Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaun Crha.
Hi Shaun, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My first career was actually in the banking industry. I started as a teller and kept working my way up thinking that what I needed to do to find happiness. After several years I realized that I wanted a more fulfilling career path because I couldn’t imagine what my life would look like if I worked until retirement in that environment. I went back to school to study interior design part-time while still working full-time at the bank. It definitely wasn’t easy, and I had a lot of sleepless nights to keep up. But after 13 years in banking, I reached a point where I finally had to rip off the band-aid and leave so I could complete the design internship my school required to graduate.
That was in early 2017, and when my internship finished that Summer, I wasn’t ready to go work for an established firm. I was eager to run my own business because I had learned so many transferrable skills in my previous career. I knew I could always find work for other companies if Wrensted Interiors didn’t work out. Wrensted Interiors is in its fourth year now and even on my most stressed days, I’m still happy to be doing something I’m passionate about.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No matter how much experience a designer has, running your own business seems to be the biggest struggle. I felt isolated before I developed a community of designers I could talk to. I needed sounding boards for my business and creative ideas that school didn’t prepare me for.
In the first year especially, I felt a need to prove myself and to show friends and family that I had the skills needed to make my business successful. So many people were shocked that I would leave a stable career to start my life over in my thirties, and I needed to show potential clients that I had the skill and professionalism to take on their projects. My husband has always been supportive, but it was a challenge to change our lifestyles so I could pursue my design career.
I’m a perfectionist and I like to see people happy, but I had to come to peace with the fact that I can’t be everything to everyone all the time. So before I open my laptop each morning, I like to joke by saying “who am I going to disappoint today?” It reminds me that I can’t take on everyone’s expectations and to give myself grace.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
As the Principal Designer for my company, Wrensted Interiors, I help to create beautiful and functional homes for families. Our clients are almost always busy professionals who want to be excited to come home each day. We love to incorporate pattern, color and embrace imperfection. Our clients want a space that feels relaxed and unpretentious, somewhere they can put their feet up and things don’t feel too precious to enjoy.
So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
If you’ve got a project that you think we’d be right for, you can reach us through our website wrenstedinteriors.com. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve also really enjoyed helping people with virtual consultations over Zoom. I firmly believe everyone can benefit from good design, and it was so surprising to see people turning their attention to their homes. You can book consultations through our Instagram @wrenstedinteriors.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.wrenstedinteriors.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wrenstedinteriors/
Image Credits:
Sara Ligorria-Tramp, Jessica J Alexander, Charlotte Lea Photography
