Hi! My name is Michele and welcome to my corner of the internet. I wasn’t always a coach for interior designers and creative entrepreneurs. In fact, I didn’t start in the home industry at all. My career began in financial software development with Management Science America and Dun & Bradstreet Software. While it might sound dull, those years helped me refine my tech, testing, and organizational skills—skills I rely on to this day.

My Career Change

In 2000, I opened my soft furnishings company, The Scarlet Thread. Like many new business owners, I had to find my confidence while answering tough questions like:

• How much should I charge for my work?

• Why am I second-guessing my decisions all the time?

• How much money should I spend on advertising, and where should I market my services?

• Should I join a networking group? And if so, which one?

• How do I handle difficult clients while maintaining professionalism?

Thankfully, I learned the answers. But I saw so many colleagues facing the same struggles. Around me, talented workrooms and designers were drowning under the weight of running—and trying to grow—a business.

I began sharing advice and tips wherever I could without being pushy. Before long, I started teaching business classes focused on good practices and pricing custom work. I taught at the Custom Home Furnishings Academy in North Carolina and at trade shows across the U.S. I even partnered with colleagues to manage the academy’s daily operations.