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Today on how I got here, I'm sitting down

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with Amber Guyton, the creative

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and designer behind Blessed Little Bungalow.

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Amber started her career in corporate in tech,

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but realized she wanted a life

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that felt a little bit more honest and expressive.

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Amber creates rooms that tell stories, honor, identity,

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and make people feel seen.

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Her work has been featured in Architectural Digest,

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HGTV Magazine, Forbes, and More.

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In this conversation, we talk about the leap she took

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and the world she is building through beauty,

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intention, and soul.

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This is Amber Guyton, and this is how she got here.

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After five, almost five years of going full-time,

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I still kind of feel like I'm just getting started

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and really, okay,

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when are we gonna put our big girl panties on

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and hire a team and scale?

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And yeah, it was truly just a God thing.

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It was like, Hey, you've been building this

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for five years on your own with 10% of your time.

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What can you do if you just throw your all into it? Mm-hmm.

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You go to some of these events and things

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and you're just like, uh, I don't belong here.

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And one thing that a lot of people don't know, I think, is

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that interior design, um, only 2% of the industry is black

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as far as interior designers go.

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Really? 2%. Huh.

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Amber, thank you so much for joining me today.

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I, like I told you when you came in, I'm a fan.

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Like, I like to, um, say

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that I do a little bit interior design,

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even though I really don't.

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But your page gives me so much inspiration. Thank you.

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Like, your designs are always just impeccable,

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and so I'm really excited to talk to you today. Okay.

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I'm excited to where the conversation came.

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Yes. Um,

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so I wanna start like a little bit back in the

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earlier parts of your journey.

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When you think about the moment you knew corporate wasn't

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your story anymore, um, what comes to mind first?

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What really pushed you to finally walk away?

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Because I worked in corporate as well. Sure.

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And one day I just walked in.

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I had a vision around, um, what I wanted to do

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and what I wanted to start in terms of my company with pr.

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And one day I just went in and quit.

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I was like, today's my last day.

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I didn't have a backup plan or anything.

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So like, what pushed you to kind of leave corporate

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to go pursue your own thing?

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Oh man. So the intent was never

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to be a designer. Oh,

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Okay.

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I was in corporate, I was working in, um,

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financial services, and then I got a little bored

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after five years at the company I was at

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and decided, well, there's a lot

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of other stuff that happened.

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I was, went through a breakup, had a unexpected,

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um, emergency surgery.

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Oh. Was on FMLA was was in the hospital for a week,

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then it was on FMLA for like two months.

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Um, went back to to work and was like, nah,

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Was life, Because life

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and then, um, transitioned to tech left San Antonio

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and moved to, um, San Francisco.

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But when I created Blessed Little Bungalow in 2016,

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it was just a creative outlet.

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Like I just, I bought a new house,

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decorated it all in a week, and my mom and sister

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and family came to visit

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and they were just like, girl, what?

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Like, we were expecting a box things with you

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and you know, it, they weren't expecting it to be all done.

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And then, um, my mom was just like,

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so when are you gonna do this for real?

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Aw. Because she always thought I was

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gonna be an entrepreneur.

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And she always saw my creative, um, energy

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and just thought that this was me, my path

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to up the corporate ladder

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and to be somebody CMO, like, she was like,

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okay, well that's what she wants to do.

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She went back for MBA, she's doing that,

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but this is what I, yeah.

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This is what she envisioned for me.

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So for me, it was like, I never took the full leap.

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It was more so let me just blog about my house.

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And then eventually people started, like I,

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I set it up as a business.

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I got the L-L-C-E-I-N got the logo stuff. So you

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Knew to do That?

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Yeah. But because of my background in marketing, I was like,

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well, I'm not gonna come out here.

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I didn't go to school for this one,

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so I'm a at least look like I know what I'm doing,

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So I invest until you make it.

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Right. So I invested in all of that.

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And so long story short, like it was always just a hobby

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and side hustle, and I was really comfortable with that.

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And then the pandemic happened

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and, um, I decided

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to move back to Atlanta.

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Um, and the tech company I worked

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for had just iPod.

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I felt like I was in a really good place,

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but it was finally at the point where I was in a great place

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where I could work remote west coast time,

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uh, work on my craft and business East Coast time.

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Like I had a, a really good situation,

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but it was truly just a God thing.

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It was like, Hey, you've been building this

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for five years on your own with 10% of your time.

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What can you do if you just throw your all into it?

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And I think it happening

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during the pandemic versus me jumping out, like immediately

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was kind of like, you know, the world is falling apart.

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Yeah. What you gonna do

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with your life in the little bit of time we got left?

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Mm-hmm. And so that was when I decided, okay,

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really it's time to quit.

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You know, the pandemic forced a lot of people

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to like rethink like what they wanted to do professionally.

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Mm-hmm. Uh, what truly makes them happy.

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So I could see that. Mm-hmm. I understand that. Mm-hmm.

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Because like during that time, I was like,

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I think I wanna run, or I wanna write

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or do something like that. A lot of people

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Took up tennis, a lot of hobbies. 'cause we like,

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We all gonna die. Right.

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Right. Something's Going on. Right.

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Um, but okay. That's exciting though. Yes.

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And it's blossomed into,

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It's continued to blossom and grow.

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Um, I felt like it was almost like a new start,

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even though the business will be 10 next year.

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I feel like it really just,

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sometimes I feel like I just got started

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when I went full time.

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Mm-hmm. And I think for a lot of, um,

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creatives and solopreneurs, they feel like, well,

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I'm not gonna be taken seriously unless I do this full time.

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Yeah. I have to put my all into it. Mm-hmm.

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So I feel like a reset button was kind of hit then.

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And even after five, almost five years of going full time,

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I still kind of feel like I'm just getting started.

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And really, okay,

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when are we gonna put our big girl panties on

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and hire a team and scale and Yeah.

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It, it feels like I, I am constantly looking at, okay,

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what's the next thing mm-hmm.

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To make the business legit. Mm.

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Which when I share that

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with people, they're like, girl, what's

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Yeah. Because I'm, what's

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wrong?

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You, I think when everybody's,

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whenever someone's trying to build something,

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they think they have these, um, dreams of

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what they think their business and team should look like.

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Sure. Um, and it's not necessary, you know, I used

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to have this vision of like, I wanted 20 full-timers,

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I wanted big offices and all this.

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And I got, I almost got to that level. Okay.

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And I was like, this is not what the hell I want.

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Like, it's extremely stressful. Yeah.

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So I think you need to acknowledge the space that you're in.

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Sure. And, um, the level of success

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and achievements that you've been able to accomplish to date

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where you are and with the team that you have. Right,

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Right. Because

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I, I'm like, you even just glossed over the fact

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that you talked about you designed

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your whole house in a week.

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Like what? It takes me like a week

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to pick out some chairs. Little

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Ambitious, Maybe even a month.

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Yeah. So you did the whole house mm-hmm. In a week. Mm-hmm.

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I was hoarding a few things.

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I had like, at an apartment, so I had a few pieces,

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but like I at, I'm, I'm Virgo, so, you know,

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got the spreadsheet and like, okay, we gonna do this

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and this and have the mood boards ready

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and moved in on the day I closed and a week later.

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What? Yeah. Insane. Yeah.

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Moved in the day you closed

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and then a week later the house was done.

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Mm-hmm. Paint everything mm-hmm. Furniture, light bulbs.

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Mm-hmm. Oh my

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God. All the bulbs.

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That's

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Insane. Yeah.

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Yeah. So, and I mean, that's a sign,

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that was the sign right there from God though, right?

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Like, this is what we were destined

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For. Yeah. This is what

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you can do in your sleep.

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This is what you excites you, this is

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what you would do for free.

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Um, and I enjoy it.

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And I think the thing that's scary about going from a hobby

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to a side hustle to full-time is the fear that

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I'm not gonna enjoy it anymore if

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people are making me do it.

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Like, if it's, if it feels like work, um mm-hmm.

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And in scaling and even having the CEO hat on, it's like,

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now I'm in charge of people

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and I am, my, my success

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ends up being like whether they can

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feed their family or not.

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So I have to succeed. Mm-hmm.

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You know, all that pressure and making payroll and mm-hmm.

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You think that's because now you,

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you were read about you crying, I might start crying

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because I'm

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I've gone through all that.

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Yeah. Yeah. And it's like, and,

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and I think also like as you grow bigger,

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because you see like the Shea McGees and the Joanna Gaines

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and people are like, oh, you're gonna be the

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next black Martha Stewart.

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Like, well, Martha Stewart could cook. I don't cook.

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Um, I'd be decorating, but I don't be cooking.

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Uh, but I like my kitchen and it's beautiful.

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But like that people put all these expectations on you

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and say like, Hey, you can do this.

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And it's, it's great for people to be able to see

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that vision for me, but it's like, I don't wanna have,

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or at least I don't think I wanna have a studio

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with 40 designers in it

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and being able to design for the masses

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and these huge, like, I've done celebrity homes, I've done,

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um, work for millionaires and so on, but it's like,

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but my sweet spot,

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what I like are the little houses, the little spaces.

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What, what Andre say.

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Little rooms, big things happen in little rooms.

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That's how I feel. I'm like, I like,

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that's why my business is called West Little Bungalow,

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because I think you can pack

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so much impact into a small space.

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So like that 3000 square foot house is akay with me. Right.

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Um, and so there's this fear

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and mindset of, oh, well, in order to be successful you have

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to employ a lot of people and be huge.

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But it's like, no, that boutique agency

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or firm size is actually sounds like a

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dream. It is. Mm-hmm.

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So talk to me about the early days

253
00:10:30.125 --> 00:10:32.045
of building blessed little bungalow.

254
00:10:32.155 --> 00:10:33.605
What did, what did those days look like?

255
00:10:34.345 --> 00:10:36.125
So I was working full time.

256
00:10:36.705 --> 00:10:39.605
Um, I had, I graduated from UGA

257
00:10:39.605 --> 00:10:41.765
with my MBA in 2014.

