Podcast Summary

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: How Shea McGee Built a Design Powerhouse—One Home at a Time

Release date: December 10, 2025
Host: Ariel Okin
Guest: Shea McGee, Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Studio McGee

Episode Overview

In this episode, Ariel Okin interviews Shea McGee, the self-taught designer and co-founder of Studio McGee and McGee & Co., to explore how Shea built one of the most influential interiors brands in the U.S. Starting from sharing her first home remodel on social media, Shea has grown her business into a multifaceted design firm and product powerhouse—including brand partnerships and a hit Netflix show. The conversation uncovers her business journey, design philosophy, social media strategy, creative process, business partnerships, and upcoming projects.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Shea’s Design Philosophy and Early Journey

Shea describes her style as “classic, layered, textured” (03:05).
She never envisioned a career in interior design as a child and actually studied communications and PR. Only after college did she realize her passion and began taking classes in design (04:41).
“I was one of the very first people to start posting my house on Instagram. Like, people weren’t doing that at the time.” (05:56)

2. The Launch and Growth of Studio McGee

Shea and her husband Sid decided to sell their home to fund the business when Shea’s online following rapidly grew, seeing a unique opportunity in combining social media with interior design (07:09).
The business expanded into three main areas: interior design services, an e-commerce platform (McGee & Co.), and licensing/partnerships.

3. Embracing Instagram and Building Community

Shea was an early adopter of Instagram and YouTube for interiors: “We were like one of the first home YouTube channels. Sid was filming me talk about, you know, different countertop materials, and we didn’t know what we were doing.” (09:21)
As the brand grew, maintaining authenticity became a challenge, so Shea now has a personal account for unscripted everyday sharing to keep her creativity and authenticity alive (10:39–11:14).

4. Business Structure, Challenges, and Team Dynamic

Studio McGee employs just under 200 people (07:04).
Shea emphasizes the importance of complementary skills between her and Sid: “I like a plan. I want to feel 100% confident. And he is like, ‘Let’s just do this. Let’s try it.’” (08:16)
As the business has diversified, they've learned to balance product development, design services, and partnerships.

5. The Birth and Purpose of McGee & Co.

Shea recognized that audiences wanted easy ways to access and shop products seen in her projects—something previously unavailable in the market (12:57).
“There was no direct connection to shopability. Now the game has completely changed and it sounds hilarious that we…that wasn’t a thing. But it wasn’t a thing. And we started the thing.” (13:27)

6. Creative Consistency and Brand Evolution

Studio McGee’s hallmark is “sophisticated but not stuffy,” an ethos running through all projects and products: “What’s awesome about sophisticated but not stuffy is that that can range in styles.” (15:13)
Shea balances client desires with the Studio McGee signature, continually evolving the brand’s visual language without becoming overly trend-driven.

7. Life, Family, and Work–Finding Balance

On running multiple businesses while raising three daughters: “My list of things that I oversee is long…but I think I’m antsy and I love a project. I always excelled at group projects. Wasn’t the best test taker, but I excelled at group projects. And so my business is now one big group project.” (12:24)
With so many demands, she is “very routine-oriented,” prioritizing only work, family, and fitness (17:43).

8. Role in the Design Firm and Product Development

Shea is involved in reviewing high-touch client projects and all product concepts. The rest of the work is handled by her specialized teams (18:08–20:09).
Sid serves as CEO and handles the business side, allowing each to focus on their expertise (21:34–21:57).

9. Creativity, Inspiration, and Guarding Energy

Shea protects her creativity with trips, “uninterrupted blocks of time,” and even locking herself away from emails and distractions (22:26–23:48).
“My creative energy doesn’t happen in 30 minutes. It happens when I lock myself in my studio.” (22:48)

10. The Future of Studio McGee and McGee & Co.

The design firm isn’t aiming for exponential growth; the focus is on “taking the best projects and continuing to elevate.” (24:19)
E-commerce is the big growth ambition, with the first physical retail store opening in Salt Lake next year—a precursor to more brick-and-mortar locations (25:54–26:22).

11. Design Process & Rules

Shea loves the finishing, styling, and decorating side of design, while her team balances the technical aspects (27:47; 28:18).
She takes “scale and proportion” seriously: “When you walk into a room and the scale isn’t right, no matter how pretty the pieces are, it’s going to feel off.” (30:06)
On rules: “Too many rules leads to a look that looks the same over and over…the way you evolve is by being open” (31:21).

