Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Lyles.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I remember my first room redesign…I moved my desk in front of the door so no one could get in…I was 8 years old.
My career had been Health Care Marketing Management and I loved it. I have always helped friends and family with making selections for their homes and they almost always said…you should do this for a living. I shrugged it off and took comments like that as tokens of appreciation. After retiring from Health Care, I began practicing Real Estate and started the staging aspect as a supplement. Real Estate took a lot of time and patience. Rearranging a room to feel more welcoming came naturally. However, after my staging training, I understood that staging and decorating are two different worlds. Staging a home is creating an emotional feeling when a buyer walks into the room. It must appeal to the masses and may not always be the look the seller expected. I always tell my sellers of occupied homes, “You may not like it but you don’t have to”, ” we are going for a look that appeals to the general public…not “decorating” a home you are trying to sell.” If I can earn their trust…., and I always do 🙂 , they are very pleased with the outcome of the stage and even more pleased with the impact it has on buyers and their offers. Sometimes I can’t believe I get paid to do this….I truly believe this is my calling and I am so grateful I have the opportunity to answer.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
This has not been an easy path. I often felt like I was working on the “buy in” of staging a home. Convincing a home owner or realtor of the impact staging made was hard work. They either got it or they balked at the price. And due to my naivety, I usually shorted myself just to reel them in. Now I know my work is legitimate and my time worth every penny. Still there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes…There is shopping, storing, moving and returning pieces, as well as the book keeping, social media presence and diligence, and the contracts and paper work. Not soon enough, I realized that I could not do everything so I hired an operations manager & marketing strategist….best business move I have made thus far!.. I will keep trudging uphill and keeping those valleys and plains off in the distance on my radar.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
I have staged homes, redesigned homes, helped make selections for new builds and even designed a store front window….oh not to mention party decoration and this year I decorated a 12′ tree for a client….do you have any idea how many ornaments it takes to decorate a 12′ tree?…..A LOT! I love it all but my certification and passion is staging…I would say that I get the majority of calls from realtors needing a house full of furniture and they need it done yesterday. I have lovingly been dubbed the “Make it happen girl.” Vacant homes are my fave because it is a blank canvas and I keep approximately 5 homes worth of furniture at all times. Lucky for me I LOVE to shop!
What were you like growing up?
Being the first born, I have that over-achiever, type A, OCD factor personality. This is a plus for my clients but beats me up most of the time. Growing up I tried everything from softball to beauty pageants when I was a teen. I was one of those kids that broke the rules just never got caught…there is probably someone reading this saying “that’s what you think” I love trying new things and I think change is GOOD! I also love adventure. I tell my husband constantly…:” the Ferris wheel is much more fun than the merry-go-round”
Contact Info:
- Website: kimlylesstaging.com
- Phone: 817-751-8446
- Email: kimberly.lyles@gmail.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/kimlylesstaging
- Facebook: facebook.com/kimlylesstaging
- Other: plus.goggle.com/+kimberlyLyles
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
