Michelle Lynne 0:00
Music. Welcome to design for the creative mind, a podcast for interior designers and creative entrepreneurs to run their business with purpose, efficiency and passion, because while every design is different, the process should remain the same. Prepare yourself for some good conversations with amazing guests, a dash of Jesus and a touch of the Woo, woo, and probably a swear word or two. If you're ready to stop trading your time for money and enjoy your interior design business, you are in the right place. I'm your host. Michelle Lynn, you Michelle,
Michelle Lynne 0:49
All right, hello everybody. Welcome back to the podcast. I'm your host, Michelle Lynn, and I am here today with Allison handler. She is the principal designer and founder of Allison handler design, and she's based out of New Jersey, and I'm excited to share her story with you guys. So thank you, Allison, for being here.
Allison Handler 1:10
Thank you so much for having me. I'm excited Absolutely,
Michelle Lynne 1:14
Allison, tell our listeners a little bit about your background, what brought you to interior design, just, I want to say your origin story, but just tell us a little bit about
Allison Handler 1:26
you Sure. So I have an unconventional way that I've landed here. I started my career 20 something ish years ago, actually, in the fashion industry in New York City, and I have a degree in marketing, a business degree, and my dream was always to be like every girl my age, like carry Brad job, right? That's what was my dream. So I made it happen. I got a, you know, a job in fashion, and I spent the first 20 years of my career in the fashion industry. I was in merchandising, which, for those who are not familiar, is I, the way I describe it is, it's like half business, half creative. So I was able to, like, kind of smush all those things together, and had a successful career doing that. Right before I left my job to focus on my business, I was working for Donna Karan, so yeah. So I had a great 20 year career, and learned a lot towards the end of it, and especially right around COVID, it just wasn't filling my cup anymore. And I had two kids. I lived in New Jersey, and the schlep into the city every day, it had exhausting. It was hard. And once, when COVID happened, and we all got that little bit of work from home life taste. I was like, This is it? This is what I want, and that just that wasn't really in the cards for me in my current career. In the meantime, we had done two of our own homes. So we had purchased and got renovated our first home, and then right also, in the middle of COVID, we moved to a new home. It was new construction and all that jazz. So I got the bug for interior design then, like I said, I've always been creative, but I got the bug then, and organically, started having friends and family reach out and say, I love your house. Like, help me with mine. You know, that whole spiel. I had one friend in particular who was building a new home, and she asked me for, you know, for help. And I taught myself how to use Photoshop and started putting these, like mood boards together for her to pass to her builder and help her kind of design her house. And she was like, Oh, my God. Al, these are amazing. Like, you should sell this. Like you should sell these. And I was like, Girl, I have two kids. I'm a wife. I don't have time for a side hustle that's not in the cards for me. But I did love it, and I just sat with that for a few months, and it, it just resonated with me. And I was like, You know what? I'm gonna let's see what happens. What worse it can happen. So the way that I actually started, is I started an Etsy shop, and I, yeah, I started selling these, like, custom interior design mood boards on Etsy. And it wasn't anything crazy. It was like, I'll give you links from Pottery bond or wherever. It's like, right, you know. And from there I ended up, or somebody ended up finding me, actually, who lives in Arizona, had just bought like, a 5000 square foot construction home, and she was like, I love your style. I want you to do my whole house. And I was just like, what? And I had no idea what I was doing. I understand that. I think I charged her $2,000 for the whole house. And I was, like, amazed that some people think, Yeah, nobody would pay me $2,000 and started my LLC at that point. And this was June of 21 and along the way, I started getting a few more of these kind of, like, virtual projects. And was figuring out, like, how to source furniture and what a receiving warehouse is like. When I first started ordering furniture, I was like, calling UPS free. I didn't know, yeah, yeah. And
Michelle Lynne 5:12
that was what a receiver is, until you find out what a receiver is, yeah. And
Allison Handler 5:16
then I figured it out, and I was making a few books and by July, I guess about six weeks later, I was working full time, momming full time, and doing this on nights and weekends, and it was exhausting. And I was just like, I can't live this life anymore. And talking to my husband one day, and he was like, Al, quit your job. I see what you're doing. I support you if you want to quit your job and do this full time like you should. And I was like, Thank you, but I'm not I wasn't ready for that yet, because I still was doing like, this virtual design, and I wanted to be a real designer at this point, like I knew. I figured it out. I knew what I was doing. I wanted to do local projects. What had I told myself, when I get my first local project, I'll quit my job. So I go to the office that morning, and literally within two hours, I get a phone call, got my first local project.
