Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Smit.
Hi Wendy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Born and raised in Southern California, my love for interior design began at an early age, following my mom — who worked for a well-known home builder — to model home tours and open houses.
There was something about the feeling that a well-curated home conveyed that I became passionate about recreating. It wasn’t until a few years ago when I stumbled on a fourth-grade report with a final sentence that read, “I want to be an interior designer,” did I realize just how far back my love for design went.
As we all know, the path to realizing our dreams is never a straight one. Flash forward a decade after that report was written and I ultimately pursued a degree in Business Marketing and Entrepreneurship. From there, I embarked on an exciting 15-year career in public relations and marketing with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies, and celebrity-backed venues in Las Vegas, to nonprofits and education.
As the years went on, I found myself gravitating to the parts of the job that allowed me to design — branding, website design and user experience, graphic design, event design, and styling photoshoots. When my family made the move to Nashville, and we began building our dream home, I knew it was time to officially pursue my passion for interior design.
Whether it’s a 1900’s renovation in Chicago or the endless possibilities offered by a new build, I’m honored that I get to help families turn their houses into beautiful, functional, and well-curated homes.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think I know one small-business owner that hasn’t faced a steep learning curve or had to pivot when they hit roadblocks. When you’re starting a company, you not only have to be good at delivering a product or service but also know how to actually manage and run a business if you want it to be successful. Typically, you’re either good at one or the other.
For me, I can design all day long, but learning how to run a business – from managing finances and legal contracts to creating a signature client process – was my biggest learning curve. That was probably what kept me from pursuing this dream of mine for so long – the fear of the unknown and where to even begin.
I tend to think I can do it all, but I knew that if I wanted to be successful, I needed to lean on the expertise of others when it came to those areas to make sure I was setting my business up for success.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in residential interior design with a focus on helping families create their dream homes.
My favorite part of the job is seeing potential in a space that others can’t and then bringing that vision to life. From washing the dishes to doing the laundry, my goal is to make everyday tasks more beautiful, functional, and enjoyable.
As a busy mom myself, I get what it’s like to have a lot of chaos happening in the house at one time, but if we can create functional spaces that serve your family better – like dedicated toy storage, a second office, somewhere to curl up and read a book or a beautiful laundry room – then I think you can breathe a little easier and enjoy your home more when the foundation of the design is done well.
Where we are in life is often partly because of others. Who/what else deserves credit for how your story turned out?
My family and friends have been my biggest advocates and really encouraged me to pursue interior design. I am my biggest critic and often questioned whether I should leave a 15-year career in marketing and communications a few years ago. Through their personal recommendations and allowing me to hone my design skills on several of their projects, the client load eventually became too much for me to juggle my office job and interior design.
I also would not have been able to make the jump if it weren’t for my husband. Between my full-time job and taking on clients on weekends and evenings, he literally did all the things – on top of his own job – to make sure I had the time to dedicate to building my business. My mom is also largely responsible for helping me get my business off the ground. Having worked for a major home builder for nearly two decades, and more recently owning a small business, she knew the financial and legal details that I needed to have in place to establish my business properly.
Lastly, I certainly would not be where I am today if it wasn’t for the community of fellow designers that I met at a conference last year. We will often bounce ideas off of each other, cheer each other on, share lessons learned, and we have even traveled to market together. When I started this business, I never dreamed that I’d have that sort of community in my corner.
I am forever grateful to these amazing people who have supported and pushed me to make my dream a reality. I never thought I’d be that person who was excited to get out of bed and go to work every day, but here I am — pinching myself because I get to do what I love!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wendysmitinteriors.com
- Instagram: @wendysmitinteriors
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WendySmitInteriors
Image Credits
Allison Elefante
