How a Broke Mom Built a Multi-Million Design Empire

Summary

Living Your Legacy

Episode: How a Broke Mom Built a Multi-Million Design Empire

Date: May 15, 2026
Host: Ray Gutierrez (Inside Success / Women in Power series)
Guest: Suzanne Porter, Founder of Retreat and Company

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Episode Overview

This episode features Suzanne Porter, a dynamic entrepreneur and founder of Retreat and Company, as she walks through her journey from a modest, traditional upbringing in San Antonio, Texas, to building a multi-million dollar design and construction empire. Suzanne shares stories of resilience, vision, and grit—revealing the realities behind the seemingly glamorous world of design, the challenges she faced as a woman in construction, and her design philosophies that set her firm apart. Throughout the conversation, listeners receive candid advice on staying true to one’s vision, the importance of thoughtful curation, and the power of relentless daily effort in achieving business success.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Suzanne’s Early Life & Upbringing

[02:11–05:01]

• Family Background: Youngest of three, raised in a traditional household in San Antonio, Texas.
• Sibling Dynamics: Two much older brothers—protective yet relentless in teasing, imparting both grit and independence.

“I’m a Texas fire girl.” – Suzanne Porter [03:28]

• Tomboy vs. Girly Girl: Struggled internally with stereotypes; loved horse riding and sports but also enjoyed dressing up.

Building Confidence, Grit, and Resilience

[05:07–06:15]

• Growing Up with Horses: Developed grit and resilience through caring for and falling off horses, which shaped her attitude toward setbacks.

“You have to just be okay with failing a little bit…my dad…would just be like, no, girl, you’re getting back on.” – Suzanne Porter [06:04]

First Steps Into Design & Real Estate

[06:47–08:36]

• Early Influences: Inspired by her mother’s interest in home design and their local designer, Letty Lou.
• Career Beginnings: Entered real estate after college almost by accident—began by assisting with unappealing homes, saw opportunities to add value through design.

“I always thought it’d be really cool if somebody paid me to do this, but I never thought that I would actually get paid to do this.” – Suzanne Porter [07:39]

The Role of Vision in Design and Business

[08:36–09:19]

• “Ugliest House in Best Neighborhood” Mindset: Emphasizes vision and the ability to see possibility where others see a lost cause.

“You have to have vision, too, to be like, this is a really hideous house…and so just having that grit and determination…and also the vision to be like, I can fix it. I can make it great.” – Suzanne Porter [09:05]

Suzanne’s Design Ethos

[10:21–12:29]

• Beauty & Cohesion: Believes design should be thoughtful, cohesive, and not merely driven by cost or trends.
• Signature Style: Favors simplicity, layered textures, and moments of intentional impact; believes in a few strategic design statements rather than overwhelming every space.

“I like things that feel really effortless, like you’re not trying too hard…nothing too glammy…also unique is a really high value.” – Suzanne Porter [10:27] “If there’s an impact everywhere, you lose it. It’s too much.” – Ray Gutierrez [12:24]

Design Context: Place and Authenticity

[12:34–15:26]

• Environmental Consistency: Design should suit its environment—no coastal homes in pastures, farmhouses on beaches, or heavy-handed regional clichés.

“A coastal home doesn’t belong in a pasture. Like a farmhouse doesn’t belong on the beach…It needs to be cohesive from its location all the way through every room.” – Suzanne Porter [13:03]

• Subtlety Over Stereotype: Advocates for designs that reflect place and culture without resorting to overused visual clichés (e.g. Texas stars everywhere).

Design “Frequency” – Visual and Emotional Resonance

[15:48–16:16]

• Evaluation of Spaces: Appreciates thoughtful luxury (e.g. Satai Hotel in Miami) over themey or hyper-literal motifs. Values texture, authenticity, and genuine connection to location.

Favorite Inspirational Cities

[16:03–18:10]

• New York Adoration: Finds continual inspiration in the variety, authenticity, and energy of Manhattan and Brooklyn; sees beauty even in imperfections.

“There’s something beautiful in it because it…belongs there. It feels authentic, you know?” – Suzanne Porter [16:46]

The Journey: Process, Not a “Made It” Moment

[18:47–21:07]

• No Single Breakthrough: Growth of Retreat and Company was a “slow burn,” built through daily grind and discipline, not by one defining event.

“There really hasn’t been this moment of like, wow, I’ve made it… It really is just like, the daily grind and walking through the next step.” – Suzanne Porter [18:47]

Realities of Construction and Entrepreneurship

[20:40–21:51]

• Mythbusting: The construction industry is hard, messy, and often thankless, unlike the glamorous portrayals on TV.

