154: How to Restart Your Interior Design Firm
Michele 00:01
Hello, my name is Michele and you're listening to profit is a choice. With me today is Lesley Myrick of Lesley Myrick Interiors. Lesley is fun, and she has a really super cool funky style. And she's going to share with us today the challenges of moving three times in five years, and how she has constantly had to restart her business. There are some lessons learned and insight gained from these moves that can assist us all, no matter where we are in business. Listen in, as Lesley shares how simplifying her offerings has been freeing and more profitable in her business, and as she shares the one big thing that helped launch her business and a new state.
Michele 00:49
Every day, empowered entrepreneurs are taking ownership of their company financial help, and enjoying the rewards of reduced stress and more creativity. With my background as a financial software developer, owner of multiple businesses in the interior design, industry, educator, and speaker, I coach women in the interior design industry to increase their profits, regain ownership of their bottom line and to have fun again in their business. Welcome to profit as a choice.
Michele 01:21
Hey, Lesley, welcome to the podcast.
Lesley Myrick 01:22
Hey, Michele, I'm so happy to be chatting with you today.
Michele 01:25
Oh, me too. I was just telling you before we came on air, like why did we wait so long? Like you've been in my periphery? And I know I've been in yours because we have friends in common in the industry. And it hit me the other day, like I haven't even had a chat with her yet. Like, what's up with that?
Lesley Myrick 01:42
I know. And I've even taken your Understanding Your Financials course a few years ago, and it was awesome. So nice to be here. I feel like I already know you and I'm connected with you. So it's nice to actually sit down and have a real zoom face to face conversation with you for sure.
Michele 01:55
As in real life as we can be right now. Right?
Lesley Myrick 01:58
Yeah, absolutely.
Michele 02:00
Well, but you don't live far from me. So we may just have to make a road trip sometime. I'm sure you're coming out. Here I am. And I'm just where you were last weekend. So we'll make a point of that. How about that?
Lesley Myrick 02:10
That sounds awesome. When you know when is a little safer to do. So I am totally on board.
Michele 02:15
Yeah, I'm with you. I'm with you. So Lesley, the podcast is all about profitability. And as you know, we talk about profitability in more than one way. Meaning we're not looking at just money, but the profitability of doing what we love and the profitability of relationships and the profitability of communication and all the other aspects of business and life where profitability matters. And I think you have a very interesting and dynamic story, which I'm excited for us to tell a little bit more about today. Given the way that moves in your family and things that have happened have kind of prompted you to really think carefully about what you like what you enjoy, and what matters to you in your business. But before we dig into all of that, do you mind sharing with the listeners how you started your business and what it looked like, then?
Lesley Myrick 03:11
Absolutely. So I feel like since I was young, I knew I wanted to have my own business. But it took took 10 years of design experience to finally have the courage to launch on my own. I'm Canadian, I started my career in Canada, you know, did the quote unquote normal path, went to design school, got a job worked in the big city for the big name designer for a few years. And after about four years in the design industry, it was in Toronto, I kind of hit a point where I was a little bit burnt out already. You know, as a junior designer, I'm sure many of your listeners have been there. You're new you're young, you don't necessarily have the personal boundaries. And you know, you are a people pleaser, in a sense, at least I was. And it just got to be a lot. And I ended up actually taking a year off when I was 25 and traveled the world during doing music ministry. So completely left design behind and wasn't even sure if I was going to continue, I loved it. I grew up I think like a lot of us have, you know, rearranging furniture, repainting my room, being creative, just that was always a thing that was, I don't know, just ingrained in me was this idea of creating spaces that looked good and felt good and functioned well and it was very weird to have worked for a few years and then been like You know what? I don't know if this industry is for me. And you know, obviously going with the profit theme here I can tell you it is not very profitable to be a junior designer and working crazy overtime and basically sacrificing in my case, like sacrificing my life and my free time and my energy. And so for that reason, I decided to take a break and take that year off and did something completely different. Went as a vocalist with a band and traveled around the US and Canada and Taiwan, and ended up meeting my husband, so I fully thought this was going to be just a pause and then go right back to Canada, pick up where I left off, get another design job. And instead it kind of started this really interesting trajectory. I had never predicted getting married in Minnesota, where my husband's from, and a few months later moving to Southern California for him to complete his masters. And that's where I continued my design career. I ended up working for a home retailer at their corporate headquarters, so I wasn't doing residential projects. But I evolved into a role where I was doing set design, styling, staging, of home interiors, residential interior. So it was a really, really fun way to explore different tastes and aesthetic and styles that weren't necessarily mine. But you know, if we had an event or a sale, that was all mid century, I was designing a mid century room, if it was traditional, you got it, I can pull that off. So that was great experience. I ended up doing that for four years. At that point, we knew we were going to move to Texas. So another move, if you're keeping track, that's Ontario, Minnesota, California, and now Texas. And I knew that at that point, I had been in the industry, almost 10 years. And I knew that that move was when it was time to go on my own. So I ended up hiring a business coach in California, which I am 100% on board, work with coaches, hire smart people, learn from great people, there are so many designers and experts who have walked the path before you who can give you very helpful shortcuts and information to make profit happened faster to make the process smoother. So I'm really, really glad I did that. And when we moved to Texas, and that was when my husband started his PhD. And I went full tilt with an 18 month old baby into running my own business in a new state where I knew nobody. And I was I mean, green as green can be I mean, said 10 years of design experience. I had the design stuff down like of course I think for a lot of us, it's very, you either have it or you don't. And of course school homes, experience homes, it had that going for me. But I knew nothing about how do I make money? How do I, how is this my livelihood, and I'm taking care of a baby. And I mean, it was a lot but really great experience in Waco, the funny thing has been for me. I mean, if you've seen me or my social media website, I don't exactly look like I'm from small town, Texas, like shaved head, tattoos, piercings. And it was very interesting moving to sort of a conservative city like Waco, because there were many well meaning people who sort of approached me gently, more like I think in order to be successful, you're going to have to change, you know, like, hmm, maybe maybe tone things down a bit, you know, exactly. And it was this Crossroads sort of emotionally I was faced with of do what I do. And it's going to be a bit of a harder fight to be the one that likes color and pattern.
