Today we’d like to introduce you to Savannah Jones.
Savannah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always had a passion for design since I was a little girl. I have loved to use my creativity every day. I remember spending hours in craft stores with my mom, and it seemed like home. I would rather spend my days as a little girl redesigning my wooden Barbie house than playing with electronics. I would take scrapbook paper and make new wallpaper for each room in the house, build furniture out of wood, sew bedding and pillows. It was a completely customized dream house. I knew from then on, that was my calling. I was too creative for a world that I couldn’t design myself. Hence, Where the Heart is- Home Staging & Interior Styling was born.
I worked in the automotive industry for a long time, but after I had my daughter in 2018, I knew I couldn’t go back to a 9-5 workday. While on maternity leave, I started a side hustle and quickly realized that I was meant to be my own boss. I went back to work for a day, cried the whole day, quit, and never looked back. Shortly after that, I began to ask myself, “when was I going to build my dream?” I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but it was my passion, my calling, my purpose, and I had to follow my heart. I decided to go back to school to get my certification in Home Staging and start building my empire. Easier said than done with a baby girl who consumed most of my time, but she was my “why” she kept me pushing forward on the days I felt I couldn’t do it. My family’s support has been incredible. I have leaned on many of them for questions, ideas, and help. My husband has been my biggest cheerleader, his belief and faith in me have helped me to create the successful business I have today.
Where the Heart is, brings home to the house. Wherever that may be, my goal is to create a space anyone would love to live in. Whether that be a staged home an agent is selling or an occupied home that needs some updating. I believe everyone should live in a space that they love, a space they feel comfortable in, a space they see themselves being in every day. I don’t do this to get rich or to get fame, I do this because I have a talent I can share with my community and I have found a way to use that talent to do something I love, that means more to me than any payday ever could.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I have faced many self-made obstacles. Many dilemmas and problems that I created in my mind. I have held myself back from showing my full potential in different instances. As cliché as it sounds, prayer and my faith in a higher power have reinstalled the fire inside me, along with the support from my husband, my parents and my family. I always say: I’m not lucky, I’m blessed, and if blessings were wealth, I would be a billionaire.
I believe it takes a strong person to see the disabilities in themselves and make improvements on them day to day. The road to where I am hasn’t been smooth, and by no means is it over, but I am excited for the journey ahead, a little scared, but mostly excited.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Where the Heart is- Home Staging & Interior Styling, is a company of just that. I work with real estate agents who are selling occupied/vacant homes. I come in and design the space to help highlights the homes best features. This in turn will better help the home buyer visualize themselves living in the space. The goal is to help the house sell faster and for the most money. On the other side of my business we have the interior styling. This is where I work with homeowners to decorate or re-decorate occupied spaces, help to keep their home functional, organized, and tasteful in design.
I am blessed to be gifted with my unique talent. I have an eye for design, layout, balance, and color. I can visualize a space with nothing in it and from just my imagination, bring that vision to life for others to see. This is what sets WTHI aside from our competitors. I am proud of this company because it is a representation of when passion meets purpose, it is a way I can give back to people using the talents God gave me. I can make people fall in love with the space they spend the most time in. I love that in every project I do, I can leave a little bit of my heart and soul with it.
What were you like growing up?
I was raised as an only child, and I lived mostly with my mother. My parents separated when I was very young, so I never remember a time of them being together, but my father has always been in the picture and if you ask my mom, I am just like him. I owe my work ethic, can–do spirit, and strong passion to them. I think being raised as an only child, I learned early on to occupy myself. I was really good at being alone. This helped me to create my own entertainment. I relied on my imagination to have fun. Another side of being an only child is you get really good at talking to adults. When you’re the only child in a room full of grown-ups, you don’t really have a choice but to get in on their conversations. I’m grateful for that. It has helped me to be ahead of my times and be as outgoing as I am today. It is why I grew up faster than most kids my age. I met my husband when I was just 16 years old. I moved out right after I graduated high school, worked a full-time job and went to school full time. I got married when I was just 20 years old. That same year we built our first house and a few months later, we found out we were expecting our daughter.
I know if I didn’t grow up the way I did, I wouldn’t be as successful as I am now. I am grateful to have had the opportunities I have had presented to me. When I was young, my mom lost her job due to the recession. We went from a large income to strictly budgeting all income. I saw my mom turn a hard situation into a hustle. She used her creative skills in graphic design to provide for us in extremely hard times. It was a major change in my life and has been one of the biggest driving forces to my success. Did I ever do without? Absolutely not. I did however have to learn that I had to work for the things I wanted. Nothing would be handed to me, and I appreciate that work ethic every day. My Dad always told me, “don’t do anything halfway, do it right or don’t do it all”. I thank them for the life lessons they’ve taught me and for the unconditional love and support they show me every day. I am so blessed to have such an amazing support system. I am excited to see what the future has in store for Where the Heart is, I know amazing things are coming!
Pricing:
- Full Vacant Home Staging- $1,700
- Partial Vacant Home Staging- $950
- Interior Styling- $500
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Wheretheheartishs.com
- Phone: 817-992-7990
- Email: wheretheheartishs@yahoo.com
- Instagram: WheretheheartisHS
- Facebook: Where the Heart Is- Home Staging & Interior Styling
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