Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Amber Guyton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Amber, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

Yes, I’ve been able to transform my hobby from a side hustle into a full-time career. I started Blessed Little Bungalow as a blog and creative outlet where I shared my new home and how I chose to decorate each space. After creating my LLC, logo, website, and social media pages, I blogged about design and DIY projects around my house, and eventually began attracting clients. People sought me out to help them decorate their homes locally and from afar, and so I began offering my interior design help through e-design, all while maintaining a full-time career in financial services and product marketing. After moving from San Antonio and San Francisco back to Atlanta during the pandemic, I realized after five years of building my business and brand, Blessed Little Bungalow deserved 100% of my attention. I took a leap of faith in taking Blessed Little Bungalow full time. As an interior designer, product designer, and home and lifestyle content creator, I’ve been able to earn a living while chasing my dreams. Almost eight years later, I know that the time it took to get here was necessary. There were many challenges along this journey, but I am certain if I went full-time sooner or took different actions, I wouldn’t have arrived at the level of success I’ve received so far with my business.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I was born and raised in South Carolina in a small rural town. I studied Journalism and Advertising in college, and after graduating, began my career selling advertising at a newspaper and later in television. While living in Atlanta, I obtained my MBA and later moved so San Antonio, Texas to pursue a marketing career in the the financial services industry. While there, I purchased a new home and decorated it in a week. When my family and friends came to visit, they were very surprised and my mother asked me, “When are you going to do this for real?” Despite my desire to climb the corporate ladder, she always thought I’d pursue my creative interests since childhood and become an entrepreneur. It was at that moment I decided to create the blog, Blessed Little Bungalow, where I’d share how I decorate my own home. The hobby and creative outlet then became a side hustle and avenue to pay off my consumer and student loan debt by helping others decorate their homes through e-design services. I’d create mood boards and shopping lists for others to decorate their spaces, both residential and commercial, locally and from afar. Through my later moves to San Francisco and back to Atlanta working in tech, I continued to build my portfolio through client projects, and grew my brand through social media. Now being a content creator and interior designer, I took the leap to full-time entrepreneurship. I now also have licensing partnerships with wall art in HomeGoods and a wallpaper collection with Mitchell Black, and hope to continue to build the Blessed Little Bungalow brand and product offering into a household name.

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

For many years, I avoided spaces like High Point Market and other interior design conferences and events because I felt a heavy sense of imposter syndrome. It was difficult for me to even consider myself an interior designer because I hadn’t gone to school for it or had any formal training in the industry. It took years to build my confidence and courage to enter those spaces, but I wish I knew before how much of the industry was also like me – not formally trained, but just a creative with the gift of having an eye. Obtaining my MBA gave me the confidence boost to consider entrepreneurship more seriously, but I still felt uncertain about my success in the space. There are so many free resources, communities, and for those interested in interior design, but also many for those that consider themselves multi-hyphenate creatives. I’m happy that this is a term that’s being used more frequently so creatives like myself can feel comfortable having multiple interests and confidence to explore them all at once.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Coming from humble beginnings and being a passionate champion for personal finance, I believe that interior design should not be a luxury reserved for the privileged few. I’m committed to democratizing the industry one home at a time. Everyone should be able to live in an environment that they are proud of without breaking the bank. I want to create home furnishings and decor that allows just that including furniture, lighting, rugs, wallpaper, and accent decor.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.blessedlittlebungalow.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/blessedlittlebungalow
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/blbungalow
• Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/amberguyton
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/blbungalow
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@blessedlittlebungalow
• Other: www.tiktok.com/@blessedlittlebungalow

Image Credits
Mecca Gamble Photography Brittany Bah Photography Kimberly Murray Photography