Michele 08:04
And at a time where everything was white and beige, and gray and very, very neutral.
Lesley Myrick 08:10
Yes, we moved to Waco. Exactly. And this was I want to say Season Two and Fixer Upper had just wrapped. So if you follow that show at all, it was already big and it was only getting bigger. So Waco was very white and shiplap and beige. And that's the look.
Michele 08:27
And there is nothing white shiplap and beige about your aesthetic. I mean, and I think the white shiplap and beige and gray can be beautiful in the right place. Absolutely. But I am a girl of color. Like I love color. Me too are the better.
Lesley Myrick 08:43
So and I mean neutrals have their place I think neutrals help things help color and pattern keep from going into crazy town. So I mean, you can see Michele, my office, my walls are white. I mean, I'm not doing too but also I'm creating in here I'm bringing color and pattern and you know when I'm working on projects, but all that to say it was a very challenging, feeling like I didn't fit in, in the design world. And when I first moved, I researched designers, I reached out to people, just quick, short emails, hey, I'm a designer, I'm new to Waco, your work is amazing. I would love to just get to know you as a friend. And you know, I'm just trying to get connected and not I didn't say it that way. Basically just, hey, I'd love to take you for lunch and just meet you because I don't know anybody in the state and I'm looking for people.
Michele 09:29
You want to build your network in the area of just people.
Lesley Myrick 09:32
I can't tell you how many designers responded to that email. And that was a big fat zero. It was a nightmare.
Michele 09:37
Not even one?
Lesley Myrick 09:38
Not even one designer acknowledged that email.
Michele 09:42
That makes me sad.
Lesley Myrick 09:42
It made me sad.
Lesley Myrick 09:43
I was like, I'm not trying to take your job or your clients. I just want people and this was sort of pre podcast like I think design podcast and communities were starting but I feel like this would have been 2015 and I think there was a shift happening of community and collaboration and Facebook groups and designers that really genuinely wanted to support and help and encourage each other. But there's also I think, sort of the old wave of designers that have that one close, competitive, and it's just like, Okay, well, I'm just going to show up and do what I can. And it took a while, but I made some traction in Waco, I made my mark, I ended up pitching a local magazine, just Hey, I'm new. This was all I mean, girl, I was trying anything I could to make this business go and reach out to people and get my name out there. And I pitched Waco and magazine with just I'm new in town, I'm a designer. I'm also a writer, I've done X, Y, and Z, would love to talk to you about writing, you know, writing an article for your magazine. And what I didn't know was that Joanna Gaines from Fixer Upper was the previous columnist and had just stepped down because the show got too big. And they had an opening for a home columnist. I was like, Oh, so that was huge for me having a column A local column. I did that for more than three years. So that was great for getting established getting Yeah. And you know, the girl with the Shania probably fast paced you I think it did, because every month, it was my words and my images, I got to do the photography. So it was my projects, it was a great way. And I recommend that to any designer who is new in the city or just trying to get more local exposure is reach out to your local magazines, they're always looking for content if you can come to them with great projects to photograph or photos, and a story idea. I've done the same thing here in Macon. And I don't have a column, but that's okay. I've done a few articles. And I'm, you know, in discussions with them about more stuff coming, which is great.
Michele 11:40
So let me ask this real quick. Did anybody after you were in the magazine? Did any designers decide that they would like to meet for coffee to get to know you? Or did it stay the big fat zero?
Lesley Myrick 11:51
Okay. None of those original designers ever responded? Whatever. Fine, bless and release you do you sister. But what was funny, you mentioned that is that, like every good business owner does. I was Googling myself one day. And someone that came up ahead of me was another designer named Kate Bendewald. And she was in Waco, and she looked about my age, and her style was very similar. And I was like, how do I not know this person? So I reached out to her, I did, I gone over the vulnerability was just like, same thing. Hey, I see you're here in Waco would love to get to know you. And thankfully, she was so kind and responded. And I know some of your listeners probably know, she and I co hosted a podcast called designers getting coffee for a year and a half. Because we would get together every Friday morning, just because we were lonely doing our businesses. And we would bounce ideas off each other give each other feedback and support.
Michele 12:46
Oh, that is so awesome.
Lesley Myrick 12:48
That's really how it started. We call it our best buddies, coffee chats, they were on our calendar every Friday, we'd meet at one of our homes. And one day, she was just like, we should be recording this. And that's how the podcast started. So it was a wonderful way not only to have no, she's become one of my best friends, to have that local friendship and a designer who understands the work. We're doing what it's like to be on your own. And I feel like it was a really good start of what this amazing shift has been in our industry because I started in 2005. And I can assure you back, it's crazy to say 16 years ago, it was very much like every designer for themselves. And nobody was sharing resources or helping each other out. And even when I was in school, I felt that way. But it was kind of this like, caddy. I never felt like I fit in in design school. But I was just this very like competitive. Hide your work. Don't show him what you're doing. And I'm like, I'm an open book, man, like you asked me like, I want everyone to do better and succeed. So it was lovely to find Kate, and start that and watch that grow. And then she and I have both since moved from Texas. But it was it was a big shift in how I maybe not even so much in how I did what I did. I learned a lot from her. But sort of how I felt about being a business owner. Being a designer, everything just felt more whole and complete and enjoyable. And it wasn't so scary, lonely. You're the weird girl in Texas, you need to change your style. It's like no, there's room for all of us, we can help each other. There's always things small things I find you can learn and tweak and put out there and have an impact and be really satisfied doing the work that you're doing.
