I have always wanted to work in magazines, so during my senior year, I lined up a job at Hearst Publications in their circulation department. If you don’t know what circulation is, it’s the department that prints those annoying insert cards that end up all over the place. I thought it would merge my interests in marketing and editorial, but it turned out to be a lot of Excel spreadsheets. The great thing about a first job is that you find out what you like and don’t like. Being an analyst wasn’t for me, so I quickly moved into editorial at Shop Etc., which was a shopping magazine similar to Lucky. One of my jobs was to answer reader questions about shopping and fashion. I loved it and realized how much I enjoyed interfacing with customers and helping them with their purchases. 

Yeah, it was very different. The one similarity that comes to mind is that I got the opportunity to interact with readers and was involved in a lot of the magazine contests, one of which was a styling challenge with Nate Berkus. I had the privilege of calling and informing each of the winners. Their reactions and passion for their homes left a real impact on me.

While the roles of an assistant and company president are vastly different, I still draw on the lessons I learned from both experiences and the people I worked with at O—in particular, my boss, Gayle King. She really listened to her employees and made them feel like they had a voice. It’s something I’ve taken with me and it informs the way I lead.

I grew up around design, so it was always a backdrop to my life. As a child, I spent summers at my family’s business, Decorative Carpets. I remember playing in the stack of rugs and being overcome with the smell. When I was older and living abroad, I would walk by rug shops and the smell would remind me of home. My grandfather, Lou (for whom Lulu is named), started my family’s rug business in 1955. His love for design and his passion and knowledge of rugs inspired me. I admired his fabulous home and the items he collected, some of which are in my home today. In fact, I recently got married on one of his antique Turkish rugs.

My father, George (for whom Georgia is named), has taught me more than anyone. Whether it was taking me around the world to Thailand and Europe to source product, or connecting me with interior designers and industry leaders who have mentored me, I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time in large part because of how much he’s exposed me to. While I don’t exactly know what it means to be a “pro,” I enjoy the learning process and am thrilled to be doing something I’m passionate about.

No, I don’t think college prepared me. I majored in English and Psychology and, basically, I would say that my college education prepared me to be a good reader. In all seriousness, I think it improved my writing. But you cannot teach someone how to be an entrepreneur. My advice for college students would be to study what you’re interested in, explore your curiosities and keep an open mind.

I have an amazing crew—from our marketing team and our accounting and shipping departments, to our publicist—that make Lulu & Georgia what it is today and continue to help it grow and flourish. When hiring, I look for people with skills I don’t have. I also look for people that embody or really understand the Lulu & Georgia customer.

We import from India, Turkey and China, as well as manufacturers within the United States. Since my family has been in the décor business for so long, we have a lot of close relationships with vendors all over the world. There are particular designs that are extremely popular and we definitely continue to stock those items. The Painted Desert Rug and Nisa Pillow are examples of customer favorites that we always have on order.

Yes, individual style definitely comes into play. At the same time, there are a lot of products I design that I wouldn’t put in my home. I think it’s important to look at the product and be able to describe the girl that would covet that item. It doesn’t have to be me, but I have to know the girl.

My morning routine starts at 6:00 a.m. with a quick email check before I get out of bed. I get ready, then have breakfast while watching “The Today Show” with my husband. I get to the office around 8:00 a.m. with my dog, Dolly, in tow. When I get to work, I immediately start answering email. I am constantly behind on email and use the morning to try to catch up! After emails, I usually have a lot of conference calls and meetings (press meetings, creative meetings, development meetings). It’s not usually until night time that I get to actually work on projects or new product designs. If I don’t have a work event or cocktail party, I try to head to the gym or go home to eat dinner and spend time with my husband and pup.

As a company, I think it’s important to have something you’re known for. At Lulu & Georgia, we’re known for our original line of rugs—we have many unique designs that our customers have come to know us for. We’ve created a highly curated site, a place where our customers come to first and last because they know we’ve done the work for them.

When you decide to start a business, you give up a lot of your personal life in order to nurture your company. I work a lot. Lulu & Georgia is a start-up, so it needs attention and time. I know it won’t always be like this, but I think it’s important to devote myself to growing the company and making it the best it can be. I don’t burn out because I’m motivated, passionate and I’m doing something I love.

Blogs and Pinterest are great sources of inspiration, but I find myself also pulling from my travels and old vintage textiles. My family had an antique rug that became the inspiration for our Tallulah collection. I am most inspired by the women around me—their individual styles and unique aesthetics have been the impetus for many designs.

I wake up motivated to grow the business. From discovering unique products we can add to our offerings, to finding new ways to acquire customers, every day is different and I never know when the next breakthrough will happen. It’s amazing to be a part of a company—and an industry—that is constantly changing. It makes me stay current and develop new skills. My career will evolve as Lulu & Georgia evolves, and I’m excited to see where we both go.