Hello and welcome to episode 18 of design, curious podcast.
I'm Rebecca Ward your host in Mentor.
Today, we have an interview with Bethany read of Atelier read,
and before we get into a little more about Bethenny, I wanted to
remind you only have a few days left before the prices go up in
my design Mentor right now, it's less than a dollar a day, but
that will be going up January 1st.
So I want you to get in there and then if you do before the
end of the here you'll have access to those 30-minute bonus
calls with me. So I really hope you take
advantage of that this week and I'd love to see you in my design
mentor and just be able to help you discover if interior design
is the career for you. All right, so now a little bit
about Bethenny. You'll love her story.
She is an interior designer but she's also.
Well, let me just read her bio for you.
Bethany read Peterson is an interior designer turned podcast
and messaging coach. She helps interior designers and
personal Brands find their voice to become more profitable lead
with confidence and cultivate greater meaning in their work.
Bethany launched her design and self-development podcast arrived
in 2019 initially to help her. Then Niche single men, find
their voice at home and in their relationships in 2020 shortly.
After the first pandemic locked down temporarily shuttered, the
interior design industry Bethany received multiple requests from
peers to help them launch their Their own podcast.
It was then that she realized a narrative more closely aligned
with her own story needed to feature in her podcast and
coaching. She is the creator of find your
voice, an online course and membership Community to help
creatives. ReDiscover their, why find their
voice and launch their podcast in eight short weeks, Bethany's
own voice and work have been featured in The Guardian
wallpaper architectural digest. The course method online course,
talks.com a well-designed business will and night Sarah.
I am CEO. Sub kit and Minnesota, AM 950
radio her podcast. Arrived and arrive.
Daily have been streamed in 25 countries.
So let's hear from Bethany all about her story which is really
fascinating. So let's get into it.
You're now listening to design, curious a place where you
creative one are here to learn about what it really is.
Like, to be an interior designer and I'm your host and Mentor
Rebecca, Ward, if you're worried about how to succeed in a
creative career, if you're ready to learn your next steps to
become an Interior Designer. And if you want the satisfaction
of doing something you love every day, you are in the right
place. Grab a coffee, a notebook.
And And let's dig into today's episode.
I Bethany welcome to design curious podcast.
Thanks for being here. Thank you for having me on the
show Rebecca it's so good to see your face afternoon along.
I know no one's on video right now other than you and me boss.
If you've not seen Rebecca's beautiful face, of course we
have. But so lovely to see you.
Thank you for having me on the show.
Thanks Bethany. And honestly I have to tell
everyone this podcast wouldn't be here without you because of
your Eight course you have on podcast but we'll get into that
later. So first of all we met because
you're an interior designer I am and so let's talk about that.
How did you get started in interior design?
And did you always want to be a designer?
Yeah, so I'll do the CliffsNotes version on this because my my
story and hopefully this will resonate with your listeners
because I think a lot of your listeners are, maybe thinking
about going to design school or maybe there.
Switching into a second career. I had a very conventional but
also, an unconventional route into interior design initially
started in fashion design. When I was going to school at
the University of San Francisco. And then there was a, there was
a cross collaboration with think, at that time, I think
they've now rebranded but it was called California College of the
Arts or was like CC ad anyway. They had a fashion program and I
was also at USF and so I initially thought I was gonna be
doing fashion. But then, Realize that I'm going
to because like you and like so many of your listeners, I'm
quite sure. I was also that person that as
the child I would read a rearrange my room and I would
paint the walls all the time. You know how much my parents
should grin and, you know, I would just like I always had
this design bug in me and so I think the interior design bug
one out over the fashion design bug.
But that said, I actually quit design school.
Not once but twice. Oh wow.
So yeah, I know, right? So I didn't actually finish up a
bachelor's in interior design. I actually wound up getting my
Bachelor's in NYU for gender, studies, and film studies.
So like not entirely not created by any means, but just not, you
know, Hands-On design as it were when I had finished that
program, I still missed interior design and, you know, loved what
I was studying prior, but I was like, oh man, maybe I should go
back into interior design. So I enrolled at Pratt Institute
in. Brooklyn in there, it was called
interior design. It was, it was a masters.
In interior design, but I think a really, the program should
have been called Masters in interior architecture, which to
someone who's you. And I know the huge differences
of that but to someone who's, you know, not as informed on
that interior architecture as a very, very different thing than
let's say, for example, like what you might see on HDTV where
someone is not necessarily like knocking out walls or whatever,
they're doing more like the decoration and design in the
industry. You know, we call it ff&e
standing for finishes fixtures and equipment.
