We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sondra Ganz a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sondra, first a big thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and insights with us today. I’m sure many of our readers will benefit from your wisdom, and one of the areas where we think your insight might be most helpful is related to imposter syndrome. Imposter syndrome is holding so many people back from reaching their true and highest potential and so we’d love to hear about your journey and how you overcame imposter syndrome.
My entire life I’ve felt like i don’t quite “fit in” anywhere. I loved and excelled in sports, but never was accepted fully within that kid/parent community. I preferred hanging with the punk rockers on the weekend- but even so, was never considered “punk rock enough” to really feel comfortable in that crowd either. I loved science, but hated math. Was extremely artistic but didn’t want to be perceived as one of those weird artsy types. I didn’t know anything about Interior Design and wasn’t really exposed to that world as an adolescent. I hardly traveled beyond the suburbs of Atlantic City, and never visited well designed homes. I did have a deep interest in set design… It wasn’t until college that I really started to feel like there might be a place for me somewhere. I was so fascinated and overwhelmed with all the different creative career paths. I couldn’t decide between Graphic Design and Product Design so eventually I chose a design-your-own-major path called the Integrated Design Curriculum at Parsons School of Design. It wasn’t until graduating that a French furniture designer-turned Interior Designer approached me to apprentice him in his studio that my world would change forever. Fast-forward– the past 19 years I have lead a successful career as an Interior Designer.
Having fallen into Interior Design by chance circumstance and with a lot of hard work, my feeling of not belonging anywhere had quickly morphed into imposter syndrome as I did not have the formal education as anyone else in the field. I didn’t even know AutoCad for years when I first started and I would still say that has been one of the more daunting aspects of my imposter syndrome (not having the formal education or training). I have had the pleasure of working with many fearless designers one-on-one whom really took the time to mentor me and foster my approach to design. Little did I know at the time that they often suffered from anxiety, self doubt and depression too.
As my career progressed, I quickly climbed the ladder at notable Architecture and Interior Design firms. I would soon be presenting new design concepts to C-Suite executives at notable companies, and eventually went on to become a Design Director at the renown Architecture firm, Gensler. I was leading large teams and design efforts, presenting to international moguls, hoteliers and world-champion sports teams thinking “Can this be real? Do I really deserve to be here?” The answer was YES- I eventually learned (after a lot of professional coaching, sleepless nights and bouts with anxiety) that once you reach what you may perceive as the “top”- those around you are trying to figure things out just like you are. Nobody is perfect, and in most cases you’ll probably realize you were qualified to be there all along.
As a perfectionist, I am challenged with trying to maintain an awe-inspiring portfolio while also having a work-life-balance at home. Working late nights and through the weekends is not uncommon in this field. When working at larger firms, there is also the added stress to pay for a lot of office overhead and fund salaries. In this setting, I often felt ashamed or doubtful in my abilities if I wasn’t getting the recognition I thought I deserved. The politics and competitive nature of a large company just wasn’t right for me after a while. I finally put my fears aside and decided to start my own company after having my first son and truly taking some time to unwind. When reflecting on my accomplishments vs. dwelling on the past self-doubts, I realized, “what have I got to lose” doing things on my own? I certainly had enough experience on paper and business development and client relationships always came natural to me.
When you work for yourself, it can be extremely daunting if you don’t get a good routine in check. While I can’t say my work-life balance is “textbook” all the time, I have found that working directly with my amazing clients and local tradesmen (and without having to report to anyone else regarding your methods of doing so) has provided me with all the self-worth and satisfaction I was seeking. As I make my own schedule, it has also offered the flexibility to be with my family as needed. As I am now controlling my own destiny, there is frankly not a lot of room for self-doubt as you have to quickly address any insufficiencies or fears and immediately move on. I suppose the survival-of-the-fittest aspect of being an entrepreneur has been really amazing for me in that regard.
