We recently connected with Jackie Cary and have shared our conversation below.

Jackie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with education – we’d love to hear your thoughts about how we can better prepare students for a more fulfilling life and career.

I wish I had known as a young person that there’s no single path you have to take for your whole life. I don’t love the fact that when a teenager heads off to college, they’re pressured into choosing a major, with the assumption that he or she should know at 18 what they want to do for the rest of their life.

I worked in marketing for 13 years, spent some time freelancing, and ultimately made a career change at age 35 into interior design. Now, I think about my career in the near-term… what will fulfill me in the next 5-10 years? How can I push toward that? I’ve removed the pressure of trying to know what I want to do (or who I want to be) for the rest of my life. Because if I’m lucky, that will be many more decades – and I suspect I may pursue many more paths in that time.

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’m a residential interior designer based in Denver, Colorado. But before I was a designer, I worked in marketing for tech startups for many years. I also freelanced as a writer and even spent some time working toward a graduate degree in International Development. When my husband and I bought our first home, though, I began renovating and decorating. through the process of designing our own spaces, a lightbulb went off for me. I realized how much I love turning a house into a home, creating a space that feels truly personal and intentional.

I bring a unique mindset to my work because in addition to my creative nature, I’m very process-oriented and have a startup mindset. So, I love the business side of my work *almost* as much as I’m fueled by the design side. I think my process and approach gives me a unique advantage as a designer – my clients don’t just benefit from beautiful spaces, but they also enjoy a smooth, thoughtful process that safeguards their finances, their design preferences, their sanity, and their most precious asset – time!

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

Hands down: referrals! Word of mouth is the best lead generator, so I work extra hard to provide each of my clients with a stellar experience.

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

I’m a natural born people-pleaser. I really want people to like me and my ideas, so I often go against my own interests to try to make others happy.

And yes, interior design is inherently a service-based business. Of course I want my clients to love their home! But I’ve also had to “unlearn” some of my people-pleaser tendencies to prioritize my own mental health, creative output, and ultimately the success of the business. I’ve learned to set appropriate boundaries with my clients, and to find the balance between making them happy versus standing my ground on what I believe to be the best design for their space. It’s still a challenging dance for me, but we’re getting there… !

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.boffodesign.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boffo.design

Image Credits

Headshots – Nicole Dina Photography
Interior Design Photos – Jess Blackwell Photography