Today, we’d like to introduce you to Nichelle Turner and Sharlene Flood co-owners of Step Above Staging. They shared their story with us below:
The 2020 pandemic changed our lives forever. It created situations that provoked fight or flight responses. For us (Nichelle Turner and Sharlene Flood), we chose to team up and fight. We were working for one of the top home staging companies in the DMV and were laid off from our jobs as Business Manager and Sales Manager, respectively.
With over 20 years of staging experience between us, we decided to start our own home staging company. It was challenging to find supplies and inventory, market services, and stay safe and healthy. Our mission is to partner with real estate agents to fill the need for quality staging at an affordable price. Our creativity is found in all aspects of the business.
Most people feel being creative is only rooted in the arts, however, being an entrepreneur and having your own business is all about creativity. From finances to marketing, you must be creative and always think outside the box. Being a business owner is not for the faint of heart, but it’s worth it.
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?
It has definitely not been a smooth road.
The pandemic made things extra hard. Mostly, we’ve been faced with inventory and supply shortages. The supply chain issues affected us in ways most people wouldn’t think of.
To overcome these challenges, we must always find ways to supplement what we need.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
Home staging is the art of decorating a home to sell quickly and for top profit in the real estate market.
Home stagers set the stage for potential home buyers to imagine how they could live in a property and make it their home.
At Step Above Staging, we are known for our excellent customer service, accessibility, and sophisticated, affordable stagings. We put a lot of care and detail into our stagings and it shows.
When buyers walk into a staged home, they “feel” like it is their home. What sets us apart from others is care. We put ourselves in the buyer’s shoes so that we know what would be important to them. We take time to work out the little details upfront to provide a desired look and feel.
As owners of the company, we have taken our individual strengths and magnified them. Sharlene’s sales expertise, and knowledge of design, marketing, and social media are balanced with my business management, logistics, operations, and of course, design. Our shared wealth of knowledge and understanding of the business translates to our team and clients. Simply put, we love what we do.
Do you have any advice for people looking to network or find a mentor?
Seek your local chamber of commerce for complimentary advice. Also, start building a network with people in your industry. For example, we started networking with real estate agents and investors. People in a similar industry may have insights or know other businesses that can help you navigate within the business world.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stepabovestaging.com
- Instagram: @stepabovestaging
Image Credits
D Rhodes Photos
