Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Littmann.
Hi Adam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Small business has always been a really positive topic in our family. My mom’s side of the family owned a bakery before I was born, so I grew up hearing stories about that, and my own background included working as a line cook for a small business owner. On my wife April’s side, her dad had always wanted to get into the BBQ business before he passed away. Entrepreneurship was just something we valued.
The actual catalyst for Neighbor Interiors started back when we were living in Houston. April’s education and experience was already in interior design. We were both commuting, our daughter was in daycare, and we honestly just thought starting our own business would give April more freedom and time with her. Looking back, it’s a little funny. You start a business thinking you’re going to make your own schedule, but in reality, you just don’t realize all the hats you’ll have to wear in the beginning.
For much of the nine years we’ve been in business, April really ran the show. I was working full-time as an application analyst, and my role with the business was just in the evenings and on weekends. I helped run our social media, acted as a sounding board for April to bounce ideas around, and provided general help with whatever I could behind the scenes.
The long-term goal was always to work together, but making that jump is hard when your W2 is stable and certain. I had a great job. After 16 years, I had achieved a great reputation and a level of seniority with a team reporting to me. Still, I was working long hours to meet the demands of my projects, and I just wanted my time back. I wanted a less stressful daily life. Now, being a business owner comes with a whole new bag of stress, but it’s a stress you choose because you’re doing work you’re passionate about, so it feels entirely different.
Two years ago, I finally stepped away to join April full-time. It’s easy to underestimate the backend of high-end design; the work we do alongside builders and architects is highly technical. Coming on board full-time allowed me to take my background and really operationalize our systems. We’ve optimized our processes to create a seamless experience not just for our clients, but for our own team and our industry partners.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely hasn’t always been a smooth road, but the struggles weren’t necessarily what people might expect. The hardest part was waking up the next day and having to focus on my corporate job, when all I really wanted to do was keep growing the business with April. That mental tug-of-war was the biggest hurdle for a long time.
Once I finally came on board full-time, the challenges shifted to operations and finding opportunities to improve how our team worked.
One of the first things I heard from our design team was that while we had a good FF&E and finish schedule process in place, it was getting clunky. In our world, that schedule isn’t just a list of furniture. It contains everything from plumbing fixtures and tile selections to precise installation locations and lay directions. When the design team needed to make revisions to something that complex, there were aspects that we could automate or make more efficient.
That became my first major project. I used my background to build more advanced system tools to neatly organize and communicate all of those critical details. We turned it into a true single source of truth for the builders we work with. Not only did it make life easier for them, but it made it much simpler for our team to make changes, track those revisions, and keep everyone updated on the latest version. The struggles we face now are mostly just the day-to-day work of refining those systems so the design team can run without running into bottlenecks.
We’ve been impressed with Neighbor Interiors, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
At our core, Neighbor Interiors is a full-service interior design firm specializing in large-scale custom homes and luxury renovations. We are known for a signature approach we call ‘Laid-Back Luxury.’ The goal is to create homes that feel incredibly refined and perfect for entertaining, but are still truly durable for real, everyday life.
One of our defining qualities is how our skill sets actually overlap. It’s easy for people to assume a strict division of ‘the creative designer’ and ‘the operational business manager,’ but our reality is much more dynamic. April leads the creative direction for our design projects, but she is also highly technical and possesses the sharp business acumen that built the foundation of this company. My background as an analyst allowed me to come in and scale our operational systems on the back end, while I also take the lead on the creative direction for our marketing and brand. We are both technical and we are both creative. We just apply it to different sides of the house.
Because of that partnership, we are able to be highly effective from the ground up. Our team collaborates early with architects and builders, using our process-driven approach to guide clients through every single decision, from the initial construction documentation all the way to the final full-home furnishing and installation.
As a business, I think what we are most proud of is the actual experience we deliver. Large-scale construction is notoriously complex, but because of the systems we’ve built, our clients get an experience that feels clear, calm, and well-managed. We are rooted here in Southlake, Texas, but we serve clients nationwide who are looking for a warm, approachable partnership that honors the life they’ve built.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
On the professional side, the resource I’ve gained a lot from is the Brad Leavitt Podcast. What I appreciate most about his show is that it isn’t just about construction. It’s a deep dive into the mechanics of running a business. He brings on leaders from all over the place to talk about how they actually built their companies and how they maintain an edge in their specific markets. Hearing those stories about entrepreneurship continues to be a great resource for me personally.
That show was actually the primary inspiration for us starting our own show, the Neighbor Interiors Podcast. I’ve found that the discipline of hosting is one of the best ways to stay sharp. The process of planning episodes and seeking out thoughtful conversations forces me to step out of my comfort zone and think more strategically about our own industry, as well as running a business in our community. It’s also helped me build relationships with some genuinely great people.
Outside of work, the thing I rely on to do my best is staying active with my wife. We’re active at our gym, getting in daily workouts. We’re active in our faith, seeking out ways to better serve our neighbors. And finally, we’re active in the ballroom. We have always enjoyed two-stepping to Texas country music, but more recently, we decided to take up ballroom dance lessons, and it has been a humbling and truly enjoyable experience. Learning something new together, it allows us to show up even better for each other, our team at the office, and the people we get to serve.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.neighborinteriors.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neighborinteriors/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/neighborinteriors
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adamlittmann/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@neighborinteriors
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/neighbor-interiors-podcast/id1752559780
Image Credits
Sarah Linden Photography
