Rising Stars: Meet Alexa Gonzalez

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexa Gonzalez.

Hi Alexa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I have loved and admired all kinds of art since I was young, whether music, drawing, painting, photography, fashion, tattooing, or interior design. When I was a kid I was obsessed with decorating and designing  rooms on DisneyChannel.com and the Barbie site. I would constantly rearrange my room and fill my walls with artwork and posters. I initially wanted to be a psychologist for the military because I grew up in a military household, and I loved the idea of wanting to help people as well. I went to college to pursue a degree in psychology but was steered off that path due to personal hardships. While it was a difficult time it gave me a chance to take a step back and reevaluate what I wanted to do. 

It was 2017 when I started to play with this interior design idea because I was so drawn to architecture and design. I would binge-watch all of these home design shows on HGTV and believed I could do it well. I was lucky enough to have an opportunity to work for one of the biggest home developers, “Pulte Homes,” as a design assistant, thanks to a good friend that was on their design team who helped me get the interview. I got the position where I assisted the National Director with the designs of the model homes. This is where I was able to learn the ins-and-outs of interior design by working hands on designing model homes, and that is when I knew this was the industry I was meant to be in. 

Once I completed my degree in interior design I started designing residential homes and working alongside realtors and investors. I even designed luxury yachts and floating condos (basically yachts without engines) for about two years. This point in my career opened many windows and separated my portfolio from your typical interior designer. Many of my prospective clients were impressed by that, which led to many more design projects for me.

In May 2022 I made the decision that I wanted to be my own boss, so I started my own interior design business. I wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps who has had his own successful billboard business for 15 years. I knew taking that leap of faith would be challenging by walking away from job security and a guaranteed paycheck, but challenges have always driven me. All work can be stressful, so why not pick your poison and stress over your company? I love being in business for myself because I can dedicate more time to my daughter, have creative freedom in my designs, and make what I earn without a majority of it going to the firms rather than the designers and artists themselves. Although I chose interior design over psychology, I still help people at the end of the day by designing a safe, functional, and peaceful space for my clients. I design to resonate and rest the souls. I am the owner of RESTLESS SOULS Interior Design. I design interior, exterior, residential and can tackle commercial designs.

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Being a Business Owner and Entrepreneur has been challenging. There have been many amazing sunny days, but there has also been many stormy days as well. Interior design is not considered an essential service unless you are in real estate investments or need the services for commercial design. But to your everyday person, we are considered a luxury service. Most people assume they can’t afford design services, so they do not inquire, but if they did inquire, they would see it absolutely can be affordable.  I am in many big groups on Facebook where I try to market with Airbnb / VRBO / Short-term rental/vacation rental investors, where I have found my niche of frequent work. The lows with the real estate market shifts impact my line of work. You also must be able to handle rejection and people flaking out on you and eating up a lot of your time to back out or ghost you, which is why I have a legal contract in place and a consultation fee in place to protect my time and creative ideas.

Thanks for sharing that. You could tell us more about your work.
Interior Design / I specialize in residential design, interior and exterior, luxury yachts, and Airbnb / vacation rentals, and I can take on commercial designs. I am known for my creativity, hard work ethic, and ability to work under budget. Many of my clients even call me the Budget Queen simply because I am patient and great with sourcing to try to save my clients money and come under their budgets. I am most proud of how far I have come even when times get stressful and work becomes slow, it puts me in a fight or flight position, and my child is my motivation so I automatically go into fight mode and keep business going. What sets me apart from others is that I do whatever it takes to get the design done even if that means going out of my comfort zone. Success does not happen overnight, you have to take risks, be vulnerable, endure trial and error, and fall a million times to be able to stand up once.

We’d love to hear about how you think about risk-taking.
I take risks in my everyday life by going off on my own in business: no job security, no benefits, no guaranteed paycheck, and no guaranteed design projects. I depend solely on myself to stay afloat even when it seems impossible, but at the end of the day, I am building something that I see the full potential of and can expand throughout the states and pass down someday.

Pricing:

• $150 for design consultations
• $500 for electronic / virtual design
• price ranges 3-5,000 for standard size home

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/restlesssoulsdesign/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Alexa-Gonzalez/100077190654608/?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
TonyBarilMedia.com