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

Alright, Illie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I was able to transition to a 2nd career at the age of 35 by having a very strong tribe surrounding my family. I had just had my first baby and her existence completely changed my life. I knew I had to pursue my passion for Interiors in order to be the best provider and guide I could be for her. Grandparents, friends, and my husband rallied around me while transitioning from a full-time job to a part-time job and began an Interior Design Certification. I started working with clients just shortly before my graduation and haven’t looked back! I have also branched into the field of home staging, discovering my love for short-term rental staging because it incorporates my previous skill set in hospitality.

Illie , 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?

I began my business offering strictly decor consultations, which essentially are brainstorming sessions. A client may have a concept, inspiration, or idea they want to execute but need help building their joy in a practical and affordable way. I help guide that vision by a 2-hour session involving googling, rough sketches, and to-do lists OR a more formalized approach with a follow-up mood board, sourcing guide & action plan. Helping people create joy in their space is really what makes my heart smile and knowing that this can mean different things to different people means my services must always be flexible to the needs, budgets, and styles of my clients.

Lately, I have done more involved projects and installations of goods in a client’s space but also offer small packages for paint selections, staging consultations, and refreshing packages (both for short-term rental + home)

We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.

My tribe once again is to thank for my successful transition into a new career in my mid 30’s! I began sharing with my circle and just asked for opportunities! It was really that simple. I had a dear friend post on her FB that she had a friend starting a decorating business and the 1st 5 of her interested friends got a free consultation and report from me. This allowed me to conceptualize my service offering and pan out how I would structure my design process. From there, I started taking small opportunities through Thumbtack and had a few family friends need some help decorating their new homes which really blew up virtually when COVID began. As time went on, I gained clarity on where I made the most impact and began to refine all my systems, core values, and mission statements to reflect my why.

I have been successfully working full-time for myself for about 6 months. The 3 years I was juggling a part-time job and my company part-time really allowed me to phase out my part-time job and do so in a financially stable way.

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

During my transition, I worked part-time at Casey New Orleans Snowballs. As a small business owner, Mars Champan, the owner, carried the philosophy of enriching the lives of his team similar to that of Amy’s Ice Cream. He did so by polling his team consistently, creating open streams of communication, and supplying resources, manuals, and sales reporting sales & management information to his tribe. It was encouraging, uplifting, and inspiring to see a leader really lead through example and trust his team to do great things for Casey’s and for themselves.

2 of the books I read during my time there were: Starts with Why and Financial Intelligence which definitely helped me define my business and what made me do it. When you can identify your Why, you use it as a guide to making business decisions, manage a team, and stay committed to what inspires you.

Image Credits
Philip Adcock Photography & Jolene Settle Photography