Michele 14:32
I love that. Alright, so before we go forward to your next move, because I think this next one we're really going to be able to dig into a few more things. I want to know where the music came from. Because you don't just stop your business when they think you're in a band or at least in my 50 plus years of living. I've never had the opportunity to think I think I'll just stop and go be the lead singer in a band. So there must have been a long love of music and you must have been doing some About on this side, What? What did that look like?
Lesley Myrick 15:03
That's an awesome question. Because Yeah, it does seem like this random blip in my adult life of like, I'm just gonna go be a rock star for a year. That's cool. So I grew up doing musical theater, doing voice lessons, and I always had really terrible stage fright. Like, I didn't mind being in the chorus and the choir, but I never was, you know, leading being in front. And as I got older in my 20s, I got connected with a great church community. And this is so funny, Michele, this was such like a God moment. I was in like my small group. And the person that was leading our, you know, sort of home church worship, had to step back. And they asked if anyone else would be willing to, you know, play guitar and sing. And I'm telling you, my hand went up, and I didn't do it. Like it was just up and I was like, Oh, my God, oh, my God, oh, my God, why am I volunteering? And I felt like that was this baby. It was like, I mean, I swear to you, I did not raise my hand. Like it was the weirdest sensation of like, why am I doing this, this is terrifying. I don't want to sing in front of my friends is that out of bodies, I've had to do 100%. And so it was little steps like that, where like, I started leading, you know, for my group of 12 small church friends. And then I audition. And I almost didn't get out of my car. I remember sitting in my car being absolutely terrified. But I ended up auditioning to be on like the worship team on Sunday. So I would do backup vocals. And I got more comfortable being on stage. Even though I wasn't leading. Sometimes I was, but a little tiny bits, but it felt safe by then. And then I want to say I was 24. And I just got this like, feeling of like, you know what, you're not married, you don't have kids, you don't own your own home, like I was living in Toronto and renting, like, I could do some sort of missions trip or just do something. And of course, I was very disenfranchised with the design industry and feeling like, you know what, we could change things up right now. Right? And I was thinking, I could go on a mission, I could go build houses somewhere, I don't know. And one of those like cool coincidences, I was at rehearsal. And some another girl there told me about this music ministry where you could spend a year on tour, traveling as part of a band, you know, performing and, you know, church services on Sunday, but also in schools and prisons and homeless shelters. And I mean, amazing places to get to be and to talk to humans and connect with them. And it was it was music, you we would sing we perform, we would share our stories and our testimonies. And we would connect with people. I mean, it was just one of those like, Okay, this is what I've been preparing for all those little baby steps. Let's take all of these loves and important things in your lives and connect and I was terrified. I almost backed out of the application process. And I was like, You know what, I'm going to go through with it. I can always say no later, and I ended ended up being I mean, honestly, the best thing I've ever done, for many reasons, notwithstanding meeting my husband, that kind of changed my life a little bit. But yeah, so it was just this year that I really thought was going to be like a blip like, Oh, look, Lesley took a year off and did music and ministry and all these cool things. And then she's just gonna go right back to her life in the city. And instead, I felt like a little kitten being picked up by the scruff my neck like, nope, you're done here. We got something else for you. And so instead of going back to Toronto, I met my husband while we were on tour, we knew right away that we were each other's people.
Michele 18:02
Was he in another band as well?
Lesley Myrick 18:04
So what's funny is I totally went into that year thinking I'm probably going to meet somebody, we're going to be on the band together, and we're going to fall in love and be and it's going to be great. And then I met my team, and they were great guys. But I was like, well, there goes that dream. My husband is not here this year. So cool. But I ended up meeting him a couple of weeks later, he had done a tour of the year before me. So he had just finished, he was in his hometown, chillin out at his parents place kind of figuring out his next steps. And we met and it was one of those like, yep, okay, I got 11 more months on the road, but you're my person. I would like to marry you. Let's finish this year and just see how it goes. And I mean, we've been married 10 years, so not so shabby. But it was crazy now and it changed. I never went back. I mean, obviously we go back to visit when there's not a pandemic, but have not lived in Canada since then. And been sort of just open to new adventures and new cities and do in life. It's been really fun, scary and terrifying, but fun.
Michele 18:58
Exactly. And the reason I wanted to go back and pull a little bit of that story out is because I think it has been it has informed from the outside looking in. It has informed your stuff stepping outside of yourself to try something new and put yourself out there late. So the girl that maybe would have said no to all that opportunity may not have been the same girl that would have shown up and said hey, can I write a column for your for your magazine? Right? And so I say that because I want to encourage all of us the profitability of taking the step even when you're afraid like there is sometimes doesn't always work out. I mean, look at the fact that you reached out to a whole group of designers and nobody responded. You put yourself out there you tried you got no response, but you didn't let it stop you. So you put yourself out there again to the local magazine you put yourself out there, you know to your podcast, buddy like you put yourself out there and other places. And you kept trying. And I think that is super important to, to kind of frame that as we then move to the fact that you now then picked up and moved again.
Lesley Myrick 20:11
We did. My husband finished his PhD and my business and our whole family moved about two years ago from Waco, Texas to Macon, Georgia. So, this Canadian girl is very out of her element again, welcome to the deep south. Oh, girl, it is. It's a thing. It's It's so strange to me that my kids are southerners like they were born in California and Texas, they've only known warm weather. They've only lived in sort of this, like Southern Baptist like, I'm Canadian. He's from Minnesota, like, this is very different for us. And my kids say y'all, and it cracks me up just like who are you? But I get it. That's how everybody talks here. And it's lovely. Y'all is a great word. But yeah, so shifting to Macon was interesting, because Macon was a lot like Waco, it's near a big city, it's near Atlanta. But it's far enough away where it's a bit of a hike to get there. It is still a smaller town, smaller community vibe. The cool thing about Macon is that it's got a lot of rock and roll history and a bit of an a little baby bit of an edge to it. So I feel like me being the weirdo with the tattoo. Like, it's not such a thing here anymore.
