From Trauma to Designing Luxury Experiences

Summary

Podcast Summary: Living The Red Life

Episode: "From Trauma to Designing Luxury Experiences"

Host: Rudy Mawer (with Ray Gutierrez as guest interviewer)
Guest: Jackie Bethke, Founder of Jackie Bethke Design
Date: June 2, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode features a candid conversation between guest host Ray Gutierrez and luxury interior designer Jackie Bethke. The discussion explores the transformative power of design—not just in aesthetics, but in how spaces can evoke emotion, influence energy, and foster personal growth. Jackie shares her personal journey from trauma to triumph, the philosophy behind her eponymous design firm, and lessons for entrepreneurs and creatives about harnessing discomfort, intuition, and self-awareness to create meaningful work and environments.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Growth Through Discomfort and Trauma

• Jackie reflects on how personal trauma and experiencing uncomfortable situations were essential to her development as a designer and individual.
  • "Growth only comes from being uncomfortable. Being in really uncomfortable situations is where growth happens." — Jackie Bethke [00:00]
  • Jackie describes becoming so used to discomfort that it became her comfort zone, and evolving from that state defined her current self [00:07, 06:25, 06:37].

2. The Emotional Core of Design

• The conversation consistently returns to the idea that great design is not about color schemes or objects, but about the feelings and energy evoked in a space.
  • "It's really about the emotion and the energy of the frequency when you walk into a space, is it not?" — Ray Gutierrez [00:42]
  • "You have to evoke all five senses in design and for design to be everlasting." — Jackie [00:53, 08:25]
  • Jackie underscores the importance of the five senses and how details—sound, texture, scent, and energy—shape the overall experience of a space [00:53, 08:25].

3. Life Experience as Creative Fuel

• Jackie traces her sensitivity to the experience of being a designer back to early life and even pre-birth, referencing how vibrations and energies are absorbed and learned [03:59, 04:12].
  • "It comes from experiences throughout your life. Even before you were even born, when you were, like, in your mother's womb..." — Jackie [03:59]

4. Presence and Energy Management

• Jackie talks about the challenge and importance of being truly present, even in the face of nerves and past experiences. She also touches on the ongoing reality of nerves, vulnerability, and how she recharges as an introvert [05:13, 11:46, 12:05].
  • “It takes a lot of work to be constantly moving in the present.” — Jackie [05:32]
  • “What you need to recover is something that is going to re inspire you because you can get totally out of gas. And taking on other people's energy every day, all day, constantly can be extraordinarily tiresome. But for me, I just give myself that now.” — Jackie [12:05]

5. Signature Style and Evoking Belonging

• Jackie relates her own creative process and why her aesthetic pushes boundaries, making people feel fully, not just see or think or hear.
  • "I really am about texture and color and really making people feel all of their senses...you have to evoke all five senses in design and for design to be everlasting." — Jackie [08:25]
• On creating experiences in hospitality spaces like Wynn Resorts:
  • “Each and every moment that you spend on a property is about how do we disarm you and let you live your truly authentic self... that is the job of a designer.” — Jackie [10:04]

6. Energy, Avatars, and Identity

• Jackie humorously describes her “faces” or inner avatars that inform her work and personality—referencing Alice in Wonderland, Dorothy, Edward Scissorhands, and the Mad Hatter.
  • “When you touch me, I become your power source. So people plug into that energy even though they don’t understand it.” — Jackie [13:59]
• She acknowledges introvert and extrovert dynamics, and the alchemy of shared energy within spaces [12:05, 13:55].

