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

Hi Chrissy, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

The idea for Noun Interiors, Design for People, Places, & Things came to me after years of working in the interior design industry. Over time I began to see three common elements in every design project: people, places, and things.

With people, places, and things at the forefront I knew I wanted to create a business that was client focused. After working at different firms during my career I noticed that many designers would push their personal tastes onto clients. These clients would acquiesce to what they were being told was on trend or would be best for them. Each time this happened I saw the client deflate a little. I knew with Noun Interiors I wanted to do the opposite, by focusing on who my clients are, how they live, what they are drawn to, and what makes them excited. With a genuine love of people, their stories, and their spaces Noun strives to create a unique design for each client.

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

I knew that interior environments impacted my emotional state and wanted to play a role in changing spaces for the better. I decided to pursue that calling and earned a bachelor’s in interior design. While working on my degree I interned for local designers and worked in full-service design firms upon graduating. I started at the bottom and worked up to lead designer learning a lot along the way.

I decided after years of working in the industry it was time to start my own business. With Noun, I wanted to offer an array of services that include design expertise for renovations, remodels, a single room refresh, as well as styling and decorating services. Our service packages are based on experience and all projects big or small start with our design consultation to make sure we are a good fit for your design needs and that you feel comfortable with us as your designer.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Referrals are Noun’s main source of business. I work directly with clients to build relationships with them. The designer-client connection is important to me, and I want my clients to know that they can trust me to help them create an environment they love. Building this bond has been key in receiving referrals from past clients.

What else should we know about how you took your side hustle and scaled it up into what it is today?

At this time Noun is currently my side hustle however I have made huge leaps to scale my business which will allow me to focus on Noun solely. The changes I have made started with my mentality. Previously I treated Noun like a hobby; I would downplay it when people asked about what I was doing. I would describe it as just something I did for fun and did not take it too seriously. However, my clientele started to grow organically through word of mouth. With a new mindset, I knew it was time to start functioning as a legitimate business. I invested in tools and programs that would help elevate my brand and business. I worked with a brand designer to re-brand Noun, setting new goals and intentions for the company. Along with that, a website refresh was implemented, and I developed processes to streamline new business by investing in client management software. This has helped to simplify onboarding for new clients and systemize the design process.

I would say the most significant thing you can do for your side hustle is to realize it is more than a hobby and when you treat it as such clients will value your work even more.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://nouninteriors.com/
• Instagram: @noun_interiors
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/NounInteriors/