Meet Stephen Scirrotto | Owner of SJS Studios

We had the good fortune of connecting with Stephen Scirrotto and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Stephen, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
As far back as I can remember, I was always interested in design and architecture. As a child, I spent my time drawing plans of my future dream home, watching any television program that had to do with architectural design or construction, and looking forward to my next trip to nearby Philadelphia to explore the old and new built environment. When the time came to select a career path, there was no question about it; my goal was to become an architect. I earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture and a Master of Architecture degree and then became a licensed architect and a WELL AP (Accredited Professional). At the start of 2020, after 14 years of working at both boutique and large global architecture and design firms, I decided to take a hiatus from architecture to gain a new perspective and I joined a previous client at his new real estate start-up. Several months later the Covid pandemic hit. I was spending a lot more time at home and began to miss working in an architecture firm.

Serendipitously, friends and colleagues began reaching out to see if I was interested in taking on residential projects. I decided to take the leap and started SJS Studios. It was not long before I was taking on many new residential as well as commercial office and laboratory projects, and we opened our office in Solana Beach shortly after.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
SJS Studios works on an array of projects in both commercial and residential architecture, from workplace tenant improvements, laboratories, ADUs (accessory dwelling units) and home additions/renovations. At SJS Studios our goal is to help our clients envision and achieve a better place to experience life. With each project, we craft innovative design solutions that are not only functional but that are also inspiring and allow for future flexibility.

Absolutely, there are challenges when going out on your own, and there are a lot of risks involved when starting a new business. We started at the height of the pandemic and with that came its own challenges, including networking without face-to-face connection. We relied on social media platforms to help grow our business and reconnected with past relationships. We have a diversified practice of both commercial and residential projects, which allows us to pivot when one market is not as active. It has been a roller coaster of challenges, from figuring out the necessary insurance and contracts to dealing with inflation, but also a time of great growth and we have learned so much on this journey.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Having spent the first 30 years of my life in the Northeast, I truly appreciate the weather here. I love the diverse landscape of San Diego from the mountains to the ocean, the outdoor lifestyle, and the opportunity to blur the lines between the indoors and outdoors with our architectural spaces. One of my favorite spots in the city is the Salk Institute in La Jolla, a great place to tour and view a historic modern building and enjoy views of the Pacific Ocean.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There have been many people who have supported me throughout my journey. I would like to give a shoutout to all my clients and partners who took a chance to work with us in the early days to help grow SJS Studios.

Website: www.sjsstudiosinc.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sjsstudiosinc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sjs-studios-inc

Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/sjscirrotto/sjs-studios-inc

Image Credits
Studio Maha Haley Hill Photography