“So what do we do? Anything. Something. So long as we just don’t sit there. If we screw it up, start over. Try something else. If we wait until we’ve satisfied all the uncertainties, it may be too late.” – Lee Iacocca
I love this quote because the simple fact is, as much as you try, you can never satisfy all of the uncertainties that come along with starting a home staging business – or any business. If you add a new product or service to your list of offerings, can you know for certain it will be successful? Not really. There are too many variables.
The important thing is to do your research, prepare yourself as well as you can and go for it.
Accept the fact that you may either be making a mistake that you can then learn from or you’ll be opening the doors to a tremendous amount of success. Either way, when you present it that way it doesn’t seem like such a big deal, does it?
I’d love for you to add your comments about how this relates to your home staging business, whether you are just starting out, or you’ve been at it for awhile!
I really liked this because I am such a perfectionist I would probably wait forever to get started because I want everything to be just right. It reminded me to just get going with my business now and not to wait!
One thing that is nice about starting a home staging business is you don’t have to mortgage the farm to do it. Yes, you have to pull the trigger and commit to a forward moving process, but it can be done (successfully) with baby steps. If you do your research, think before you act, and invest a pre-determined start-up budget wisely, the uncertainties won’t be keeping you up at night.
It may sound crazy but I made room in my business plan for MISTAKES. I feel mistakes are part of the process and an opportunity to learn. If I decided to close up shop tomorrow (which I’m not) I certainly wouldn’t consider it a failure. My staging business has enriched me as a person, and has taught me life lessons that I’ll be drawing from for the rest of my life. How can that be called failure.
Adrienne and I are two of a kind. I’ve been working on setting up my business for the last year. Analysis/Paralysis has been something I’ve been trying to eliminate from my life. The checklist has helped me immensely.
Thanks, Ginger! Its nice to know I am not alone!
Thanks everyone for sharing your comments, I hope others will still jump in too!
Adrienne, Ginger – I have to tell you I’m a total perfectionist so I know what you’re saying. I’m also a big researcher who likes to look into everything before I take action.
Both are procrastination tactics which will stand in the way of living your life’s purpose and having true satisfaction. I know this because I wasted 20 years of my life doing that!
There’s so much more I want to say about this, but you’ve inspired me to turn this into a new blog post instead! Read the next post and let me know what you think!
For me, PROCRASTINATION equates with details …
TMI: I keep discovering. Taking courses; ordering helpful products (like Ms Gould’s room list). I find new, exciting products, fabrics, color, tint, hue, fixtures – on & on. I spend endless days engrossed in staging – everything BUT the business of staging.
Meanwhile, I can’t get my business card together. [Eight months of “working on it”.] That card (I read) determines the stager I will be perceived to be. Do I place too much inportance on my card? Research states “The Business Card Represents You In Your Absence”. That’s my future – all on that little bitty card!
Does anyone else have “the card” problem?
The card problem is very common. I gave you some suggestions in my comment back to you where you first raised this question on another blog post.
Additional advice:
– Do the best card you can for right now.
– Print 100 copies or less.
– Know that 3 months from now, you’ll want to change it again!
Sherry, using “I can’t figure out my business card” as a way to stop you from starting your business is about as silly as saying, “I can’t get pregnant until I have a baby name picked out.”
You are stalling, get on with it — the business I mean, not the baby! 🙂
Debra,
Thank you for answering. How I wish I’d found your training programs first! I’m a devout follower of your site & the comments made by other stagers.
You’re absolutely right about stalling … I’m a natural at this, with excellent people skills. Actually, I’m absolutely remarkable!
About the business card. I appreciate your perspective, reminding me that I’ll want to change it in 3 months! Of course you’re right! (DUH!) For some reason, the card represents a fear of failure & commitment. I wish I had some extra $$$ for more of your products … right now I’m so broke, I can’t even pay attention! :>) Again, my thanks!
Sherry, I can totally understand first hand about financial restrictions. They happen to all of us at the worst/best of times. Debra is right though, “get on with it!” “Quote/unquote!!” And you are also right, you are a “natural at this, with excellent people skills!” “Quote/Unquote”
But just remember, it’s not an expense! It’s an investment. An investment in your future of running your own home staging business. Debra absolutely helps us with making our dream possible, but we have to make the first move.