“…the construction industry in particular is actually really thankless and really not glamorous…It’s just work. It’s just like putting in the time and being disciplined and working hard and you can’t play the victim. You have to do the work and want it bad enough, like for the reward, you know, at the end.” – Suzanne Porter [21:14]

The Retreat and Company Difference

[22:51–23:43]

• Design-Driven Approach: Unique among local builders, Retreat and Company starts with aesthetics and curates from there, rather than treating design as an afterthought.

“We say, like, design drives the build, not the other way around.” – Suzanne Porter [23:07]

Legacy, Scaling, and Future Vision

[25:04–25:58]

• Scaling Up: Suzanne wants to expand beyond her local market, including product collaborations and “curated custom” developments where no two homes are alike.

Signature Features & Unmistakable Touches

[26:04–27:03]

• Custom “Standards”: Full stone or tile backsplashes, unique range vent hoods, the “dirty kitchen” concept (a hidden prep and cleanup zone), and eliminating visual clutter in detailing.

“My vent hoods are always really custom and special. So that’s just a place where I like to design, flex, and do something different every time.” – Suzanne Porter [26:11] “We have a room that we like to add in all of our floor plans called the dirty kitchen… So we have, like a secondary kitchen that we hide…” – Suzanne Porter [26:57]

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Memorable Quotes

• On Grit:
  “You have to just be okay with failing a little bit…my dad…would just be like, no, girl, you’re getting back on.” – Suzanne Porter [06:04]

• On Vision:
  “You have to have vision, too, to be like, this is a really hideous house.…you can fix anything, you know? And so just having that grit and determination and also the vision to be like, I can fix it. I can make it great.” – Suzanne Porter [09:05]

• On Daily Progress:
  “…there really hasn’t been this moment of like, wow, I’ve made it…It really is just the daily grind and walking through the next step.” – Suzanne Porter [18:47]

• On the Industry’s Reality:
  “…the construction industry in particular is actually really thankless and really not glamorous…” – Suzanne Porter [20:40]

• On Design Integrity:
  “A coastal home doesn’t belong in a pasture. Like a farmhouse doesn’t belong on the beach…It needs to be cohesive from its location all the way through every room.” – Suzanne Porter [13:03]

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Notable Moments & Timestamps

• Discussing childhood, sibling rivalry, and horse stories: [02:11–06:15]
• First taste of interior design and real estate: [06:47–08:36]
• Designing ugly houses with vision: [08:36–09:19]
• Exploring Suzanne’s design philosophy and aversions to trends: [10:21–13:14]
• Design and sense of place, avoiding clichéd tropes: [13:14–15:26]
• New York City as muse: [16:16–18:10]
• The unglamorous grind behind the scenes: [18:47–21:51]
• How Retreat and Company differs and signature touches: [22:51–27:03]

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Conclusion & Takeaways

Suzanne Porter’s story is a transparent look at the intersection of grit, vision, and creative discipline. Rejecting shortcuts and stereotypes, she built her multi-million dollar empire not by chasing trends, but by committing to daily excellence, relentless improvement, and originality tailored to each project and place. Her insights on blending aesthetics with practicality, championing design-first development, and sustaining a humble yet ambitious mindset offer inspiration for any entrepreneur or creative professional.

Recommended for:
Aspiring and established entrepreneurs, design enthusiasts, and anyone seeking real-world inspiration on perseverance, leadership, and the art of leaving a meaningful legacy.

Transcript

[Suzanne Porter]

The construction industry in particular is actually really thankless and really not glamorous. No one ever gets it right the first time. Every time. You know, there are a lot of mistakes and things you have to fix and, you know, communication problems. And so it just feels like. I hate to make it, like, sound like a downer, but it's just work. It's just like putting in the time and being disciplined and working hard and, like, you can't play the victim.

[Narrator/Host Introduction]

Suzanne Porter is a refined, visionary entrepreneur, designer, and the founder of Retreat and Company. And Suzanne Porter, design. Drawing from her background in real estate, luxury home design, and construction, she creates timeless, thoughtfully curated spaces that blend elevated aesthetics with meaningful everyday living.

[Suzanne Porter]

You have to have vision, too, to be like, this is a really hideous house. And. But, you know, anything can. Anything is possible. Like, you can fix anything, you know, and so just having that grit and determination and also the vision to be like, I can fix it. I can make it great.

[Podcast Promo/Trailer Voice]

It spans the globe like a super high cold Internet. Elvis Presley. Today, Apple is going to reinvent the phone. It's not over until I win. The Living your Legacy podcast. For those who live to leave a legacy that's extraordinary. The impossible has been. Oh, that is sensational. Jordan, Open Chicago with the lead. You said Paul is the fastest man on the planet. You can live your dream.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Welcome back to another powerful episode of Women in Power for Inside Success. I am Ray Gutierrez. Joining me today is the founder of Retreat and Co, Suzanne Porter. Welcome.