Dora Furnishings fixtures, fixtures and equipment.
That whole aspect of interior design was what was appealing to
me and the Prat program was rigorous and amazing and all the
professor's were exceptional but it just wasn't for me.
Yeah, but I didn't give up at that point.
Yet interior design and my education within it.
I actually then transferred to the Parsons School of Design in
Manhattan which was a post-baccalaureate, associate's
degree two years. Associate's degree in Interior
design. So it was for people who had
already had a bachelor's, but didn't want to do a master's in
interior design, did a semester there loved it, but just was
like, you know, I think I want to go back to school and do a
master's in art history. Like I just don't know if I want
the hands on. I think I love the theoretical
with InDesign. Hmm.
But I don't know if I love the Hands-On.
So went off to the University of Edinburgh, in Scotland, did a
master's in art history and then move down to London and quelle
surprise. He's then wound up working for
an interior design, studio called Studio read.
So that's really, I would say how I got my start in interior
design, or what I should say to is actually, did an internship
at David Collins Studio, which is another high-end residential,
and Hospitality studio in London.
So those two places are where we really, where I cut my teeth.
Yeah, so I actually never finished a design degree.
So I think no, first thing I would say is like anyone who's
like, I have to go to design school or How am I going to go
to design school? I can't afford it but I really
want to be an interior designer. You absolutely do not need to
have a degree. I would say that, you know,
having I did two internships at both places which is then how I
wound up getting my first role at Studio read as a junior
designer. So I did like a three month and
it was unpaid and I would never say to someone do an unpaid role
and I don't think you can offer unpaid roles anymore but like
back in the day you could so I started as a junior designer and
I was I was working on this really large estate.
Out in the Surrey Hills and I was very fortunate in the
respect that I didn't have to do any CAD drawings.
I didn't have to do a lot of the technical.
I have like a lot of that technical knowledge that you
would have learned. Had you completed, your design
degree. That said I would never.
Also say you don't need drawing skills.
You absolutely need drawing skills.
I just really lucked into a studio that was 40 strong and
was very not assembly line, but they had a whole team.
That Justin CAD drawings, right? And a whole team that just stood
the ffunny like I was mentioning and I was that's aside that I
was on. So thankfully I got to use some
of the more historical knowledge that I had acquired from the
Master's in art history as well as the previous design knowledge
that I had acquired through previous design, education and
then combine those two into a roll.
And so I that's really where I think my experience and my true
education came from was just diving in and working at a
design studio and being really humble and asking questions and
holding my hand up and saying, like, I don't know what you're
talking about, like, what does that mean?
And then just trusting that people will take pity on you and
say, oh, this term means this or, you know, when you go pick
up Fabrics at the studio, this is who you have to ask for it.
This is what you have to, you know, no in order to act to do
X, Y, and Z. So that's how I got my I would
say my start and interior design and then really the knowledge
that I did acquire over the years.
I wound up working for Studio, read for a couple of years.
Before I had my Visa was running out and it was it was still like
recession. It was like in 2010 to 2012 and
so you know the studio was just not in a position to be able to
to take a to take like you know people who had to like get a
visa to do. That kind of thing was it was a
whole Mass kind of like with these are situations which is a
whole other story. Yeah but it was an amazing
education and I learned from some of the very best in the
industry and I wouldn't trade it.
It for the world and it was also grueling on a level that I was
like Devils Wears Prada. So know that you know what a
different point but it was wonderful.
Yeah, that's how I got my start right.
Like was a very roundabout stop-start, think I'm going to
get out of it. No way.
I want to get back into it, maybe I should just test the
waters in real life and see how I like it.
Yeah, you kept Landing there even though you try to go up
like art, history, major all that, but it's just, you kept
coming back to it, huh? I did.
And the thing is too, is that All of these things that I did
study were so applicable. Like, even the gender studies
and film studies. So even though I was working on
more on the theoretical versus like filmmaking, you know, all
of these things that you learn can be applied because design is
such an all-encompassing industry, we have to be
psychologists to our clients. Sometimes we have to have a
technical skill set, we have to know how to read a situation and
know how to read a room. I mean, all of these things that
you learn no matter what field you're coming from, maybe you're
a CPA right now. You want to transition into
something that's more creative. Well, you have to have that
skill set as well if you want to become an Interior Designer.
So, you know, any where you're coming from, you know?
