Arian D. Lewis
Co-Founder & CEO | Kiln.
Arian D. Lewis has transformed the workspace industry as co-founder and CEO of Kiln, evolving it from a 2018 startup into a premier flex office brand. Drawing on his experience leading the creation of Rise — a global coworking and acceleration brand for Barclays — he’s built a community-centered solution prioritizing quality of life and productivity.
Under his leadership, Kiln serves over 5,000 members and 2,000 businesses across 16 locations. Arian’s vision creates environments where professionals learn, connect and grow. New locations opening in 2025 include Phoenix, St. George, Holladay, Rancho Bernardo, Las Vegas, Bozeman, and Fort Collins, with several other locations in development for 2026.
What emerging market trends or disruptions are you preparing your company for?
Agentic AI will further highlight the need for creative, human-centric problem-solving. At Kiln, we are focused on developing more solutions to help our members collaborate and solve problems. The general RTO (return to office) is causing rifts within companies. Employees want to prioritize lifestyle and employers want better productivity. Both parties’ needs can be met through Kiln, and we are offering modular products — such as Kiln Basecamp and Kiln Access — as solutions that can help teams RTO.
What has been a significant challenge you’ve faced? How did you overcome it?
I have ADHD and a mild form of dyslexia. This has required me to work harder in school, often reading the same material twice in order to keep up. I was told by my 9th-grade high school counselor that I should not plan to go to college and that I might struggle just to graduate from high school. Despite these challenges, I managed to get a scholarship to Brigham Young University and an MBA from Oxford. I had to get creative at times, but ultimately, I accomplished what I needed to.