Just keep thinking that chances are, you will have your first home staging job while you are doing the course and it will help pay for it. It’s a dream that is totally possible with Debra’s help.
I am still a student of Debra’s Staging Diva’s course and I absolutely love it. I love discovering so many different aspects that I never knew about. Like you, I love reading Debra’s blogs and all the comments. They give me inspiration to continue and to keep believing in my own ability. I KNOW I can do this. I too, like all of us have the natural talent of being able to do this job. And with Debra’s awesome course and help – it really is possible.
Stay focused and keep believing in your wonderful talent and ability. Get the best card you can and do it now. Stop stalling and get on with making your talent work for you. Invest in yourself – you are worth it. And apart from all that, I have to say that it is an absolutely awesome feeling to look back after you’ve done a home makeover and know that you did that AND you’re getting paid for it.
Just a little inspiration from someone who can totally understand the angle you’re coming from.
Good luck with everything – you can do it 🙂
Cheers,
Lorraine
Lorraine, I so appreciate your encouragement to Sherry and I also want to thank you for your feedback to the Staging Diva Home Staging courses. I’m very pleased that you are loving the program and learning lots. Don’t forget I love to write about my students. If you have news to share about your business, check out this link:
https://stagingdiva.com/homestagingbusiness/staging-success-stories/
Lorraine,
What a wonderful gift! Thank you for your encouragement & for promoting an “investment” in my own wasted talents.
DRUM ROLL: I ordered my cards, but only 100 [the least amount]. Debra wrote I’d [probably] want to change it within 6 months, & she knows what she’s talking about. Believe it or not, that one comment freed me of endless searching for “just the right” wording … Once I ordered them, I finally felt I AM a Home Staging business woman: It’s official. :>)
For years, I’ve staged a ton of homes. I’ve shopped with friends & family or real estate clients to update their homes, or I’ve rearranged rooms in ways they never thought of trying. As others, I received a weak “thank you” in lou of payment. My talent/time held no monetary value. I’ve accepted this behavior my whole life, but NO MORE. I’m empowered.
Now, if I can scrape up enough coin to purchase Debra’s finishing school courses, I’ll be unstoppable. It’s business – not personal. I’m “going to the mats” this time! [Thanks, Lorraine! Look what you two have created. :>)]
Hi Sherry,
WOOHOOOO!!! That is absolutely AWESOME! (Shouting with joy with you not at you!! lol). And, yes, you ARE a home stager now – you bet 🙂
I am SOOOO excited for you and I am so glad I could help. You have made my day and put a much needed smile on my face 🙂
Trust me when I say I know exactly your financial predicament because I have (and still are to a degree) in your shoes. Which is what makes me even more determined to work my butt off and make my talent work for me. We are both ‘investing in ourselves” with Debra’s help. I could not have done it without Debra’s course and her genuine help for us to achieve our goals. Debra made me realise that my dreams can come true – for that I am forever grateful – thank you Debra.
Apart from Debra, it’s people lke you that also give me encouragement. I love to see other people invest in themselves and their talents, and why shouldn’t you? You really are worth it – we all are. And you WILL do it.
I’m so excited for you that you’ve got your cards. You (and I) probably will change our cards within 6 months, however you’ve started. You’ve made that first change and that’s the best part. You may already know, but for cards and stationery items, try visiting vistaprint (www.vistaprint.com). They have some awesome deals and always have items for free (you only pay for the postage & handling). They have templates you can use, or you also have the option to create your own design and upload it. All the free special items still apply to uploaded images. You can also do matching sets, ie: you can match a letterhead with your business card, pens, sticky note pads, brochures, leaflets – you name it they’ve got it. I created my own business card, uploaded the image and then ordered from them.
To give you an example of cost, I bought 250 business cards (in this case this was the lowest), got 250 for free and only paid $35.00AUD (Australian Dollars). They always have free deals going so I then made up some A4 Letterhead with my business logo (10 sheets), got some calendars (10), magnets (10) with my business logo and envelopes to match my A4 Letterhead (10) all of which I only had to pay to have my logo uploaded (that was $3.95AUD). These were all bought on their free item deals. I only had to pay for the postage & handling and the upload of my image ($3.95AUD). All of this only cost me $20.00AUD. They have been terrific and they have so many ideas.
