Today we’d like to introduce you to Nancy N. Snyder.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have a long history with the elements of interior design. My love for design started at an early age. With an artist mother, a father who dabbled in oil painting, a brother who restores antique boats, and a sister who is an architect, I grew to appreciate décor and architecture of every style.
My family always had a hands-on approach to home upkeep. We did our own repairs and even did the contracting and finishing work on our house when I was in high school. This experience provided me with an understanding of how a home is constructed and what needs to be done to properly finish a room, from the drywall to the tile, to the woodwork, to the furnishings in the room.
After graduate school, I spent several years working in large corporations, such as American Airlines and JP Morgan. My diverse experience in strategic planning, marketing, technology, communications and sales provides a unique background that enables me to approach projects differently than a lot of designers.
I really partner with clients define goals, make selections that are perfect for their lifestyle and develop realistic budgets and timelines. I have to say, though, that my success comes from working with amazing clients and talented trades people and treating every project with the utmost professionalism and attention to detail.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Time management! In running a small business, one wears many hats. Of course, there are the fun client meetings and the design work that I love. There’s also vendor relations, bookkeeping, marketing, networking, following up on orders, problem solving and crisis management during construction, scheduling deliveries and installations…the list can go on! Figuring out how and when to get all these things done has been a challenge, but they also always keep my work interesting.
Please tell us about Bon Brise Design.
Bon Brise Design is a full-service interior design firm in Chicago, Illinois and St. Petersburg, Florida. We want our clients to feel their lives are enhanced by the spaces we design for them.
We specialize in orchestrating customized spaces, from single rooms to full homes and commercial projects. We’ve worked in small condos and multi-story houses and everything in between. Regardless of the size of the home, we put our unique blend of artistry, creativity, imagination and expertise to work for clients, creating beautiful spaces designed expressly to fit their lifestyles.
We also offer an exclusive online interior design service – Design From Afar. As designers, we know our clients lead busy lives, and for many this service provides for their design needs without imposing on their schedule. Bon Brise Design can help design any home without necessarily visiting the space. This service provides integrated design for vacation homes or second homes outside of the city. Clients can also share the gift of design with a friend, or a son/daughter just starting out with their first home.
At Bon Brise, we have a very business-like approach to design, driven by my business and banking background. We manage and stick to budgets, as well as provide guidance when a budget doesn’t meet a client’s dreams.
We believe interior design is a collaborative process, and we partner with our clients and our craftsmen to create luxurious, beautiful spaces that inspire in every way. We pride ourselves on making each space we design unique to meet the needs, lifestyle and dreams of our clients.
By the way, I often get asked about the name of the business. My hobby is competitive sailboat racing and on the Beaufort Scale of wind speeds, a ‘bonne brise’ is a breeze that is perfect for a lively day on the water. That ‘fresh breeze’ is exactly what I want to bring to my clients’ interior spaces!
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
That’s a tough question, because I believe events in our lives happen for a reason. It’s all a learning process, and every experience is a means for improvement.
That being said, I went from working in large corporations to managing a small business and had to learn how to do the things that I used to rely on corporate departments to handle for me, like accounts payable, IT and HR. So, if I had to start over, I would have outsourced tasks sooner, as I do now, so that others’ expertise was working right away to improve the flow of my business.
I also would have found a coach sooner than I did. Early on, I found Terri Taylor and Design Biz Blueprint (now called Interior Design Business Academy). Terri helped me immensely, not only with the business aspects of the business but also with coaching and mentoring, giving that calming influence that’s much needed when one is running a business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.BonBriseDesign.com
- Phone: 773-580-0250
- Email: NSnyder@BonBriseDesign.com
Image Credit:
RAHokanson Photography
Personal photo – Peggy Bodine Photography
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