Letter from the CEO + Principal Designer: Decked Out to the Nines

Dec 18, 2023 | community, Detroit, Gratitude Attitude

Y’all…we just turned NINE! First off, hi! It’s Rachel here. As a small business owner, I cannot begin to describe how it feels to have another year of growth behind us. I want to use this opportunity to share a piece of my heart in my first official “Letter from the CEO + Principal Designer” on the Concetti blog.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on everything that’s happened to get us here – the learning moments, the struggles, the victories, and the connections. The dedication to helping you be BOLDLY YOU! Concetti’s growth took off when we made the concerted effort to truly step into ourselves…to become BOLDLY US. To better amplify our client’s authenticity, it was time for us to show OUR personality and unleash the bold approach, out-of-the-box aesthetic, and conviction to excellence that comes with it.

Empowering you to be boldly you is not one-sided. Creating authentic spaces that become you is only possible with your vision and a team of professionals working to make it happen. Consider this my official unofficial love letter to everyone who allows my team and me to do what we do!

To Our Clients…

Concetti started with a single vision: to do interior design differently. Judging by our growth these last night years…you were ready for it!

Our Process is what allows us to make space that becomes you…but Our Process doesn’t work unless we truly get to know you. I wholeheartedly thank each of you who have welcomed us into your space, let your guard down, trusted us, and taken the leap to be boldly, bravely YOU.

This is why no two Concetti projects are exactly alike. From custom new builds and single-room renovations to multi-room transformations and commercial spaces, your visions have allowed our creativity to reach new heights. You’ve challenged us to elevate. You reveled in our shared success. You make our jobs so unbelievably rewarding!

To Our City…

As a third-generation Detroit-based business owner, I have an immense passion and long family history rooted in local Detroit business. The city’s grit has, without a doubt, shaped Concetti. Playing an integral part of the revitalization of this beautiful, strong, passionate city of creatives is a dream come true.

I often think about Detroit’s resilience whenever self-doubt creeps in. The city has had its fair share of setbacks, and guess what? It’s bounced back stronger and better every single time! After nine whole years, it’s beyond satisfying to say that we have, too.

However, determination is only a fraction of what got Concetti to where it is today. Our clients’ spaces come to life thanks to the ridiculously talented creatives we’re lucky enough to call partners and preferred vendors. Detroit interior design is so much richer because of you!

Thank you for helping make our clients’ dreams come true, and in turn, helping fuel our passion.

To Our Future…

It’s been a privilege to reflect on and celebrate nine years of Concetti. However, going from an idea to a thriving interior design strategy firm doesn’t just happen by looking back…it’s time to look forward!

Embarking on our tenth year and gearing up for the next decade feels like the turning of a page…like everything we’ve learned has prepared us for something bigger. I’m fascinated with numerology, so I couldn’t help but look up the significance of the number nine. I was then led to angel numbers and the meaning behind 999.

999 represents a culmination of wisdom and experience, and the magic of endings and new beginnings. 999 is also said to appear to those who are close to achieving their dreams. ⁠

Learning this just about took my breath away! This is THE energy we’re manifesting in 2024 (and beyond). Concetti has already achieved our dreams in so many ways, but we’ve never been more ready to grow, learn, and thrive.

In closing, I just have to say…

Thank you to everyone who’s been along for the ride.

Welcome to those just getting started on a project.

And if you’re finding the courage to be boldly you…we’ll see you soon!

Let’s make something magical this year.

CONNECT WITH US

Hi Sam! We’re excited to catch up with you today. Let’s start with: How does a strong brand identity impact your mental health as a small business owner?

Sam: It gives me so much mental peace and saves a ton of time when trying to create new graphics. I love that I have so much more clarity and confidence knowing that my brand is speaking to my values and the feelings I want to convey when new clients are finding me. It’s so easy to see different templates in Canva and choose a different style every time and now I don’t have to worry about that!

We’re so happy we could help provide that clarity and confidence. How do you see your new brand impacting the success of your business and the experience your clients have?

Sam: Besides having more confidence to share my digital assets and grow a bigger online presence, it gives my clients a cohesive experience and taste of what they will feel like working with me even before they book a service or join a program. Plus, a clearer brand identity will be helpful for attracting more aligned collaborations.

Why should small businesses invest in branding?

Sam: Because it is a part of your business! Brand is not something just for big corporations. No matter the size of your business it’s that step beyond what you sell that creates connection with your customers and long-time raving fans.

Rachel, we’d love to start this conversation off with the same question we asked Sam – how does a strong brand identity impact your mental health as a small business owner?

Rachel: Wow! I love this question! We all want to feel seen and heard and the same goes for our business. A strong brand identity captures your brand persona and translates it into verbal and visual expressions. So often as a business owner, we are so caught up in the passion for industry, and speak in jargon that we often can’t see the trees through the forest. It all feels so important to us that we need to work with a brand partner who can reflect back to us what they are hearing. It is a soulful experience. Having gone through a rebrand for Concetti it means everything. And having worked with many small business owners on their brand, it’s a very powerful experience. To sit there and hear and see your brand come to life, the things you’ve been trying to say, the messages you’ve been trying to get across, the feeling you want people to feel, to see it come together in front of your eyes is incredible! Remember your brand is an extension of YOU!

How has investing in a wellness coach impacted your mental health as a business owner?

Rachel: Your business is an extension of yourself because it is your vision and your passion. So anything you are doing for yourself is going to show up in the business. I would say the biggest impact it has had is the ability to regulate my nervous system. It is so easy to slip into fight and flight mode when you are making big decisions daily. Building an awareness around what my body is feeling has empowered me to regulate my nervous system. Feeling the rush of emotions, letting it pass and then making a decision from a grounded place, instead of a reactive one, is a game changer.

How does it impact your team?

Rachel: Having Sam work with the team has been a dream come true. The fact is we spend so much of our lives working, so to have it be a place where we can be our full selves is important to me. Having come from many years of being in the performing arts, teamwork is ingrained in my DNA. I love when a group of people can come together to achieve great things. One of the things that I realized through working with Sam was that I was still treating life like I was preparing for world championships that never came. I am so grateful and proud of my work ethic and realized that it is equally important to pause and reflect on successes as a team and set intentions for the next quarter to create camaraderie and focus. No one wants to feel like there’s an endless to do list that never gets done, you will burn out. Sam works with the team on a quarterly basis where we either have a VIP day or a Concetti retreat. It is something the team looks forward to. And I love hearing how the work we do together is positively impacting their personal lives as well.

How does this culture approach allow your team to better serve your clients and other small businesses in the community?

Rachel: I think we’ve all heard the saying you can’t pour from an empty cup. It all starts with taking care of yourself first, taking care of the team, so we can show up fully for our clients and other professional partners. We talk a lot about having an empathetic journey, everyone’s experiences valid. And it is our responsibility to be self reflective and how we are showing up, doing what we say we’re going to do, and not stop until we’re proud of the work we’re doing. Because when we can all be ourselves, more good goes out into the world. It is a ripple effect that can surely be felt.

Ready to feel more aligned and less overwhelmed in your business? Let’s create a brand that supports your goals and your mental well-being—schedule a call with our team to get started.

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