We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Meredith Owen. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Meredith below.

Hi Meredith, thanks for joining us today. Looking back, what’s an important lesson you learned at a prior job

Before I became a business owner, I worked as a lead designer at a high end residential design firm. I was lucky enough to be able to have a front row seat in watching a small business go from concept to fruition. In these early years I put in long hours and helped in all aspects of the small business from hiring interns to learning the back end (business side) of the design industry. Being able to design is one thing, but also being able to run a successful business is something quite different and I got to watch the highs and lows. I believe the very best experience is always on the job, there’s no amount of education that can compare to what you will learn working day in and day out. I was able to have both an undergrad degree in Interior Design and also work in a small business learning the what it takes to make both of these things work together and I believe these two things combined laid the foundation for where I am today.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Meredith Owen Interiors was founded in 2016 by me, Meredith Owen .We are an Austin-based interior design firm with a focus in high-end residential projects, including new construction, renovations and interior and exterior furnishings. Me and my team of designers work diligently to create a custom design experience that helps to bring each individual project to life. We believe that a home should not only function flawlessly but also reflect the people who live inside. We try to create homes that feel approachable and effortless. We believe in building personal relationships with our clients which helps to guide our design decisions. My design team and I work closely with each client to guide them throughout the entire home design process in order to ensure this special time is enjoyable and as stress free as possible. While each client and project may share a different style or vision, our approach to providing an excellent client experience will always remain the same.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The word pivot always makes me laugh, I think I probably use this term more times than I can count. It’s a word that perfectly describes design but it also describes being a business owner. Learning how to pivot is an art form, to me it is a part of my daily practice. If something isn’t working, you need to pivot. For example, building my team of designers has taught me how different everyone operates and accepts and receives information. I can’t relay the same information in the same way to everyone, sometimes I have to pivot and try a different approach to get the team member to understand the information I’m conveying. The same goes for design, I can’t tell you how many times I think a project is headed in one direction in a meeting and then BOOM, the client drops a bomb like oh by the way we can’t have any wool in the house because of allergies….time to pivot. You have to (sometimes on the fly) come up with a whole new design direction. This is something funny enough, that I use to find very frustrating, but over the years I’ve learned that these challenges that make us pivot just makes me a stronger designer (and much more resourceful)!

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Referals. Referals. Referals. This is hands down the most common way I’ve gained new business. Word of mouth is always the best seller. People love to refer people to other who have done a great job for them. I’ve been so lucky to get clients from other clients, relators and friends! We also have many, many clients who have worked on multiple homes with my firm (sometimes 4-5)!! If you can keep your existing clients who have been with you from day 1 happy, they are sure to come back when they purchase that vacation home, or move to a larger or smaller home down the road.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meredithoweninteriors.com
• Instagram: @meredithoweninteriors
• Facebook: Meredith Owen Interiors
• Linkedin: Meredith Owen
• Twitter: N/A
• Other: Houzz: Meredith Owen Interiors Pinterest: Meredith Owen Interiors

Image Credits
Molly Culver Photography