We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shelly Nupp a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Shelly, appreciate you making time for us and sharing your wisdom with the community. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others overcame obstacles can be helpful. One of those struggles is keeping creativity alive despite all the stresses, challenges and problems we might be dealing with. How do you keep your creativity alive?
Keeping my creativity alive has a lot to do with just taking the time to slow down. When I start to feel a creative block I make myself focus on creating. I used to be the person that would stop at every pile of junk on the side of the road I could find. Honestly the more broken it was, the better the transformation. Being able to see things in a different light has always been something that naturally comes to me. I love walking through a thrift store and being inspired to use something no one cared about to make my designs special. From turning old bed posts into candle sticks to beat up guitar cases into coffee tables, I love to think outside the box.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Over the last few years in my design business specifically, we have really niched down to Hospitality design. We have become experts in the world of Airbnb design and really allowing our clients to stand out. We have spent a lot of time in the Smoky Mountains which is a huge tourist destination. Our goal is to make each design special to maximize our clients bottom line. This year we have set some large goals for ourselves and are really moving away from homeowner residential design. I’m excited to think of more ways to be unique and creative.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
First would be networking. It’s vital to growing your business. Getting in with the right people can drastically change the course of your business.
Second, don’t be afraid of failure and to think outside the box. Some of my most talked about designs are the ones I was nervous to try but decided to go for it anyway.
Third, surround yourself with the right people. Only those who will push you forward and not hold you back. This is probably not something you haven’t heard before. I can honestly say, when I started this it made the world of difference for my personal and professional growth.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
Gave me the freedom to be me. With love and kindness they always pushed us to be our best. I never felt pushed to do anything I didn’t want to and I believe that made me thankful and motivated to wake up every day and do what I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.centsibledesigns.com
- Instagram: @centsible_designs
- Facebook: Centsible Designs