12. Advice, Intuition, and Defining Your Style

Shea advises trusting your intuition. “Anytime I feel that, like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure that I like this,’ I need to listen to it.” (33:04)
Defining your own style is a process of patience and experimentation: “You can pin hundreds of really beautiful images…and sometimes you just have to, like, do it to know…what really speaks to your design style.” (42:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Shea McGee on Social Media Beginnings
“I was one of the very first people to start posting my house on Instagram. Like, people weren’t doing that at the time.” (05:56)
On Brand Building
“We started the get the look—like, there wasn’t that around. We started the thing.” (13:27)
On Authenticity and Social Media
“I don’t want a content calendar and I don’t want any rules. I’m just gonna start an Instagram account for myself so I can just post whatever it is that I want.” (10:39–11:14)
On Creative Process
“My creative energy doesn’t happen in 30 minutes. It happens when I lock myself in my studio and tell everyone…” (22:48)
On Design Rules
“Too many rules leads to a look that looks the same over and over again…it’s prescriptive. And I think that I used to think, ‘We’d never do this.’ Well, now I’m doing it. And I’m glad I allowed myself to be open to that.” (31:21)
On Intuition
“Anytime I feel that, like, oh, I’m not sure that I like this, I need to listen to it…because the house is going to get installed and I’m still going to have that pit in my stomach if I didn’t just speak up.” (33:04)
On Growth & Future Ambitions
“I want to be one of those top five names that come to your head when you’re searching for beautiful furniture.” (25:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

03:05 — Shea describes her design style in three words
04:41–06:26 — Discussing her self-taught journey and early Instagram adoption
07:04 — The scale of Studio McGee: nearly 200 employees
08:16 — The risk of selling their home to start the business
09:21 — Early days on YouTube and learning to connect with an audience
10:39–11:14 — Navigating authenticity as her brand grew
13:27 — How McGee & Co. originated the “get the look” shopping approach
15:13 — The ethos of “sophisticated but not stuffy”
18:08–20:09 — Shea’s current involvement in product and design
22:48 — How Shea protects her creative energy
24:19 — The future: design firm focus vs. e-commerce growth; first retail store
28:18 — What brings Shea joy in the design process (“styling”)
30:06–31:21 — Her thoughts on design rules and evolving with time
33:04 — Trusting intuition for creative decisions
42:26 — Advice for defining your own interior style

Rapid Fire Take 10—Shea’s Personal Picks

Favorite food: Chips & guacamole
Favorite drink: Diet Coke
Favorite film: Singing in the Rain
Favorite hotel: Pasalaqua, Lake Como
Favorite city: London (especially for antiquing)
Go-to bedding: Tencel sheets from McGee & Co.
Coffee or tea: Neither; “So much Diet Coke”
Surprising playlist: “I love 60s and 70s rock and roll”
Favorite weekend activity: Taking the family Airstream camping in Utah
Favorite design book: Timeless by Patrick Ahern

Upcoming Projects and Closing Thoughts

Launching McGee & Co.’s first physical retail store in Salt Lake City, summer 2026 (25:54, 40:41)
Publishing a new entertaining and cooking book in April: “The way I cook really is an extension of how I like to design.” (41:01)
Advice to listeners: Be patient with yourself, experiment, and trust what feels right in your own home (42:26).

Where to Find More

Studio McGee: Studio McGee
McGee & Co: McGee & Co

Podcast Summary

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: How Shea McGee Built a Design Powerhouse—One Home at a Time

Release date: December 10, 2025
Host: Ariel Okin
Guest: Shea McGee, Co-founder & Chief Creative Officer, Studio McGee

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Shea’s Design Philosophy and Early Journey

Shea describes her style as “classic, layered, textured” (03:05).
She never envisioned a career in interior design as a child and actually studied communications and PR. Only after college did she realize her passion and began taking classes in design (04:41).
“I was one of the very first people to start posting my house on Instagram. Like, people weren’t doing that at the time.” (05:56)

2. The Launch and Growth of Studio McGee

Shea and her husband Sid decided to sell their home to fund the business when Shea’s online following rapidly grew, seeing a unique opportunity in combining social media with interior design (07:09).
The business expanded into three main areas: interior design services, an e-commerce platform (McGee & Co.), and licensing/partnerships.

