Play with Matches is a podcast for the architecture and design industry’s boldest thinkers. Hosted by UpSpring CEO Tiffany Rafii, each episode goes beyond the work itself and into the thinking behind it, exploring the mindset shifts, strategic pivots, and defining moments that spark real change across the built environment.Through conversations with architects, designers, founders, and marketers, Play with Matches examines what happens when you stop following the playbook and start rewriting it.

&lt;p&gt;What if craftsmanship isn’t a limitation, but a competitive advantage?&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In this episode of &lt;em&gt;Play with Matches&lt;/em&gt;, Kristi Bender and Wendy Schwartz, cofounders of Cuff Studio, share how building a handcrafted furniture and lighting practice in Los Angeles has shaped their approach to design, production, and growth.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;From early custom pieces to a full collection, they explain how materiality, artisan collaboration, and staying close to the work drive innovation and differentiation. They also unpack why clients are increasingly asking where products are made—and what that shift means for designers and manufacturers.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;a href=&#039;https://www.cuffstudio.com/&#039;&gt;Cuff Studio&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&#039;https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZfLw7roVKGDK5sZOtvv8e4W7MHC_KHUf/view?usp=drive_link&#039;&gt;Show Transcript&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Think you’d make a great guest on Play with Matches? &lt;a href=&#039;https://2frj1.share.hsforms.com/2-rSJqJtzQPGDuqOd4Hz3Mw&#039;&gt;We’d love to hear from you. &lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;UpSpring is a strategic PR, marketing, and growth partner for firms and product companies shaping the built environment. For more than 17 years, the agency has helped architecture, design, development, and building product brands turn expertise into market authority.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Learn more about UpSpring: &lt;a href=&#039;https://hubs.la/Q047L-_j0&#039;&gt;Website&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&#039;https://www.linkedin.com/company/weareupspring&#039;&gt;LinkedIn&lt;/a&gt; | &lt;a href=&#039;https://www.instagram.com/weareupspring/&#039;&gt;Instagram&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Play with Matches

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