Michelle Lynne 6:15
There you go. It's funny when you call it out the universe delivers.
Allison Handler 6:18
Sure does, but ended up. So I started my business in June of 21 quit my job in August of 21 and I've been doing this full time ever since, Oh, I
Michelle Lynne 6:28
love that. And how scary was it to quit your corporate job? Or were you? Are you? Were you skipping and just saying? I'm so done with this and I'm ready for the next chapter.
Allison Handler 6:38
I was nervous for sure, but like, I was ready, yeah, I was ready. I believed in myself. I knew I do, like I said, like, my superpower is, I'm a business person that is first and foremost who I am. So I knew I could do this. I come from an entrepreneurial background. My My dad is an entrepreneur, and so I knew
Michelle Lynne 6:57
I could do this. And you had your husband's support, which is, had my husband? I think that's more than half the battle, sometimes, making sure you feel like you've got a safe place to land.
Allison Handler 7:08
Yeah, exactly. And so here we are, three and a half years later. Ish, how have you
Michelle Lynne 7:14
grown your business? What have you seen has been your biggest contributor to new inquiries and clients that have signed
Allison Handler 7:23
Sure. So for me, it really all started with social media. How did you leverage that? I just started putting myself out there. I just, I started putting my face out there, my personality I would put, like, my kids and like, funny, cute things out there, and obviously my follow the journey of my business as well and my work, but I would do inspirational photos from other designers or but really for me, I think the big leap happened when I really started putting myself out there, like my face, and talking with the camera, which is, like, so weird and uncomfortable and like, it's such an awkward thing to do, but yes, yeah, but I but it moved your needle, didn't it? Yes? Because I feel, and I still to this day, feel, that this business, hiring an interior designer is a very personal decision. This is a personal job you are. I was on the phone with a client last night until 10 o'clock. Just not that I normally do that, and I do not recommend that it happens.
Michelle Lynne 8:21
Sure. Good disclaimer. But yeah, it does happen. It happens.
Allison Handler 8:24
And you spend a year plus with these people for these larger projects, and you really get to know their families and their personal life intimately. You talk about what side of the bed they sleep on, and how they use their toilet and all of these weird things that you wouldn't talk to anybody else about in a normal business relationship. So you really do it is a very personal relationship. So I felt, and I also think for people, hiring a designer is intimidating, because especially if you've never done it before, because it's a big investment, you don't you need to feel comfortable to reach out to that person. So I think for me, when I humanized myself, basically, and it's like, Hey, this is me, and I have green hair, and I have two kids, and I like to drink rose whatever, I think that felt it allowed people to feel connection to me and more comfortable to reach out, just to even say, Hey, I love your work, or inquire about working together.
Michelle Lynne 9:22
And I think there's a perception of designers sometimes that we're just so judgmental about other people's homes, we're so snooty and that we don't even understand business so that we're just what's a budget, we don't even deal with it. So I think you're so on point with that is that it's, I always tell people just be yourself, like my brand is a little weird and quirky, and I'm okay with that, because that's why I attract people who appreciate that,
Allison Handler 9:51
yes and like now. But of course, at first I would take any projects like just to get my feet wet and understand. I would take styling the bookshelves or adding pill. Lows, or the one small Powder Room review with people who didn't even necessarily have my same esthetic, but just to get my feet wet, and now we're really only taking projects with people who creatively align with us. They reach out to me not because they want to design or because they want to work with Allison handler design, or yes, they want to work with us, and they're my people, like, we get along, like we're friends, like we can hang like, and I love that so much more fun. Yeah, yeah. So I am very lucky in that regard, like my people find me. And let's talk
Michelle Lynne 10:32
about that a little bit. Do you do your own social media, like, do you do all your posts and all your reels and all your stories and stuff, or did you find somebody who has been able to channel your brand?
