Living With Lolo
Many people grow up knowing exactly what they want to be once they finally reach adulthood. They go to school or sometimes take a leap and jump right into their chosen field. A lot of those even find that their childhood dreams live up to their expectations and go on to do incredible, world defining things.
But just as many people, possibly more, celebrate their 18th birthday with little to no direction. Maybe they take a job just to pay the bills while they struggle to do what they really want. Maybe they develop a successful career they thought was the one they’d do until retirement but find several years later that they want a change of pace or an entire career switch. Whatever their path, these are the people that discover later in life that thing that lights a fire in their brain and burns until they just have to do something about it.
Lauren Lerner, interior designer and the founder of Living with Lolo: Interior Design and Build, falls steadfastly into this category. She spent the majority of her life pursuing a completely different career from interior design. Then, after welcoming a new baby into her life, she decided it was time to change things up.
“I made the bold decision to explore my true passions and hobbies,” Lerner explained. “Through extensive self-reflection, I discovered that my utmost passion resided in the art of designing my own home. With unwavering determination, I took a leap of faith and wholeheartedly embraced the pursuit of this burning passion.”
And embrace it she did. Lerner took this discovery of her passion in the art of design and channeled it into her new venture. It’s not wrong to say that the rest is history in the making. She founded the firm Living with Lolo: Interior Design and Build, taking on the role of both owner and principal designer in the process. The firm focuses on what it calls its concierge approach, essentially creating a relaxing, easy to work with environment that puts its clients needs and desires at the forefront. To that end, Lerner and her team probe deep into what their clients are specifically looking for with regards to the space they wish to be designed.
The purpose, according to Lerner, is to understand completely how a client wants to utilize the space. She believes that a well designed home directly links to how one feels, and her passion for her work comes in part from being personally responsible for positively affecting her clients lives. This forms the basis of what she calls designs catered to how a person feels. In her own words, “My unique ability lies in utilizing intuition to uncover and interpret client preferences that may be challenging for them to articulate. This allows me to create a home that truly reflects their desired aesthetic and ambiance.”
Throughout this journey of building Living with Lolo, Lerner has learned what it takes to be a top designer in her field. Today, she’s made a name for herself as one of the top 10 interior designers in Arizona. Even more exciting, she is the number 1 designer in Phoenix, something that has allowed her to work with clients on a national scale. The path to that success, as is often the case, twisted and turned with struggles and triumphs.
One lesson Lerner realized she needed to master was learning to say no. Sometimes, for one of a thousand different reasons, a client and a designer simply don’t mesh. And recognizing when you might not be the designer best suited to a particular client’s vision is a valuable skill. Especially for someone like Lerner, who naturally wants to help everyone she comes across.
Recently, Living with Lolo celebrated a truly impressive milestone. The team made the decision to expand and start looking for additional designers to bring on. It’s an exciting moment, one that Lerner described, “Having the privilege to choose among these outstanding individuals who are eager to be a part of our organization is an incredibly rewarding experience.”
Seeking new talent is an especially momentous occasion after I learned that Lerner credits building her team as one of the most significant moments in building her brand. She absolutely loves being able to work next to the incredible flair of Director of Operations Robin Vaughn, Designer Ashley Adams, Accessories Manager Danielle Cantwell, Executive Assistant Molly Oestreich, Designer Nathalie Garcia, Designer Sarah Morgan, Director of Construction Brandie Roberts, Construction Project Manager Debra Solomon and, of course, the furry friends of the office, Barketing Managers Zoe and Bernie. Lerner says that she fills her robust team by complimenting her skills and looking for those that are strong where she might not be.
Living with Lolo has built a solid reputation, thanks in large part to being featured in national publications. They use every tool at their disposal, including the variety of disciplines supplied by the team, to create a unique style and deliver an incomparable service. And the effect of pursuing something that started out as a passion could not be plainer.
“Finding my passion has directly contributed to my confidence,” Lerner said.
With her experience, she offered some comforting advice for anyone thinking about a career shift or even just considering going after that dream of theirs. First, it’s important to embrace your instincts and trust your intuition. Second, remember that it’s never too late to embark on new endeavors. Finally, if you can dream it, you can make it a reality. As someone who took until 30 to land in a chosen profession, I can’t help but wholeheartedly agree with Lerner’s advice. And for anyone wanting to be an interior designer, she gave me something specific to pass on:
“Embrace your passion! Invest in self-improvement and leverage a wide array of resources to deepen your industry knowledge. Seek guidance from a mentor, as it is the most expedient path to personal and professional growth.”
Living with Lolo: Interior Desing and Build offers full-service interior design in Scottsdale, including full home remodels, new builds, and furnishing projects, and they are a licensed general contractor. Examples of their styles include (but are not limited to) Contemporary, Eclectic, Japandi, Modern Southwest, and Wabi Sabi.
Feature provided by The Scottsdale Living – Thomas France.
Thomas is a Lifestyle Reporter and Content Creator for The Scottsdale Living.
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