I understand the critical importance of housing stability firsthand. Growing up in the foster care system taught me just how fundamental safe, stable housing is to a child's well-being. Even after being adopted, those early experiences of housing insecurity shaped my understanding of how deeply housing impacts every aspect of life. The real turning point in my career came during my work with non-profits, connecting renters who had housing vouchers to community housing options. I noticed a disturbing pattern: 6 out of 10 of my clients were losing their housing within just six months, even though their rent was covered. This revealed a critical gap in the system – having rent assistance wasn't enough. What we needed was a solution that would work for both residents and housing providers. While pursuing my Master of Social Work at Metropolitan State University, I began envisioning a different approach. Instead of the traditional landlord-tenant dynamic, what if we could create a model where everyone wins? This led me to launch B-Konnected in 2018, using my student loans as seed funding. Our Resident Success™ certification and accelerator program transforms how properties approach housing stability. We help housing providers reduce turnover by up to 88% while improving residents' lives. Through real-time data collection and analysis, we offer concrete insights that benefit both sides: residents get the support they need to maintain stable housing, while properties see dramatic cost reductions and increased operational efficiency. By 2022, this win-win approach had proven so successful that we launched Konnected Technologies Inc. Today, we're not just helping people get housed – we're helping them stay housed while helping properties thrive. Our model has helped secure over $30 million in housing rewards for our partners while achieving an 88% housing stability rate. What makes me most proud is that we're redefining housing relationships. We're showing that when you invest in resident success, everybody benefits – properties see better returns, residents achieve stability, and communities grow stronger. That's the kind of transformation I wished for as a child in the system, and it's what drives our innovation at B-Konnected every day.

Thank you for asking! Since we last connected, something incredible happened—I was honored with the Best of 2024 award for my town, which was based entirely on client feedback about their experience working with me and my studio. It feels like the most rewarding gift after twelve years of dedication, hard work, and pushing to make a mark in this industry. Breaking into design wasn’t easy, but building meaningful connections with clients and creating spaces that genuinely reflect their lives has always been my driving force. This recognition from the very people I set out to serve means everything, and it’s truly inspired me and my team to continue delivering that level of care, vision, and quality in every project. I couldn’t be more grateful!

Sure. The idea for Join inCrowd was born out of a simple need: the ability to quickly and effectively share contact information. But as we watched how our users interacted with the platform, it became clear that their needs were changing. COVID-19 reshaped how people work and socialize. Remote work became the norm, and the gig economy grew exponentially. People are no longer just their job titles—they’re multi-faceted individuals. This shift is what inspired our latest updates.

I was a Diversity Coordinator from 2010 to 2015 for a municipality that was experiencing social inclusion issues due to rapid population growth and the diversity of its newcomers. After that, I moved to Alberta and founded my own family. Given my extensive experience in community and international development and with core skills in research, public speaking, project management, consulting, stakeholder engagement, and strategy, my first instinct was to establish my own consulting business to achieve that flexibility and diversity of opportunities and challenges not found in regular full time jobs. Lo and behold, I'm now at the 6th year of my consulting practice and I can bravely say that for those who are scared of trying to build their own business because of the economics of the times, please don't. You will never know the extent and depth of your skills, character, and the opportunities that lie await if you don't try and really go for the big win.

When it was time to go to college, I got talked out of Interior Design because everyone said I’d have to move to Toronto to be successful and I didn’t want to move to Toronto. I ended up taking Pre-Health Science, Holistic Nutrition and Marketing, but I still yearned for design. Shortly after getting married and becoming pregnant, I decided to go back to school to take the Interior Decorating program at Conestoga College. I LOVED it! After graduating, I thought I’d get a job marketing for a new home builder or a design firm or something else similar, but I loved design so much that I started working for a window treatment company instead. Shortly thereafter, I began working for a kitchen and bath design company but it’s reserved, quiet culture wasn’t a good fit for my jovial, outspoken nature. So I decided that instead of getting another job, I would go into business for myself and that’s when I got started on creating my virtual interior design business, Orangetree Interiors.

