Inspiring Conversations with Julie Laughton of Julie Laughton Design Build and JLGC

Today we’d like to introduce you to Julie Laughton

Hi Julie, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers. 
I was born in a small rural town in Iowa. I started drawing freehand and oil painting at a very young age. Then, I found myself focused on architecture and mechanical engineering in high school. I studied Architecture, Landscape Architecture, and Interior Design at Iowa State University. I moved to New York City after graduation and worked with the top 5 developers in Manhattan. I loved the idea of designing buildings and interior spaces that maximized the experience of how humans work, live, function, and feel in their dwellings and shelters. 

After seven years of a successful career in New York City, I moved to Southern California and my first job was at a custom kitchen showroom on Robertson Blvd. It was nice because it neighbors the Pacific Design Center with the famous building called the Blue Whale. On this street is the very famous restaurant The Ivy, and there were several other great custom cabinet shops. Thanks to having sold a million dollars of custom cabinets that first year in that showroom, I got recognized. Two of the people who recognized me were building a custom kitchen showroom in Newport Beach. The showroom Greenbrier Kitchens was at the corner of Bristol and Jamboree. Due to all the sales and being in so many homes, I eventually started my own business. After being in the residential market, I saw the need for the client to have a one-stop shop. So, after ten years of owning a successful design business, I then became a licensed general contractor, and the rest is history. 

I have completed over 1,000 remodels and custom homes along the affluent coastal communities of Orange and LA County, Laguna Beach, and Newport Beach, as well as significant projects in Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Pasadena. Two of my most notable projects include the Mediterranean Style 1928 Wallace Neff home, featured in the movie Monster-in-Law, and the English Tudor hilltop estate of Disney Imagineer Tony Baxter. My motto is, “It all starts with a good plan.” I also have a seamless process that is described in my 7 Simple Steps. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It was a steady climb, which involved me learning more every single step of the way and facing the inevitable challenges that come along with being a woman in construction. I was constantly being challenged about what I did or didn’t know by the men in the field that were more experienced than me. Thankfully, there were quite a few that actually helped me succeed. All of those men still work with me today as an employee or a subcontractor. 

We’ve been impressed with Julie Laughton Design Build and JLGC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I have an architectural design company and a construction company. I provide a seamless one-stop shop to all my clients, and we specialize in residential remodeling. What sets me apart from the others is that I provide all of the services one would need to remodel. As both the designer and contractor, I work with the client one-on-one every step of the way, from conception to completion. I am proud of my seamless one-stop shop. 

Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out.
Know yourself, understand what you are good at, and do what you love. If you are entering into the construction field as a man or woman, I always recommend a career in Project Management because it gives you a complete overview from conception to completion of how the Design Build business works. 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.julielaughton.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julielaughtondb/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/julielaughtondesignbuild
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/JulieLaughtonDB
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@julielaughton