When you place your order they will send you an email confirmation of your order. Once they have posted your order, they will send you an email shipping confirmation with the estimated time of arrival for your item. If you don’t receive your package by the due date they have advised you of, they will replace your order for you free of charge. I had this happen to me with only one of my orders. I wrote vistaprint an email and asked if they could please track when I would receive my order. The very next morning I received an email advising me that I should’ve received my order by now and since it had not arrived by their given due date, they would replace my order free of charge. They also advised me that should my original order arrive, that I could keep it courtesy of vistaprint. Even though I will probably change my business cards, my initial cost has still be extremely affordable and I get to ‘experiment’ on how my logo will look on other stationery items (for the future).
Naturally postage and handling will vary on your location, but the deals they have are global deals. In fact I have seen that in the US and Canada the deals can be even better. I have received emails from them saying you can get 500 business cards for $1.99 (USD) + postage & handling. That’s a pretty good deal I think 🙂 As I am in Australia, I am not sure of all the details, but I am sure you would be able to check this out.
I do not represent vistaprint in any form or way, I just think that the service and the products they offer are of really good value – hence me telling you (and anyone else reading these posts) of them. They have been very affordable for me, and I am on a budget just like yourself.
I’ve just bought Course 4 of Debra’s Staging Diva Course (I started with Course 2) and I’m working my way through that. I have also invested in Chronicles Vol 1 & 2 which are jam-packed with absolutely fantastic articles and ideas that you can use on your website and in ‘advertising’ material. I have made up a binded booklet for Real Estate Agents (Realtors) using a couple of the articles Debra has written along with a leaflet I made up and my business card. I have given this to real estate agents when approaching them on why they should use a home staging specialist!! I am now getting some referrals from real estate agents which is such a boost for my business.
A very big CONGRATULATIONS to you Sherry. I really am so very happy that you have started. Keep it up and remember that we are always here to help.
Good luck with it all and I look forward to reading more of Debra’s posts and seeing your name there too 🙂
Sending you ‘homes staging hugs’ from Downunder,
Lorraine
Sherry and Lorraine, thank you so much for your comments. You have totally made my day!
Keep going, you’re both on the right track and it WILL all come together into the business and lifestyles you want if you stick with it.
Sadly most people give up on their dreams far too soon with no idea that success is waiting right around the next corner. When you put yourself out there, there is no telling what opportunities you’ll find. The crazy thing is just when you think nothing is working the phone rings and your whole outlook changes. I know this from the many highs and lows I’ve personally experienced running my own businesses since 1989.
Lorraine …
Down Under? I’m relieved – we won’t be competitive. :>)
Thanks for the vistaprint info. As you, I ordered PROFESSIONALLY PRINTED cards from Zazzle.com. [where did I read the wisdom of a professional impression, Debra?] I’ll check Vi$ta next time.
Congrats on your marketing. I think perhaps Debra has an outstanding student in you … You’ve successfully made YOUR career happen. I envy where YOU already are, Lorraine. BUT you bought another study course, so I’m probably jealous & will go pout over this. :>( It’ll be a while until I can purchase even one course.
BRIGHT IDEA: I’ll borrow the $$$ for both courses from my daughter. [Bless her, she’s actually managed to save enough spendable cash; she might loan her incredibly tallented mom some monetary sum IF I ask her nicely.] I’ll OF COURSE repay her with the numerous referrals I’ve received since staging my first large “turn-over” property: THE White House. :>)
You go woman! And I’m going, too! It’s possible Debra might not appreciate using her site like pre-teen pen pals…
Later,
S
Awww, thank YOU Debra 🙂 That piece of encouragement just made my day!
You’re very right (as you would be through your experience), just when you think things aren’t going your way or things aren’t going as quickly as you expected and wanted – the phone rings, or someone says they’re wanting to refurbish their house, or you see a house for sale and approach the agent and something happens – it goes your way!
I think the key is exactly what you say Debra, as long as you continue to put yourself out there, think positively and keep trying to discover ways of getting your name out there, stay focused and never give up – it’ll happen. And it’ll happen because you put your heart and soul, and a whole lot of hard work into keeping your dream alive, that it just has to happen 🙂
Whenever I need to give myself a boost and a reminder of my goals, I bring up all your blogs and read them and everyone’s comments. I absolutely love your replies. It gives me the encouragement I need and always reminds me that there are people out there, like yourself, that truly take an interest in helping others succeed. Thank you for sharing all your stories and your encouragement. It truly helps 🙂