Megan Chwiecko’s Career Story
Principal – Block Licensed Interior Design Inc.
This series features the professional journeys of a wide range of individuals across Canada’s real estate development industry. Often, these stories highlight how rewarding careers in real estate development are the result of following your interests, fostering personal and professional networks, and keeping an open mind about what a career in real estate development might be.
Meet Megan Chwiecko – Principal – Block Licensed Interior Design Inc.
How did you get started in your career?
Twenty years ago, I graduated from Mount Royal College (now Mount Royal University) with a degree in Interior Design. From there, I started at a boutique design firm in Calgary that predominantly focused on commercial interior design, with a few residential projects mixed in. I quickly realized that commercial design was where my interests and strengths aligned. I then spent the next phase of my career working within interior design teams at several larger architecture firms in Calgary. In 2016, I founded Block Licensed Interior Design Inc., became a Licensed Interior Designer through the Alberta Architects Association, and have continued to focus on commercial interior spaces throughout Western Canada.
What inspired you to pursue this career path?
I was fortunate to participate in two work-placement weeks while I was in Grade 10 — a pretty special opportunity for a small-town Saskatchewan school (I hope they still offer it!). The first week was spent at a seniors’ care facility and then in a kindergarten classroom. The second week was spent in a small interior design studio in Regina. I remember designing a glass block wall for a medical project and selecting wallcovering with dogs and violins on it for a residential client. That experience sparked something, and I knew this would be my path. Thankfully, my taste and skills have evolved since then!
Have you considered a career switch within or outside of the broader real estate industry?
I haven’t had a moment yet where I considered switching careers entirely, but I’ve definitely had a pivot. Twenty-five years ago, I would have said I’d never want to own my own business. Life, however, had other plans.
In 2016, I started Block while I was three months pregnant with our second son. There’s a lot more to that story, but the short version is that I stepped away from my position at a larger firm at that time and began pursuing a few projects independently, fully intending to return to a firm in a couple of years. As I started to build Block, it grew quickly, and I found I genuinely enjoyed the challenge of owning a business, growing a team, and expanding our client and project reach. There are definitely hard days where business ownership really kicks your butt, but I’ve never regretted it. Nearly ten years in, the team we’ve built, the clients and consultants we work with, and the impact we’ve had on spaces where people work, heal, nourish, and grow has been far more rewarding than I ever expected.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in the field?
Build your web and help others build theirs. Create connections with people both within and outside your industry: those in similar roles, complementary businesses, shared interests, or parallel stages of personal and professional growth. These people may become clients, consultants, collaborators, referral sources, trusted peers, long-time friends who play board games with your family on a Friday night, or another small business owner who has coffee with you once a quarter for your sanity as small business owners. Nurture and grow these relationships. Give more than you ask for. These connections will be the people you lean on during challenges, turn to for advice or recommendations, and celebrate wins with. These are the people who generally understand how big those wins are. They will become the most important and rewarding assets in your career.
How do you stay active and connected in the real estate industry?
I’ve been a member of CREW Calgary for over five years and have found tremendous value in it, from career development and firm exposure to personal growth. I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer on both the events and sponsorship committees, which were both great experiences.
If you’re going to join an association, I highly recommend giving your time and volunteering. The professional takeaways are significant, and the personal relationships you build often extend well beyond your career, especially if you put more into the organization than you expect to get back.
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