I would say if you're thinking about getting into interior
design, like don't ever worry that you haven't had the right
background. Yeah, cuz all of life
experiences will come into play as you're doing your design
because even for me, you know, I always went through a very
traditional went through a design, I didn't really work in
any other Industries, but My own life experiences now are coming
into play being a mother and owning a house.
And all those things I am experiencing what my clients are
going through and they love that.
I can relate to that as well. Absolutely.
And I think that's something
that's so important and you actually you know I was playing
on kind of talking about this a little bit later but you know
you brought it up now and I think one aspect of being a
great designer is really knowing your client and Dissipating
their needs and because I suppose you work with a lot of
clients that our parents are our mothers.
And now that you are a mother yourself, you can read that
client in a way that I'm not a mother like I couldn't, I
wouldn't be able to anticipate their needs in a way that you
can because you have that Real World Knowledge.
Hmm. Yeah.
So what experiences? Then played into the direction
that you went with your career that you?
So you ended up starting your own company, right?
So how did you transition to that?
Yeah. So, After I left Studio, read in
London, I went on and did an MBA in architectural management,
which is the weirdest thing, right?
So here's the person who doesn't even have a design degree but I
somehow got an MBA in architectural management and
advanced design principles, which was crazy.
Like I'd still don't know how I have that degree but somehow I
have it right. And I would say though actually
because that was so business-focused.
So Business Heavy was it was a lot of Of what a traditional MBA
would be, but it was tailored for those in the design industry
including Architects. And so, yeah, I know it's kind
of crazy. I still look back at a lot of
things that I was taught in that program.
And, you know, I'm using it today and what I'm doing now is
a podcast coach, even though has nothing to do with interior
design per se, after that I wound up, moving back to the
United States. Again, the old Visa issues was,
you know, I love the UK, but the UK just does not always love me.
But so I want to move back to the United States shortly after
that, maybe about a year after I concluded that program and wound
up working for two different designs studios here in
Minneapolis, where I'm now located again, learned so much
about, you know, much more boots to the ground.
I think on how to run a business because these were much smaller
firms. They were two to three person
Studios versus, you know, like I'd said prior to working at a
40 strong studio. So I had a much greater
knowledge Of what it meant to run a day-to-day business in
interiors. And I got to this point where I
thought, you know, I think I was like 30 maybe 33 at that point
and I just got to this point. I was like, you know, I really
want to, I want to try this on to entrepreneurship saying and I
had done a foray into that when I was living in London, doing
the MBA and something different, not an interior design,
ironically or not. But you know, let's try this.
But I think I want to do this a little bit differently than what
I have been. What my experience with other
Studios has been. And so I got into Consulting
work for a single men, as a matter of fact, because one
thing I should probably have rewound on is when I was, when I
was still at Studio, read in London, in my late 20s, I would
Moonlight as a designer and I want up working with a lot of
single, man, at the time. So, my neighbor was a single
guy, who's, like, looking for love.
And, you know, then he had a couple friends who were like,
oh, I need to find my place done.
So I kind it, I didn't. We do like bachelor pad design,
so to speak. But I was helping these guys,
when I was living in London, and also working at at read.
So, when it came to running my own Studio, I thought, well, you
know what was I doing before? What did I really like doing?
I liked having this component of I guess coaching, as well as
Consulting. So I started my studio at tell
you read for single men who were at a life transition, so maybe
they had a divorce or maybe they were looking for that life
partner, whoever it might be I really enjoyed doing that and
working with them. But at this point in my life,
unlike when I was, you know, sort of 27, 30 and single and in
London myself, right? Let again talking about
anticipating your client's needs being in that space.
I was now living in Minneapolis. I was married and suddenly
trying to help guys by Zoom right on these design consults
that maybe lived in a totally different country, and I found
it much more difficult to anticipate their needs.
I felt like I was doing a lot of research to try to like, get
into their head space, okay. Whereas prior you were already
in because you are single, like they were when you were
initially doing it. So, you kind of had that
headspace. I think you're, you know,
approaching things the same way that they were at a similar
place in life as they were. So is easier to get into their
head. Absolutely.
Yeah. Right, this is like dating me
but when I, when I got married, I don't even think, like, Bumble
wasn't like, I didn't know. Bumble was like, I don't think
it was around. Yeah.
When I you know, I mean so it's like there were so many things
that like I'd never been on Tinder.
Like I had, there were so many things that like I didn't know,
because I hadn't had to like worry about what it felt like to
go on a first date in a really long time.
