The world of healthcare is a complex one, where every single detail can have a huge impact on the patient's experience and well being. From the waiting areas that should exude calmness to the operating rooms that need to be optimized for seamless procedures, everything needs to be just right. That's where Julia Kappler comes in - she's a leading force behind the transformative movement in medical and dental practice design. Her innovative approach is changing the game, making healthcare spaces more welcoming, functional, and patient-centered.
At a tender age of 19, Julia embarked on a journey to defy conventions in her industry. Fueled by a fervent desire for innovation, she embarked on a mission to revolutionize healthcare spaces. Today, her name echoes through the halls of design, synonymous with ingenuity and excellence.
Join us as we unravel Julia's captivating journey. Through this interview, we delve into her path to success, her unconventional design ethos, and the invaluable insights she's garnered as the youngest female leader in healthcare design. Prepare to be inspired by Julia's narrative of turning aspirations into multi-million-dollar triumphs.
- Can you tell us about your journey into the healthcare design industry? What inspired you to pursue this path at such a young age?
I grew up as the fourth generation of my family’s business, which was started by my great-grandparents in a small town in Germany in 1947 as a two-people carpenter shop. Ever since I can imagine, I always loved design. Even as a child, I was always gravitating towards beautiful spaces. I was sure very early on, that I would want to study Design and ended up choosing Interior Architecture after I graduated high school. I then had the opportunity to start this business in the US. Back then, I didn’t know what would come from making this decision, I was very young and intrigued by this challenge that was holding many unknowns. I never thought I would be where I am today.
2. Your designs are renowned for their innovation and efficiency. How do you approach the process of creating spaces that cater specifically to the needs of medical and dental professionals?
The key to creating innovative designs is experience and critical thinking, as well as understanding the clients needs and pain points. Asking the right questions with the purpose of understanding to provide a solution is our approach to custom made workflows. One size does not fit all, and to me the job as a designer is to understand a problem to provide a solution rather than asking the client for a solution.
3. Breaking into any industry can be challenging, especially for a young entrepreneur. What were some of the biggest hurdles you faced in establishing your presence in the healthcare design sector, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest hurdle for any young and female person in any corporate industry is always the perception of others. The assumption that age defines competence is something I’ve dealt with for many years of my early twenties. I am very lucky to have some of the best mentors in this field, that have shared lots of valuable experience with me. The biggest piece that helped me overcome this hurdle is my willingness to learn at an accelerated speed. Knowledge is power, and that’s how you can overcome anything.
4. Collaboration often plays a significant role in design projects. Could you share with us some memorable collaborations you've had throughout your career and how they have influenced your approach to design?
We learn from each project, and each client. There hasn’t been any project where we did not learn something new, and that’s the beauty of being open minded. Most of our designs have been influenced through the change of technology and workflow issues, because the core of design is its function. When we can solve a functional problem, a design turns into a good design. Simply put, we learn most from problems we can solve.
5. With technology constantly evolving, how do you stay ahead of the curve in terms of integrating new technologies and trends into your designs?
Especially in the medical and dental world, technology is something we can’t ignore. Our designs heavily incorporate technology, as one can not function without the other. Being open minded, understanding the market and staying curious about new things is very important to me. With this, I also think we should always critically think about what we see, and create our own opinion on how it can benefit us and our clients. I personally do not believe in trends, especially not in the design world. A trend is short-term, and my goal in building these practices are long-term which is why you’ll never see us hop on trends. We design for the future.
6. Your success as the youngest female leader in the healthcare design industry is truly remarkable. What advice would you give to other young women aspiring to make their mark in traditionally male-dominated fields?
Some honest words: It’s going to be harder than you think. I don’t want to sugar coat the process of establishing and leading a multimillion-dollar business. Especially as a woman under thirty. It takes a lot of confidence, consistency, willingness to work harder than anyone else around you, the willingness to sacrifice many years of your personal life and most importantly, you must believe in yourself no matter how often you think you’re failing. Because most people probably won’t believe that you are capable of doing what you are trying to build.
My biggest pieces of advice I can give to young women is to keep trying no matter how often you are being rejected. Show up as who you are, and do not allow yourself to lose touch with yourself. We are often told that our femininity is a weakness in business, but I couldn’t disagree more. Our femininity is our superpower. Our intuition and empathy make us amazing leaders.