We recently had the chance to connect with Beth Venable and have shared our conversation below.
Beth , so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
My clients are absolutely amazing. They are busy, parents, and doing the best they can, just like me. What surprises me the most about many of my clients is that they already have some great organizational systems in place. Anyone can get organized and be organized, but it’s incredibly difficult to stay on top of everything. One of the reasons I love my profession so deeply is that my team and I are able to help our clients at a time when they need the support. We also have so many clients that say, “Beth, if you can get the system in place then I will be able to keep it up.” I love that we are able to help our clients know what they have, easily find their things, put away their items with ease, and know if they need to purchase more.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Beth Venable. I am a wife, a mom of two teens, and a business owner. Side By Side Design Texas is a professional organization business, and I am so grateful to have an amazing team to help me work with our clients daily. We offer a variety of services including decluttering, organizing spaces, prepping a home to list, packing and unpacking, and holiday decorating. We mostly work in homes, but we also work in businesses, offices, and other spaces as well. I was a teacher and administrator for many years so my education background helps me immensely especially when working with neurodivergent families. Our work truly benefits the lives of our clients, and the transformation happens immediately.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who taught you the most about work?
My parents are the most incredible people. We joke and say that our family goes all in, and it couldn’t be further from the truth. My parents (and siblings) are driven, and they work hard to make things happen. I watched my father run successful businesses, and my mother went to law school when I was in college and ran a successful practice. My mom and dad showed me that hard work produces positive outcomes, and this is true both in work and your personal life too. They also taught me so much about integrity, giving back, and being the best version of myself.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
I am not ashamed to admit that I’ve thought about giving up several times. When you own a business, you technically don’t ever get a break. A business can be all encompassing; it can take over every waking second of your life. The biggest challenge for me in my business is balancing my work life with my personal life. It’s not a unique challenge as all business owners face this struggle. The work that we do is hard, but the gain of being able to help others makes it so worth it. With that being said, I have to focus on my boundaries and balance constantly. In my profession, you have to keep the momentum up at all times, and that can be exhausting. My team plays an integral role in helping me, and I am so grateful for all of my organizers and my amazing social media manager, Kiaya!
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
I say this with a passion to help others. Things are simply that, things. I truly believe that people are more important than things, and things can be replaced. Although our things do matter and we need things, they are not the most important aspect in our lives. We live in a world where we are influenced to have and buy things constantly, and it often takes a toll on people’s lives. My home flooded in Hurricane Harvey in August 2017, and I lost all of my things. Although I didn’t choose to declutter or eliminate them, I learned so much from that experience. Prior to the flood, I was incredibly organized but my spaces were full and tight. After the flood, I slowly added things back into my life. I realized how “open space” was freeing. When you have clutter-free spaces, your mind is not cluttered. This life lesson sticks with me today and I now coach families daily and talk about how our things can take a toll on us and clutter our mind. You can have or buy as much as you want. When your belongings are causing you stress, then it’s time to evaluate the things getting in the way of a calm, peaceful life.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
My passion for Side By Side Design Texas is pretty transparent, and I love the work. At times, I wake up in the middle of the night thinking about my upcoming session, and I get giddy about the jobs. I’ve heard myself say out loud many times, “I can’t believe that this is my business.” I have so much excitement about our work, and I’m energized by the ability to help others on a daily basis. When we get in the car after a session, I often take a peek at our before pictures and am amazed at how much we have accomplished in a handful of hours. I love helping others, and I’m continuously energized by the work that we do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sidebysidedesign.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sidebysidedesigntexas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sidebysidedesigntexas
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