Today we’d like to introduce you to Alisha Ford.
Hi Alisha, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I’ve always had a passion for interior design. When I was in college, I would diligently decorate my dorm room and apartment bedrooms. And Sundays after dinner were always reserved for watching HGTV with my mom. My first adult apartment was 530 square feet, and every inch was meticulously decorated from top to bottom. I personally crafted every zone based on months of planning and ideas coming together. I always assumed that interior design was simply a hobby, but around 2014, I was really feeling a tug to have a creative outlet outside of my non-profit career. I also had a best friend who recently completed a wedding planning certificate program and was working for a local wedding planner, and it got me thinking. What if this were and could be more than a hobby? I didn’t know anything about creating a business, so in my mind, starting with a program to ensure that I had the essentials down and to make sure I could in fact do this would be a good start. I researched local certificate programs and found that one of the local community colleges had a continuing education Interior Decorating Certificate Program. After calling the administrative office, I received confirmation that it was the perfect program for me. On the first evening of classes, I discovered that our professor had attended Parsons School of Design in New York and that she was going to challenge and push us to unlock our potential and uncover our confidence. Along the way, she reassured me that I had what it took. She reminded me and my classmates that we had likely been taught to suppress our artistic creativity at some point in lieu of traditional careers. Our professor ensured that when we completed the course, we had a complete business portfolio, so we would be equipped and confident to take on our first client. My family and friends didn’t fully know what I was doing for 3 months, but they were very supportive, and when I had my capstone presentation, I was so grateful and excited to have them all there. After completing the program, I believed that the Lord would send me my first client when the time was right. So, I continued to study and seek out inspiration to ensure that I would be ready. In between, I shadowed a local successful small business as a contract employee so that I could learn the ins and outs of running a successful business. And about 4 years later, I received my first call. A year after that, I knew that I wanted to ensure that I had a solid business plan and pricing structure to support a successful, growing business. I was fortunate to be accepted into a local non-profit’s 13-week business cohort for aspiring female entrepreneurs. The pandemic hit shortly thereafter, and I had the opportunity to complete the program virtually. The program helped me establish and solidify my business plan, pricing structure, and register my business. During that time, I began taking on my initial clients, which helped me solidify my pricing structure and refine my business model. Following that course, I really had the confidence to continue growing my business. I worked with a logo designer, created my printed marketing materials, did an official business soft launch, and hired a creative marketing agency to design my website. The business has been full steam ahead ever since. I currently operate my business part-time, but I am excited to see what the future holds. It has been a journey, one that I am grateful God blessed me to be able to embark upon.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It has honestly been a pretty smooth road, but it has truly been a faith journey. Trusting the process, knowing when to pivot, and learning from each project and the challenges along the way have been critical to the growth and success of the business. Every new project is a bigger challenge in some aspect, and each project stretches me in a way the previous project hasn’t.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Alisha Ford Design. LLC?
Alisha Ford Design provides professional and affordable interior design services to residents and businesses desiring to decorate their space and focuses on bringing your decorating and design ideas to life.
We desire to help the everyday residential customer achieve their design goals for their residence and tailor the design to fit their needs. We aim to craft the perfect space for businesses that evokes an esthetic that complements their customer experience.
What Sets Us Apart: We make interior design attainable for the everyday residential customer who may not have a $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000 budget. While we do take on big projects, for those who may simply be looking to refresh, decorate, reimagine, or organize a space, we can support you in making that dream a reality.
We offer a variety of interior design services to fit your various needs (Consults, Staging, Full Scale Design, Home Organizing) and are excited about taking on your project and discovering the potential in your space.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alishaforddesign.com
