In 2017, sisters Jennifer May and Colleen TeBrake set the wheels in motion to develop a hotel concept North America had never seen before. Two years later, their hotel development and management company, Two Sisters Bosses, officially embarked on its first project and broke ground for Ambiente, a Landscape Hotel in Sedona, Arizona. The resort, which is set to open December 2020, will comprise 40 cube-shaped “atriums” designed by Scottsdale-based ASUL Architects.
Here, the duo discusses working together, and how the combination of their favorite things—family, vacationing, and Sedona—helped bring Ambiente to fruition.
Has spending time in Sedona as a child influenced your career path?
Jennifer May: Yes, I was born in Sedona, and it’s always been home for my soul. My grandparents lived there and we would stay with them for a few weeks in the summer during monsoon weather, and that’s one of my most special memories—Sitting on the back porch watching the Red Rocks change color as the lightning streaks across the dark skies, and smelling the earth as it starts to rain literally feeds my soul. Everyone should experience it—I’ve never wanted to leave this beautiful place.
Colleen TeBrake: Absolutely! My love and appreciation for the beauty of Sedona is what inspired us to create Ambiente as a space for everyone to come and enjoy.
Tell us about your background: college, first jobs, early lessons learned.
JM: I worked for our family business during my last year of high school and graduated in 1988. I then attended Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff and started a family during that time. I had three children and was blessed enough to be able to stay home with them while they were young.
At 29, I enrolled in esthetician school and I worked for a local salon for about 10 years. I jumped back into the family business again at 40 and have been involved in many capacities since then! I have learned so much about running a business, creating and implementing new ideas, and not giving up when the going gets hard.
CT: After stints at Arizona State University and Grand Canyon University, I graduated with a marketing degree. I went to work for my dad at Mold In Graphics and then started a family (where I marketed breakfast, lunch, dinner, bath time, and bedtime for several years!). During that time, I also got involved in real estate, and I’ve had my license for about 20 years now.
Ambiente’s 40 atriums will be elevated by steel piers and feature floor-to-ceiling bronze glass
As sisters and business partners, what is your work relationship like?
JM: Colleen and I work really well together, we always have. We aren’t just sisters, we are also great friends and really enjoy spending time together. Luckily, our taste and style complements each other and we tend to agree on almost everything. I am really looking forward to sharing our Two Sister Bosses office, taking Ambiente to new heights, and planning incredible places and experiences for the future!
CT: Jen is not only my little sister, she is one of my best friends. We collaborate in the best of ways because we attack projects from different perspectives. She’s the yin to my yang!
When it comes to Ambiente, what has been most challenging and exciting?
JM: The implementation of this unique design was the most challenging aspect of the project. Working within all of the constraints on building codes, trying to create a spectacular property, and working through the financing aspect—all at the same time—was a bit daunting. With that being said, the fact that we made it through all of those challenges and are finally seeing the conceptual design come to life is really exciting. The attention we have received in the media was total confirmation that our idea is being embraced, and that’s a thrilling feeling!
What is your dream project?
JM: Ambiente is our dream project and I can’t wait to see it on opening day.
CT: The dream is to take Ambiente global—to find more amazing places to create new, unique spaces to experience them in.
Ambiente’s interiors evoke a minimalist aesthetic accented by vibrant colors, fabrics, and luxe details
If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
JM: Walt Disney, he was the master of invention and out-of-the-box creative thinking. He had unbelievable stamina for seeing his idea through, despite being turned down over 300 times by banks that didn’t share his vision.
CT: I would love to have dinner with my late Grandpa Jack. I was the oldest of his 17 grandkids and would love nothing more than to play another cribbage game with him. I was his sidekick for years and he taught me so much.
If you weren’t in your current career, what would you be doing?
JM: I would still be working for our family companies, helping them grow and representing us in the marketplace. I have learned so much from being a part of a family business from the top down and I’m beyond excited to continue to learn and grow through running Ambiente!
CT: Throughout my life, I have always wanted to be a neonatal nurse, but it never happened for me. Now, my niece Whitney is one at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, so I can live through her!
A lagoon-inspired pool and spa will anchor Ambiente’s campus