[Suzanne Porter]

Thank you.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Suzanne, you just finished filming your episode for Women in Power. What did you learn about yourself?

[Suzanne Porter]

Gosh, that was a lot of talking, first of all. But it was really fun. I mean, it was cool kind of to go back through the journey and start from the beginning and share it in a cool and fresh way. It was fun.

[Ray Gutierrez]

So let's talk about the beginning of that journey. Where does Suzanne Porter start?

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, yeah. Suzanne Porter. So I am the youngest of three siblings. I have two older brothers. They're much older. I grew up in a really traditional household in San Antonio, Texas. And, yeah, had a great upbringing, great childhood. I didn't. I didn't have any drama, really, growing up. You know, the main thing was just like an internal battle within myself of, like, am I like a. Am I a feminine girly girl or am I a tomboy? Because I kind of, like, play both sides of that.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Right on.

[Suzanne Porter]

And so I kind of struggled with that a little bit. But, you know, as I've gotten older, I've realized, you know, maybe I'm A little bit more independent than I ever thought. Right on.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Were you. Were you. When you mentioned tomboy, was it the artistry of dressing up more as a boy playing boy sports? What? What? How do you define tomboy?

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah, I mean, it. It's like, a very fine line. I would say, like, I definitely. Like, I went through a phase where I wouldn't wear pants. I would just wear dresses. So, like, tomboy is relative. But I would say, like, I loved riding horses. I loved playing softball, basketball. Like, I didn't mind getting dirty or doing hard things. Like, if somebody tells me I can't do something, it just makes me want to do it more, you know, which tends to be kind of a More male. I would say, like, a male trait. So, yeah, I just kind of. I'm a fighter, I guess.

[Ray Gutierrez]

So you were born in San Antonio.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

So that's a lot of the Texas fires in there. Oh, for sure.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. I'm a Texas fire girl.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. I lived in Austin for. For three years. Not the same. Not the rest. Not. Not the same. Not the same.

[Suzanne Porter]

Austin. Austin is its own deal. Like, it is its own thing. It's, like, barely Texas.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. I'm like, Texas.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. It's barely Texas.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. But it was an interesting transition because I was in the bay for 10 years, and then to Austin, I was like, okay, I can see what's happening.

[Suzanne Porter]

Totally.

[Ray Gutierrez]

And everyone was migrating into Miami or Austin now. Everyone's in Miami, so. Yeah.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah, everyone's leaving now.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. Right on. Bastrop was much cooler than.

[Suzanne Porter]

I love Bastrop. The hill country.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. Yeah. That was, like, a lot of fol. Like, this is what Austin used to be like. Bastrop. I'd always go way west.

[Narrator/Host Introduction]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

And hang out in Bastrop.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. Bastrop's beautiful.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. So that San Antonio grit merged, mixed in with having two older brothers. What's that like? Were they always, like, handing you a controller and playing Street Fighter and kicking your ass? Like, how does this work?

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, no. I mean, so they all had a bunch of buddies over all the time, and they would tease me relentlessly. I don't know if I can even say this, like, on a podcast, but they would. They would tell me that they were going to make fajitas out of my horse. Or they would. They'd be like, we're gonna make buttercup fajitas. Ha ha ha. You know? And, like, I would just cry and be like, no, don't hurt my baby. You know, like, they would just tease me, like, just give me A hard time. But at the end of the day, my older brothers were just very protective of me. Like, they. They teased me, but they protected me really well. And so that's part of the dichotomy of, like, okay, I'm hanging out with the boys, but I'm also, like, super protected. Cause I'm the only girl. So it was like. There was definitely, like, a tension there.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I would say protection. Protection, but also, like a mystique, a mystery to you, the girl. So you. You owned horses? You rode horses?

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I. I gotta ask. You're. I think you're my third guest that. That. That actually had horses opposed to other animals.

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, that's interesting.

[Ray Gutierrez]

What's it like owning a horse? That. Did you speak to the horse? Like, oh, for sure. What's the connection?

[Suzanne Porter]

Like, they're like, dogs.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Well, I'm sure they're much bigger dogs.

[Suzanne Porter]

They're bigger dogs, but they are dogs. They're just. Yeah. Oh, my gosh. They're great. Like, the people who are. I mean, I read something actually recently that was like, most people who are like, oh, I'm afraid of horses because one bit me or I fell off one time or something like that. Like, people who love horses have gotten bit and fallen off multiple times. That does not deter us. Like, we're actually insane. Horse people are weird. But, like, you have to have grit to be around horses because they are unpredictable. And you know you are going to fall off. That's, like, part of it. You have to. You have to just be okay with failing a little bit. And, like, I do think that really, like, shaped who I was, you know, growing up. My dad is like a basically John Wayne. He is that person. He's still living. He's like, 83, and he still wears his cowboy hat and his boots. What a blessing. Yeah, he's rock and roll. He's awesome. And he would just be like, no, girl, you're getting back on. Like, if the horse did something, he would just be like, that's amazing. Show him who's boss.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I grew up in Miami, and I'd watch TV shows about your life.

