451: Elissa Grayer: Starting From the Ground Up, After 19 Years

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today, we have Elissa Grayer joining us on the show. Elissa is here today, just like so many of our guests over the years, to share her lessons in business. Today's show is a little different, however. Because, often, our colleagues have shared with us the lessons they've learned in hindsight or the past difficulties that they experienced in their careers, that they weren't sure they would ever manage to overcome. Yet today, Elissa, who is going through an unusual season in her business, bravely shares something with us that she is knee-deep in, right now. In today's episode, she talks to LuAnn about what she's been going through over the last six months, some of the lessons she's learned, and the action steps she is taking to remedy the situation. Listen in, to hear her story. After graduating from Amherst College with a B.A. in Psychology, Elissa spent 10 years in the fields of education and business, earning three masters degrees along the way. It took the joining of two individual apartments into one family-friendly space to convince her to turn her passion for interior design into a business. She was then asked to oversee another major renovation project on the Upper West Side, and thus her career began. To further her education, Elissa also studied at both the New York School of Interior Design and Parsons School of Interior Design. Launched in 2001, Elissa Grayer created her namesake design firm and quickly become the go-to talent for young families transitioning from New York City to the idyllic suburbs of Westchester County. Since then, the firm has also become known for its mastery in the planning, design, and project management of grand estates, luxury apartments, and vacation retreats across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida. Tune in now, to find out more. Show Highlights: Elissa's business has changed significantly because, since January, her turnover has taken a drastic downturn. Elissa describes what she's been going through over the last six months. Elissa recommends outsourcing your business management to Studio Webware. The value of working with an excellent business coach and having the support of like-minded business owners. It's really important to keep checking your numbers consistently. And to act timeously, if necessary. It's all about setting goals and being accountable. Elissa has never worked for anyone else, so she hasn't had the opportunity to learn business fundamentals from a seasoned business owner. Today, you have to actively market your business. The great incentive gifts that Elissa has been giving to realtors. Waiting for the right time to approach realtors to introduce your services to them. Building the skill of rainmaking. Elissa has been building time-blocking into her schedule. If you ever have downtime in your business, you can make good use of it to get started with some new processes. Learning to trust and use your intuition. Looking for the lessons in the hard times. Bio: After graduating from Amherst College with a B.A. in Psychology, Elissa spent 10 years in the fields of education and business, earning three masters degrees along the way. It took the joining of two individual apartments into one family-friendly space to convince her to turn her passion for interior design into a business. She was then asked to oversee another major renovation project on the Upper West Side, and thus her career began. To further her education she has also studied at the prestigious New York School of Interior Design and Parsons School of Interior Design. Launched in 2001, Elissa Grayer created her namesake design firm and quickly become the go-to talent for young families transitioning from New York City to the idyllic suburbs of Westchester County. Since then, the firm has also become known for its mastery in the planning, design, and project management of grand estates, luxury apartments, and vacation retreats across New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Florida. She strives to create beautiful and functional spaces that reflect each client’s personality in an elegant and comfortable way; Classic luxury design for modern living. Elissa subscribes to the belief that creating a home should be a partnership between the designer and homeowner. Educating her clients and exposing them to the exclusive access that only an expert can bring, Elissa Grayer Interior Design creates smart solutions that fit within the homeowners’ budget and lifestyle. Links: Website: Elissa Grayer Design Instagram: Elissa Grayer Interior Design Facebook: Elissa Grayer Interior Design Pinterest: Elissa Grayer Exciting Windows