That's a great question! Before PSP Compass, my business partner and I worked at another marketing agency. While there were definitely talented marketers there, we witnessed a recurring trend: a gap in understanding between clients and the value marketing brings to their businesses. Businesses often lacked guidance on the "why" behind marketing strategies and tactics. It wasn't necessarily about bad marketing; plenty of skilled companies were out there. But we felt a more personal touch was missing, a true partnership where clients weren't left in the dark about the "how" and "why" of their marketing efforts. This observation became a turning point for us. We saw a need for a marketing agency that not only delivered results but also empowered clients through education. Businesses, especially small and large business owners making significant investments, deserve a partner who helps them understand the industry. We wanted to bridge that gap by demystifying the "why" behind marketing strategies. Digital marketing can be a world of ambiguity, especially concerning online advertising. Our vision was to bridge the gap between theoretical strategy discussions and the practical realities of online implementation. We believe in the crucial role of data analysis—it's often a process of elimination to understand what works and what doesn't. However, clients are paying for that valuable data, and it's our responsibility to keep them informed and involved in the decision-making process. This desire to educate and empower clients became the driving force behind PSP Compass. We want to be the compass that guides businesses to their marketing destination and the journey of understanding how they got there.

Before this, I was working in the family business and became the best sales person with that, but since I saw no upward potential, I took it upon myself to go off on my own, and try my hand at building a company on my own. Thank God I did as it opened up new experiences and has given myself and others a better quality of life.

I was working in the leverage buyout business in New York and Atlanta, and having fun. But i always was close with my dad, and he had a growing business with market share and upside. I decided it would be a great move for me and my family. And we wanted to be in Charlotte, where we are based.

I am a retired reading and writing teacher. When several family members became ill at the same time, I knew I would need to retire from my position in order to assist my family. Transitions of any kind are always challenging and this particular transition was especially challenging for me. At this point in time, my own children were grown and living on their own. I was missing my students and I missed being in the classroom. I was feeling lost and unsure about my purpose in life. In order to find myself and my new purpose in life, I had to first reconnect with my authentic self. I decided then and there that I needed a new routine; one that was positive, motivating and inspiring. The next morning, I started the day with a simple intention; this intention became my focus for the day. I then added meditation and gratitude to my routine along with some inspirational reading. The daily intention, meditation, gratitude and readings were making a positive impact on my life; so much so that I was inspired to add more to my routine. I began doing simple stretches (yoga) and made walking a part of my daily routine. Walking in itself is a form of meditation and I was enjoying the peace I found from these walks. It was right about this same time that I started learning more about the power of positive affirmations and self-care and so I added affirmations and self-care activities to my routine as well. I was seeing so much growth in myself as a result of this routine. In order to stay focused on my routine and my progress, I began tracking everything I was doing. I kept a separate journal for each activity I was doing. After several weeks, I knew the routine was working, but tracking everything in a separate journal was not. If I wanted to succeed, I had to find an easier way to track my progress. If I wanted to be successful, I needed to find one journal that would fit all of my writing needs. Not finding exactly what I need ed in any of the available journals, I decided to write my own journal. Being a writing teacher for so many years, I knew I had the skills to do so, plus I was so excited about the success of this routine that I wanted to share it with the world. If this routine could work for me, it could work for others as well. Within a few months, the rough draft of the book was completed. When it came time to title the work, I wanted to somehow include every aspect of my routine into my title. Grabbing a sheet of paper, I wrote a list of all the activities I was now doing on a day basis: Intention, Meditation, Gratitude, Reading, Exercise, Affirmations and Time for Self-care. When I looked at this list, I saw that the first letter of each activity spelled out the words I'M GREAT. I knew that if I continued to do this routine EVERY DAY. I would create a better version of myself in body, mind and spirit. And that, my friends is how I'M GREAT EVERY DAY; A Guided Journal for Creating a Better Self was born.

I began as an internet marketer in 2010. However, it was between 2013 and 2014 that I encountered significant challenges in receiving payments from international customers. This issue wasn't unique to me; many of my colleagues in similar industries faced the same hurdles. The lack of accessible payment gateways like PayPal or Stripe, coupled with not having an international company, led me to lose an estimated $25,000 to $30,000. Determined to find a solution, I delved into extensive research and eventually solved this problem on my own. Realizing the value of the solution I had uncovered, I started assisting my colleagues and peers who encountered similar issues. Their encouragement and advice sparked the idea to professionalize this service. Partnering with a colleague, who is now my business partner, we founded Business Globalizer. That moment when we launched was transformative; I felt a profound sense of purpose. It was as if I had not only solved a problem for myself but had also unlocked a way to ease the entrepreneurial journey for many others. It was a meaningful step, and I realized the potential impact we could make.

I was a student in college at The Fashion Institute of Design in NYC, studying as a fashion design student. I had been interning with Nautica until I found my passion for mosaics and took my life in an entrepreneurial direction, starting my own company while still in college.

