We were lucky to catch up with Lydia Andrews recently and have shared our conversation below.

Lydia, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Your ability to build a team is often a key determinant of your success as a business owner and so we’d love to get a conversation going with successful entrepreneurs like yourself around what your recruiting process was like -especially early on. How did you build your team?

I started Maple&Moss Designs out of my garage with $2000 on a credit card. I knew I could stage and design homes confidently but really I was winging it when it came to the business side. As a new Mom, I knew I wanted to work but I had the hardest time balancing care for my baby. So that’s when I began. I worked solo for a while and then found that I couldn’t manage it alone. I started with an intern who turned into a design contractor. As I continued to grow and change my business model to add virtual design into the mix, I began hiring even more designers onto the team. All of my hires typically reached out to me. I took them to coffee and really just wanted to get to know them. Even if I wasn’t at a place to take on more help, I always felt an inquiry was an invitation to grow. Some questions I would ask myself during our meeting were; Could they easily and confidently carry on a conversation? How did they treat the wait staff? What were they curious about? Why design? Most importantly, what was my gut telling me? It’s funny that the question of talent and resume never really mattered to me. Maybe I am naive, maybe intuitive, but the team I’ve been able to build are some of the best women I know. A lot of them Mothers themselves that needed to leave the workplace for the very same reason I did. I think the most important thing I’ve learned when recruiting a new hire is honesty. Do not promise the moon. Talk through your goals as a business and ask if they would be excited to be a part of a growing company. Chances are you’ll find that the most amazing employees are the ones who want to get in the trenches with you.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Lydia and I own Maple&Moss Designs. We are an Interior Design company that serves our clients through various forms of designs including; virtual design, new build designs, model home designs & installations, homeowner furnishings and renovations. I moved from LA to Colorado Springs in 2014 and began to work as a stager for a local business. From there I took the leap to start Maple&Moss. I saw a need for a new way to think about design. Approachable. What if everyone could have the home they’ve always wanted? They should. With our Virtual Design Program, we can customize our service to remain affordable and helpful to anyone, anywhere. I believe design should be FUN. I know that the space around a person greatly affects them, whether they choose to believe it or not. Our team of Designers can create a personalized experience for anyone. Wheather it’s a simple room refresh or a completely gutted reno job, one is no more important than the other. I pride myself on creating spaces for belonging. It’s so much deeper than design. It’s home.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

In 2019 we were still staging homes alongside growing our Interior Design clientele. The model home designs we were doing brought in a lot of residential design opportunities and things were picking up. You know where this is going.
In 2020 you either pivoted or your business died. It just so happens I was throwing around concepts for creating a streamlined workflow for my team to manage an online virtual design platform. Covid really made that the priority. I was able to launch a few months later and although it took a lot of ironing out we struck while the iron was hot. Everyone was stuck in their homes, hating every wall they saw. The areas that bothered them before had now become a corner of contention. We didn’t even market this outside of social media and the inquiries flooded in.
The virtual design saved my business. We continue to offer this service as it allows for a lower price point for many of our clients. We believe everyone deserves to have a well-designed home where they feel they most belong.
Since 2020 I have sold the staging business to focus primarily on our design services. Our team is an amazing group of gifted creative and downright kind humans.

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

I have been so fortunate to have very little turnover within my team. Besides spouse relocation or industry changes, our wonderful team of designers and managers has been around for years. I’d like to say I have created a magic algorithm for this, but really I think running a team boils down to these simple concepts and practices.

Be kind. Be honest. Be vulnerable. Be understanding.

Many of my hires came to me asking to work in this field because they were passionate about design but needed flexibility for their family. Mothers who wanted to pursue something they loved while still feeling connected to home. I started this business because there wasn’t a space for me to work and “Mom” at the same time. If I could create this kind of flexibility and opportunity for other women then you bet I would.

We have a beautiful group of women who work harder in a few hours than most work in a full day. The quality of work I get from my team is amazing. Allowing them the freedom to do what they love with flexibility has not only been rewarding for me to witness but also a true benefit to the business as a whole. My team gives me their best because they have been given the chance to be their best.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.mapleandmossdesigns.com
• Instagram: mapleandmoss
• Facebook: mapleandmossdesigns
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/maple-and-moss-staging-and-design-colorado-springs
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/maplemoss/
• Google: https://www.mapleandmossdesigns.com/

Image Credits
Photos by: Miah Cohen Photography