7. Advice for Self-Discovery and Growth

• For listeners not yet in tune with their own creative energy or intuition, Jackie recommends persistence and openness to stillness:
  • “Being in that stillness opens up parts of us that we never knew existed. So I would just tell the viewers... it takes time to develop those skills. But if you could stay at it, you’ll get there.” — Jackie [15:52]

8. On Ideal Clients and Business Philosophy

• Jackie’s dream clients are those who resonate with her philosophy—it's about alignment of values, not budget.
  • “My dream clients are the ones that are attracted to me...it’s not about how much money they have to spend. It’s about do I align with them and do they value the services that we offer.” — Jackie [17:11]

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Memorable Quotes & Highlights

• "Growth only comes from being uncomfortable." — Jackie [00:00]
• "It's really about the emotion and the energy of the frequency when you walk into a space." — Ray [00:42]
• "You have to evoke all five senses in design and for design to be everlasting." — Jackie [00:53, 08:25]
• "Being always present... that takes a lot of work." — Jackie [05:21, 05:32]
• "Each and every moment you spend on a property is about: how do we disarm you and let you live your truly authentic self?" — Jackie [10:04]
• "When you touch me, I become your power source." — Jackie [13:59]
• “Being in that stillness opens up parts of us that we never knew existed.” — Jackie [15:52]
• "My dream clients are the ones that are attracted to me... it's about do I align with them." — Jackie [17:11]
• Jackie’s self-effacing humor about her name: “Let's just go with JQ. I think you got it.” — Jackie [18:11]

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Notable Segments and Timestamps

• [00:00-01:13] — Opening reflections on discomfort as a driver of growth
• [02:21-04:44] — Jackie and Ray discuss design as emotional/frequency work; early life influence
• [06:24-08:25] — Jackie explains “comfort in discomfort” and sensory design
• [09:25-11:40] — Experiences at Wynn, instilling belonging, and emotional choreography of space
• [11:46-13:55] — Introvert/extrovert energy management and the “power source” metaphor
• [13:59-15:25] — The “faces” of Jackie; embracing multifaceted identity in creativity
• [15:25-16:38] — Advice on cultivating self-awareness and creative potential through stillness
• [17:05-17:47] — Defining the dream client and the value of alignment in business

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Tone and Language

The conversation is warm, candid, and sprinkled with gentle humor and vulnerability. Both hosts and guest prioritize authenticity, creatives’ journeys, and the subtle magic that shapes legacy—whether in business, design, or life.

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(This summary excludes introductory remarks, advertisements, and closing credits.)

Transcript

[A]

Growth only comes from being uncomfortable. Being in really uncomfortable situations is where growth happens.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

I lived in uncomfortable for so long, it became the place I was most comfortable with. Trying to figure out how to change that is where I really developed who I am now.

[C]

Jackie Bethke is the founder of Jackie, a luxury interior design and design build firm based in Scottsdale, Arizona. Throughout. Through her work, she creates immersive, bespoke environments for residential, hospitality and commercial clients, transforming spaces into deeply personal, emotionally resonant experiences that elevate how people live, connect, and feel.

[B]

A lot of folks that do interior or any sort of designs, they really think it's just pantone here, have black there, have red there. It's really about the emotion and the energy of the frequency when you walk into a space, is it not?

[A]

Yes. And not a lot of people really, truly understand that. In terms of what does that mean? You have to evoke all five senses in design and for design to be everlasting. So each and every moment that you spend on a property is about.

[D]

My name is Rudy Moore, host of Living the Red Life podcast, and I'm here to change the way you see your life in your earpiece every single week. If you're ready to start living the red life, ditch the blue pill, take the red pill. Join me in wonderland and change your life.

[B]

Welcome back to another episode of the living your legacy podcast for inside Success. I am Ray Gutierrez, joining me today fresh off the women Empire Empire women empower conveyor belt, as I like to call it. We just finished filming her episode moments ago, and she's already an amazing energy. Gosh. Welcome to the show. Go ahead and introduce yourself, please. I can introduce you if you like.

[A]

Yeah, why don't you do that?

[B]

Well, I have some show notes.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And I was going to go for it. Her name is Jackie Bethke, and she's the founder of Jackie Bethke Design. She's an architect, an interior designer, and a procurement and runs a procurement firm. Firm.

[A]

That was really tough.

[B]

That was difficult.

[A]

Too many syllables.

