Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to David Vichesky. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

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

More than just beauty, our surroundings have the power to inspire us, relax us, or motivate us. Creating spaces that add inspiration and serenity to our lives is something we all need, but so few of us know how to do. We might know what things, colors and sensations make us feel good, but not necessarily how they can work together.

I’ve spent my entire career working with clients who knew how they wanted to feel in the spaces they lived but didn’t have the confidence to design it for themselves. There are so many options in the marketplace, it can be stressful just walking into a store. I knew there was an opportunity to take everything I’ve learned over the years in fashion and styling to make designing a home simpler while offering quality products that have history.

Now, as the owner of THE COMMONWEALTH, I’m able to share heirloom-worthy decor, interesting reads, and simple, effective skincare products with everyone who loves inspirational spaces and an aspirational lifestyle. We’re not afraid of imperfections: we embrace things with a little patina, organic shapes, and interesting textures. We help our customers love a life of ease and natural style.

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?

After 20 years as a visual merchandiser for some of the most recognizable national apparel, beauty, and home furnishing brands, I was tired of implementing someone else’s vision; I dreamed about sharing products and style that inspires me with the world. So often I’d hear from people who found it too challenging to describe their personal aesthetic or style their home. I’d connect with clients who loved modern and “old world” interior design but didn’t know how they could work together in the same space or where to find those inspirational pieces.

That’s why I created THE COMMONWEALTH, a home and lifestyle brand that believes in living with simplicity, where form and function complement each other. I’ve always loved incorporating the natural world into spaces through a mix of textures, organic shapes, and materials like linen, wood, stone, and more. There’s something cool about a modern home that’s grounded with things that feel “found” and have history. I love curating THE COMMONWEALTH’s collection of decor, dining, bedding, lifestyle, and skincare products to make our customers’ lives simply chic.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Even though I understood who our target customer was and what they wanted to see, I didn’t know where to find them. At first, our marketing plan was just to get our assortment in front of as many people as possible, from anywhere. While a large flow of steady shoppers can definitely be a key conversion driver, casting a wide, indiscriminate net doesn’t necessarily deliver sales.

I invested time with a market researcher and consultants who could help me narrow my advertising focus; after all, I was the curator and creative, not the market scientist. After looking at social media and online store analytics, we noticed that most of our customers were from the coasts, not the heartland. The great thing about this line of sight is that you can refine your marketing investments to the geographic areas where your business is already resonating. It doesn’t mean that you ignore other avenues to gain potential customers, but you know where the investment priority is. Getting your products or services in front of the right people is so much more important than sharing them with all people.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media is an incredibly effective, but frustrating marketing tool. First, choose platforms you will actually enjoy using. Your activity should be authentic and fun, but that’s hard to do when it’s a chore. Second, engage with other users who show an interest in your products or services by offering the same things you would want from them: following, liking, commenting on and sharing their content. Keep in mind this is a long game and you may not initially see a ton of traction, which is why it’s important to enjoy it first and foremost. Finally, regularly review your engagement analytics, which each platform provides free of charge. What time of day does your content reach the most people? What type of content gets the most engagement? What demographics are responding to your content? Where do they live?

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.wearethecommonwealth.com
• Instagram: @thecommonwealthhome
• Facebook: @thecommonwealthhome
• Other: Thread: @thecommonwealthhome Pinterest: @thecommonwealthhome