Allison Handler 10:43
Yes, so I started out for the first few years of my business, doing it all myself. And I've never, ever in a million years, thought I would outsource that, because it was so personal to me and my brand. I get it. It's me. Literally, my brand is Allison handler design. So I was like, it has to be me. I have to be the one, you know, it has to be my voice. Like, I do have a personality, and I do have my, you know, quirks, like you just said, Yeah, and I want to convey that to people, right? But at the beginning of this year, I was just like, I can't do this anymore. Like, I need help, yeah. So I found a local business who focuses on social media for small businesses. She's amazing. She gets me like she gets my brand. She comes to my photo shoots with me. We'll do interview content together. She does all she does through all my posting. Now on my behalf, I'll still do stories and I'll still chime in and pipe in, yeah, but she does, and she's She nailed it. She's nailed nailing my voice.
Michelle Lynne 11:44
So it's such a blessing. I had to go through a couple of different I had to go through a couple, yeah, and it's just that's when you find it. It works. And it's also the same thing as I'm sure, you outsource your bookkeeping, you outsource different things that you're not the expert at correct but I love the fact that you did it for a while. You put yourself out there. Nobody had to force you to, and you saw the results. So when she's telling you to do stuff, it's okay, you're the boss. I'm doing exactly what you say, because she's the expert Exactly. So do you get most of your calls from social media, or are you doing a lot of networking? And well,
Allison Handler 12:22
I do get the majority of my new inquiries from people finding me on Instagram. Yeah,
Michelle Lynne 12:31
we're the same way. For my interior design firm, we get a lot of inquiries from Instagram. And I'm just baffled by the fact that so many designers are hesitant to put their face out there. Yeah, you know what? It's a story. It will disappear in 24 hours if you don't like the
Allison Handler 12:48
lighting. No, exactly and again, like people want to know your personality, when people know your personality and they thought they can connect with you again, even if it's just to go out into your DMS and be like, Oh my god, I love that light fixture. Or they'll get the dialog going, and then you never know who they know. Or, Oh, you need to look up this designer, or whatever, absolutely how it works. And like, I, for me, like that has been, for sure, like, the game changer in my business growth. And
Michelle Lynne 13:16
you're so you're in Jersey, which I know is saturated with interior designers, the whole Jersey and New York and just those little outskirts, same thing here in Dallas. Do you think your social media has been the key to standing out in that market? And I think
Allison Handler 13:31
it's a combination like I definitely I'm not afraid to invest in my business. So from day one, when I had my first project, even before I had my first project, when I was shooting my home, because that's what you do. Before you have any projects to shoot, I knew the importance of hiring a top notch photographer and getting those high quality interior photos. So I'm always invested in photography, so I think that has also helped to stand out, yeah, because your portfolio is beautiful. Thank you. I think that my style is a little different than other people in this area. I think jersey, especially in North Jersey, the area where we're in, tends to be very traditional and floral and whatever. And that is not me, like I am, much more modern, much more we can
Michelle Lynne 14:20
see over your shoulder with your is it hot pink wainscoting, and then your black and, yeah,
Allison Handler 14:26
yeah, I'm definitely much more. I like to push boundaries, and that's not for everyone, and that's okay, but that's where the
Michelle Lynne 14:33
people that are your people, they're your people. They wouldn't be my people, they're your Yeah, that makes perfect sense.
Allison Handler 14:39
Yeah. So I think that's how to help to stand out, make me stand out more. And then I also think a lot of it is my social media and how I portray myself and my personality. Yeah, I think that's all in my secret sauce.
Michelle Lynne 14:56
Now, do you have a team, or is it just you
Allison Handler 14:58
right out there? Sure. Oh, fun, fun. Yeah. So
Michelle Lynne 15:01
how large Have you grown your team?
Allison Handler 15:02
I have three girls that work for me who are amazing.