[B]

I know. I'm from Miami and I can barely do this thing very well.

[A]

It's like, we buy the stuff for you.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So interior design, where would you like to begin? In the exterior or the interior of Jackie Story Wise?

[A]

Well, well, I think that we always just want to talk about, like, how it makes you feel. It's not what it looks like. It's not how it performs always, because there's a lot of bad design. But it is really all about how it makes you feel when you're in it.

[B]

A lot of folks that do interior or any sort of design don't quite understand what the hell that means. They really think it's just pantone here, have black there, have red there. It's really about the emotion and the energy of the frequency when you walk into a space, isn't?

[A]

Yes. And not a lot of people really, truly understand that. In terms of what does that mean? What does it mean to have a space vibrate on your level or vibrate on your corporate level? What does that really mean? What is the essence of what you're trying to convey through an aesthetic? And that's what a lot of people miss in interior design. Or I would say they're afraid to talk about, they're afraid to verbalize, and afraid to ask the questions correct.

[B]

And it's funny because this happens to everyone every single day. It's the sheets you sleep in, the size of the bed you're in. Is it a king size versus a single versus a queen? All these little details add up to the data of what you call your life experience. And it equates into negativity, positivity, an urge, a desire.

[A]

Right? Yes. Yes.

[B]

And it's all the manipulation of the frequencies and the sounds in the room. This color is vibrating an energy.

[A]

Correct.

[B]

And this energy is making me feel something that's going to make me do another thing.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

So where does this superpower come from?

[A]

It comes from experiences throughout your life. Even before you were even born, when you were, like, in your mother's womb,

[B]

when you were just stardust.

[A]

You're being affected by frequency and vibration. And. And then as you grow through experiences, you start to take on those vibrations. And that's when we start to learn what's a good thing, what's a bad thing, what's a good experience. How does that make you feel? Don't wanna do that again. That didn't feel good. It's something that you develop and you hone, and it's something I've never been afraid of. I'm pretty fearless about it.

[B]

With great power comes great responsibility. You do have quite an origin story. Let's not dive into specifics because I want folks to watch your episode. But because of these experiences, they've sort of unlocked these divine inner dimensions inside of you that a lot of folks don't even possess because they can't even handle what you've handled. And you've kind of stepped into the darkness, said, here's the light, here it is. And it happens to be just More darkness. But in a good way.

[A]

That is so true. But I think for me, it's just about positivity.

[B]

Yes, ma'. Am.

[A]

And being always present. Like, just be present. Be present where you are right now and be present where you are in 10 minutes from now.

[B]

Correct.

[A]

And that takes a lot of work to be constantly moving in the present. And. And a lot of people live in the present based on their past experiences. Right. So if you got in a car accident, when you first get back in the car, you're really afraid you're three or four car lengths back instead of the way you would normally drive. Maybe you're very aggressive. Maybe you have, like, a V12 in your car and you like to go fast. But I think that you have to understand what that feeling is, like, many, many, many times over, to understand what to do, what not to do. But I think that growth only comes from being uncomfortable. Being in really uncomfortable situations is where growth happens.

[B]

Absolutely.

[A]

And I think it's a choice. It's a choice I made to. I lived in uncomfortable for so long, it became the place I was most comfortable with.

[C]

Right on.

[A]

And then trying to figure out how to change that is where I really developed who I am now.

[B]

Correct. I. I have to admit, I was. I was a little. I was impressed that you were nervous about this experience. I'm like, with someone with your statue, with your vibe. Nervous. Really? Oh, I'm honored.

[A]

I think that you never. Stop, stop. Like, I'm super comfortable now. Great.

[B]

That was my point. Now you're comfortable.

[A]

But when I first came, like, I didn't know what to expect. So it's not like I'm not normal. I am not normal, by the way. But I felt these feelings of, like, I'm going into something unknown. I don't know exactly what the questions are going to be, and I don't want to answer the questions and feel that someone that I care about is being disrespected or that. That they're not gonna understand exactly what I'm trying to put into the world. Correct. So I think from a perspective of being nervous, that's really. That never goes away, Right?

