - Why “return on experience” outlasts price per square foot - The role of authentic local operators in building trust and momentum - Why the Marketplace is the heart of Gasworx 🎧 This episode is a reminder that when you curate thoughtfully at street level, you don’t just fill buildings — you shape how a neighborhood feels for generations. Connect with Lauren :: - LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurencampbellcre/ - Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/commercialre_tampabay/ - Archer Real Estate : https://www.archergroupre.com/ - Gasworx : https://gasworx.com/   Connect with KY :: 👊🏼LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinayorkofficial/ 📐Design : https://www.createandcompany.com   🎙️Podcast : https://createaplace.net   📺 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CREATEAPLACE 🎧Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-a-place/id1779942208 🎧Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/7fIVCgnR433sniYRvrRwNZ?si=b77e418c27524bc4 🎧Podbean : https://createaplace.podbean.com

Episode 23: The Power of a Well-Built Tribe with Tessa Jennings

In this episode of Create A Place, Kristina sits down with longtime friend and collaborator Tessa Jennings, founder of Spatial HQ, to explore why the most successful projects—and the healthiest client experiences—are built on intentionally curated teams. With a background spanning architecture, construction, and owner representation, Tessa brings a rare, holistic perspective to commercial real estate. Together, they unpack how advocacy, trust, and chemistry shape not only the outcome of a space, but the experience of getting there. This conversation goes beyond square footage and schedules, diving into the emotional and psychological side of complex projects—and the responsibility leaders and advisors share in protecting clients from unnecessary stress while guiding them toward confident decisions. At its core, this episode is about tribe: who you surround yourself with, how you build the right team, and why that collective matters more than any single role or title. In this conversation, they unpack: - Why advocacy is critical on complex workplace projects - How the right team brings clarity, confidence, and calm - The difference between vendors and true project partners - What it really means to build a well-designed tribe - Designing the process with as much intention as the space - Trust, psychology, and decision-making during change - Leadership, confidence, and community—especially for women - Why creating a place starts long before move-in day 🎧 This episode is a reminder that when the right people are at the table, everything—from the process to the place—works better. Connect with Tessa :: - LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/tessa-jennings-019a2514 - Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/tessajennings - Website : https://spatial-hq.com Connect with KY :: 👊🏼LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinayorkofficial/ 📐Design : https://www.createandcompany.com   🎙️Podcast : https://createaplace.net   📺 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CREATEAPLACE 🎧Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-a-place/id1779942208 🎧Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/7fIVCgnR433sniYRvrRwNZ?si=b77e418c27524bc4 🎧Podbean : https://createaplace.podbean.com

Episode 22: Built for Connection with Taylor Ranker

Recorded inside his newly designed Tampa office [by CREATE+CO], this episode features Taylor Ranker—founder of Questmont Virtual Family Office and author of Dead Cats & Wealth Advisors. Kristina and Taylor dive into what it means to create a place that fosters trust, intimacy, and long-term legacy—not just for clients, but for teams and communities. Taylor shares the evolution of Questmont’s boutique family-office model, his unfiltered critique of traditional wealth management, and how thoughtful design (and leadership) play a critical role in client experience. The conversation also explores the power of planning, behavioral investment counseling, and the impact of creating a space that puts people at ease during some of life’s most personal conversations. Inside the episode: – How Questmont brings coordination, creativity, and deep care to ultra-high-net-worth families – The philosophy behind Dead Cats & Wealth Advisors (and yes, the origin of the title) – Why Taylor sees himself as the “maestro,” not the technician—and how that has shaped his leadership – What it means to truly “design for safety” in a business setting – The value of discovery, trust, and restraint in designing his own firm’s space – Why every business—no matter the size—can benefit from intentional design – A transparent conversation on imposter syndrome, legacy, and doing one thing well Connect with Taylor :: - LinkedIn Taylor : https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-ranker-ii-71415814 - Taylor's Book : https://taylorkranker.com - Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/questmontvfo  - Website : https://questmont.com Connect with KY :: 👊🏼LinkedIn : https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristinayorkofficial/ 📐Design : https://www.createandcompany.com   🎙️Podcast : https://createaplace.net   📺 YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/@CREATEAPLACE 🎧Apple : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/create-a-place/id1779942208 🎧Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/7fIVCgnR433sniYRvrRwNZ?si=b77e418c27524bc4 🎧Podbean : https://createaplace.podbean.com