We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Adrian Hickman-Keen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Adrian below.
Adrian, appreciate you joining us today. What sort of legacy are you hoping to build. What do you think people will say about you after you are gone, what do you hope to be remembered for?
The term ‘legacy’ can refer to a variety of things. The most historical interpretation is: Something we inherit from past generations or handed down from one period of time to another period of time.
Naturally, being a business owner, the first thing that came to mind was to leave behind a successful business, an asset, something with value. As I thought through my life experiences, whether I was successful or failed, it rather had more to do with how I navigated through. Those are the things that helped me to be a business owner. There-in-lies the legacy! So, what I want my legacy to be is that ‘stuff.’ Rising to the occasion by demonstrating character, courage, taking risks, having a sense of wonder, curiosity, a healthy fear, humility, compassion and empathy… to name a few. My spiritual connection and continued growth is an anchor for everything I do. If you possess any combination of these traits, success in any form will not be far behind.
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
As a child, I always asked “Why?” I always wanted to make things ‘pretty.’ I wanted to help people. I was that kid who would bring home the stray cat or put the injured bird in a box so that it could heal. As I matured, I participated in many of the arts. I loved ballet, music, theater. I was and still am a ‘visual’ learner. If I can see it, I stand a better chance of accomplishing it. I love for my surroundings to be comfortable, cozy and interesting! I shared a room with my sister growing up. If you knew me, you’d immediately know which side of the room was mine. Interestingly enough, the majority of my business life was in Corporate America. From customer service to management, from Human Resources to Technology, need-less-to-say, I missed the ‘creative’ aspect of me. Corporate policies and procedures typically dictated that I ‘color within the lines’. In my spare time I was able to help friends and family with their visions of how they wanted to ‘feel’ in their homes as well as how they wanted their space to look. They often knew what items they liked but weren’t sure how to accomplish getting the ‘mood’ they wanted to convey.
It wasn’t until I retired, that I had the courage to actually dream – the dream of actually bringing my own ideas to fruition, in a business, a business that I own! WHHHHATTTT? There’s more! My incredibly beautiful, smart and talented daughter-in-law has similar talents with impeccable tastes. She too had beginnings that had ‘designer anything’ written all over her! The rest is history! Over the years we felt we could collaborate and build a business. We did. We co-own The Hickman House. Designing a space for a client taps into many things. The major thing we encourage the client to hone in on is their life-style… how do they want to feel when they are in a room – not just the furniture they want. Creating a mood along with color and textures makes for creating a home, not just a ‘decorated house. We always want to give our clients options. Those options run the gambit – cost, quality, functionality and style, to name a few. But we always strive to fully involve the client in the process of selection. That might sound obvious, but you’d be surprised of designers that design according to their own tastes and/or some arbitrary ‘rule’ that shuts down a client’s vision. My role is to be solution oriented. I strive to enhance and create viable and desirable solutions/options that includes the client’s vision. It’s a journey! I partner with them on that journey. This, however, must be done with trust… trust in my experience and my talent. Afterall, I need to solidify and validate their reason for hiring me. In short, we’re building a relationship and partnership in making one of their most valuable purchases not just a house, but a home!
Have you ever had to pivot?
I was married, had an amazing son and divorced very early in my adult life. By the time I was twenty-six, I was divorced and ultimately a ‘single’ mom. It became apparent early on that I had to be serious about my profession and the career I chose. The careers that would enable me to support us was in Corporate America not the creative arts, at least not at the level where I was. This was back in the 70’s so the options that I knew of were limited. Time to pivot! I didn’t have the courage or the where-with-all or time to gamble. I wasn’t willing to jeopardize his or my future to prove I could make things work otherwise. I didn’t have a clear view or understanding of who I was anyway. I re-invented myself many times. I was fortunate to get positions in a variety of diverse roles. I ultimately landed in a technology role that utilized the other side of my brain… the analytical side. The decision proved to be a good one! I excelled in Corporate America and my son excelled. He was able to get accepted in a college-preparatory school very early in his elementary years and went on to graduate at the top of his class. He was accepted into Princeton University and he too, worked at a Fortune 100 Company until he was called into the Ministry. He met his wife in the church where he is currently a minister and has been married for 23 years. Kristi is co-owner and partner in our company, The Hickman House. It was a long journey of doing what I didn’t like or want to do. I can honestly say that the ‘pivot’ afforded me the time to mature, learn business (best) practices, enhance my client relationship skills, problem solving skills and many other skills that I use today in my own business. The ‘pivot was real’ and proved to be a ‘course’ in business that I might not have experienced otherwise. The key is to take advantage of your ‘now.’ Be present. As the saying goes… ‘blossom where you’re planted.’ Learn as much as you can whether it’s in your desired field or not. Stay the course. Seek out mentors. My time didn’t come until I retired. For me, it was and is the right time! Never give up on your dreams!
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being creative is trusting your instincts and getting it right!’ It’s being at peace with your decisions… and yes, being creative is having the courage to ‘reset’ when you fail! I ask questions about things that don’t appear to have anything to do with design or decor. When doing a house visit, I look at pictures of family, I ask about family traditions, favorite past times, food… the list goes on. It doesn’t appear to be relevant, but when you find that ‘thing’ and can incorporate it into your creative, it’s a winner… and so are you!
Contact Info:
- Website: thehickmanhouse.com
- Instagram: #thehickmanhouse
Image Credits
Image Credits: Barbara Benvil Photography (photos of Adrian Hickman-Keen) Image Credits: Adrian Hickman-Keen (Tables Decor)