Michele 21:15
Like, it's great. And, you know, Macon does have its own vibe. I mean, it really does, right, I'm right north of it. And I told you I have family and friends that live there. And it absolutely has, it's kind of like going to Asheville, North Carolina, it has its own vibe. And I feel like making is very much like that. And maybe it is the rock and roll influence. I knew the minute that I saw a couple years ago that you move them like, oh, that'll be good, she'll fit in, right, she'll enjoy that. And I think there's also the Old South, there's pieces of that from a design perspective. But I think there's also enough of the edgy that people are willing to bring in what we might call a new transition or a new traditional, they're willing to pull in some eclectic pieces and parts. They're willing to have some color and some live with, we like color. And in the south. Yeah, we'd like a lot of it's been a fun mix. And I feel like Macon has color.
Lesley Myrick 22:10
Definitely. I mean, there's a lot of traditional leaning buildings and people and whatnot. But I think there is also this, let's take a historic home and keep these beautiful bones. But let's add cool wallpaper, let's add a modern chandelier. I mean, these are just simple examples. But it's been fun to see people willing to take this classic tradition and spin it give it a little twist, like make it a little more playful, even though it's very formal and traditional. And you know, houses are very symmetrical and they're beautiful. So it's that's always been my jam, mixing styles blending. You know, I mean, I think a lot of us embrace that to like old and new vintage and modern color and neutrals and just sort of playing with how do we make these really unique, interesting spaces that honor the architecture that honor the feel of being in the south, but also have a freshness and a more interesting vibe, where things just don't feel so stale? And I think they can if they're not touching for a while.
Michele 23:08
Right. Right. And I think making is prime for that. I mean, it really is. So it's been fun to, to watch some of what you've done and and how you've moved forward there. Tell me this, though. So if for people that are not keeping up, I think I wrote it down. That's five moves in three years, and three times in five years in three different states not counting where you start, right.
Lesley Myrick 23:32
And Minnesota doesn't even that was sort of a transition year ministry. So I live with my in laws for a bit but then really our moves as a married couple, as a family were California for four years, Texas for four years. And now we've been in Georgia for two years. So yeah, we haven't been in one place very long. Not long enough to really plant roots. And that's one struggle I've had is that there's an analogy and I'm going to botch it. But go with me analogy about a rocket ship where something like a rocket burns 90% of its fuel on takeoff. And then it uses the last 10% you know, it's kind of coasting, it's done the hard work and finish finishes its mission was on hold. I feel like I've been burning jet fuel for six years. I'm like, when do I get to coast because I started, I might have been, you know, 16 years in design, almost six years on my own. And I still feel like it's tough. It's a two year old. And exactly and more than a year that has been in a global pandemic. And so I have to just remember a little bit of grace with myself. It's okay.
Michele 24:28
And the fear is you I mean, and you have young children. I mean, you had practically a newborn when you moved.
Lesley Myrick 24:34
she was 18 months she was almost two and then my son would have been five when we moved I think so.
Michele 24:40
I mean we had littles right that's hard managing moving and littles and then starting over and so that's something that you have a lot of I'm gonna say success with but also practice in is starting over. And I just want to applaud you for continuing to start over because You know, even when we're in the same area, we may have to start over due to a life event, or due to something that happened or due to, you know, all kinds of things we, I've started over multiple times, you know, once was just due to health, I couldn't continue the business that I had with with the health issues that I had. And so starting over is not easy, but it can be fun, and it can be exciting. And the cool thing is, you know, I'm on my third, fourth business iteration of things that have started, you learn so much from the first, the second, the third, that starts to compound and so tell us some of the things that you've found that have really been helpful to you as far as mindset when you're starting there, because you have to start the process with how you think, right? Because if you're telling yourself, Oh, my gosh, here I go, again, starting or may not even be here, but one or two years, do I even want to get started? Is it worth it to just do it if I'm going to be here, three or four, and I'm not suggesting that selling you're going to be making but I'm saying you knew when you were moving place to place that those may not be places to put down roots because your husband was working on higher education, and focusing there at the time. So there is this piece of you that goes, how much do I even want to put into this?
Lesley Myrick 26:20
I mean, right, absolutely. Yep. And the last two moves, we knew like he had two year programs, and then we'll kind of see and they ended up being four years. Fingers crossed, we'll be in making a little longer. He's got the tenure track job. He's good. But of course, like, so far in my life. Yeah. When I have been open to adventure when I have been open to what God has next for us what opportunities come up, it has been way more fun. It's been terrifying, and horrible and awful and difficult too. Don't get me wrong. But it has been way more exciting and gratifying. Like I could never have planned this on my own on what planet when I but like, you know what I want to do move every four years to different states I've never even visited but it has been a really fun, deeply satisfying fun.
Michele 27:02
In a completely different country where I grew up.
Lesley Myrick 27:05
Exactly, and a completely different country to which of course isn't too different. But it's different enough. I'm but it's still different.