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, yeah? Yes. Yes. It's like a cartoon.

[Ray Gutierrez]

You're real.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yes, exactly. I am. Yes.

[Ray Gutierrez]

So how does. Let's transition. How do we get into construction? How do we go into this reality of you, hard hat, covered in yellow. Not covered in yellow. I guess you're just wearing your vest. I don't know how this works.

[Suzanne Porter]

How did you. That's HGTV for you. That's HGTV Sorry.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah, I'm getting my vest. Incorrect here.

[Suzanne Porter]

No, you're good. You're good.

[Ray Gutierrez]

How did you land in here? Like, boss mode. Like, here you are.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. So growing up, I did always. My mom had an interior designer in San Antonio, and her name was Letty Lou, which is iconic. And she would. She did all of the houses in our neighborhood, and every time she would come over and talk to my mom, I literally did follow them around. I always thought that was cool. I remember, like, walking through houses when I was a kid with my mom. I think my mom kind of liked real estate. She always stayed at home, but she, you know, I think probably part of her wished she had, you know, leaned into this. So she would take me through houses, and we would talk about fabrics. And when I went to college, we made it a big deal to decorate my apartment. And all that was just fun to me, you know, I think I always thought it'd be really cool if somebody paid me to do this, but I never thought that I would actually get paid to do this. You know, what really led me to this was real estate. I didn't have a great plan after college. I'd gone to college to meet a cute boy who would take care of me. And, you know, he. The boy I met was, you know, poor and cute, and so I had to figure it out. And was he in the band? He's really cute.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I'm sure he is.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yes. And he could play guitar.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Nice.

[Suzanne Porter]

Summing up. Like, I had to.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. Of course.

[Suzanne Porter]

I was, like, forced to marry him because he was hot and he could play the guitar.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Of course. That's all you need.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. So, okay. So anyway, so right after college, I was like, what am I gonna do with my life? I actually have to get a job, a real job. And through a friend I had a. Somebody referred me to a real estate position. And then as I started walking through ugly houses, I was like, I could help these houses. I know what to do. Like, I could fix that. That's just like, paint and lighting. It's easy. It's like a band aid.

[Ray Gutierrez]

It's in our studios.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Just slap some stuff and. Yeah, call it good. It's fine. And so it. Then it just kind of evolved from there. Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

When did the. I got to ask. When did the. The. The real estate snobbery kick in, where it's like, you built your own taste, where it's like, I don't buy these. I don't sell these kind of homes?

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

When did that happen? Was it like, day one or our one? Like, when did you develop your taste?

[Suzanne Porter]

I feel like I've always kind of had high standards, but, you know, finances dictate what's possible. Right. And so when you're first starting out, I mean, kind of our goal has always been like, let's find the ugliest house in the best neighborhood type thing.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Sure.

[Suzanne Porter]

So you have to have vision, too, to be like, this is a really hideous house. And. But, you know, anything can. Anything is possible. Like, you can fix anything, you know? And so just having that grit and determination and also the vision to be like, I can fix it. I can make it great. Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

So when you walk into a house and the vision smacks you in the face, what do you see and what does it look like or what does it sound like?

[Suzanne Porter]

Like, if. Is it like, when it's ugly and I'm sad?

[Ray Gutierrez]

Y. That feeling, it's like, oh, like, what's your.

[Podcast Promo/Trailer Voice]

What's your.

[Suzanne Porter]

Me? So, like, I literally feel sad, really, when. When something is, like, not pretty, I feel a little bit sad and, like, my stomach hurts a little.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Wow.

[Suzanne Porter]

It really is. And I know that's like. Sounds so house whispery. Yeah, it sounds. It sounds. I don't know what it makes me sound like, but not great.

[Ray Gutierrez]

But it's just more Austin versus San Antonio.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah, exactly. Like, what does that mean? But I feel like. Like it doesn't always cost more for it to be beautiful. And so, like, you're gonna choose a paint color, you're gonna choose flooring. It might as well be beautiful and thoughtful. Like, just think about it, you know, I feel like a lot of people are just like, I like that. I like that. I like that. And none of it goes together. There's no concept, there's no cohesion. And it really. It does really bother me. I want it to be beau. I want everything to be beautiful.

[Ray Gutierrez]

What. What is beauty for you? Is it simplicity? Elegance? Is it gaudy?