I actually sort of stumbled onto this niche sector. I was fed up with working for corporations that were making a killing over my efforts yet didnt care about my well being. I wanted to work for myself. But I knew my employer health plan would be going away and so I was looking for a solution. I wasn't enthralled with what I was seeing on the marketplace/exchange. When I saw the option of private health care with major medical providers outside of the ACA, I realized it could also be my livelihood, and a way to support the small business community. Boom. Here I am.

During my work there in 2023 we've faced some difficulties with our HR processes and had to restructure some of our operations. Some of our clients required a more hands-on approach with the teams we've been staffing for them. Out of those needs we decided to build an HRIS platform that would be more aligned with the particular needs of staffing and/or outsourcing business model. Nothing on the market was up to our standards, so we said to ourselves - let's build one! So the idea of Juggl was born out of our internal problems. Problems that I know many companies face today. Running an ever-expanding international business and managing every aspect of it (payments, recruiting, performance, leadership, etc.) is a gruelling task and it looks hard. It doesn't have to be that way.

Sorry if a little redundant but I was asked for advise based on my experience and found a world that would allow custom and standard items to be imported, import direct with no distribution network to reduce costs and offer excellent craftsmanship.

Thank you for allowing me a space to tell my story, I hope it can help or motivate someone, who might need it. For the last 12 years, I have been on the path to healing my PTSD from the Iraq war. I was a heavy gunner in the Army and was part of the first wave, in 2003. I used these ideas to help redirect my thoughts and energies while in the process of healing, and as I grew, so did this business idea. I participated in the Bunker Labs Veterans in Residence program (Cohorts 22B and 23A), which has helped me tremendously to see how to move all this forward. I then went on to become the Captain of the 23B Cohort. I also was accepted into the Texas A&M Renolds and Renolds Entrepreneur Boot Camp for Veterans program, where I took everything to the next level. I have an interesting story and want to bring more awareness to the complications resulting from serving our country, mental health, and acquiring new skills to rejoin the economy. I also would like to share this journey with other vets who may be struggling, to show you can get through it, and realize new goals and dreams. We need to break down this mental health stigma surrounding asking for help. I truly love what I do, and I see the value in not only the entertainment, but the jobs it can bring, as well as resources to give back to the community and just being a great story to entertain, inspire, and be proud of.

Originally, I wanted to be an Architect, so I went to night school for two years during high school to study Architecture and Interior Design. The week I graduated high school I started college, and I was blessed with my first Freelance Design client in 1998. I acquired my Associates of Arts degree in Interior Design then veered towards Kitchen and Bath Design specifically. During College I worked two jobs as a restaurant server and did Freelance Design work with my company Sperry Homes, LLC. Over the years I partnered with different Construction Companies as I gained valuable experience ranging from Custom Cabinetry Ordering Director to Branch Manager including training and managing over 60 employees. In 2017, I partnered with DFW Improved where I was blessed in breaking the company record in sales, surpassed my personal record, became the Top Producer, became a Trainer for new Sales Consultants who joined my Sales Team and was also offered an opportunity to expand my services out of state.

Certainly! Before diving into the world of podcasting with Design Talk LIVE, my journey has been a tapestry of experiences. The genesis of Design Talk LIVE occurred during a layover in Houston. Observing colleagues discussing trends rather than the impactful products they'd witnessed, I posted a Facebook event titled "Fuck the Trends" and went live the next day. The response was overwhelming, leading to the birth of Design Talk LIVE with co-host Donna Moss. This venture marked a paradigm shift. Weekly Facebook LIVE talk shows garnered over 3.2 million views and featured influential guests like The Property Brothers and Kelli Ellis. This success laid the groundwork for "The Live Broadcast Network," disrupting traditional broadcasting norms. Adapting to challenges, I delved into virtual events, podcasting, and even pioneered "In-Home Shopping" on Facebook amid the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic. Join inCrowd, a Digital Business Card platform, and other startups followed, showcasing my commitment to innovation. The decision to start this new journey was fueled by a deep-seated passion for unfiltered conversations and a drive to push the boundaries of traditional media. It's been a thrilling ride, filled with challenges, triumphs, and a commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue in the design community. This journey is a testament to the belief that, in every design, there's a story waiting to be told, and I'm excited to continue uncovering those stories on Design Talk LIVE.

I got started knowing I wanted to impact the world in a deeper way. The moment I decided to pivot and begin this new journey was terrifying but also felt incredible knowing it was in complete alignment with my gifts and purpose. I am able to give 1000's of women the exact guidance, tools and hold space for them the way I wish I would have myself on my own personal journey to success, self-love and freedom.

