Today we’d like to introduce you to Brandi and Brittany.
Hi Brandi and Brittany, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
ROAM Design Co. started with a friendship formed while working at a brew pub. Both of us came from the service industry so when COVID hit in May of 2020, we knew we needed to take control of our career path and left our full-time jobs behind. With little knowledge of each other, we took a risk knowing we had the energy, entrepreneurial motive and dedication to make our passion a lifelong career.
Using our own funds and homes we started to DIY each room, wall-by-wall, and shared our creative projects on social media. Within just two weeks, our first client reached out and ROAM was born! Being self taught and working hands-on, we were able to quickly expand our knowledge and portfolio from simple accent walls to creating floor plans, designing interior + exteriors, staging homes, and even had a demand for commercial properties. The last year has been an amazing transition of growth and one we didn’t see coming!
One of the most important things we’ve learned is to never underestimate yourself and your capabilities. Our clients would ask us to do something we’ve never done before and all of a sudden we were a YES man, ROAMing around to get it done. The support and trust from our clients is what makes us who we are– small town designers who love ‘Refining Organic and Modern’ spaces one room at a time. Hence the name, ROAM.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
One of our initial & greatest challenges was finding inventory to bring our design concepts to life. The steep cost increase in lumber and materials mixed with the decrease in inventory hit all of us hard. Thankfully, our clientele knew it was out of our control and trusted us to make the financial calls allowing us to move forward.
We took each day project-by-project not knowing when our next client would call or when our next payday would be and honestly, it was terrifying. One man asked us what our 5 year plan was and we replied “if you can tell me what will happen in 5 days, I’ll tell you what will happen in 5 years.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
If we had to put what sets us apart into one word it would be “Innovative” – We are not just personal shoppers and decorators. Every design we create has a refined customized piece for each client and their space. When we’re not creating 3D renderings or Mood Boards, we love to get hands-on and refinish furniture with an emphasis on Mid Century Modern flare!
The question we always ask and find a solution to is: How can we make this space stylish and functional, yet organic and modern with a tight budget? We pull in the space’s natural elements that you’d see in the Mid Century Era, such as natural window lighting, earthy paint hues, refined furniture and plenty of plants — bringing the outdoors in!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
In order to start a business, you have to be willing to take a lot of risks. In life, we work to pay our bills and maintain a certain “standard”. Before we know it, we’re working the same monotonous job, at the same place with the same story.
If you’re like we are, you get burnt out and find yourself wanting to create your own story. Leaving our comfort zone and transitioning to being our own boss with no guidance was a huge risk! Opening an LLC when we had no idea what it would entail and without any security backing us was a huge risk! But it goes to show that when you work hard enough to make your dream a reality, it doesn’t matter the risks you have to take.
“The best way to predict the future is to create it” – Abraham Lincoln
Contact Info:
- Email: roamdesigncompany@gmail.com
- Website: https://designfiles.co/questionnaire/roam-design-co
- Instagram: @roam.designco
- Facebook: ROAM Design Co.
Image Credits
Marie White Photography
