We recently connected with Betsy Sweeny and have shared our conversation below.
Betsy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?
With my house, and any of the historic properties I work on, I hope that their lasting use will be my legacy. Historic buildings are like mutual friends that transcend time. Right now, I’m sitting in my dining room, which feels wholly unique to me, but in reality, countless families have used this same space. I think about them when my hand touches the well-worn banister, or when I remove an old gas line from a wall where a sconce used to be.
Long after I’m gone, I hope that someone else is able to sit in this same room and think of it as theirs. Maybe they’ll even think back with some appreciation to the woman that restored their house. If the buildings I touch are able to stand for another hundred years or more, that is more than I could ask for.
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?
My mission is to help people live a local, authentic, and beautiful lifestyle that honors our shared heritage, and fosters healthy, equitable community development.
Practically speaking, that can take a lot of different forms.
I began my career as an architectural historian at James Madison’s Montpelier. During my time there I was able to gain a level of fluency in historic architecture and heritage interpretation that I decided to bring to Wheeling, WV. I joined the Wheeling National Heritage Area during an exciting time in the City’s revitalization, and it was during this time that I purchased my own historic home. Thanks to social media and a global pandemic, that home garnered a lot of attention, and provided me with a national platform.
The bulk of my consulting services fall into three categories: Design, Financing, and Community Development. My goal in each is the same- to demystify old buildings. From a design perspective, that may mean helping someone highlight rather than remove a quirky, but character defining feature of their building. In the financing world, it usually means helping a current or a perspective developer navigate the multitude of programs and incentives available to make seemingly impossible projects possible, and at the community level, this often looks like helping organizations craft programs that accurately tell their story and motivate and inspire members of their community in some way.
I often draw the parallel between historic homes and cars. Almost everyone knows the feeling of taking their car to the garage and having no idea what the mechanic is talking about but following with blind faith. For many people, old homes can be the same way. The sum of their parts feels overwhelming, and too often we’re told something is “too far gone” without any further explanation.
Maybe it’s because my dad was a mechanic, but I strive to educate others about what they have, and show them how anything worth saving, can be.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
Where I am today is the result of a major pivot. I did not set out to be an independent consultant or brand. A moment of virality in 2020 felt like a gift that was placed in my lap, and one I’d be foolish not to take full advantage of.
Until recently, I spent my time working for non-profits, at the will of a board and a mission that I resonated with, but did not create. My house project was just that- my house. I had no idea it would be of interest to anyone but me when I started it, but shortly after I posted on Instagram that this old house had been saved, my following began to grow.
It quickly became evident that I was doing something that a lot of people dream about, but didn’t think they could do. Because of my educational and professional background, I was able to look at my project and know what it would take to restore it, how to estimate the repairs, who to go to for financing, and eventually how to decorate the finished spaces in a way that honors the home’s history. I was lucky, and I wanted to share information with others. I chronicled the journey and tried to use my project as a teachable example of preservation in practice.
Building a personal brand around historic preservation was not on my “life plan” bingo card, but like so many things do in retrospect-it makes perfect sense. I really do eat, sleep, and breath my work, that’s how I ended up buying a falling down house in the first place. By sharing my passion with the world, the world has opened up for me.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
There’s no substitute for expertise. In social media and especially the DIY/home space, there’s a lot of people that make vague statements to try and sell something. I think my platform resonates with people because there’s substance there. I’m not trying to be a historic preservation influencer; I’m a historic preservationist with influence. I’ve dedicated my professional life to studying, working, and now educating about historic architecture, and I love sharing it with people.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://betsysweeny.com/
- Instagram: @betsysweeny
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-sweeny-46277594/
