The Design Besties
The Design Besties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023 that transforms neglected K-12 teacher lounges into professionally designed wellness spaces through its Teachers' Lounge Movement, funded by corporate sponsorships, design-brand partnerships, and individual donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2023
- Headquarters—
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Design Besties does
The Design Besties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023 by four women in the interior design industry: Nikki Watson (CEO; The Design Quad), Rhobin DelaCruz (President; Rhobin DelaCruz Design), Lori Johnson (artist), and Whitney Atkinson (inventor; WUGS Weighted Rugs). It operates the Teachers' Lounge Movement, a national initiative that transforms neglected K-12 teacher lounges into professionally designed restorative wellness spaces intended to reduce educator burnout, support mental health, and improve retention. The organization serves educators and school communities as the primary beneficiary population, with priority given to Title I and underfunded districts; corporate brand partners and individual donors serve as the funding constituents. Since the inaugural project at Bowman Middle School in Plano, Texas (October 2023), it has completed three documented lounge transformations (Bowman MS, T.W. Andrews High School in High Point NC serving 75+ teachers, and Samuell High School in Dallas), with active selection processes underway in Wichita, Kansas (Colvin Elementary) and Columbus, Ohio (Fort Hayes Arts and Academic / Georgian Heights Elementary). Operations are guided by a three-person board (Wendy Estela, Paula Oblen, Jess Robb) and an ecosystem of design-industry and education-sector partners.
The organization's revenue model is built on a four-tier corporate sponsorship structure—Founding National Partner ($100K+ annually), National Impact Sponsor ($50K), Project Partner ($25K), and Product Partner ($10K, monetary or in-kind)—supplemented by individual donations processed through GiveButter and in-kind contributions from brand partners. Pricing is tier-specific, with deliverables (social stories, posts, reveal-event access, partnership interviews) attached to each sponsorship level. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven: school nomination contests, PTA outreach, and education partnerships drive project pipeline on the demand side, while partnership booths, panels, and showroom activations at High Point Market, Las Vegas Market, Dallas Market Center, KBIS, Haven Conference, EDspaces, and NeoCon drive brand-partner and donor pipeline on the supply side. Marketing channels are anchored by Instagram (primary social platform), earned media across HGTV, A&E, Magnolia Network, CNN, NBC, Fox, and the New York Times, and design-industry podcasts (Design Biz Survival Guide, Bold Women Collective).
The underlying "technology" is human-centered environmental design, project management, and supply-chain orchestration of donated or discounted interior products (paint from Sherwin Williams, stone from Cosentino/Silestone, cabinetry from Marsh Cabinets, lighting from Crystorama, flooring from Interface and Parks Floor Covering, etc.). The organization has no app, no public API, no proprietary software platform, and one disclosed IP asset—a pending patent on Whitney Atkinson's WUGS Weighted Universal Grip System rug. Geographic presence is concentrated in Texas, North Carolina, Kansas, and Ohio with a stated objective of reaching all 50 states; headcount is stated as 1-10 and the organization is actively seeking in-kind donations and funding to scale.
The Design Besties firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Design Besties
- Legal name
- The Design Besties
- Website
- https://thedesignbesties.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2023
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- The Design Besties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2023 that transforms neglected K-12 teacher lounges into professionally designed wellness spaces through its Teachers' Lounge Movement, funded by corporate sponsorships, design-brand partnerships, and individual donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Design Besties industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Education & Community Design Services
- NAICS
- Interior Design Services (54141)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Interior Design Services (BPAHAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Classroom & Learning Space Fit-Out (Interior Build-Outs) (EDAEABAC)
Keywords
The Design Besties business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Sponsorship Revenue: Corporate sponsorships at multiple tiers (Founding National Partner $100K+, National Impact Sponsor $50K, Project Partner $25K, Product Partner $10K) provide funding for teacher lounge transformations. Sponsors receive brand recognition, social media features, and participation in reveal events.
- Donations: Individual donations accepted via GiveButter platform. Donations support teacher lounge transformations and the National Teachers' Lounge Wellbeing Initiative.
