5 Steps to Becoming a Successful Interior Designer with Kelly Tivey

How does one start a career in interior design? Is it really required to have drawing skills to make it in this space? Do you really need to go to interior design school for it?

If these questions have been bugging you, don’t worry. Because our guest for this episode shares her interior design journey that began only when she was already two years into college.

Would you believe it if I told you she couldn’t draw, yet she enrolled in interior design? It’s all because of one class that made her realize you can create wonders using a straight line.

So let’s explore Kelly Tivey’s path into interior design as she talks about the five steps she took to be a successful interior designer.

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode
  • Learn the different ways to keep learning outside of corporate training even after you have achieved success in interior design
  • Discover two paths you can take if you don’t want to start your own interior design business
  • Find out the four groups of people you should surround yourself with to get support in your career
About the Guest

Kelly Tivey is an Identity Design expert from Pleasanton, CA. She is an interior designer who incorporates who you are and how you want to feel into the design, so you always feel at home in your space. She has worked for 35 years with clients by creating individually-designed spaces that reflect the lifestyle they and their families want to live in. Kelly Tivey Interior Designs is made of herself, as well as her team of trusted specialists, trade resources, and design and support professionals.

Connect with Kelly Tivey:
Website: kellytiveyinteriors.com
IG: @kellytiveyinteriors

 

Check out these episode highlights 

1.21 – Getting started in Interior Design through education 

4.42 – How to sell better by providing people with the information they find important to them

 7.03 – Why giving up is a luxury for those who never gave up

 8.26 – How learning never stops even after being successful in your interior design career and ways to keep learning outside of corporate training

 9.23- Why Kelly decided to quit corporate and focused on her own business instead

 10.56 – How working for somebody and owning your own business are worlds apart

 13.27 – How Kelly gained confidence through hands-on training

 15.06 – Two paths you can take if you don’t want to start your own interior design business

  1. Work for other companies
  2. Work for other designers 

    15.49 – Differences between Kelly’s approach to design projects as an employee and as a business owner

     18.31 – Why you need to be humble if you’re starting out as a young designer and what will happen if you’re not

    1. You won’t know all the answers. You will have to ask questions from those who do, which will require you to admit you don’t know everything.
    2. If you think that you know it all, you will fail every time.
    3. If you don’t have any accounts, it’s nice to have a source for that

       19.36 – The four groups of people you should surround yourself with to get support in your career

      1. People who are better than you at what you do
      2. People who know more than you do
      3. People who are like-minded
      4. People who want to take the next step or want to try something new

         The 5 steps outlined in our conversation:

        1. Get the basic education necessary to land a job in the interior design industry
        2. Attend hands-on training to hone skills and gain confidence
        3. Experience and practice with sales since designers are always selling!
        4. Enroll in a coaching program so as to keep yourself educated in the industry
        5. Use systems and procedures to maintain efficiency and best serve your client

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