Yeah. So whilst I was still doing
this, I actually did what you're doing now is I started a podcast
to reach out to listeners out there single men.
Specifically who Might not know who I was but you know, to help
not only, you know, of course, to market the business but
really to help people out there who may be.
Let's say they had no idea where to begin on their own space or
they hadn't even thought about it because let's face it, like
men are not taught in the same way that women are taught to
think about nurturing their space and their environment.
So I started this podcast called arrived for these guys because
it was all about helping men feel like they've arrived at
home. And in their relationships, I
love the podcast. I had a great time doing that,
but again, it felt like man every episode.
Like, what am I going to talk about?
Now, I have to read another article in GQ to like figure
this out. So when the pandemic hit, and
the whole industry was temporarily shuttered.
Because of course, no one was letting anyone into their
home's, you know, the whole industry just shut down.
I actually want to having a couple of peers, reach out to me
to say, hey, you know what? I think.
I need to Pivot a little bit in my mouth.
Marketing, because everything is topsy-turvy right now.
Could you help me start my podcast for my design business?
I really like what you're doing. Yeah.
And at first I was like well I just cobbled this whole thing
together like via YouTube videos and you know like product demos
that I had seen, right? Like I had no idea what I was
doing with podcasting or so I thought, but I also wanted to
help my friends out who had reached out to me and these
other people that I had known who have reached out.
And so I was like, okay, well let's give it a shot, right?
Like if knife my thought was if it's the Experience at these
people ever had, then I'll just give them their money back and
no harm. No foul.
And it'll be a learning experience for us both.
Yeah. But it just, it snowballed in a
way and I wound up. Yeah, actually transitioning,
completely away from interior design.
Now, into podcast coaching, mostly for interior designers
010. Should be married women like in
their 40s like me now. So, isn't that?
So there you go. So I'm probably full circle.
Yeah. Oh yeah, that's so interesting.
I missed you. I've heard it said where you are
actually your own client type of think that it's true because,
you know, so much about yourself what your own needs are that you
can really understand the people that you're trying to help if
they are in a similar demographic, really interesting?
So okay, so you moved away from so you just not taking design
jobs, or did you completely shutter the studio?
Or I decided that I was having too much fun Consulting with my
podcast, students, okay. So then want to go back into
interior design, okay, even on a consultative basis.
So I was actually having a lot of fun on a consultative basis,
and that's something I should mention too.
Is I think when we think of interior design, a lot of times
what we do think of is the traditional Design Studio space.
Yeah. Kind of like the service that I
was talking about full service design concept to completion.
But there's so many different ways to get.
Into design including consultation where you're taking
your client and you know, you're not actually performing the work
for them and full service design.
You're actually showing them how to do it.
I think that was a good first step into me then becoming
podcast coach as well because I love the Consulting process.
But I just got to this point where I realized that, even
though I still continue to miss interior design on some levels,
right? Like, when I walk into a
restaurant and I, and it's just, like, beautifully-designed is
always a part of me. That's like, I bet it was so fun
to design this and then there's another part of me that's like,
no, I know the reality of what it took and The graft and the
work and the long nights and the Blood Sweat and Tears that went
into designing the space. And there's that part of me
that's like saying I don't miss that, like, I don't miss the
headache of that, and I don't want to sound like a downer on
the industry at all, because it's amazing.
It's magic. Like, what we get to do as
designers, it's Alchemy, but I also realized that, for me, it
also came down to I wanted to be able to help people on a scale
that I didn't feel like I could help them on which is just my in
my own head space, right? So I was like, well, I could
help one client with their home but if I can work with another
client, like such as yourself, Rebecca where now you have a
podcast and now you get to spread your message to so many
listeners out there. So when I look at that person
and I'm like that's what's really exciting to me now?
Because I feel like I could do something at such a greater
scale. Yeah, you could say that.
Same thing though about interior design.
So it's it's all about how you choose to look at it.
Hmm I just got to this point where I was like man I'm having
too much fun with this podcast stuff to go back into.
Yeah sign. Well yeah and you needed I mean
ultimately you need to be doing what lights you up every day
when you get up in the morning you're like yes it's Monday
morning and I'm excited to get to work because I love what I'm
doing. Now granted not every single
weeks going to feel that way, but if majority of the time you
do feel that way. Then, you know, you're doing the
right thing. And so, yeah, it's going to talk
about this later but like you seem to be the queen of pivoting
and transitioning from one thing in your life to the next.
