We recently connected with Chenoa Osweiler and have shared our conversation below.

Chenoa, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?

I have always been interested in interior design ever since I was a young girl. I was always creating whether that was rearranging my bedroom, writing stories, drawing, you name it. My junior year of high school, I was taking a class where I was to write a paper on what I wanted to do after graduation and job shadow someone in that career. I wrote about interior design, and I chose to job shadow a local interior designer. After my job shadow session, I knew this was the right choice for me. I only visited one college and I saw they had an interior design program. Before starting college, many family members were hesitant on me having a career in interior design because they felt that there wasn’t enough of a need for it, especially where I live. So, when I began my freshman year of college, I went in undecided my first semester. I like to prove people wrong, and I always trust my gut. So, at the beginning of the second semester, I took an Introduction to Interior Design course, and I was instantly hooked. I felt like I was finally in the right place at the right time. I struggled a lot my first semester of college. It was the first time I was away from my family, and it was a lot all at once. But, once I took that course, I instantly felt at home. I remember walking back to my college dorm after my first class feeling so excited for my future. So, I signed up for the interior design program shortly after that and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design with a Certificate in Sustainability.

After college graduation, I moved back home. I knew there wouldn’t be a ton of opportunities for interior design jobs there, but I was persistent and made the most of it. I had always known that I wanted to have my own interior design business someday, so that was always the future goal of mine. It just didn’t happen right away. When you leave college, I think as a young adult, you have many unrealistic expectations for the real world. I remember thinking that I would graduate, have my dream job in the design industry, and be set up for life. In reality, that is not how it went. I had a couple of interior design jobs, but nothing felt right. I also attempted to start my interior design business a couple of times. I set up a business page, made business cards, and spoke to someone in a program that offered free assistance with business startups. They helped new business owners get the basics set up as well as assisted with creating a business plan. When I met with them, I presented my ideas and left feeling hopeless, because once again, I was told that my business plan and ideas were most likely not going to be successful in the area where I live. But this time I was told by a complete stranger. I felt very defeated after that, but still never gave up. I actually ended up working at a local bank, which was never in the plan. Never in a million years did I think that I would be working as a banker. I worked there for about 3 years, and it was a great experience for me. I met a lot of people and learned a lot about the business side of things, but I knew that was not where I was meant to be. I always had interior design on my mind. The stars eventually aligned, and I was able to leave the bank and pursue my dreams as a business owner and interior designer.

I have been in business for about 2 years now and it has been quite the learning experience. I truly believe that everything happens for a reason, and I had to have all of the experiences prior to starting my own business, to be able to be in the position I am today. Having a business is tough and it can get lonely at times, especially in the infancy of my business, but it has been well worth it, and it truly makes me happy. I have learned to persevere and continue to work hard and not give up my dreams. We only have one life to live and if you have an internal calling, follow it. You never know where it will take you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Chenoa Osweiler. I am the owner and interior designer of White Dove Design Studio. I offer a variety of residential interior design services such as space planning, material selection, finish selection, fixture selection, furniture selection, paint and wall treatment selection, and accessories selection. Every project I work on is tailored to the client’s personal style and is a true reflection of them. I enjoy meeting new clients and learning about them and how they envision to feel in their homes.

The name, White Dove Design Studio, holds a special meaning to me. Chenoa is a Cherokee name meaning White Dove or Bird of Peace. There was a lot of time and energy that went into coming up with my name from my family members which makes it that much more special. My name is truly a reflection of myself, and I believe that your home should be a true reflection of you. Your home should be a place you never want to leave and somewhere you cannot wait to get back to at the end of a long day. It is where you should feel a sense of peace and give you that true sense of “home.”

My favorite types of design projects are full-service designs where I am involved from start to finish. I love being involved from the very beginning of a project all the way to the final touches because I am able to guide my client throughout the entire design process. Being involved from the start ensures that my clients are making the best selections possible, and it helps alleviate the stress on my clients because I am there to help them with all of the details and decisions that are being made. My goal is to primarily focus on only large full-service design projects and specialize in remodels and new construction.

