We recently connected with Kalyn Nelson and have shared our conversation below.

Kalyn, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

In 2017 I was working full time as the interior designer for a high-end custom home builder in Sumner County (TN) and I simply hit a breaking point where I could no longer balance the stress of my work/ home/ family life anymore. I was struggling to find reliable childcare for my infant daughter, and at that time, my husband worked nights, which left me up at night with our baby and then also trying to manage my high-stress job during the day. In December, my boss at the time sat me down at my year-end review and told me he needed more from me – but I didn’t have any more to give. I spontaneously resigned from my job during that conversation in December of 2017, with no backup plan in sight. Therefore, suddenly, in January of 2018, Kalyn Nelson Interiors was born. When I announced my new business venture to the world, I had an outpouring of support from past clients, several of whom hired me right away for their new projects. The years have flown by and word of mouth has kept me busier than I ever thought possible. I still don’t know why I took that crazy risk in 2017, but I’m very grateful that I did.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Absolutely! After graduating with a BS in Interior Design, I gained experience working in many different design-related fields before landing the role of lead designer for a high-end custom home builder. As you know, in January of 2018 I branched out on my own to found Kalyn Nelson Interiors, where I have been able to partner with many of Nashville’s top contractors to serve nearly 200 families in their remodeling projects and new construction homes to date. It is an extreme honor and privilege to be a part of so many lives that will be impacted directly by my designs for many years to come. This is my dream job, without a doubt! My business specializes in kitchen and bath remodeling as well as new construction home building. I care deeply about the client experience and love getting to know the families I work with on a personal level. I currently live in Nolensville, TN with my husband and two children.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

A little backstory: For seven years after college, I worked different jobs within the design and furniture industry to gain invaluable experience. Some of the jobs were high-stress, lower paying, and emotionally taxing – but very necessary for my experience as a designer. I am still grateful for those jobs, because they introduced me to some of the industry’s leading builders, designers and other professionals that I was able to form relationships with. Many of them even hired me once I started my business because of the service they received when I was just an industry worker. The lesson I learned is that your reputation starts long before you are a business owner. It starts when you are at the bottom and yet still display character, hard work, humbleness and eagerness to learn and succeed. Now, word of mouth recommendations from clients is the biggest honor to me, because it means my reputation is upheld in the community. And I have been working towards this for many, many years in the making!

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an interior designer is the opportunity to have a real impact on someone’s life. Most people spend the majority of their life at home, and being able to be a part of making them feel peaceful, happy and comfortable in the place they spend the most time in is a huge honor to me. I also truly love what I do and that is quite rewarding because a big part of me yearns to be creative in all aspects of life!

Contact Info:

• Instagram: www.instagram.com/kalyn.nelson.interiors
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/kalyn.nelson.interiors

Image Credits
Gregory Grey
Ashley Carver