We recently connected with Caitlin Campbell and have shared our conversation below.

Caitlin , appreciate you joining us today. Earning a full time living from one’s creative career can be incredibly difficult. Have you been able to do so and if so, can you share some of the key parts of your journey and any important advice or lessons that might help creatives who haven’t been able to yet?

It’s been a long road but yes, I can confidently say that I’ve been able to build a successful business that fuels my creative passions. I started my interior design business in 2006. I had dreamt of doing this from the time I was a young girl. My vision was to have a business that would allow me to be creative, provide an income and give me a flexible schedule that I could control when I decided it was time to raise a family. The first 5 years were not as profitable as I had hoped and I was very disheartened each year when I had been working so hard but didn’t have a lot of revenue to show for it. I was lucky to have the emotional and financial support from my husband to be able to build the business slowly. However, It was definitely a source of stress on our relationship as we were planning for our family’s future. I had come from a design job that provided a stable paycheck which I now didn’t have. In my industry, it does take time to get your name out there and make connections that will lead to business. I did my best to network and get in front of people who needed design services. I kept holding tight to my dream of running a successful firm even when it felt very lonely and hopeless.

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

At a very young age, I was immersed into the world of home design. My parents designed and physically built with their own hands, the home I grew up in in Northern Virginia. My father was an Engineer and my mother an Artist. I was exposed to both the practical and aesthetic side of home design every day. My mom fought for color on the walls while my Dad didn’t understand what was wrong with just white. I visited model homes with my mother on the weekends and took any opportunity I could to rearrange my bedroom on a regular basis. I took drafting classes starting in high school and worked for a local home and decor store until college. I graduated with a B.S. in Interior Design from FIDER accredited, Virginia Tech and spent five years as a Design Manager for Sunrise Senior Living before opening my own design firm in California in 2006. I am very passionate about designing sophisticated and functional spaces for my clients, no matter the budget or scope of the project. I want my designs to tell the unique story of each of my clients.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

I spend a lot of time in the car each day driving to clients home, to showrooms, site visits and running my kids to their different activities. As soon as I get in the car, I put on a multitude of business and design related podcasts. My favorite is A Well Designed Business with Luann Niagara. I always frequently listen to Productivity Straight Talk, The Interior Collective, Hot Young Designers Club and Resilient by Design.  These podcasts are aimed at the design industry but have valuable insight for any business. There are so many excellent business related books and podcasts on my list to explore but never enough time.   “Own Your Greatness” by Dr. Lisa Orbe-Austin, “The E-Myth Revisited” by Michael E Gerber and “Profit First” by Mike Michalowicz to name a few.  I am also a member of the Women’s Networking Alliance which is a group of women entrepreneurs who support each other in business.  This has been an invaluable group of successful business women who I lean on when I have any challenges with the business.  Starting and running your own business is very difficult and I would recommend surrounding yourself with people who are in all different stages of business.  This gives me access to different perspectives and strategies for running my business.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Every day is different. Every project is unique. I love being able to go into someone’s home with a fresh set of eyes. When you live in your home, you can sometimes be blind to simple solutions of how to make your home work better for you. I love seeing my clients’ faces light up when I show them the potential in their home. I love that working in a creative field, there is no ONE solution, so ultimately, there are no wrong answers in design. There are certain design philosophies that I subscribe to, but ultimately, being an artist allows you to open up your mind to new designs and perspectives. The possibilities are endless and I find this very freeing and inspiring.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.symmetrydesigns.net
• Instagram: @symmetrydesigns
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SymmetryDesigns

Image Credits
Pam Parisi -PSquared Studios
Lauren Andersen -SEN Creative
Jessica Brydson – Jessica Brydson Photography