Newsletter
Sed ut perspiciatis unde.
SubscribeWe’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Tamiko Hargrove. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Tamiko below.
Tamiko, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry
What I’m noticing in the design industry, particularly interior design, is that people want to feel more at home vs. living in something that looks like a magazine cutout or furniture showroom. We are seeing more DIY projects (do it yourself) to create an authentic space, unlike someone else’s. With an unsteady economy and inflation through the roof, consumers are seeking a less expensive way to create their dream space without breaking the bank. Thrift shops and Facebook Marketplace are becoming the “go to” to find furniture and accessories to DIY, for the outcome they desire, if need be. Otherwise, an investment spend on a unique item you will have longterm, will be considered for the complete look after you’ve saved money on larger furniture items.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I founded A WANDERLUST HOME in 2021 to share my passion for interior design, travel, food and beautiful luxury decor from artisans across the globe.
A WANDERLUST HOME is where you’ll truly observe my passion for what I love, and I aspire to connect with you to experience our love for beautiful interiors.
During the global pandemic that began in early 2020, we were all fastened in our homes, and forced to look at home projects we’ve put on hold for so long. Decorating became an obsession to distract ourselves, and the urge to travel became more desirable since we were not allowed to do so! Shopping for unique home décor became a challenge due to the supply chain halt. Settling should never be an option to find the perfect item for your home. And hence, A WANDERLUST HOME was born.
I hope A WANDERLUST HOME will excite you with our wanderlust finds and get inspired through our blog!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
First and foremost starting a business takes courage and it is very brave. It’s no easy task. I started my business while still working my full-time job as I didn’t have the capital or enough exposure to hit the ground running right off the bat. I had to put in as much time and energy to get the wheels in motion for my business, as I was doing for the “9-5” job. That meant working 16 hour days; 8 hours during corporate hours and 8 hours when I clocked out to work on my business. The days seem really long and daunting when you have no idea if it will all be worth it while feeling sleep deprived and the unknown that’s unpredictable. I was feeling quite alone as some of my surroundings like family and friends couldn’t understand my why. Why would I sacrifice an income I’m receiving? Why would I sacrifice health insurance? Why would I gamble with my livelihood during an unsteady economy? Even through the blood, sweat and tears, I knew in my heart that with hard work, dedication and sacrifice it will have to pay off because I wouldn’t stop until it did. That meant feeling the discomfort emotionally and financially to put myself out there to be seen and heard while stepping outside of the box and my comfort zone. After two years in business, I’ve accomplished more than I ever thought I could because I have pushed through the doubt that surface more than you can count.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
I spoke of putting myself out there and stepping outside of the box and my comfort zone. Using social media to gain new clients is a good source but it’s not enough. You can go down a rabbit hole trying all the new ways to gain followers and new customers on social media. I started reaching out to retailers who will allow me to have a pop-up event in their store, to meet new clients as I don’t have a brick & mortar currently. I even took it a step further and had a well-known media company produce a home tour in my very own apartment, to expose my brand and products I sell, to their 100K+ viewers to gain more followers and clients. I have another personal home tour getting published with another popular media brand. Stay tuned!
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Image 1 Living Room – Photography Credit: Traci Giles Photography (@tracigilesphotography)
Suggest a Story: CanvasRebel is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know
here.
