Justin Lowe

Justin Lowe – Growing a Firm Through Storytelling, Relationships, and Resilience

Justin Lowe is the Principal of Centric Architecture, an architecture and design firm specializing in projects, including commercial, residential, historical preservation, and planning. In his role as a designer, he specializes in making beautiful and unique spaces. As a seventh-generation Nashville resident, Justin emphasizes design that helps the city scale while maintaining its local charm.

Here's a Glimpse of What You'll Learn

[2:32] How Justin Lowe launched an architecture career after pursuing music and meeting his wife in architecture school
[9:23] Justin talks about struggling financially with a young family during the 2008 recession
[13:05] A mentor’s advice that inspired Justin to launch a design firm
[15:51] Centric Architecture’s design approach and project variety across Middle Tennessee
[27:45] How storytelling influences design decisions and creates lasting community impact
[36:45] Balancing entrepreneurship, family life, and long-term goals

In This Episode

Many entrepreneurs face moments of uncertainty when financial instability, a lack of experience, and external crises converge. During times of economic downturn, how do you decide whether to cling to security or take the risk of building something new from scratch?

Justin Lowe, an architect who stumbled into the profession after pursuing music, faced this dilemma during the 2008 recession. With a young family, shrinking income, and no business development experience, he leaned on relationships and mentorship to make his next move. Justin partnered with a colleague, took on small projects, and — after encouragement from a trusted advisor — launched a practice. When finding yourself in uncertain territory, resilience and adaptability are essential.

Join Robert Hartline in today’s episode of The Decision as he interviews Justin Lowe, Principal of Centric Architecture, about risk-taking and growth during uncertain times. Justin talks about starting his business during the 2008 recession, how he scaled his team to 26 people, and the role of storytelling in design decisions.

Quotable Moments:

“Architecture school is design school, really. Heavy on theory and design, very little on the professional side.”
“We don’t do a lot of cookie-cutter stuff. There’s always a story to tell.”
“What have you got to lose? Just do it. Start your own firm.”
“Our forum still feels like it’s forming. It’s good to have a mix of newbies and old-timers.”
“By 2009, my wife had been laid off; I was on a 40% salary reduction.”

Action Steps:

Embrace uncertainty as an opportunity: Taking risks during downturns can feel daunting, but it often sparks innovation and growth. Reframing uncertainty as a proving ground allows you to build resilience and discover new possibilities.
Seek out mentorship before big decisions: Trusted advisors can provide perspective when the path forward feels unclear. Their encouragement or caution can help you make braver and wiser choices with confidence.
Build relationships beyond transactions: Strong connections with clients, contractors, and peers create trust and open doors when work slows. Investing in people ensures that opportunities arise even in challenging times.
Prioritize storytelling in your work: Sharing the “why” behind a project makes it more meaningful for clients and communities. Story-driven design or business decisions leave a lasting impression and strengthen your reputation.
Balance ambition with humility: Success can fuel ego, but setbacks build character and sustainable leadership. Staying grounded allows you to adapt, recover from burnout, and keep your business aligned with long-term values.