We recently connected with Ruthie Staalsen and have shared our conversation below.

Ruthie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Alright, let’s jump into one of the most exciting parts of starting a new venture – how did you get your first client who was not a friend or family?

I had been doing decorating for friends and family so I could photograph my work for my portfolio/website/blog. I received a call from someone that had heard about me from one of their friends at work. This is when I started realizing the power of networking and referrals. They wanted to hire me to make their unused formal living area into a playroom for their kids as well as finishing up their dining room which had been a dumping ground for years. I remember getting the call while I was on vacation and being elated and scared to death all at the same time. I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to start making money doing what I loved. The scared part trumped the excitement because I knew I was really good at design but I was worried I would disappoint. I had to positive talk myself constantly, telling my brain that it was going to be ok and doing it scared would get easier each time. Of course, I had the entire space designed in my head by the time I returned from vacation, presented a design plan, they loved it and the reveal was fantastic!

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

I was born and raised in South Africa and at age 10 we traveled the world with my parents for their work as missionaries. My growing up years were exciting, yet challenging and certainly gave me a life that I wouldn’t change for anything. I learned about adversity, fear of the unknown, making and leaving new friends, cultural differences, homeschooling, financial stress, personality differences and how to do more with less. We lived in some pretty primitive areas where we lived in the jungle, cooked on an open fire, used an outhouse, washed clothes in the river and showered under waterfalls. I got to experience how others live and experience life at its basics. All these experiences formed qualities in me and made me who I am today.

Flash forward I’m married, have 2 daughters and start my interior design business, once they start school. I started with walk through consultations and the business quickly grew into a full service design firm. I create relaxed, collected interiors with a global influence which you can see comes from my travel background. Relaxed because I want my clients to feel at home in their spaces, collected because most people have things that represent who they are and want them displayed, and global because things from around the world add texture, color and a story about the homeowner.

I’m most proud of the team that I have built that helps me be the best I can be. They are people with values, integrity and a can do spirit. Our design firm is known for the personal service we bring to the table and we are able to work with so many different personalities and ethnicities.

We have been featured in some of the most known design magazines such as Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Traditional Home, Elite Monde, and many more! We were recently featured in The NYC Journal as Top 3o Female Entrepreneurs To Look Out For In 2021.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During Covid, things got tough. My business came to a halt because I couldn’t complete projects or meet with clients. I was sitting on inventory that couldn’t be installed and that really hurt us. I decided that I was going to start doing virtual consultations and my calendar kept busy during that entire time. It opened a whole new way of doing business as a designer all around the world.

Any fun sales or marketing stories?

I wanted my business to become more known in our area. There was a showhouse that was going to be sponsored by Traditional Home Magazine and top designer were chosen from all over the united states to decorate each of the spaces in the home. I heard through the grapevine that this was happening in Dallas and knew that I wanted to get involved. I was scared to death, but started looking up who was responsible for selecting the designers. I sent her an email introducing myself and asking if there was anything I could do to be included. I even offered to just be a runner during the project, just so I could be in front of some of these award winning designers and magazine editors. I couldn’t believe it when I got an email back asking me to come and meet her. She showed me around the new home that was being built and she told me she would be in touch if there was something she felt I could help with. The next week I received a call from the editor of Traditional Home Magazine offering me a space to decorate in the home! I’ve never been more excited about my career than in that moment. Putting myself out there was incredibly scary but it gave me so much exposure to future clients and really took my career to the next level. The public were able to purchase tickets, tour the decorated home and my upstairs hallway space was then featured in Traditional Home Magazine along with the other amazing designers selected.

What I realized from this process is that being around others in the same industry as you are is crucial for the success of your personal growth. The experience pushed me to new levels and being around others that are just as good at design or better than me, was refreshing and helped me pursue other opportunities that stretched my skill level. Always striving to be better at what you are good at makes your clients have a better experience with you as well.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ruthiestaalsen.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com.Ruthiedesigner
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ruthie Staalsen Interiors
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/Ruthie Staalsen
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Ruthiedesigner
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/Ruthiestaalsendesigner
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/ruthiedesigner https://www.tiktok.com/ruthiedesigner

Image Credits:
Aaron Dougherty Photography Tim Wright Photography Nathan Schroeder Photography