Today we’d like to introduce you to Suzanne Felber.
Suzanne, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in home construction. My mother was a top Realtor, and after my father retired, he joined her in the real estate business.
Horses were my life, and what I got my degree in – I always say I am more horse smart than book smart. Through friends, I met the son of the owner of the local builders’ supply, who was also into showing horses, and after we got married, we moved to Dallas, where my parents had relocated to, and started our own construction firm, Traditions Custom Homes.
After building over 100 homes in the Plano area, I decided I liked the model home side of our business the most, so I quit my own company and went to work in the warehouse of a national design firm. And as they say, the rest is history.
When I was doing editorial and product styling for Home Depot, the VP of Marketing said that I needed to find a better title for the services I offered. We brainstormed and came up with Lifestylist®. She encouraged me to trademark the term (which I did by myself), and in the early 90’s, Lifestylist Inc was born.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Owning your own business is always a journey. At one point, I had offices in Dallas, New York City, and Tucson with employees everywhere. One day, I realized all I was doing was managing, and I didn’t have time to be hands-on with the jobs and my clients anymore. I still remember, because it was when my daughter was getting married and I was the wedding planner. I decided that I wanted to live more in the moment, closed my offices, and from that day on, I only take jobs that I can personally fulfill. That has meant a lot of miles driving, installing homes in zero degree weather in the Ozarks, and in 112 degree weather weather in Arizona. And I wouldn’t change a thing.
I am so fortunate to still have my parents giving me advice – they are both 95- and seeing the opportunities that are evolving to create a better quality of life for seniors has made me start looking in ways to be more active in that area. I volunteer at the TEXSOM International Wine Awards and their annual conference, and I have gotten interested in alcohol-removed wines and the incredible opportunities there right now. Falls are the biggest risk for seniors, so if they can enjoy a glass of alcohol-removed wine and not worry about getting too “buzzed,” it is a win for everyone. But as part of this education, I am learning how crazy the alcohol laws are in every state, which are all different. A glass of orange juice has more alcohol in it than most alcohol removed wines, yet in a lot of areas you still have to buy alcohol removed wines from a distributor, and have a liquor license. I have a lot to learn!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Lifestylist Inc is focused on three core areas: wine, dine, and design. It took me a long time to realize that I can’t be everything to everyone, so being able to focus on the areas that I love the most has really helped my business grow.
In 2002, I was at The International Builders Show, and there was a beautiful two-story home built right in teh middle of the show floor, Knowing that it could take up to a year to build a home of that quality and size, I couldn’t imagine how they were able to make this happen. That was my introduction to factory-built construction, or as many people still like to think of it, “Mobile Homes.” I realized immediately that this was the housing of the future. I met Bruce Savage at the show, who was marketing and pr VP for the Manufactured Housing Institute, and from that day on, we were fast friends. He educated me about this form of construction, and I started focusing my business on this type of construction.
So I became the “Trailer Diva” and started focusing on this niche market. To my knowledge, I am the only person who has ever won national awards for designing site-built and manufactured home model homes. I always say that anyone can style a beautiful home for a million-dollar budget, but being able to do that with a $10,000 budget takes creativity and a lot of work. Being able to offer new home buyers a look that is affordable and achievable that they can be proud of is the favorite part of what I do.
My business partner is Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography, who is a well-known photographer. We have a deal that I will go with her to help style her shots, and she comes with me to take beautiful photographs of the homes I stage for my clients. It is definitely a win-win for both of us and for our company. Lisa does a lot of food photography, so after working with her ,I realized this is another area that I really enjoy. I have started creating “lazy cook” recipes that I share on my Lifestylist website and on Pinterest for people who think they can’t cook, or are afraid to. I always say I am not a chef, but I can cook. Lisa’s love of New Orleans has become a passion for both of us, and we are now both members of the New Orleans Chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier. Les Dames d’Escoffier is a philanthropic international organization of women leaders in the food, beverage, and hospitality businesses, and being active in their chapter has introduced us to the women who make New Orleans so special.
Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
Spending summers with my cousins at our family farm in Erie, Pennsylvania. We could ride our bikes to teh lake, shucked peas on the porch of my grandparents’ home, and my aunt Julie, who is an artist, would take the older kids “haunted House Hunting.” We would find houses that were falling down in the countryside, and she would lift us into them, and we would find all kinds of cool stuff. I am convinced that is where my love of vintage and thrifting has come from.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lifestylist.com
- Instagram: @lifestylist
- Facebook: @lifestylist
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lifestylistinc/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/lifestylists
- Other: https://pinterest.com/lifestylist
Image Credits
Lisa Stewart Photography
