Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Melody Stevens. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Melody, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you share a customer success story with us?
In 2019, at the very beginning of my business, I was invited by a single mother of 2 teens , recently divorced and in a new space, to come help her get settled as well as make her new space begin to feel like home. Emotionally, there was a lot going on for her. She was a pilot facing a furlough, kids were not transitioning well and just didn’t want to be in the space. Her season of life was just spinning out of control. Having this new smaller house just wasn’t what she was accustomed to. This made her personal challenges more than she could handle. She needed help making this house a home they could all be proud of and want to spend time in. Being a single mother myself , I could relate. As nurtures, our home is a reflection of our function, our peace, and when your children are not at ease in their safe environment, it cause many ripple effects. So having this mother be so transparent and vulnerable about her situation made me want to exceed expectations and bring peace and harmony to her home. We all want to live in beautiful spaces but most importantly, we want to LOVE sharing and occupying that space. I was so new back then, I did not capture her remodel on film but to this day. I still have her review on my bathroom mirror as a reminder of why intentional listening and providing resolve through design is more than just about the esthetics. Her review at the end was humbling. It was at that moment I realized my work was just not functional or esthetically pleasing, it was healing.
“I am in LOVE!! With my new kitchen!! Lights are gorgeous! Kids and I hung out and cooked dinner together last night, (a first ever) and they said they feel fancy. I love the kitchen its amazing.”
Melody, 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?
I am a single mother of 4 who now has two grandkids. Both girls! I started this business to provide for my children and leave a legacy for many years to come. Being a creative mind, I had always loved arts and design, I remember as a kid in school drawing outside the box in coordinating pattern that did not necessarily make sense to anyone but me. Even then I called it art. As I grew up, hgtv was a thing, it was a platform where other creatives such as my self had blank canvas to create beauty. I often kid and say I graduated from hgtv as a mastermind because I watched those shows religiously. My favorite designers were Vern Yep and Candice Olsen. You know, I met Vern Yep once🤭actually I served him food and drinks on a delta plane in first class, I was a flight attendant. I remember telling the crew who he was and they were not fazed so I decided to down play my excitement. Man how older me wishes I had spoke to him. Can you imagine…Anyway, at the start of my business journey, I decided I wanted to change the industry as people knew it. I wanted it to be a luxury for everyone, total inclusion, if you worked hard, earned an income, you could afford this luxury. Design is an art, a creative mind that makes pieces esthetically beautiful, a designer know how to marry those piece together harmoniously thus representing the personality of the people who occupy that space. Character! If that statement is true, then a designer, a true artist should be able to perform at any budget, right? This then in turn allows everyone who has an earned income to afford a designer. Inclusion! So my business model is set to just that, I offer my creative mind at a flat service fee of $595, your personal budget dictates the furnishings or finishes I use. I pride myself on being a great communicator and listener. When discussing your project, I listen for your needs and address your personal problems that hinder you from enjoying your space. It’s not the furniture that makes the house a home, it’s the movement and functionality of the space that allows you to live freely in your home. When that vision is unveiled, you begin to appreciate your home and take pride in your space, you become a host of your living space. That’s what I’m most passionate about, giving you that confidence to invite others to enjoy your space with pride. This is how Design on a Dime Interiors was created. It’s not because I sell cheap things or create cheap spaces, it’s my creative mind you’re paying a dime for. Industry charges by the hour or by the job, my $595 covers the whole house for a year. You decide what rooms to give priority to. I really love what I do and now I have a team as dedicated as I am in providing this customized service to our clients. We are passionate about delivering exceptional results for our clients, and we prioritize open communication, transparency, and integrity in all our interactions. We strive for excellence in everything we do, constantly pushing boundaries and seeking innovative solutions to exceed expectations.
we’re not just creating beautiful spaces—we’re building meaningful relationships, leaving a lasting impact, and shaping the future of interior design.”
How do you keep your team’s morale high?
A great leader learns how to listen and finds the strength of their team members. What I have learned as CEO of my company is that I can not grow and maintain a company sole. I reference the human body as my guide to success. As a whole, it’s able to move, speak, think, listen all at once. Each body part as an individual functions best when it’s supported by another part. Each body part has a unique functionality that it only focuses on that movement and behavior. When given the right support it exceeds expectations and it’s resilient. In business, hire people who are better than you, figure out what their strength is and foster it. Allow them to set higher standards and expectations for themselves, fed that drive. When a team player is valued, respected and allowed to exceed, that individual is a powerful asset to your company. When they feel, included, heard and allowed to invest personal growth within the company, they take pride and ownership thus creating loyal team players that champion the company’s culture, vision and mission. A great leader listens and learns from great team members that bring value to the company. Create a culture that fosters growth.
Our culture is built on a foundation of trust, teamwork, and continuous learning. We encourage curiosity, experimentation, and growth, knowing that it’s the key to our success and evolution as a company. We believe in fostering a supportive and inclusive environment where every team member is valued, respected, and empowered to unleash their creativity. We embrace diversity of thought and backgrounds, recognizing that it enriches our work and strengthens our team. we prioritize open communication, transparency, and integrity in all our interactions. We strive for excellence in everything we do, constantly pushing boundaries and seeking innovative solutions to exceed expectations. This culture statement encapsulates the values, principles, and aspirations that drive the culture at Design on a Dime Interiors.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
Marketing has been the absolute best strategy for growing my business. You know, when you’re first starting out, you think having a website, business card and a social media platform is the key to developing a business. You join networking groups and send out fliers, complete mailing lists..the list goes on and on. While all this yields results, it doesn’t become effective until you have invested in a marketing strategy. First off, you have to know your clientele, who are you marketing to? Be very specific, know what their needs are, their demographics, their behaviors etc. learn to speak their language and go where they are. Once you narrow this client, hire a marketing guru who will attract this clients for you, have systems in place to convert the leads into potential clients then team members to convert those potential into closed business clients. Without the knowledge of your ideal client, you waste a lot of time and money marketing to everyone thus working harder at small jobs that yield little or no money. Only invest in marketing when you know your ideal client.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Www.designonadimeinteriors.com
- Instagram: Designonadime_interiors
- Facebook: Design on a Dime Interiors
- Yelp: Design on a Dime Interiors
