I’ve been asked this question a thousand times, “How do you go from selling mattresses to establishing one of the most successful hotel design firms in the world?” There’s no simple answer, but here are 2 things you might find intriguing: I was not a great student in school – being smart and being a good student are two different things. Also, I never set goals or had a career plan. Although many people have garnered big success by working their plan, I always found that idea to be limiting. What I did do, was take advantage of opportunities at every turn. Years ago, Harvard Business School included my firm in a graduate level course seeking the answer to, among other things, “what is the best way to manage creative people from a business perspective.” My initial flippant response of “give them lots of freedom” ended up being their conclusion as well. Just like life, my career has been a journey, not a destination. There have been incredible highs, but the pendulum has swung back to the lows countless times. The road to success is a circuitous one to be sure. It takes creativity, perseverance, hard work, and a few lucky breaks along the way. Read on and I’ll attempt to share my story – projects, travels, business ideology, design inspiration, friends and associates.
Thanks for following along,
Trisha
