Pro Panel: What’s Your New Year’s Business Resolution?
A kitchen designer, an architect, an interior designer and a building exec share their 2019 goals to help inspire yours
Gwendolyn Purdom
December 28, 2018
Lover of architecture, history, dogs, the Chicago Cubs, crowded bookshelves, and homes with a story. Former editor at Preservation mag and Culturess.com.
Lover of architecture, history, dogs, the Chicago Cubs, crowded bookshelves, and... More
As the new year kicks off, we speak to four home professionals who tell us where they’d like to take their businesses in the coming months.
Michigan-based kitchen designer Jason Vanderhovel of Dream Kitchens, principal architect Lauren Shadid of Colorado’s Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors, interior designer Amber Sokolowski of California’s Soko Interior Design and Minnesota’s Lake County Builders marketing manager Renee Aldecocea shared their companies’ New Year’s business resolutions in their own words. Their responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
Michigan-based kitchen designer Jason Vanderhovel of Dream Kitchens, principal architect Lauren Shadid of Colorado’s Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors, interior designer Amber Sokolowski of California’s Soko Interior Design and Minnesota’s Lake County Builders marketing manager Renee Aldecocea shared their companies’ New Year’s business resolutions in their own words. Their responses have been lightly edited for clarity.
1. Jason Vanderhovel, lead designer and co-owner
Dream Kitchens
Brighton, Michigan
I would have to say that for 2019 we are looking for ways to take our clients’ experience to the next level. We’ve started really investing a lot more time into our renderings so that they are 3D, full-color and as lifelike as we can make them. We try to incorporate small things that we spoke about in our initial and follow-up meetings. Even though red roses on the counter in the drawing may seem trivial, it can’t hurt if it’s the client’s favorite color and flower. This also helps bring the design to life, while at the same time making it almost a necessity for their partner to pick up flowers for the counter once the project is complete (and they do).
Each time they see the latest and greatest rendering, it looks closer and closer to what the final product is going to look like, which in return is getting them more excited to start the project, helping us close the sale.
We’re also making it our resolution to be on site more. It’s hard to get away when you have a desk full of design work, but we’ve found that we are catching things that may have caused issues down the line.
All of that sounds great for the client, but the second part of our resolution focuses on us, the design team. Our second resolution is to find some space. Our phones ring at all hours of the day and night, including weekends. We want to be “on top of it” when issues arise in the field or when the client has questions, but at some point the phones need to turn off and the emails remain unread. We’ve found that in our search to be as perfect as we can be, customer service has really taken a toll on our personal time. I personally reordered my business cards without my cellphone on them for 2019 and gave our designers here the option to do the same. Got to find some “me” time!
Dream Kitchens
Brighton, Michigan
I would have to say that for 2019 we are looking for ways to take our clients’ experience to the next level. We’ve started really investing a lot more time into our renderings so that they are 3D, full-color and as lifelike as we can make them. We try to incorporate small things that we spoke about in our initial and follow-up meetings. Even though red roses on the counter in the drawing may seem trivial, it can’t hurt if it’s the client’s favorite color and flower. This also helps bring the design to life, while at the same time making it almost a necessity for their partner to pick up flowers for the counter once the project is complete (and they do).
Each time they see the latest and greatest rendering, it looks closer and closer to what the final product is going to look like, which in return is getting them more excited to start the project, helping us close the sale.
We’re also making it our resolution to be on site more. It’s hard to get away when you have a desk full of design work, but we’ve found that we are catching things that may have caused issues down the line.
All of that sounds great for the client, but the second part of our resolution focuses on us, the design team. Our second resolution is to find some space. Our phones ring at all hours of the day and night, including weekends. We want to be “on top of it” when issues arise in the field or when the client has questions, but at some point the phones need to turn off and the emails remain unread. We’ve found that in our search to be as perfect as we can be, customer service has really taken a toll on our personal time. I personally reordered my business cards without my cellphone on them for 2019 and gave our designers here the option to do the same. Got to find some “me” time!
2. Lauren Shadid, principal architect
Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors
Castle Rock, Colorado
I have been working in Los Angeles for the past 20 years and recently moved back to Colorado, where I got my start in architecture.
My resolution for the new year is to get more involved in my local American Institute of Architects chapter. I know this can be a great way to help me integrate into the architectural community in Denver. I pay my dues each year, yet I often think that I am not taking advantage of all that the AIA can offer.
How to Start Your Architecture Business
Lauren Shadid Architecture + Interiors
Castle Rock, Colorado
I have been working in Los Angeles for the past 20 years and recently moved back to Colorado, where I got my start in architecture.
My resolution for the new year is to get more involved in my local American Institute of Architects chapter. I know this can be a great way to help me integrate into the architectural community in Denver. I pay my dues each year, yet I often think that I am not taking advantage of all that the AIA can offer.
How to Start Your Architecture Business
3. Amber Sokolowski, interior designer and owner
Soko Interior Design
Long Beach, California
My New Year’s resolution is to delegate more. As a business owner I tend to take control of everything in order to ensure it’s done correctly. However, I would save myself so much time and be able to take on more if I was able to delegate tasks like SketchUp modeling or rendering. If I want to expand my business, I need to learn to let go!
Soko Interior Design
Long Beach, California
My New Year’s resolution is to delegate more. As a business owner I tend to take control of everything in order to ensure it’s done correctly. However, I would save myself so much time and be able to take on more if I was able to delegate tasks like SketchUp modeling or rendering. If I want to expand my business, I need to learn to let go!
4. Renee Aldecocea, marketing manager
Lake County Builders
Excelsior, Minnesota
Our 2019 business resolution is to communicate better. Our focus will be on quality versus quantity. Since 60 to 70 percent of our work comes from past clients, we want to communicate better with those clients as well as potential clients.
We are focusing on our social posting with more interesting and educational posts to make more of a personal connection. Taking the time to interact with current and potential clients to make their experience with us rewarding and memorable.
Your turn: What’s your New Year’s business resolution? Tell us in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Pro Panel: How Do You Know When a Client Is a Good Fit?
Designing a Business: When should you hire?
How to Communicate Your Value to Potential Clients
See more pro tips
Lake County Builders
Excelsior, Minnesota
Our 2019 business resolution is to communicate better. Our focus will be on quality versus quantity. Since 60 to 70 percent of our work comes from past clients, we want to communicate better with those clients as well as potential clients.
We are focusing on our social posting with more interesting and educational posts to make more of a personal connection. Taking the time to interact with current and potential clients to make their experience with us rewarding and memorable.
Your turn: What’s your New Year’s business resolution? Tell us in the Comments.
More on Houzz
Pro Panel: How Do You Know When a Client Is a Good Fit?
Designing a Business: When should you hire?
How to Communicate Your Value to Potential Clients
See more pro tips
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