The Day I Said “Why Wait?”

January 27, 2021 - the day my business was officially born.
My son was just six months old when I decided to submit the paperwork for license, and I was somewhere between postpartum exhaustion and wild determination when I looked at my husband and asked,
“Do you believe in me?”

He smiled and said words I’ll never forget:

“I believe in you more than I believe in myself.”

That moment changed everything.
I was scared, unprepared, and had no roadmap - but I couldn’t shake the voice in my heart whispering, why wait?
So I filed the paperwork.
I made it official.

No clients, no systems, no brand.
Just a baby in my arms and a big, untamed dream in my head.

The Free Project That Started It All

That winter, a friend reached out - their friend needed help with a home renovation.
I said yes immediately and took it completely for free.
It was my first “real” design project, and it felt like the start of something bigger.

Then came another project. Then a restaurant.
And, when things got quiet, I created fake 3D renderings to fill my portfolio - because I refused to let an empty gallery stop me.

By fall, I was booked with three home renovations and a restaurant design.
I worked during naps, late at night, and through every quiet hour the house offered.
I would nurse, design, nap, repeat - until 2 a.m. most nights.

When I think back to those early days - sourcing retail products, chasing approvals, and making pennies - I can still feel the exhaustion… and the hunger.
That hunger built my foundation.

Fast-Forward to Now

January 23, 2026.
Five years later, I’m sitting here with a full heart and a full project calendar.

This month alone brought in $52,000 in deposits - from a full gut renovation, a primary bathroom design, and a contractor consultation.
Even more meaningful?
Those are the exact three service tiers I set out to build my business around:

- Full Design Services
- Kitchen & Bath Design
- Consultation Services

Everything came full circle.

When Hard Work Starts Speaking For You

If there’s one thing these years have taught me, it’s that your effort never goes unnoticed.
Clients see the late nights. They feel the care in your drawings and your follow-ups.

I can’t count how many times people have asked me,

“How do you manage construction sites and still have a family?”

My answer is always the same - you just do it.
Because when you love what you do, you find a way.

For five years, I haven’t run a single paid ad for my services.
Every client has come through referrals - because clients who feel seen and cared for tell other clients.

I went from designing modest spaces on small budgets to working on my biggest project yet - a $14-million home undergoing a $2.5-million renovation.

And yes, sometimes I still say out loud, “Whattttttt?!” 😭

From NYC Burnout to Building Brick by Brick

Before all this, I was a lead designer in New York City - corporate, busy, and totally burnt out.
On paper, it looked like I “had it all.” But inside, I was unraveling.

This may be too personal, but it’s the truth:
after losing my first pregnancy to the relentless pace of corporate life, something in me broke open.
That loss became my wake-up call.

I realized no title, no paycheck, and no “dream client” was worth my health or my family.
So I quit.

I went to zero - no clients, no income, no plan.
Just faith, grit, and a deep conviction that life could be built differently.

I chose this path because I wanted freedom - the flexibility to design my life as beautifully as the spaces I create.
To work during nap times, quiet evenings, and slow mornings most people never get in a 9-to-5.
To build something on my own terms - even if it meant starting from scratch.

Those first three years were pure hustle.
Seven-day workweeks. Sleep deprivation.
But I held onto one belief: something beautiful was growing, even if I couldn’t see it yet.

And it did.

Why I Started Interior Design Den

The truth is, entrepreneurship can be lonely.
There were nights I cried at my laptop, trying to figure out how to price a project, what to charge for revisions, or how to talk to clients with confidence.

I remember thinking, Why isn’t anyone teaching this? Why does it feel like I’m the only one figuring it out as I go?

That feeling of being alone and desperate for guidance is exactly why I created Interior Design Den.

I wanted to build the kind of space I wished existed back then - where designers could learn the business side of design with clarity, support, and community.

Every course, e-book, and template I’ve made comes from that same heart:
to help other designers refine their craft, grow their confidence, and finally build the business that gives them the life they deserve.

Because success isn’t luck - it’s something you design for yourself, one decision at a time.

To My Fellow Designers

If you’re in that early season - tired, unsure, or wondering if it’s worth it - this is your reminder that it absolutely is.

Every unpaid project, every all-nighter, every client who took a chance on you - they all matter.

You’re laying bricks for something incredible.
Keep showing up.
Keep trusting the process, even when it’s slow.
Keep refining your craft, even when no one seems to notice.

Because one day, you’ll look around and realize - you became the designer you once dreamed of being.
And your dream clients?
They’ll be the ones finding you.  

Feel free to join my Free Webinar where I explain my pricing systems. In this free 30-minute masterclass, I’ll show you the exact pricing models, markup math, and trade vendor system that turned my design studio profitable - without working harder! 

If you’d like a peek behind the scenes of my design process - from digital tools to business insights and heartfelt reflections like this one - join my newsletter!

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If you have any questions, feel free to email me any time - [email protected]

Love,

Ana 🌸