EcoSafe Spaces

In 2007, Lily Cameron and her then-business partner (now husband) founded EcoSafe Spaces after a life-changing tragedy struck close to home. A friend and co-worker lost his wife and child late in pregnancy—a loss that was eventually traced to chemicals in their house. This devastating event crystallized a vision: to build homes that didn't just shelter people, but actively protected their health and wellbeing. Rather than simply lamenting the problem, Lily and her partner decided to become the solution, launching a green construction company dedicated to designing and building homes with exceptional indoor air quality, energy efficiency, and sustainable materials.

EcoSafe Spaces evolved into a full-service design-build firm operating in Austin, Texas. The company offers both design services and complete construction, working either with clients' existing architects or providing in-house architectural expertise. Projects typically range from $500,000 to higher-end custom builds and large-scale remodels, with the firm completing anywhere from 2-3 new builds annually—sometimes extending to 7 projects in particularly busy years. One recent flagship project on the corner of Holly and Waller in downtown Austin exemplified their approach: the client purchased a double lot, brought their own architect, and EcoSafe Spaces handled permitting, all construction phases, and oversight to deliver a custom home with a garage apartment, all featuring some of the city's most energy-efficient designs as verified by third-party testing.

Marketing was never a heavy lift for EcoSafe Spaces. Lily attributes this to Austin's demographic: a city full of environmentally conscious residents who already understand the value of air quality, sustainable building, and long-term energy savings. The sales pitch essentially sells itself in this market—the company relies almost entirely on word-of-mouth referrals and the reputation built from previous projects. Austin's tech-forward, sustainability-minded population provided a natural, receptive customer base from day one.

Early in the business, the firm learned a painful lesson about fixed-rate contracts. On one such deal early in the year, EcoSafe Spaces underestimated costs and took a $50,000 hit—a stark reminder of the liability risks when scope is locked but reality is fluid, especially in custom home construction. This pushed the company toward cost-plus contracting, which has proven far more effective. In a cost-plus model, clients see all invoices transparently and pay the actual build cost plus a fee (typically around 20%) to the builder. This approach allows both parties to be agile throughout construction, accommodating the inevitable design tweaks and customizations that emerge once clients see their home taking shape. The shift transformed the economics and client relationships.

Today, EcoSafe Spaces generates approximately $3 million annually and operates as a high-touch, selective business. Lily has stepped back from day-to-day operations, transitioning into a strategic co-founder/owner role while her husband manages day-to-day construction and contracting. Meanwhile, she's built a parallel career at Rackspace since 2009, starting as a cloud computing project manager and rising to Director of Project Management and Business Operations. Balancing a newborn (eight months old at time of interview), a side business generating millions, and a full-time role at a major tech company, Lily embodies the entrepreneurial-corporate hybrid. She's advocated internally and publicly for family leave policies—Rackspace now offers four months fully paid, though she notes it remains insufficient compared to international standards. The diversification strategy works: family benefits from corporate employment while maintaining equity upside and autonomy through the construction business.