I come from a background in marketing communications and graphic design. In fact, before starting our home staging company, I had already spent over 30 years in advertising, PR and marketing. I've always been drawn personally to art, architecture and decorative objects. But I'd considered it just a hobby and a relaxing pursuit -- haunting thrift shops for treasures was a fun pastime. Never did I imagine I'd ditch my former career for a new one with such artistic and entrepreneurial potential! In 2008, I got into reselling vintage art and decor on eBay and considered whether I should be an art dealer. At about that same time, Rachel was exploring a transition from graphic design to interior design. I said to her, "Hey let's redecorate your sister's room while she's away at college and do one of those HGTV reveals when she comes home for Thanksgiving." A passion was born that day. We scoured Craigslist, thrift shops and curbsides for potential furniture and decor, my husband Jerry repainted an existing IKEA bed, and we transformed this simple bedroom into a Hollywood Regency style escape, complete with Mid Century modern touches and a bold color palette. That was it. We had officially caught the design bug. It's like from that moment on, we were hooked! Simultaneously, we started to hear about house flippers like Better Shelter who were doing fascinating curated home stagings as part of their process. We saw vintage surfboards standing up in corners, cool vintage oil paintings and high personality rooms. It looked like a lot of fun and certainly satisfied our creative instincts. Fast forward a few years later and I was finally ready to quit my day job as a marketing manager. We'd had a few staging jobs we found through friends of friends and a presence on Thumbtack. The die was officially cast -- I was now a home stager, so the pressure was on to get clients and make money. I had $13,000 in unused vacation pay from my job (I know, I never took enough vacay time!), but that seed money really came in handy because it kept me afloat while I got to work building the business. I set up a website, put up our Houzz profile and got really active online (my marketing background proved super helpful here). Our investment in an online presence right off the bat helped secure us and I never regret those early days when we often wondered if it was all worth it!

As an previously licensed realtor my career was short lived when I started to show newly built homes. I was more intrigued in how they were decorated than in selling the home. Ha. Now I design and decorate and get the home to the closing table with realtors, investors, home owners and brokers.

I was blessed with being born into a "privileged" surrounding with family business and connections in our federal and state governments and even met Jackie Kennedy as a child, who with my grandfathers permission, started the fox hunt season at Carter Hall, featured on the cover of National Geographic magazine. So I had the advantage of living in places as I came into adulthood that were communities of both wealthy and highly educated citizens. At around my early 30's I decided, having had the opportunity of working with and for some exceptional bosses, to start my own design business which struggled income wise for the first few years. It was both scarry and exhilarating at the same time. Having been raised to be honest, transparent, respectful, and to be "service" orientated, once I had a few significant jobs finished, even though making minimal profit, but with happy clients, referrals started coming in, a true blessing and anyone starting their own business needs to follow these personal and business directives. After fully understanding the "dress-for-success" moto and marketing myself for the first five or so years most all my business from that point forward was from past clients or exclusively by referrals.

Previously, I worked in the medical field with my most recent position as a practice advisor for a hospital system. My main responsibility was assisting physicians with their quality measures. Although I enjoyed my job, I felt like something was missing. It wasn’t my true passion. Then, a realtor approached me and asked if I would be interested in staging homes. I realized that design had always been a strength of mine, and since I already had potential clients reaching out to me, I decided to give it a try. Starting my journey as a home stager was incredibly exciting because design is truly where my heart lies. Initially, I ran my business part time while working full time and I won’t deny that it was a bit challenging. However, even without marketing myself, I have received numerous recognitions and awards which is very empowering!

Working with the government, I was managing a busy government agency office and in that office worked people. People that had real lives that needed leadership and real job roles that needed managing . The federal agency I worked for is one of the bigger agencies serving the American public. I've worked for over 30 years on a full time basis because as a single mother I had to so it was very daunting to leave something so secure that paid me so well. It came to a point that nothing mattered though, I knew I couldn't start another year doing the same thing and depriving myself of my dream.

I started my journey in France after having my two children. While being a mom was fulfilling, I realized that I wanted to do something more with my career. I began specializing in 18th and 19th-century European design, which sparked my interest in antiquing. At first, it was just a hobby, but it quickly grew into a full-time business. It all started with a simple ad in a local newspaper and before I knew it, I had found my calling in the world of art and furniture design. For me, the decision to pursue this new journey was exciting and invigorating, and it allowed me to pursue my passion for design and art in a more professional capacity.