Michele 27:10
Yeah. So how was your mindset different this last time? Lesley, then maybe it was the first two with Okay, one more time, like, what am I going to do? And what is it going to look like this time? Did you stop and go? Yes, I still love to sign enough that you know, after being on my own and wait call want to be on my own again? Did you stop and think? What did I love about the business model that I had in Waco? And what do I want to do differently now? Like what was your thought process at having to do that restart,
Lesley Myrick 27:46
You know, it would have been smart. If I'd stepped back and thought could this would be a time for change and different I didn't even do that. It was basically like just legally close the Texas LLC open the Georgia one. And you know, social media carried on website carried on. So on the surface, people wouldn't have necessarily even known that I that I moved that I changed locations. But for a mindset perspective, I think I definitely learned in Texas that it takes time, a lot more time than you think. And when you look back, you'll realize how far you made it, how far you made it and how short that was. But in the moment, it feels like it's taking forever and that you are a failure and you stock a bubble. And I've been through all that I mindset stuff is huge. And I'm working on a lot of that very consciously right now. But for me again, it was just learning how to be vulnerable and put myself out there and be okay with people telling me no or never responding to me. And just sort of keeping my eyes open for opportunities, connections. You know, when we moved here, we had a friend in Texas who was like, Oh, we know so and so in Macon, I'd love to introduce you. We're like great. We had dinner with them. They were lovely. she happened to know it was just the sort of like, you know, rabbit trail things of like, Oh, we met this woman. And she's like, Oh, I'm part of this mom's group you might be interested in fabulous. So I met some people that way. Got to talk one business a bit. Oh, there's these women in business group that gets together once a month for co working and it's free. And I was like, I'm there. Let's go meet people. And it's just been putting myself out. You had to continue to put yourself 100% Yes. And even now there are times where my husband's like, yeah, she's like, I know you love your home office. I know you have things to do but you're locked away in a cabin in the woods and nobody can see you go downtown, go to the CO working space go work at a coffee shop. Seems like yeah, you're right. I know. I can't just hide here and be like warm glow explained to me. So part of it, of course, is social media and online visibility. That's kind of a given that we're all doing right now. But the in person stuff. I tend to get clients when I speak when I present. So getting in front of you know, speaking in front of Rotary Clubs, Optimists or, you know, Women's Network, career, women's things, things like that, where I can go talk to humans and of course, things have changed. So drastically in the past year and a bit that that doesn't look like it did two years ago when we got here. But for me, there's just been Yeah, figuring out, how do I meet the people? How can I genuinely just get to know them? and be like, how can I find my people and make new friends here and figure out like, what's going on and, you know, said that co working space has been big for me, there's a co working space, I'm part of downtown. And that's been great. Even not even if it directly leads to clients, but just as a human, as a business owner, who works alone to go have, you know, work in a room where there's two other cool women, you know, one attorney doing her own business and another creative and it's just great to do that. So for me, it is. I'm an introvert. So none of this is my base setting. I just want to back up and say that do not feel like if you are thinking like, oh, Lesley can do it, because she traveled as part of a band and does Facebook Lives every week and gets me people. I'm like, no, it's still terrifying. And I want to barf and die a lot of the time like, this is not, it gets easier. But it's not easy. And it is really just this practice of Okay, I'm going to be okay with being visible, I'm going to be okay, being in front of people, I'm not going to die, I'm going to go to this lunch. And I'm going to say hi to people and tell them what I do. And I have found it's one of those things that you just never know who you're going to meet. There have been, you know, times where I've met someone at a lunch and then they emailed me months later about this. And then we're still talking and like just things were those connections, or I did a speaking engagement, a virtual one last year for a rotary club. And I got my best client from that one talk. And she's now done three projects with me here in Macon, which that wouldn't have happened. If I was just twiddling my thumbs hoping clients were going to come to me so in the woods.
Michele 31:43
And knock on the door,
Lesley Myrick 31:44
exactly. No one, no one's coming out to my little dead end street out in the woods here in North Macon. I love it, but it is very quiet. So that's sort of what I would just want to encourage designers to do is you need to get out there you need to be showing up online, absolutely do the videos, do the Facebook Lives put out great content, yes, but also go meet human beings get into groups that are feel like a good fit. You know, even I have a home office and I still joined a co working space downtown, because it's a nice change of pace. And there are humans, there are people that I can get to know. And most of the designers that I coach and work with are not new to a city, they have a network, they have friends and family already. And that's a huge advantage when you are starting or starting over is that you have people there. And of course, I still have that but they are in Canada and California and Texas, and I do tons of long distance work. But getting connected locally, really getting started has been very much stepping out of my comfort zone and extroverted which is difficult. And just sort of being okay with being rejected. I guess you ever okay with it. But you understand that not everyone's going to be for you or on your team or on your side or care. And that's okay, you just you go do you and be open to the possibility of what's going to happen.
Michele 33:03
Yeah, I think that has been one of the I'm an introverted extrovert. So I love being on stage. I love doing some of those things. I don't love the video pieces of it. Like there are certain pieces of all of it that I just want to command and talk and get to what we need to get to. And then I'm ready to move on. I like deep conversations. I don't like a lot of the extroverted fluffy stuff, dinner. I mean, like all that little nice mingling and all that. I mean, I like being kind, like saying, hello, don't get me wrong. But I like really digging down and understanding and like having these kinds of conversations, this fuels me, this gets me excited. And I think even through the pandemic, I'm going to know we're recording this where we're kind of on the side where people are starting to be vaccinated, things are opening up a little bit more, we're still not they are but I even noticed and told my husband, I said, if things don't open up pretty soon. This was a few months ago, I said I think we're all going to have trouble communicating. Because I was starting to feel even myself, I need to get out and be around people like your co working and being around other folks. All of a sudden it was this. I don't even know how to behave in public. And I mean, I wouldn't do anything stupid. But I missed this anxiety to go out again or to be around people again, things that I'd never felt before. I'm realizing My clothes are a year old. I didn't buy anything because where am I going I am going upstairs and downstairs into the backyard. And you know, for the longest time we didn't even go to the grocery store. We just had everything delivered with all of my health issues I went out and about and now starting to be able to get out and about a little bit more safely. You're starting to realize there's some of those tiny nuances of of that, like you said, connecting with other humans that can easily be missed if we don't work at it. And that's the same thing about being vulnerable and putting yourself out there. The more you Do it, the easier it gets. And I think it's true for all of it. I know even now, you know, not every single person that reaches out to talk to me about coaching, do we agree to work together? And it's not supposed to be that way. And it's okay. So it's like getting your head in the mind space that not every single person is meant to be connected in that particular way. Or in that way now, maybe later, and just giving some grace and some peace to let things settle but to continue, not let it stop us, right from putting ourselves out there and trying the next thing and continuing to build relationship. Now, I want to ask this, you mentioned that closed down one LLC opened up another grant and nobody outside of the internal workings of your business is going to have a clue to them. Lesley mark, still there, the website still there, they're moving forward. But you can't run down the street to your neighbor's house in Waco and do their house. So how has your design business changed? To allow you to kind of seamlessly continue serving those in California and in Texas, well, also being able to continue to serve those in your new area? in person?
