We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Brooks Crawford. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Brooks below.
Hi Brooks, so happy to have you on the platform and I think our readers are in for a treat because you’ve got such an interesting story and so much insight and wisdom. So, let’s start with a topic that is relevant to everyone, regardless of industry etc. What do you do for self-care and how has it impacted you?
As a designer it is easy to get in your head. The tension builds from your mind and can begin to permeate your entire body. Being a good creative requires you to be in a joyful and passionate mindset free of tension. I find it to be a humbling reset every time I do a strenuous work out. I train and co-teach at F45 in Carlsbad- a gym/studio that focuses on circuit training for mixed-aged groups. It also creates forced socialization which helps break up the day and get me out of my tunnel vision. After I have burned some energy at the studio I am in a good position to sit down and generate productive design hours.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I help busy professionals who are frustrated with their current outdoor layout and want an elevated landscape. One of the most exciting things about my work is inviting clients into my office for a big design presentation. We get to share our ideas and show clients their newly imagined outdoor space in 3D and see their reactions. It is so exhilarating! Brookside Landscape Design provides a soup to nuts, personalized experience for clients embarking on landscape remodels. We design and project manage every project to execute the vision.
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?
The three skills or advantages that have had the most impact on my career journey have been mentorship, understanding spacial organization and emotional IQ.
Mentorship has had a huge impact on my business. I was able to work with a leading designer in a local firm that helped me hone in on my design abilities. My wife’s father gave me my first opportunity to be a landscape designer. One thing I took away from my time with him is learning how to be calm when a client or sub-contractor’s emotions flair up and focus on a solution. Problem-solving is an important skill when managing construction sites where there are a lot of moving parts. I would also say that having the skill of spacial organization and how to use lines in design is important. I believe this skillset has helped my work receive recognition and attract new clients. Creating functional layouts improves homeowners lives by maximizing usable spaces and adding more zones to relax and entertain outdoors. Lastly, having emotional IQ can help business owners by improving the sales and design process, which require you to follow the emotional cues people provide you.
For those starting out in landscape design/architecture, I suggest investing time in learning the software necessary to design. Learning Auto CAD and 3D rendering software will help improve your design skills and is a safe space to practice different layouts. For anyone just starting out in their career, I would also suggest finding the top three design companies you admire and reaching out to the leaders of those organizations to see if there are any openings or positions available. Gaining exposure and inside access to the industry can help you learn how you might want to run your own business in the future. To develop spacial organization skills, I suggest practicing designs on the software programs, listening to clients feedback and following property cues.
Do not be reserved or afraid of showing your passion. If you have to, ask your clients what excites them and let that be your guiding principle.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
In the last twelve months I have been focused on productivity and time management. As your business grows this skill set becomes more important. Competing interests and demands will pull you in different directions. I have a client who is an author and business coach who has pointed out flaws in my sales process and areas where I could improve. We are now working together and she is teaching me to ask for what I want, batch my time and never leave a client with more work to do then when you got there. I still haven’t learned how to silence my phone when I am designing, but maybe in another 12 months I will get there.
Contact Info:
- Website: designbybrookside.com
- Instagram: @designbybrookside
- Facebook: Brookside Landscape Design
- Linkedin: Brooks Crawford
- Youtube: Brookside Landscape Design
- Yelp: Brookside Landscape Design
- Other: Pinterest: @brooksidedesignbuild
Image Credits
Shay Studios Emma Almendarez
