A Day in the Life: Workplace Designer Felipe Vallejo

Ever wonder what actually goes into the work we do here at Waldner’s? It takes a village! We’re so excited to launch our new series, A Day in the Life, to highlight the amazing people who make it all happen. First up: Creative Lead Design, Felipe Vallejo. We’re following Felipe for a day to get a “backstage pass” into his design process, his creative problem-solving, and the passion he pours into every environment he creates.

On paper, Felipe is a designer, but in reality, he’s a master of complexity. He’s the person who steps into a messy project and brings instant structure, all while protecting his team from burnout. Felipe serves as the bridge between everyone involved, from sales to our outsourced partners, ensuring no one is left in the dark. It’s a delicate dance of leadership and hands-on problem-solving, and he makes it look easy. Simply put: he’s the designer who makes sure everyone else is set up for success.

The Goal: Clearing the deck for the day ahead.

Triage: Uses Copilot to summarize urgent emails into a clean task list.

Focus: Fast-tracks installation-heavy projects to keep timelines on track.

Coordination: Syncs with Kisp to ensure project files are mirrored and updated.

Leadership: Reviews the design team’s bandwidth.

Audit: Reviews new RFAs (Request For Application) from Sales for missing details.

Reality Check: Ensures due dates are achievable before the work begins.

Support: Acts as the “relief pitcher”, taking on design projects himself when the team hits their limit.

The Facilitator: Leading cross-departmental meetings to keep accounts moving.

The Safety Net: Stepping in to handle client communications whenever a designer is tied up.

The Creative Lead: Hosting Live Design Sessions, shaping environments in real-time with clients and teams.

Maintenance: Updating the WDS (Workplace Design Studio) tracker to keep project visibility crystal clear.

Tech-Check: Using Copilot to synthesize revision requests into actionable data.

Accuracy: Cross-referencing every update to ensure the tracker reflects the latest project reality.

The Refuel: A classic deli run for tuna salad and a Diet Coke to power through the afternoon.

The Deep Dive: Reviewing all pending submissions for accuracy and completeness.

The Gatekeeper: Acting as the final quality-control filter to streamline the approval process.

The Research: Reviewing new Spec Guides to stay on top of manufacturer updates.

The Brain Trust: Identifying trends or technical insights that can help the wider team.

The Culture: Promoting open communication by sharing new knowledge.

The Deep Dive: Developing new design alternatives and testing “out of the box” concepts.

The Innovation: Finding fresh applications for products and floor plans.

The Feedback Loop: Sharing rough concepts with the design team to spark a collaborative brainstorm.

The Triage: One last look at the inbox for urgent, “must-handle” items.

The Accountability: Stepping in to manage late-breaking issues so the workflow isn’t stalled.

The Wrap: Prepping the “Follow Up” folder for a smooth start tomorrow.

Design is about more than what you see on the surface, it’s about the grit, the collaboration, and the problem-solving that happen behind the scenes. Felipe Vallejo is a huge part of why the Waldner’s “machine” runs so smoothly, and we loved getting a peek into his world.

What part of Felipe’s routine surprised you most? Let us know in the comments and keep an eye out for our next featured team member!