Lesley Myrick 36:14
Yeah, that's a great question. I really hate the pandemic, it sucks, we can all acknowledge that one silver lining that I have found is that I feel like a lot more homeowners clients are open to virtual design. Now they have seen that it can be done well, I felt like before there was hesitation, that a designer could actually do a good job without seeing your space. But you know, starting in Toronto, moving to California, then Texas, I was doing long distance from day one, I left Toronto and I still have friends, I did a project last year for one of my best friend's there in Canada. And you know, today, later on, I have a design consultation with a former client in Texas. And of course, we're meeting on zoom, I'm not flying to Texas. And so that has always been a part of my business. I will say the virtual design, it's not my favorite, I would absolutely rather be there in person in your home in your space. And I think we all would, however, the ability to serve people to meet clients, our ideal, amazing clients, regardless of location is huge, and has been such an asset. And so one of my things I've been working on this year, it's funny yesterday, I heard I was listening to a Marie Forleo podcast, and she had a quote where she said simplify to amplify, it was just like, got it like it was just simplify to amplify. And it was so in line with what I've been doing this year, because I think like a lot of designers, I fell into the trap of well, I want to meet everybody where they are. And of course, I had a niche. And I had a point of view and like, you know, there was sort of an ideal client, but you know, on my work with us page it was we can do a consultation we can do in person, we can do full service, we can do design, only we can do virtual II design we can do. And I have like six options. It's like we have no wonder people are confused, like they're not going to they don't know what they need. They're not going to self select from that. And so I'm I was going through another program with another coach earlier this year. I'm just wrapping that one up. And she really helps me simplify my services. She's like, why do you have a design and design only Look what a design is for long distance and design only is for in person.
Michele 38:26
When they're really about the same thing.
Lesley Myrick 38:28
Exactly where this is going. You saw this one coming along before. She's like why would you charge less for a design? Which is design only then you do in person was like, Well, you know, there's travel and in person meetings. And then I also do concept design first and then detailed design, where's the designs a little cheaper? And it's just design and it's less communication? So which one do you like better? Well, design master plan I love my core values of my business are adventure, organization and connection. And I felt like with the design the way I had, there was no connection. It was transactional. Here's your design. Thank you for your information, boom, move on. It might have been profitable, but it wasn't fun or life giving.
Michele 39:09
But I would say profitable. Maybe monetarily that's again, but not profitable for your enjoyment. Bingo. It was they weren't suitable for like your excitement, your own edification. It's like, why would i do i know I have gone through year after year, and said, if it doesn't bring me joy, me, I'm no longer going to offer it. Because at some point, it's not best for my client. It's not best for me to write because I'm not showing up excited and energized. I'm showing up as if, like you said, it's very transactional. And I don't want to I don't, I'm not going to build a business that's transactional.
Lesley Myrick 39:46
I agree. And what I found with those design clients was I was going above and beyond any way I was sending concepts I was doing more communication. Of course, that meant I wasn't as profitable anyway because I was spending more time than I budgeted. Right anyway, where we landed and I love It gets it's so like smack yourself in the forehead symbol. It was like, Oh, yeah, we can do this way. It's just like you don't need a design and design master plan, like your design is your design. You design. That's right. It's like,
Michele 40:10
oh, okay, I'm killing it with you or not. It's no different because Exactly.
Lesley Myrick 40:14
And so my process now has been simplified to five steps. We do a video consultation call. That's actually new to me. I used to do phone calls, but I don't know I feel like a lot of people in my age bracket like, you know, 30s 40s don't like the phone. And honestly, I have found I am way more successful at getting clients on board when I can see them when we can talk face to face, then being I hate being on the phone, I don't know why to just phone calls for years, I love this new model of a video 20 minute consultation call. And I've had so much more success. Because there's the connection, you can see each other You can, you can sort of bond while you're on that call. Anyway, step one is the video consultation call. Step two is the two hour consultation. Easy peasy. A lot of clients, I'm sure with other designers to some clients just want that and they're good for other clients that kickstart the project, then is design master plan. That's kind of like my signature service where, you know, it's the same level as full service, same high touch, we're in your home, we're measuring we're meeting with trades, we're discussing things, we're doing this incredible design plan. But we hand off a buttoned up package to our clients and say, it's all yours go make it happen, and they love it. So that's one option. Or if they want to continue, we can then do step four, which is implementation and Step five, which is the reveal and styling, boom. It's so simple. And I don't know why I fought this for so long and had 75 options. It's like, No, it's just it steps, we do the call, we do the consult, you want design, and we're done. Great, we're done, you want us to keep going, we'll keep going, then we're done. So I have really found long distance design fits very neatly into either my design jumpstart consultation, and or design master plan. And that's like getting this, these are the things I want to be doing. I love those two, I love the two hours, even if it's on zoom face to face with somebody, connecting with them, helping them with their homes, seeing them respond to ideas and getting excited. And then if they want us to do the design we are thrilled to and we you know, send a beautiful box, they've got all their samples and drawings, they also get everything digitally. And it's been a really, really great way to collaborate with clients. In the US and Canada.
