Meet Erika Demshar

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Erika Demshar. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Erika below.

Erika, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?

My optimism has always come from deep within me. Even as a child, I can remember waking up each day with a smile on my face, excited about the possibilities the world had to offer. I believed, wholeheartedly, that opportunities were everywhere and within reach—as long as I was willing to go after them. My mom always told me, “If there’s a will, there’s a way,” and those words became a quiet mantra that carried me forward.

From an early age, I showed determination and a refusal to give up. At just four years old, I begged my dad to take the training wheels off my bike, convinced I could handle it—and I did. Years later, that same perseverance carried me through the challenge of becoming the first in my family to attend college, fulfilling a dream I had set my sights on long before. Optimism was my constant companion, giving me the courage to keep going, even when the odds seemed uncertain.

I credit much of this mindset to my parents, who nurtured my light and encouraged me to always pursue what I wanted—even when it came at their own expense. (I don’t think my dad expected that letting me negotiate with him at 13 would end with him signing a contract to buy me a 13-inch TV, but he did it anyway!) Their unwavering belief in me made it feel natural to believe in myself. They never pressured me to be anything but myself, and that kind of acceptance made optimism not just possible, but inevitable.

Of course, my optimism as a child had a touch of naïveté, but it also made life joyful. I’ve carried that joy and resilience into adulthood, still guided by the simple motto I lived by growing up: smile. To me, optimism has always been about seeing opportunities where others might see obstacles, and trusting that—even if the path isn’t always clear—there’s always a way forward

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

My name is Erika Demshar, and I am the owner of Erika Demshar Design, an interior design boutique and home styling business where I bring attainable design to everyday people as their Everyday Designer. My goal is to make design approachable—luxurious in experience, but without the luxury price tag that often makes it feel out of reach.

This business was born after the difficult ending of a partnership and company I had poured years of heart and energy into. While it was a painful chapter, I chose not to let it diminish my optimism or belief in people. Instead, I used that moment to rebuild, this time creating something aligned with my true passions: helping people and making things beautiful. Interior styling became the perfect harmony of those two callings.

What excites me most about my work is showing clients how small, thoughtful changes can transform how they feel in their homes. Design doesn’t need to be intimidating, unattainable, or only for the elite. It can be accessible, joyful, and deeply personal. I believe a home should reflect the people living in it—where they are in life, what they love, and how they want to feel in their space.

Right now, I am focused on growing Erika Demshar Design on my own terms. It has been both scary and empowering to step into this new chapter, but it also feels magical. Each project allows me to weave optimism, beauty, and heart into homes, helping clients fall in love with their spaces again.

Looking forward, my dream is to expand my reach—to share tips, insights, and design solutions with a wider community so more people can experience the joy of a home that feels aligned with who they are.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Looking back, there are three qualities that stand out as most impactful in my journey: resilience, self-belief, and determination.

Resilience has been essential not just in business, but in life. No matter how much you prepare, life will throw curveballs. I’ve learned that the key isn’t avoiding them—it’s deciding how you’ll respond when they come. For me, resilience has meant tapping into optimism, even when circumstances felt heavy or uncertain. It’s meant allowing myself to grieve losses or setbacks, but then choosing to stand back up and keep moving forward. Resilience is about doing it scared, even when fear is loud.

The second quality is belief in myself, even when that belief wavered. In building a new business from scratch, there were moments I didn’t have external proof that I could succeed. What I did have was the understanding that I couldn’t control other people or outcomes—I could only control myself. That meant trusting myself again, remembering the little girl inside me who believed she could accomplish anything if she worked hard enough. That belief, even when shaky, became a lifeline in the moments I needed it most.

And finally, determination has carried me through every chapter. Starting and growing a business is not for the faint of heart. It requires taking leaps most people will never take—doing the scary thing that has no guarantee. Determination is what pushes you to keep showing up, day after day, even when the road feels long.

My advice for new business owners is simple but powerful: stay true to yourself and just keep going. You can’t fail at the thing you never tried, and you can’t make a mistake on something you never attempted. You will never regret taking the leap—but you might regret letting fear hold you back. Trust yourself, lean into your determination, and know that every step forward, even the hard ones, is building something extraordinary.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

The most impactful thing my parents did for me was believe in me—even in the moments when my own belief wavered. They instilled in me the idea that I could do and be anything I wanted to. In our house, there were no guardrails, no limitations—just unwavering support.

They also gave me the gift of self-acceptance. I grew up knowing I didn’t need to be perfect, because to them I was already imperfectly perfect, exactly as I was. It may have taken me some time to learn this for myself, but they laid the foundation that would be learned and accepted by me later in life.
That kind of unconditional love created a foundation where optimism and confidence could grow freely. I never questioned whether I was loved, and that certainty gave me the courage to keep striving, keep dreaming, and keep believing in myself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.erikademshardesign.com
• Instagram: @erikademshardesign
• Facebook: @erikademshardesign
• Linkedin: @erikademshardesign
• Other: Facebook: @erikademshardesign

Image Credits

Hazel Luna Design + Golden Azul Creative