After many years in the insurance industry, I saw first-hand that there was a need for a bundle of services for small business owners. The natural transition then was to the Professional Employer Organization space whereby they offer these much-needed bundle of services, but like everything else, one size does not fit all. This is why and when PEO Brokers Group was born.

That's easy. We all have childhood memories of food, family, friends, and gatherings that revolved around something delicious. Food has this incredible power to anchor us to moments that are vivid, warm, and unmistakably tied to connection. I remember the holidays in our kitchen like it was yesterday—my nana and all my tías working together, making tamales, laughing, telling stories, filling the house with this palpable buzz of joy and the rich, mouthwatering scent of masa and spiced meat. Then there were Sunday nights when my grandmother would lay out these full-blown Italian feasts. Picture it: her dining table loaded with homemade pasta, meatballs the size of a child’s fist, and sauces that had simmered on the stove for hours. Our family would come together, arguing in that loving, loud Italian way over who had the best sauce, and I’d sit back and just absorb the magic of it all. And how could I forget elementary school, during our multi-cultural day? Esteban brought empanadas from Argentina, and tasting them was like being transported halfway across the world. It was this eye-opening moment for a kid like me, who realized that food wasn’t just something you ate—it was something you experienced. It represented travel, adventure, and a world that was bigger and richer than I’d ever imagined. These moments were my early exposure to the world, to community, and to the idea that food can transcend everything—language, culture, even the generations between us. That's what sparked my lifelong appreciation of how food brings people together and builds a sense of belonging, and it’s exactly why this announcement we’re about to dive into means so much to me. It’s all rooted in that same desire to build something meaningful around food and culture.

I earned my BFA in Interior Design from Syracuse University and later pursued an MA in Design Management from SCAD. Before starting Thrive In Design, I spent about 10 years working in sales and business development for multi-million-dollar international interior product brands. Most of my career was based in New York City, where I gained invaluable experience in the design industry. A few years ago, I decided to return to my hometown of Baltimore, and that move inspired me to start Thrive In Design, where I could combine my passion for design and business to help brands grow and tell their stories effectively.

Absolutely, the inspiration behind what I'm about to announce today goes back to a pivotal moment in a Las Vegas conference room. I vividly remember sitting in the conference room of a project we were working on when I noticed and asked about several Instagram and Pinterest screen grabs pinned on what they called their "design wall." The answer surprised me—they were using social media platforms like Pinterest and Instagram to find design inspiration. It was that moment when I realized that while these platforms were great for general use, they didn't cater specifically to the needs of the design industry. That moment was my "Ah, Ha!" moment. I realized that there was a significant gap—an opportunity to create a social platform tailored specifically for the design community. Throughout 2011, I reached out to colleagues in the design space, gathering feedback on this concept. It led to my first attempt, a small business called "CPAD,". CPAD failed because at the time I did not know or understand the difference between a small business and a tech startup. After a major financial setback and having to start from zero, in 2014, I regrouped, formed an amazing team and launched my second attempt, a tech startup named "Dezignwall". The journey wasn't without its challenges. Pitching investors was particularly daunting; I often encountered responses like, "Oh, interior design? My wife designed our home!" Despite setbacks and lessons learned the hard way, we held onto Dezignwall until December of 2017, when we simply ran out of funding to stay open. Like I said earlier, I took several years to focus on other programs, ventures and projects. But I've remained steadfast in my belief that the design community deserves a dedicated platform. One where professionals can connect, collaborate, and access tools specifically designed to help them grow their businesses—something larger platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok simply still can not address. Which leads to this interview—an exciting relaunch under a new name. It's a project that embodies my passion for community and my commitment to empowering designers and industry professionals.

My artistic journey began in my youth and continues into my adult life. Originally, I started my business when I was living in Summit County and skiing frequently while working at the ski resort. People would often approach me with their art ideas, and I would bring those ideas to life. One significant project was updating the Summit Stage logo for T-shirts worn by bus drivers. Eventually, someone noticed my work and incorporated it into their business. In addition to graphic design (imagine, before computers!), I fulfilled various requests from clients. After traveling across the US and moving to California twice, I settled in Denver. There, I advertised my business in the newspaper, offering graphic design services such as resumes and business cards, alongside my part-time teaching. Years later, I secured a position as a Tile Painter at a major tile company, creating murals and decorations for homes, offices, and buildings. Following a layoff after 14 years, I continued offering my artistic services independently, as demand for my style persisted. My work includes a permanent tile mural in the original Buell Mansion in Cherry Hills Village and features in various media outlets such as Channel 7, Colorado Homes & Lifestyle magazine, and the Denver Post. My artwork has been showcased in the Parade of Homes in Colorado and sold extensively throughout the US and internationally, including in Taiwan and England. Additionally, I sell prints and occasionally delve into photography, drawing inspiration from my travels and hiking expeditions, some of which are available on ViewBug.com. I've exhibited my paintings in numerous venues, including restaurants, coffee shops, and metaphysical stores. Currently, some of my work is displayed at LitWood Creations, an art gallery in Blackhawk, Colorado, where it will be indefinitely showcased. If you find yourself in the area, take a break from gambling and drop by to see it! Do I love creating art and sharing it with others? Absolutely! It's a fulfilling career that began as a dream and has become my reality.

