We were lucky to catch up with Mackenzie Collier recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mackenzie , we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
Self care looks a lot different now my wife and I have adopted our two foster kids who are under five years old. Before becoming a mom, I used to travel internationally, get monthly massages and spa treatments and take time to journal, do yoga etc. Life is a lot more hectic now and quite honestly, there is just not a lot of room in our family’s schedule for me to prioritize those types of activities anymore.
Caring for my family and running a small business with employees eats up pretty much all of my waking hours. Now, self care looks more like getting really clear on what my priorities are and having the confidence to prioritize them, even when there is outside pressure to do more/be more. It’s really difficult to say no to some of the opportunities that come my way, but I am only one person and if the opportunity doesn’t directly align with my priorities and my vision for the future of my family and my business, then I have to pass.
Self care is taking the time to organize my calendar each week and honor my commitments to the time I spend at home with my kids on Tuesdays and Thursdays and then using the other work days efficiently for mentoring employees, managing business finances, and pursuing key networking opportunities & continued education.
Self care is finding time for a yoga class when it works out (which in all honestly is not very often), buying quality food for me and my family to eat, and getting rest & adventure when I can. As a professionally ambitious woman, this transition to focusing on home life has been exceptionally challenging- I try to keep the perspective that success just looks different now. I’m living the life I had set out to build for myself when I opened the business 13 years ago. I also really enjoy introducing the kids to all the things I love- outdoor adventure, travel, and business. Balancing work and family has forced me to be more a authentic verson of myself and I think that is making me much more effective at work and at home.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Mackenzie Collier Interiors is a full service interior design firm specializing in both commercial and residential projects, coast to coast. We take a client-centered approach to our work, helping each client tell their own story through their design.
For over a decade, Mackenzie Collier Interiors has gained recognition for our innovative and visionary approach to design, driving the industry towards greater creativity, inclusivity, and sustainability. At MCI, we customize our interior design services to meet your specific requirements, creating spaces that are both relevant and long-lasting, regardless of the project scale.
With a team composed of women hailing from various corners of the globe, the MCI staff brings together a wealth of diverse backgrounds and perspectives, resulting in captivating and distinctly unconventional designs. Our design endeavors encompass a wide range of settings, including private homes, multi-family buildings, office spaces, restaurants, retail establishments, and wellness facilities. We particularly excel in projects involving mixed-use and repurposed spaces. Our team possesses the necessary resources, flexibility, and expertise to undertake projects not only in Arizona but across North America.
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?
I would have to say resiliency is the most important quality. Running a small business is not for the feint of heart. You have to be willing to sit in the discomfort, uncertainty, and chaos of it and move forward with only your faith that everything is going to work out in the end (and if it doesn’t, you’ll be fine too).
Second, I think my anxiety has served me well in running a small business. If managed effectively, you can use the positive side of your anxiety to anticipate challenges, brainstorm potential solutions, and stay a few feet ahead of the competition. I always have a plan B, C and D ready in my pocket and it allows me to stay agile.
Last, I think perspective is key. If you stay up close to every problem, everything is going to seem insurmountable. When you hone the ability to back up and look at all the moving pieces, you will typically see things differently. Understanding how to lead a business is really all about understanding which pieces of the picture are important and which don’t matter as much. A lot of people spend too much time worrying about things that in the big picture, are insignificant.
Tell us what your ideal client would be like?
I love this question because I’ve been pondering it for over thirteen years now. Our perfect client is someone embarking on a commercial or residential project, eager to infuse their space with meaningful self-expression through design. We don’t stick to a single style template; instead, we relish guiding clients to uncover and refine their unique interior design aesthetic. This diversity is evident in our portfolio.
Our ideal clients possess open minds, trust in our expertise, and bring genuine enthusiasm to the project. We appreciate clients who have a strong sense of their identity and preferences. Additionally, we value clients who grasp the importance of budgeting and timing, understanding that quality results take time and investment. Most importantly, our ideal client meets us with kindness and respect.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mackenziecollierinteriors.com/
- Instagram: @mci.phx
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100091864221208&viewas=&show_switched_toast=false&show_switched_tooltip=false&is_tour_dismissed=false&is_tour_completed=false&show_podcast_settings=false&show_community_review_changes=false&should_open_composer=false&badge_type=NEW_MEMBER&show_community_rollback_toast=false&show_community_rollback=false&show_follower_visibility_disclosure=false&bypass_exit_warning=true
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mackenzie-collier-interiors
Image Credits
Some are Agnes Art & Photo, some are Jason Roehner Photography
