Today we’d like to introduce you to Vered Rosen.
Vered, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Before switching careers, I was a molecular biologist (with an undergrad in classical piano performance). I knew my passion was in design, but for a long time, I didn’t have the financial opportunity and courage to switch careers.
After my youngest daughter was born, I quit my last job in biology and decided to go back to school and get some basic design skills. My plan was to work with another designer or a design firm for a few years and then launch my own business. However, my timing for starting my interior design career was one of the worst I could have picked- 2009! It was, of course, the beginning of a long recession, and one of the worst markets to get hit was the construction and design business.
After working as an intern for Poggenpohl, I was pretty much on my own. I had to decide if I was going to start my own business (without the needed experience I was hoping to get while working with others in the field) or go back to biology. I decided to launch my own business and give it a try.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No!!! not a smooth road at all! (I don’t think anyone who is starting their own business from scratch has it easy or smooth!).
First – as I mentioned, switching careers at the peak of one of the worst recessions in American history, made it almost impossible to find a design job, since designers, architects, and builders got hit very hard, and were scrabbling themselves for work.
Second, I had NO idea how to run a business, how to market myself and my business, structure my time, build processes, become familiar with the industry, etc. All of this takes a LOT of learning, and I did most of it on my own. I basically had to “grow wings” I didn’t have and go through an intense self-development program from a scientist to a businesswoman/designer.
Financially, it takes time to grow a business to be profitable, so I had to do it all, wear all the hats of my business, and take a deep breath. Thankfully, I had my husband around to believe in me and support me in my endeavor, both financially and emotionally. Every time I was thinking of quitting and going back to biology, he talked me out of it.
Emotionally, one of the hardest sides of reinventing yourself is dealing with the fear of making horrible mistakes. For me, the fear was not so much about my own ego getting crushed, but the aggravation I might cause to clients, simply because I can’t anticipate every possible mistake I might make (or prevent the contractor or anyone involved in the project, to make).
Another struggle was the financial side – figuring out how much to charge in a business that has such a huge variability in that side (designers charge in so many different ways). Actually asking to be payed is a struggle many sole business people like me have.
Please tell us about Vered Rosen Design.
I help homeowners transform their homes into living spaces they love. It could be anything from paint color selection, furnishing and redecorating rooms to full renovations (kitchens, bathrooms, basements etc.).
I love color and have gone through extensive training to understand color and having the skill to select the right colors for any interiors. Color is complicated! I also have a passion for lighting and feel that many times it’s overlooked. Lighting a room is an art and can make or break any design.
I also love space planning. It’s a creative process in which I already know that the first idea that comes up is seldom the best one. I enjoy the creative process of finding solutions to enhance the beauty and functionality of a space. but most of all, I enjoy the joy my clients experience after their project is completed!
For me, finding out what makes my clients “tick”, what keeps them up at night, what their dreams and wishes are is fascinating by itself! I find that unraveling people’s fears in regards to their design projects and finding solutions to overcome them is a big piece of what I bring to the table. For example, understanding that many people have a hard time visualizing ideas is one of the main reasons they become paralyzed in the decision-making process.
I found numerous ways to help my clients (and myself) visualize a space, which alleviates their anxiety and fear of regret but also helps refine the design itself.
As for what sets me apart – I think I’m a pretty good listener (that’s what my clients say…). I keep my mind open to new ideas and welcome anyone involved in the project to suggest their input. I am down to earth and honest. You will get my honest opinion if you ask for it! I set high standards for my work and put my best effort.
Contact Info:
- Website: veredrosendesign.com
- Phone: 617-584-9965
- Email: vered@veredrosendesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/veredrosen3/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/veredrosendesign/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/veredrosen
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/vered-rosen-design-newton
Image Credit:
Yehuda Inbar
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