What's your mindset around that as you were approaching all of
these pivots in your life? If someone else finds themselves
in a similar situation, do you have a recommendation for them
to have the right mindset around that?
Yeah, I think really, it just comes down to, I think the
second we tell ourselves, we To start over, or I might be
starting from scratch, right? So, let's go back to that at
that example of the the CPA, the accountant.
Right? Mm-hmm.
That person. Might think.
Well, I have no creative skill set or I'd have to start.
I'd have to start over. Right?
Well, if you want to start your own Studio or if you even want
to work in a studio, having that knowledge is only going to help
you. And further you, you know, you
might have studied romance languages before or you know,
I've no it maybe you were working as a translator.
ER, for diplomats or whatever. Whatever might be your I've
heard of a really obscure examples here.
Actually have a friend who's a translator that does just that,
but it's like everything that you have done to this day.
You can bring into the field of interior design because like we
were saying it is. So all-encompassing it is about
at the end of the day I think relationships just as much as
it's about that final product, it's about relationships with
your suppliers, your tradespeople, the client, These
different things. So I think the biggest thing I
would say is, yeah, I mean, if you're going to make a pivot,
just really own it and just remember that you can take
anything that you have had that you've learned in the past and
use that as an asset, not a liability.
And like it actually is a matter of fact that guide those are the
kind of things that I would be talking about, like, in a
covering letter, for example. So if you're applying to a
studio, you have a completely different skill set, right?
Yeah. You want to go through and say,
like well, in my previous role, I did this and this is how I can
translate. Late it into this role.
So really like joining the dots. Yeah.
For a hiring manager. Let's say or an HR professional.
I'm getting a bit like granular on it now, but it's just, I
think really about thinking, hey, I've got this, I've got
this knowledge, whatever it is, even if it's not in design and I
can translate this into something else and I can pivot
and I can do it beautifully. So good, that's really great
advice, I love that. Okay, so the podcast that you're
doing now, you're actually still in the design world.
Because you're working with interior designers so does that?
I think that's interesting that you're you're still Landing in
interior design, you know. Now you're podcasting so right?
Yeah. So, is that scratching that itch
for you as like your Baseline of wanting to be a designer?
Yeah, you know it's funny because I was thinking about
like, one of the things that I would also say to listeners to,
it's like, find out why it is you like, what is it that you
love about interior design. But before you go ahead, Along
into it and figure out, you know, and assume like is this
the career for me? Can you get the itch, scratched
by, you know, just going out and having a lovely dinner at
amazingly designed restaurant or going to a boutique hotel that
you really love. Like do you feel like that's
what you is? It that you just want to enjoy
beautiful design and Bea around it, and be encompassed by it?
Maybe it's about maybe just want to have, like, a beautiful home
and that's where it goes, I guess for me.
Yeah, I feel like I get to work with interior designers and
Round that world and I get the best of it without having to do
all the things that I personally did not love doing which.
I know some designers out there. Like, I love doing this.
I love like, I love doing the drawing, all right.
I love, you know, being on site to handle X, Y and Z, I love
installations and I was all the things that I was like, oh God,
installed a doing the drawings, like, all that kind of stuff,
right? So I feel like I get the best of
both worlds. And then one thing to that, I
really love is that because As I do still work with interior
designers and I know the mindset of interior designers because I
am / W 1. I know that there are common
themes. Right so we tend to be not
always type A but we tend to be highly fastidious complete
perfectionist so all that stuff like I don't want to do
something unless it's going to be perfect.
I don't want to put myself out there unless it's going to be
amazing, right? Like we tend to be so tightly
wound when it comes to our performance and the work that
we're putting out the world and one of the That I love doing
with my clients AKA and her designers is to say, hey you can
put yourself out there. You can put your voice out there
and not worry about it being portfolio, perfect, right?
Like, it doesn't have to be super polished.
You can be very authentic. I think in the design industry
for a long time, and I think we're coming around to this now.
Especially, but in a way that I feel like for so long in the
design industry, there was a formula.
You had to look a certain way. You had to dress a certain way.
You had to act a certain way. If it felt inauthentic at all
and I think that's like a whole other thing for me to is it
always there was the part of me that always felt like it was an
authentic. Now I get to work with clients
and help them feel more authentic in their design craft.
So that's another way that I get to kind of.
Yeah. Like feel like I get to simmer
in the pot of interior design, without being stuck in it
anymore, right? Yeah.
Because you get to help these designers work on their personal
brand as well, and I think from approaching it as like a
personal brand with you. Of you've been able to keep
basically the name of your company but you have all these
other things that you're doing now and it's still under because
you're the face of the company or the brand.
