Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Natalie Greathouse. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Natalie, appreciate you joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
Owning an interior design business has always been a dream of mine, but never really thought it could be a reality due to my background being in education. It was something I had always been very interested in from a young age, but never actively pursued. In 2019 my family moved back to New York from Virginia, which allowed me to redecorate our home that was in desperate need of a makeover! I started an Instagram account for fun and started documenting the work I was doing in our home. In time, it turned into friends and acquaintances contacting me for assistance in their homes as well. At the same time, my husband very unexpectedly was laid off from a job that he transferred to New York with. Two months later Covid hit. This sent a shockwave through our family. The first thing to come to mind was that I should go back to the classroom. That decision just didn’t feel like the right fit, but knew it was crucial for me to be contributing financially to our family. In December 2020, Greathouse of Decor, LLC was established.
Natalie, 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 former elementary school, teacher, and reading specialist. When we moved back to New York state to be closer to family, I had the opportunity to redecorate our ‘new to us’ home. While documenting the work I was doing, I gradually started to begin gaining followers and interest picked up with others wanting assistance in their homes, too. I wanted to take a unique approach to my business model by trying to make interior design more accessible to all. I offer tiered service options ranging from free virtual consults, to in-home consultations with recommendations, digital designs, and in-home full redesign options. By offering free virtual meetings, potential clients have the ability to meet with me with zero commitment allowing them to see if they feel I would be a good fit for their project needs. I also try to be transparent with client investment by offering the pricing for my services on the ‘Services’ page on my website. Clients have the flexibility to hire me on an hourly basis, or more, if their project and budgets allow for it. I also vary the type of work I do depending on my clients needs. I’ve work alongside clients and their contractors on full demolition projects, assisting in plans, selections, and finishing off the spaces after completion. I also work on smaller scale projects that may just need new paint or accessories. My work tends to revolve around classic design elements, functionality and modern aesthetics. While each project is unique to the client, all of my designs tend to have the same feel- a cozy, pulled together look, while also creating solutions to client issues that may have existed in that space prior (ie. storage, lighting, etc) Whatever your design need is, I’m here for it!
What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?
I think the best source of new clients comes from social media or word-of-mouth. I don’t do much in terms of advertising or marketing. However, I have an active presence on social media, sharing content regularly that is on brand and also relevant to current styles/trends. I think it’s important to establish a brand and stick to it, so clients know what they can expect from you. Client referrals are also wonderful because it’s likely these potential new clients have already seen your work, and have reached out to your prior client for contact information. I love the connection I build with my clients as well, many of them turning into friends.
Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?
I certainly have a ways to go to continue building my social media presence however, at a few thousand followers I think I have a few tips that could help any new business owners starting out. First, be authentic and highlight your work on a regular basis. Next, make sure you are posting quality photos that are edited with good lighting. It is also helpful if you have some sort of take-away, or bit of information in your description below your post. Just sharing a photo isn’t always enough. For example, I may share a photo of a nicely styled console table, but also describe why I chose the elements I did, or how they pair together intentionally. I will also say, occasionally share to your local online groups that may be interested in your services- but do not over flood the groups with posts, it makes you seem illegitimate. It’s also important to remember it’s not about how many followers you have, but how many quality followers you have! You want engagement and those really interested in what you offer.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.greathouseofdecor.com
- Instagram: @greathouseofdecor
- Facebook: Greathouse of Decor
- Linkedin: Natalie Greathouse
- Other: https://linktr.ee/greathouseofdecor?utm_source=linktree_profile_share<sid=3246a45f-58b2-4c19-8704-e5821ad9f82a
Image Credits
Sara Russo Photography Natalie Greathouse