[Suzanne Porter]

What is it not? Nat Gotti gold? I am more like. I like simplicity, for sure. I like textures, like, layered on textures. I like things that feel really effortless, like you're not trying too hard or, you know, nothing too glammy, just, you know, comfortable. But, like, also unique is a really high value. So, like, I like to see things that I haven't seen before. Like, oh, that's tired. I've seen that a million times, you know?

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I'm all about eyelines. I mean, when you walk into a room, as you open the door, where else? What are you looking at and where does it stand? Like, if you walk through our studios, every time we open the door by design, I want you to see where do you feel like I'm controlling you the moment you walk into the studio environment. Exactly.

[Suzanne Porter]

You feel the environment.

[Ray Gutierrez]

So that we designed, Lauren and I and even Rudy. Rudy literally painted the walls and put all this together. Love that he designed all this. I'd be more than happy to share the tour of all our studios and be like, no, this is Rudy, the technical mumbo jumbo and all the tapes and cameras.

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, you can't help that.

[Ray Gutierrez]

That was me. That's me.

[Suzanne Porter]

It's practicality. Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

We're very proud of the technological terror that him and I have constructed here. And quite the team with Lauren and the rest. So I'm very aware of what I enjoy when I kind of design a room or an experience. What are your go tos?

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. So I like to pick a couple of strategic moments to make a big statement. So typically I'm pretty simple except for these huge moments. So, like in a home, you've really often. It's like the fireplace in the vent hood. Especially like in an open concept home, those things kind of mirror each other. And so I try to kind of. I don't want them to match. That would be gross. We want it to, like, go together but not match. So, like, you know, you want to repeat, like shapes and colors and textures and just continue to repeat that pattern. And then when you bring furnishings in, that brings in the textures and the, you know, the dynamics and stuff. But really I like to just choose a few strategic places to really make an impact. So that. Because if it's. It's. If there's an impact everywhere.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Absolutely. You lose it too much.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

It's like when a movie is too noisy.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

It's. You need that. It doesn't make the silence as dramatic.

[Suzanne Porter]

Right, Exactly. Like negative space is important.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Exactly. For sure. For sure. What, like, gosh, there's so many ways we can take this conversation. What one is, is. Is too much of something a bad thing. Like, I can imagine you've worked on small homes and then you've worked on massive homes with too many rooms. Is too many rooms a bad thing or a good thing?

[Suzanne Porter]

I don't. It doesn't bother me. I think it just has to be done well.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Right.

[Suzanne Porter]

It has to be thoughtfully done. Like what? I have a pet peeve of, like, seeing like a coastal style home in a pasture.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Sure.

[Suzanne Porter]

You know what I mean? Like it needs to work in its environment. So, like, not to sound too like, woo, woo, but it's like, you know what I mean? Like, a coastal home doesn't belong in a pasture. Like a farmhouse doesn't belong on the beach. Like, no, it needs to be cohesive from. From its location all the way through every room. So I just want everyone to talk to each other. It doesn't mean they need to match or they need to be alike, but they just need to, like, relate to each other, like, be friends.

[Ray Gutierrez]

It's very cool that you mentioned that, because I had a friend from Michigan, which is how Lauren and I met. He lived in the. On the beach, but he designed it to look like his old farmhouse, so it was really interesting. He always called it the farmhouse on the beach. So that triggered that memory when you said that.

[Suzanne Porter]

I mean, more power to him. I just would not recommend that. I would always be like, no, it has to feel like it belongs here. You know?

[Ray Gutierrez]

What do you think about these very bougie Miami hotels or these experiences? Like, when you walk in, can you kind of identify the BS in the

[Suzanne Porter]

room or be like, oh, this is quite cool sometimes? Well, and I've only been in a few places here, so. But there. There have been some that we've walked in, and it's like, very, like, theme. Like, it feels really like a little cheesy Miami. And then there's some. What was the name of the restaurant last night? Or Satai.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Oh, right on.

[Suzanne Porter]

Have you been there?

[Ray Gutierrez]

I think I'm familiar.

[Suzanne Porter]

That hotel. It's like, not trying too hard at all, but it is luxury and it is beautiful. Like, they did it correctly, in my opinion.

[Ray Gutierrez]

How would you say that? Is it the vistas, the furnishing?

[Suzanne Porter]

It's just frequency. Like, lots of texture. Texture. There's. It's still a nod to, like, the beach. There's like a lot of outdoor area. There's pools and areas like that, but it's not so literal. Like, it has to be, you know, blue and neon pink. You know what I mean?

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah, yeah, for sure.

[Suzanne Porter]

Like, it doesn't have to. Like, it can kind of speak for itself, like, the location. That's where the environment and the location comes into play, because that speaks for itself.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Right on.

