Meet the Founders
We're Donald and Sam — and this is our story
Donald retired from the United States Navy after 31 years of service as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal technician. EOD is the military's elite bomb squad — the men and women called in to locate, identify, and render safe explosive devices in some of the most dangerous environments on earth. They work alongside Navy SEALs and Special Operations Forces. They clear threats so others can move forward safely. It takes calm under pressure, precision, and an absolute commitment to getting it right — because there is no second chance.
That's the man Donald is. And those are the values The Warm Loft is built on.
Sam has been in finance since 1988
That's not a typo. Nearly four decades of mortgage, real estate, hedge funds, contract CFO, and multiple business ownership. Sam began studying trust law in 1986 and has built an extensive financial management practice covering estate planning, trust formation, and entity structuring. Donald brings his own professional portfolio — licensed in real estate, securities, life insurance, and a private pilot. Two different disciplines. One shared standard. Their backgrounds complement each other in every way that matters.
Sam runs The Warm Loft the same way she has run everything else — with precision, intention, and an eye for what actually matters.
She will also be the first to tell you she has always been drawn to the beautiful, the blingy, and the boldly feminine. The bag that turns heads. The accessory that catches the light. The statement piece that walks into a room and gives you that confidence before you say a single word. Donald just loves luxury — full stop.
Between the two of us, The Warm Loft makes perfect sense
We've called San Diego home for 24 years. In that time, we've built a life around something bigger than ourselves. Our son has autism, and when he was diagnosed, we found ourselves exactly where so many families navigating special needs and disabilities find themselves — overwhelmed, uncertain, and searching for where to even begin. We figured it out. And then we spent years making sure other families didn't have to do it alone. Sam has advocated pro bono for countless families across San Diego County — families navigating new diagnoses of autism, epilepsy, and other special needs and disabilities — walking with them through the systems, the services, and the moments that feel impossible. Our son graduates from high school in June 2026. It took a village. We helped build one.
The Warm Loft grew out of all of it — out of service, out of decades in finance, out of advocacy, out of the belief that intention matters. That the things we give should mean something. That beauty and quality aren't frivolous — they're how we honor the people we love.
Some things we make. Some things we find. Everything here is chosen with care.
A veteran-owned curation house. Gifts given with intention. That's The Warm Loft.