I am extremely detail oriented, hardworking, and driven. I strive to give my clients the best possible service by treating them the way I would want to be treated. Interior design is an experience, and I want to give my clients the best experience possible.

I am so proud of myself to be where I am at today. I never gave up on my dreams and I believed in myself. If you told me I would have my own interior design business 5 years ago, I’m not sure I would have believed you. Although I am pursuing my dream, some days are extremely tough being a business owner, let alone being a one woman show. I learn something new almost every day and continue to build my self-confidence through each project I do. Each year I continue to grow, evolve, and continue to have many goals for myself. This is only the beginning and I look forward to what the future holds for myself and White Dove Design Studio.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is seeing your vision come to life and seeing your client’s reaction to the final product. There is just something about completing a large project and seeing it come to life right before your eyes that brings so much motivation, creativity, and excitement for the next project. It almost becomes addicting.

Projects can take months to years to complete and not one project or client is alike. I think that is what makes it so fun and exciting. All of my design projects begin with an initial consultation with a potential client, to creating and approving a design proposal, to the design development phase where I am creating the designs and presenting them to the client, to making any revisions after the presentation until we get the perfect design, to the fully completed design where I am then implementing any final touches and details.

You really get to know your client on a personal level when you are working with them for such a long time going through the entire design process. These clients are inviting you into their homes which is as personal as it gets. You learn about how they live in their home, you learn about their families, hobbies and interests, and so much more. Good design isn’t all about the pretty things. There is actually so much psychology behind creating the perfect design for each client. Not all of my clients have the same design style which makes it fun and challenging. My designs are tailored to the client’s personality and interests. At the very end of a project, you know you did it right when you not only leave your clients with a beautiful design that they love and are happy to call home, but when you leave with a new friendship.

Customer service has always been a number one priority for me, and I strive to make my clients experience as easy and fun as possible. I have always been someone who enjoys helping others and to being able to combine that with my love and passion for interior design has been a dream come true.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I am constantly learning and looking for ways to improve my business and entrepreneurial thinking. I really enjoy learning about other interior designers and entrepreneurs’ journeys and learning about their success stories because I find them to be very inspiring and motivating. I also enjoy learning about other’s business structures and what has worked for them and what hasn’t. Some of my favorite ways to learn are by reading books, blogs, listening to podcasts, and taking courses. I think by implementing these things into my daily routine, it has helped me grow as an entrepreneur, both with my interior design skills as well as the way I think and view things. Having a positive mindset about the way you view yourself and your business makes a huge impact. If you don’t have a positive mindset and healthy habits and routines implemented in your daily life, it is hard to find motivation to move forward. Being an entrepreneur requires a lot of self-discipline and I truly believe changing your mindset to always see the positive can change the outcome of any situation.

I always try to think of ways to work smarter, not harder and the best way to learn is to learn from other people who have been in your shoes at one point in their lives. By using these resources, I am able to learn faster and gain multiple different perspectives on things in a short amount of time. Something that could take me weeks or months to learn can be learned much faster with the help of other successful entrepreneurs that have been through so much. Learning from other successful entrepreneur’s stories has been a great way to grow my skills. They share so much, and it is a good reminder that everyone has a starting point and with some hard work and determination, they create these well-known businesses and companies.

Some of my favorite podcasts are Goal Digger by Jenna Kutcher, A Well-Designed Business by LuAnn Niagara, The Design You Podcast by Tobi Fairley, and The Interior Collective by IDCO Studio to name a few. Some books that I have read that I found to be very inspirational are Atomic Habits by James Clear, The 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferriss, and Make Life Beautiful by Syd and Shae McGee. I have also taken many courses to expand my interior design skills.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://whitedovedesignstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/whitedovedesignstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whitedovedesignstudio/
• Other: Located in Dubuque, Iowa

Image Credits
Amanda McLeod Photography