Designer Greg Socha of Chicago-based Gregory Socha Design selectively applied solid business practices from a disparate field to shape his success.
How has your background influenced the way you approach the design business?
Gregory Socha: I was a banker in New York prior to moving to Chicago in 2021. Most things I do get filtered through that lens. The most important thing about my design business is to constantly remember that it is, at its core, a business. A for-profit business. I also think it is really important to have the best attorney, accountant and insurance provider you can. Contracts, insurance policies and best practices need to be constantly updated.
What has been your biggest challenge in the design business – and how did you overcome it?
Gregory Socha: Luckily, since my design career and my design business were launched in November of 2024, I have not had a lot of major job-related challenges. My biggest challenge so far was to retire from my former career, and to pull the trigger and launch my firm. At this stage of my life (I’m 60 now), making such a major shift definitely came with a very unique set of challenges. But as a dear friend often says, “Jump in, Greg – the water’s warm!” So I did, it was, and I haven’t looked back!
What is the most important career lesson you’ve learned?
Gregory Socha: I think the most important lesson I have learned is that you never know where your next referral will come from or from who. It could be the person sitting next to you at a restaurant, a dear friend, a former client or colleague. That said, never leave home without your business cards (paper or electronic). And never be afraid to ask for the business. Basic stuff for sure, but you would be shocked at how many folks are afraid or forget to ask…myself included.
What advice would you give someone who’s looking to enter the design business?
Gregory Socha: Understand and embrace what you don’t know, and don’t be afraid to admit it. And most importantly, take the next steps to learn what it is that you are unfamiliar with so you can know for the next time. Find a mentor. So many people are willing to help if they are asked. If time is not your friend, find someone who is a professional with the issue at hand and hire them as a consultant.
In your own home, what is your favorite kitchen or bath feature – and why?
Gregory Socha: This is an easy one. There are many things I love about my kitchen, but my favorite is our pair of full-sized, extremely quiet, Bosch dishwashers. (We put a colorful, travel-focused magnet on the door of the one that is being filled – now it’s a bright pink version of Milan’s Duomo I picked up while attending Salone this year). Even though there are only two of us, I can’t imagine our kitchen without them. By far the biggest and best long-term bang for the buck.
