Time for a cold, hard, truth. I am going to spill the beans and put it all out there. Here we go...
This is why I re branded my website, my business, and changed my interior design formula.
Lets be real. Being a business owner is HARD, to say the least. I opened my design studio when I was still in design school and while I worked for a local interior designer, gaining my design experience. I wanted to get in on the (design) actions as soon as I'd get out of school, and I wanted to take over the design world! I couldn't wait to land my very own, big scale, massive budget design project.
The same room, before I worked my magic with it!
Truth be told, I am still waiting for the big one.
After I had left school, I knew I'd have to advertise my business so that people could actually find me! I probably tried every marketing avenue I could think of. I truly can't even list everything I tried because that would take too many words. And this blog is long enough! But bare with me!
I really did try this, and that, and the other also. Unfortunately, as hard as I have been trying to get my name out there all these years, I am still struggling with landing consistent jobs and clients.
Yet I am so very lucky that I have been able to work as a designer since I graduated. I completed quite a few big projects, and many smaller eDesign jobs. All these were great for me as I have learned a lot about the design business, and I also gained more experience as a designer. Over the years, I also invested time to bettering my craft, learning different design techniques, perfecting my technical skills, and learning how to be a great designer. I have come so, so far!
I am so in love with what I do, and to be quite honest, this is the only thing I excel at. This is the one thing that I am good at! It took me years to find my passion, and now that I have discovered, it I am nurturing it. I love design SO MUCH, that I will devote every waking minute to work on a design project. My fingers are itching for the next project. I crave design work. I hunger for creativity. When you love something as much as I love design, it takes precedence over everything. To me, design takes over my life. When I am working on a project, I can't sleep, shower, eat, or watch tv without thinking about HOW to IMPROVE on the design or how to solve the problem creatively. This is what drives me and makes me want to wake up in the morning.
I truly am passionate about design, and although sitting behind the computer and creating interiors virtually, sourcing furniture online, and drafting plans....to tell you the truth, my almost 40 year old body hurts! But it is all worth it to me. I will suffer with carpal tunnel, joint pain, back ache, headache, tiredness, just to get the project done. Because design work IS my priority. It IS my life.
So over these last few years while I have tried everything under the moon and the sun to make my business a success. I often changed my pricing, plans, and packages. I tried many different things, and tested out what works and what doesn't. Practice makes perfect, doesn't it?
Now, I am on a new business path. Clear, focused, and under control. This feels like I am finally on the right track. You have to kiss a lot of frogs (so to speak), before one turns into the prince. I feel like I kissed one too many toads. But nothing will slow me down.
I am not a quitter. I will keep on trying and working and figuring it all out. And today, I am going to share my new, exciting plans for my business. I am putting it all out there in the universe, and I am ready to take of. It is time.
So here is what changed: My original website, www.capasso-interiors.com was overwhelming and had too much information. I think the visitor was bombarded with too much stuff to read through. I needed to simplify my page. As well as my business. Maybe even delete a few things and create a brand new website....and so I did.
Since I love, love, LOVE eDesign, I wanted to focus my entire business around this service and devote all my time working and promoting this amazing, special, attainable, and accessible design service to anyone, anywhere.
Long story short: My main business, Capasso Interior Design, Inc. is still open and operating - but under the name Capasso + Co.
And oh boy, do I have plans for this venture. As I grow, I will be adding some amazing things to the service, so be sure to follow along with my progress. All this is still under wraps! Shhh!
Capasso + Co is a luxury eDesign company. I created this platform for two reasons.
I recently applied to work for a few large eDesign firms, and I was quite surprised at the low level of their service. The eDesigns produced were disappointing, dull, and felt like they were put together without much thought process. It was quite sad, actually. Their price point was inexpensive, but as the old saying goes - you get what you pay for.
Interior Design - whether in person like traditional service or online design service, is still a luxury service. This is something that is definitely NOT a necessity, like food, shelter, or water. But many people want to live in nice homes, designed professionally, so they can show them off, and feel good being in their home. The proof is in the success of so many design shows, design furniture stores, interior design magazines, and online design pages. Design is everywhere, and it is here to stay.
Out of these two main needs, I created my own page, Capasso + Co for clients who understand that interior design is a luxury service, and for those who are willing to pay just a little bit more to receive not only a beautiful design solution, but a product that is creative, to the point, addresses customer needs and budget, and is professionally designed, presented and delivered in a timely manner, and is worthy of a magazine spread.
So check it out. I am so excited! My redesigned page is now live, and ready to take on the design world. Do YOU want to hire me and receive a design that will knock your socks off? Lets get started!!
XOXO, a forever optimist, Sonja