Conversations with the Inspiring Jenna Biederbeck

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jenna Biederbeck.

Jenna, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My husband David and I started flipping houses in 2016. I went to school to get my Real Estate License and I was in charge of all the design decisions and project management. As we took on more and more homes, I fell in love with interior design. I absolutely LOVE taking home or space that is run down or in need of a refresh and giving it new life! My design business started organically… I started helping friends and family with remodeling work and then it branched outside of my inner circle. I thought, “I should probably just start a business!” We still flip homes occasionally… the messier, the better!!…. but mostly, I want to help people with their design needs. This is what I love to do. Helping my clients create a plan and a vision ahead of time saves them time and money. My goal is to create a home that welcomes and inspires! Everyone should love where they live.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The most difficult part has been balancing work and family… I’m a mom of three… they were just five, four and three years old when we started renovating homes. For me, I decided early on that being mama was going to come first. If it meant I can’t take on as many clients, then so be it. As my kids have grown, they now go to school for longer hours and I have been able to take on more/larger projects. Being the one to drop them off and pick them up from school most of the time was important to me, so that’s how I’ve structured my business… family first… then work. But it’s not easy… sometimes, work spills into family time and it’s stressful! I have been learning to put down my phone and turn off my “work brain” around my kids.

Here’s what has worked for me and has been LIFE CHANGING when it comes to balancing work and family: When you’re with your family… BE WITH THEM. Turn off your phone. Don’t open your laptop. Don’t take that phone call. It’s difficult but freeing. My husband and kids are keenly aware of when I’m not fully present. BE PRESENT. And when you know you need to work… get a sitter so that you can fully focus on work… that’s okay too! When you’re working, be in full on WORK MODE. When you’re with family, be in full on FAMILY MODE. Trying to juggle both during the same time frame leaves everyone feeling frustrated. It will push you to work harder when you do have time to work and it will allow you the freedom to really enjoy and be present with your family. I have not “arrived” in this area by the way… it’s a process… but the more I do life this way, the better the work/life balance has been.

What should we know about Hello Home Co.? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I specialize in interior design… I’m not afraid of the messiest of spaces but often my clients are starting with a fairly neutral slate. When a home is messy and disorganized it makes me excited… I can always see the potential!! My goal is to help my clients create homes that welcome them and others in. A home that inspires all who enter. Everyone should love where they live and my hope is that love will spill outward to others.

Do you have a lesson or advice you’d like to share with young women just starting out?
You are going to feel overwhelmed, most likely, at some point. This is true as a mother, as a businesswoman, as a wife, as a friend and just in general as a human being. My own personality treats overwhelming situations something like this: either I tackle it and try to do several things all at once and I stay up far too late and run myself down until I feel accomplished… OR… I avoid the situation altogether and pretend it doesn’t exist. Unfortunately, neither one of these solutions has served me or my business well in the past. They’ve either left me exhausted, not enjoying my work or my work has suffered and I lose out on business.

Here’s what I would suggest. When your pile feels unsurmountable… here is my advice: Just do the NEXT thing.

Pick the thing that is most important that HAS to be done first and DO it. Then, do the next thing. Don’t get distracted by the rest of the pile… complete one thing at a time and you’ll be amazed how the pile dwindles away. Eventually, you’ll get so good at this process that it won’t be as overwhelming… you’ll see the pile but it won’t cause you to go into superwoman mode or to collapse on the sofa.

Pricing:

• Design Consultation $140 – 60 minutes
• Home Staging – FREE consultation; Pricing TBD
• Full-Service Design – Our design fee is project specific and is often priced per square foot or by space.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://hellohomeco.com
• Email: jen@hellohomeco.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/hellohomeco
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/hellohomeco
• Other: https://hellohomeco.pixieset.com/designportfolio/

Image Credit:
Images by Stephanie of @lifecreated https://www.lifecreated.com

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