Today we’d like to introduce you to Ramika Qazi.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I think my love for home decor has been instilled in me since I was a child. One of my most unforgettable memories was when my parents were looking for their first house and I would ride along with the realtor on the weekends. During these rides, I absolutely fell in love with model homes. At that time, I had no idea interior decor/design was even a profession, so I told my mom, I wanted to go into real-estate because I just loved everything about homes and decor. Once my parents closed on their first house, I remember furniture shopping with my parents and at the age of 10, I was giving them my opinion about what they should and shouldn’t buy. From that day forward, I couldn’t wait to grow up, so I could have my very own house to decorate!
Years later, when my husband and I got married and moved into our very first starter home I was so excited I literally started purchasing furniture and accessories before we even moved in. Within 2 weeks, I had our entire house furnished and staged! I remember we held our house warming within the first month of moving in and my family and friends were so impressed with how inviting I made our space and encouraged me to take my love for home decor and turn it into something more, so I started exploring my options. I knew design school wasn’t for me as I had just finished my undergrad in business from UTD. I didn’t want to invest another 4 more years in school, so I tried to find different options that would give me credibility. I didn’t think anyone would want to use my services without a degree in decor/design. One day as I was researching I came across a book on home staging and quickly realized this was something I could get my certification in! Staging is a little different than interior decorating as it’s a method of decorating that is designed to showcase the home’s best assets, impress buyers and sell it quickly for the highest possible price. I figured this would be a good option for me as it’s still a form of home decor. After a year or two of trying out home staging, I learned I loved creating livable spaces rather than spaces to sell.
In 2015, I started a DIY/Decor enthusiast IG page called “Crafty Corridor” with my best friend. We would work on DIY’s on the weekends and continuously work on content to post. In 2016, we didn’t see much growth in our business plus our lives were getting busier so we decided to move away from Crafty Corridor. When my friend and I talked about letting it go, she told me to continue it if I could because she saw how much decors meant to me. At that time, I was discouraged and wasn’t really sure if I would continue without her, but something inside me told me to give it another chance. A few months later, I landed on a project that was recognized by Zgallerie on all their social media outlets which gave me all the hope I needed. I still remember doing the happy dance and couldn’t believe such a big company recognized my work. It was from that day forward, I knew I needed to follow my dreams!
In 2017, I decided to re-name the business to RQ Charming Homes as I wasn’t doing anything crafty per se, so I thought I should go with a name more fitting to my business. 2017 was my year, I was slowly getting recognized on social media and getting many more inquires for home decor. I landed on several projects and was working crazy amounts of hours during the night and on weekends. I was drowning, but I didn’t want to decline any potential projects because it was another chance to grow my portfolio. I finally saw potential in my side business and all my dreams were finally turning into reality. I even had a few opportunities to collaborate with different companies such as Kirkland’s.
It was only getting better, but then in June 2017, my health did a complete 180 on me as I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I still remember I was working on 3-4 projects at the time and I had no idea how to tell my clients what I was about to go through. I did my very best to wrap up those projects so I could take on an unknown journey. The part that made me feel down the most was how I was finally seeing small victories with my business and I was getting the most decor inquiries I had thus far. I continued to get inquiries about projects, and every potential project was a heartbreak as I knew I couldn’t handle it due to the treatment I was about to endure. This may sound crazy, but I still took on about 5 projects. Most of these clients were aware of my situation and let me work at my own pace which was helpful and the only reason I even considered it. I probably should have let this go during my treatment, but I am so glad I didn’t because it was what kept me going. I clearly remember December 2017 when I was hospitalized I pretty much wanted to let go of all of this as I stopped keeping up with my content on IG. One day at the hospital, my sister in law asked me what makes me most happy… I thought about it and again it fell back to decor and my effort to grow my small business. The reason I gave you such a long-detailed answer to this question is that my entire life, with good health or not the answer to my well-being, was my passion for decor.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Establishing my own business has not been a walk in the park. As easy/fun as it seems, it comes with its own set of challenges. Just like any other successful business a lot of hard work, time, passion, love, and dedication needs to be invested.
A few of the struggles/challenges I have faced thus far have been…
•Having this decor business as a part-time gig is probably my biggest challenge. If you aren’t aware, I have a full-time corporate job in HR Technology, which means the only time I have for my business is weeknights and weekends. This eats into my free time I could have with my family. Even now, this is a constant struggle for balancing full-time work, part-time decor business, and family/friends. I continuously remind myself that I am not a “superwoman” and I do have limitations to how many projects I should accept at one time.
•Another challenge with this type of business is trying to sell your ideas. Often, I only have pictures/mood boards and layouts to express the feelings of an entire room. It’s hard to sell something that doesn’t physically exist.
•Maintaining client expectations is also another challenge I face. Being an interior decorator is all about working with people and managing expectations. I have learned over the years that I need to set boundaries and create a timeline for myself which has been super helpful!
•While maintaining a timeless style, I love to introduce the latest trends as well. It can be challenging to incorporate the latest trend that doesn’t go out of date in 6 months. Staying on top of trends and knowing how to tastefully introduce them is one of the greatest skills decorators have!
•Finally, self-promotion! From Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram, there are endless outlets for self-promotion. However, knowing how to beat the algorithm to grow followers has been very difficult and I have learned that all I can do is to stay consistent with my posts.
Although the list can go on, I can say that from all my past struggles and challenges it has shaped me into who I am today. The struggles will never end, but I have learned to grow because of them and I am ready for more challenges to embrace and obstacles to overcome. I would always hear that with every opportunity there may be a difficulty, and with every difficulty, there will be another opportunity to grow and learn from.
Please tell us about RQ Charming Homes.
RQ Charming Homes is a small interior decorating business based out of Dallas, TX. I absolutely love turning houses into homes! For me, designing a space is like creating an outfit. It’s all about layering, color schemes and adding those final touches. The Psychology behind design fascinates me! I know “things” cannot bring happiness, but living in a home where you have some connection to your surroundings in a comfortable way is important.
Many people think that hiring an interior decorator is something only left to the rich and for those with huge, extravagant living spaces. Also, there’s a misconception that people only hire interior decorators if they have endless amounts of money to spend and don’t mind getting rid of perfectly good pieces of furniture only to replace it with newer, more stylish pieces. That’s not the case at all!
Hiring an interior decorator can be a way to save you money, time, mistakes and stress!
Who have you been inspired by?
There have been so many awesome women in my life who have inspired me in different ways, but the women in my family, such as my mother, husbands grandmother, my sisters-in-law, and my best friend all have contributed in shaping me to be a better version of myself. These women inspire me and motivate me to grow without any barriers. They all have seen the passion I have for home decor and have encouraged me to believe in myself which has led me to pursue my dream!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rqcharminghomes
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Rqcharminghomes
Image Credit:
Shamain K Photography
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