Rising Stars: Meet Echo Zhan of Seattle, WA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Echo Zhan

Hi Echo, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I studied industrial design at ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, where the education was primarily project-based and very hands-on, allowing me to truly learn by doing. Along the way, my passion for designing experiences that foster emotional well-being became clear. I also discovered the magical power of prototyping, which later became the heartbeat of my design process.

“Revolve” was one of my final projects in school, marking my third attempt to incorporate the goal of fostering mental health into a design. Drawing insights from people’s experiences of fatigue and stress due to spending extended periods in the same environment during COVID, I designed a peaceful moving light. This light serves as a gentle reminder for people to pause, take a breath, and find their rhythm. This project planted a seed in me to continue designing experiences that encourage and assist people in taking care of their emotional well-being.

After graduation, I joined Microsoft as an industrial designer in the Surface device design team, designing laptops, tablets, and other incubation projects. I later transitioned to the Microsoft AI Brand and Design System team, where I designed digital experiences and visuals for AI-powered features across multiple touchpoints in the user journey.

Two years into my professional career, where I immersed myself in the tech world, my passion for designing meaningful emotional experiences through interior objects remained strong. After working on a lighting brand on the side with my friend Viola Huang for over a year, I decided to leave my job in tech and pursue my mission in lighting with my whole heart.

This year, we launched our first lighting collection: Horizon, consisting of four wall sconces that continue my student project “Revolve.” We took these four wall sconces to Milan to participate in the Salone Satellite during Milan Design Week. We also showcased our lights at the renowned furniture fair ICFF in New York. We have received immense support and interest in our lighting products and are now preparing for final production and certification, aiming to officially open for orders this fall.

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?
The decision to pursue entrepreneurship felt right but was also very difficult. A major obstacle was the conflict between needing a full-time job for financial stability and needing to invest time and effort to push the business to a profitable stage. Transitioning from having a job to pursuing your own business is scary. It felt right but still scary. It felt like I was giving up a potentially wonderful path and choosing a road full of uncertainty.

Even though I had thought about pursuing my lighting business full-time for a long time, I knew I needed the money to cover product development costs, trade show expenses, and many other things. Finally, this June, we reached a point where we were much closer to production, and market testing looked positive, so I decided to quit my job. My decision was also driven by my health, as my body was overwhelmed and burnt out from essentially working two jobs simultaneously, leaving little time for rest.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Our lighting brand Kādns, pronounced as ‘cadence’, is rooted in the philosophy of finding rhythm amidst chaos.
Horizon is our first collection of wall lamps, which is inspired by the calming landscape of a sunset by the sea. The soothing rhythm of changing colors symbolizes the passage of time and brings tranquillity to its viewers. This artistic collection embodies the philosophy of finding personal rhythm amidst life’s chaos and highlights the importance of mental well-being.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Growing up immersed in Asian culture, I was always told to find the route with the best return on investment, to learn from previous successful examples, and to minimize risk. Yet through the journey of staying true to my own passion, I realized that the best way to find the right answer is to know yourself first. Understanding who you are, what you value most, and building a strong core belief is essential. The pros and cons of choices weigh differently depending on who you are. There’s no one standard answer. In pursuit of a happy life, we should create our own standards instead of chasing others’. Design and business are simply approaches built upon that foundation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://kadns.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ooohce/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCORQl1Ed0wwPcID3sNzaB5w

Image Credits
Louise Huang, Bryson Gill, Michael O’Neill