Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to LAKESHA WASH. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

LAKESHA, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

Despite facing challenges in finding work in my desired field after studying interior design in 2005, I persevered and worked in admin/customer service for almost 10 years. Although I experienced disappointment when an advanced position was rescinded, I remained in the job for the good pay. The pandemic provided me with an opportunity to pursue my passion for designing and restoring furniture, which inspired me to create a chair line in honor of iconic women such as Billie Holiday and Nina Simone. I took a risk and used my retirement account to fund my business, and I am proud to say that it paid off with a successful launch party and auction.

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?

I am most proud of the work Meticulous Design does in teaching single mothers how to re-upholster so they can create their own chairs and eventually sell them, helping them earn extra money from home.

We understand that childcare costs can be prohibitively expensive, making it difficult for low-income mothers to afford quality care while also working. Our goal is to help these mothers earn extra income from home so they don’t have to worry. We are also, in the process of working towards being able to teach at-risk teens who would like to learn. We want to be able to help them learn a skill they can always take with them or maybe even expand on.

Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.

After completing interior design courses, I began restoring free furniture and selling it on Facebook Marketplace. As I gained skills, I started Meticulous Design and signed up for the Inclusivity Program, and found a business mentor. Soon, newspapers like the L.A. Times and The San Francisco Chronicle started contacting me for interviews, and people all over the Bay Area started reaching out to me for design consultations, chair inquiries, and furniture donations.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

I always aim to foster brand loyalty by showing my clients that I appreciate their business. When someone hires us for an interior design service or purchases a chair from us, we create something special for them such as a throw pillow or a candle from our line of home decor. In addition to keeping in touch with my clients through social media, we plan on starting an email list and sending holiday and birthday emails and/or texts soon.

Contact Info:

• Website: designbylakesha.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designbylakesha
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designbylakesha

Image Credits
Nina Bris Constanza Hevia H.