12 Years and Counting

H e l l o, E v e r y o n e !

It’s been a spell, but wherever this note finds you in the world, I am sending love from my desk to yours.  I'm sitting here with a huge smile on my face because Delia Designs turned 12 on Wednesday.  Twelve years.  What a journey it has been.  

Any entrepreneur knows running a small business is never just a walk in the park, which is why I'm thankful for every single client, partner, and vendor that's supported me along the way.  In fact it's the relationships I've built over the years that are the most important part of this journey.  I was at an industry event a couple of weeks ago (something I used to dread as a newbie) I found myself ecstatic to be out meeting new people and chatting with them.  What surprised me the most about that evening is that I am now more confident in meeting new connections but that I am now a connector.  I'm in a position to introduce newer/younger people to my network.  That makes me very happy.

A few more things I've learned over the past twelve years:

Keep challenging yourself. 

I feel lucky that whenever I get comfortable with my workload, something new comes my way that either challenges my way of thinking or encourages me to learn a new skill.  The challenges still come with stress and feelings of doubt, but it’s not as scary as it used to seem.  Challenging ourselves means we decide to take on new tasks and approach things in a different manner than we’ve done before.

Patience.

It may be a cliché, but there is truth behind the line “Patience is the virtue”, especially in business. Running a business is not for the faint of heart, and not for the impatient either. Even if you have a great product or service, great process, and great employees, your business will require you to stay committed for the long-term.  Some opportunities needs more time to develop.  Patience helps us to have the mindfulness to stop for a while and reflect on the present moment. By being in the moment, we can take the small and big picture into consideration so we can make better decisions.

Find a creative outlet. 

Interior Design is inherently a creative field however, I don't always get to "design".  There are a lot of other roles that I fill.  So, I often create side projects to challenge myself creatively. In the process, I inevitably learn something new I can apply to my client work. My most recent project is Bloom by Tina Delia a line of Duvet Covers and other home accessories.

Adopt a ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY

I have an extremely low threshold for disrespectful behavior.  I absolutely do not tolerate a coworker, client or vendor even raising a voice to me.  When it comes to sexism, language, racism, bullying, and acts that do harm to others (veiled as humor) in project meetings and on job sites, with my vendors, with the people I employ and collaborate with, I have a zero tolerance policy.  Enough is enough now.  Fortunately we no longer have to accept this bad behavior as part of doing business.  It's ok to speak up and lead with our voices.  Leadership is using your voice in alignment with your values and building an audience is leading.

Celebrate the wins.

I still get excited after winning a project and I make time to feel grateful and thankful for each one.  More importantly, every year on my business anniversary, I reflect on the past year and celebrate my achievements. Usually with a party but at a minimum with a glass of wine, of course!

12 years…wow, when it comes down to it – I guess it’s really just days and hours of time.  But for me, it’s what I can do with that time that really matters and I’m very excited to see what the next 12 years will bring!

Thank you again to each of my current clients, and anyone who's ever hired Delia Designs. We would not be here today, doing what we love, without all of you! 

Hey Philadelphia, let's get social.  Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and connect on LinkedIn! Each day I will post follow up interior design thoughts from the latest blog post to give you more inspiration.  AND, please leave me a comment below and let me know what you thought of this post!

In addition to being a Philadelphia Multifamily Interior Designer,  I also design boutique hotels, fitness centers, office spaces, residential development projects, other commercial spaces such as office and retail spaces, and the senior living community throughout the tri state area.  We work here in Philadelphia, the main line, and even Nationally!