Tonya Lance
Owner, Varo Designs
Our November 2009 MOM-E of the Month is Tonya Lance, owner of Varo Designs. Tonya is mom to Oliver, age 1.
Interior Design and Space Planning
Target audience: Home, Business and Motor Yacht Owners
Job held before you started this biz:
My last job was Senior Interior Designer / Project Manager with Carol
Williamson & Associates. Before that I worked with my interior
design idol, Henry Brown.
Initial Start-Up Costs: Due to
the nature of my business I was able to have very low start-up costs.
I began my business very conservatively using an existing personal
computer and working from a very modest home office.
Initial Funding Source(s): I drew just a small amount from personal savings, less than $500.00.
First "woohoo!" business moment: I
sure think being named MOM-E of the Month is pretty neat! It was also
very exciting the first time a new client called me out of the blue to
hire me based on a previous clients recommendation. I was so shocked
by the call that I forgot to get their name and contact information.
Somehow I managed to piece it all together without the client knowing.
Biggest Mistake-Turned-Teaching-Moment:
So far - my biggest mistake has been to hire the first accountant that
was recommended to me vs. seeking the perfect fit. I've learned that
not having the proper professional support can be extremely costly.
How you feel about competition in your industry: There
are many very talented Interior Designers in the Portland Metro area.
I'm proud to call some of them my close friends. It's so nice to trade
stories and discuss feasible solutions with colleagues who face similar
issues.
Greatest source of clients for your biz: Referrals have been an excellent source of clients for my business.
Your inspiration: Love
#1 piece of business advice everyone should follow:
I have two rules of thumb #1. Strive to always be honest with
yourself; outsource your weaknesses and tap into your strengths #2
Don't buy anything you can't afford.
#1 sanity-saving tip for work/life balance:
For me it's important that I simply remind myself of how fortunate I
am every day. When having it all seems like too much I strive to
remember that I could be working for someone else, missing even more
precious time with my beloved family.