Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Jones.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I can remember early in my life an interest in rearranging furniture and picking out paint colors for my room. I also have fond memories of following my dad to work and looking over blueprints and samples for new homes. Growing up I never really thought about a career as an interior designer because I didn’t really know what they did or that there was even a school for that.
My college path led me to Marketing where I spent over 12 years designing websites, packaging and creating materials for national and international brands. During this time, my husband and I were building our new home, giving me an incredible opportunity to pick out every little detail from the inside to out. When our home was finished, our builder had noticed how I was decorating our home and asked me if I would help stage some of his model homes. I was over the moon at this opportunity and couldn’t believe my luck. After a few more staged homes, I began to fall in love with making a house into a home, and knew I had to make this a permanent thing. I completed a program from HSR (Home Staging Resource) to become certified in Staging & Redesign and then went to work creating my business. In January of 2019, LJ Interiors was born and has grown into an incredible and fulfilling business that I could have never imagined.
While my start was in Home Staging, I continued to grow and make new connections that were looking for a different kind of help. Homeowners were still needing help with their homes, but in this case not to get them ready to sell, but rather to refresh their spaces and breathe new life into them. One project lead to another and then to another, and now my business has completely transformed into a Design business helping homeowners fall back in love with their homes.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting a business is never easy. but the hard work makes the success that much more rewarding. There are so many things you have no clue about, and in my first year it was a really steep learning curve. You are constantly learning new things and meeting new people on top of trying to run your business.
I spent a lot of time researching to find the best way to do things, only to come across something better a short while later. The first year is a lot of trial and error, figuring out your processes and creating systems to make your business efficient and profitable.
The biggest challenge that I have faced was when COVID 19 initially hit and everyone was forced to stay in their homes. I was able to conduct virtual consultations so we could keep projects moving along, but it definitely made the process a lot more challenging.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
For as long as I can remember I have always wanted to have my own business. I would think about names, tag lines, and even how I would answer the phone. I knew I wanted something of my own that I could put my own stamp on and that I would one day be known for. It wasn’t until after having a corporate career that it became very clear how important it really was to me.
I have always loved color and decorating and it was something that came very easily to me. I have been told by many people that it’s a skillset that not many people have and I feel very fortunate to be able to use those skills in my business.
During the design process, I not only help clients with selections, but educate them along the way. I want them to understand and feel confident about the decisions we are making for their home. My process is very collaborative to make sure that the clients feel heard and are able to freely participate in the process. It is very important to me to not only carry out their design wishes, but ensure that we are not just making a space pretty, but that it functions better in the end.
My projects span from small room makeovers all the way to new home builds and everything in between. I have found that there are a lot of people that just need a little guidance to make sure that they are making the right decisions. They are often overwhelmed by the number of options available or just aren’t sure how to pull it all together. I am able to eliminate a lot of the noise and provide them with the right products as well as service providers that will help them carry out their plans.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Don’t quit!! If you want something bad enough, be willing to step outside of your comfort zone and start at the beginning. Don’t take shortcuts and build it slowly. Ask for help, even if it’s a small task.
Remember to take time for your family and friends and set boundaries for your time.
There will always be a to-do list so don’t kill yourself trying to get it all done in one day. Work on the tasks that are going to move the needle and think about ways you can automate some of your processes.
Celebrate the small victories. Remember to look back once in a while at how far you’ve come.
You don’t have to be everything to everyone – find your niche, foster relationships and more will follow.
And finally, it’s okay to say no if it just doesn’t feel right. Not every project will be a good project for you.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.ljinteriorsmn.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ljinteriorsmn/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ljinteriorsmn
Image Credits
Kate Morris
