Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Farrell.
Hi Lauren, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
When growing up, I knew I wanted to be an interior designer or working in events. I loved both of those professions and wanted to do something that revolved around them. But not knowing exactly what that was. As I got older, I started leaning more towards the events side. Having different hospitality jobs and learning more about what went into events. I planned a lot of high school dances, parties, and events. That taught me probably the most important lesson, nothing ever goes as planned, but if you just keep going and moving forward it will all work out. Most of the time people don’t even know what went wrong, so if you don’t point it out or make a big deal about it, everyone will still have a good time. I use this thought in all aspects of my life, honing into that more when I started practicing yoga. Learning to live in the moment and you really can do anything for just about 30 seconds.
Even though I was working more in events, I still loved design, being creative, so I had hobbies revolving around art. Trying out different mediums.
When I was in college, I decided to get a Communication Degree because I knew that would give me a wide range of options for jobs. I worked in liquor promotions and at a bar, still wanting to get into the events and learning about different types of events. I think I gravitated to events and hospitality because it was easier to get jobs.
After college, I still didn’t know what I really wanted to do. But I loved the energy of events, the fast pace, the fun environments, being able to organize, and helping people. So I worked in a few positions all over the place trying to figure it out. As a hobby, I would refinish furniture and sell it at farmers’ markets. Finding items all over the place. I had always taken art classes and loved color, so this became my hobby to satisfy my love for design. I even took some online interior design classes for fun.
Since I was still bouncing around jobs trying to figure it out my sister suggested I looked into working for the closet design company she was interning at. She thought I would like it since I loved design. So, I gave it a shot and decided to step away from hospitality. A year later, I was burnt out, I loved the design, the organizing, meeting new people, but it still wasn’t what I wanted to do. I liked helping clients with the organizing and placement of their actual items more than just the designing of the closet. So, I left and started exploring all the types of jobs that can come with organizing and discovered professional organizing. Finding out about that industry and taking classes through NAPO. Eventually deciding to start my own organizing business, Uncovered Spaces in 2017, and it was going really well!
In 2016 I started working for Energizing Spaces. My friend and roommate at the time introduced me to Kristi Birch, the owner. She was working for Kristi, and they needed someone to help out part-time; since my friend knew I loved design she thought I would be a good fit. As I started learning about staging, I started to fall in love with it.
At the beginning of 2019, I got pregnant with my son, working the entire time organizing and staging. When I was pregnant, my friend who introduced me to Kristi decided to leave Energizing Spaces, and I asked to start taking over what she was doing. I knew I loved staging and wanted to learn more about it and be more involved.
When COVID hit, I stopped taking organizing clients for the time because that was all one-on-one and I didn’t want to risk it. We still staged because we could control that more but it was slow. I then got pregnant with my daughter in 2020. With two young kids, I made the decision to officially close my organizing business and focuses only on staging. It was hard because I love organizing for clients, but realized that we really do a lot of organizing when staging. We do a lot of work for clients who are selling their homes occupied. I was able to use my organizing skills to see through the clutter and figure out how to make clients’ homes look great for photos.
As business started to pick up and we learned to navigate COVID a little more and I started taking on more responsibilities. In 2022 we began exploring ways to grow and really focus on our nitch, working with occupied staging. Launching a new website and focusing more on social media. I am so excited to be helping grow Energizing Spaces. Kristi is an amazing mentor and boss. It’s amazing that I get to incorporate all of the things that I love into one job, and I can’t wait to see how we grow!
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, it has not been a smooth road, haha. Trying to figure out who I am and what I want to do has been hard and taken some time. I did know that I have always wanted to create something for myself and have always been interested in being an entrepreneur. I never liked school, which was a big challenge. I like learning, but the schoolwork was always hard. When out of college not knowing what I wanted to do was stressful. It was great contracting and trying new jobs out, but it’s not steady and was stressful. Basically, I was not one of those people who knew exactly what they wanted do in life. But I worked through it and am happy to say I have found what I love!
As you know, we’re big fans of Energizing Spaces. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
Energizing Spaces is a Home Staging & Design Business. Started by Kristi Birch in 2009; I started in 2016 and am now Lead Stager. We focus mainly on staging as our top service but also provide design services. Which can get incorporated into the staging process through our consultations. When we do a Pre-Listing Consultation, we walk through the whole home inside and out. Giving a list of recommendations on how to sell a home faster and for top dollar. This can also include giving hardware, fixture, and flooring suggestions. A great bonus service we provide during our staging consultations is helping choose paint color. We stay on top of trends and make sure to take into account the lighting, flooring, and cabinets in a space. Mostly being brought in by a Realtor to help them assess a home and help their client figure out where to start and what is the most important to focus on. We see a lot of houses all over and know what is going to help a home sell.
What we specialize in is occupied stages, this is when someone will still be living in the home, so we utilize most of their items. We are very good at figuring out what to keep and where to place items to get the best photos for listing. While bringing in some of our own items to really highlight and make the home the most appealing to multiple buyers. We work with all types of home styles and client age ranges. Having a large inventory that allows us to show of a home to its target buyer. No home is ever the same because we always start from scratch when pulling items for a stage.
I think I am most proud of how we can bring a room back to life. By using color, texture, placement, softness from plants and fabrics. It is very fun and energizing. I love when I see a clients face after we have finished staging using their items or in a space they have lived in for so long. It is very rewarding! A lot of our staging clients end up turn into design clients. Helping them figure out spacial planning for their new homes, using their items again while suggesting new items and color.
Since we work with a lot of clients who are downsizing or decluttering, we like to suggest where these items can go besides the trash. On our website, we have a resources page that has links to some charities and donation services. We are very good at using existing items in a home and making them look good. But sometimes we don’t need something for a stage or a client doesn’t want it anymore. We also take on pro bono projects when we can and will send out a list of items we are looking for.
Overall, we like to not just think of ourselves as Stagers but someone who is helping a homeowner figure out one of the most stressful things a person can do in their life. We take pride in easing someone’s nerves about selling a home.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
I would absolutely describe myself as a risk taker, even though it makes me super uncomfortable, which is exactly what a risk should feel like. It is so easy to stay in your safe zone, but so much more rewarding if you step out of it! Trust me, it’s been hard, but I have learned so much about myself and the world from taking risks. Not even to prove to other people but to myself that I can do it. Starting my own professional organizing business, then closing it. Taking more responsibility in Energizing Spaces, a small woman-owned business, and helping grow it. After college, I took a risk and went to Morocco for a month and helped at a special needs orphanage. I had always wanted to do something like this and decided it was time, so I did some research, raised some money, and booked a flight. It was scary but one of the best experiences of my life. All of the risky experiences have made me who I am today and led me to what I am doing and love. Yes, it’s scary, yes, it’s hard yes, it’s not always fun, but it’s so rewarding. In the end, obviously, not all risks are good to take and I know I have taken my fair share of ones before without really thinking about them. But sometimes that’s good, and it gets you to where you want to be, even if you have multiple letdowns and disappointments. To me, I would rather look back and be glad that I did the things. It led me to finding something that I absolutely love and want to do every day!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.energizingspaces.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/energizingspaces/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EnergizingSpaces
- Linkedin: https://linkin.bio/energizingspaces