Michelle Lynne 15:06
Are they all in in the trenches in design, or do they do your business? Or no,
Allison Handler 15:11
they're all designers. They all, they do a lot of it. So I am not technically trained. My I don't have a degree in design. We discuss it for any so I don't, I don't do CAD I don't do drawings with not my superpower. That is not my I don't know how to do it. I don't want to learn how to do it. I do draw something on graph paper and take measurements with a tape measure. But as far as putting something into cat or SketchUp or anything, nope, that's not it, and that's not where I need to be spending my time. So you're
Michelle Lynne 15:37
definitely out there pounding the pavement and doing business development.
Allison Handler 15:41
Yeah? So that's so I have my girls who are amazing, and they help me with all the drawings. They we go to meetings together, inspiration, sourcing all of that. Yeah. So
Michelle Lynne 15:52
I've often said out loud to my team, it's, I don't know how somebody does this by themselves. No, I didn't either. It's so nice to if just nothing else, like bouncing ideas back and forth elevates the outcome, agreed everybody
Allison Handler 16:07
else. Everybody has a perspective, and at the end of the day, like, I this is my business. It is my name, it is my style, of course, and that's personal to me. Like, yeah, you can't teach that necessarily, but everybody brings something else to the table with their own personal esthetic and their own say, saying, hey, what if we did this way? What if we had this color? And that might not have been something that I would have thought of, and it definitely helps to elevate and continue and continues what keeps us growing and changing and evolving?
Michelle Lynne 16:38
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Michelle Lynne 18:09
What is the favorite aspect of what you do? Like, of the overall business owner, Principal, designer, business development, like all the hats that you wear. What's your favorite part?
Allison Handler 18:21
I really love, like, the relationship aspect. So like, for me, like, that's another in addition to, obviously, my clients, who I said, like, my people find me, and I love my people. And we have, we become friends, and that's amazing, and we're ungrateful for that. But also it's the same with vendors. So especially when I first started my business and I was alone, it was just me. I'm really I was very lucky to find a great team of vendor partners very early on in my business. Oh, nice. And I leaned on them a lot because I didn't know so like my cabinet vendor who would do all my drawings for me and help guide me and teach me about the inner workings of cabinets and how that works, and plumbing and tile and ever so and of course, my my builder partner, that's that's an extremely important relationship, in my opinion, the designer GC relationship. So I, I've definitely leaned a lot on my vendors, and in turn, we've become close. Some of my vendors are my best friends,
Michelle Lynne 19:24
but that's also because you're open to their expertise. There's been, as I go through and I coach interior designers, there's individuals that I've spoken to that they don't get respect, and I think it's because they don't give that respect. It's not a yes, there are sometimes going to be individuals who are a little bit more threatened and have a little bit more of a combative nature. But because you were open to being taught and saying, I don't know what I don't know, show me it makes such a difference in that overall long term relationship.
Allison Handler 19:58
And I'm still like that, right? Right? It never ends. If you think of everything like time to retire, you're done, you know, like, yeah, yeah, there's you're always going to keep growing. And I want to every day I want to learn something new. Every day I want to keep growing my business. Every day I want to take on a new challenge. Yes,
Michelle Lynne 20:19
yes, yes. What did you bring from Okay, so you had your previous career in fashion and merchandising, which you say is somewhat creative and somewhat business. It's a good combination. What did you what was one of the biggest lessons that you brought forward from that tenure
Allison Handler 20:35
that was everything for me, right? I worked for a large company, but I learned how to run a business. I learned how to what a P and L is, and I learned about profit margin and everything and how a business should be run, and also the fact that it was half creative, half business. That's what I do.
Michelle Lynne 20:56
Now, your brain can argue against each side, but when they work together. It's beautiful. Also
Allison Handler 21:01
a part of what I did when merchandising is a lot of cost engineering. So like you would have to you're selling a top for $150 but in order to sell the top for $150 we need to buy it for 75 that type of stuff. Yeah, there's a lot of that goes into this too, when with budget planning and all of that for clients, but also for yourself. And I also, I do spec builds a lot too. I have builder partners that we do, like high end luxury spec builds. That's like another arm of my business, right? And that I have to tap into that side of my brain too, because we want that beautiful high end look, but we have a budget, yeah,
Michelle Lynne 21:39
and they have to make a profit on this long term selections and so forth. I love that, and it's so unusual that you bring both sides to the table. What would you, let's say, what do you feel is the most important tool in building a brand that that is a business?