Can you speak a little more about personal branding?
Yeah, absolutely that's such a good question.
When it comes to interior design and you know, a lot of different
Industries, we don't have to worry so much about personal
brand, you know? If you're going to even if
you're not planning on starting, Writing your own Studio.
Even if you're thinking like, whoa, I don't want to start my
own Studio. I just want to work for a studio
right now and see how it goes. And work myself up in the ranks.
Developing a personal brand for yourself, being known for
something. Even if it's an employee, like
you be that employee. That is known for X y&z in your
performance, right? And if you're setting up your
own Studio, I mean, yeah. I mean there's a reason that you
could because you call your own Studio Rebecca Ward design,
right? So you have your own name in
It's a representation of your personal brand, not just your
style, and your aesthetic. But what it is that you
represent your philosophy, your goals for your clients.
It's how they resonate with you, when they're choosing between so
many designers out there. So being known for something,
having a niche is really important because whether or not
we think about it especially now with this work from home
transition, And just like not being on site in office anymore,
even if you're in a role that's, I'm sorry, even if you're an
employee, like we have to really think about like what am I known
for, what do I want to be known for?
Like how do I want to stand apart from the crowd and put my
stamp on something and have that Niche?
That no one else has or maybe I do a sub niche of something,
right? So like maybe you love
environmental design. Well, it's no longer enough now
to just say, like, oh, we do sustainable design, but, you
know, maybe you can say, Hey, I'm the only designer, and I
don't know, Kansas City that does sustainable mid-century
modern design for example, right?
And that's your personal brand. It's part of your ethos.
So, that's where I would say, again, something, I think that
interior designers, at least, you know, maybe when we were
going to school and when we first started out, it was very
much about. Like, how do we fit in?
How do we do design for everybody?
Like if someone wants mid-century, Modern will do
that. But if someone wants really you
know, Tuscan traditional will do that too.
And I think the industry is moving now into personal brand
into aspects of like what do you want to be known for?
What is your design Niche? Both with the aesthetic as well
as your personal philosophy. Yeah. 100% because I myself,
when I started 15 years ago did not think about what my own
values, my own core values for my company were even though they
say that you should do that, but Like that's the work.
I've been doing the last few years is figuring out like who
am I? What do I want my company to
represent? And how do we work with our
clients and what kind of clients do we want to work with and all
those things? Where as first starting out is
lot more. Like how to be corporate almost
like how to be this business and do all things for all people and
just make the money but not having the authenticity behind
it, which is now the work that we're all doing.
I think it's an interesting shift that I also.
Also have been noticing the last few years.
Absolutely. Yeah.
Just being brave to say like, this is what, this is, the kind
of design. I love.
This is what I stand for and that's what and then trusting
that you're going to then attract that type of clientele
that wants that in turn. And that's another thing that I
think a lot of people don't realize is that when you, you
know, put your flag in the ground as it were, you wind up,
attracting a type of clientele that really does understand you
and wants to work. With you and then you're not,
you don't have to worry so much about like, oh, what are they
going to choose me? You know, are they, you know, do
I do? They want to work with me and
then client relationships? Why not being so much better to?
I think, because you've already done that hard work on a level
on a level of vetting, your clients and vice versa.
So, by the time you then signed that contract with that client,
you know, you already have that working relationship before the
working relationship is. He has even begun.
Make sense. Yeah, really good.
So much. Good advice.
Is there anything else that you have for anyone considering a
career in interior design is they're starting out?
You know, one thing I would say is just because I decided that
interior design was not for me at the end of the day, does not
mean that I don't think that it's like it.
So, I mean, it's such a wonderful worthy career and so
if you are at all thinking about it just, you know, maybe there's
a couple different routes like maybe just to try right.
Maybe try to go get an Ship somewhere at a design studio.
See what kind of real world experience you get, maybe go to
a local community college and take a course in drawing.
See how that sits with you. I think sometimes we think that
we have to jump headfirst into something.
Hmm. And me know, maybe that was one
of the not I'm not going to say mistakes because everything I
think is a learning experience but if I look back at myself and
and how, you know, I would jump into the career than out of it
and then jump back in and then maybe you know I Would have been
better served with doing something like that likes.
First starting out with a design internship.
If someone would have given me one, and someone will always
give you a chance, there's always something that's going to
believe in you and give you a chance.
So, don't think for a second I have no experience.