258
00:10:42.665 --> 00:10:47.005
And I moved to San Antonio in 2015 for a new job.

259
00:10:47.125 --> 00:10:48.405
I worked for USAA.

260
00:10:48.865 --> 00:10:51.965
Um, and they have like MBA career development program.

261
00:10:52.425 --> 00:10:55.045
So I was in rotations the first two years and

262
00:10:55.065 --> 00:10:56.965
before I landed into a full-time role.

263
00:10:57.785 --> 00:11:00.645
And so that was my career.

264
00:11:00.715 --> 00:11:02.965
Like, I had just gotten out of a super toxic

265
00:11:03.515 --> 00:11:04.765
work environment mm-hmm.

266
00:11:04.845 --> 00:11:07.125
Before, and then before that I worked in sales.

267
00:11:07.625 --> 00:11:09.245
So it felt like I finally had

268
00:11:09.795 --> 00:11:13.165
that six figure big girl job, like, this is it.

269
00:11:13.275 --> 00:11:15.205
Yeah. Um, and

270
00:11:15.705 --> 00:11:18.365
so it was fine.

271
00:11:18.905 --> 00:11:21.365
And working in marketing, you know, you get, you're,

272
00:11:21.365 --> 00:11:22.725
you're creative to an extent,

273
00:11:22.865 --> 00:11:25.125
but it's still like financial services, like

274
00:11:25.125 --> 00:11:26.525
how sexy are Yeah.

275
00:11:26.675 --> 00:11:29.085
Life insurance and credit cards gonna be. Right.

276
00:11:29.545 --> 00:11:32.405
So I was seeking, I think, some self-fulfillment

277
00:11:32.585 --> 00:11:35.565
and, um, just my own creative outlet.

278
00:11:35.665 --> 00:11:38.485
And then also living in a new city, in a new space, um,

279
00:11:39.185 --> 00:11:41.285
needed to occupy my time.

280
00:11:42.225 --> 00:11:46.885
Um, and so the blog with the origin story,

281
00:11:47.005 --> 00:11:48.925
I shared, like, I started writing.

282
00:11:49.205 --> 00:11:50.685
I love to write. Um,

283
00:11:50.945 --> 00:11:55.085
and so the combination of being able to write about my home,

284
00:11:56.005 --> 00:11:59.205
decorate and then show it on social media,

285
00:11:59.515 --> 00:12:03.845
show my home goods runs, show my, um, all the things

286
00:12:03.845 --> 00:12:06.645
that I enjoyed to do, like, that was pretty much it.

287
00:12:06.645 --> 00:12:07.925
It was like, I'm doing this for fun.

288
00:12:08.505 --> 00:12:12.365
And then I decorated my, uh, one

289
00:12:12.365 --> 00:12:15.805
of my good friends in Greenville, South Carolina, his, um,

290
00:12:16.345 --> 00:12:18.685
him and his wife's first child's nursery.

291
00:12:18.825 --> 00:12:19.845
And I did that for free.

292
00:12:19.865 --> 00:12:21.125
And that was the first project

293
00:12:21.125 --> 00:12:23.165
besides my own home that was on my website.

294
00:12:23.865 --> 00:12:25.525
Um, and then eventually the,

295
00:12:25.525 --> 00:12:29.005
what I call stranger Clients started hollering.

296
00:12:29.005 --> 00:12:31.365
They were just like, Hey, this was recommended.

297
00:12:31.465 --> 00:12:33.205
You were recommended in this Facebook group.

298
00:12:33.305 --> 00:12:36.405
And so it was truly brick by brick, like super organic

299
00:12:36.995 --> 00:12:39.605
from having 300 followers of just my friends

300
00:12:39.625 --> 00:12:43.765
and family to now the 150,000 followers on Instagram.

301
00:12:44.025 --> 00:12:48.405
The YouTube, like, it was all intentional, but,

302
00:12:48.825 --> 00:12:53.165
but nothing I've, I didn't wanna force it.

303
00:12:53.405 --> 00:12:57.125
I wanted, I never envisioned being an influencer, right?

304
00:12:57.345 --> 00:13:02.005
Mm-hmm. Like having content creation as a stream of income.

305
00:13:02.345 --> 00:13:04.045
Um, but it came with the organic,

306
00:13:04.045 --> 00:13:05.765
following the conversations.

307
00:13:06.665 --> 00:13:11.085
Um, and more than anything, I, interior design is

308
00:13:12.685 --> 00:13:16.165
a, a bit of a stuffy turn off

309
00:13:16.265 --> 00:13:17.925
of a industry to me.

310
00:13:18.305 --> 00:13:20.565
Or it was then, and it still can be. Mm-hmm.

311
00:13:20.645 --> 00:13:21.765
You go to some of these events and things

312
00:13:21.765 --> 00:13:24.165
and you're just like, uh, I don't belong here.

313
00:13:24.585 --> 00:13:27.725
And one thing that a lot of people don't know, I think is

314
00:13:27.725 --> 00:13:32.645
that interior design, um, only 2% of the industry is black

315
00:13:32.785 --> 00:13:34.405
as far as interior designers go.

316
00:13:34.405 --> 00:13:35.605
Really? 2%, huh?

317
00:13:35.985 --> 00:13:37.245
It might be like three now,

318
00:13:37.545 --> 00:13:40.045
but it's definitely like, went up very low.

319
00:13:40.065 --> 00:13:41.365
And then architects is even less,

320
00:13:41.365 --> 00:13:42.805
it's like one less than 1%.

321
00:13:42.985 --> 00:13:46.045
Oh, wow. So when we walk into certain rooms and showrooms

322
00:13:46.045 --> 00:13:48.005
and High Point and so on, like a lot

323
00:13:48.005 --> 00:13:49.365
of times we're the only ones there.

324
00:13:49.875 --> 00:13:52.005
High. It's high point of us. I see that a lot on social.

325
00:13:52.005 --> 00:13:53.485
What is that? Yeah. High Point Market.

326
00:13:53.625 --> 00:13:56.565
The best way to describe it is like New York Fashion Week

327
00:13:56.625 --> 00:13:58.285
for the furnishings industry.

328
00:13:58.355 --> 00:14:00.805
Yeah. Okay. So High Point, North Carolina,

329
00:14:01.115 --> 00:14:03.725
they have roots in furniture making.

330
00:14:03.755 --> 00:14:06.085
Like a lot of companies are, are headquartered there.

331
00:14:06.085 --> 00:14:07.205
They have showrooms there.

332
00:14:07.345 --> 00:14:09.045
So they have a week in the spring

333
00:14:09.145 --> 00:14:13.565
and in the fall that, um, buyers, designers,

334
00:14:14.305 --> 00:14:18.405
um, makers across the world really come

335
00:14:18.905 --> 00:14:20.805
and there's exhibits.

336
00:14:20.905 --> 00:14:22.645
You, you could float through showrooms.

337
00:14:22.645 --> 00:14:24.005
There's a lot of panels.

338
00:14:24.005 --> 00:14:25.685
Like the one that just happened in October,

339
00:14:25.925 --> 00:14:27.565
I spoke on three different panels.

340
00:14:28.065 --> 00:14:30.325
Um, so it's a place to get inspired.

341
00:14:30.985 --> 00:14:34.165
Um, for me it feels like a homecoming where I can mm-hmm.

342
00:14:34.245 --> 00:14:36.285
Meet up with designers that I've probably only seen a few

343
00:14:36.285 --> 00:14:39.085
times a year, um, or just see you on Instagram.

344
00:14:39.825 --> 00:14:41.805
Um, and so yeah.

345
00:14:41.805 --> 00:14:43.685
Spaces like that, it's very few

346
00:14:43.685 --> 00:14:45.645
and far between as far as people of color.

347
00:14:45.865 --> 00:14:49.285
So, um, it, for me, it's like, well,

348
00:14:49.285 --> 00:14:50.725
if I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna be who I am.

349
00:14:50.905 --> 00:14:52.925
Mm-hmm. And I'm gonna shop at HomeGoods

350
00:14:52.925 --> 00:14:54.965
and I'm gonna tell y'all that that came from CB two

351
00:14:54.965 --> 00:14:58.245
and if you don't like it, well, you're not my client.

352
00:14:58.245 --> 00:14:59.885
Yeah. You know, you're not my follower.

353
00:14:59.985 --> 00:15:03.285
And so being comfortable in the skin I'm in, I think

354
00:15:03.755 --> 00:15:07.445
that level of authenticity is what attract the,

355
00:15:07.705 --> 00:15:10.445
all the followers and the, and the clients over time,

356
00:15:10.655 --> 00:15:13.205
Given the demographic of the, the industry.

357
00:15:13.345 --> 00:15:16.045
And like you said, you are gonna show up as yourself, right?

358
00:15:16.045 --> 00:15:18.925
Mm-hmm. Um, were you nervous

359
00:15:19.145 --> 00:15:21.085
or scared when you first really like,

360
00:15:21.115 --> 00:15:24.005
took the leap full time into this space?

361
00:15:24.685 --> 00:15:26.605
Absolutely. Um, Especially as you were trying

362
00:15:26.605 --> 00:15:27.685
to define your aesthetic.

363
00:15:28.235 --> 00:15:31.205
Sure. Um, so I, we talked about High Point,

364
00:15:31.205 --> 00:15:33.445
like I didn't go to High Point until I went full-time.

365
00:15:33.445 --> 00:15:35.405
Mm-hmm. Or until I was about to go full-time,

366
00:15:35.435 --> 00:15:39.125
because I felt like, yeah,

367
00:15:39.165 --> 00:15:41.365
I think it was 2022 when I first went to High Point.

368
00:15:41.365 --> 00:15:43.325
It was after I went full-time because I felt like, oh,

369
00:15:43.325 --> 00:15:44.485
I didn't go to school for this.

370
00:15:45.465 --> 00:15:49.835
I'm not, um, traditionally trained in interior design.