- Brand Partnerships and Collaborations: Partnerships with furniture, lighting, flooring, paint, and home goods brands provide in-kind donations and sponsorships for lounge makeovers. Brands receive visibility and community engagement opportunities.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Founding National Partner (Annual) |
| Other | Multi-year contract | National Impact Sponsor |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project Partner |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Product Partner (Monetary & In-Kind) |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
The Design Besties product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Design Besties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Teachers' Lounge Movement, a national initiative transforming neglected K-12 teacher lounges into professionally designed, restorative wellness spaces. The organization coordinates design, donated materials, and volunteer labor from brand partners to deliver full lounge renovations that address educator burnout and improve school environments, funded through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and in-kind brand partnerships.
Product overview
The Design Besties is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) operating primarily as a service-based collective rather than a product company. Their core offering is the Teachers' Lounge Movement, a national initiative that transforms neglected teacher lounges into professionally designed restorative spaces. They offer services in brand awareness and promotion, collaboration and partnerships, community outreach, and industry relationship building. The organization has completed three lounge transformation projects (Andrews High School, Samuell High School, and Bowman Middle School) and is scaling the model nationally through corporate sponsorships at various funding levels (Founding National Partner at $100K+, National Impact Sponsor at $50K, Project Partner at $25K, and Product Partner at $10K).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Teachers' Lounge Movement A national nonprofit initiative that transforms neglected K-12 teacher lounges into professionally designed, restorative wellness spaces at no cost to the school, funded by corporate sponsors and donations. Designed for educators and school communities experiencing burnout and underfunded facilities.
- Corporate Sponsorship Program A four-tier sponsorship offering (Product Partner $10K, Project Partner $25K, National Impact Sponsor $50K, Founding National Partner $100K+) for furniture, lighting, flooring, paint, and home goods brands seeking community impact, ESG positioning, and brand visibility through sponsored teacher lounge transformations. Includes defined deliverables such as social posts, reveal event participation, and brand placement.
Quantifiable outcome
- Reduced daily stress and emotional fatigue for educators through restorative space design
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use The Design Besties
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Design Besties technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Design Besties partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
29 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- EDspacescorePartnership to bring a full teachers' lounge transformation to a Columbus, Ohio school. The Design Besties were recognized on EDspaces main stage and announced an official collaboration to select a deserving Columbus City Schools recipient.
- High Point x Design (HPXD)coreFounding partnership through Jane Dag mi (TDB Mother) to execute teacher lounge makeovers in High Point, NC. Partnership leverages HPXD's community connections and High Point Market resources.
- High Point Schools PartnershipcorePartnership with organization led by Raven Jefferson (First Lady of High Point) to connect and build the city of High Point through education initiatives.
- Guilford Education AlliancecorePartnership supporting education initiatives in the Guilford County school district, helping identify schools for lounge transformation projects.
- Wichita Public Schools FoundationcorePartnership to bring The Teachers' Lounge Movement to Wichita, Kansas. Joint announcement with Wichita USD 259 for Colvin Elementary transformation.
- Milton & KingmajorFirst brand collaboration (October 2023) - hosted luncheons and events at Milton & King facilities, featuring their wallpaper products in projects. Co-hosted lunch & learn events with Design Besties panels.
- KAS RugsmajorHosted Design Besties panel in KAS Rugs showroom during High Point Market. Partnership for design panels discussing collaboration, branding, and networking.
- CrystoramamajorLighting brand partner contributing to teacher lounge transformations. Lori Johnson's live art installation featured Crystorama products during High Point Market.
- Cosentino / SilestonemajorInternational stone company providing materials (Bronze Rivers from Silestone by Cosentino) for teachers' lounge cabinets and countertops.
- Sherwin WilliamsmajorPaint partner providing colors including Mature Grape, Oatmilk, and Halcyon Green for teacher lounge transformations.
- Marsh CabinetsmajorCabinet partner for teachers' lounge transformations, providing cabinetry that received stone accents from Cosentino.
- Gorilla Stone IncmajorStone fabrication company that swooped in at deadline to complete countertop work for Andrews High School teachers' lounge project.
- 360 PaintingmajorPainting contractor partner that transformed teacher lounges from drab to fab, including Andrews High School project.
