Meet Our Decorators

Carol Allain

Franchise Owner
California

Background:

I have a B.A. degree from Connecticut College, in New London, CT with a major in botany and a minor in art history. After teaching biology for a year in a private school in New Canaan, CT, I attended Ohio State University where I earned a M.S. in zoology and entomology.

In the years to follow I enjoyed a number of "careers" including teaching freshman biology at Ohio State University and a fifteen-year career designing and selling macram� and woven wall hangings. When my daughters were in high school, I began my study of interior design at the University of California, Riverside in their certificate program. My education led to a six-year career as an interior designer for a large furniture showroom / design firm before I purchased my Decorating Den Interiors franchise.

Personal Life:

For the last fifteen years, my husband, Henry, and I have enjoyed parallel careers as entrepreneurs in the arts: Henry as a music educator and founder of Riverside Valley Music Academy and I as an IDD franchise owner. Together we have a blended family of six children and eight grandchildren. In addition to our family, our greatest joy has been traveling the world together from Australia to Greece to Russia.

Reason for starting an Interior Decorating business:

In 1993, while employed as an interior designer, I met an Decorating Den Interiors Den franchise owner from a nearby city at a Soroptimist meeting. In our conversations we compared notes about our design careers...and within two months I had purchased a franchise! I could visualize owning a business that offered quality home furnishings, great customer service, and the convenience of shopping at home.

What Carol likes best about running her Decorating Den Interiors franchise:

Everything! It truly is an evolving entity. I began as a home-based business wearing all the hats from decorator to bookkeeper to order processor to scheduler to marketer. As time passed, I delegated certain activities to others while focusing on improving my skills as a decorator, salesperson, and business manager. In its most complex form, my business consisted of five decorators, two administrative assistants, and a bookkeeper working in a 3400 square foot showroom / design studio. We enjoyed eight incredible years with yearly sales volumes that placed us among the top 10 IDD franchises.

More recently I have come to realize that simplicity has its virtues and have returned to a home-based business with my daughter continuing as my able office manager / bookkeeper / design assistant. We work together as a dream team. She has the flexibility of a 3/4 time schedule so that she can be home with her daughters in the afternoon and evening.

Most memorable moment:

My most memorable moment was being chosen at our annual conference by our Chairman, Jim Bugg, Sr. as the Franchise Owner of the Year, an award given to an exemplary business owner who generates a high sales volume and gives back to the franchise system.

Business Goals:

My goal is to continue to "make the world more beautiful one room at a time" at a comfortable pace with my wonderful past clients, referrals, and new clients whom I meet along the way.

Advice to those considering entering a career in design:

Access your skills. Are you an artist? Are you a sales person? Are you analytical? Know your strengths and weaknesses and let others assist you in growing your business. And above all, be persistent in reaching your goals.