I would never get an internship. But yeah, just sort of dip your
toes rather than necessarily thinking.
I have to save up all this money or have to get a scholarship to
do this design degree before you really even know if it's for
you. That's something I would say is
just yeah, get your feet wet. Dip your toe, in the water.
And yeah, I mean, look, I love to watch HGTV as much as the
next guy, but it's not going to be like that every day.
Like anyone who's like, oh, I love to watch these shows and so
I think I want to be a designer. Like just know that that's like,
10% of it. Yeah, 90% is like the stuff that
you don't see on television, and a lot of its paperwork, you're
going to be doing that no matter what you do.
Yeah. A lot of it is sitting at your
desk doing the drawings or Doing all the spreadsheets and
whatever it is, but you're not just running from job site to
job site every day and fluffing pillows.
So, right, right. Well, I love it, too, because
there is obviously, you know, it would depend upon how your, you
know what your work style is and know I used to love like, you
know, getting to meet with clients and stuff.
But yeah. It's like it's just yeah.
They like the client shopping days are not.
That's not your hundred-percent reality.
No. So it is.
It is Yeah, there's just a small aspect.
We get to be a personal shopper and that's, that's fun.
But you got to love all the other things too, in order to
have it as your career. And so that's, that's really
good advice to like, kind of get your feet wet and just see if
that lights you up, and if you should move forward with it,
really good advice, okay? So before we go, I want to talk
a little more about first of all, your courses that I took,
which is great for anyone who wants to have a podcast.
So you can explain a little bit to our us what that was about?
Absolutely. Yes, I haven't an eight-week
concept of completion 02 launched.
A course called find your voice. It will literally take you from
knowing zero about a podcast because we all start out knowing
nothing about a topic, right? And I was no different.
It takes you from that on week, one to actually having your
podcast launched by day, 2 of week eight, and It's All Digital
itself study. You just work as you go.
If let's say you're a designer already and you're you're
listening to this, like you don't have to drop everything,
you know, you don't have to be a designer and but if you're
already working full-time and you can't just take the time out
to start your pod, you may absolutely work at your own
pace. And in fact, I encourage it.
The course is really about finding your voice in the
respect of, not just the technical aspect of launching a
podcast, but really finding out what your why is and why it is
that you want to show up what It is your message is who you want
to reach what that Niche is. But in terms of instead of
thinking about design aesthetic thinking about your niche, in
terms of that brand message and and who it is that you are
helping. So it's a really holistic
course. I'd like to call it a coaching
course as well, because there's so many podcast courses out
there now. And a lot of them are just
mostly about the technical. And I really like students, or I
want students to come away feeling really confident, not
just about how to record a show. But what our messages to, their
listeners, how they're contributing and how they are
impacting their listeners out there.
So, yeah, it's a fun eight weeks.
It is sure. Yeah.
And I really loved, I think. My favorite part was those
intensive days that we did together we had some time and
you just kind of asked me all kinds of questions about myself
and what my audience was thinking and we just really dug
deep into it and that Laid, such a foundation for me and you just
really excelled at that, like you were able to take all the
words I was saying and distill it down and be like, okay, this
is what you need to do with this.
And this is what I'm seeing you say.
And all that is just it was just great for me.
I really think that you gave like three hundred percent to
this course as well, because as overly impressed with the amount
of content, like the videos are endless and there's just so much
great stuff in there. So is a wonderful course.
Not to be an advertisement for but, you know, having
experienced it myself, I would definitely recommend it.
And so then besides that, you also have your podcast and then
you have the new one. So you have arrived and then
arrive daily. But yeah, he launched it did
arrive daily just recently launched so that's actually week
Daily Show. So I arrived the first podcast
is it's a seasonal show and that's It's a bit more long
format. Lots of interviews with guests
cetera, but arrive daily is really about speaking to someone
who wants to start a podcast for their business, from the
framework of giving them, encouraging them right, coaching
them, helping them to realize what their messages, what their
strengths are. Because, you know, kind of going
back to what I was talking about earlier that a lot of the
clientele that I do work with, right?
Compounded it out of interior design or even similar careers.
We tend to be so focused. Guest on the perfect, turn out
right being polished all the time.
And that can really hamper you when you want to start your own
show, because suddenly, for a lot of people including myself,
when I started, it was like, oh my God!
I'm pressed record now, what am I going to say?
So arrive. Daily is really all about,
helping anyone who listens to the show?
