CEO Jaclyn Johnson and designer Ginny Macdonald take us inside the Los Angeles–based company inspiring thousands of modern working women.



"When we found the space it was a totally empty but beautiful shell," says Jaclyn Johnson, founder and CEO of Create & Cultivate, speaking about the company’s chic new office space in downtown Los Angeles. Johnson, a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient and Adweek Disruptor, founded the company in 2012 as a media platform and organizer of celebrity-studded conferences on female leadership. 

For her, it was important that the office reflect the brand’s constructive, creative process. "All day long, we are designing events and putting together experiences for our audience. We wanted a workspace that brought to mind the feeling of Create & Cultivate." To transform the 5,000-square-foot industrial office, Johnson turned to interior designer Ginny Macdonald.

CEO Jacklyn Johnson, left, with interior designer Ginny Macdonald. "We have a lot of paintings and pops of color throughout the space," comments Johnson.  "It all feels representative of the Create & Cultivate brand itself—inspiring, positive, and adorned in Millennial Pink." 

Photo by Smith House Photo

"The team had a strong vision but needed help implementing the design," says Macdonald, who did not want the workspace to feel boring or mundane. "Especially when designing an office for creatives, it’s important to make sure the environment is inspiring and, in some way, informal," she says. Johnson agrees and thinks the building’s large-scale windows enhance the creative process: "All of the sunshine creates a nice indoor-outdoor vibe while keeping the team alert and excited."

The open-concept office features multiple rooms and seating areas, including this lounge and high-top table for meetings in front of the windows. "Adding break out spaces help to give it that informal feel, almost like a home-away-from-home," says Macdonald. 

Photo by Smith House Photo

"We moved here because we also needed space to grow," explains Johnson. "The team has doubled in size to 25 and having a flexible floor plan allowed us to expand the main work areas without much work." The open layout also provides opportunities to balance work with fun. 


"We’ve cleared areas for yoga sessions and visits by massage therapists. We even had a pop-up brow bar once," Johnson adds. "The architecture was long and linear and we worked with that to lay out the desk arrangement," says Macdonald. "Layout is a key component to creating a comfortable working environment."

Throughout the office, photos or artwork add to the creative atmosphere. Johnson believes "it’s difficult to be inspired without an inspiring space."

Photo by Smith House Photo

See the full story on Dwell.com: The Create & Cultivate Clubhouse Takes Millennial Pink to the Next Level
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