Today we’d like to introduce you to Roger Mathis and Ron McDaniel.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Roger and Ron. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
ROGER: Having always thought I would grow up to follow my mother’s path into finance, I quickly realized it wasn’t for me. I accepted a job working for a prominent Dallas Event Planning company and, at the same time, a wholesale showroom in the World Trade Center. From there, I was introduced to the Architectural & Design industry, and my fate was sealed. I found my home, for the next ten years, with Edelman Leather – a family runs artisanal leather company supplying luxury leather to the architectural and design community. Hospitality Design (hotels, restaurants, bars, etc.) and Contract Design (corporate offices, commercial, etc.) industries became my focus, and I continue to feel like these segments are where I feel at home.
RON: My journey to where I now take numerous turns along the way. Healthcare seemed to be the field I was destined to serve. Having worked several years in the managed care industry, I decided to transfer from Dallas to Atlanta continuing my career path. However, after 364 1/2 days (not that I was counting), I was ready to get back to Dallas. Once back in Texas, I realized it was time for me to change careers and started researching various options to work. A very good friend of mine suggested I visit with an owner of a high-end decorative accessories and bedding showroom at the Dallas Market Center. For ten years, I had the pleasure of working with some of Dallas’ finest residential interior designers and retailers. My path continued to change, and along the way, Roger and I joined forces and started Paravars.
ROGER: Starting our own business and joining forces had always been a topic of conversation between us. We wanted to do more for the design industry and fulfill a niche we felt was lacking. We never wanted to be just another multi-line sales agency. Ron’s mantra has always been, “if you don’t evolve, you get left behind.” It wasn’t until two respected mentors, separately, but around the same time, nudged us to go out on our own to create our agency. They pointed out we had complementary strengths and weaknesses. So, we leaped and never looked back.
Paravars, our eventual namesake, came about after a couple of (ok, many) martinis and our pondering what we could do for a name and logo with two Rs, our initials. A pair of Rs. We laughed to ourselves, the more we kept saying “pair of Rs” over and over. And, it finally stuck. We liked it since it was merely our initials, but the word Paravars had no real meaning. It just sounded good and rolled off the tongue. We still get the odd emails from people who have wondered the origin of the name and finally figure it out on their own all these years later.
RON: Our first partner, EDGE Collections, came out of an email of appreciation for their innovative and visually fresh take on wallcovering. We suggested Roger, and I would be interested if they ever wanted A&D representation. They are still with us today and have the “philosophy of yes” mindset we always look for in our design partners. From there, we were lucky to build on our combined relationships with the design/purchasing communities and favorable word of mouth from our accounts. We continued to seek out creative partners to build a well rounded portfolio that bridges all segments of the design industry. And, fast forward eight years… we’re still here and flourishing as Paravars, focusing on design solutions.
Has it been a smooth road?
ROGER: Paravars has been fortunate to weather many changes in the industry. But, it hasn’t been without a few stressful moments and sleepless nights. I’ve spent more than a few hours awake in bed in a cold sweat wondering “what have we done” or “what were we thinking going out on our own”?! While it has many benefits and perks, I would say starting your own business is not for the meek. But those times were usually few and fleeting with many more confirming we made the right decision to trust our gut. In the beginning, if we were questioning our decision, we talked through the feelings with a trusted industry mentor. And on occasion, my extremely wise grandmother.
RON: Realizing, as independent business owners (as well as being married), you are the sole provider and really have no safety net was a big challenge in the beginning. We knew it would be 24/7 and could consume us if we did not pay attention. So, we continue to work very hard not to let Paravars overtake our lives at home. We both knew if we stuck to it, took care of our accounts and partners, maintained our work ethic, and did not over extend ourselves. Then it would all work out. And, Paravars began to catch on and prosper.
Tell us more about the business.
ROGER: Wow, we’ve been trying to explain this to our non-design industry family and friends for years! To some, we are seen as a Marketing Agency, to others, we are simply a Sales Agency and still to others, we are Product Designers. We both have always seen ourselves as “Design Solutionists”. We tend to wear many hats during the day. It has always been our goal to provide design assistance through collaborative and creative solutions. We are proud to be partnered with an amazingly talented group of artisans and companies, both domestic and international. Working with them, we help bring design concepts and ideas into reality. I guess you could say Paravars is in it’s element and shines when we are acting as an “extension” of our design accounts.
RON: We have many things to be both proud of and grateful for our clients and our partners first and foremost. Without them, we could not do what we do. Roger and I are also extremely proud of the reputation we have built and work on every day within the industry. The trust our accounts have in us is paramount. This year, as we celebrate the eight year anniversary of Paravars, we are thankful to work in a creative and ever changing industry. With this gratitude, we both feel the call to give back to our industry and the young talent just starting. Roger and I sit on the Dallas NEWH Board of Directors (a non-profit organization focusing on the Hospitality Design Industry), helping to provide scholarships, mentoring, and networking opportunities. We are also supporters of IIDA, ASID and other industry organizations.
How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
ROGER: In regard to the design industry, it is in constant change, both good and bad. Just as other industries are affected by the economy, politics, and world events, so is the business of Architecture and Design. The economy and the latest international health conditions being two of the biggest game-changers in recent years. Generational, technological, experiential influences all play a key role in the design industry’s ongoing effort to stay relevant and to never become stale. Think about how travel and hotels have changed throughout the years. And, while the typical office is still a constant part of corporate culture, the design and how employees experience the office continues to change. One thing is certain, though the design industry will adapt and find a way to reinvent. Paravars continue to evolve as well, with several interesting developments on the horizon for us. So stay tuned!
RON: As Roger pointed out, my motto is “evolve or get left behind”. We are always investigating new avenues of outreach to our accounts and how best to be of greater service to them. Paravars strives to be a “go to” for our designers, architects and purchasing agents. So, if they are evolving, we need to stay up with them or hopefully be a step or two ahead. The industry is getting faster and morphing every day. Sometimes it feels like it is changing hourly. Check back with us in a year, and we will still be doing what we love, but probably in new and innovative ways.
Contact Info:
- Address: 25 Highland Park Village
Suite 100-817 Dallas, TX 75205 - Website: www.paravars.com
- Phone: 214-842-2377
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: paravars1
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