[Suzanne Porter]

And then you can put this beautiful hotel there, and it feels like, oh, it belongs here. It's still Miami, but it's not like, literally Miami. You know what I'm saying?

[Ray Gutierrez]

Oh, for sure. I know exactly what you're saying.

[Suzanne Porter]

It's like Texas real estate. We don't want to put Texas stars on stuff. Do you know what I'm saying? Like, we don't have to put a Texas star on everything.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Suzanne Porter]

You know, and, like, I'm okay with like, an occasional, like, head, you know, like, like a deer head if we, if we have to. If we're in a lodge. Sure. But we don't need to, like, cover it with stuffed dead animals just because we live in Texas.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I was just gonna say, it's so funny that Texas has this, like, look. When you say Texas, you already see the longhorns. You already see, like.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yes.

[Ray Gutierrez]

You already see the visual. Miami sometimes can be quite the opposite, because when you think of Miami, you think of Scarface, Will Smith. You think of all these stereotypes.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

But that's the beautiful thing about Miami. Like, I always. I'm shaking Rudy. And anyone that works in marketing, I'm like, 2026 is truly the year of Miami. And it's not because of the soccer team or any other stuff. It's because video games. I, I come from the world of gaming, really. The, the next Grand Theft Auto Vice city takes place in Miami.

[Suzanne Porter]

No way.

[Ray Gutierrez]

And that's a cultural phenomenon of the game.

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, cool.

[Ray Gutierrez]

And that's going to change things.

[Suzanne Porter]

So that's exciting.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Well, the reason why I'm only bringing this up, it's. Do you. Do you. Miami is such a visual place. It goes from tacky to bougie to Eastern European. What is your favorite city? That is, when it comes to the

[Suzanne Porter]

art, the frequency, my favorite city is New York. Manhattan.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I can't.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah, I love it. I, like, I could stay there all the time. I mean, I know a lot of people feel really overwhelmed by it, and they're like, oh, I could visit, but I, I, you know, I can't stay long. Like, I, I'm trying to go several times a year. Like, I love it. I never get tired of it. I love the energy. I love that there's always something different and beautiful and unique to look at. And, I mean, there's like, ugly, gross stuff there, obviously, but it's like, there's something beautiful in it because it, like, belongs there. It feels authentic, you know?

[Ray Gutierrez]

Oh, yeah. I, I go there. I, I try to go there as often as I can during the holidays. And I do the, the walk through the snow by myself at two in the morning through Times Square. It's like you can just hear the. I know Times Square is where. You don't go to Times Square if you live in New York. I know that but it's just like, it's nice to hear the LED screens and everything's just the silence of the busiest intersection in the world.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Is dead at 3 in the morning.

[Suzanne Porter]

Really cool. Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

And it'. Yeah, it's so beautiful.

[Suzanne Porter]

It's so cool. I love New York.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Before I met Rudy, I almost sold everything I belong that belonged to me in Miami and just wanted to move to New York.

[Suzanne Porter]

No way.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I was gonna. I just wanted to live in a tiny closet. Like, I've got more than enough of my war chest, but I'll just live in a tiny closet and just like hug 30, 30 rock and just.

[Suzanne Porter]

Well, do you need to do that

[Ray Gutierrez]

and just wait until someone hires me as an intern at snl?

[Suzanne Porter]

I feel like. I feel like you should do that. No offense to Rudy, but come on. What are you doing?

[Ray Gutierrez]

Maybe, maybe. We'll see. I may have to take Lauren with me, so.

[Suzanne Porter]

Okay. That's okay.

[Ray Gutierrez]

But yeah, no, that's of my bucket list. I definitely want to do the New York thing because I know what that's like. Yeah, everyone's like, the Miami thing.

[Suzanne Porter]

No, no, no.

[Ray Gutierrez]

There's the New York.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah. Yeah. The New York thing is like.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Suzanne Porter]

After I did here.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. After I did the California thing for 10 years, 15 years. Like, oh, cool. But then there's New York is so

[Suzanne Porter]

different from anywhere else. Like, anywhere else is still, like, at the end of the day, it's. It's just a city, you know, it's like, you know, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Louisiana. Like, it's. It's just a city. But like, New York is like its own thing. Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

New York is film, movies, heroes, villains, everything.

[Suzanne Porter]

More VI and like, it's, you know, like Brooklyn and all of the, all the work that's been done there to like revive that community is so cool. Like, we've stayed in Brooklyn some. We've also stayed in town. Like, I just love, I love all the boroughs. It's so fun.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Oh, dude. Sorry, Rudy. If I put in my two week notice. Now you know where. Now you know where you. Now you know where to find me.

