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

Jonathan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?

Going into business for myself was always going to be my path, but the actual story unfolded differently than I would have anticipated if you had asked me about my goals more than a decade ago. After my first business closed due to Hurricane Sandy (that’s a much, much longer and more involved story for another time), I went back to school for Interior Design. I expected that I would do what most of the students did – study, get an internship, graduate, and get a job. Of course, reality works out differently than expectations. I did study and work hard in my classes, but I was unable to get an internship, a part time job, or even an unpaid gig fetching coffee for designers. Nobody wanted me, I didn’t “look the part” of a designer.

Born of that frustration and impatience, I decided that I was going to open my own firm – right in the middle of my studies, without an internship or industry experience. I had engineering experience, and I was at the top of my class, but I hadn’t developed experience in the actual field of Interior Design. So I had to reinvent the wheel multiple times, and find my way forward. I wrote a business plan, but I couldn’t stick to it very well. I bought a powerful computer and a printer, design software, and a website. I tried everything I knew to market my fledgling company. But, it was very, very difficult. I barely managed to stay afloat for the first three years, relying on my husband to keep the mortgage payment flowing. Over time, as I gained more experience and people started to work with me, the company did grow. Success was not overnight.

Jonathan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I originally received my degree in engineering, but with a proclivity for art and architecture, going into Interior Design was a fairly natural fit. My firm, Design by the Jonathans (named for me and my husband, also named Jonathan), is an Interior Design firm that specializes in bespoke, full-service design and decoration services, including design for construction and renovation. We develop designs for any space in your home or business, and we have a proclivity for unique solutions for challenging spaces.

I’m particularly proud of my ability, and my team’s ability, to take on any type of project and excel. We’ve worked on very small spaces and very large spaces, antique homes and new builds, and every type of space and style imaginable. We approach projects with plenty of ideas but also an open mind, we listen carefully to our clients, and we develop spaces that they absolutely love and use every day. It’s a very rewarding career. I like to say that we’re in the business of creating happiness for our clients.

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

The best source of clients is word of mouth – always. Happy clients help bring in more clients, and when they are happy they bring in more clients. Doing right by our clients is a directive and mantra for Design by the Jonathans. But, it’s difficult to land a client without a good portfolio, so our website and online presence (social media, etc.) goes hand in hand with word of mouth.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

The best advice I can give on this is hire for your weaknesses. No one person can do it all, and finding people who are dedicated and passionate not just about the your business but also about their specific role is very important. When you have a team of people who enjoy what they do, it raises morale. When morale is up, management tends to be much easier.

As far as the day to day goes, always listen to your team. Be present for them, and – I can’t stress this enough – be kind. Remember that they are people with their own lives, ups, downs, hope, dreams, fears, etc. Treat your people well, and a good work environment will flourish. At the same time, be careful to not reward poor behavior, and don’t be afraid to take difficult actions if and when they need to be done.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thejonathans.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designbythejonathans/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejonathans/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/design-by-the-jonathans-llc

Image Credits

Design by the Jonathans LLC
Robert Norman, Photographer