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

Violetta, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

I love being a business owner and having the control of how I want to run things. I am the creator of my story and the author of my book. Before owning my own business I had worked for other businesses and never felt like it was for me. The idea that someone could let me go at any time for any reason was stressful. And having a cap on how much I can grow within that company was an issue for me as well. This was something that I personally went through before when I worked for a hedge fund right after college and was laid off during the market crash. I felt hopeless and helpless. One day I had a job and the next I did not. After losing my job, I made a decison to never put myself in that position again. Hence, I started my own business and became my own boss.
I believe any business owner at some point or another has a thought about, what it would be like to have a regular job. As I once did after I had an accident where I was not able to come to work for a while. At first I was worried about how I will be able to run the business and not be present. But the thought quickly disappeared as I figured out a way and realized as a business owner I don’t have to physcally be present. I had an assistant and office manager that were able to run the office and I provided support from home. I love having the freedom of making my own schedule, deciding how much I want to scale my business and which direction I want the business to go. Yes, there are some negatives such as many more responsibilities and bills. However, the benefits out-way the negatives. I am a single mother of 3 and love having the opportunity to be involved as much as I want in my kids lives and school. I structure my schedule as I need.
In conclsuion while business ownership is not for everyone, it is the only option for me!

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Violetta Ustayev and I did not start my career as an interior designer. I came from a legal/finance background. While obtaining my undergraduate degree at Penn State University, I purchased homes in Philadelphia, that I could fix up and either flip or rent out. During this time, I was able to use my creative side by designing and project-managing my investment properties. I was able to not only make a good profit but also gain a lot of experience in construction and the flow of a project. After the market crash in 2008, I lost my job in finance and decided to pursue my dream in interior design. I made a decision that I did not want to work for any designers. By this time I had an Undergrad degree in Law and a Master’s in Accounting and Finance. With all this knowledge and experience that I gained, I decided to open up my own design company in 2010 in New York, called Vi Design. My very first projects were not the easiest but they were the best lessons and provided so much growth for me in the design business.
Today my company Vi Design Inc. is located in Boca Raton FL. We are a design studio and a retail store. In our store, we sell wallpaper and fabric. We service not only the end user but also many other designers. In addition, I own an upholstery work room and we do our own carpentry work.
I take every project personally and never have any junior designers on any of my projects. My clients only deal with me on all of the design aspects of their projects. The office handles only the administrative work. I like to give 100% of attention at every detail of all my projects. I work closely with project budgets and project schedules. Love to collaborate with builders and architects. The most important thing for me is to get to know my clients and their lifestyle so that I can design their dream home, not mine!
Every year Vi Design Inc. is growing and becoming a company that is hired not only by the end-user but also by designers and other trade professionals.

Can you open up about a time when you had a really close call with the business?

Having a business is not always easy, one small accident or life event can destroy everything very quickly.
I had this life-changing event happen to me on April 2nd, 2024. I had an accident on the staircase and broke my spine. I was almost paralyzed neck down and had to be fused 4 levels in my spine before I was able to start walking again. This was a long recovery that I was not prepared for. During this time I lost employees and clients. Projects were at a standstill, and bills were not getting paid. I was in survival mode and had to get myself up on my feet as quickly as possible to save my business. I was thankful for some savings and 401(k) that I had. It was a very rough year ahead. Had to take jobs that I would not usually take, small or large I would take every project to pay off my debts. Not only was I able to get my business back but I also learned to prepare better for the future.

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

I believe that my sincerity and transparency helped me build my reputation within my market. People who know me or have worked with me know I am very honest and transparent about everything. I truly care about them and their projects. I always have their best interest as my top priority. I love being positive in both business and personal life and surround myself with like-minded people.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vi-designs.com
• Instagram: videsigns
• Facebook: Vi Design