We recently connected with Shila Griffith and have shared our conversation below.
Shila, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Talk to us about building a team – did you hire quickly, how’d you recruit the first few team members? Any interesting lessons?
I didn’t hire employees until I was about 6 years into my business. I got to a point where I was juggling 14 projects at a time and I knew that wasn’t sustainable. I had to decide if I was going take on less, smaller projects at a time, or hire a team. I chose the latter, because I knew I wanted to grow my company and work on larger projects.
At first I hired a high school intern—I actually found her by asking my high school art teacher for a recommendation. It was important to me to hire someone from the same high school I had graduated from. Having an intern worked at the time, but the needs of my company have evolved since then.
Now I have an amazing team that includes a junior designer and an assistant/procurement coordinator. I found my Junior Designer through LinkedIn. Someone else actually saw my post and said they knew of someone that might be a good fit. She was right! I found my assistant about a year and a half later through a posting I put on Indeed. They are both huge assets and get along incredibly well.
I learned the hard way that you should hire before you get too busy, because at that point you definitely don’t have the time to interview, let alone train people. It’s also extremely helpful to actually write out a list of what you need help with before searching for candidates. Sometimes you think you need to fill a certain position, when in reality you need support in a completely different part of the company.
Shila, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I started SG23 Design in 2013. While working at other firms, I observed many issues with efficiency, communication and client management that were avoidable. I knew that putting systems in place to avoid these issues would result in a more successful and enjoyable design and construction process for all involved.
SG23 Design is a boutique interior design firm that thoughtfully designs residential and commercial spaces. We provide our clients with a high-level design experience by focusing on functionality, thorough documentation, and construction-conscious details. All of our clients want beautifully designed spaces without all the stress, so to further ensure the success of our projects we excel in project management. Since we speak the same language as contractors, we serve as the liaison between the between the homeowner or business owner and the construction team by prioritizing clear, concise communication and collaboration.
I’m most proud of our quality of work, how we consider how things will actually be built while we design, and how we put our clients at ease. They know that a major renovation can be very volatile, but everything is being handled.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
I had to unlearn the idea that people pleasing was going to help grow my business. I thought that if I just did anything to make the client happy, the project would run more smoothly and as a result, I’d get more work and clients. I would agree to free onsite consults, meet with clients on nights and weekends, undercharge for signed clients, and let them drive my design and project management process.
Implementing boundaries was a game changer. I got even better with boundaries after I hired a team, because I am very protective of my employees.
Charging from the first consultation, not deviating from our design process, being firm about normal business hours, and raising our rates in general made a huge difference. These changes made clients respect my firm’s time and expertise so much more. If a prospective client doesn’t respect the boundaries I’ve set, I’m now quite confident in telling them we’re not the right designer for them. As a result, we’ve attracted so many more ideal clients and have become more profitable—allowing us to do our best work.
Can you talk to us about how your funded your business?
I was still working at an architecture firm when I started my business in 2013. For about two years, I took on smaller design projects that I could handle along with a full-time job. As I built my client base, I thought of a backup plan in case my business ultimately didn’t work out. I knew that having my NCIDQ certification would help me compete for higher positions at interior design firms. So while I studied for those exams, I saved 6 months worth of expenses. I obtained my NCIDQ certification in 2015, and gave my notice to the architecture firm. However, I didn’t go full-time on my own just yet.
When planning to leave that job, I was most worried about health insurance. I started having discussions with a former employer and was very transparent about my goal to eventually focus on my company full-time. They didn’t have an issue with that goal, and I eventually negotiated a part-time position, with health insurance. I had to work for 3 months before healthcare benefits would be available to me, so during those 3 months I paid for insurance out of pocket.
I worked from home for the next 4 years so I had very little overhead. My biggest expense at the time was probably software. I didn’t move into my design studio and hire a team until 2019—now my expenses look very different. In retrospect, I’m glad I took my time transitioning into focusing full time on my business because it allowed run the company to without a ton of capital during the first few years.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sg23design.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sg23design
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/sg23design
Image Credits
Traci Elaine – Shila laughing at green drafting table Rebecca McAlpin: – Wallpapered powder room – White kitchen – Dark blue study – Dining room w/green chairs Kate Raines: – Dog photo – Image with samples and Shila’s hands – Shila at desk Kristina Kroot: – Green kitchen