371
00:15:51.055 --> 00:15:53.835
The imposter syndrome is like times 10. Mm-hmm.

372
00:15:53.915 --> 00:15:56.195
Like, you, you girl, who do you think you are?

373
00:15:56.215 --> 00:15:59.635
You're a hobbyist, you fluff pillows. Mm. You know?

374
00:16:00.055 --> 00:16:02.155
Um, and so I,

375
00:16:05.075 --> 00:16:08.635
I didn't take that leap until I took that leap.

376
00:16:08.715 --> 00:16:11.035
I felt like, okay, that gives me some street cred. Right.

377
00:16:11.035 --> 00:16:12.395
That gives me some credibility.

378
00:16:12.935 --> 00:16:15.235
Um, I forgot the second part of the question.

379
00:16:16.155 --> 00:16:20.915
Well, I mean, look, I was just going off the cuff too.

380
00:16:21.035 --> 00:16:22.435
'cause now I don't even remember. I'm looking

381
00:16:22.435 --> 00:16:23.595
at my questions on here.

382
00:16:23.595 --> 00:16:25.635
That keynote specific was like, you gotta ask.

383
00:16:25.775 --> 00:16:26.915
No, it's all good. I always go off.

384
00:16:27.375 --> 00:16:29.555
Um, I was just wondering, like, were you nervous

385
00:16:29.655 --> 00:16:30.955
or scared when you got into the space?

386
00:16:30.955 --> 00:16:33.995
Especially because you, you just shared how white it is.

387
00:16:34.305 --> 00:16:36.035
Yeah. Yeah. And then like, you're coming in,

388
00:16:36.035 --> 00:16:39.075
your aesthetic is soe full maximalist. Right. Soulful

389
00:16:39.075 --> 00:16:40.475
Maximalism. Thank you. So

390
00:16:40.975 --> 00:16:43.555
You coming into the space with that aesthetic mm-hmm.

391
00:16:43.695 --> 00:16:45.555
Um, like were you nervous? Were you scared?

392
00:16:45.555 --> 00:16:46.595
Like you said you,

393
00:16:46.595 --> 00:16:48.795
you felt like you were an imposter, a hobbyist

394
00:16:48.795 --> 00:16:49.795
Coach. Yeah.

395
00:16:49.795 --> 00:16:51.675
I, all of the above.

396
00:16:52.095 --> 00:16:55.755
But I think my use

397
00:16:55.755 --> 00:17:00.275
of color pattern, black faces in all the spaces

398
00:17:00.635 --> 00:17:01.755
'cause of black people live there,

399
00:17:01.755 --> 00:17:03.555
we gonna show some black art. We're gonna, oh,

400
00:17:03.555 --> 00:17:04.915
You, I need, I need you to gimme some

401
00:17:04.915 --> 00:17:06.155
art. Let's keep going.

402
00:17:07.055 --> 00:17:11.555
Uh, family photos, like, you know, there's so much

403
00:17:12.335 --> 00:17:16.235
of society that says your home needs

404
00:17:16.235 --> 00:17:17.395
to be a blank canvas.

405
00:17:17.705 --> 00:17:21.675
Your home needs to be beige and tan

406
00:17:21.895 --> 00:17:23.755
and not too busy.

407
00:17:23.935 --> 00:17:26.715
Mm-hmm. Or cluttered. And when they come,

408
00:17:26.865 --> 00:17:29.035
like you're always, I don't know at

409
00:17:29.035 --> 00:17:31.795
what point it was infused in our minds as consumers

410
00:17:31.795 --> 00:17:34.075
that you have to design your home

411
00:17:34.495 --> 00:17:36.515
to attract the next home buyer.

412
00:17:36.865 --> 00:17:39.155
It's like, no girl, you live there. Mm-hmm.

413
00:17:39.235 --> 00:17:40.555
Like, put those pictures up.

414
00:17:40.615 --> 00:17:42.915
Now if you wanna take stuff down when you need an appraisal

415
00:17:43.015 --> 00:17:44.435
or whatever, like, that's your business.

416
00:17:45.055 --> 00:17:49.325
But I am going to have a home that reflects who I am

417
00:17:49.715 --> 00:17:53.805
that makes me feel celebrated and seen and safe.

418
00:17:53.985 --> 00:17:58.025
Mm-hmm. And like, remind me of my roots.

419
00:17:58.525 --> 00:18:01.585
I'm just a country girl, born and raised in South Carolina.

420
00:18:02.205 --> 00:18:05.065
And my picture of my grandparents on my,

421
00:18:05.205 --> 00:18:08.545
on my media cabinet like that I walk by every day

422
00:18:08.545 --> 00:18:10.025
that's gonna remind me who I am.

423
00:18:10.485 --> 00:18:15.465
And so it's almost a tragedy, like meeting

424
00:18:15.575 --> 00:18:17.265
with clients and people

425
00:18:17.405 --> 00:18:19.385
and they just like, I just don't like where I live.

426
00:18:19.545 --> 00:18:21.745
I don't like my space. I'm like, people that are afraid

427
00:18:21.745 --> 00:18:24.625
to put a nail in the wall in their own house, you know,

428
00:18:24.645 --> 00:18:26.425
afraid of wallpaper and so on.

429
00:18:26.425 --> 00:18:30.465
So my hope is to free them of that, what feels like a burden

430
00:18:30.765 --> 00:18:32.985
and understand that nothing is permanent

431
00:18:33.645 --> 00:18:35.585
and your home should evolve over time with you.

432
00:18:35.615 --> 00:18:37.585
Your style. Just like fashion. Right.

433
00:18:38.125 --> 00:18:41.945
Um, so that I think empowered me

434
00:18:41.945 --> 00:18:45.665
to keep pushing and not worry about what,

435
00:18:46.305 --> 00:18:47.905
'cause there's enough designers to go around.

436
00:18:47.905 --> 00:18:49.105
There's enough aesthetics

437
00:18:49.125 --> 00:18:50.745
and things for people to like, like

438
00:18:51.385 --> 00:18:52.785
I think the minute you try

439
00:18:52.845 --> 00:18:54.985
to please everyone, you're for no one.

440
00:18:55.205 --> 00:18:57.505
And so I kind of just kept that in mind as,

441
00:18:58.165 --> 00:19:01.545
and know that, you know, I'm not gonna be in, I mean,

442
00:19:01.545 --> 00:19:04.545
maybe I will be, but like Southern Living Magazine

443
00:19:04.725 --> 00:19:08.265
and certain things, it's like if that, if my aesthetic isn't

444
00:19:08.265 --> 00:19:11.585
for that consumer or for that eye, that's okay. Mm-hmm.

445
00:19:12.285 --> 00:19:14.185
Is there one project that you could say

446
00:19:14.185 --> 00:19:15.585
that has changed you

447
00:19:15.585 --> 00:19:18.025
or taught you something like you didn't, you didn't expect?

448
00:19:18.565 --> 00:19:21.345
Um, every project that just like,

449
00:19:21.345 --> 00:19:22.705
you know, there's no favorites.

450
00:19:22.705 --> 00:19:24.465
They're all my babies. Um,

451
00:19:25.525 --> 00:19:28.945
but there is a project, um, here in Atlanta

452
00:19:30.285 --> 00:19:33.065
called, um, project Rose Room.

453
00:19:33.925 --> 00:19:38.265
And it was the first time I had an interior design project

454
00:19:39.155 --> 00:19:42.225
where the clients were really just like, do you

455
00:19:43.055 --> 00:19:44.505
like this is who we are.

456
00:19:45.445 --> 00:19:46.945
We called you 'cause we love you.

457
00:19:48.005 --> 00:19:50.425
Here's a new build blank canvas.

458
00:19:50.885 --> 00:19:54.745
Cookie cutter feels like we're finishing the basement,

459
00:19:55.045 --> 00:19:56.985
but the rest of the house is yours.

460
00:19:57.845 --> 00:20:02.185
And it was so liberating and freeing

461
00:20:03.045 --> 00:20:05.385
and such an honor to have that trust.

462
00:20:05.705 --> 00:20:07.265
I was gonna say, that's trust. Yeah.

463
00:20:07.745 --> 00:20:09.425
'cause it's already a privilege to be able

464
00:20:09.425 --> 00:20:10.425
to walk into someone's home.

465
00:20:10.535 --> 00:20:12.545
Like your home is like your personal space.

466
00:20:12.805 --> 00:20:13.825
Um, and so

467
00:20:13.845 --> 00:20:16.905
to be invited in someone's home at all is a privilege.

468
00:20:17.005 --> 00:20:21.265
But then to be invited into design the space, the space

469
00:20:21.265 --> 00:20:23.945
that they live in, because when it's over, I'm going home.

470
00:20:23.945 --> 00:20:26.465
Right. Like, y'all gotta, y'all gotta love this. Yeah.

471
00:20:26.465 --> 00:20:28.545
Y'all gotta like this. And so, um,

472
00:20:29.215 --> 00:20:33.305
that project we did the powder room, the, the,

473
00:20:33.375 --> 00:20:34.905
it's called Project Rose Room,

474
00:20:34.905 --> 00:20:37.465
because they were like, we don't want a formal dining room.

475
00:20:37.525 --> 00:20:40.385
We want like a lady's lounge. Okay.

476
00:20:40.385 --> 00:20:43.065
And she was like, a place that I can just drink rose,

477
00:20:43.155 --> 00:20:44.905
drink rose with my girlfriends.

478
00:20:44.935 --> 00:20:48.165
Okay. And so that was like the first piece

479
00:20:48.195 --> 00:20:49.685
that I designed that space.

480
00:20:49.705 --> 00:20:51.165
And it has like Magento walls

481
00:20:51.345 --> 00:20:54.965
and it's artsy, um, gold

482
00:20:55.305 --> 00:20:58.125
and different patterns and jewel tones.