Really just develop that trust and that belief in themself that
they can launch their own show and that they can keep showing
up for themselves consistently and, you know, It honestly it's
been such an inspiring Journey for me too.
Because I'm going through this five days a week with people as
in when I say with people. I mean like I'm putting that out
there but you're going to hear me when I started the show was
like, okay, I'm going to do this Monday to Friday for a year and
see how we go. So I'm actually really excited
to see how the episode or how the first episode sounds versus
you know, episode 365, right? So I'm learning just as much as
anyone who's listening because I want to be you know I want to be
a role model. All from my students and for my
listenership as well, we're all learning.
I think the day that you think that you can't learn anymore or
that, you know you're too old to learn to start over.
That's a bad day, right? You just know.
So it's like arrive. Daily is all about just helping
people realize that like, hey, you've got a voice.
This is how you can use it, and I'm in your court, to help you
figure that out so good. And I can imagine that even
though it's geared towards people who want to launch a
podcast, a lot, Of what you're going to be saying.
In that, what you are saying in that is transferable to other
professions and other just anything that you're looking to
start in your life, just taking that leaves.
So will definitely post the links to the long form and the
daily podcast in your course and where can people find you on
socials? Yeah.
So they can find me at at tell you, I read and that's 8.
Ee L. IE R WR e.
D e at. Tell you, I read.
So, that's where I'm at on Instagram for sure.
Not so much on Facebook. These days.
I probably did that. Yeah, yeah.
Designers like to hang out on the Instagrams.
Do you like yeah, for sure. Are you on take talk at all yet?
You know what? No, I'm not on Tick.
Tock I have to say, right? So it just after seeing like, oh
the second, you don't think you have anything to learn.
I know, I have to learn to attack.
I haven't, I haven't reached into that just yet, but I wanted
to offer something to your listeners.
If I may May leave if you if you are thinking at all about
starting a podcast, I have an amazing quiz which I think will
help you out. It's called, what's your podcast
personality. And yeah.
So it's all about helping you find out like, what is my
podcast personality? What would that mean to start my
show? Given who I am.
So if you want to learn what your podcast personality is, you
can go to at tell you, I read.com forward slash whatever
the slashes. Curious for design curious,
because it's special for your listeners.
Awesome. Oh, that sounds fun.
I love taking quizzes. Will put the link for that in
the show notes as well. Perfect, well, thank you so
much, Bethenny. Absolutely.
Thank you again for having me Rebecca.
It's been really fun to chat with you and walk down designed
memory lane for sure. Yeah.
And I just love having your unique perspective of having
been a designer and kind of moving out of it, but, you know,
still having a great experience and great.
Advice for people looking to get into interior design.
So thank you for that Bethany. Thank you so much.
All right, we'll talk to you later.
Bye bye. So, wasn't that really great
conversation with Bethenny? I love that she had made her
course because otherwise I wouldn't be here and so yeah,
definitely go check her out. We have all her links in the
show notes, which can be found on my website, our Ward
design.com forward slash podcast and we will also include their
the link that she has made for us to go take that podcast
personality quiz which sounds really Fun.
I might just go do it for fun. Even after the fact that one is,
I love taking a quiz, I love personality quizzes.
Oh my gosh, I need to do a whole podcast about personality types
and all the different any in G & Myers, Briggs and Spark type
disc assessment. So, look for that coming up
because you give me a personality quiz.
I'm going to take it. So yeah, well I'll definitely
take her personality quiz and then I just really loved having
her on the podcast because she used to be a practicing interior
designer, but now she isn't so much anymore.
But she is adjacent to interior design and I really love getting
the perspective of those who have been in the industry and
then maybe moved away from it as well.
Because I wanted to get a very well-rounded view of, everyone's
different experience, with interior design and coming up
next year, I will definitely be including some more alternate
views. I'll be talking to instructors
at design schools. Just try to get a really good
variety of designers who have different backgrounds in their
approaches to Interior Design. So stay tuned for that in the
new year. And if there's any other topic
that you would love for me to cover in design, curious, go
ahead and email me podcast at our Ward design.com.
That's all for. Now, creative one, we'll see you
next week on design. Curious podcast, thanks for
listening. If you loved this episode,
please leave a rating and a review.
This It helps me reach other curious.
Creatives, like you, if you have a topic request or would like to
contact me, simply head over to my website, our Ward design.com
or email me at podcast at our war design.com, It helps me
reach other curious. Creatives, like you, if you have
a topic request or would like to contact me, simply head over to
my website, our Ward design.com or email me at podcast at our
war design.com,