Today we welcome Donna Hartman, owner and principal designer of Gray Fox Interior Design. In this episode, Donna shares her entrepreneurial journey from model homes to hospitality and how her years in the classroom as an educator laid the foundation for her high-touch approach to business and interior design. We also discuss how peers and partnerships support the continued development of her interior design business model, and Donna shares the rewarding benefits of committing to a volunteer leadership role as president of the Southern California Chapter of NKBA.

SHOW HIGHLIGHTS

  • How Donna's experience designing model homes introduced her to the importance of function, spatial awareness, and how people live in their homes
  • The transferable skills she developed as an educator and how designing engaging classroom environments shaped her approach to interior design
  • How managing luxury vacation rentals and operating a staging company strengthened Donna's attention to detail and hospitality mindset
  • Why Donna ultimately chose to specialize in kitchen and bath design rather than trying to serve every area of the industry
  • How peers, contractors, trade professionals, educational events, and industry connections helped Donna learn the business of design
  • The value of checking your ego at the door and surrounding yourself with people who bring different strengths and expertise
  • How an unexpected design partnership increased Donna's confidence, expanded her capabilities, and created opportunities for larger projects
  • The personal and professional growth Donna has experienced while serving as president of the Southern California Chapter of NKBA

NOTABLE QUOTES

  • "I like to be in control. I like to create my own destiny."
  • "Success is never achieved alone, never."
  • "It's okay to think big, but it's also okay to start small."
  • "I needed to start small and let it organically grow."

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