Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lindsay Bentis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Lindsay, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of our favorite things to brainstorm about with friends who’ve built something entrepreneurial is what they would do differently if they were to start over today. Surely, there are things you’ve learned that would allow you to do it over faster, more efficiently. We’d love to hear how you would go about setting things up if you were starting over today, knowing everything that you already know.
If I were starting over today I would do two things differently. I would have investigated and started the business from the beginning on an interior design software system that helps manage billing, proposals, Po’s, invoicing and client communication. This is a very hard thing to begin once you are busy with work and clients. You don’t have time to stop and learn it. Of course it can be done, and we did eventually make the switch but it was time consuming and stressful to make the shift while we were fully loaded with projects! Another thing I would have done is hire help sooner. I didn’t think I could afford it, and I didn’t think I had the time to stop working and teach someone what to do… However it opened up so many more possibilities when I made the shift- I should have done it sooner.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I went to school for Fine Art and was a painting major. When I finished graduate school with an MFA I planned to get a teaching job at a University while I continued to work on my artwork on the side. I did this for about five years in the Boston area after I graduated, and was always interested in any for of design or art. During my time teaching I had helped friends with interior design projects for fun on the side and enjoyed it. I ended off meeting a woman who became my first real client. She was embarking on a large renovation/ construction project and was looking for a designer. She liked that I was an artist and not formally trained in interiors, and agreed to give me a chance to basically learn on the job with her project. I grew up in California and had a more modern, organic aesthetic than what she was used to in the Northeast and she wanted that look for her home. I worked on the house for almost two years and participated in every part of the project from construction through furniture and accessories. The architect on the project was happy with the outcome and convinced an editor from a home magazine to take a look. The project ended up being photographed and printed as a cover story for the magazine and that is how my business started. Since that time, I have continued to work in all phases of interior design- construction through to the finished end, and often times providing a turn key experience for our clients in that they can just move in and live there ( and not unpack) once we are done. There are now two woman who work with me on my team, and our clients are all through client referrels, builder or architect referrals, and now also many through instagram. We attract clients who appreciate our organic modern aesthetic, and we love to collaborate with teams of like minded builders and architects.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
While there are certainly parts of my business that are all paperwork, management and organization, I enjoy the creative part the best! I approach designing the shell ( meaning the hard finishes of construction such as flooring, tile, cabinetry and countertops) in the same way that I approached building a painting. I lay out all of my ideas and start moving them around, making combinations, removing and adding color, until the palette and textures make sense together. I create the floor plans as a composition of shapes like in a drawing. It is a very intuit process for me, I don’t adhere to any rules. I just go with what feels right for a space and for the family that will live there. When I hit the sweet spot where I feel everything is working I get the same kind of creative high I do from painting. I very much enjoy the process of seeing the space form from nothing into the backdrop for a person/ family’s life. I find the finished space very rewarding, and I love the process of photographing it once it is done.
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
The best source of new clients has been word of mouth from prior clients, or from builders and architects we have worked with. This is very satisfying to me as it tells me we are doing a good job being collaborative as a team with both clients and building teams. It also helps us attract clients who already have a taste for and like our aesthetic and are coming to us for something they like that they know we can provide. I also think the best projects have come from when there is a good team of architect, builder and us (designer) from the very start of the initial drawings on a project. I like working with a team of like minded people, who have successfully worked together before. It helps everything run smoother for both us and out clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.threadartanddesign.com
- Instagram: @lindsaybentis
- Other: @lindsaybentis on Pinterest
Image Credits
Nat Rea Photographer