In our most recent KBB From the Tap podcast, we talked with Alison Solar, owner of Solara Designs in New Hyde Park, N.Y., and founder of the Kitchen & Bathroom Design Academy. We discussed the importance of mentoring in our industry.
Solar shared with us some of the benefits design professionals can gain from having a mentor. It helps to have someone more experienced guide you along your way to help you avoid making mistakes. Even if you think you know everything, it always pays to ask for help. Experienced or new to the industry, there will always be the potential for you to make mistakes during project.
Solar offers a variety of coaching and mentoring services through her Kitchen & Bathroom Design Academy, and some of her clients’ requests include showing them how to best present their drawings, how to create accurate contracts and how to generate new business. She also started a Facebook group – Kitchen & Bathroom Designer Group – to provide answers to technical design questions and provide more education on the foundation of design.
There is no set time commitment to being mentored, but if you need guidance, make it a priority. Maybe it is several hours up front and then a weekly meeting. Mentors like Solar will often offer a variety of packages to work with your schedule and needs.
She suggests using social media to look for various mentoring and coaching services. Other designers often post about mentoring in industry groups, and you can ask questions there, too.
We wrapped up our discussion with the designer and coach telling us about some of the most interesting questions she has received from other designer pros over the years. Hint: How do I get paid?
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