483
00:20:58.505 --> 00:21:00.845
Um, and then the rest of the house just kind of flew,

484
00:21:01.065 --> 00:21:02.765
uh, flourish from there. I

485
00:21:02.765 --> 00:21:03.925
Love it. I gotta see this house.

486
00:21:04.065 --> 00:21:06.085
Yes. I think you like it. Um,

487
00:21:07.025 --> 00:21:09.965
And they've had two, two kids since then. And so I

488
00:21:10.035 --> 00:21:12.085
Have you gone back to, I went back to do the nursery

489
00:21:12.085 --> 00:21:13.605
and I'm about to go back to the other.

490
00:21:13.705 --> 00:21:14.965
So it's like to be able to,

491
00:21:15.425 --> 00:21:17.605
the biggest compliment is repeat clients

492
00:21:17.745 --> 00:21:20.085
and to be able to be invited back in their home as their

493
00:21:20.595 --> 00:21:22.885
life events and life journey happens.

494
00:21:23.545 --> 00:21:25.925
Um, so yeah, it's, it's an honor.

495
00:21:26.425 --> 00:21:28.565
I'm just thinking like, there's so many people

496
00:21:28.565 --> 00:21:30.045
that start businesses.

497
00:21:30.465 --> 00:21:34.765
Um, and then ultimately they, the businesses thrive, uh,

498
00:21:34.765 --> 00:21:36.685
even if they've not had formal training

499
00:21:36.745 --> 00:21:38.045
or experience in that space.

500
00:21:38.045 --> 00:21:42.085
Mm-hmm. Um, and one piece that people always struggle

501
00:21:42.085 --> 00:21:43.125
with is like, pricing.

502
00:21:43.505 --> 00:21:47.325
Mm. Right. So talk to me about like how you were able to,

503
00:21:47.325 --> 00:21:49.445
like, once we, you started getting the calls from people

504
00:21:49.445 --> 00:21:50.365
were like, Hey, can you come do

505
00:21:50.365 --> 00:21:51.485
this room or can do this space?

506
00:21:51.485 --> 00:21:53.165
Mm-hmm. How did you figure out your pricing?

507
00:21:53.625 --> 00:21:54.645
Did you, did you have a mentor

508
00:21:54.645 --> 00:21:56.725
that said Amber Price like this?

509
00:21:56.785 --> 00:21:58.205
Or were you just like, oh, I could do that

510
00:21:58.305 --> 00:22:00.765
for a thousand dollars.

511
00:22:01.225 --> 00:22:02.805
And then you get into the space

512
00:22:02.825 --> 00:22:04.365
and you're like, why did I charge this slot?

513
00:22:04.555 --> 00:22:06.085
Yeah. Yeah. I think

514
00:22:06.085 --> 00:22:08.125
that overall designers don't charge enough.

515
00:22:08.365 --> 00:22:10.245
I feel like most entrepreneurs Yeah.

516
00:22:10.245 --> 00:22:12.125
And small businesses do not charge their

517
00:22:12.125 --> 00:22:14.565
worth a big reason for that.

518
00:22:14.625 --> 00:22:17.205
We don't track our time. I know. I personally don't. Mm-hmm.

519
00:22:17.585 --> 00:22:20.525
And so when you really get down to the dollars

520
00:22:20.585 --> 00:22:23.605
and cents of every ounce of effort you've put into

521
00:22:24.035 --> 00:22:25.765
what you're doing and what you're building,

522
00:22:25.765 --> 00:22:29.125
especially in the service space, um, it's like, girl,

523
00:22:29.125 --> 00:22:30.925
you're paying yourself 3 cents an hour.

524
00:22:31.675 --> 00:22:33.445
Yeah. What is happening?

525
00:22:33.705 --> 00:22:37.045
Um, so in the beginning,

526
00:22:38.155 --> 00:22:40.365
because I worked full-time, I was like, well,

527
00:22:40.385 --> 00:22:41.925
I'm just gonna start with e-sign.

528
00:22:42.625 --> 00:22:45.045
And that's still kind of like the foundation of my business.

529
00:22:45.115 --> 00:22:49.885
Like, because I was moving from Texas to California back

530
00:22:49.885 --> 00:22:51.205
to, um, Georgia.

531
00:22:51.925 --> 00:22:54.205
I had my initial network

532
00:22:54.265 --> 00:22:56.405
of clients were like in the Carolinas.

533
00:22:56.505 --> 00:22:59.765
So I had clients in Charlotte, I had clients in Atlanta,

534
00:23:00.005 --> 00:23:01.805
I had clients back home in South Carolina.

535
00:23:02.185 --> 00:23:06.845
And so I would deliver the designs or mood boards virtually.

536
00:23:06.865 --> 00:23:10.685
Mm-hmm. Um, and so I was like, okay, well who does e-sign?

537
00:23:10.685 --> 00:23:12.325
And at the time it was like Haven Lee

538
00:23:12.385 --> 00:23:15.925
and a couple different, like, companies that were doing it

539
00:23:15.925 --> 00:23:17.405
for like 1 49 a room.

540
00:23:17.625 --> 00:23:20.125
And I was like, 1 49 a room. That doesn't sound like a lot.

541
00:23:20.185 --> 00:23:21.645
But then at the same time I was like,

542
00:23:22.065 --> 00:23:23.245
that's the starting point.

543
00:23:23.385 --> 00:23:26.165
So if they get a personal, like, like,

544
00:23:26.285 --> 00:23:28.005
'cause they're just outsourcing whatever,

545
00:23:28.005 --> 00:23:29.245
and you get maybe two edits.

546
00:23:29.245 --> 00:23:32.845
Right. And so then I started looking on another designer's

547
00:23:32.845 --> 00:23:34.325
pages, and I think it varies,

548
00:23:34.505 --> 00:23:36.365
it definitely varies based on the location,

549
00:23:36.825 --> 00:23:39.485
but some people are doing like $500 a room.

550
00:23:39.905 --> 00:23:42.485
And I was like, oh, well I, I don't know what I'm doing,

551
00:23:42.625 --> 00:23:44.325
so I can't charge $500.

552
00:23:44.425 --> 00:23:46.085
So I started at two 50 a room.

553
00:23:46.675 --> 00:23:47.675
Okay. Two 50 I

554
00:23:47.675 --> 00:23:49.325
was sling for e-sign. Mm-hmm. Okay.

555
00:23:49.445 --> 00:23:51.965
I was slinging mood boards for two 50 a pop.

556
00:23:52.305 --> 00:23:56.285
And eventually, like each year I was like, okay, let's go

557
00:23:56.285 --> 00:23:59.205
to seven 50, let's go to 1750. Wait,

558
00:23:59.205 --> 00:24:00.245
Were you giving them links to like

559
00:24:00.245 --> 00:24:01.405
what you were putting in the room?

560
00:24:01.465 --> 00:24:05.805
Mm-hmm. At two 50 girl, I would've,

561
00:24:06.045 --> 00:24:07.205
I would've hired you back then

562
00:24:07.225 --> 00:24:08.225
Too. Yeah. They,

563
00:24:08.225 --> 00:24:09.725
I gave them a spreadsheet.

564
00:24:09.945 --> 00:24:12.045
It was in Excel, now it's in Google Sheets.

565
00:24:12.265 --> 00:24:16.085
Um, and now it's like a whole other CRM tool, but Yep.

566
00:24:16.245 --> 00:24:18.005
I would, I would, and then I wouldn't just give them

567
00:24:18.005 --> 00:24:19.005
what was on the mood board.

568
00:24:19.065 --> 00:24:20.725
I'd give them like eight options

569
00:24:21.665 --> 00:24:23.565
For $250.

570
00:24:25.025 --> 00:24:27.205
So if I'm like, Hey, Amber, can you design my bath?

571
00:24:27.275 --> 00:24:29.285
Like I wanna e design for my bathroom. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

572
00:24:29.405 --> 00:24:30.765
You would gimme the mockup. Mm-hmm.

573
00:24:30.845 --> 00:24:32.845
You would gimme the Excel link with all the links mm-hmm.

574
00:24:33.105 --> 00:24:34.565
But options for each,

575
00:24:34.745 --> 00:24:36.765
But you're executing, you're buying, I don't

576
00:24:36.765 --> 00:24:39.245
Care for $250. I

577
00:24:39.245 --> 00:24:40.205
Did. I did.

578
00:24:40.475 --> 00:24:41.685
Yeah. You weren't tracking your time

579
00:24:41.685 --> 00:24:44.085
because like, you have to source all those pieces. Yeah.

580
00:24:44.195 --> 00:24:46.485
Yeah. But it was also like very basic.

581
00:24:46.625 --> 00:24:47.845
It was like Wayfair

582
00:24:47.905 --> 00:24:50.445
and CB two, which is don't do that way people,

583
00:24:50.445 --> 00:24:52.085
I still use, but you know what I'm saying?

584
00:24:52.155 --> 00:24:55.645
It's just like if, I think the thing is too, it's like now

585
00:24:55.675 --> 00:24:58.045
with AI and Google images

586
00:24:58.105 --> 00:25:01.205
and everything, it's like people can just look

587
00:25:01.545 --> 00:25:03.405
and screenshot and whatever

588
00:25:03.425 --> 00:25:06.165
and source everything that you post on Instagram yourself.

589
00:25:06.165 --> 00:25:08.325
Mm-hmm. So I think in my mind it was like,

590
00:25:09.595 --> 00:25:12.885
they're really just paying for my idea. And then

591
00:25:13.755 --> 00:25:15.205
That was that imposter syndrome.

592
00:25:15.205 --> 00:25:17.885
Yeah. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Because I'm like, what?

593
00:25:18.075 --> 00:25:20.925
Yeah. So now it's like in the thousands of course,

594
00:25:21.265 --> 00:25:22.885
but it's also like, of course.

595
00:25:23.195 --> 00:25:27.965
Yeah. So, but now it's also like me going

596
00:25:28.025 --> 00:25:30.765
to your home and of course taking measurements

597
00:25:30.825 --> 00:25:32.365
and 3D renderings with apps

598
00:25:32.465 --> 00:25:36.205
and, um, things that I'm outsourcing,

599
00:25:36.355 --> 00:25:38.405
like there's a cost to all this.