[B]

Yeah. It's kind of a stage fright a little bit. It's almost like I'm about to experience something. I've experienced all these things, but there's one little corner. I'm like, all right, let's step right into that. How do you feel now?

[A]

Oh, I feel awesome.

[B]

Great.

[A]

I got rid of that very early on. Your socks helped, by the way. Everybody. He's got raspberry and black striped socks on. That's my Edward Scissorhands right there.

[B]

Yep, yep. He's one of my, my. One of my heroes.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And it's crazy how he was an outcast.

[A]

He.

[B]

He went through his lone wolf journey and he just fought the curve and the turn, and now he's a gender. Like a gender. A gender. Like there's a Tim Burton look.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Do you feel like there is a certain look to your art, your. Your experience that happens to be interior exterior design?

[A]

Yes. I feel like I'm always pushing the boundaries, even the way that I dress or appear. It's sort of like people look at you and they're like, hmm, yeah. I don't think that go well. No, she can pull that off. So I really am about texture and color and really making people feel all of their senses. Not just their heart, their. Not just their brain, not just their ears, not just what they smell, but about everything that we all go through. Like, it's. Everyone can smell a fart, but then everybody can also walk up to the counter and be like, oh, my gosh, what perfume are you wearing? So I think you have to evoke all five senses in design and for design to be everlasting.

[B]

I'm quietly a fan girl of yours. Or fanboy. Whatever you want to. What tase it today. Whatever. What am I decided to be today? Wynn Resorts. That is top tier. There's the Hiltons, there's this, and then there's the Wynn. Like Vegas. And I have history and my church is going to the Wynn, going to excess and just escape and then re. Emerging as a new person and going out into the real world and becoming this new thing.

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Because of the experience of had at the Wynn or Vegas. Talk about. Besides talk about creating the experience. What does it really take to feel like you belong in a space?

[A]

It takes great imagination, and that's what we're trying to open up. Sort of like cracking the egg. Right. So nobody wants to be naughty. Nobody wants to admit that they have things that they might not want other people to know. Like people eat when nobody's around because they don't want people to judge how much they eat or different things like that. So the experiences that we're always trying to create are all based on. It's okay to be a little nervous when you first get here, but then we want you to feel comfortable. We want you to. Our scents are even about. What emotion do we want people to feel when they're in the Lobby. We want them to let their guard down. And then it advances through. Like you could go past a really amazing bar and be like, you know what? I can't drink before 5 at home because I work. But today I'm gonna drink at 11 because I'm not feeling judged. So each and every moment that you spend on a property and is about how do we disarm you and let you live your truly authentic self. Good, bad, indifferent. And really sometimes it's about letting out negative energy, sometimes it's about capturing negative energy. And I think that we appeal to introverts and extroverts and that is the job of a designer.

[B]

Beautiful. Beautifully said. I wonder why. Speaking to an introvert. I'm sure you're an introvert as well.

[A]

I am.

[B]

Our extrovert superpower is the fact that what we're being fed musically book wise experiences is now in our hearts and we transfuse it and extrovert it out and it's just all around us.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

What's that like for you? Knowing that you've got this superpower but you really can't quite teach it, you really can't quite pay for it because it's your power.

[A]

Yeah. So I think that it's about the value. And it's like plugging your Tesla in when the battery's all the way dead. Right. And what you need to recover is something that is going to re inspire you because you can get totally out of gas. And taking on other people's energy every day, all day, constantly can be extraordinarily tiresome. But for me, I just give myself that now. And I can watch Hallmark movies or I've recently. I never cooked. Never cooked. I recently just started cooking and it's quite, it's actually quite comical. But I occasionally turn out something that people will actually eat. But I really enjoy being by myself and just soaking in the universe, just like bringing it in and breathing it out. And honestly, if you can, they call it the difference between incoherence and coherence. And I know we've all been in a room where somebody comes in and you're like, whoa, that energy. So it's more about being able to influence the people that are not in coherence with you and then slowly bringing that energy into a unified system where all of a sudden where they were like, boom, up, down, up, down. All of a sudden you're sitting there and everybody's in the same heartbeat and rhythm. And that is to me the exact way to explain how an introvert and an extrovert behave. One needs to be alone. One needs to go out and be with people.

