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

Hi Maya, thanks for joining us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

The idea for my business came from a problem I personally lived through. Before I ever launched Maya Creative Spaces, I was an out-of-state investor trying to furnish my own Florida property remotely. What should’ve been exciting quickly became overwhelming. I spent double the time and double the money because I didn’t have local support, strategic buying knowledge, or designer pricing. Every delay meant more lost income, and every decision felt like guesswork.
At the same time, working in real estate, I kept seeing investors facing the exact same challenges. They were buying beautiful properties, but their spaces sat empty—not because the market was slow, but because the homes weren’t furnished, styled, or guest-ready. They didn’t know what to buy, how to source it, how to coordinate deliveries, or how to design intentionally. The result was wasted money, wasted time, and unnecessary stress.
That’s when it clicked for me:
Investors didn’t just need furniture. They needed a turnkey partner who understood both design and ROI.
Someone who could transform a property quickly, strategically, and cost-effectively… so they could save money without lifting a finger themselves.
I knew this concept would work because I had lived the pain point. I understood how critical speed-to-market is and how much profitability is lost when a property isn’t rental-ready. No traditional design service was built around investor needs — timelines were too long, costs were too high, and the process wasn’t streamlined.
So I created the service I wish existed when I needed it:
A fully managed, two-week turnkey furnishing solution designed to maximize ROI, minimize stress, and save investors around 30% through strategic sourcing and designer partnerships.
What excited me most was knowing I wasn’t just designing beautiful spaces — I was solving a real financial and logistical problem. And seeing investors get better results, faster, with far less effort than I ever had… confirmed that this was not only worthwhile, but necessary.
I’m

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 Maya Mihajlovic, the founder of Maya Creative Spaces, a boutique interior design and turnkey furnishing studio based in Southwest Florida. My work lives at the intersection of real estate, design, and strategy — and my mission is simple: to help investors transform their properties into high-performing, beautifully curated, guest-ready spaces without lifting a finger themselves.
My path into this industry began long before I ever opened my studio. I started in real estate, where I constantly saw investors struggling with the same challenge: they owned great properties, but they didn’t know how to furnish and design them in a way that maximized rental income. At the same time, I experienced the problem personally. I purchased my own investment property in Florida while living out of state, and furnishing it remotely was overwhelming, time-consuming, and far more expensive than it needed to be. I made every mistake investors make — overspending, waiting on endless deliveries, and losing money every day the property sat empty.
That experience changed everything for me. I realized that investors didn’t just need a designer; they needed a turnkey partner. Someone who understood not only aesthetics, but also ROI, durability, guest psychology, and speed-to-market. Someone who could take the entire process off their plate and deliver a finished, profitable space quickly and strategically.
That’s exactly what Maya Creative Spaces was built to do.
Today, I provide full-service furnishing and design for short-term rentals, vacation homes, and investment properties. My team handles everything: sourcing, procurement, installations, logistics, styling, and final setup. Investors hand me the keys, and I hand them back a fully furnished, professionally designed home that is ready to photograph, list, and rent — often in just two weeks.
What sets my brand apart is that my approach is rooted in investment-focused design. Every piece I select has a purpose. Every layout is optimized for flow and guest comfort. And through my strategic partnerships, clients typically save around 30% on furniture and décor, which means their property looks elevated while staying budget-efficient.
I’m most proud of the peace of mind this service gives my clients — especially remote investors who were once in the exact position I was. Knowing that I’ve created a solution that saves people time, money, and stress, while increasing the long-term value of their property, is incredibly rewarding.
What I want people to know about my work is this:
My goal is not just to design beautiful spaces — it’s to create profitable, thoughtfully curated environments that stand out in the rental market and deliver real returns. My brand is built on trust, efficiency, creativity, and a genuine desire to make the entire experience seamless for every investor who chooses to work with me.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

My audience didn’t begin on social media — it began with seven years of pure word of mouth. For a long time, every project I booked came from real relationships, referrals, and clients sharing their experience with others. That foundation built a level of trust that money can’t buy.
It wasn’t until the last couple of years that I really began to expand intentionally through digital platforms. I launched an interactive website, became more active on social media, and started sharing my work, my process, and my story consistently. Around that same time, I was featured on the Women of Power TV show, along with multiple press articles and interviews. Those moments were game changers.
Visibility matters — not for vanity, but because people feel more comfortable working with someone they feel they “know.” Social media and press exposure allowed people beyond my local market to learn who I am, understand my journey, and see the behind-the-scenes of how Maya Creative Spaces was built. That’s how trust grows at scale.
When people see the story behind the service — the passion, the purpose, the results — the connection becomes real.
My advice for anyone starting their online presence:
1. Start with trust, not trends.
If people believe in you, your brand will grow. Word of mouth is still the strongest marketing tool there is.
2. Tell your story — the real one.
Being featured on shows or in articles helped me because it allowed others to understand who I am, not just what I do.
3. Show your work consistently.
Social media is a visual resume. Share the process, the details, the transformations — that’s what people remember.
4. Let people see your personality.
Authenticity is more powerful than any polished reel or perfectly staged photo.
5. Use multiple platforms, even if you grow slowly.
A website, social media, interviews, press — they all work together to build credibility.
6. Focus on connection over perfection.
People don’t hire perfection. They hire people they trust.
Today, my audience is a blend of long-term relationships, client referrals, design lovers, investors, and people who discovered me through media features. But the truth is, the growth all comes from the same foundation:
When people get to know you and your story, that’s how trust is built — and trust is what grows a brand.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

My reputation was built on three things: consistency, trust, and results — long before social media or press ever entered the picture.
For years, my business grew purely through word of mouth. Clients referred me because their experience was seamless, their properties performed well, and they felt genuinely supported throughout the entire process. In the investment and real estate world, trust is everything — and delivering on my promises, every single time, became the foundation of my reputation.
What truly helped me stand out was my approach. I created a design and furnishing service that wasn’t just about aesthetics, but about strategy, ROI, and speed-to-market. Investors knew that when they worked with me, their property would be ready quickly, beautifully designed, and positioned to earn — often while saving them money without lifting a finger themselves. That level of reliability and transparency built credibility very early on.
In the last couple of years, my reputation expanded even further as I embraced more visibility. Launching an interactive website, growing my social media presence, and being featured on the Women of Power TV show and in various press articles helped people understand the heart behind my business. These platforms allowed me to share not just what I do, but why I do it — and that created a deeper connection with both clients and followers.
But more than anything, my reputation grew because I treated every project like it mattered — because it does. Whether it’s a luxury investment property or a small vacation rental, my clients trust me with their finances, their timelines, and their goals. I never take that lightly.
At the end of the day, reputation is built through how you show up long before anyone is watching. And I believe my commitment to service, integrity, and consistent results is what positioned Maya Creative Spaces as a trusted name in this market.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mayacreativespaces.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mayacreativespaces?igsh=MThucWZnc3B2eGJ6Nw%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
• Other: https://www.womeninpowertv.com/maya-mihajlovic