600
00:25:38.465 --> 00:25:40.805
Now. I think the mindset of when it's a hobby

601
00:25:40.865 --> 00:25:43.245
or it's a side hustle is I'm just paying

602
00:25:43.265 --> 00:25:44.645
myself for my own time.

603
00:25:44.985 --> 00:25:47.445
You're not looking at the big picture of the enterprise

604
00:25:47.465 --> 00:25:49.165
and saying, okay, well your virtual

605
00:25:49.165 --> 00:25:50.805
assistant's doing this and you're mm-hmm.

606
00:25:50.985 --> 00:25:54.085
Um, render, uh, is is spending this

607
00:25:54.085 --> 00:25:56.565
and this is how much you have to pay her to do this.

608
00:25:56.705 --> 00:26:01.005
And so I think, you know, now the expenses are higher, so

609
00:26:01.145 --> 00:26:04.885
of course you have to hard more justify that with the price.

610
00:26:05.025 --> 00:26:08.525
But, um, but yeah, pricing strategy was

611
00:26:09.195 --> 00:26:13.085
spaghetti on the wall in the beginning, and now it's like,

612
00:26:14.075 --> 00:26:15.965
because you don't wanna charge too little

613
00:26:16.275 --> 00:26:19.085
because it's, it's affecting the whole industry, right?

614
00:26:19.085 --> 00:26:20.845
Yeah. It's like, if I'm charging this

615
00:26:21.345 --> 00:26:24.445
and most Atlanta designers charge this, then

616
00:26:25.025 --> 00:26:26.925
you're doing them a disservice based on

617
00:26:26.925 --> 00:26:28.125
the value that they offer.

618
00:26:28.465 --> 00:26:30.805
But also understanding too, that I was kind

619
00:26:30.805 --> 00:26:32.165
of building my own lane

620
00:26:32.165 --> 00:26:36.685
because I was doing like, almost like a e-sign hybrid.

621
00:26:37.075 --> 00:26:40.845
Like there's full service design where it's the true, like

622
00:26:41.445 --> 00:26:45.685
HGTV, you walk into the house and it's a true before and

623
00:26:45.685 --> 00:26:48.885
after that everything is white glove from the receiving

624
00:26:48.945 --> 00:26:50.685
to the contractors, it's like you're just cutting

625
00:26:50.745 --> 00:26:51.845
one check to the designer.

626
00:26:51.845 --> 00:26:54.725
Mm-hmm. Here's a hundred thousand dollars. Have fun.

627
00:26:54.995 --> 00:26:57.685
I'll see you in February, or whatever the case may be.

628
00:26:57.685 --> 00:27:00.725
Whereas the clients are a little more involved,

629
00:27:01.605 --> 00:27:03.765
although I'm handholding in some ways, like

630
00:27:04.795 --> 00:27:06.325
there's a price to all of that.

631
00:27:06.325 --> 00:27:09.405
Yeah. Those differences. And so I found my own lane,

632
00:27:09.405 --> 00:27:13.605
like in the middle, but every day you have

633
00:27:13.605 --> 00:27:14.725
to reevaluate price.

634
00:27:14.795 --> 00:27:16.925
It's not, I think in the beginning I was just like, oh yeah,

635
00:27:16.925 --> 00:27:18.405
I'll raise my rates every quarter.

636
00:27:19.145 --> 00:27:20.725
Or really wasn't even every quarter.

637
00:27:20.725 --> 00:27:21.965
It was like every year at first.

638
00:27:22.505 --> 00:27:26.205
Um, but when you're managing your p and l and mm-hmm.

639
00:27:26.285 --> 00:27:30.845
People and Yeah. Yeah. You have to be a lot more strategic.

640
00:27:30.945 --> 00:27:33.525
Yes. Talk to me about, um,

641
00:27:33.695 --> 00:27:36.845
going from those $250 e-sign mm-hmm.

642
00:27:37.545 --> 00:27:40.325
To now having like partnerships

643
00:27:40.545 --> 00:27:44.205
and like, would you say capsule collections with like

644
00:27:44.715 --> 00:27:46.325
Licensing partnerships? Yeah. Yeah.

645
00:27:46.325 --> 00:27:47.485
That's the right language. Yeah.

646
00:27:47.665 --> 00:27:50.125
Um, so my first

647
00:27:51.825 --> 00:27:54.075
licensing partnership, I'm trying to remember

648
00:27:54.075 --> 00:27:57.515
what my first brand partnership was, um,

649
00:27:57.785 --> 00:28:01.035
because PR as you know, is a whole thing.

650
00:28:01.175 --> 00:28:03.355
And then there's the brand partnerships

651
00:28:03.455 --> 00:28:05.355
and there's talent in media.

652
00:28:05.615 --> 00:28:07.675
And it feels like it all kind of trickled in.

653
00:28:08.415 --> 00:28:13.275
But, uh, three years ago I hired a PR agency to help me.

654
00:28:14.015 --> 00:28:17.435
Um, they also have like a partnerships arm

655
00:28:17.505 --> 00:28:19.435
that was helping me do things, but

656
00:28:19.495 --> 00:28:20.515
before it was like,

657
00:28:20.695 --> 00:28:23.675
I'm just depending on my own marketing chops to say,

658
00:28:24.105 --> 00:28:25.395
okay, I'm gonna tell a story.

659
00:28:25.615 --> 00:28:28.115
I'm gonna do, so in this reel, this, this is whatever.

660
00:28:28.455 --> 00:28:32.035
And then you're relying on the internet to understand, okay,

661
00:28:32.085 --> 00:28:35.395
based on my followers times 4%,

662
00:28:35.465 --> 00:28:37.715
like I should charge this for a post.

663
00:28:37.985 --> 00:28:42.795
Like, um, so now I'm at the point where I am, um,

664
00:28:43.235 --> 00:28:44.475
considering ad agencies

665
00:28:44.535 --> 00:28:47.315
and of course like talent management, um,

666
00:28:47.395 --> 00:28:50.115
I said ad aid agencies, um, influencer agencies.

667
00:28:50.615 --> 00:28:54.915
Um, but in the beginning it felt like,

668
00:28:55.495 --> 00:28:56.675
oh, you wanna work with me,

669
00:28:56.775 --> 00:28:58.755
you wanna gift me something great.

670
00:28:58.935 --> 00:29:01.035
You know, and that's how it kind of starts with gifting.

671
00:29:01.055 --> 00:29:03.395
And I think on the interior design side, like,

672
00:29:04.235 --> 00:29:06.035
I can't pay my mortgage with a sofa.

673
00:29:06.815 --> 00:29:08.835
So like, thank you. Right.

674
00:29:09.335 --> 00:29:10.435
But I have a sofa

675
00:29:10.535 --> 00:29:14.875
and I need to, you know, so it was a mix of,

676
00:29:15.215 --> 00:29:19.315
in the beginning, free product that eventually evolved into,

677
00:29:19.945 --> 00:29:23.835
okay, we wanna pay you $6,000 for an Instagram reel.

678
00:29:23.835 --> 00:29:24.915
And you're just like, huh.

679
00:29:25.255 --> 00:29:28.715
It how many two, $250

680
00:29:29.985 --> 00:29:31.395
mood for boards add up to that.

681
00:29:31.655 --> 00:29:34.635
I'm sorry. It's so like understanding, okay,

682
00:29:34.635 --> 00:29:35.835
what is your time worth?

683
00:29:36.655 --> 00:29:39.315
And so the pendulum started to swing, I think

684
00:29:39.315 --> 00:29:42.725
after I went full time, especially, um,

685
00:29:42.825 --> 00:29:45.485
the more press I got, the more followers I had,

686
00:29:45.545 --> 00:29:47.285
the more brand partnerships that came.

687
00:29:47.745 --> 00:29:49.605
And then as far as the licensing project,

688
00:29:49.995 --> 00:29:53.325
licensing partnerships, all of those came from,

689
00:29:55.385 --> 00:29:56.605
all of them were inbound.

690
00:29:56.995 --> 00:29:59.605
They saw what I was doing. Mm-hmm. Oh wow.

691
00:29:59.985 --> 00:30:04.405
So the wallpaper, Mitchell Black was the first, actually,

692
00:30:04.465 --> 00:30:07.925
no, the artwork was the first, the artwork in Home Goods.

693
00:30:08.545 --> 00:30:10.165
Uh, she followed me.

694
00:30:10.705 --> 00:30:14.445
Uh, she saw how I love to do gallery walls and artwork

695
00:30:14.445 --> 00:30:16.205
and so on in my client's homes.

696
00:30:16.305 --> 00:30:17.765
And she was basically like,

697
00:30:18.195 --> 00:30:20.685
have you ever thought about having your own artwork?

698
00:30:21.185 --> 00:30:25.925
And so that was more so here's all the art

699
00:30:25.995 --> 00:30:29.005
that we have that thinks it in your aesthetic, pick

700
00:30:29.005 --> 00:30:30.085
what you like mm-hmm.

701
00:30:30.265 --> 00:30:33.045
And then we'll pitch whatever to the buyer of the company.

702
00:30:33.225 --> 00:30:37.805
And then eventually my brand was in, in Home Goods

703
00:30:37.805 --> 00:30:40.085
and TJ Maxx and World Market.

704
00:30:40.785 --> 00:30:43.165
Um, so that was amazing.

705
00:30:43.165 --> 00:30:44.645
What did that feel like though? Because like,

706
00:30:44.645 --> 00:30:45.845
again, you started this as

707
00:30:45.845 --> 00:30:46.845
A hobby. Sure.

708
00:30:46.845 --> 00:30:49.925
Yeah. The, the goal, when people ask me

709
00:30:49.925 --> 00:30:51.165
what my long-term goal is

710
00:30:51.165 --> 00:30:53.925
or what the ideal goal is for blessed little Bungalow,

711
00:30:55.315 --> 00:30:57.175
it started in affordability.