[B]

How many personality or avatars are currently inside of you now?

[A]

Oh, boy. We call it the Faces of Jackie at Jackie. So there's Alice in Wonderland, There's Dorothy from the wizard of Oz. By the way, how I got my first job right on. There is Edward Scissorhands, and there's the Mad Hatter. So many of my avatars appear to be, like, dark or kind of, like, aloof, not able to quite touch. But when you touch me, I become your power source. So people plug into that energy even though they don't understand it.

[B]

Yep. This is what separates us and them. People start listening to this portion of the podcast or start watching even inside Success, like, oh, that's all the foo foo stuff. I'm like, well, that's where the real magic is. That's. That's the reality that we operate in. And we bask in it because we understand how the syncy works and we're enjoying it. We drive our passion. And you can see it all around us. What do you tell folks that are on that journey of discovery that don't quite understand that they've got the superpower that you and I possess and everyone in this room, but they aren't quite recognizing the patterns, the sounds, the cues, the numerology, the signals that, yo, you are one of us. Line up because there's a herd of people that need your voice.

[A]

When you're describing that, I'm going to describe it with an activity. I remember the first time people told me to go to yoga. They're like, oh, it's so calming. It's so soothing. And so I went, right. And I would, like, be in a pose, and they're like, just standing. Stay in the pose. And I would be like, I have so much to do today. Where are the groceries gonna come from?

[B]

Who's.

[A]

Oh, yeah, now who's gonna show up instead of this person? And my mind could not stay still. And what they were asking me to do was to be in my stillness. And over time, I realized that in the beginning, I could stay in that stillness for, like, five seconds. Now I can stay in it for 15 minutes. But it's just never giving up on the fact that being in that stillness opens up parts of us that we never knew existed. So I would just tell the viewers, the listeners, everybody, that it takes time to develop those skills. But if you could stay at it, you'll get there.

[B]

Right on. Gosh, we do this for another 40, 30 minutes. How can people find you and discover more about you?

[A]

They can find us online. My Instagram, Facebook, we have four physical locations across the country, and we just love people. So I'm easy to find. I'm easy to search out, and I have a lot of thoughts and opinions about a lot of things.

[B]

Right on. Who is your dream client? Who are the folks that you want to work with and work for?

[A]

My dream clients are the ones that are attracted to me. So when I think about who would hire me, it's not about how much money they have to spend. It's about do I align with them and do they value the services that we offer. So when you see what our website says, our Instagram, our messaging, it's about people that are passionate, really, about paying it forward. A lot of what we do is in the benefit of what we can change going forward.

[B]

Jackie, gosh, thank you so much for your time and energy. How are we feeling?

[A]

I'm feeling great.

[B]

Awesome. Let's wrap it up here. This is Jackie Beskey. Did I get that right?

[A]

No, you said it wrong again. That's like, your fourth time.

[B]

That's why I don't say it.

[A]

It's Beth.

[B]

Beth Key. Key. I'm saying Beth key. Jack Bethke key.

[A]

You're better now. You got my first name wrong.

[B]

Oh, Jesus.

[A]

Let's just go with jq. I think you got it.

[B]

We're gonna do this entire thing all over again, and we're just gonna call you JQ the entire time. Well, thank you so much for your time and energy. And, yeah, I cannot wait to learn more about you watching your episode. Actually, give us a preview. What will people learn about your Women in Power episode?

[A]

They will learn that I'm not perfect. The path is not perfect, but the journey to get there is worth it.

[B]

Right on. Well said. And with that, we conclude another episode of the Living youg Legacy podcast for Inside Success. I am Rigatieris.