On this week's episode of OWN IT, we’re talking to Faith Hurley and Stacy Callighan from PinPoint Collective. In many ways these two power women are the Odd Couple, from their interests … food versus working out … to their backgrounds … Faith was an actor in a previous professional life. Stacy was an architect.
They met at a human-centered research and design firm. Faith gathered insights and Stacy designed a future not yet imagined with them. They launched PinPoint Collective in 2018 as a research and design agency with a mission to advance female leaders and create inclusive community by making design thinking equally accessible.
There’s so much to dig into here. We loved this conversation and know you will, too.
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The co-founders of PinPoint Collective, Faith (an actor) and Stacy (an architect), highlight how their vastly different professional backgrounds, prior to meeting at a human-centered research and design firm, contribute to their unique approach and success in their current venture. Their distinct perspectives allow them to tackle problems from multiple angles, demonstrating that diverse experiences can lead to innovative solutions.
Stacy Callighan's journey from architecture, where the focus was often on the designer's signature, to human-centered design illustrates a pivotal shift. She realized the importance of designing for the people who will inhabit a space or use a product, emphasizing empathy and understanding human problems. Faith Hurley, with her acting background, naturally brought a strong ability to observe and understand people, further underscoring that empathy and human insight are crucial for effective design and strategy.
Faith and Stacy founded PinPoint Collective out of a realization that they consistently found themselves as the only women in rooms or working on projects for female audiences without female representation. Their agency's mission is to advance female leaders and create inclusive communities by making design thinking accessible, emphasizing that challenging existing norms and prioritizing diverse voices leads to better work and more impactful solutions.
A crucial piece of advice shared was to understand that "I am not the business." Founders often tie their personal identity and self-worth to the success or failure of their company. Making a mental shift to distinguish between personal well-being and the business's needs allows for more objective decision-making, better leadership, and a healthier perspective on challenges.
Operating a business guided by clearly defined values, rather than just having them as written statements, is essential for long-term success and integrity. Making decisions, both small and large, that align with these values creates consistency in product and brand, attracts like-minded individuals, and provides a strong foundation for navigating challenges. Even when faced with easier alternatives, adhering to values ensures genuine fulfillment and sustainable impact.
