Stefani Thatcher on Constructing You - Design life on Your Own Terms

As a young girl, Stefani watched her father design and build their family home. Intrigued by his architectural and drafting skills, she began sketching designs for "the perfect floorplan" and knew exactly what career path she would pursue. After earning her Bachelor's degree in Interior Architecture, Stefani went on to become NCIDQ certified in 2007. While working as an i   nterior designer she realized two critical facts: 1) She could preemptively solve more design problems by getting involved at the beginning stages of the home-building process. 2) Her true design passion was residential architecture vs interior design.  Over the last 25 years, Stefani has worked in a variety of design positions including staff designer, furniture sales and always, crafting custom home plans. But it was her job as head of the drafting department for a custom and production home builder that gave Stefani an insider's edge. There she gained first-hand knowledge and experience in designing high-quality AND value-engineered homes. Then came the "clarion call" in 2015. As a busy mother of four, Stefani knew it was time to launch her dream career as an self-employed Residential Designer. Owning her own business, Domani Home Design, allowed her greater control over her career and better flexibility to still be a fully-present mom. Each home design utilizes Stefani's unique SMARTER™ design method. The homeowners' personal stories and unique lifestyle are woven into the finished product. Stefani's designs have won multiple awards including several People's Choice Award for the Cache Valley HBA's Parade of Homes and a national "Best Floor Plan" award with her CAD program in 2020. Most recently, Stefani implemented her SMARTER™ method for the first of its kind, all-female built home "The House That She Built" (THTSB). Built through the Covid-19 pandemic, THTSB was featured in the 2021 Utah Valley Parade of Homes and now has a children's book with the same name. Stefani is driven to educate, empower, and inspire others to join the residential construction industry. The Professional Women in Building helps provide one avenue for this. There, she participates and volunteers on a regular basis to continue the mission of THTSB. On a personal level, her passion for providing quality residential design training through her SMARTER™ design method can be found in her online course, Square Foot Superhero™ (www.squarefootsuperhero.com). In this episode, you'll discover:  How to take hold of opportunity How to transition from corporate to a start-up Why courage in the face of a vision is key Insights for new entrepreneurs Best practices in design and client management And more Resources:https://domanihomedesign.com Show notes If you enjoyed this episode, and you've learnt something or it inspired you in some way, I'd love to hear about it and know your biggest takeaway. Take a screenshot of you listening on your device, and post it to your Instagram Stories, and tag me, @elinormoshe_ or Elinor Moshe on LinkedIn.