As the years have gone by– and still feeling sometimes like i didn’t formally fit into the Interior Design community, I’ve realized that my unorthodox path has all made sense after-all. Having a passion towards graphic design, product design, architecture, science, travel and not being able to decide between them all– these are all multi-faceted aspects that shape my work as an interior designer. I am custom designing light fixtures, furniture, putting together graphically designed presentations, working with renown other creators to design new homes and interiors that people get to experience every day. I would not be where I am today if I didn’t take the misfit route into Interior Design. That is what makes me unique. Design is very subjective after-all. You have to be brave enough to field different opinions that you may not always agree with. If you work hard and are passionate about what you do, there will always be a meaningful seat at the table for you somewhere. You just have to have the patience and strength to realize when to stick things out and when to move on to the next adventure.
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?
I grew up on the Jersey Shore, where most of my childhood was spent exploring the seaside and letting my imagination run wild. My parents, an engineer and a photography teacher, instilled in me a love for both creativity and science. After earning my BFA from Parsons School of Design in New York City, I honed my skills working alongside top industrial and interior designers. A chance encounter during the recession led me into the world of Hospitality Design, where I continued on to lead landmark projects around the world at award-winning architecture firms. In 2019 I created a studio where I can focus on my true love; designing boutique experiences that exceed expectations. Studio Ganz is a full-service interior design firm partnering with clients on projects from concept to completion. Our turnkey services range from ground-up construction and gut renovations to custom millwork, lighting design, furnishings and styling. Our intuitive eye, technical knowledge, and discerning ability for detailed follow-through allows us to create environments that are as beautiful as they are functional. In the end, our goal is not just to create a design, but to tell a story. “It’s not about us, it’s about you.”
Notable Career Projects:
– The Chase Center, San Francisco
– el Palacio de Hierro, Polanco DF, Mexico
– Virgin Hotels (Hotel Concepts in SF and Silicon Valley)
– Four Seasons Hotels, Buenos Aires & Prague
– Oasis, Superyacht (featured in the July-August issues of San Francisco & Silicon Valley Magazine)
– (Numerous private residential homes where notable guests have included President Joe Biden)
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?
– As the saying goes, “You can’t win the lottery if you don’t play”. Live Boldly. You have to approach your career with a fearless mindset. Be willing to try new things and step your toe into uncharted waters.
– Relationships are everything. Especially if you want to own your own company one day, learning how to develop and foster personal connections is paramount to professional success. Attend that happy hour, go meet that person for lunch, speak on that panel…you never know where those new friendships might lead you down the road.
– Learn How to Communicate- I was lucky to have access to a professional coach at a certain point in my career. I had developed certain blindspots or habits that I was unaware of. Addressing those head-on and learning how to address my own pitfalls in communication was key. I also learned more about the communication perspectives of others in away that changed how I approach others. There is certainly a whole different world when it comes to email etiquette at different companies and industries that can get interesting to learn about too…
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I often find inspiration amongst Hospitality entrepreneurs. 2 books that have been impactful to me:
Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect by Will Guidara
– “hire those who were curious about what they didn’t know and generous with what they did.”
– “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”
Setting the Table by Danny Meyer
– “Make new mistakes every day. Don’t waste time repeating the old ones.”
– “Previous success in any field invites high expectations and scrutiny the next time around. People are less forgiving when a winner falters than they are when an up-and-comer stumbles. But a mark of a champion is to welcome scrutiny, persevere, perform beyond expectations, and provide an exceptional product—for which forgiveness is not necessary.”
Contact Info:
- Website: www.studioganz.design
- Instagram: @studio_ganz
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sondra-ganz-b24ab21a/
Image Credits
2-AftSalon-Oasis.jpg: R. Brad Knipstein Happy_11.jpg- Paul Dyer Happy_50_web.jpg- Paul Dyer StudioGanz.Magellan_022- John Merkl Chase Center JP Morgan- Jason O’Rear StudioGanz_Leeward- Katie Newburn Gensler_Palacio_22New- Paul Rivera Everdene Hero- Virgin Hotels
