When you think about your business, what are you grateful for? Amid the holiday shopping-and-feasting frenzy, Business of Home paused to ask six designers—Jen Talbot, Elizabeth Burch, Trish Lynn, Joe McGuier, Megan Prime and Emily Mangus—to share their moments of gratitude.
Carry On
“This year, we [faced some] of our most challenging situations, yet [it’s been our] biggest year of growth. We implemented more dialed-in internal systems for checks and balances in communications and daily operations. These changes have clarified definitions of responsibility, creating a more productive flow. I also hired a business coach who has helped shape these changes and set a clear path for growth in the future. I’m also so grateful for my team members’ tireless hard work to provide exceptional customer service—even in the midst of navigating challenging clients and our continued expansion to New York and Beverly Hills. We are blessed to have a client base that not only trusts us to take them seamlessly from inception to execution but also values our creative work.” —Jen Talbot, Jen Talbot Design, Chicago
Dream Space
“We’ve made some big changes this year: We were able to grow our team, which has given us the capacity to take on larger projects. We also moved into a new office space, which has given us room to be more creative in our designs, and for that I’m so grateful. The biggest reason for our growth this year is that our clients trust us with their homes. I am so thankful to everyone who has given us the chance to turn their design dreams into reality.” —Elizabeth Burch, Elizabeth Burch Interiors, Nashville
Investing in Happiness
“Over the past seven years, we’ve been very fortunate to grow rapidly and realized that we need to manage our growth and only take on projects that really align with who we are as a firm. We’ve spent a lot of time as a team over the last couple years analyzing our most successful projects and developing our internal values and long-term goals. This exercise was incredibly helpful and clarified who our ideal clients are and what types of projects we want to focus on. In 2022, we put these lessons into practice, and we’re really grateful for the results so far—all of our new clients are closely aligned with us on process, values and aesthetics. [Our] team of 15 people is seeing that we operate more efficiently, our teams are happier, and we’re creating some of our best work—and having tons of fun.” —Joe McGuier and Megan Prime, JAM, Brooklyn
Growing Steady
“We’ve had our best year yet, and to have grown every year since the start of this firm in 2015—despite the economic downturn—makes us feel beyond thankful. This would not be possible without our wonderful clients. They trust us. They come back to us. They are patient with long lead times. Because we have been so busy, this year we were able to accept only the projects we were passionate about. This stride has allowed us to design exactly as we want—without creative constraint.” —Emily Mangus, Emily Mangus Interiors, Roanoke, Virginia
Reflect & Recoup
“I’m feeling grateful for collaborative clients; our new brick-and-mortar shop, Collected Living Co.; and the most amazing team and trade partners. This week, we encourage our team members to unwind and recharge their batteries with their families and loved ones. This fuels our ability to return refreshed and ready to create.” —Trish Lynn, Colette Interiors, Chatham, New Jersey
Homepage image: In this Upper East Side apartment, Jen Talbot uses a neutral palette and sculptural furnishings to create an edgy gathering space | Courtesy of Jen Talbot Design