Before diving into the world of Design Tank, my journey began in the design space as a custom lighting designer for high-end residential, commercial, and hospitality projects globally. I honed my skills by working in-house for two companies, Triton Chandelier and Alger Lighting, before branching out to consult for 28 of the top custom lighting companies. In 2014, I took a leap of faith and launched my second tech startup, Dezignwall. This venture marked a pivotal moment in my career, as it propelled me into the world of technology while still maintaining a strong connection to the design industry. Since then, I've worn many hats - from hosting podcasts and producing shows to organizing virtual events and even hosting an HGTV Reunion. Along the way, I've authored over 25 books, founded several dozen more tech startups, and served as an advisor to countless others. Throughout this journey, I've always had "one foot in tech, and the other firmly planted in the design industry." And it's this unique blend of experiences that inspired me to create Design Tank - a platform where design professionals can come together to innovate, collaborate, and thrive.

So I've been practicing massage therapy professionally my entire adult life. I've never really had any other careers, and besides that, only weird odd jobs, to make ends meet! My passion has always been in massage therapy, and now, I am enjoying managing the clinic, and expanding how we help people. I knew I wanted to become a massage therapist when I was in my junior year of high school, and as an advertisement for a massage school on TV, and I felt this visceral pole towards that. It was undeniable, and incredibly strong.

In my early career, I managed a bed and breakfast out of a Victorian home and worked for the historic Mount Washington Hotel in New Hampshire. It was at Mount Washington that it dawned on me that classic architecture and decor was my passion, so I went back to school for design, opening a part time interior design business shortly after graduation and then a home furnishings consignment shop in Clinton CT in 2011 and then ultimately founding Timeless Living Designs in 2017. However, it took a chronic autoimmune diagnosis for me to fully realize that great design goes beyond beauty and that it has the power to heal and support us.

I was a speech language pathologist for a decade and a teacher of the deaf before that; I literally played for a living - on the floors with little kids. About five years ago, I experienced severe burnout as a result of the play being only client-directed -- I wasn't playing enough in my own work. I decided to take control and create a professional life for myself that allowed for my personal play identity (intellectual/whimsical) to shine in ways it never had before and it's been absolutely glorious.

My journey in the spirit world started by mistake. I was an 11-year-old girl when my parents watched the news and said that the situation in the State of Israel was difficult. I innocently asked my mother: if the situation is difficult, then why is no one doing anything to change it? After all, everyone agrees that it is difficult. She said a sentence that opened the world to me. My mother told me: You can do it! I started researching the government structure of the State of Israel and realized that the missing part of it is self-awareness and personal development. I wrote a proposal for a new governance system for 4 years. At the age of 15, I started working on the relationship between changing the laws and personal development and on a new structure of law that reflects our life lessons through an objective worldview that does not perceive a particular agenda. I then established an initial parliament of people going through their life lessons and so the community continued.

MBSB got started by me being powerfully influenced by my best friend. We thought about how important the Mind, Body and Spirit is to attract business. Before I started my business I was physically educating disadvantaged kids through sports. So when I started to run my business I felt like I was taking my passion and experience to really help the next generation.

My grandmother was a painter and many of my family members are "crafty" and engineering savvy. I have both of those "genes" and have always been entrepreneurial in spirit. In elementary school I would paint ladybugs on rocks and walk around my neighborhood trying to sell them to moms with houseplants as cute additions to the pots. In junior high school I painted small images on beans, mounted them onto earring posts and sold them from my locker. I have always been crafty and artistically interested in bigger projects but my primary interest in the sciences prevented me from taking art in high school and college. Once I finished my masters program in Cell Biology and had a little free time, I bought an inexpensive set of watercolors at Spags in Shrewsbury and set up some glass bottles and plants on my windowsill as a study. I painted them, they LOOKED like bottles and plants, and then I was hooked! I have been a student of art via research and watching with a few lessons in between ever since. Because I started to pursue my art career later, as an adult, I have never been constrained by grades and judgement by others, so this freed me to explore and create a style based on my interests and the way I see the world- not someone else's. I'm willing to try and fail and then want to try again, whereas a younger student might be put off by initial failures- I see them as opportunities to grow and learn.