Allison Handler 21:57
I think it's the person like I think you have to have that face of the brand, especially in this industry where that is very important. I get, I'm, I do have a great team behind me who is more than capable of handling projects on their own, but I get phone calls all the time and like, For inquiries, and they're like, but we want you. And I'm like, you can have me, but you also have to have that, yeah, we worked together, right? Because they don't see that back end of it. They just see me, and that's what they want. But obviously I can't do this for myself, yeah, but I think for me, like in in this business anyway, like you really do have to have that strong face of the brand who's going to pull everything together. It doesn't even necessarily have to be a face. It just has to be like a consistent image, right? But
Michelle Lynne 22:46
it is, like you said earlier in our conversation, it is so personal, yeah, that having a face is actually very helpful. I don't know, I don't know how to do it otherwise. So I tend to agree with you there. I know there are other ways to do it. But yeah, I think that putting yourself out there and having the trust factor and the likeability factor and the relatability factor is just, I call it BYOB. It's, yeah, be your own brand. Yeah,
Allison Handler 23:14
that's exactly it. Like sometimes and sometimes it's a pain, right? Because I'm like, I just, I need a break. I a lot of I call, I have, I have my Ahg Alter Ego. I call ahd my alter ego. So that's what I'm like, turning it on. And I'm like, whatever. I'm actually, like, an introvert, real I am. I'm, like,
Michelle Lynne 23:36
so funny that you say that because I had to be Michelle Lynn in order to step into the brand. Because Lynn's my middle name, it's not even my it's not even my full name. So yeah, it's, I love you saying that, because I really hope our listeners can sit back and say, okay, then if I need to step into my brand, how can I give that person a title or a personality or whatnot, so that when you step out of it, it's, it's, I don't wanna say it's noticeable, but it's much easier to step into that identity, yeah, year after year, yep,
Allison Handler 24:09
yep. So that's what I say, say, HD, that's my all three go, and that's the girl, that's the degree hanger and the whatever. And then I and then, after hours, I go back to Allison, and I'm done. I'm exhausted from all the talking, and I
Michelle Lynne 24:23
totally understand that, yeah, but it's true. You have to step into it, and you have to own it and make
Allison Handler 24:30
people feel that, yeah, it's and it's hard. It's not an easy thing to do, like putting yourself out there and putting your face on social media. And it's not easy, but you just have to say f it and throw caution to the wind and just do it. I
Michelle Lynne 24:46
love that Yeah, and it's Yeah, easier said than done, but I think it's great. I totally Yeah. Okay, so let's flip the sides. Your favorite aspect is the relationships. What do you find is the most. Difficult aspect of being a brand, a business owner, all the things
Allison Handler 25:05
it's trying to wear, all the hats, right? Like you have, no, I was just, I just got back from high point on Monday. Yes, it was a business trip. But, like, I've now, I was away. Obviously I wasn't here, but it was a business trip. So I've now been working for 10 days straight, or whatever. However, I can't even remember anymore. I'm exhausted.
Michelle Lynne 25:24
I just got back yesterday, so I feel Yeah, it's a lot.
Allison Handler 25:28
And then you're a mom, you're a wife, you gotta keep the house clean, you gotta pay the bills, you gotta do you're a boss, you're all the things, and everybody needs something from you, but it's hard. When, even when I do go on vacation, a real, actual vacation, yeah, without the laptop, I'm working, I'm at least answering phone call like, that's what. That's me. That's my problem is I can't it's hard for me to step away. I
Michelle Lynne 25:55
think you'll get to the point where you can't do it all anymore, so you start peeling more away and handing it off to others. Yeah,
Allison Handler 26:02
it'll be a little bit over three years old still. So with my baby, my kids are seven and nine,
Michelle Lynne 26:07
seven and nine. Okay, so there you go. So you've got nine, seven and three, right, right? And actually, that your business was probably brewing a little bit longer anyway. So yeah, it's just officially three, yeah, yeah. So what's a risk in your career that you've taken, other than throwing corporate to the wind and starting up? But what's one of the biggest risks that you've taken that's worked
Allison Handler 26:34
true? Okay, so about a year I should go. I, like many other designers, home office. I was working from home. This is, I think that's also part of the reason why this business there are is saturated, because there's no overhead needed start this business, right? Like you just one day, you wake up and you're like, I'm gonna do your designer today. And we laugh about that, because I totally
Michelle Lynne 26:58
get it. Yeah, you order some business cards and boom, the website, you're good to go.
