Twenty-Seven Years and Counting!
“With great appreciation! We couldn’t have done it without you!”
When I first conceived creating an interiors business, and a life-long career, it was partly by design and partly by taking a leap of faith, hoping the proverbial parachute would appear. The timing just felt right and the side gig was taking over the day job— also in my field but for a corporately-owned company.
I had met some wonderful folks who were willing to take a chance on me, both clients and vendors. The first vendor rep who opened an account for me, worked with the crème de la crème in our industry, and yet he treated me with the same respect as his largest account. My first client trusted me to see her through an entire home remodel and later hired me when deciding to build a new one. Sadly, both of them are no longer with us, but I think of them often and with gratitude. I learned so much from those relationships, both professionally and personally.
The positive experiences have been so rewarding. Even the not-so-fun times have been brilliant teachers, imparting both a sense of humor and nerves of steel. I keep thinking I've got a book to write!
One of my earlier colleagues, a senior gentleman, shared a story about business being like a buffet line. While there may be many delectable dishes, one can only digest a few at a time so choose wisely. I'm sure he meant that about projects and clients. Overload and making an unwise decision can most certainly bring on a case of heartburn!
I've learned to step into my value and I've learned that it's okay to say 'no' when something or someone is not a good fit. My three P's to decide about taking on a project? Is it pleasurable, profitable and productive? The last one meaning, are we going to be able to achieve an optimal end result for both parties?
I'm still surprised as to how little folks understand what interior designers can bring to the table. Our industry is very visual and those behind-the-scenes activities are stories we need to do a better job of sharing, sans reality TV shows and the like. A project really needs to have a plan and a process to follow. I also cringe at how AI may be misused to reflect work that isn't authentic or even obtainable. We're already seeing some crazy stuff that engineers would question being feasible.
Speaking of technology, I do love to learn and so over the last few years, I've been slipping in and out of the various sources to hone those skills. It brings to question, is it faster to create on the screen rather than manually draw it? In some cases, for me, it's not. Because I appreciate creations made by the human hand, I've decided to revisit my sketching via classes, among other things. There's something about being disconnected from a monitor that brings me back to my early days of drafting and rendering and it makes me feel more enthusiastic and connected to the design process. It's like a form of self-care. So blissful and rewarding.
Twenty-seven years as of August 1, 2023. That leap of faith was life-changing. I'll be celebrating while on an installation doing exactly what I love and hopefully seeing another set of eyes twinkling as the results unfold. Here's to the next chapter!
Thank you for sharing this journey with me.
All my best - Wanda