[Suzanne Porter]

Sorry, I didn't mean to do that.

[Ray Gutierrez]

No, it's okay. Women in power in New York. Yeah.

[Podcast Promo/Trailer Voice]

Yes.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Inside success New York.

[Suzanne Porter]

Let's do it.

[Ray Gutierrez]

What are we going to learn about your episode? Like, what? You literally got out of the studio. You made a right and then another right and then a right and you sat here. What? What? How do you feel fresh off the episode, filming?

[Suzanne Porter]

I feel really. I feel it's interesting because I Have some friends here with me that, you know, are helping me, and, you know, they're both like, you know, I didn't know the whole story. Like, you know, it's interesting. It's like. Like, there's so much of, like, a slow burn and a daily grind to get to this place. And it's like, you know, you don't even, like, looking back on it. Like, you can't even, like, pinpoint, like, these huge moments. It really is just like, the daily grind and walking through the next step. Like, taking the next step, walking through the next open door, you know, taking the next opportunity. And so it's. It's just been cool to, like, relive all of that and be like, oh, this is how this happened. It's wild.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Well, I was just gonna ask something I like to ask. Do you feel a little different? Well, coming from New York, I'm sure you're like, no, everything's awesome. But I'm like, after all these cameras and sitting there for close, I'm sure 90 to 2 hours, 90 minutes to 2 hours, do you feel a little different? Like, wow, I've achieved those things. I truly deserve to be who I am?

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah, I think so. I think so. I mean, yeah, I do. I feel proud that, you know, that. That I was able to get to this place and be here with you guys. And I think that's real. I mean, it's just cool. It's just a cool opportunity, you know, and a step I wanted to take. But, yeah, I mean, it's, you know, in my industry, it really is. It's just a daily grind. It's just like making a decision. Decisions. Every day in between takes, I was literally, like, texting clients back about decisions, small decisions they're making about their homes. And so while the glamour and all of this is really fun, like, the reality of the job is still, like, putting your head down and working.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I actually want to pull a couple of questions from. From your interview.

[Suzanne Porter]

Okay.

[Ray Gutierrez]

It says here you grew Retreat and company from zero to a multimillion dollar business in less than five years. Can you share a story about a moment when you realize your company was succeeding? Maybe a big contract or a client review? When did you know? Holy moly.

[Suzanne Porter]

You know, when we were talking about this earlier, I was saying, like, and I hate to be repetitive, but it's like, there really hasn't been this, like, moment of, like, wow, I've made it. Because the construction industry in particular is actually really thankless and really not glamorous, you know, Other shows or like, maybe HGTV or something will make it seem like it's something that it's not. And, you know, other builders and designers know this. You know where I see like memes and little things go on Instagram where I'm like, oh, I'm not alone. Everybody's having the same problem. You know, construction's really messy and it's, you know, we never, no one ever gets it right the first time every time. You know, there are a lot of mistakes and things you have to fix and, you know, communication problems and so it just feels like. I hate to make it, like, sound like a downer, but it's, it's just work. It's just like putting in the time and being disciplined and working hard and you can't play the victim. You can't be like, everybody's mean. You have to just, you have to do the work and want it bad enough, like for the reward, you know, at the end.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I love the fact that it's a dirty job and it's not because there's dirt everywhere. Like, that's not the visual that I saw. I'm curious to ask your older brothers, what, what jobs do they do? Cosmetics. I'm sorry, I just thought that would be very funny. They're wearing cosmetics and hair.

[Suzanne Porter]

That would be hilarious.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Like, and you're the construction site. Okay.

[Suzanne Porter]

My. So my oldest brother is a typical firstborn. He's ex military. Yeah. He's like a total badass. Like, he, he knows everything. Like, if I need to phone a friend, like, I'm going to call him. He knows everything. But he works in security, like a high level security. And then my middle brother Christian is the most fun person in the world. Literally, like the most fun. And he actually works a little bit in construction. He started out in construction in college and then ended up starting his own company, like in tech, and then has gone back to construction doing outdoor spaces, like in another market.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Awesome.

[Suzanne Porter]

So, yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Cool.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

What's your, what's your common client? Like, what's a common thread you see among clients or folks? I reach out to you.

[Suzanne Porter]

So I think people reach out to us mostly because we value design over just construction. Like most, most builders in our market, just our local market, are very much about, like, what's going to sell, like, what's, you know, how little can I spend so I can make the biggest margin, you know, or, you know, I'm going to build 30 houses a year, you know, out of these five floor plans. And we are much more like Focused on design. We say, like, design drives the build, not the other way around. And so we start with design and start with the selections and build around that concept versus, like, okay, we're going to build this house. How do you, you know, what color you want your cabinets, you know? No, we start from the very beginning, like, with the architect, the plans, all the finishes from the beginning. So that's really. People have to value design and aesthetics.