Michele 42:23
I think the beautiful part about that is, well, there's so many but one is you're doing what you love. So then that inspires you. And it shows up differently when you respond to the client. Number two, you're meeting the client's needs, you're not overselling them, you're selling them what they want, what they need, what they can afford, and what they can do. But you're doing it in a very upfront way. So that there's not this shopping around you have going around you because it's kind of laid out upfront, who's doing what and where they're doing it. I think it's also great with young kids, I know some of my mom's younger kids, their whole thing is, I don't mind the design, it's all the implementation that's so difficult. So the more that they can take more design work, and then let a homeowner self implement to some degree, the more they have time to do the pieces and parts that they love that are not as draining. And then only do implementation for maybe the larger projects where there is being more hands off and you're not fighting upstream downstream for what somebody wants, you're not forcing somebody to react to the whole design program in a certain way. And so one of the things that I know that I have to coach around a lot and change mindset is sometimes I think it is easy to think that our design firms or our business as you could probably plug and play any business should look a certain way, it should be a certain way. And that's why one of the big things I tell people is I don't do cookie cutter, what I would rather do is say here are good business principles. And I always start with Who are you? What do you love? And what do you want to do. And if you are not jazzed and in love with the things that you're doing in your business, ask yourself why is there something you can change, add or delete to make love it? Or can we get rid of it and add something in its place that you're jazzed about? Because you're going to be more profitable and 5000 ways? And so are your clients if you do that. So have you also seen with having little ones not not just the pandemic, but also come in small children? That that your design master plan and some of these things that you've done to tweak have made it easier for you? Absolutely.
Lesley Myrick 44:34
I think I mean, it's really it has simplified things where I know what my focus is. I've got a great virtual assistant who we've been taking it easy for the past year she had a baby, there's been a pandemic, but sort of on a per project basis. We've got a great system where I get to focus on the design, I pick the things and I hand it off to her she puts it into the proposal. She gets the numbers she does all the detail work that doesn't have to get done but doesn't have to be done by me. So that's been a really great system. And then I really can focus more on design and design for the right clients. And I'm at a point now where basically, my offerings are, you know, my two hour consult or design master plan. And there's a big price jump, you know, the two hour consults about 500. And my master plan typically starts at about 4500. And I know that's not for everybody. But I used to try to have everything in the middle, oh, well, we can do this. And it's 750 or a day with me, it's 1500, or this is, and it didn't work. And I hated half those offerings. They were sort of like, well, and now you know, now it's, you don't have the budget for masterplan. Great, let's knock it out. With a two hour consultation, you will get a ton of information and you can do it on your own. And if you have that budget, great. If you have the budget to move on to procurement and implementation, let's do it. But I spent years trying to force every project into a full service model. And not everybody has the budget for it. procurement is a luxury service. I have spent years not charging for it just like Well, I have enough margin on product which Michele, of course I did not, I listen to plenty of your podcasts to know that I did not have enough margin on that.
Michele 46:04
Right.
Lesley Myrick 46:05
Or, you know, it just it didn't make sense. They had a $10,000 budget. Well, for full service for a room. That's so much of the budget Anyway, you guys all get it listening and everything too. And so procurement is great room reveal, doing all that final styling is great. But it's an investment. And it's not for every project and every budget. And if a client comes to me, and I don't have like a firm, firm line, but basically like if your budgets under 25,000, I don't even think full service is worth talking about, I think design master plan is going to be the best bang for your buck, you'll have enough funds to invest in great pieces, you do a little bit of legwork, we do the design and make sure there's you know, decisions are done, you're not making mistakes, you're buying the right sizes, the right finishes, the right pieces, and clients are thrilled. So it is a shift, I know a ton of designers make a lot of their revenue on goods. And I think that's a great model. When you're at a certain, I guess price level or luxury level. But where I'm at, I have some clients that can afford it and love it and are happy to say Please take this off my plate. And I have plenty that are successful professionals with decent budgets, but they also feel like I can place a few orders and get this done and save myself 510 grand, I'm happy to do it. So this has been a huge change for me pricing my services so that I am profitable from design. And I don't even count product revenue in my monthly my annual projections product revenue is gravy, if I sell anything fan, freaking tastic. But I am so over chasing clients down, getting annoyed when they shop me air quotes, you know, go behind your back, even though you've tried something, and I get it if I'm selling something for 500 and you Google it and it's for I would quite frankly, I would do the same thing. And so I have just realized that the level I'm at procurement does not make sense for everybody. And I'm fine with that. And I'm not cheap. I know my I'm sure there's I'm know there's designers that charge less than I do. I'm fine with that. I you know, I can make good money doing design because that's what they're paying me to do. You can hire anybody for 20 bucks an hour to manage orders and get stuff delivered to your home. But the design, the vision, the planning the whole that. Like that's my moneymaker. That's another highlight to me.
Michele 48:23
That's the larger value that can't be systematized that quite the same way. You know, it's interesting hearing you say that it's the same way I felt when I for years, even in my coaching, tried to keep creating all of these extra things that people said, well, Michele, I don't really want that I want this. Yeah, well, we can adjust. Michele, I don't want I don't want that anymore. Now I want this. And then I got to the point when I realized what they wanted. And what they needed were two different things. And by me solving what they want it I wasn't really solving what they needed. And so right and so I took a step back and said I know what I know what the need is and I know what you really need. And it's gonna show up this way or this way kind of like yours. I've simplified these are the two ways there's there's no other way that I have seen because it's always less than or one less than, or the one thing that you can't get, or I'm having to give for free because you can't do and it just didn't make any sense.
Lesley Myrick 49:23
It didn't and it wasn't profitable. I wasn't getting people confused. Buyers don't buy every every client.
Michele 49:29
And every everybody's in a different place in a different way on a different plan working. You're like Okay, wait, whoo, pump the brakes. Maybe we get we got to reorder here. Got to reorder some things. And so what would you say to those listening, that maybe need to create a restart or create a reboot, or to even if they're in the same place, they just need a mental reboot restart for their business because they're things they don't lose? Love anymore? What would you tell them?
