Dream Home Makeover: What Does Syd Do At Studio McGee?

We don't know about you, but we instantly fell in love with Dream Home Makeover and its stars Shea and Syd McGee, the couple who own a business that provides clients with stunning home makeovers. These aren't just any home makeovers, mind you — they're unique and tailored specifically to the homeowner's personal aesthetic. (Can someone put us on the waiting list?)

It's clear that Shea is the interior designer for Studio McGee, but what exactly does Syd do? As the CEO of the company, he's in charge of all things business-related while Shea handles the Instagram-worthy design aspect. Prior to launching their company, Syd founded and headed up a digital marketing startup (via PopSugar) — so he had the experience necessary to build Studio McGee into the empire it is today. Syd told The Wrap that, on a day-to-day basis, he's in charge of "everything that's, like, not pretty" at the couple's business.

In his interview with The Wrap, Syd McGee elaborated on what falls under his purview and why a lot of his job responsibilities aren't as well-suited to the small screen as Shea's. He told the outlet that he handles hiring employees, terminating them when they don't work out, managing budgets, and doing damage control when "the crap hits the fan."

Syd summed up his job at Studio McGee as "just kind of the general all-around running business, but then making the projects come together with whatever it takes from the backend, so Shea can deliver a pretty finished product." Thanks to her husband and business partner's strong business background, Shea can focus on what she excels at (and what we love to see on screen), which is working her home decor magic.

Dream Home Makeover isn't the first time the power couple has been tapped for a reality TV series — but the first production company that approached them tried to turn Syd's role into something it's not. "They tried to fit us into a box and made Syd the contractor and us kind of the quintessential husband-and-wife design construction duo," Shea told The Salt Lake Tribune in October 2020. Luckily, Netflix is happy to let Syd and Shea use their unique and very different skill sets. And, well, the beautiful final products speak for themselves.