We were lucky to catch up with Sonni Koster recently and have shared our conversation below.

Sonni, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think matters most in terms of achieving success?

Being successful does not necessarily mean you are the most profitable you can be in my eyes. Success is not always related to money, but the impact of what we leave behind. A lot of times owning a small business, it can be easy to compare ourselves, our work, our business, to others. However, comparison of any kind can lead you down a negative path. No two people, businesses, or work are the same. We all have different goals of what we think is takes to be successful, and how that looks to us. For me, success is knowing that my client’s are happy with the service I provided and that is was unique to them, and that every interaction I have with others, leaves them feeling positive and encouraged-not the other way around!

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.

Being successful does not necessarily mean you are the most profitable you can be in my eyes. Success is not always related to money, but the impact of what we leave behind. A lot of times owning a small business, it can be easy to compare ourselves, our work, our business, to others. However, comparison of any kind can lead you down a negative path. No two people, businesses, or work are the same. We all have different goals of what we think is takes to be successful, and how that looks to us. For me, success is knowing that my clients are happy with the service I provided and that is was unique to them, and that every interaction I have with others, leaves them feeling positive and encouraged-not the other way around!

I am an Air Force Veteran, and when I got out of the military, I decided I wanted to pursue my dream of Interior Design. After our twins were born, I was a stay-at-home mom, and I began researching everything there was to know about starting a business in Interior Design. I taught myself everything and built my business from the ground up. I had already had a bachelor’s degree from my time in the military, and attended Interior Design school short-term before I decided I wanted to purse a Graduate Degree in Business to help flourish my company. At that time, pursuing that degree was best for me my family. In my opinion, you do not always have to have a degree in what you have a passion for to be successful.

I would say I am most proud of going after my dreams and not stopping until I finally got a yes. Fearing failure for me was not something that scared me. Failing leads to growth and maturity, and I have no regrets. Shortly after I started my business, I was afforded an amazing opportunity to work with and appear a couple of HGTV shows. I grew a lot from those experiences, and from the clients that came before and after. I now recognize and stand by my worth as a Designer and quickly began to understand that a Designer/Client relationship needs to be a good fit for both parties. I want to work with Clients that understand the value a Designer brings to the table and that our creative mind behind the design process is something that cannot be bargained with. I love what I do, and I want to honor and give glory to God in all things, if that means I have to wait on his timing-then it’s his will not mine!

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

For me, word of mouth has been the best source of business for me. This business is challenging, competitive, and heavily saturated. I truly think the way we can stand out besides our work, is the type of person we are and how we treat others. Making the design process as smooth as possible, and stress free for everyone is a good start. No project ever runs perfectly, and a lot of times changes have to be made, but it’s how we handle those changes and how we communicate with our clients that say a lot about our character and the morality of our business.

Any advice for managing a team?

I think with any business it’s important to display leadership qualities on all fronts. In order to manage a successful team, we need to foster creativity, inclusion of everyone’s unique ideas and gifts they posses, make your team feel valued, and fostering an environment where each team member can grow, and in turn the business grows collectively.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.s2kdesigns.com
• Instagram: @s2kdesigns
• Facebook: S2k Designs

Image Credits
Personal headshot is by tamsandphotography here in Lithia, FL