Allison Handler 27:02
You don't need any capital. You don't need you don't need to invest in products. You just it's your intellectual property, and that's it. So I had a home office, but my business was steadily growing, and I was sick and tired of doing design presentations on construction sites. So I was like, You know what? I need to just suck it up and get an office. So a little bit over a year ago, I, which is where I am right now, I signed a lease for my student, my design studio, and this was never intentional. Like, I didn't realize that this was going to happen, like, for me, like my business was going to essentially support the volume I was doing at the time. Would have supported the investment of the studio, but I would say triple, it's tripled my business. So that's
Michelle Lynne 27:56
amazing. Yeah, that is just amazing. What do you attribute that to? Is it because your clients show up and you're a professional, or is it because you show up and you're a professional because you have to get out of your yoga pants?
Allison Handler 28:09
I think, first of all, I don't do that. I'm like the girl who wears high heels to the job site, like I'm that girl that
Michelle Lynne 28:15
makes sense. Look at your background. Hello. Yeah.
Allison Handler 28:18
It's a bit ridiculous, honestly, but it's okay. But I think it's a little bit of both. I think it's the legitimacy, right? You walk into this beautifully designed office and you're like, Okay, she's the real deal. There's the sign up on the door. Listen, this is not, we don't take walk ins or anything like that. This is our office, but like, it the name, it resonates with people. You're like, Oh, I just passed your office in a day or whatever, I think, yeah, and I think it is also like, I have now been able to expand my team, because nobody's working in my kitchen anymore, and I have a whole staff now, and I have just all the samples here that I need. And we're able to do the presentations here in the office, and I do it's just, I think, much nicer than schlepping
Michelle Lynne 28:59
stone. Oh, god, yeah, to a client's house or the project site or whatever. Yeah, that's exhausting. Yeah, for sure. That's exciting. Congratulations, though.
Allison Handler 29:10
Thank you. Yeah,
Michelle Lynne 29:10
it's a lot to take on.
Allison Handler 29:12
It is a lot to take on, but I it was the best thing I've ever done for my business, for sure. Yeah,
Michelle Lynne 29:19
appreciate that. Now. What would you be doing right now? Like, literally, as we're speaking, if you were not on on camera with me, probably sleeping. Would you go play hard in High Point? I
Allison Handler 29:35
You have been Lastly, I told you I was on the phone with the clients at 10 o'clock. I had maybe a little too much to drink last night too, but anything and so probably sleeping. Yeah,
Michelle Lynne 29:46
that's awesome. Hopefully you have a couch that you can go lay down and take a Yeah, snooze on it through your studio. I used to do that at our old studio. We had these really pretty window treatments. I could just close those. And just give me 20 minutes of a power nap, and my team would always just laugh. Yeah, guys, yeah, that's Oh, that's greatness. Okay, boss. It is a perk of being a boss, but heck, even if my team needed to do it, it's just like, minutes is everything, yeah. What book would you recommend reading this year, anything, whether it is personal, professional, whatnot. What
Allison Handler 30:25
book probably crushing it?
Michelle Lynne 30:28
I don't think I've heard of that one
Allison Handler 30:31
by Gary V. Gary V,
Michelle Lynne 30:33
oh, my god, hilarious. Yeah. Okay.
Allison Handler 30:37
It's like an inspirational business, entrepreneurial book.
Michelle Lynne 30:41
So all of the things, yeah, he's just got so many nuggets of wisdom anyway, yeah. Is it filled with the F bomb? Duh. I think I would have to listen to
Allison Handler 30:51
it on Audible, hopefully. Yeah, for sure, yeah. Well, Allison,
Michelle Lynne 30:55
I love hearing your story. What Is there any piece of wisdom or advice that you would want to leave with our listeners led such an inspirational trajectory.
