We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alida Coury a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Alida with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Before I begin I would like to thank you for having me and for the compliment.
Work ethic comes from many key parts of my life. First I come from the midwest where I believe that this is instilled at an early age by the community. I mean to speak to the period of time when I was growing up at least. I went into the work force at 15 on a work permit. It was in my teenage years that I formed a sense of entrepreneurial skills and understood the emphasis for customer service. Working for my Dad’s store he taught me to care about clients and learn about their lives. They were more than just a source of income.
I also learned at an early age from my step father to be goal oriented. He always said if I wanted to do anything, even as a kid, that I needed to implement a plan on how I would get there. This was the only way he would agree to anything. Even something as simple as going to the mall. He encouraged me to find my own way there. I was handed the bus and train schedule as a preteen. And I think most of my generation was raised that way. It was a latchkey kid era. We relied heavily on our bicycles and our legs to get around. A lot of our parents were out working so we learned to be more independent and even fearless to an extent.
Later on in college and through a lot of my adult life I worked in retail selling clothes, cosmetics, and later furniture. All of those companies taught me how to treat that counter space as my own store. I was expected to watch my sales per hour, sales per month, and year to date data. And this sales projection and planning gave me a sense of how to exceed the following year and have growth. When you were hired it was part of your every day duties to call or send out notes to your clients to follow up. Now I use that skill via communication avenues of text or email. I have to admit I found working in retail to be quite stressful. People had no idea when they came to shop the pressures that were placed upon us to give our best. And to this day I still have this expectation on myself for my own success.
It also is in my own personality trait to be a perfectionist though. So that might also offer some incite on why I push on certain things with clients or have certain expectations of those I work with. I only want the best for their project. And because I would want someone to care about me as a client that way too. I always I imagine that I am them. It makes me motivated to give 110%. And maybe it is also the people pleaser in me that enjoys when I see my clients are happy. After all they are the driving force of my business, because 90% of my marketing strategy relies on their referral. And I am more than grateful when a client is happy with the end result that I poured my heart into. But it can make you feel vulnerable when working in this field. Because you are putting yourself out there when it comes to your art. It is more than just a job… at least to me.
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?
Alida Coury Interiors is a boutique design studio curating for each client’s lifestyle. Most of the projects are residential, but about 10% fall into the contract category. I am currently based in Orange County, but work throughout the United States (and beyond). I develop interior spaces from the architectural phases to completion/installation. Each unique project is dependent on the client’s style, budget, and use of the space. We source for projects locally as well as around the world.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
The three most impactful skills on my journey have been tenacity, being customer service oriented, and understanding human psychology/relationships. If you continually work hard- even through adversity, care about your clients, and try to understand everyone you are working with from trades, vendors, to clients, then you will succeed most times at achieving the goals you planned out. At the end of the day the art I conceptualize is only as good as the team I work with. And the client is the one who is going to speak our names either in a positive or negative manner. So as a team we work for the unified goal of their happiness and solve any of the obstacles that come our way. This will keep your company having longevity by seeing your work as a collective. Each part matters to make it all a success.
Looking back over the past 12 months or so, what do you think has been your biggest area of improvement or growth?
The biggest area of improvement for my business is surrounding myself with those who are more talented in areas I lack skills. And also keeping those close to me who are inspiring so I learn. For example, I have hired on a business consultant/operations manager to streamline my business. That way I can operate on a higher level.
When you free up more time to let those who specialize in their skills shine, then several things happen. First you can focus on what you are best at. Second you can use that time to balance your work/family energy. But lastly as a team you all succeed when everyone is benefiting from using their strengths as a collective.
I can not emphasize enough that you should not live to work. And knowing who can strengthen your team only makes for a better outcome for your success. You can only do things on your own for so long and then you will feel that your company needs to grow with how it is changing. If you are feeling that your business is either not growing through time or you are overcompensating in the family/pleasure side of life to keep up with growth, then you are going down the wrong path. And neither of those things end in a healthy result. So learn to lean on and trust others around you- build your team. And think beyond the box-not everyone has to be full time. They can help you as a freelancer or part timer. There are so many facets of assistance with online services and design applications as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.alidacoury.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alidacouryinteriors/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alida-coury-interiors-3089a5a
Image Credits
BEDROOM + POWDER ROOM: Regan Wood WHITE BATHROOM + DINING ROOM: Aimee Mazzenga LIVING ROOM: Kendall McCaugherty BIO PIC: ZOEY WHITE
