Behind the Scenes of Katie Jane Interiors

Behind the Scenes of Katie Jane Interiors: New Ventures & Lessons Learned

After years of working FOR someone and a little time to work for MYSELF, I have come to a comfortable place in my life and career aspirations where I am looking more at working WITH people, WITH companies and brands. Which is why I am less focused on status and title and more on the interesting opportunities and avenues I have by developing partnerships for sales of different products.

I decided to start the year by saying – anything is possible– and – nothing is beneath me. The idea that I can rep different products while still maintaining my own schedule has been a huge draw to jump back into sales (which I had started to miss!). Anything IS possible and I have been entertaining all that Katie Jane Interiors can evolve into, which includes returning to my roots in landscape design and branching out into custom upholstery and automotive design consulting.

There is also the family business and reminding myself that I could never turn my back on something that my parents have spent so many years building and has earned them such a loyal following. I want to always be there for them if they need me to help write a HACCP plan, develop a website or just sample new snack stick flavors.

And then there is the other big elephant in the woods. Nick and I have worked so well with each other over the past few years that we decided we were ready to tackle even more entrepreneurship. His business venture is a perfect compliment to everything I love as well. We now embrace a balanced part of forestry and land stewardship. We have projects for every season including making sure a minimum of 100 pine saplings go in the ground every spring for future Christmas trees. We can identify and remove problem trees from the woods to be cut down and milled for construction projects, custom lumber and one of a kind furniture. We are always looking at ways to replenish what we take, and take what will make the forest stronger. It’s less of a business and more of a mindset. It’s a hobby that has become a lifestyle.

On the home front there is still our dedication to being foster parents and whatever new challenges that will inevitably put us up against. We encountered a situation that we needed to grieve and heal from but as they say- time heals all wounds. The biggest lesson I learned was how people pretend to be empathetic and business owners claim to be “family friendly” until they have to prove it. It doesn’t matter if you are working for a company big or small, corporate or family owned, it is more often than not that they only care about you until it inconveniences them. I’ve promised myself to never again stay working for anyone that tells me- amidst me pouring my heart out about having received a pretty heavy diagnosis from a child therapist- that they just need “more from me.” I will never forget looking that person straight in the eyes and saying- “I don’t have any more to give.”

So all this to say that- life goes on over here behind the scenes at Katie Jane Interiors. It might not all appear on the surface all the time but I strive to be honest and authentic. The truth is we are probably the happiest we have ever been with our work life balance. We are less stressed and even if times get tough we will make the best of it.

And I am going to eliminate unnecessary hard times by making sure that what I have to give is always appreciated and is always enough.