My undergraduate degree was in Business, so my first job out of college was in the business/financial sector. I was making great money, but hating every minute of it. Most days instead of working in my corner office, I was thinking about how to remodel and re-design it. That was when I realized I needed to follow my passion. 

I absolutely think going to business school gives me a leg up on my competition. Most interior designers are creatives, and don’t like dealing with the numbers and the business side of owning and operating their own firm. I embrace it because it’s like second nature to me. My business knowledge gives our firm an advantage, because we have detailed procedures in place for budgeting and project management.

I think deep down I always had a passion for design. My mom probably knew before I did though. In high school, every time my parents went out of town I rearranged and re-painted my bedroom. When I left the corporate world, I just knew I had to follow my heart if I wanted to be happy in a career for the rest of my life. It was a gamble, and looking back I am sure some of my friends and family were probably shaking their heads thinking, “What is she doing?”

I think it’s important that we back up and let the readers know that when I decided to go back to design school, I had to pay for that on my own. So I worked at a bar at night and went to school and studied during the day. I want readers to know that sometimes you have to go back in order to move forward, and doing whatever it takes is key. I had a business degree from USC and was working at a bar so I could follow my dream. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was a necessity. The funny thing is that we had just completed the design of that bar owner’s new home last summer!

Now back to Mark Cutler Design: Yes, I learned so much working for someone else once I had finished school. What to do, what notto do and how to run the day-to-day operations of a design firm. Mark was an amazing mentor to me, and involved me thoroughly in every aspect of his boutique firm. When my husband was promoted, we moved and my commute would have been over an hour, so that’s how I knew it was time. I had worked my way up from errand runner to Senior Designer, so I felt it was then or never. I just dove in. I am still learning every day! 

Being my own boss is 100 times more challenging and rewarding all at the same time. There is so much responsibility managing million dollar interior design projects, and having full-time staff! But it’s like they say, “Nothing worth having comes easy.” When our clients are overjoyed with their homes, or my work is published, it’s worth all of the added responsibility and the 18-hour workdays!

I wake up around 6:00 a.m. Check emails briefly, and then head to the gym. After that, every day is different! Mostly it’s a mix of time in the office, jobsite visits, meetings with vendors, shopping or designing and preparing new presentations and schemes for clients. I try to wrap up the day in the office with my staff to review any questions and project status reports. Then I head home with my laptop around 6:00 p.m. or so, have dinner with my husband and then usually do another two to four hours of work in the evening. I go to bed around 11:00 p.m. or midnight. I don’t sleep much. I once read that Martha Stewart only gets five hours a night, and look at all she has accomplished! 

I also try to fit in a lunch or coffee outing twice a week, where I network with a new architect, contractor or business contact. I am constantly looking down the pipeline and making sure I am taking the time to network and generate new leads. I never just wait for the phone to ring or hope for new projects. Making connections and putting out feelers for new project possibilities is critical to the firm’s success.

I think the most challenging part of the job is actually two-fold. When I meet with clients sometimes I play designer, referee, therapist and sometimes friend. I love this part of my job, and helping couples and families create the home of their dreams is so rewarding, even if I have a few different job titles along the way! 

The second challenge is actually time management and managing our client’s expectations. If we have five to eight different projects happening simultaneously, I always want to be clear about what I am capable of, and make sure I am not overextending myself. Sometimes I do get burned out, even though I try to balance work and play. My husband can usually tell right away, and he’ll take me out of town for a few days to relax and recharge.

In-house we have a staff of three—a bookkeeper/office manager, a design assistant and myself. Everything else is outsourced! One of the best things I learned in business school is that you don’t have to know everything, you just have to know how to outsource it. We have a fabulous PR firm, a CPA, a CAD draftsperson and Renderer who are all just a quick email away.

I think just being able to do what I love every day is “making it” to me. But, when the first time my work was published in an international shelter magazine, I thought “Wow, I’ve come a long way from our first office in the guest room of my house!”

I think organization is critical to being successful in any career, as is creativity for the interior design field. I also think patience and excellent communication skills are key. Lastly, not taking yourself too seriously is really important. I always tell my team, “We’re not curing cancer…this is interior design!”

Follow your passion, but remember it won’t always be easy. In my case, it was really just a lot of good old-fashioned hard work! I can’t say that every single day is bliss because I followed my dream. But I can say that I think I enjoy the challenges a little more because I know all the sacrifices I made to get here.

Everywhere! I was jogging this morning and stopped to pick up a flower that had fallen because I was inspired by its colors for a bedroom I am working on. It sounds crazy, but that also happens a lot when I travel. A window or a gate may inspire a color palette for a whole house! Also, the Internet is amazing! Websites like Etsy and Pinterest constantly keep me inspired, and remind me how many other outrageously talented creative people there are out there.

I wake up and look forward to being able to experience everything another day has to offer. The ups, downs, good and bad are all part of the ride! 

I recently found out that my husband and I are expecting our first child, so I would say the next step for my career is how to balance it with motherhood. Being a mother is something I have always wanted, along with being an entrepreneur, so it will be all about balance—and maybe another design assistant or two!