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

Leah, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I absolutely love being a business owner, but, of course, there can be times that it feels a little bit daunting. I’m in charge of all aspects of the business and I’ve come across obstacles where I’m like “Okay, how am I going to handle this?” It’s important to have resources and people to turn to for advice in times like that. There can be months that are a bit slower, while other months are crazy busy, so time and money management is important.

There are so many benefits though. I have so much flexibility and I only have to answer to my clients. I’m able to choose how I run my business and that can evolve over time. I’ve learned so much about entrepreneurship and what works and what doesn’t. It’s a constant learning curve and I’m striving to do it all the right way, from the most basic level. I love the challenge of it all, and a small success is that much more rewarding.

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’m Leah O’Neill and I’m the owner and designer at Bête Abode Interior Design. We are a full service interior design firm in Portland, Oregon. My journey to interior design started at a young age. My mom was a designer and my dad was a builder, so I spent my entire life in the field, but I thought I wanted to do something different. During college I started a jewelry design business, and I loved working with natural stones, mixing colors and textures, and creating pieces with my bare hands. After I had my daughter, Cece, I quickly realized that beads and babies don’t mesh, so I set that aside. I worked as a realtor for a while, but, despite my love of homes, I was desperate to get back into a creative field. I went through the interior design program at NYIAD in 2015 and started my business is 2016.

What stands out to me most about interior design is that you can literally create anything you want. There are endless resources at your fingertips- hundreds of thousands of furniture pieces, tile options, lighting options, etc. It’s nearly endless, and it allows you to have limitless creativity. Expanding my creativity is always a work in progress, but it’s something I constantly think about. I refuse to create cookie cutter designs. I’m in the business of creating bold, substantial designs that utilize my style and expertise, but reflect my clients tastes, and optimizes the functionality in their home.

It’s so important to me that every one of my projects reflects that client’s style, but I generally want to elevate that style and make sure it’s up to date and fresh because we want it to have longevity. I completely believe that when your home reflects you, it will make you happier to be there.

In terms of functionality, your home should work for you. If you love to have people over, the seating areas need to allow for large group conversations. If you love to read, there should be at least one perfect reading space, even if it’s just a comfy chair and ottoman tucked into a corner.

I believe that good interior design can make people’s lives better. I want to be creative and create beautiful and interesting spaces, but mostly I want my designs to allow my clients to live their best lives in their home.

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

I believe that customer service is the most important aspect of my business. It’s so important that I respond in a timely manner, follow up on everything, put out any fires, and be there to support my clients throughout the design process. Plus, it’s an added bonus to make things fun and light. I strive to do all of this, and I think my clients appreciate it.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

Building relationships with my clients is incredibly rewarding. My designs can be pretty diverse, because I’m designing with them in mind. I try and channel them when I’m creating furniture plans, shopping for decor, etc. This allows me to explore and utilize different styles, color schemes, etc. It also allows me to be creative and think outside of the box. It’s all so much fun.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.beteabode.com
• Instagram: bete.abode.id

Image Credits
Corey Shelton Photography