Today we’d like to introduce you to Genesia Duchene.
Genesia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
In 2012 my grandmother passed away, and that is what started my journey… Her death was a total shock and showed me first hand fragile life could be. Shortly after she passed, I decided to follow my passion for Interior Design and started Sicre Designs-Interior Design Studio. At the time, I worked part-time for an orthopedic surgeon, which I enjoyed being able to help patients, but it was also very demanding and so after a year of juggling the 9-5 job and my new business, I decided to quit my job and focus on my business full time. Best decision I’ve ever made! I love what I do! I grew the business from just a small design studio to also offering large estate home staging & real estate photography services.
Great, 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?
It has been a bumpy road for sure! Lol, but also very exciting, challenging, and this industry always keeps me on my toes! No client/home is exactly the same so there is something new to learn everyday, 🙂 I have also built some wonderful relationships/friendships along the way, so I feel blessed to have met so many awesome people. The struggles have been mostly with the home staging aspect of the business, like managing our million dollars worth of inventory, if you can imagine, it’s a big undertaking, as well as trying to stay on trend constantly.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Sicre Designs – what should we know?
Sicre Designs is a full service interior design and home staging company. We are a small group, so I think that places us into the “boutique” style category… Although we still have the capability to offer a wide range of services and work on very large projects. We stage properties in Rancho Santa Fe as big as 9,000 sqft, but also projects as small as 600 sqft condos! Both homes get a lot of love and my clients have direct access to me via my personal cell at any time. I like to think that’s something larger staging companies or design firms can’t offer. I also work personally on every single project, which I feel is important to our clients since they meet me first and we build a repertoire starting from day one. Honestly, I love to hear my client’s praises! Haha, that’s really what I strive for on every project we take on.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
Believe it or not, my empathy and compassion for people. A lot of homeowners are stressed out having to get their homes ready to be sold. Some homeowners have lived in their homes for 20+ years, they acquire a lot of lovely things that are sentimental to them, so having to ask them to pack them up can be hurtful. I try to ease them into it and guide them through the process in the best way possible. Being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes is a big part of my success.
Also, being able to work fast and solve problems quickly is key. Most of the time, we’re on a timeline and to this day, I have always made sure to meet our deadlines no matter how late we need to work or early! lol My clients can count on us to get it done on time every time.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.sicredesigns.com
- Phone: 6192001905
- Email: sicredesigns@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sicre_designs_home_staging/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SicreDesigns/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sicre-designs-san-diego
Image Credit:
Jared Nelson photography
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