The Leaders of Design
The Leaders of Design is a privately held US-based membership organization serving senior leaders in architecture, interior design, landscape design, and related product, service, and media firms through education programs, regional chapter events, and an annual international conference.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersPacific Palisades, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Leaders of Design does
The Leaders of Design is a privately held, US-based professional membership organization serving senior leaders of architecture, interior design, landscape design, and adjacent product, service, and media companies. Founded by Keith Granet and Meg Touborg, the organization operates a community-led model in which members gain access to recurring education programs on business management, financial intelligence, marketing, and leadership, regional chapter events in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles, and one annual international conference held in a different destination city each year (Bangkok, San Sebastián, Stockholm, Kyoto, Buenos Aires, Berlin, among others over the past decade).
The core "product" is the membership itself, distributed through direct enrollment and supported by a members' portal (members.leadersofdesign.com), a member-driven blog network featuring firms such as BAMO, McAlpine, and Soucie Horner, and active social media channels. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; value is delivered primarily through recurring educational content and curated in-person gatherings rather than through a software platform.
The business model is subscription-style recurring membership dues supplemented by event sponsorships from design-industry suppliers (HOLLY HUNT, I. Grace Company, Merida, Cumar Marble & Granet, McKinnon and Harris). The organization is led by Founder Keith Granet, Founder Emeritus Meg Touborg, and Partners Marc Szafran (President of HOLLY HUNT) and Dana-Christine Colla. In January 2026, the organization acquired the Decorative Furnishings Association, signaling a push to broaden its category footprint within the design ecosystem.
The Leaders of Design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Leaders of Design
- Legal name
- Leaders of Design
- Website
- https://leadersofdesign.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- The Leaders of Design is a privately held US-based membership organization serving senior leaders in architecture, interior design, landscape design, and related product, service, and media firms through education programs, regional chapter events, and an annual international conference.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Leaders of Design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Professional Membership Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (54141), Architectural Services (54131)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites) (THAHAMAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Event Design, Decor & Styling (HSACAAAB), Architectural Design Services (BPAHAKAA), Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
Keywords
Where The Leaders of Design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Pacific Palisades
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
The Leaders of Design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues: Revenue is generated through membership fees from design industry leaders who join the organization. The organization provides value through education programs, networking opportunities, annual conferences, and community building among design professionals.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
The Leaders of Design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Leaders of Design is a curated professional membership organization for leaders of architecture, interior design, landscape design, and related product, service, and media firms. Its core offering is membership access to frequent education programs, personal networking opportunities, and one annual international conference held in rotating global destinations, supported by regional chapter events.
Product overview
The Leaders of Design is a membership organization that provides a unified platform connecting design leaders from architecture, interior design, and landscape design firms. The organization offers membership with access to education programs, personal networking opportunities, and one annual international conference. The portfolio consists of the core membership program, annual conferences held in various international cities (Bangkok, San Sebastian, Stockholm, Israel, Brugge, Prague, Kyoto, Dublin, Lisbon, Athens, Buenos Aires, Berlin), and various workshops covering business, financial, and leadership topics for design firm leaders.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Leaders of Design Membership
- Annual International Conference
- Education Programs and Workshops
- Regional Chapter Events
Companies that use The Leaders of Design
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Leaders of Design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Leaders of Design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Keith GranetcoreKeith Granet is the Founder of The Leaders of Design. He is also the President of Granet & Associates (founded 1991), providing strategic, financial, operational, management and licensing services to the design industry. He is the author of The Business of Design and The Business of Creativity, guest lectures at UCLA and USC, and is founder and Chairman of Studio Designer.
- Meg TouborgcoreMeg Touborg is the Co-founder of The Leaders of Design (Founder Emeritus). She is President and CEO of Denver Architecture Foundation and previously Director of Development for the College of Architecture and Planning at the University of Colorado. She founded METworks Inc. and has held leadership roles at premium interior design and fashion companies including Rose Tarlow Melrose House, Waterworks, kate spade, and Coach.
- Marc SzafrancoreMarc Szafran is Partner at The Leaders of Design and President of HOLLY HUNT, the defining voice in modern luxury interiors. He oversees all aspects of the business and is responsible for expanding the company's position as the leading partner for interior designers. Previously served as President and COO at Michael S. Smith Inc./Jasper and President and General Counsel of Thom Filicia Inc.
- Dana-Christine CollacoreDana-Christine Colla is Partner at The Leaders of Design, with 19 years of professional experience in the Design industry. Previously served as Chapter Administrator of the Young Presidents' Organization and as Director of Operations for 10 years. She played an integral role in the organization's success and leads event and activity planning.
- I. Grace CompanyminorSponsor of the Leaders of Design Council 2013 Annual Conference in Berlin, Germany. The I. Grace Company is a design industry supplier providing products/services to design professionals.
- MeridaminorConference sponsor providing studio and textile products for design projects.
- Cumar Marble & GranetminorSponsor providing marble and stone products for the design industry.
- Holly HuntminorMarc Szafran, Partner at The Leaders of Design, serves as President of Holly Hunt. Holly Hunt sponsors events and provides luxury interior design products.
- McKinnon and HarrisminorSponsors events including the Summer Afternoon With The Leaders of Design Council at Shelter Island. Provides outdoor furniture and design services.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
The Leaders of Design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
The Leaders of Design social profiles
Digital presenceThe Leaders of Design financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Leaders of Design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
The Leaders of Design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Leaders of Design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Leaders of Design
What does The Leaders of Design do?
The Leaders of Design is a curated professional membership organization for leaders of architecture, interior design, landscape design, and related product, service, and media firms. Its core offering is membership access to frequent education programs, personal networking opportunities, and one annual international conference held in rotating global destinations, supported by regional chapter events.
Is The Leaders of Design a public or private company?
The Leaders of Design is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Leaders of Design founded?
The Leaders of Design was founded in 2012. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is The Leaders of Design based?
The Leaders of Design is headquartered in Pacific Palisades, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Leaders of Design make money?
One revenue line is on record: membership dues.
Does The Leaders of Design have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Leaders of Design.
What industry is The Leaders of Design in?
The Leaders of Design's product category is Professional Membership Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAHAMAA, Executive Leadership Summits (C-Suite, Board, Strategy Offsites), with a secondary code of HSACAAAB, Event Design, Decor & Styling. Its NAICS code is 54141 and its SIC code is 8600.