Julie smith shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Julie, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
My background is in the fashion industry both as a buyer and clothing designer. Fashion will always be where I gain my inspiration. I am in love with the forward thinking of a silhouette or a new concept that makes you sit back and think, hmmmmmm. I wake up when I figure out a connection to interiors. It not only inspires me, but it’s in those moments that I dream up new concepts or really shitty ideas. Bouncing them off my team usually sets me straight and helps them morph into the best version of what they can be.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hello,
my name is Jule Smith, I am the principal designer and owner of a boutique interior design firm based in San Diego CA. We specialize in custom high-end new build and remodeled homes and furnishings. My creative career started in the clothing industry in the heart of New York where I was born and bred. As a daughter of immigrant parents we were all expected to be high achievers in a lucrative career path. Most of my siblings are doctors so design was never a profession that was celebrated in my home back in the day. I graduated college with a business degree and thought the next step for me was business school, thankfully I pushed to get the heck out of that. I am designer through and through and as a creative would not be happy doing anything else. I am one of the lucky ones that is able to do what they love and make a decent living from it. My once doubtful parents are finally accepting of this choice, a million years later, lol. My brand is a result of creative and sometimes crazy late-night epiphanies and collective thinking of some pretty inspiring people that I am lucky to work with. We are currently working on a menagerie of projects inclusive of large ground ups to small downtown condos. We take our projects based on the people and not necessarily the size of the home.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was a designer from the very beginning. My mother would tell me stories of how I would play in her closet for hours as young as 2 years old accessorizing outfits and trying on all her boots. This matured into spending much of my time as a tween/teen in vintage stores finding treasures and rehabbing them by changing hem lines on denim (my favorite) and constantly modifying accessories, specifically belts. I always knew I was a creative but I had the analytical side of me as well so I assumed that this would just be a hobby, so business degree is where I went. The two siblings before me, an ER doctor and a veterinarian so expectations were high. As a young adult studying for the GMATS (the test to apply to business graduate programs), I knew I would never be happy with a career that lacked a creative outlet. I landed a coveted spot in 2 buying programs, (Lord and Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue) which set me on the right path to eventually find out where I belonged. I ditched the biz school idea and dove headfirst into fashion, where I spent many years at some fun brands such as Converse.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
I think about this all the time. First, I would assure myself that there are plenty of lucrative, exciting careers for creatives out there, do not go to business school! Not everyone has to be a doctor or a lawyer. I would make sure to urge myself to take the small wins instead of constantly seeing what was wrong. I am still saying that to myself daily. I would assure young Jula that all of those hardships and times when I thought that I was failing, were invaluable lessons that will only make her stronger in the future, it’s through those hardships that you grow but they really kick your ass when you are going through them. Experience is key. I would tell myself to enjoy more, try not overthink ever dang detail although that probably was never in the cards for someone like me and maybe I should just accept it. Lastly, I would shake my young self and please with her to not wear that outfit that I pushed so hard for at my first prom. That one was a mistake.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
This is a funny question because if you know me, you know that there is not much of a filter. I am the epitome of what you see is what you get for the good and the bad. Poor poker player and anyone could basically see whatever I feel all over my face, definitely not a great survival tactic. So yes, the public version of me is the real me with less frizzy hair.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. If you laid down your name, role, and possessions—what would remain?
Grit and an insatiable hunger to achieve and strengthen. I am one of those people that jumps into the next challenge with everything I got. There is no, “I can’t do this”, but rather “how the hell am I gonna master this and still get to the gym tomorrow am”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://julacoledesign.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jula_cole_design/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julie-smith-2a538812/
Image Credits
Nader Essa
