Parallel Design Group sat down with Bradford Ferguson at his family business practice; Halter Ferguson Financial (in Carmel), to chat about the design process of their recent buildout with Parallel Design Group.
Bradford's father (Scott Ferguson) had been investing since 1986 and built a successful business alongside his partner. Bradford joined in 2005 and now currently serves as President, leading his small but mighty team of 9.
WORKING IN PARALLEL WITH PARALLEL
Previous to working with Parallel, Halter Ferguson had spent 19 years in a space that was roughly 2.7K square feet located near the 71st Street exit in Indianapolis. With oversized offices that did not allow for adequate space for team and client collaboration, this time around, HF and PDG wanted to be intentional in making a little space go a long way.
Beginning conversations with Bradford and Tiffany White (VP of Financial Planning) in 2020, Kaitlyn Barrett, Studio Director and Senior Interior Designer led the design efforts with a full team of support behind her from our studio. After much research and in reviewing a plethora of options, it was clear that the new location would be in Carmel located at 13080 Grand Blvd Ste 130.
Bradford was introduced to PDG
through our mutual friends at Midland Atlantic. Halter Ferguson and PDG also
partnered with Kort Builders for the build-out of the space, allowing us to
dream up the design for all 2,271 square feet of white boxed space.
CREATING MEANINGFUL SPACES
What Halter Ferguson does as a business is largely planning; so, planning a new space was no new task for the team.
Bradford and his colleagues wanted the new space to emphasize the planning process and focus on planning for the future (exactly what they practice with their clients). To that end, we agreed that the built environment was to be a visual reminder for their clients to stay on track.
Halter Ferguson noted that when people grow up, they tend to give up on their dreams. This is why they created a "draft room"; where clients can truly draft what they want to do and where they want to be in the future. The "draft room" was created as a space for playing, imagining and dreaming about your future. Shortly after the client drafts their dreams, they then move to the blueprint room (led by a financial planner). In this room, the financial plan is presented to client(s). After seeing and understanding their financial plan for their future, the door opens into the social space, where the client may be greeted with a celebration if they can retire today.
BETTER THAN BEFORE
Working with successful mid-level professionals, Halter Ferguson's main motivator is to help give people peace of mind with their finances. And they wanted the space to match that aura.
In the new Carmel location, the Halter Ferguson employees are truly enjoying their new home and many comment on the familial + welcoming vibe that has a modern undertone. Not only the overall design of the space, but also the amenities available are much closer and better than before.
Every single square inch of the new space is utilized in one way shape or form, claiming to be 100% efficient.
PRIORITIZING EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT
In addition to creating these meaningful spaces within - it was vital that the employee base at Halter Ferguson had a say in their new space. For example, employees were able to pick what color chair they were to have in their office
Priority number one was to make sure that the space was cozy, modern and welcoming for all. Additionally, we utilized a lot of natural light in the new space to keep it open.
Bradford shared that he really enjoyed the design process and seeing all of the finishes visually in person was super helpful.
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE
Overall, Bradford shares that he is very pleased with the final product and would highly recommend Parallel. Being one of the first build out projects he has managed, he was super impressed to see the CAD drawings become a reality. Bradford commends our lead designer Kaitlyn Barrett by stating "so much of the brilliance of this space is Kaitlyn."
Eventually, Halter Ferguson Financial wants to utilize virtual reality and integrate additional technology features into their office. More on that story later.
To learn more about Halter Ferguson, visit: Indianapolis Financial Advisor | Asset Management | Financial Planner (hffinancial.com).
