We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Kimberley Karlsen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Kimberley below.
Kimberley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share a customer success story with us?
I was hired to renovate a US Military man’s townhouse for himself and two young daughters. He was stationed overseas and his mom wanted him to come back to his home – only nicer and more efficient. So my team and I gave the townhouse a makeover. New paint, new kitchen and renovated bathroom, new flooring and carpet and new furniture in all bedrooms made a great return from miliraty work. The girls had a hand in the renovations but it was a complete surprise to my client’s son.
Kimberley, 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 have been a professional Interior Designersince 1986. I have had the pleasure of working in Canada as well as the US on both coasts. This has allowed me to see trends both east and west coast and translate this into successful projects for commercial as well as residential clients. I opened Misguided Angel Interior Designs in Maryland in 2000 and I have a multi-generational client base. Chirdren of clients now hire me to continue the work I do. And many of my clients upsize or downsize and retire to other locations and I am involved. It is very humbling. My job above all else is to listen and interpret wants and needs and provide design solutions that reflect this.I really am dedicated to designing specifically for each client and can provide design solutions for any lifestyle and budget. I help clients invest in their lives and businesses, not just their spaces. My Misguided Angel Designs facebook page includes my MAkeover Monday segment where I highlight a before and after project to show the public and interested parties what I am capable of. Some Makeover Monday’s are spectacular makeovers of kitchens and bathrooms and some are simple improvements that make a clients home or business perform better.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I started my career in Toronto Canada. Moved to New York and re-started designing. Moves to Vancouver Canada and started the process again. And moved to Baltimore where we are now. Each time has taught me to source out great sub-contractors i.e plumbers, painters, electricians and general contractors who are experts in their respective fields. And good sub-contractors are what makes me successful. I depend on them every day to take my ideas and make them reality.
Alright – let’s talk about marketing or sales – do you have any fun stories about a risk you’ve taken or something else exciting on the sales and marketing side?
When COVID hit many of us sequestered at home. And then learned what worked in a family home and what didn’t. I took a big risk advertising on our local Baltimore Classic Radio 100.7 The Bay at a time when advertisers were pulling ads like crazy. I sat down with the managers and we walked through strategies that allowed me to continue advertising through COVID – a steady voice of design reason if you will – at a time of chaos. This campaign helped to make Misguided Angel Designs more of a household word among listeners who at the time were planning on what they would like to change in their homes. Businesses were also trying to have employees return ‘to the office’ and owners were asking for upgrades to make employees want to return. Hearing my name and business on the radio station put in motion an opportunity to post COVID people in their homes and businesses. And I almost talked myself out of advertising during COVID to save money!!
Contact Info:
- Website: [email protected]
- Facebook: Misguided Angel Interior Designs
- Linkedin: kim karlsen
- Yelp: Misguided Angel Interior Designs