712
00:30:57.475 --> 00:30:58.935
But affordability means

713
00:30:58.935 --> 00:31:00.015
different things to different people.

714
00:31:00.035 --> 00:31:01.935
So for me it was more so accessibility.

715
00:31:02.085 --> 00:31:06.335
Like I want people to be able, no matter how much they make,

716
00:31:06.755 --> 00:31:08.175
to love what they, where they live.

717
00:31:08.555 --> 00:31:10.975
And if they can't hire me, I want 'em to be able to go

718
00:31:10.975 --> 00:31:13.575
to this big box store and buy this pillow and candle

719
00:31:13.955 --> 00:31:16.255
and of whatever of my aesthetic mm-hmm.

720
00:31:16.335 --> 00:31:18.855
And make their house feel a little more loved.

721
00:31:19.475 --> 00:31:22.055
Um, so it felt amazing,

722
00:31:22.915 --> 00:31:24.215
but it also was like,

723
00:31:27.265 --> 00:31:28.855
could I ever do this on my own?

724
00:31:29.045 --> 00:31:30.575
Like, 'cause licensing partnerships,

725
00:31:30.655 --> 00:31:32.095
I think is a good toe in.

726
00:31:32.095 --> 00:31:33.735
Yeah. And it's kind of like royalties.

727
00:31:33.735 --> 00:31:35.855
Like you get a percentage of whatever they make

728
00:31:35.855 --> 00:31:37.455
because all the work is on their end.

729
00:31:37.485 --> 00:31:38.975
Yeah. Um, you're just kind

730
00:31:38.975 --> 00:31:40.215
of a part of the creative process.

731
00:31:41.075 --> 00:31:44.975
Um, so once that happened, it made me feel like, okay, well,

732
00:31:44.975 --> 00:31:47.775
like, could I develop my own art?

733
00:31:48.115 --> 00:31:52.015
Um, could I start my own furniture line?

734
00:31:52.275 --> 00:31:55.375
Um, because I think the dream for a lot of designers is

735
00:31:55.375 --> 00:32:00.135
to have lighting, have rugs, have furniture, have decor.

736
00:32:00.475 --> 00:32:05.135
Um, and so the wallpaper, I, Mitchell Black is a

737
00:32:05.985 --> 00:32:07.455
black female owned mm-hmm.

738
00:32:07.645 --> 00:32:09.695
Wallpaper company in Chicago.

739
00:32:10.755 --> 00:32:14.535
And they, they had maybe about 10 different

740
00:32:15.055 --> 00:32:16.815
collaborations they did with different designers

741
00:32:16.815 --> 00:32:19.055
and companies, maybe more than that.

742
00:32:19.355 --> 00:32:21.895
But I was just using their product and posting

743
00:32:22.035 --> 00:32:24.855
and tagging them and organically like,

744
00:32:25.835 --> 00:32:28.935
I'm a black-owned fe female, black-owned business,

745
00:32:29.115 --> 00:32:30.255
I'm gonna support Yeah.

746
00:32:30.275 --> 00:32:32.215
You know, that. And, um,

747
00:32:34.755 --> 00:32:36.385
eventually they reached out

748
00:32:36.595 --> 00:32:41.485
after one of my, one of my, um,

749
00:32:42.325 --> 00:32:45.885
projects was on the cover of Designers today,

750
00:32:46.385 --> 00:32:48.925
and it had their wallpaper that I used in the project.

751
00:32:49.145 --> 00:32:50.765
And so they reached out

752
00:32:50.765 --> 00:32:52.965
and they're just like, have you ever thought about having

753
00:32:52.965 --> 00:32:54.725
your own wallpaper collection?

754
00:32:55.425 --> 00:32:58.405
And that was the most incredible experience with them

755
00:32:58.405 --> 00:33:01.805
because they truly allowed me to come in with my mood boards

756
00:33:01.865 --> 00:33:05.605
and say, okay, I want, if I do botanical,

757
00:33:05.735 --> 00:33:08.125
being from the low country in South Carolina,

758
00:33:08.365 --> 00:33:12.125
I don't want like, uh, random palm trees.

759
00:33:12.275 --> 00:33:14.485
Like I want, if it's gonna be a palm,

760
00:33:14.605 --> 00:33:15.845
I want it to be a play on this.

761
00:33:16.185 --> 00:33:18.645
And mm-hmm. And then if I do an animal one,

762
00:33:18.665 --> 00:33:20.165
my favorite animal is giraffe,

763
00:33:20.225 --> 00:33:21.845
so I wanna have a giraffe print.

764
00:33:22.005 --> 00:33:25.845
'cause I feel like everybody has teddy bears and lions and,

765
00:33:26.025 --> 00:33:28.965
and with wallpaper, but I don't see giraffe wallpaper.

766
00:33:28.985 --> 00:33:31.445
So I had like a whole presentation

767
00:33:31.445 --> 00:33:33.325
of different ideas, which they loved.

768
00:33:33.325 --> 00:33:37.525
Mm-hmm. Um, and from there we kind of narrowed it down.

769
00:33:37.645 --> 00:33:40.445
I worked with the artist, and eventually we have the

770
00:33:40.445 --> 00:33:42.045
patterns that are available today.

771
00:33:42.585 --> 00:33:45.045
Um, and then the bedding line, um,

772
00:33:45.235 --> 00:33:46.725
that hasn't been released yet.

773
00:33:46.835 --> 00:33:48.125
Same thing. They saw me. You just

774
00:33:48.125 --> 00:33:49.005
Announced that, right? Mm-hmm.

775
00:33:49.085 --> 00:33:51.485
Yeah. So hopefully that'll be on show. Okay.

776
00:33:51.485 --> 00:33:53.965
Somewhere soon. Um, so it's fun.

777
00:33:54.075 --> 00:33:55.645
It's a new creative outlet

778
00:33:55.665 --> 00:34:00.245
and it also is like, reminds me that of all the different,

779
00:34:01.185 --> 00:34:02.725
um, streams of income

780
00:34:02.905 --> 00:34:06.205
or, uh, parts of my business, like that's a part

781
00:34:06.205 --> 00:34:08.765
where I really get to play and is exciting.

782
00:34:09.065 --> 00:34:14.005
Um, and so to be able to make room for opportunities like

783
00:34:14.005 --> 00:34:15.885
that is, is, is so awesome.

784
00:34:16.235 --> 00:34:17.245
Earlier you mentioned

785
00:34:17.245 --> 00:34:19.165
that someone like had suggested like, oh,

786
00:34:19.165 --> 00:34:20.805
you're gonna be the black Joanna Gaines

787
00:34:20.825 --> 00:34:22.525
or the Black Shame McGee.

788
00:34:22.545 --> 00:34:26.005
Mm-hmm. Is the vision to have a full, like,

789
00:34:26.685 --> 00:34:27.685
I would love that.

790
00:34:28.045 --> 00:34:29.325
I would love to do rugs.

791
00:34:29.325 --> 00:34:31.525
There's a short list of rug companies

792
00:34:31.525 --> 00:34:32.965
that I want to work with.

793
00:34:33.185 --> 00:34:37.725
One specifically that's in the Atlanta area, um, lighting.

794
00:34:38.315 --> 00:34:42.445
Like, uh, there's, like, for me, if, if a,

795
00:34:42.465 --> 00:34:43.725
if a brand approached me

796
00:34:43.725 --> 00:34:46.485
and said, oh, we would love for you to design chandeliers

797
00:34:46.485 --> 00:34:50.525
for us, and these chandeliers are like $6,000 a pop.

798
00:34:50.675 --> 00:34:53.365
Well, that's not, yeah. I'm not gonna work.

799
00:34:53.565 --> 00:34:55.885
'cause I, my clients don't buy $6,000 chandelier.

800
00:34:55.885 --> 00:34:58.845
Some of them do, but like for the, yeah.

801
00:34:59.305 --> 00:35:00.765
For the, like, I'm not putting a

802
00:35:00.765 --> 00:35:02.205
$6,000 chandelier in my house.

803
00:35:02.205 --> 00:35:06.565
Like, like, you know, so it's like it has to be aligned, um,

804
00:35:07.115 --> 00:35:08.925
with values and aesthetics.

805
00:35:08.925 --> 00:35:12.485
Like for me, I'm just about from my clients

806
00:35:12.545 --> 00:35:14.365
to my contractors, to the partners I

807
00:35:14.365 --> 00:35:15.885
have, are you a good human?

808
00:35:16.825 --> 00:35:17.885
Are the vibes good?

809
00:35:18.305 --> 00:35:20.485
Are we aligned in what we're trying to create?

810
00:35:21.105 --> 00:35:23.085
Um, morals, values, all of that.

811
00:35:23.585 --> 00:35:26.965
And then, am I going to, as a creative,

812
00:35:27.235 --> 00:35:31.125
have the creative freedom to create?

813
00:35:32.675 --> 00:35:34.685
Same thing with clients. Like a lot of clients,

814
00:35:34.685 --> 00:35:35.845
they want an interior designer,

815
00:35:35.905 --> 00:35:36.925
but then they don't, they really

816
00:35:37.060 --> 00:35:38.140
just want a project manager.

817
00:35:38.225 --> 00:35:43.045
Mm. They want a Yes man. Um, and brands as well.

818
00:35:43.235 --> 00:35:46.525
It's like, I kind of got into it with a brand I'm partnering

819
00:35:46.525 --> 00:35:50.125
with, um, about a pan campaign and I was ready to walk away.

820
00:35:50.285 --> 00:35:52.605
'cause I felt like, why ask me for my input

821
00:35:52.705 --> 00:35:54.085
and how I'm gonna create this?

822
00:35:54.115 --> 00:35:56.445
Yeah. And you're just trying to feed me a script.

