Charleston Women Summer 2022

89 www. Char l es tonWomenPodcas t . com | www. ReadCW. com | www. I ns tagram. com /Char l es tonWomen When did you decide to go into the business? My career felt stale. I wanted an adventure, and interior design offered the creative challenge. I found an interior design program in Florence, Italy, I could not pass up. Tell us about your mentors. My father is influential. He was an executive at a large firm and always has helpful ideas. He encourages me to advocate for myself and my team, and he taught me to think about how to be an asset to any organization. I will also always be thankful to my mentor and career coach, Christie Artis. When I was ready for a change, she showed me how to dig deep. What challenges did you overcome? I was in my design program in Italy when Covid broke out. During this time, I questioned if I’d be able to finish. Would I get home safely? Would I find work? I overcame these challenges by breaking down scary tasks into attainable steps and trusting myself. What is a piece of advice for young women? Put in the time and practice to learn how to present well. As a designer, you are always presenting. You’re presenting your designs, ideas, process and self. Learn how to read your audience and project yourself confidently. Katherine Brickell Director of Interior Design Lowcountry Contractors 843-425-2511 lowcountrycontractors.com When did you decide to go into the business? Since I was little, I have wanted to go into a business where I could transform spaces. This is mainly because of growing up watching my father, a builder in Columbia, do what I thought was the impossible. I remember riding around with him in his work truck to different sites and following the progress of a full kitchen or bath transformation. I could see a satisfaction he had when he had finalized a project and created something beautiful. I wanted to have this. How do you find your passion? My passion lies mostly in art. I started taking an interest in art when I was a teenager. I was lucky enough to go to a school with an excellent art program. My favorite aspect of my job is putting together different colors, textures and patterns to make them flow together similar to a piece of art. Staying in touch with my artistic side keeps me inspired. Tell us about how you grew up. I grew up in Columbia, the youngest of three, with hardworking parents., There was never a dull moment in our home. Watching my dad’s work ethic combined with my mom’s heart of gold has shaped who I am. Give us some success tips for someone starting out. The best advice I ever received was, “You’ve got to learn how to draw.” Learning how to draw in any kind of architectural or design software is key. Alexandra Little Senior Interior Designer Lowcountry Contractors (843) 242-8838 Lowcountrycontractors.com

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