Allison Handler 31:09
Thank you so much, and I'm super grateful for all of it. Obviously, even the days were tired to get out of bed late today, I think it's everything that I just said. Put yourself out there. Don't be afraid. Believe in yourself. Go for it like you. There is no other you, and that is your brand. And do it like just put you, but you have to rebut the band aid and put yourself out there, and I promise you like you will see the results and invest in your business. Investing in your business is also very important, yeah, like a business coach, a business coach, yeah, that would be great.
Michelle Lynne 31:44
That's just my own little plug. Y'all.
Allison Handler 31:46
I completely agree with that. But also, like, hire somebody to do social media. If you don't want to do it, I'm going through a rebrand right now because not that there was anything wrong with my branding. But I just want to keep elevating. I just want to keep
Michelle Lynne 32:00
you get more sophisticated so you track more sophisticated clients, and you have to do that climbing of the ladder, right?
Allison Handler 32:07
Invest in professional photography like that is everything for us. That is our resume. We have nothing else. That's it. That's all we got. IPhone photos are great in a certain capacity. But like you got to invest in the professional photography
Michelle Lynne 32:21
Absolutely, and you were fortunate because you could afford it right off the bat. Yeah, so it's still a matter of stair stepping your way into it if you don't have the funds right away, but you might even be able to do some sort of a barter with a photographer go over and do their house while they take some photos for you.
Allison Handler 32:38
I was just going to say that there's always away, or maybe it's a lesser known photographer who wants to dip their foot into the interior design world, but doesn't have that it. There's definitely ways that you can make it happen. You have
Michelle Lynne 32:51
no limitations. That's, I think that is one of the things that has allowed you to skyrocket. It's just, we're gonna get this shit done. And
Allison Handler 32:57
the worst that can happen is somebody says, no, okay,
Michelle Lynne 33:03
yeah, that's a good place to feel, Allison. I know that everybody listening has loved what you've said, and are probably curious about your social media and your portfolio and everything. So where can we find you?
Allison Handler 33:17
So on Instagram, it's just Allison handler design and my website, which is currently going through a rejoice right now, but the new one should be live in in the couple weeks. Just Addison, handler design, com, there
Michelle Lynne 33:30
we go. Easy peasy. Y'all, I'll make sure all that information is in the show notes for you guys to reference. And y'all, if you think that this free content is good, imagine what you get when you work with me and one of the mentorship or coaching programs that we offer, and we offer what I call a pantry of selections. We have the interior design business bakery, which is my signature program for 12 months, and y'all we have just rolled out. It's called the key ingredients. This is actually where the bakery started. So I want to share this with you just briefly. The bakery started with the key ingredients, and has just grown and taken off from there. So we've brought the OG back and have the interior design business bakery, which I joke this is like the diet version of the bakery, but it's still very effective. So you can check both of these out on our website, designed for the creative mind. And while you're there, you can take a look at the sugar and spice society, designed from scratch. And we have private coaching as well. And if you don't already know about it, we have the interior designers business launch pad, which is a Facebook group. Yeah, I know it's Facebook y'all, but it's really a great group. This is where I go train live once a week. It's where we do our rollouts, our launches and all sorts of fun things like that. So check that out. And Allison, thank you for being here. This has just been so inspirational. I love getting to meet people in here. They're starting. Yeah, hear you on from the side. So you. For those of y'all listening, choose to be great today and every day, and we will see you on our next episode. Hey, y'all, if you love the show and find it useful, I would really appreciate it if you would share with your friends and followers, and if you like what you're hearing, want to put a face with a name and get even more business advice, then join me in my Facebook group, the interior designers business launch pad. Yeah, I know it's Facebook, but just come on in for the training and then leave without scrolling your feet. It's fun. I promise you'll enjoy it. And finally, I hear it's good for business to get ratings on your podcast, so please drop yours on whatever platform you use to listen to this. We're all about community over competition, so let's work on elevating our industry one designer at a time. See you next time you.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
