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

Jackie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of our favorite things to hear about is stories around the nicest thing someone has done for someone else – what’s the nicest thing someone has ever done for you?

Recently I had a client gift me a painting from a local artist. We have been working on his home for the past year. It started with a referral to my client for my interior design services. He had a nice art collection and needed help organizing and hanging his art in his new home.

We slowly placed art and started adding details to the home. He decided he wanted a special piece above his fireplace but it had to be, just right. He fell in love with a local artists landscapes. He brought two small landscapes home so I could see the artists work. I also fell in love with them. I told him we had to have the artist do one of these larger. He did.

After a long wait the piece was finished. When I went to go see the finished painting and go through the house to move onto our next project, he gifted me with one of the smaller landscapes he originally purchased. I was shocked! What an amazing act of kindness and thoughtful gift. I will always treasure it.

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 started in Interior Design over 6 years ago. I jumped in head first, starting my own business. I have a background in Fine Art and I have over 20 years of Visual Merchandising under my belt. I was always the “friend” that helped design houses or give my advice on what to choose or not to choose.

I found that designing came easy and made me happy. Starting a business was more of learning curve though. I have great time management and creative skills but I needed to learn all the ins and outs of the industry. Fast forward nearly 7 years and I’m more confident and busier than ever.

I find that working with clients and making their homes beautiful gives me the most happiness. I love when I see a client truly proud of their home.

I offer all levels of design service from picking paint colours and consulting, to master bath and kitchen redesigns. I’m always trying to problem solve storage issues with clients. I truly love what I do and I think it shows.

I’m known for my eclectic style and warm comforting spaces. I have a love for antiques and mixing old with the new. I love to use unusual finds and natural pieces such as corals and shells, old taxidermy, botanical pieces etc. I always tell my clients to add unusual finds that no one else will have, Even if its one piece. Create a conversation in the room with that one piece. I always tell clients to buy what you love and you can never go wrong.

As I always say, it’s a marathon, not a sprint. It takes time to curate a home and make it yours. Sometimes it takes a tad longer to find that extra special piece. I am always willing to help my clients find the right “zing” and I hope they appreciate that. It takes a lot of time to find “hero” pieces. Every once in a while they fall in your lap.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

The last couple years our industry has gone through so much change with lead times. We used to have to wait 10-16 weeks for custom made goods. Now we are waiting up to, or over a year for items. It’s bonkers.!

Being extremely up front with clients about lead times is crucial. I don’t sugar coat anything. I’m honest with expectations. I have had to get used to multiple install days versus just one install day. I have had to constantly be on top of shifting ship dates and pushed back eta’s. It’s a full time job just to handle these issues.

Things are starting to look a tad better. Some vendors have gone from 48 weeks to 26 weeks. So we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. But we are not out of the woods yet.

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

I would have to say it’s word of mouth. If you do a great job for a client, you hope they spread the word. I would say most of my clients are referrals from current or past clients or vendors.

We are in a customer service based business and kindness goes a long way. I hear time and time again how clients love to work with me. They love that I listen and work with their needs. I also hear that from the vendors I deal with. Everyone deserves respect in this business.

I love making their spaces the best they can be. I try to make them all unique in their own way. No one wants a cookie cutter look. The reason they recommend or a hire a designer is to create a beautiful space that no one else has.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jackieleislerdesign.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jackieleislerdesign/

Image Credits
Christina Eclat Gussie Barnidge: (Spicewood Photography)