Today we’d like to introduce you to Lydia Kulka.
Lydia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I come from a family of entrepreneurs. My parents immigrated here when I was around seven years old. We were part of the refugee program that the united states had in place at the time to help with communist countries. Both my parents were engineers and worked on the bay bridge in San Francisco. It didn’t take long for them to pick up the language and start their own business in Electrical Engineering.
I started my first business right out of high school. I was doing custom floral design for homes and art shows or special events. I dreamed of going to interior design school but my parents didn’t consider interior design an education. They wanted me to get my master’s in business. During my college years, I started working in sales and quickly moved up in the corporate world, working for companies like Chiquita Banana and Campbells Soup as National Sales Director.
In 2016 I sold my home and staged it for the sale. The new homeowners asked to purchase all the furniture and decor. All my realtor friends said I had a talent and asked if I would do one-off jobs for them on the side. So while working a full-time corporate job during the week, I would stage on weekends. It started out with one, maybe two houses, a month. Within a year, it was 2-4 houses a month. And in the beginning of 2019, it became 10-15 houses a month. I realized quickly I could no longer work both jobs. I was putting in 16-18 hour days on a regular basis and just felt like I was drowning in work. So in March 2019, I took a leap and gave up my close to 20-year corporate career to follow my dream job.
It was the best decision I’ve ever made, and I couldn’t be happier with my successes and passion for my job. Although I work long hours and it’s a ton of work, I’ve never felt more satisfied. The true meaning of the “American Dream.” A refugee immigrant running a successful business in the United States.
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?
Absolutely Not. There is a quote I love: Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing.
My life has always felt like a struggle to get ahead. Nothing was ever handed to me or given to me because I knew someone. It was always drive that kept me moving forward, starting with learning a new language at the age of 7 and being thrown into elementary school as a foreign student who didn’t speak English. I fought tooth and nail to keep moving forward in my career.
Although I wish I had started my interior design right out of high school, as I dreamed. I learned so many skills working in the corporate lifestyle that I wouldn’t never learn through school or any other career. All these skills have helped me in my own business today.
Divine Designs – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
My business is an Interior Design & Staging Company. We specialize in the furnishings of home for sale, as well as individual consultations with clients to help design and decorate their homes. What sets Divine Designs apart from other companies is our specific style and brand, our professional manner dealing with clients, and our knowledge of the market, as well as trending styles.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
The biggest characteristic is work ethic. Giving all jobs 110%. Having a business background and knowing how to deal with different personalities has definitely helped build some amazing relationships.
Pricing:
- $125/hour for consultations
Contact Info:
- Website: www.divinedesignsbylydia.com
- Phone: 9259892508
- Email: Lydia@divinedesignsbylydia.com
- Instagram: Divine_Designs_By_Lydia
- Facebook: Divine Designs by Lydia
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