Today we’d like to introduce you to Maddy Kozoyed.
Maddy, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always considered nature and wild places and local communities sacred and worth protecting and been led by my curiosity and creativity. As a kid, I could be found either outdoors or participating in every possible school and local extracurricular – from music to sports, to art to debate. For as long as I can remember, I’ve cared deeply about the well-being of others and admired people who made it their life’s mission solving problems to make people’s lives better. But I struggled to find a way to support the causes I cared about in a way that felt good and sustainable to me – particularly around the affordable housing and climate change crises.
It wasn’t until I took a volunteer trip cycling across the country in support of affordable housing that I felt empowered to finally try and align my beliefs with the ways I took action in my life. (Check out the amazing organization Bike & Build!) After watching a fellow cyclist on the trip agonize over a decision on what sunscreen to buy, something that felt so simple to me, I started to pay attention to what brands I was supporting, what ingredients I was consuming, how much waste I was creating as an individual, and what systems I was supporting by living my life as I did.
So, my business, Whatsoever Things are Loverly, was really born from a desire to live a more values-aligned and sustainable life while managing and working through the lingering feelings of guilt, shame, and “not doing enough.” All while trying to make room for the things that actually mattered in my life – the “loverly” things!
As I toiled away at a corporate career, trying to learn as much as possible about project management, marketing, content creation, analytics, and creative problem-solving across various industries, I was learning on the side as much as possible about entrepreneurship and running a small service-based business. I wasn’t 100% certain on what I would offer, but as I started to follow other values-aligned creatives, entrepreneurs, and brands online, I desperately wanted to support them in any way I could.
Fast forward to the pandemic; like many others, I was hit with a “now or never” urgency around my life goals and getting my dream business off the ground. I sat down and asked myself, “If I could do anything, what service would I love to offer that could help other badass creatives?” Immediately strategizing and styling homes came to mind. My partner and I have only ever lived together in apartments under 600sq ft – with gear for multiple music projects, our dog, my business, and two work-from-home setups. I had imposter syndrome initially, but I trusted I could use a combo of mental wellness strategies and designing my home in a supportive way to work through it. I also trusted my gut to build my values of mindfulness and sustainability into the foundation of the business and help others incorporate their values into their homes in a tangible and transformative way.
The problem-solving of making a space look beautiful, function well, and feel good is truly the most fun combination of all the info I had been curiously devouring for years. Especially with the past two years, everyone has a real need to fit in more life, more function, and more ease at home, and it’s been a blast helping my clients do just that.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When interior design found me, I frankly couldn’t believe it. I actually wouldn’t let myself seriously consider it for a few weeks! With no formal interior design training, a mere art history degree, and a passion for good design, I had major, MAJOR imposter syndrome. But I also knew if I could work through the mental blocks of living a values-aligned life, I could work through this too. I had a gut feeling that my tiny apartment was heavily impacting my mindset and if I was able to use interior design to transform the *feeling* of my space and make it function well to support this new business, I could tackle my imposter syndrome.
I’m thrilled to have found that my gut feeling was correct. When I aligned physical space with my habits and vision for my business, it took off. I landed my first client, interviewed with local publications and on podcasts, launched my signature service, and quit my corporate job. And crafted the rest of my home intentionally to support my life, so I can continue to show up refreshed to support the business. Now, I’m obsessed with helping entrepreneurs, creatives, and badasses busy with their world-changing work craft authentic homes they feel supported by, are proud of and stay inspired by.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Whatsoever Things are Loverly simply helps creatives, entrepreneurs, and disrupters make their spaces look, function, and feel better. Through values-based sourcing, efficient time management, and diving deep to uncover your uniquely authentic style, I use interior design to help creatives feel supported by their spaces to grow their world-changing passions while balancing the loverly things in their life. I’m proud to be working with the folks I admire most and cultivating beautiful spaces while still imbuing the values that fuel my work.
What’s next?
My plans for the future are to continue to work with badass business owners and share more on social about how exactly to transform your space to support your mindset, habits, and goals – both work and play. I offer virtual services alongside local design services, and with the pandemic waning, I’m looking forward to transforming more homes here in San Diego!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://whatsoeverthingsareloverly.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/whatsoeverthingsareloverly
