The world really is a better place when you smile.

I sit and wait while a kitchen that I have designed for a client is being installed. I have mixed feelings because it was not done on my terms nor was it the way that I wanted it to go. I am not a control freak by any means and I know that I am still new at the business of owning my own design company. I always like to see people happy, and that sometimes means that I suffer hardships without even realizing that I am doing it to myself!

I could elaborate on the situation, but its all miscommunication, and I am trying to make this turn out as positive as possible. It will ultimately be very nice and I can move on to the next client.

Meanwhile, my laundry is sitting in the public washing machine waiting on my return to finish drying it. I had to leave mid duty because the contractor was at the clients house earlier than I was told he would be.

Is it wrong of a client to schedule a contractor when I was hired to be the designer and take care of everything? I had contractors lined up to give different quotes and different services, yet on Valentines day (which was also a sunday) I got a call with 2 hours notice asking if I was available to meet the contractor that my client went out and hired without talking to me first. I know that life throws curve balls, and this is not even a big deal, but its not a way that I want to run my company and I wish I had the eloquence to say that to my client.

I continue to feel blessed that I have had the chance to do what I have so far in the design world. Everything is a learning process for me right now. I have to just act as a sponge and soak it all up.

The once long line of clients that I had waiting has been worked through and now I am relying on my social networking, word of mouth, and advertising to draw in more clients. What I thought would be an easy endeavor is turning to out be much more difficult than I expected on all fronts from financial to business to the personal skills that it takes to make a company grow. I better look into some basic business courses so I can learn how to create a business plan, and learn the essential tools that I will need to know that I do not already.

I started this blog with the hopes that I would be able to talk about what fantastic fabric I was using to cover chairs and the fabulous table I found for a clients dining room at an antique auction, but so far it seems I am going on about what it takes, and the other mundane details that go into what I am doing to earn a living in New York city.

Through it all, I try and keep smiling. The world really is a better place when you smile.