On our most recent From the Tap podcast, we spoke to Nicole Roe of Lakeland, Fla.-based R. Nickson Interiors about how she creates successful projects in a small town and some of the challenges she must overcome.
Roe says reputation is everything and shared some of her tips for maintaining one’s status in a small town where everyone knows everything and everyone – and how would this differ from design professionals who live in larger cities. She says it is important to be mindful of how you communicate and your actions. In larger cities, the social circles are usually broader, and the pockets of potential clientele are smaller.
“With fewer clients and projects, there’s no room for mistakes,” said the designer. “Every project must be exceptional because word travels fast, and there are no second chances.
Roe also talked to use about how she builds relationships with tradespeople and vendors in a small town, which is similar to how you would do so in a larger city. But she says it is helpful to dig a little deeper – learn about their families and what they enjoy doing and ask them about those things when you see them out in public. Have a meaningful conversation and get to know who they are.
The designer also shared some of her solutions for being limited with local vendors and showrooms. Sometimes she does have to go outside the box and look to other locations and creative solutions for products and materials to achieve the best results, but she always starts local.
Roe and her firm try and leverage technology to help run a business in a small town. She has inner-office communication, as well as project QR codes for the trades and Slack for clients, as well as other communication methods with clients. Listen to the whole podcast to learn more.
To educate her clients on the concept of full-service interior design and its value, Roe leans on her construction background quite a bit. She says the hardest thing for them to understand is the furniture ordering and installation process. She has since opened her own warehouse to make the process easier and so that they can be delivered locally.
For more tips on achieving impactful and sophisticated designs in a small town, listen to the podcast on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Pandora and other outlets.
