“The best advice I could give someone who enters this business is you must have a passion for interior design and the highest goals to achieve your dream. I live by the quote, 'If it is to be, it is up to me.' This is a quote I heard a colleague use at my first conference, and I live by it every day.”
Tonie VanderHulst,
California
Meet Our Decorators
Cheryl Smith, DDCD
Chatham, New Jersey
Background:
"I received my B.S. from the College of St. Elizabeth, Convent Station, New Jersey. My major was home economics. Out of college I became a market manager for Allstate Insurance, managing a customer service department of 80 employees."
Personal Life:
"I am married and have two grown sons, TJ who is 24, and Mike who is 21. My hobbies include sewing and of course, working on my own home. I love to do wallpapering and painting. My husband and I love cruises and have been on five so far, including two weeks in Europe."
Reason for starting an interior decorating business:
"I enjoyed my job at Allstate. I really had no plans to leave, until they decided to consolidate and move my office out of state. Since I did not care to join their claims department, I opted for the layoff package. It was about that time that I saw an ad in a magazine for business opportunities with Decorating Den. My husband was a great supporter and thought owning my own business would be terrific. We were impressed by the start-up and support provided by the company."
What Cheryl likes best about running her Decorating Den Interiors franchise:
"The thing I like best about owning my own business is the freedom to run my business the way I would like to. I make sure I do things by the book, but I control my calendar, work when I want to, and do as much business as I need."
Most memorable moment:
"My most memorable moment happened this year at conference. I was on stage all by myself to receive my plaque for DDCD. I attended many classes, studied hard, and passed a very long exam. That has probably been the achievement I'm most proud of, along with my Positive Thinkers Award."
Business Goals:
"I will grow my business in the next year. I have been happy with my sales levels for the past two years, especially given the soft economy."
Advice to those considering entering a career in interior decorating:
"You need to wear three hats to own this business: the decorator hat, the salesperson hat, and the businessperson hat. If you can't wear all three hats, hire someone to wear one of them, but you need all three to succeed. You can be the most talented decorator, but if you can't sell the job, or you don't manage your accounts correctly, you'll be out of business."
