We were lucky to catch up with Colleen Tobey recently and have shared our conversation below.
Colleen, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear a story from back when you were an intern or apprentice. What’s a memorable story you can share with us?
Thank you for allowing me to be here! I will start with this. I wasn’t an intern but it was my first job out of design school and I had worked closely with designers, architects, tile installers, etc, while working for Crossville Studios, a boutique tile and stone store. This particular lesson I learned was from a seasoned Designer who came into Crossville frequently. I would help her source tile and stone for projects she was working on. This designer was offering full service design and everything in between. She wanted to do it all and say she could do it all because she thought it would attract more clients. After several years of working this way she felt she was not living up to her full potential and was not being true to herself. So she focused her skillset and time only on kitchens and baths. That was it. Nothing else. Her new name for her design business was Selective Interiors because she was selective with the clients she picked and selective with the projects she worked on.
Her advice to me was to narrow in on a skillet or an area in design and to do something that may set me apart from other designers — and to not try to flex everything single design muscle, so to speak. I found this advice very valuable and it really stuck with me!
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Home Craft Design’s slogan is “Personally Crafted Rooms For Your Lifestyle”, and while I have done full-service design and offer that as service, designing specific spaces in clients homes is my bread and butter. Each room should tell a story while still streamlining together beautifully as a whole house. And I want my clients to feel that their home brings them peace and it is transformed into something even better than they imagined.
Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?
One resource that I have really engrossed myself in, is the podcast, A Well Designed Business with LuAnn Nigara. This podcast has been like gold for me with being an entrepreneur! I have learned so much from listening to seasoned designers and also brand spanking new designers. On this podcast I learned from a fellow designer, Allison Handler, that she had taken courses through LuAnn University. One class in particular was Process Leads to Profits with Sara Lynn Brennan. I did some research because I was immediately intrigued and I signed up for eight, 5 week courses through LuAnn University! Again, through this podcast, Terri Taylor was another guest speaker and she offered a 3-day design training Summit and I signed up for that as well. I just threw myself into as many continuing education courses I could get my hands on (and that my bank account allowed ;)). While taking all these courses I gained several connections with other designers in Colorado, where I live. This has been absolutely fantastic, building these connections! Being an entrepreneur is not for the faint of heart and you really have to put yourself out there — and be ok with failing and being vulnerable, and try as many different avenues until something works or feels ‘just right’. This year I also hired a goal coach who has really changed everything for me. Her name is Jacki Carr and she helps me with setting small goals and big goals, achieving said goals, and thinking outside the box. Home Craft Design is my third baby and I have invested a lot into it this year. And I have invested in myself – and believe in myself, which feels so, so wonderful. And with that said, starting the first of the year I am working with a web designer and a copywriter and my NEW website will be launching sometime at the end of March 2023! This will be and has been a labor of love.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
Referrals!! Referrals are my lifeline for my business and I appreciate every single one I get. This business is based on word of mouth. And repeat clients. I love repeat clients!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.homecraftdesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_homecraftdesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thehomecraftdesign/
Image Credits
Lisa Kassaii Photography Heather Knierim Photography