Lesley Myrick 50:03
The biggest success I have found with that is joining a program, finding a coach finding a mentor, getting together with a designer friend. But getting outside perspective, we are so in the weeds of us of our aesthetic of our process of our website of our social media, that we often can't even see the what I feel. So for me have been duh, obvious changes did not even occur to me. Like, you know, I read all the books, I listened to all the pie, all like I'm such a personal development junkie business and like, give me the courses on a bit of a course or learn all the things change all the things. And that's great. And I think learning and growing, and doing things independently has incredible value. But when it comes to businesses and systems and processes and how your clients will be experiencing what you're doing, I have had the biggest aha moments when I have gotten feedback from an accountability Group, a coaching group, a coach, someone who can say, Hey, here's what I see from the side. And what you might want to consider improving, changing tweaking. And there have just been some like, gold nuggets this year for me of things, things I didn't even realize were broken things I didn't even there's the obvious things that I'm like, Yes, I can see that I want to change this. And, you know, one thing that happened for me this year was like, I thought my website was great. I've read all the marketing books, I've listened all the podcasts I got, you know, had my opt in above the fold, and I had all the right things I hired was to do your homepage. And I had my design services. And I had a link for my coaching services. So I'm offering two very different services for different people. And I'm wondering why people aren't doing it. And working with a coach was like, your website looks like a marketer, who happens to design not like an interior designer who knows how to market herself. And it was one of those like, woo moments were kind of hurt. I was like, I've worked so hard at this, my website's my baby. But she was right. I was focusing so hard on trying to do the right things. And, you know, of course, like we're all doing our best, I didn't put that up there thinking, you know what, I'm gonna self sabotage, and I'm gonna put some crap on my website, like, No, of course, we're all doing things that we think are going to get people on our email list, convert clients, get them interested. But that shift was huge. She's like, you have so many pictures of yourself. And she's like, that's great. I get it. You're trying to connect with clients. But I don't see your work. I don't know what you do. I don't understand. I just get I'm supposed to be buying Lesley and I don't see enough of what you're producing for me to buy into it. And that was huge for me. And so to be able to look at my work with us page and realize I had 17 services to try to reach everybody didn't make any sense. And it was, I will say I mean, it was very scary to delete stuff to tighten up my offering and to say no, I am no longer doing designer for a day, it can be great. So many designers do well with it. I hate it, hate it, hate it, hate it six hours with somebody is exhausting. I don't want to do it, I'm not doing it. So really simplifying my process, really simplifying my website. Even the resources I have for designers are now in the footer. They're not at the very top because I'm not leading with that I'm really only working with very select designers at this point. My focus is really on the design side. Another issue I had and I wonder if other designers have come up with this is, in my top navigation, I had freebies, I've got all my opt ins by free all the good free goodies. Great. I have people signing up for my email list left, right and center. But those are not the people who are becoming clients. And so even my freebies move down to the footer. It's there. If you find it fabulous, you're going to get some free guides, free, amazing resources. But I want someone to come to my website. And no, this designer is good at what she does. She's a professional. She's a real designer. She has a process. She knows what the hell she's doing. And I feel confident booking a call with her. And so and I want to work with her Exactly. And she's like, I get her I get her style. I see myself in those rooms. Her face is nice. I think she looks like a nice person. I don't know. But I would not have gotten there doing it on my own because I didn't get there doing it on my own. I got there when lovely people looked at it from the outside and said I think this could change and improve. And that was worth its weight in gold. So of course do the work on yourself. read the books, listen to the podcast, the resources out there today for free. Our mind blowing amazing,
Michele 54:42
Yes. But you know, in in some ways I think it's too much, right because we can be we don't always know how to apply it or overconsuming. Get stuck in analysis and don't move forward. To your point. I mean, I have my own business coach, even though that is my full time business. I also invite somebody to look into mine because I don't see my own blind spots. Bingo. Don't see him as why their blind spots? Yeah, right. So Lesley, tell everybody where you're hanging out? Where can they find you on social and your website and all the good stuff?
Lesley Myrick 55:16
Yeah, best place to find everything is that LesleyMyrick.com. And it's l e s l e y. Because most people spell it wrong. And social links or their Instagram is definitely my jam. And if you are a designer, you'll very carefully navigate to the bottom or you can just go to LesleyMyrick.com/coaching. I have got free badass biz tips, emails I send out every Monday, there's some free resources, webinars, and more info about my coaching program on there, which is really tailored to designers who are starting a new business or have just started and really want to make big progress in a short time.
Michele 55:50
Awesome. And you've certainly done it enough that you have some experiences to share.
Lesley Myrick 55:55
The school of hard knocks has taught me well. Yes, three states very moves within five years. I have a few things to share. So hopefully they are having having two babies yeah, oh, girl. Yeah.
Michele 56:11
Well, you've done an awesome job. And I'm actually kind of glad that we waited to have the conversation because I think it's richer from seeing your entire trajectory in business. And so I think you're sharing that with us. And definitely, as soon as the world opens up, we're gonna have to make a road trip because we're only about an hour and a half from each other.
Lesley Myrick 56:29
Yeah, it's pretty and we are my bookkeeper is a friend of yours. Like there's just a small world in the Atlanta area. So yes, we are all way overdue for a lunch date sometime.
Michele 56:38
That sounds awesome. Well, thank you so much for sharing today. I'll have all of this in the show notes. And wishing you much success.
Lesley Myrick 56:45
Thank you, Michele. I appreciate it.
Michele 56:47
Lesley, thank you so much for joining us on the podcast. I really love the quote that you shared by Marie Forleo. Simplify to amplify, that is such a good phrase to remember. Often, you know, we think that more is more when sometimes the less is more. Just such a good reminder. I love to also remind business owners how to be profitable with the businesses that they're building. And it comes from knowing how to build on a strong foundation with intention and then manage the levers of growth that we have, which are people process and profits. If you want to learn more, go to ScarletThread Consulting.com and click on the masterclass in the Resources tab. Perhaps a great way to end this podcast today is to say this simplify to create profits. And remember that profit doesn't happen by accident. Profit is a Choice is proud to be part of the designnetwork.org where you can discover more design media reaching creative listeners. Thanks for listening, and stay creative and business minded.