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Every business has a story to tell.
LOCAL STORIES
August 19, 2023 at 9:50:01 PM
Stage & Style: The Dynamic Duo of Staging and Interior Styling
Creating Stunning Spaces That Inspire and Engage
Published on:
August 19, 2023 at 9:50:01 PM
Ignite Business Insider shares the stories of businesses that are making an impact in their local markets. We highlight their stories in order to inspire entrepreneurial growth and to let readers learn more about businesses across the world that are growing and scaling.
Featuring
Shauntelle Parham
Professional Home Stager & Interior Stylist
Infinite Possibilities Home Organizing & Staging LLC
Thank you for taking the time to sit with us and share your story. Can you share a little bit about you and your company?
I am the founder of Infinite Possibilities Home Organizing & Staging which is an award winning, Houston, TX based home staging company. We specialize in Vacant Home Staging, Decluttering & Home Organization, Redesign services, Short Term Rental Styling and Medical Office Styling. Our goal is to create beautiful interiors in addition to creating functional and practical spaces.
A question so many people are interested in, is how you got started. Can you share a little bit about what you were doing before this, and what that moment was like for you when you decided to start this new journey?
Previously, I worked in the medical field with my most recent position as a practice advisor for a hospital system. My main responsibility was assisting physicians with their quality measures. Although I enjoyed my job, I felt like something was missing. It wasn’t my true passion. Then, a realtor approached me and asked if I would be interested in staging homes. I realized that design had always been a strength of mine, and since I already had potential clients reaching out to me, I decided to give it a try. Starting my journey as a home stager was incredibly exciting because design is truly where my heart lies. Initially, I ran my business part time while working full time and I won’t deny that it was a bit challenging. However, even without marketing myself, I have received numerous recognitions and awards which is very empowering!
Let's take a little bit of a detour, and rewind the clock a little bit. What did you want to be as a kid? And how did that influence the person you are today?
Believe it or not, I actually wanted to be an interior designer! I would constantly rearrange things around the house and during my teenage years, I took on projects such as painting my own room, applying wallpaper, as well as sourcing new furniture and art. This is definitely a natural gift that plays a significant role in shaping who I am today. I believe this is the reason that I am confident in my work and have never felt “imposter syndrome”.
Have you fully let go of that childhood dream? And where do you see yourself going in the next ten years?
Absolutely not! This is exactly why I made the bold decision to start my own business. This has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember and I realized it was time to stop neglecting my true calling. Looking ahead, I envision scaling my business into a 7 figure enterprise within the next ten years. I also hope to collaborate with numerous upscale brands along the way.
Now, I have found that with successful people, there is always someone pivotal as either a mentor, parent, teacher, or someone that you look to for advise, that helped set you on this path. Could you share who that person was? And what impact that had on the person you are today?
While I didn’t have a formal mentor, I have received guidance by completing various training programs offered by Staging Studio as well as the Home Staging Resource. These programs have provided me with a wealth of knowledge on running a home staging business and I will continue to take additional courses in the future. Knowledge is the key to thriving in this industry so I will always continue my education to stay informed and up to date.
What was one take away that you learned from that person? And how did it translate into your business today?
Through my training, I’ve come to realize that running a successful staging business requires continuous learning and growth. Even though I had already started my business prior to the training, I recognized the importance of acquiring the necessary strategies to effectively manage and expand my business.
When we work with businesses, we focus a lot on their "Why?". What is your "Why"? What is the driver behind your company, and why you and your team wake up each day and give it your all?
My motivation revolves around family. I am driven to build generational wealth for my children, ensuring a secure future for them. In fact, I have taken the initiative to train my oldest son in design principles and business strategies, with the intention that he will eventually take over the business. He actually has a natural talent for design as well. Even at the young age of 3 years old (he is now 23), he would compliment on the design elements in various establishments and would even give his own insights on the architecture! This fuels my determination to create a lasting legacy for my family.
Let's dive deeper into your products and services. You already gave an overview, but how do your products or services help your customers? And what makes them different from your competitors?
At Infinite Possibilities, I aim to give a very customized approach. What makes this different from my competitors is that I take things a step further when planning a stage. I look at the architecture of the home and try to create a very customized design which will highlight the home's features. Now this is what quite a bit of stagers in fact do however, let me give you an example of what I mean. Once I completed a walkthrough of a home that although it wasn’t renovated, it was slightly updated and had features in certain rooms that wouldn’t appeal to most. I came up with a design to fix this problem however, the furniture that I envisioned for one of the spaces didn’t exist in any of the local stores. I didn’t want to change the design because I knew that what I envisioned was the best way to present this room so I took it upon myself to have the furniture built. The end result was beautiful! The home also received multiple offers on the first showing, sold over asking, and the buyer wanted to buy everything!
Let's unpack that even further. Let's pick one aspect of your business. What makes it so unique? And how does it change you or your customer's experience?
By focusing on the unique aspects of each property, I’ll create a staging design that tells the home’s story. In doing so, I’ll provide my clients with a truly exceptional and transformative staging experience.
Let's dive into your customer's journey a little bit. Can you share with us, how do your customers discover you and your brand? What are their next steps? And what is the experience you would like to see your customers go on, when working with you and your brand?
Most of my clients discover me on social media as well as networking events. When they are interested in working with me, they can schedule a discovery call with me to discuss the project. The next step is for me to view the property, take photos and measurements, then draft my proposal. Throughout this experience as well as the staging process, my clients can expect professionalism, reliability, and a commitment to excellence. I go above and beyond to ensure complete satisfaction.
Let's rave about your customers for a minute. Can you share a story about one of your clients or customers, that either touched your heart, or made an impact with you and your team?
Once I had a client who was going through a really rough patch in her life. I used what she already had available in the home and added decor, art, greenery, and rearranged her furniture in an effort to prepare her home for sale. At first sight, she loved it so much that she started crying. That was the first time I received this response and it has touched me entirely and I will never forget that moment.
Everyone likes an inside scoop. What detail or secret about either you, or your company, is something most people might not know?
What some may not know is, I am a single mother of two boys but I also occasionally foster and mentor children. The children that I have taken in are pre-teens and teens. These children have come from hard places and really needed a safe space. There are limited amounts of homes that are willing to take in teens which is all the more reason why I wanted to help them. However, being a foster parent is a really tough job. You have to parent these children differently because of their past experiences. Trauma does quite a bit of damage to the brain so it’s best to really connect with them and meet them where they are. A lot of people think that just showing them love is enough but it's not. Yes they need love but they also need support, structure, guidance, resources, and acknowledgement of their feelings. It takes time and a lot of hard work to help these children but the end result is rewarding. Outside of design, this has also been a passion of mine. Even as a child myself I would always say that I wanted to adopt a child when I grew up. And I will eventually!
Final thoughts. What feeling or benefits would you like your customers or clients to take away when working with you and your team?
I would like my clients to feel excitement when seeing the transformation of their home, confident that their home is being presented in the best possible way, and satisfaction in knowing that their home is beautifully styled to make a lasting impression.
Last question. How can people find out more about you and your company?
They can find out more information by visiting www.iphomestaging.com or by phone at 832-990-9877. I also have a toll free number which is 888-841-0593.
They can also follow me on social media on the following platforms:
www.instagram.com/iphomestaging
www.facebook.com/iphomestaging
Thank you so much for sitting with us and sharing your story.
You're very welcome!
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