We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meghan Jay a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Meghan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you tell us a bit about who your hero is and the influence they’ve had on you?

My parents are my heroes.

My father, a physician, is also an entrepreneur. He moved our family to Connecticut and launched a very successful medical practice. I have a real appreciation for how he established his reputation as a respected care-giver, while also being successful as a business owner. They’re two very different things. His example helps me as I manage and grow my business, while actively designing for my clients.

My mother is a fiction writer. She put her aesthetic stamp on whatever home we were living in. She nurtured my creativity and gave me the confidence to be my unique self. I undoubtedly inherited my eye for color and pattern from her.

Meghan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My path to a career in interior design is kind of a funny story. I always enjoyed details and making things pretty. I’d spend hours picking out furniture for my doll house, I built forts in the woods with my friends, I was the national winner of “Invent America” with my invention of a traveling birdcage that could be packed into a calico satchel that I sewed on my mom’s sewing machine, and when my brothers left for college, their rooms became a blank canvas for me…haha!

Following University where I studied English Literature and Art History, I took a job in fashion while studying for my Masters in Social Work. And later, while working in NYC as a fundraiser and event planner, I went on to study for a MS in Nonprofit Management. As varied as these choices seem, I realize they have many commonalities. I draw on my educational past every day, using the skills I’ve learned along the way: communication, organization, management, appreciation for art, interpersonal skills, and more.

It wasn’t until after I married and had children that I began to think of my love of interior design as more than a hobby. I always enjoyed designing for family and friends. Could I make it a career? I signed up for an online certification course at NYIAD, which was perfect as I could go at my own pace.

During the pandemic, I began working with a realtor on styling sessions and small design projects. Small projects led to larger clients, which led to more clients. I then jumped into working for a design firm and served as the COO and creative director for two years.

Since January, I’ve worked to grow my namesake design firm. We’re a residential interior design firm based right outside of Chicago in Evanston, IL. Our goal it to create unique spaces that layer modern styles with a vintage flair. We bring a personal, and sometimes unexpected (yet always welcome) touch to every project – from full furnishings to whole-home restorations.

We’re known for eye-catching color palettes, pattern and texture play, and our knack for incorporating vintage treasures. With each project, I use my kaleidoscope of education and work experience and channel the rich experiences of the places I lived or traveled — from Connecticut to France, London to New York City.

If I had to define my firm’s personality – the quirks and style that make us unique – I’d say we’re approachable, authentic, practical, sophisticated, and trustworthy.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

As someone who has been a manager, and has also been managed, I’ve learned the following:
-Respect is mutual. People thrive when they’re seen and appreciated.

-Get to know your employees’ strengths and interests and tap into those. I think employees are generally happier when they’re doing what they love or are succeeding at what they’re good at.

-Invest in training. Life and work are busy and it’s easy to bring someone on and thrust them into their tasks and responsibilities. I think it’s beneficial to take the time to educate a new employee on their role and set clear expectations. That removes ambiguity and sets people up for success. Communication is key.

-Have fun! It’s important to take time away from work and have fun together as a team.

-Come to terms with the fact that your employees may someday leave the nest – and that’s ok! Don’t take it personally or be upset with the employee. Try to think of it as a testament to their experience: they learned and grew under your supervision and developed the confidence and skills to try their next big thing.

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

I feel like I touched on this a bit in my first response. My side hustle, first “professional” design job, was working with the realtor who sold our house. She told me that she had received many, many compliments from other realtors and potential buyers about the way our home was designed. She hired me to do design work in her home and to assist her with the homes of her other sellers. I would advise her clients about small, affordable changes to make before their home hit the market. During Covid, the real estate market was booming, so I happily had a nice little business going and things snowballed from there!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://meghanjaydesign.com
• Instagram: @meghanjaydesign
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/meghanjay/
• Other: TikTok – @meghanjaydesign

Image Credits

Headshot: Alisha Tova/Tova Studios

Interior photos photographer: Heather Talbert
Interior photos stylist: Centered by Design