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

Alright, Kristy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you walk us through some of the key steps that allowed you move beyond an idea and actually launch?

The idea for my small business came from a personal experience. I was living in Los Angeles and downsizing my home. I moved into significantly less space than I was used to, but as an interior designer I was up for the challenge! After quickly realizing that most of my furniture would need to be replaced, I was then faced with one challenge after another. It wasn’t easy and it was far from fabulous, but I finally created a functional small space that I lived and thrived in for the next several years.

The space planning challenges sparked creativity and storage solutions. I turned to high end and boutique hotel rooms for inspiration. Through reimagining the space I received praise from the small space publication, Apartment Therapy. From there I realized that there were so many other people like me, so many people with small spaces and big dreams.

I founded company franklinAve.space to appeal to the local design challenges that come with small space city living. The concept began as a creative design space for urban apartments. I formed a team of space planning experts to maximize homes with minimal square footage and unique floorpans to be both functional and beautiful.

I have always had a passion for city life, spending most of my years in New York and Los Angeles. I love the culture and experiences that come with city living. Finding my contribution to this lifestyle was helping people live with less but without compromising comfort and style. For the past five years I have helped renters and homeowners alike save time and money by creating fully custom plans for each unique space.

After year two, I fully embraced the contemporary neutral aesthetic along with warm minimalism and curated a line of home decor. To continue with efforts to support the local community, I partnered with local artists and makers to showcase their talents and bring a unique assortment to home styling. By year four, virtual efforts allowed me to expand the design services to anyone, anywhere. I now have a full e-commerce shop and a full service interior design firm, all focused on preserving the beauty of city life.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

franklinAve is an interior design company named after the famous Franklin Avenue in Los Angeles and New York, inspired by the neighborhoods’ rich history and culture. With over 15 years of design experience in both cities, the company was founded by Kristy DeGina to address the unique design challenges of small-space city living. The company’s focus is on creating functional and beautiful spaces in urban apartments.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Regardless of your niche, I think the most important idea for me to build a reputation in the market was consistency and kindness. As a new small business owner, I wanted to personally connect with every customer. As a designer it was easy to form a relationship with a client, but I also hosted participated in pop up shops, art shows, and other community events to expand my network. I engaged with anyone and everyone that crossed my path, and did not limit it to the art and design community only! I not only shared my story but I actively listened to theirs, learning as much as I could about the way people live.

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

Being adaptable is an important quality to being a successful business owner. The ability to change, pivot, and innovate quickly will often times determine the growth within a small business. Embrace market and industry changes or even better, be a contributor to the change! One way I constantly innovate my brand is by introducing new technology from the start. An example would be the rise of 3D Rendering for Interior Design. It became increasingly in demand giving consumers at better look at what they are buying whether it be furniture or fixtures and to help the client visualize their project. I incorporated 3D rendering into my Interior Design and Styling Services and this has not only improved communications but has greatly increased the confidence in client’s investment. To practice this, always remember to make time to learn new skills. Beta testing for new companies is another great way learn new technologies early on and become a contributor to how they become most effective for your industry.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.franklinave.space
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/franklinave.space/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/franklinave-space/
• Other: https://bio.site/franklinave.space

Image Credits
Vanessa Maldonado