Before launching Parker Mason Designs, I worked as a buyer for a major retailer and later transitioned into a role as a designer for new construction production homebuilders in Southern California. Unfortunately, due to the volatility of the housing market, I was laid off. Around the same time, my personal life underwent significant changel as I fought for full custody of my children following a traumatic incident involving their father. During this challenging period, friends and acquaintances began seeking my assistance with interior design projects. What started as a few design favors quickly became a few design clients which turned into many. I quickly recognized the potential of this opportunity by the need for flexibility to prioritize my family, I decided to establish Parker Mason Designs. It was a leap of faith, but one that ultimately led to the fulfillment of both personal and professional "work life balance"

Working in the corporation world for 40 years, one day, I met someone to purchase an accent chair off marketplace for the new home we just bought. She was a home stager. I didn't know this was a thing other than on TV. She was moving from the area and over a few months of shadowing, researching and studying for certification, we (my husband and I) were all in! While we bought her inventory, we also learned over time that our style was constantly evolving and have over the last five years, invested heavily in creating our own style.

I got my start as an artist in high school that created a treatment for what would become a Saturday morning cartoon in the 80s. Then I went on to design merchandising for the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. While studying business at University of Michigan one of my patents became integral to the $6 billion/year mechanical billboard industry leading me to invest in Grand Traverse Resort and my first jewelry company.

I actually have been an accountant for over 25 years, still that was transforming numbers in to something, either balancing them out or putting them into a report for people to understand. So I have been transforming things all my life. So how my business got started was I bought a new construction home and I sat with a designer. Picking out all the fixtures in the home. And I told her I would love to do this job and asked her how she got started. She told me she went to school for interior design and got Certificate or degree in interior design and what I should do. So I saw that going to interior design school was quite lenghly. So I had decided after much. After much Research in interior design I decided that it was to best to get certified as a home stager. Because this is something I was doing transforming my homes. Also helping my friends with their homes. To get certification. So I got certified with Home Staging Resources (HSR). Which through out the process you set up your own business. So once I got my certification. My business was all put together and all I had to do was get out and start staging home. Keep in mind this 2010 before HGTV.

For a little over twenty five years, I worked as a professional photographer. I had a large studio in downtown Boston and my specialty was shooting commercial head shots for actors, models, and public figures. Then two things happened somewhat simultaneously. The first thing is that after twenty five plus years of lugging around heavy camera equipment, I suffered from severe chronic neck pain. After visiting multiple pain and spinal specialists, I was given a career ending diagnosis that if I didn't put down the heavy cameras, lens, and equipment for good, I would be facing spinal fusion surgery. At around that same time, the recession of 2008 hit. My photography business came to a slow grind and my studio overhead became more stress than I could handle. So, the recession, along with my diagnosis was the moment when I decided I was done with photography. I packed up all my equipment, gave up my beautiful Boston studio and enrolled in local community college to pursue my second life long passion which was interior design. I opened my design studio, Linda Holt Creative, in 2011 and I offered full service interior design. I was happily chugging along and then Covid hit. It was during lock down that I pivoted once again. After being asked by my designer friends, more times than I can count, I created a smartphone photography class just for interior designers, stagers and home professionals. I found I actually loved teaching and thus was born my online business as a smartphone photography course creator!

The first time I started my business was in 2021. I made a charcuterie board for a friend and it was so beautiful and everyone loved it so much that I started making them for every event that I attended. Soon, I started getting requests for them and so I decided to get licensed and permitted in a local kitchen. My little hobby turned passion quickly turned into a legitimate business over just several months! The problem at the time though was that I was also burning myself out in a full time corporate job and I couldn't keep up with both. Since the corporate job was paying the bills so well, I let my passion fall to the side. It felt like the right thing to do at the time, but I'll also admit that fear got in my way and I couldn't clearly see a successful path at the time. However, it was less than a year later that the corporate job fell apart and in August of this year, I decided to go ALL in on myself and my business.