- Parks Floor CoveringmajorFlooring partner providing floor coverings for teacher lounge transformation projects.
- Dallas Market CentermajorPartnership for grand opening of Textile Salon at Dallas Market. Design Besties hosted events and design focus groups in the new space.
- High Point Market AuthoritymajorDesign Besties participate in High Point Market (Spring and Fall) with panels, showroom events, and product launches. Nikki Watson selected as Market Star at Las Vegas Market.
- VRD SummitcoreWhere the four Design Besties originally met. Design Besties serve as VRD Ambassadors and return annually to the summit.
- Design TheoryminorDesign firm partner contributing to High Point teacher lounge transformation projects.
- Phillips+CollectionminorHome décor brand partner for teachers' lounge projects.
- TOV FurnitureminorFurniture brand partner contributing to teacher lounge transformations.
- Red EggminorHome décor brand partner for teachers' lounge projects.
- Kathy Kuo HomeminorHome furnishings brand partner for teacher lounge transformations.
- American LeatherminorFurniture manufacturer partner providing seating for teachers' lounge projects.
- Howard ElliottminorHome décor accessories partner for teachers' lounge projects.
- Crestview CollectionminorHome furnishings brand partner for teachers' lounge projects.
- Furnitureland SouthminorFurniture retailer partner for teachers' lounge transformation projects.
- InterfaceminorFlooring solutions partner (modular carpet) for teacher lounge projects.
- Habitat for HumanityminorCommunity partner contributing to teachers' lounge transformation projects.
- EDmarket / Bold Women CollectivecorePartnership through Jolene Levin connecting Design Besties with the educator design community. Dr. Deborah Kerr (EDmarket Co-founder) serves on Columbus school selection committee.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Design Besties competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA): Design-industry nonprofit raising funds through designer and home-goods brand participation; comparable in leveraging interior-design trade relationships and brand sponsorships for social-impact programming.
- A Sense of Home: Nonprofit that furnishes and designs homes for youth aging out of foster care, using donated furniture and volunteer labor; directly comparable mission model, donor base, and reliance on home-goods brand in-kind contributions.
- Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo: Nonprofit that designs and installs room makeovers for chemotherapy patients; the closest conceptual peer because it combines volunteer-driven interior design, in-kind brand donations, and emotional reveal events delivered to a specific beneficiary population.
- Furnishing Hope: Nonprofit furnishing homes and transitional spaces for families in crisis through donated furniture and design services; runs a similar donation-aggregation and installation pipeline targeting underserved beneficiaries.
Emerging players
- Baby2Baby: Large-scale nonprofit distributing essential items (including home goods) to children in need, with deep brand-partner pipeline and celebrity-driven fundraising; comparable in mission-aggregation and corporate-partnership scale, though focused on a different beneficiary segment.
Peers
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Design Besties social profiles
Digital presenceThe Design Besties financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Design Besties leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles7 records
The Design Besties funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Design Besties M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Design Besties
What does The Design Besties do?
The Design Besties is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates the Teachers' Lounge Movement, a national initiative transforming neglected K-12 teacher lounges into professionally designed, restorative wellness spaces. The organization coordinates design, donated materials, and volunteer labor from brand partners to deliver full lounge renovations that address educator burnout and improve school environments, funded through corporate sponsorships, individual donations, and in-kind brand partnerships.
Is The Design Besties a public or private company?
The Design Besties is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was The Design Besties founded?
The Design Besties was founded in 2023. It employs 1 to 10 people.
How does The Design Besties make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Sponsorship Revenue is the primary driver. The others are donations and brand Partnerships and Collaborations.
Who are The Design Besties's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS (DIFFA), A Sense of Home, Rooms That Rock 4 Chemo and Furnishing Hope. Baby2Baby is listed as an emerging player. DonorsChoose is listed as a peer.
Does The Design Besties have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Design Besties.
What industry is The Design Besties in?
The Design Besties's product category is Nonprofit Education & Community Design Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAHAKAB, Interior Design Services, with a secondary code of EDAEABAC, Classroom & Learning Space Fit-Out (Interior Build-Outs). Its NAICS code is 54141.