In addition to my career in Product Management, I also own and operate Ares Design Studio, a company that provides virtual interior styling and related services. Every aspect of my career in application design, product development, and product management has informed how I created and run my company.

Interior Styling

Just as in digital product design, I believe in a functional aesthetic for my Ares Design Studio projects. In my designs, everything has a purpose, even if that purpose is to make my clients happier. Ares Design Studio optimizes the use of a space, taking into account how real people will actually use it, not just how cool it’ll look on Instagram. Though it will look cool on Instagram. Ares Design Studio’s design philosophy includes bold, yet considered choices that are in harmony with each client’s personality and needs.

I established Ares Design Studio with the belief that everyone deserves a well-designed home, not just the wealthy. And in establishing my business model, I learned that virtual interior styling is the most economical way to provide interior design services to those with modest budgets: I create layouts of each room, get the client’s requirements for the space, and create a design that exceeds their requirements and expectations.

Market Analysis & Customer Feedback

I performed, and still regularly perform, market and competitive analysis, to hone my core demographic and customize messaging based on current market trends. For instance, at the height of the pandemic, when people were forced to work from home, I got a lot to requests to design home offices. Before the 2023 interest rate hikes, I also worked with new homebuyers that were taking advantage of the ability to move wherever they wanted, to decorate their new homes.

Now that interest rates are at a 20-year high and home prices have reached a record peak, I am also targeting clients who want to refresh their spaces because even though they would like to move, it’s not financially feasible. I also target renters, as it is currently cheaper to rent than to buy for first-time buyers, and decorating your rental makes having to wait to buy your first home a lot more bearable.

Cost-savings is the key to success in virtual interior styling, but I ensure that my clients are provided with the same level of customer service as those receiving white glove interior design services. Unlike the vast majority of virtual designers, who provide Pinterest-like mood boards and a shopping list only, I provide my clients with 3 different suggested budgets, photorealistic 3D renderings of their entire space, a fully curated shopping list, and detailed step-by-step decorating and implementation guides, in addition to 2 weeks consultation support.

I learned that most people have no idea how to execute a design, and project management is an optional upcharge, so I provide as much detail as possible to help my clients execute the design on their own, or to hand it off to contractors to do the work for them. Having nearly 20 years in digital product design, I was already deeply cognizant of the importance of thoroughly detailed plans and requirements, and it has always been a core tenet of mine to turn over work that can be fully implemented using the documentation I create.

New Product Releases

To save my clients the project management fees, I am creating a vetted network of contractors and vendors, and will soon be offering a customized vendor list with each project. This will save clients the trouble of having to find their own contractors, and the contractors will be familiar with my business model and design style.

In addition, Ares Design Studio will soon be providing pre-designed room packages for deeply discounted rates. Using customer and focus group feedback, I discovered that there is an untapped market of people who would love to have a custom designed home, but have extremely restricted budgets. The pre-designed rooms will not be at the same level as the custom rooms, so the price points can be lower. Repeat customers are also key to my, and most companies’, business model, so I will be pricing the pre-designed packages at a level where customers feel comfortable purchasing more than one room design at a time.

I’ll also be offering gift cards for sale, and promoting them around all major holidays, and regular intervals as gifts for birthdays and other occasions. Research has also shown that spring and summer are the height of the homebuying season, so plan advertising and marketing boosts around that time, and will include advertisements for an ADS gift card as a housewarming present.

I take enormous pride in the quality of all my products and services, in digital products and interior design, as well as in the relationships I foster with customers and partners. My commitment to excellence is ingrained in every facet of everything I do. This unwavering commitment and steadfast dedication define who I am, and guides my interactions with all my stakeholders and shapes the way I conduct business.