I was a hairstylist for 20 years. I had a very successful career and loved what I did. But it was taking a toll on my body and I knew it would not be sustainable forever. I had always had an interest in real estate. When we went through the process in 2010 of selling our home my agent really inspired me. It was a tough time in the market to sell. The inventory was high and we were competing with foreclosures too. It was not abnormal for a home to be on the market for 6 months. We had several contracts fall through but our agent was always there supporting and guiding us through the process. She really inspired me and I started thinking this is something I would like to do too. I knew it would be a good fit for me. I had learned a lot through my own experience which has helped me relate to my clients journeys. People move for lots of different reasons. It can be an exciting time but also very emotional. Fast forward 7 years I met with my agent to discuss making the career change. She encouraged me to go for it. So with support of my family, friends and clients I made the leap. I started out part time but it quickly grew to full time. I love what I do and so glad I didn't let fear of making a change detour my path.

I started out as a multimedia designer at a time when multimedia was new here, in the early 90s. Then I shifted to cinematography and went off to Mumbai and began to work for MTV. You see, there used to be an existential bug that was hiding inside my brain which wanted answers and so, my brother Santosh and I (he was a successful photographer in Mumbai) packed our bags and returned to our hometown, looking for answers to satisfy disturbed minds. After some 15 years of groping for answers in the dark, we decided to make our first feature film. We’ve made 9 arthouse movies afterwards. Production design of feature films slowly spread out to interior design and when I fixed a water seepage problem in the courtyard of my family home (the city corporation wasn’t helping much), it turned out to be a bit of a zen-like enterprise. Soon I was asked by friends and neighbours to redo their houses. One thing led to another and soon we launched The Pebble Drop and moved into a pretty studio right in the heart of town.

Previously, I worked as an International Operations Manager for North Americas largest public forensic consulting firm. It is definitely a career that I miss, but not one conducive to family life. On a staycation with my kids when they were very young, I saw a commercial for a career in Home Staging and the market for this was tiny at the time, so I didn’t know much about it. I took a course, decided to start with the idea of a part-time business, within my first year it grew so quickly that I was busy full-time and it has only grown since.

I get this question often because home staging is such a unique industry and everyone finds themselves here by way of different paths. For me, I was in college studying Sociology and International Development when my professor asked the class "What would you be doing if money wasn't a factor?" Assuming the class full of seniors ready to start their careers in Sociology were going to choose something along the lines of social work, non-profit work or criminal justice, my immediate response was "something in design". My heart sank with the realization that I had spent the last few years of my life giving my all to study something that I now knew wasn't going to be my full-time passion. However, I successfully worked in the International Development field for a few years, but I couldn't stop thinking about my answer to that question. It was ringing in my ears and every day the ringing got louder. Finally I decided to leave the career path I was on, drop everything I had worked for, move to the Jersey Shore and start a Home Staging business. Family and friends thought I was nuts, but here I am, 7 years later, happier than ever and in a career that fulfills me. I get to help my clients move onto their next chapter in life, whether that's a big move, selling a flip, downsizing or any other reason behind their real estate transactions.

I was fully employed up to and including day one of Covid, when overnight all five of my consultancy agreements literally blew up ! Living in Europe and traveling monthly to the USA and Canada in this role, I was grounded to my one bedroom apartment in Nice wondering what on earth I was going to do next ! Wasn't ready for the "retirement" phase of life, way too much energy for that, so took a hard look at my small fashion business that was about 10% of my annual income and decided to put my heart and soul into making this my full time business and using my contacts and love of fashion into growing it to the next level

The moment I realized I had to provide a lot more I come being a single parent of 4 I knew I had to lean into being a business owner as I had been since I was 27. You see I had taken a sabbatical after 2009--I really found a passion for teaching yoga at the time and helping others get through their stresses. The moment I knew I had to get my Real-estate license was when I recognized that my background as a yoga teacher and and life coach could really be optimized while selling Real-estate. So many people find buying and selling houses extremely stressful! I use my empathy and mindfulness to guide people through this nerve wracking process.

A crossroads, I was at a crossroads. Living in Chicago I was offered my dream job working exclusively with designers in the merchandise mart. It was the first time I heard the word social distance. The pandemic was just getting traction, I had been looking for a job for 6 months dually debating if I start a new job and suppress that innate entrepreneurial spirit- so I turned down the Chicago designer dream job, moved to a boat in SW Michigan and launched Palermo Design with $100 in the bank and a 10”x10” white board that READ: $10,000 weeks and 10 builders, 5 designers…here is where the magic began.

I started to realize there are common questions people ask when it comes to design and decorating,. So I've boiled down my system I've used in my firm into bite-sized lessons that anyone can learn and that are key to a successful room.