823
00:35:57.025 --> 00:35:58.445
Um, and it sucks

824
00:35:58.445 --> 00:36:00.245
because it's like, it's a brand I actually use.

825
00:36:00.265 --> 00:36:01.765
So I'm very particular

826
00:36:01.905 --> 00:36:04.405
and intentional about who I partner with.

827
00:36:04.905 --> 00:36:06.885
Um, and because of that, you know,

828
00:36:07.305 --> 00:36:11.365
it might take a little longer to build the Joanna Gaines

829
00:36:11.785 --> 00:36:15.605
or, uh, Shea McGee or Martha Stewart, um, volume.

830
00:36:15.865 --> 00:36:19.365
But, um, yeah, that's definitely the goal. Okay.

831
00:36:19.385 --> 00:36:20.925
To have more products. I'll look out

832
00:36:20.945 --> 00:36:21.945
For it.

833
00:36:22.015 --> 00:36:24.885
Thank you. Um, so people see the finished rooms,

834
00:36:25.075 --> 00:36:27.165
they don't always see the pressure that comes

835
00:36:27.165 --> 00:36:28.725
with being a black woman in design.

836
00:36:28.825 --> 00:36:31.125
Mm. What's the part of this journey that you've had to

837
00:36:31.645 --> 00:36:32.965
navigate quietly?

838
00:36:35.485 --> 00:36:39.415
I, I have a DHD.

839
00:36:40.645 --> 00:36:42.585
Um, I was diagnosed earlier this year.

840
00:36:42.745 --> 00:36:44.705
I knew, I kind of knew this year. Yeah.

841
00:36:44.705 --> 00:36:46.425
This year I was diagnosed Oh wow. With it.

842
00:36:46.725 --> 00:36:50.945
And I think all my life I have just thought I'm a busy body.

843
00:36:51.185 --> 00:36:53.985
I like to do a lot of things. I'm an overachiever.

844
00:36:54.085 --> 00:36:57.065
And it's like you, I've just been running wild in this world

845
00:36:57.165 --> 00:37:02.065
for 39 years thinking like, okay, I'm just scatterbrained

846
00:37:02.065 --> 00:37:06.665
and I like to, you know, so quietly between that

847
00:37:06.805 --> 00:37:09.585
and anxiety and bouts with depression,

848
00:37:10.535 --> 00:37:12.625
like you're not always on

849
00:37:13.525 --> 00:37:16.305
and you have to, even showing up to this interview,

850
00:37:16.415 --> 00:37:18.905
it's like there's a lot of stressful emails

851
00:37:19.365 --> 00:37:22.865
and things that are, you know, in my head right now

852
00:37:22.965 --> 00:37:24.665
and things that I have to, to do.

853
00:37:24.725 --> 00:37:29.665
And I think as a creative, to be expected to turn

854
00:37:29.665 --> 00:37:31.905
around designs

855
00:37:32.205 --> 00:37:35.265
for someone when you just are in a creative slump

856
00:37:35.405 --> 00:37:38.865
or just not in the best head space sucks.

857
00:37:39.125 --> 00:37:40.945
Mm. It sucks really bad.

858
00:37:41.285 --> 00:37:43.465
And then on top of that, I have to be a CEO

859
00:37:43.965 --> 00:37:45.505
and I have to be a creative director,

860
00:37:45.685 --> 00:37:49.505
and I have to be like, making decisions with my agency about

861
00:37:49.505 --> 00:37:50.625
what things I'm going to do.

862
00:37:50.805 --> 00:37:53.225
And this thing went wrong earlier this week.

863
00:37:53.565 --> 00:37:57.705
So I think you don't see that on Instagram. Yeah.

864
00:37:57.865 --> 00:38:01.385
I try to be really transparent about being, how

865
00:38:02.465 --> 00:38:03.945
entrepreneurship is not all the glitz

866
00:38:03.945 --> 00:38:07.425
and glamor that, um, is portrayed.

867
00:38:08.085 --> 00:38:12.625
Um, but at the same time, there's a lot

868
00:38:12.625 --> 00:38:15.145
of quiet battles that you're facing.

869
00:38:15.645 --> 00:38:18.145
And every day it feels like, you know what,

870
00:38:18.195 --> 00:38:19.785
maybe I should go back to corporate,

871
00:38:19.805 --> 00:38:24.465
or maybe I should not in this economy.

872
00:38:24.925 --> 00:38:27.545
But, you know, sometimes it's just like, why,

873
00:38:28.085 --> 00:38:29.305
why am I doing this again?

874
00:38:29.405 --> 00:38:31.705
Why am I so stressed? Mm-hmm. What is the goal?

875
00:38:32.405 --> 00:38:35.765
Um, because no one is rolling in dough, you know,

876
00:38:35.765 --> 00:38:39.685
like what's the, uh, the cartoon where he was like,

877
00:38:39.685 --> 00:38:42.445
the room was full of money and he was like diving in the,

878
00:38:43.055 --> 00:38:44.085
Isn't it mixed group?

879
00:38:44.095 --> 00:38:46.525
Maybe it is. Yeah. Maybe ducktails one

880
00:38:46.525 --> 00:38:47.725
of 'em. Anyway, ducktails.

881
00:38:47.905 --> 00:38:50.645
Yes. There is no, there is no, like,

882
00:38:52.845 --> 00:38:54.245
I have not achieved that yet.

883
00:38:54.245 --> 00:38:58.205
Right. So it's like figuring out, okay.

884
00:38:59.315 --> 00:39:01.365
Like, I just, I think just having the courage

885
00:39:01.425 --> 00:39:04.685
to show up each day when things just feel like, okay,

886
00:39:04.725 --> 00:39:06.965
I am in the red, or this is the first year

887
00:39:06.995 --> 00:39:09.045
that I have not been profitable as a business,

888
00:39:09.465 --> 00:39:10.645
and I have all these expenses,

889
00:39:10.945 --> 00:39:14.005
and should I fire this contractor?

890
00:39:14.065 --> 00:39:15.325
Should I stay with this? Yeah.

891
00:39:15.325 --> 00:39:19.125
Like the sticking it out is the part

892
00:39:19.225 --> 00:39:20.485
that's really hard.

893
00:39:20.945 --> 00:39:24.825
Um, and fighting your ego

894
00:39:25.725 --> 00:39:30.425
and the fear in your head that's saying, I don't know,

895
00:39:30.585 --> 00:39:32.425
girl payroll next month. Girl,

896
00:39:33.205 --> 00:39:36.105
Listen, we're Yes.

897
00:39:36.125 --> 00:39:37.785
You're talking to me. Yeah. Yeah.

898
00:39:37.845 --> 00:39:39.705
So it's, I've had similar conversations. Mm-hmm.

899
00:39:39.785 --> 00:39:41.625
Mm-hmm. So that part is terrifying,

900
00:39:41.685 --> 00:39:43.345
but you can't really scream that.

901
00:39:43.525 --> 00:39:45.145
And even, even on social media,

902
00:39:45.145 --> 00:39:48.545
it's like you might have a awful situation with a client.

903
00:39:49.285 --> 00:39:53.785
Or maybe a couple years ago I had a bad, um,

904
00:39:54.805 --> 00:39:58.185
client project that went south, like towards the end,

905
00:39:58.245 --> 00:40:00.265
and it was, it like, gut punched me

906
00:40:00.265 --> 00:40:01.665
because it was like, most

907
00:40:01.665 --> 00:40:03.105
of my clients end up being friends.

908
00:40:03.285 --> 00:40:04.985
Mm-hmm. Like, the clients are like,

909
00:40:04.985 --> 00:40:06.145
we have a good relationship.

910
00:40:06.285 --> 00:40:10.745
And it went south outside of my control.

911
00:40:11.645 --> 00:40:16.145
And it got to a point where they were trying to

912
00:40:17.085 --> 00:40:19.305
get money back for work that I had already done.

913
00:40:20.245 --> 00:40:23.905
And more, it wasn't so much the finances that bother me,

914
00:40:23.905 --> 00:40:26.585
it was just like my peace had been disturbed

915
00:40:26.695 --> 00:40:29.585
because it's like, I feel betrayed as

916
00:40:29.925 --> 00:40:31.105
It was very personal To you.

917
00:40:31.105 --> 00:40:33.105
Yeah. Yeah. And it's like, oh, this is business.

918
00:40:33.285 --> 00:40:35.425
I'm like, no. Like, when I'm creating something

919
00:40:35.425 --> 00:40:37.145
for someone's home, it's, and,

920
00:40:37.245 --> 00:40:39.545
and taking whatever idea outta my mind

921
00:40:39.605 --> 00:40:42.465
and making it real, like it's super personal.

922
00:40:43.085 --> 00:40:46.425
Um, and so just the heartbreak of that,

923
00:40:46.645 --> 00:40:49.105
but not wanting to take that out on other clients

924
00:40:49.245 --> 00:40:50.865
or make that, make

925
00:40:50.865 --> 00:40:54.025
that a reason why you don't take on more projects.

926
00:40:54.605 --> 00:40:58.465
Um, and so yeah, just trying to navigate all

927
00:40:58.465 --> 00:40:59.945
of those feelings, um,

928
00:41:01.085 --> 00:41:03.505
and still be proud of the work you created.

929
00:41:04.285 --> 00:41:07.585
Um, yeah. So many silent battles,

930
00:41:07.765 --> 00:41:10.385
But I think that goes back to like alignment, right?

931
00:41:10.575 --> 00:41:13.465
Sure. Like making sure you talked about like,

932
00:41:13.775 --> 00:41:16.145
sometimes you get in the space of where it's like, oh,

933
00:41:16.165 --> 00:41:17.185
do I really wanna do this today?

934
00:41:17.185 --> 00:41:18.425
Do I really wanna show up? Mm-hmm.

935
00:41:18.565 --> 00:41:20.985
And it's because you've, you've built something,

936
00:41:21.255 --> 00:41:22.345
it's grown really fast.

