“I was fiercely free-spirited as a child,” says Jenn Zella, co-founder, principal designer, and creative visionary officer at CID Design Group, a business specializing in multifamily and hospitality interior design, branding, and design forecasting, headquartered in Naples.
Zella shares that from a young age, she could sew, paint, and sculpt. She had a total fascination with nature. “I loved to create,” she relays. “I had my own woodshop. I was resourceful and could make something out of nothing—even a stray branch was sacred.”
Although Zella describes herself as a tomboy, the graceful beauty with a warm, articulate voice and chic sense of style appears anything but. Today, at age 46, she helms a company completing projects nationally and internationally, from Albania to the British Virgin Islands. For the past eight years, CID has been recognized as one of the world’s top 100 design firms by Interior Design, growing from $5.5 million in revenue to $21.5 million during that time. Once a staff of three, CID now employs more than 50 people in locations from Naples to Cleveland to Los Angeles to New York City. Zella’s leadership and creative vision have helped secure her company’s position on the world map. Her dedication to growth and opportunity is ongoing; she projects $30 million in revenue in 2027, along with a team of 75.
Zella grew up in Munson, Ohio, on a 200-acre farmstead. Her creative talents do not fall far from the family tree. Her maternal grandfather was the principal architect for the iconic 52-story Terminal Tower (completed in 1930) in downtown Cleveland, while her maternal grandmother owned a hat factory in Cleveland’s Warehouse District and later a bridal shop. Zella’s father was a developer and homebuilder. And in 1980, her mother started a home-based interior design company to realize interiors for her husband’s model homes.
Zella says she was surrounded by a great group of cheerleaders in her early years. “Many times, my grandmother would clip a photo from a magazine, show me, and say, ‘You could make this, Jenn.’” And she would, crafting everything from teepees to fine art.
Zella knew she wanted to be in business from a young age. (Her first venture was a roadside jewelry stand.) She graduated from the University of Georgia in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in business administration. That year, she and her mother, Barbara Zella, founded CID Design Group, positioning themselves as a business-to-business interior design firm with an affinity for commercial spaces in the hospitality, resort, and well-being realms.
Based in Cleveland, CID Design Group worked for national developers. When an opportunity to set up shop in Naples materialized in 2004, they relocated their business. Zella and her mother enrolled in Southwest Florida College to become licensed interior designers. Although they did not anticipate the move south would be permanent, they discovered Naples elevated their well-being. “It is a great place to recharge,” says Zella. They stayed.
A Holistic Approach
A curious person, Zella has always invested time and energy into becoming the best person she can be. She has long been interested in nutrition and embraces fitness. Zella and her husband, Matt Mendenhall, became intrigued with live blood analysis and the study of cell structure through one of her first clients in Naples. Fifteen years ago, she started working with a holistic coach.
When she developed a rare bacterial infection, Zella was put on intravenous medication. Conventional medicine did not work, however, and Zella began doing her own research, becoming familiar with hyperthermic ozone and carbonic acid transdermal technology (HOCATT), delivered through a steam sauna. Recognizing the treatment’s benefits—ranging from immune support to removing toxins and inactivating bacteria and parasites in the body—Zella decided to try it. Within 12 sessions, the adverse bacteria were eliminated from her system.
“When a life-changing event rocks your world, you take things more seriously,” remarks Zella, who began folding activities like yoga and meditation into her life. “I created a clean environment in which to thrive. I took little steps over time, trusting my instincts, always asking, ‘What feels right and what resonates?’”
She also began delegating work and empowering her team, allowing them to unleash their talents more freely. She developed a strong work culture and clear purpose for her growing staff. Together, they identified common values, which include positivity, play, curiosity, team-oriented, and a new one this year, foraging. In the two-story CID Design Group studio on Vanderbilt Beach Road, staff are encouraged to practice what they believe. There’s a HOCATT sauna, an Om pod (for privacy), a seed bar, a smoothie station, and quiet spaces (both indoors and outside) for relaxing and reviving.
Last summer, Zella challenged herself to prioritize meditation with what she calls a self-imposed “40 days of sunrise.” She asked staff and family to respect that she would not be available until 9:30 a.m. Rain or shine, Zella went to the beach for two hours every morning and sat with the sunrise. “I had to tame myself,” she says. “I am always going. My business has always been my partner in life; it was time to focus on me—to get to know myself again.” She describes the experience as “awesome” and “powerful.” One day she opened her eyes to a magnificent rainbow, another to a flock of seagulls on the sand in front of her.
Over the years, Zella has grown protective of her time. As she is a road warrior, it is her husband who is the one home every night with daughters Lillian (14) and Claire (12). “I have the total love and support of these three people,” says Zella. When the four do get time together, it is sacred. “We have dates and go on creative adventures, and every Sunday we gather together and cook.”
Another favorite family activity is sailing, something the couple fell in love with as Floridians. Self-taught, they both have their international sailing licenses. Water is a great source of inspiration for Zella, who believes “it is elemental in design just as it is for humans.” Two or three times a year, the family spends a week aboard their 45-foot catamaran in a totally tech-free zone, fishing, cooking together, and basking in nature.
Guiding the Process
CID Design Group is actively involved with 108 projects, about half of which Zella directs on some scale—from advising to full-on project management. Under her direction, the team is nearing completion of Kalea Bay, a 10-year phased project in North Naples. The multifamily community spans 480 acres and includes five luxury residential towers, as well as 100,000 square feet of amenities featuring pools, outdoor courts, a spa and wellness center, guest cottages, and restaurants.
Starting from the conceptual phase, CID Design Group’s team was tasked with bringing the design and built environment to life. Realizing they were dealing with an active, youthful demographic, they focused on cultivating a casual and fun atmosphere. Quiet luxury was identified as a core experience for the complex.
Because Zella believes design has the power to benefit the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of people, a conscious design standard drove the project. A mixture of authentic and biophilic materials were used. “We ensured the spaces and the procession through them felt airy and gracious; we created a healthy space full of light,” explains Zella.
Richard Corace, founding partner in Signature Communities and developer of Kalea Bay, worked with Zella on the project since the beginning. He considers her a true visionary. “We have collectively referred to Jenn and her team as one of our greatest decisions,” he says. “Her exceptional talent and deep understanding of design principles are evident in every project, where she effortlessly turns common areas into extraordinary works of art. Every design is not only beautiful but perfectly tailored to its environment.”
Almost 10 years ago, Zella was invited to speak about trends in the industry at a luxury home conference. Her speech was so well-received, she has since been invited to participate at speaking engagements throughout the country. She specifically concentrates on conscious or mindful design, an approach involving thoughtful consideration of how design impacts the user’s experience.
As an added value for clients, Zella and her team research and test the latest design-related products, recording their results and reporting on national and global trends impacting the industry. The monthly design forecasts are available through e-mail subscription.
Zella sees the future of design evolving with people and their aspirations. “The future of design must answer the needs of the people it is made by and for,” she notes. Zella recognizes the growing need for spaces that facilitate resting, recharging, and connecting. In her estimation, spaces bringing people together in an increasingly virtual and remote world will be in high demand.
As CID Design Group continues to grow, Zella regards herself as a guide in the process and will always be there to champion her team. Some days though, all this design maven dreams about is being left alone with her work—doing what she loves—creating happier and healthier places for all.
Story Credits:
Shot on location at The Club at Kalea Bay, Naples
Hair: Beautify Salon
Makeup: Gabby for Duality Artistry
Wardrobe: Sarah LaMont and Alexa Manga, Why Style
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