We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Allison Harlow Clark. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Allison below.

Hi Allison, thanks for joining us today. One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.

If I were starting over today I would try to lay out more of a plan for growth. I think a lot of small businesses start as some sort of side hustle and grow organically into something more. While many lessons are ones that you have to just learn by experience I do think it would be helpful to layout a overall plan for what you want to achieve in the next 3-5 years. Creating goals and benchmarks to track success can help you stay focused on the core goals for the business and get less distracted at everything else that comes your way.

I would also really take time to lay out the process by asking myself “what does working with us look like?”. Having an overall process map for your service is super helpful in identifying blank spaces in the service model. It is also helpful in laying out all the necessary steps in order to support that service. Once you have that process map laid you I would break down each individual step into a standard procedure. This makes it so much easier to give a consistent customer experience as well as scale for growth when needed.

Allison, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I am Allison–Interior Designer and Owner at Curio Design Studio. We are a full service interior design & construction company located in Marquette, MI. I went to school at Michigan State University for Interior Design and Retailing. After graduating I had a number of jobs from high end residential to custom furniture and commercial interiors. In 2012 I decided to start my own business as a side hustle–offering virtual consulting services to clients around the world. This eventually grew into a business with a bricks and mortar studio & full service construction crew. Currently about 70% of our work is local to Marquette, MI in residential and small scale commercial jobs. Virtual jobs, such as multi-unit residential finish sets, paint plans, residential renovation plans make up the other 30%.

On all projects we work diligently to come up with creative solutions that create a unique interior environment within the constraints set forward by the job (timeline, budget, product availability etc.). We pride ourselves on our collaborative approach to work with client to help them create the best possible interior space.

I think the default thought around Interior Designers is that we are an expensive luxury to add to any project, and we like to break that stereotype by adding creative and often cost saving solutions to every project.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I think the main thing that has helped build our reputation and drive our referrals of clients is our ability to consistently deliver. This is not on accident but based on having a lot of clarity surrounding our process and deliverables at each phase. We focus heavily on keeping expectations clear, from the initial lead call to the contract to each phase of the design process. Client is given expectations and then we hold ourselves accountable to those expectations. The ability to lay out what is coming next and then consistently hit those dates or deliverables builds trust with your client base.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I think the most rewarding part of being in a creative market is the diversity in the work. It is in no way repetitive. Every project has a unique set of requirements, every client has a unique personality that slightly modifies the way you work with them. Design in itself has an expectation of being unique and I love that challenge. Trying to create something different every time while simultaneously having to understand the intricate details of how it will work and perform is a challenge that never gets old.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.curiodesignstudiuo.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curiodesign.studio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CurioDesignStudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/allison-harlow-clark-1298a39/

Image Credits
Sabrina Leigh Studios