3. Embracing Instagram and Building Community

Shea was an early adopter of Instagram and YouTube for interiors: “We were like one of the first home YouTube channels. Sid was filming me talk about, you know, different countertop materials, and we didn’t know what we were doing.” (09:21)
As the brand grew, maintaining authenticity became a challenge, so Shea now has a personal account for unscripted everyday sharing to keep her creativity and authenticity alive (10:39–11:14).

4. Business Structure, Challenges, and Team Dynamic

Studio McGee employs just under 200 people (07:04).
Shea emphasizes the importance of complementary skills between her and Sid: “I like a plan. I want to feel 100% confident. And he is like, ‘Let’s just do this. Let’s try it.’” (08:16)
As the business has diversified, they've learned to balance product development, design services, and partnerships.

5. The Birth and Purpose of McGee & Co.

Shea recognized that audiences wanted easy ways to access and shop products seen in her projects—something previously unavailable in the market (12:57).
“There was no direct connection to shopability. Now the game has completely changed and it sounds hilarious that we…that wasn’t a thing. But it wasn’t a thing. And we started the thing.” (13:27)

6. Creative Consistency and Brand Evolution

Studio McGee’s hallmark is “sophisticated but not stuffy,” an ethos running through all projects and products: “What’s awesome about sophisticated but not stuffy is that that can range in styles.” (15:13)
Shea balances client desires with the Studio McGee signature, continually evolving the brand’s visual language without becoming overly trend-driven.

7. Life, Family, and Work–Finding Balance

On running multiple businesses while raising three daughters: “My list of things that I oversee is long…but I think I’m antsy and I love a project. I always excelled at group projects. Wasn’t the best test taker, but I excelled at group projects. And so my business is now one big group project.” (12:24)
With so many demands, she is “very routine-oriented,” prioritizing only work, family, and fitness (17:43).

8. Role in the Design Firm and Product Development

Shea is involved in reviewing high-touch client projects and all product concepts. The rest of the work is handled by her specialized teams (18:08–20:09).
Sid serves as CEO and handles the business side, allowing each to focus on their expertise (21:34–21:57).

9. Creativity, Inspiration, and Guarding Energy

Shea protects her creativity with trips, “uninterrupted blocks of time,” and even locking herself away from emails and distractions (22:26–23:48).
“My creative energy doesn’t happen in 30 minutes. It happens when I lock myself in my studio.” (22:48)

10. The Future of Studio McGee and McGee & Co.

The design firm isn’t aiming for exponential growth; the focus is on “taking the best projects and continuing to elevate.” (24:19)
E-commerce is the big growth ambition, with the first physical retail store opening in Salt Lake next year—a precursor to more brick-and-mortar locations (25:54–26:22).

11. Design Process & Rules

Shea loves the finishing, styling, and decorating side of design, while her team balances the technical aspects (27:47; 28:18).
She takes “scale and proportion” seriously: “When you walk into a room and the scale isn’t right, no matter how pretty the pieces are, it’s going to feel off.” (30:06)
On rules: “Too many rules leads to a look that looks the same over and over…the way you evolve is by being open” (31:21).

12. Advice, Intuition, and Defining Your Style

Shea advises trusting your intuition. “Anytime I feel that, like, ‘Oh, I’m not sure that I like this,’ I need to listen to it.” (33:04)
Defining your own style is a process of patience and experimentation: “You can pin hundreds of really beautiful images…and sometimes you just have to, like, do it to know…what really speaks to your design style.” (42:26)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Shea McGee on Social Media Beginnings
“I was one of the very first people to start posting my house on Instagram. Like, people weren’t doing that at the time.” (05:56)
On Brand Building
“We started the get the look—like, there wasn’t that around. We started the thing.” (13:27)
On Authenticity and Social Media
“I don’t want a content calendar and I don’t want any rules. I’m just gonna start an Instagram account for myself so I can just post whatever it is that I want.” (10:39–11:14)
On Creative Process
“My creative energy doesn’t happen in 30 minutes. It happens when I lock myself in my studio and tell everyone…” (22:48)
On Design Rules
“Too many rules leads to a look that looks the same over and over again…it’s prescriptive. And I think that I used to think, ‘We’d never do this.’ Well, now I’m doing it. And I’m glad I allowed myself to be open to that.” (31:21)
On Intuition
“Anytime I feel that, like, oh, I’m not sure that I like this, I need to listen to it…because the house is going to get installed and I’m still going to have that pit in my stomach if I didn’t just speak up.” (33:04)
On Growth & Future Ambitions
“I want to be one of those top five names that come to your head when you’re searching for beautiful furniture.” (25:20)

