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

Denise, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Almost all entrepreneurs have had to decide whether to start now or later? There are always pros and cons for waiting and so we’d love to hear what you think about your decision in retrospect. If you could go back in time, would you have started your business sooner, later or at the exact time you started?

I am so glad I started my business when I did because my whole goal was to be a stay-at-home mom and wife. Originally, I only took the jobs I had time for and thought would be fun. This actually helped me so much going forward, because I never had to take a job I didn’t believe in or want to do. This ensures that I give all my clients my full attention and my very best work. That is really important to me. I believe in being a high-integrity person, especially in a space where so many people tend to view creative work as a “less professional” vocation. I, of course, don’t believe that, but I do understand that to be a successful liaison between more traditional businesses and my own creative business how important this is for communication. So in short, I believe I’m exactly where I’m meant to be at just the right time.

Denise, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi I’m Denise. I’m a Corporate Design Consultant specializing in designs that align with as company’s mission through aesthetics and enrich customer experience.

There are many reasons I have taken “the long way” into design.

The main one is that I didn’t know I was good at it. I designed spaces for fun. I designed for my friends and as a creative outlet when my kids were little. I was a science teacher and thought of design as my hobby. I didn’t realize how closely related they were until I got into this business! So much of being a science teacher in a classroom is problem solving. You must be prepared and you have to see the big picture. But you also have pay attention to details or basically—things explode!

This means I look at each space with solutions in mind. Sometimes it’s cosmetic changes and sometimes it’s moving walls. Sometimes we’re going from the ground up. I have to consider textures, colors, layout, function and make all those pieces not just work together, but create a feeling, or experience, to the space when combined.

When it comes to my design business I took the long way around, but the experience has made me so much better than I would have been before. Plus, it’s nice to finally have found my own space to call home. And I made it pretty, too.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

This has been an interesting experience for me because all of my clients are word-of-mouth client referrals. I really feel blessed that this is the case. I do have a newly implemented social media presence and a marketing team, but that is more of an easy-to-share online portfolio for me. I think of it as a tool more than as social proof. My work is seen by thousands of people that frequent the spaces I’ve designed, so I am very lucky to have that visibility just by the nature of what I do when working for successful businesses.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to unlearn the whole “the client is always right” trope. The client isn’t always right, but it is your job to serve the client and help them reach their goals. There is a balance there to stay true to your visions, but also make the client happy. So when a client brings me an option or an idea I really had to learn to say no and stand my ground. It’s a little like being a mom. Most of the time you know what’s best for your child in the long run. A good corporate designer will do their due diligence to learn the nature of the business, the clientele, the personality and aesthetics of the owners, and the company mission so well that they can create a vision that isn’t just for “the season”, but is actually timeless and will evolve with the company. So at the end of the day, you have to be confident in your vision, while respecting the people you work for and helping them reach their goals!

Now, I am confident after completing each job because I know I did my best and realized the vision in a way that works for the client and aligns with my design values.

Contact Info:

• Website: dsdwellings.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ds.dwellings/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dwellingsbydeniseschumann
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dsdwellings/

Image Credits
Kara Marie Studios, Liza Dora – ADHDesigns