[Ray Gutierrez]

How early on are you on site before you even break ground? Like, when does the planning start?

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, we start, like, if they have their own lot or a piece of land or something. We're meeting out there with the architect, creating where the house is going to sit, which direction, the site plan. All of it. Yeah. So it really starts really early, and it can be a long process. You know, people are impatient. You know, they're like, I want this yesterday. And it just takes time. So there is some patience involved for sure.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Right on. What inspired the name of the company?

[Suzanne Porter]

Okay, so Retreat is actually the name of my parents ranch that's been in our family for generations. Right on. It's in the Texas history books. Okay. There's like a. Like a historical marker at the front, and it's called Gross's Retreat. Jared Gross was like, you know, a landowner back in the day. And so Gross's Retreat was actually the Republic of Texas for two days.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Got it.

[Suzanne Porter]

And that's where our land is. And so Retreat is kind of a play on words, obviously, like you can retreat, like, to. Or, you know, your retreat is like your, you know, your happy place or, you know, your place of solitude. And so we liked that idea for, you know, home company. So. And then the little logo has the abstract blue bonnet on it. Cool. And that's the Texas state flower. So, you know, we're Texas people.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah. Right on. So what's. What's next for you now? You're gonna walk out that door, you're gonna get a Miami tan. What's next for you?

[Suzanne Porter]

Right. So I think what we want to see is just to scale this business much bigger than just a local market.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Sure.

[Suzanne Porter]

I would love to be able to, you know, partner with, you know, furniture lines or, you know, big stores or something. Create design, you know, design furniture or something really cool like that. I want to create a cl. A. What am I trying to say? I want to create a product that's called, like a curated custom. So we want to, like where I come in and I create these homes that are already selected, but it's not like, typical selections. They're, like, really thoughtful and cohesive and nothing is the same. No. No two houses are alike. And we create, like, whole developments, you know, with these curated custom homes so that they would all be designed by me and then that maybe the client can come in and be like, oh, I love this just the way it is.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Cool. You know, is there, like a signature that you kind of leave on the house or some sort of brand before you walk away?

[Suzanne Porter]

I mean, we don't. Maybe I should.

[Ray Gutierrez]

You probably should hide it somewhere in the house, like. No, this is something I do.

[Suzanne Porter]

Suzanne Porter. We have a few things that are like our standards that aren't like another builder standard. Like, we take our countertop splashes all the way up, like in the kitchen or. And usually I do some kind of shelf, like a custom little touch there. My vent hoods are always really custom and special. So that's like just a place where I like to design, flex, and do something different every time. Cool. We do, like. We don't do quarter round or on our baseboards. So I mean, just like, little things that we call. Like, that's a retreat and co. Standard. We have a room that we like to add in all of our floor plans called the dirty kitchen. And so, like, in these open concept floor plans, you've got your kitchen that's open to the living room. So if you're entertaining, all your stuff is out and it makes your house feel dirty.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Suzanne Porter]

So we have, like a secondary kitchen that we hide. That, like, kind of is with the pantry, too.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Sure.

[Suzanne Porter]

A lot of times we'll have, like, the microwave back there, an extra dishwasher, an extra sink, and then you can do some of your prep back there and hide it. And that's kind of something that we like to pride ourselves on because it's not in every house.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Right on. Yeah, that's definitely not in every house. That's. We have a mini version of that in my office where it's like. This is kind of like the break room, but it's also small kitchen deck.

[Suzanne Porter]

Yes, yes, yes, yes. Exactly. Kind of like that.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Yeah.

[Podcast Promo/Trailer Voice]

Yeah.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Right on. Well, gosh, Suzanne, I feel like we can talk about this for quite a while.

[Suzanne Porter]

Including New York. Including New York.

[Ray Gutierrez]

I was gonna say, you wanna swing by my house? It's completely a baron. It needs your touch. I'm not joking.

[Suzanne Porter]

I think we'll go to. Yeah, I'll come by your house and we'll plan our New York trip.

[Ray Gutierrez]

There you go.

[Suzanne Porter]

Great.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Suzanne Porter. It was such. I like that. I can call you Suzanne. It's Suzanne Porter.

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, yeah, that's fine. I like the whole name, Suze.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Such a great. It's a great conversation. I hope you enjoyed your filming of your episode.

[Suzanne Porter]

It was fun.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Sure as hell hope you enjoyed the filming of your podcast.

[Suzanne Porter]

Oh, yeah, it was. Thanks for having me.

[Ray Gutierrez]

Thanks again, Suzanne Porter. And thus concludes a Woman in Power podcast with Inside Success. I am Ray Gutierrez.