937
00:41:22.345 --> 00:41:25.505
Mm-hmm. You've gotten like a amazing clients

938
00:41:25.525 --> 00:41:26.985
and new projects coming in daily,

939
00:41:27.325 --> 00:41:29.585
and so you feel the need to constantly take on,

940
00:41:29.685 --> 00:41:32.865
but you're, you're sure that piece of alignment, uh,

941
00:41:33.025 --> 00:41:35.125
and making sure like you're happy about the clients

942
00:41:35.125 --> 00:41:36.325
that you're working with mm-hmm.

943
00:41:36.405 --> 00:41:38.405
They make you excited about the project. Right.

944
00:41:38.455 --> 00:41:42.765
Right. Often like gets lost in that, that, um, journey

945
00:41:42.825 --> 00:41:43.965
for growth and success.

946
00:41:44.135 --> 00:41:46.165
Right. And then something, something

947
00:41:46.165 --> 00:41:48.245
that some interior designers say is like, well,

948
00:41:48.665 --> 00:41:51.045
not every project is a portfolio project.

949
00:41:51.675 --> 00:41:53.285
Some projects are just to pay the bills.

950
00:41:53.515 --> 00:41:55.405
Some projects are just to make sure you meet payroll.

951
00:41:55.635 --> 00:42:00.405
Some projects are just like, they're, for me to have

952
00:42:00.405 --> 00:42:03.805
so much of my portfolio online, it's probably only like 40%

953
00:42:03.805 --> 00:42:05.445
of the projects I've actually done.

954
00:42:05.495 --> 00:42:08.165
Right. And so being comfortable saying,

955
00:42:10.385 --> 00:42:12.795
okay, I'll take this because I need the money,

956
00:42:13.815 --> 00:42:16.995
but also the fighting the urge to say no.

957
00:42:17.185 --> 00:42:19.155
Like, you have to tell the wrong things.

958
00:42:19.255 --> 00:42:21.915
No, because you need to make room for all the right yeses.

959
00:42:21.915 --> 00:42:26.475
Mm-hmm. And so that battle of should I just,

960
00:42:26.765 --> 00:42:29.715
especially this year, this year has been tough for a lot

961
00:42:29.715 --> 00:42:31.355
of entrepreneurs, but I think, you know,

962
00:42:31.355 --> 00:42:34.435
being an interior designer, like we're a luxury at no matter

963
00:42:34.745 --> 00:42:37.675
what you price your price, like you're not a necessity.

964
00:42:37.935 --> 00:42:40.195
And so we're gonna be the thing that's,

965
00:42:40.225 --> 00:42:43.235
even if someone signs with me, their budget might someone

966
00:42:43.335 --> 00:42:45.435
and their family might have been laid off

967
00:42:45.455 --> 00:42:46.835
or something has changed,

968
00:42:47.135 --> 00:42:50.595
and like, that'll affect the output of

969
00:42:50.595 --> 00:42:52.715
what I can do based on the budget I receive.

970
00:42:52.735 --> 00:42:55.115
And so, like, you have to be sensitive to all of that.

971
00:42:55.655 --> 00:42:58.515
Um, but you still wanna be proud of what you create. Mm-hmm.

972
00:42:58.595 --> 00:43:00.755
You still want to put your all into it.

973
00:43:01.215 --> 00:43:05.035
Um, so I struggle with that thought of, oh,

974
00:43:05.055 --> 00:43:07.435
I'm just gonna take this project 'cause it's work

975
00:43:07.655 --> 00:43:09.395
and I need the business.

976
00:43:09.465 --> 00:43:12.835
Like, no, 'cause I'm, it's not gonna look good. Yeah.

977
00:43:12.835 --> 00:43:14.475
Because I'm not gonna have my heart into it.

978
00:43:14.775 --> 00:43:19.385
So, um, so yeah. There's, there's a lot of that

979
00:43:21.445 --> 00:43:23.505
And I think a lot of entrepreneurs. Sure.

980
00:43:23.505 --> 00:43:25.945
Yeah. You said, especially given this year. Mm-hmm.

981
00:43:26.205 --> 00:43:29.065
Um, what do you hope your legacy and design says about you?

982
00:43:31.395 --> 00:43:32.995
I hope that my legacy

983
00:43:33.215 --> 00:43:37.775
and design shows people that

984
00:43:39.915 --> 00:43:43.055
you can create a space that reflects you

985
00:43:45.045 --> 00:43:46.985
and is not for anybody else but you.

986
00:43:47.285 --> 00:43:51.505
Mm. Um, I think with Instagram and Pinterest and TV shows

987
00:43:51.565 --> 00:43:53.865
and HGTV, people feel like, oh, I have

988
00:43:53.865 --> 00:43:56.025
to follow this trend or do this thing.

989
00:43:57.005 --> 00:44:00.185
And for me, like, my home is mine

990
00:44:01.045 --> 00:44:05.145
and I hope that I encourage people to

991
00:44:06.685 --> 00:44:09.985
do the thing in their home that makes them love it.

992
00:44:10.125 --> 00:44:14.305
Mm-hmm. Um, no matter how much it costs, if Oh,

993
00:44:14.305 --> 00:44:15.865
your bedroom shouldn't be orange

994
00:44:15.865 --> 00:44:17.905
because you won't be able to sleep well, I like orange,

995
00:44:18.165 --> 00:44:19.345
so I'm painting it orange.

996
00:44:19.835 --> 00:44:22.945
Right? Mm-hmm. Like, you know, just do, do

997
00:44:22.945 --> 00:44:25.305
what makes you feel good, um,

998
00:44:27.455 --> 00:44:31.765
because life is short and homes are expensive.

999
00:44:31.765 --> 00:44:33.485
Mm-hmm. And you need to love where you live.

1000
00:44:34.305 --> 00:44:36.285
And for me, like

1001
00:44:38.445 --> 00:44:39.585
joy is everything.

1002
00:44:40.045 --> 00:44:43.785
And so if it doesn't bring you joy Yeah. Don't do it. Right.

1003
00:44:43.805 --> 00:44:44.825
And so what brings you joy?

1004
00:44:44.825 --> 00:44:46.065
What's gonna make you happier at home?

1005
00:44:46.065 --> 00:44:48.625
What's gonna make you remember your grandpa

1006
00:44:49.525 --> 00:44:54.035
or, um, remind you of

1007
00:44:54.035 --> 00:44:55.475
what you accomplished in life?

1008
00:44:55.625 --> 00:44:59.915
Like, a lot of my clients are first generation wealth.

1009
00:45:00.325 --> 00:45:04.515
Right? Like, so they're spending this type of money

1010
00:45:04.515 --> 00:45:06.395
that their parent on their home, that their parents

1011
00:45:06.655 --> 00:45:08.675
or their family has never spent.

1012
00:45:08.935 --> 00:45:13.595
And so let's be intentional about that. Let's do it right.

1013
00:45:13.965 --> 00:45:17.595
Let's, um, make it something that you can be proud of

1014
00:45:17.775 --> 00:45:20.635
and wake up every morning and, and feel great in.

1015
00:45:20.975 --> 00:45:22.555
So that's, that's what I hope to because

1016
00:45:22.575 --> 00:45:23.955
You live there, you have to Love it.

1017
00:45:24.145 --> 00:45:27.435
Yeah. And, and, and I don't just change spaces.

1018
00:45:27.755 --> 00:45:29.195
I realize over time, like

1019
00:45:30.055 --> 00:45:32.835
the work I'm doing is truly like changing people's lives.

1020
00:45:33.295 --> 00:45:36.715
And so it's not just about fluffing pillows

1021
00:45:36.815 --> 00:45:40.475
and paint colors, that's a part of the formula,

1022
00:45:40.775 --> 00:45:43.755
but the goal is to make people love their home.

1023
00:45:44.375 --> 00:45:46.115
I'm gonna ask you some quickfire questions. Okay.

1024
00:45:46.115 --> 00:45:47.475
Let's do it. So I want you to

1025
00:45:48.015 --> 00:45:49.235
say the first thing that comes to mind.

1026
00:45:49.855 --> 00:45:51.875
The Person No, the first thing that comes to mind.

1027
00:45:51.975 --> 00:45:53.555
So don't overthink it. First thing okay thing. Okay.

1028
00:45:53.895 --> 00:45:56.955
Um, your go-to color when you want a room to feel alive.

1029
00:45:58.025 --> 00:46:00.995
Pink. Oh, okay. Or yellow. No.

1030
00:46:01.015 --> 00:46:02.995
See, look, you can't, you can't, can't do that.

1031
00:46:03.185 --> 00:46:05.395
It's a quick fire first thing. Okay, got it. It's pink.

1032
00:46:06.015 --> 00:46:08.875
Um, one thing people should invest in for their home

1033
00:46:10.555 --> 00:46:11.555
Mattress. Okay.

1034
00:46:11.555 --> 00:46:14.355
Sleep is, the older I get,

1035
00:46:14.575 --> 00:46:16.515
the more I'm like, I need one more hour.

1036
00:46:18.055 --> 00:46:20.355
And yeah. Your, your, your mattress should feel

1037
00:46:20.355 --> 00:46:22.275
like intoxicating. Yes. Ooh.

1038
00:46:22.535 --> 00:46:25.355
Mm-hmm. Um, the room in your own home

1039
00:46:25.745 --> 00:46:27.315
that feels most like you.

1040
00:46:28.615 --> 00:46:30.875
My guest room. Okay. Mm-hmm.

1041
00:46:31.005 --> 00:46:33.715
Amber, thank you so much for joining me today. Thank you.

1042
00:46:34.045 --> 00:46:35.635
Thank you for having me. It's an honor.

1043
00:46:35.825 --> 00:46:36.795
Love the work you're doing. Love

1044
00:46:36.795 --> 00:46:37.875
your designs, and just keep going.

1045
00:46:38.165 --> 00:46:39.875
Thank you. Thank you so much.

1046
00:46:41.025 --> 00:46:41.515
That was awesome.