Fork In The Road


by Gail Doby - Date: 2008-10-21 - Word Count: 509 Share This!

Here is my story:

When I started working in interior design over twenty years ago, I was fortunate to have a business degree. I actually called on interior designers when I worked for a Fortune 500 company, and after spending years on the fringe of the industry, I became a consultant working for a subsidiary of American Airlines.

My first day on the job, I looked at a color board for the new office we were building out, and ended up re-designing the space and colors for a 35,000 square foot facility.

After a few years of commercial design and helping my friends do their homes around the country, I realized that it was time to get my design degree. Before finishing my degree, I was working full-time for myself.

When I went to design school, we only received one business class, and it barely covered the basic business tasks let alone how to market your business, set fees, or manage a project.

Even with a business degree and sales and marketing training, I did not have education or training in starting or managing a business.

No one taught me how to get clients, keep clients, hire or manage employees. I made many painful mistakes that affected me financially and emotionally.

In spite of the challenges - and learning everything the hard way, my first paid project was featured on the cover of a magazine, and I was on my way.

I built a successful business and had a beautiful office in a prestigious neighborhood in Denver.

When my business was at its peak, I had seven employees and was doing nearly a million dollars in revenue…and then September 11th happened.

I faced one of the worst periods of my life - a business reversal. I laid off employees, downsized my office, and practically started from scratch. It took a few years, but I rebuilt my business.

I still work as a designer, so knowing what I know now, you can learn from someone that has been in your shoes.

My projects in the last few years include several multi-million dollar new construction design projects as well as several multi-hundred thousand dollar remodel and decorating jobs. I have even been hired by an architect and other designers to do their homes.

After rebuilding my business and learning many valuable techniques for hiring and managing employees, it was clear that I needed more education. I started attending seminars and classes by industry consultants, but was disappointed that many consultants who were telling us what to do had no idea what a day in the life of a designer was really like.

So, I decided to look outside of the industry for top experts, and began immersing myself in learning. I am still studying under two top business coaches and I am a member of two great mastermind groups.
It is absolutely vital to continue your education…you should invest at least 3 - 5 money back guarantee that you will get at least one great idea to help you build your business now.

For more information, visit http://www.InteriorDesignSummit.com. Choose success!

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www.DesignSuccessU.comwww.InteriorDesignSummit.com

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