Photo Credit: Carli Wentworth Photography

Kristen Reyes is the owner of Sey Interiors. She is a Registered Interior Designer in the state of Texas with a decade of professional experience. With a focus on renovations and custom furnishings in residential and boutique commercial applications, she brings intentional and client-inspired designs to life. It is her passion to create beautiful spaces that also solve design dilemmas for her clients.  She resides in Richardson, Texas with her husband, Carl, and two fur kids, Aspen and Ben.

Can you tell our readers about your background?

My dad owned a construction business, my grandpa owned a construction business and looking back for generations, many of my relatives also had a career in design. I guess you could say my career was something I inherited as I never saw myself following any other path. After graduating from Miami University’s School of Architecture and Design with a BFA, I spent the early years of my career working for commercial architecture firms. It became increasingly clear that I loved the design, but not the corporate structure. After working in offices for six years, I started working for a small design firm where I felt my love for my career start to truly bloom. I honestly thought I would stay at that job forever, but suddenly that feeling of discontentment arose again, seemingly out of nowhere, and would not go away.

What inspired you to start your business?

It was a combination of several life events, but I think the pandemic was really what pushed me. Like a lot of people, Covid-19 caused me to consider what I wanted life to look like. I think it is very easy to let life “just happen” and never stop to think about what is personally important. It took a lot of introspection and conversations with my family and trusted friends. Then suddenly, I couldn’t resist starting Sey Interiors. It was as if a spark ignited and everything fell into place.

Where is your business based?

I am based in Richardson, Texas which is a suburb outside of Dallas. I also work with clients virtually.

How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?

It was important for me to lay the groundwork before I started telling people about my business. My husband is an accountant and helped me set up my LLC and financials. I purchased project management software that would help me keep future clients organized. When I had all of the back of house items in a good place, I told a few close friends before publically launching. Through their referrals, I received a few leads that turned into signed contracts. This helped smooth the transition between my previous job and entrepreneurship.  

What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?

Word of mouth does not sound very glamourous, but it is the best tool for building brand awareness, especially in a service-based industry. For me, this has included reaching out to local contractors to share about what I do and how I can make their jobs easier. Last fall, I also purchased a booth at a local Home and Garden Show to meet potential new clients. I also share my business via local Facebook groups, NextDoor, and really anywhere a potential client would be. Showing up and putting myself out there as much as I can have been rewarding, even though it is definitely exhausting too.

What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?

The interior design market is quite saturated. Building a presence online can be challenging, especially for a new design company. Marketing in the industry relies heavily on photographed evidence of a job well done. I am honestly still trying to overcome this one as completing construction projects during Covid with backorders and delays has been a major challenge. However, I have gotten creative, shared progress work, and even designed things just for fun so I have content to share consistently.

How do you stay focused?

This is another really tough aspect for me as I have ADHD. My focus can ebb and flow, so I have implemented skills to help me hone in. I have a physical planner that I write my to-do lists in, I work with a therapist, and I give myself the grace to work at my own speed.

How do you differentiate your business from the competition?

How I differentiate myself is really quite simple… I showcase what I create, how I help make a client’s life better, and my personality. Hiring an interior designer can kind of feel like dating. I might be the right fit for one client and not the right fit for another. This means that though there are other interior designers out there, none of them are doing exactly what I am doing in the way I do it. That gives me the confidence to know the right clients will find me.

What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?

Consistency is key. I post on Instagram regularly and though I haven’t grown quickly, I have grown consistently and gained great clients from it. In addition, putting my business out there by networking online, reaching out to contractors and realtors, and genuinely being unafraid to promote myself and what I am creating has led to building great relationships. Building brand awareness for local service is most successful when the recommendation comes from a trusted neighbor, partner, or friend. You never know where your next referral will come from.

What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?

Do not play the game of comparison. I think, as entrepreneurs, we have to have a level of competitive spirit within ourselves. It can be very challenging to stay in our own lane. Every entrepreneur is on their own journey of building their business and hitting setbacks that others don’t see. It is easier to give grace to ourselves when we are not constantly looking at who seems to be doing “better.” The only person to compare ourselves to is the person we were yesterday.

What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?

My favorite app would probably be Instagram… for better or for worse. I use it as a tool for connecting with other designers, industry professionals, and potential clients. It is also an ideal place to share what I do and look for inspiration.

Style by Emily Henderson is my favorite blog. I love the way Emily and her team write in a friendly and informative fashion. She also shares about interior design from an interior stylist’s perspective which is very opposite from the “form and function” side of the industry I come from in the commercial world.

My favorite book is Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller. He challenged my thinking in a lot of ways and was a big influence in my formative early adult years.

What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?

The “I have ADHD Podcast” by Kristen Carder has been an absolute game-changer for me. I was not diagnosed with ADHD until my 30s and spent most of my life being really hard on myself. Unknowingly, I was hard on myself for things that are mostly outside of my control. Listening to this podcast has helped me to learn about how my brain works in a way that makes sense.  I would highly recommend it to anyone else who deals with the effects of ADHD.

Who is your business role model? Why?

Michelle Lynne Pant is an interior designer and business coach. I started working with her in mid-2021 and she has been an incredible inspiration on how to handle the business side of design. There are so many other designers I admire as well… Leanne Ford, Joanna Gaines, Heidi Caillier, and Jean Stauffer, to name a few.

How do you balance work and life?

I love my job, so this is incredibly hard for me! The best way for me to gain balance is to force myself to take breaks. I distance myself from electronics by taking walks with my dog. I also sign up for classes that are unrelated to my business so I allow myself scheduled time to think about things that aren’t work-related.

What’s your favorite way to decompress?

Drinking a fancy coffee, spending time with my husband, and traveling somewhere new. And… online shopping.

What do you have planned for the next six months?

I will be celebrating one year in business in February, which feels like a really big milestone and I have come so far since I started out. I have tons of projects that will be wrapping up mid-year, so getting them photographed and updating my website will be huge. My husband and I are also planning to start renovating our own home soon, so my professional and personal life are about to collide!

How can our readers connect with you?

You can follow me on Instagram @sey_interiors or directly on my website: www.seyinteriors.com.