Meet Jolynn Hansen

 

We recently connected with Jolynn Hansen and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Jolynn, thanks for sitting with us today to chat about topics that are relevant to so many. One of those topics is communication skills, because we live in an age where our ability to communicate effectively can be like a superpower. Can you share how you developed your ability to communicate well?

I was raised as the youngest of 6 kids which started me off with a unique ability to read people. I learned very young how to be empathetic, how to watch people and gauge how they’re feeling – some may call that a trauma response but for me it didn’t feel like that. It was more so that I was the baby of the family and had to figure out my own way to adapt in the sea of people. Because of this ability, I also figured out fairly early on how to speak to people in a way THEY understood. I have always had a unique ability to hear what people are saying and meet them where they are versus only seeing things from my perspective and approaching that way.

Fast forward to my years in college and after when I joined the corporate world. I spent years working with clients of all different backgrounds. This period is where I honed a lot of my communication skills, learning to take the empathy skills I learned as a child and turn them into my super power when dealing with other people. I also learned to be proactive and not reactive when communicating with clients. After having a few clients scream at you, you kind of learn how to get ahead of a lot. Now, it is so important to me to always try and stay one step ahead of issues that may arise, and knowing who I’m dealing with on the other end really helps me gauge the most effective ways to communicate things.

In my business, I now have a rule: if there are serious or difficult conversations that need to be had, I start by either meeting the other party in person or getting them on the phone to talk through it. This gives us both the opportunity to hear tone of voice, read body language, and truly see how the other party is feeling throughout the conversation. Once finished, I always try to follow it up with a recap email so everyone is on the same page. This has proved to be really effective for communication and there’s a better understanding between all parties involved when situations are approached this way.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I own an Interior Design firm in Las Vegas, NV. I have been working in the design industry for over a decade and started my own firm at the beginning of 2021. My firm, Lofty Designs, specializes in high end, turnkey residential projects where we can take full control of the project from design conceptualization, all the way to final install and closeout of the project.

I got into design initially because I was always very drawn to the beauty of well-designed interior and exterior spaces. I loved figuring out the best furniture placement in rooms, how to pair colors together, and how to have a cozy space that you love retreating to. This passion for design started as early as 9-10 years old. While other kids were reading teen gossip magazines, I would regularly get caught up in the better homes and gardens section. I knew by the time I hit high school that I wanted to go into design of some sort. Fast forward to the years following college and my passion grew, but more so turning into a passion for creating something beautiful – yes, but also emphasizing functionality. It’s really common to see spaces online or in magazines that are gorgeous and photograph well, but when you stop to really think about the day-to-day life in the space, it just doesn’t make sense. I am very passionate about changing that and have built my company around the idea that function, organization, and beauty all go hand-in-hand.

At the end of 2022, I launched a secondary branch of the business called “Tidy by Lofty” which focuses on professional organizing for your home or office. This offering combined with our full-service interior design services allows us to approach our client projects really holistically.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Thorough communication.
– Knowing how to meet people where they are and adapt the situation to that is beyond helpful.

2. AutoCAD.
– AutoCAD is a computer-aided drafting program that allows designers, architects, and engineers to accurately draw scaled plans, elevations, note details, and more when designing. It is single-handedly the greatest skill I learned in design school. Knowing the program has opened up so many more job opportunities for me that I would have not had a chance on without it.

3. Self-discipline.
– To run a business, this is paramount. It doesn’t have to be the same level every single day, but you DO have to have an insane amount of self-discipline and determination to run a successful business. In the beginning, it’s just. you. You are the accountant, the social media manager, the planner, the doer, the manager, and everything in between. If you don’t get your work done, it just doesn’t get done and then the business doesn’t succeed – there’s no fallback. I would say especially as a business owner, knowing how to be tough on yourself and do the hard things even when you don’t want to do them is absolutely essential.

Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?

I would LOVE to collaborate with other creators and/or business owners. There are a few design projects that I would absolutely love to take on.

1. Nail Salon – I would be thrilled to partner with a nail salon owner to create a design for their space.

2. Boutique hotel – Another collaboration I would love to be a part of is designing a boutique hotel. Whether there is an investor out there who is looking, or perhaps an architect is needing a designer for a similar type of project, I would LOVE to connect with someone for this.

3. Investment properties – this would be an amazing partnership with real estate investors. Whether you’re looking for help with airbnb design, long term rental renovations, or commercial rentals, I want to help you!

Lastly, I would also love to collaborate with contect creators and/or podcasters to create really fun content that is both educational and entertaining.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

@tonipatriciaphotography
@blkaut.photo

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