Timestamps for Important Segments

03:05 — Shea describes her design style in three words
04:41–06:26 — Discussing her self-taught journey and early Instagram adoption
07:04 — The scale of Studio McGee: nearly 200 employees
08:16 — The risk of selling their home to start the business
09:21 — Early days on YouTube and learning to connect with an audience
10:39–11:14 — Navigating authenticity as her brand grew
13:27 — How McGee & Co. originated the “get the look” shopping approach
15:13 — The ethos of “sophisticated but not stuffy”
18:08–20:09 — Shea’s current involvement in product and design
22:48 — How Shea protects her creative energy
24:19 — The future: design firm focus vs. e-commerce growth; first retail store
28:18 — What brings Shea joy in the design process (“styling”)
30:06–31:21 — Her thoughts on design rules and evolving with time
33:04 — Trusting intuition for creative decisions
42:26 — Advice for defining your own interior style

Rapid Fire Take 10—Shea’s Personal Picks

Favorite food: Chips & guacamole
Favorite drink: Diet Coke
Favorite film: Singing in the Rain
Favorite hotel: Pasalaqua, Lake Como
Favorite city: London (especially for antiquing)
Go-to bedding: Tencel sheets from McGee & Co.
Coffee or tea: Neither; “So much Diet Coke”
Surprising playlist: “I love 60s and 70s rock and roll”
Favorite weekend activity: Taking the family Airstream camping in Utah
Favorite design book: Timeless by Patrick Ahern

Upcoming Projects and Closing Thoughts

Launching McGee & Co.’s first physical retail store in Salt Lake City, summer 2026 (25:54, 40:41)
Publishing a new entertaining and cooking book in April: “The way I cook really is an extension of how I like to design.” (41:01)
Advice to listeners: Be patient with yourself, experiment, and trust what feels right in your own home (42:26).

Where to Find More

Studio McGee: Studio McGee
McGee & Co: McGee & Co

How Shea McGee Built a Design Powerhouse: One Home at a Time

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Summary

Podcast Summary

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: How Shea McGee Built a Design Powerhouse—One Home at a Time

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Shea’s Design Philosophy and Early Journey

2. The Launch and Growth of Studio McGee

3. Embracing Instagram and Building Community

4. Business Structure, Challenges, and Team Dynamic

5. The Birth and Purpose of McGee & Co.

6. Creative Consistency and Brand Evolution

7. Life, Family, and Work–Finding Balance

8. Role in the Design Firm and Product Development

9. Creativity, Inspiration, and Guarding Energy

10. The Future of Studio McGee and McGee & Co.

11. Design Process & Rules

12. Advice, Intuition, and Defining Your Style

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Rapid Fire Take 10—Shea’s Personal Picks

Upcoming Projects and Closing Thoughts

Where to Find More

Summary

Podcast Summary

Talk Shop with Ariel Okin: How Shea McGee Built a Design Powerhouse—One Home at a Time

Episode Overview

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Shea’s Design Philosophy and Early Journey

2. The Launch and Growth of Studio McGee

3. Embracing Instagram and Building Community

4. Business Structure, Challenges, and Team Dynamic

5. The Birth and Purpose of McGee & Co.

6. Creative Consistency and Brand Evolution

7. Life, Family, and Work–Finding Balance

8. Role in the Design Firm and Product Development

9. Creativity, Inspiration, and Guarding Energy

10. The Future of Studio McGee and McGee & Co.

11. Design Process & Rules

12. Advice, Intuition, and Defining Your Style

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Timestamps for Important Segments

Rapid Fire Take 10—Shea’s Personal Picks

Upcoming Projects and Closing Thoughts

Where to Find More