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

Alright, Natalie thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Do you think folks should manage their own social media or hire a professional? What do you do?

I still manage my own social media (7 years!). The reason I choose to do this is to keep my content and voice authentic as well as personally engage with my audience. I have scaled back on how much I post due to time constraints but I very much try to focus in on quality vs quantity. My Instagram started as a way to connect with other creatives and that is still my favorite part. Real connections are made that way with followers, influencers and other businesses. It has been instrumental in building brand partnerships and collaborations that would not have otherwise found me. For me it’s the BEST kind of free marketing tool.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My business started out as a hobby job really. I was a stay at home mom with an art background with a new (old) home in the suburbs of Chicago. We were a little housebroke so I started experimenting with paint colors and thrifting for unique finds. Friends started asking me for my help in their own homes and my business started organically growing by word of mouth. I like to refer to my design style as “art-forward design”. This to me means that the art is not the last thing that is brought into a room but rather the influence for the color palette and room design. As an artist myself, I love working with bold color. It’s really important to me that the design is reflective of the people living in the spaces; full of life, joy, personal pieces and soul.

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

I started designing for friends with no knowledge or background in the interior design business itself. There was (still is!) a huge learning curve on the business end of things. Word of mouth was instrumental in starting my company but I credit social media with helping spread my work to a larger audience. Some key milestones started with getting my work published in magazines and online platforms and then would move into opportunities I never in a million years would have guessed I would be asked to do. Designing the living room for the Real Simple showroom, filming for HGTV home tour, collaborating with big name companies, partnering on lighting and wallpaper lines to filming a series, Artfully Designed, for Magnolia Network. I put myself out there even though I was scared and inexperienced. I always felt like because I was not certified, no one would take my work seriously. But truly I think it’s more about just staying authentic and true to your process. It’s not a one size fits all.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I definitely think staying authentically true to your own personal style helps you become more distinctive in your field. I don’t veer from my own design style and take on designing neutral spaces for example. But in terms of reputation, really good customer service and kindness goes a long way. Communication is also key. People want to work with other people that practice these traits in their business. At least I do!  x  

Contact Info:

• Website: www.homeecop.com
• Instagram: @home_ec_op
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/homeecop/

Image Credits
Megan Easterday – Easterday Creative