Dezign by Jas with Janet Ann Scott

Dive into a transformative story of passion, perseverance, and the art of effective communication in design as we chat with Janet ann Scott, the creative mind behind Dezign by Jas. Janet ann shares her personal journey of leaving a stable corporate career after 18 successful years to embrace the challenges of running her design business amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. She openly discusses the fears she faced when taking the leap into entrepreneurship and how supporting clients with personalized design solutions became her mission.

In our conversation, Janet ann highlights the secret to creating stunning and functional spaces: listening intently to client needs. By prioritizing open dialogue, she fosters trust, ensuring that her designs resonate deeply with her clients' personalities and lifestyles. With her unique approach of breaking down projects into manageable stages, listeners discover how they can transform their spaces without feeling overwhelmed.

But Janet ann's talents don't stop at interior design. Her passion for organization led her to create "Closets by Jas," where she helps clients curate functional and aesthetically pleasing closet spaces. Through this venture, Janet ann's desire to help individuals look good extends beyond the living room to wardrobe management.

With candid discussions about entrepreneurship, the importance of sourcing quality materials, and the lessons learned along the way, this episode is packed with insights for aspiring designers and anyone seeking help in creating beautiful spaces. So, if you’re wondering how to turn your vision into reality, tune in for inspiration! Don’t forget to reach out to Janet ann for a consultation. Let’s embark on this journey of design transformation together!

Transcript

Speaker 1 0:01

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Stacey Poehler.

Speaker 2 0:14

Hey everybody, I am super excited today to introduce you to a local designer. Her name is Jazz Scott and she is the owner of Design by Jazz. Welcome Jazz. Hello, welcome yeah we're excited to chat today and learn a little bit more about you, so why don't you start off, you know, by sharing something about your business?

Speaker 3 0:34

Okay, actually I got started about three years ago it's kind of when COVID had started and I was with the company for 18 years and people kept saying to me clients, you're so talented, why don't you go on your own? And of course, going on your own is very nerve-wracking when to get the client, how to start, what all the latter effects would go with it. And I took the punch and I put myself there on social media old clients and it was very scary but at the same time it really built my confidence and I had that one client and then I kind of just took off from there that I knew I could do it because I have the gift, I have the tools and, obviously, the education.

Speaker 2 1:25

Yeah, can you dive a little bit deeper into your journey and you know how you maybe got into design in the first place and you know what your real passion is?

Speaker 3 1:36

Yeah, my passion is basically design, but I love helping people, whether it's a retail job or just teaching someone. Many years ago, I had lost my job and I was employed for a year and I went online to a company with design, which I really didn't have any experience, and then, throughout the years, I felt that me doing and helping people with design and furniture. I just I thought this is this is my calling, this is what I'm going to do, and I was in the company for about 18 years and I did very well.

Speaker 2 2:13

Yeah, and what are some of the things that you feel like you know really make you well-suited for helping people and for being a partner for folks in design?

Speaker 3 2:25

Yeah, basically, you know, everyone says they have a friend that designs. It's either like the library person or you're like a friend and I think with me I just have my first thing is passionate people. What I've learned and told many of my friends who have their business your number one goal is to listen. I'm a great listener, I've got great vision and I just have this gift that I can put something together and people say how do you do that? Like it's a gift, whether you're a doctor or a dentist, this is my calling to be a designer and I think that's what I've done in my business, where every client I've finished they say you know, I've been looking for wallpaper for six months and you bring it to me in three days. Because it's about listening and it's about having like a view of what you see things and I just see things a little bit more differently.

Speaker 2 3:22

Can you talk a little bit about your process and what someone can expect when they're working with you?

Speaker 3 3:27

So when they're working with me I usually go in and do a consultation for two hours and then basically I say to them you know what are you looking for? Living room, bedroom, how many projects? People are excited with the sign. They want everything done. But I like to do things in stages so I don't rush the client and if they see the first project they love it. Then we go on to the second and basically you look at their colors, what their needs, their budget, and don't make them scared of pricing. I do get a lot of trade discounts but I think with clients it's the process of moving a board. But you've got to hold your hand to make sure that the process will be done and it will be done their way.

Speaker 2 4:12

Got it, got it. And can you talk a little bit about your past personal experiences and kind of what you like to do for fun and all that good stuff? Well, when I'm not designing.

Speaker 3 4:26

You know I do. I'm having another passion by closets by Jax, because I have a passion for clothes and I have people say when I go to their house I would have never put that together. I had a client say you need to start wardrobeing people and doing their closets. So I'm working on that and, top of doing this business, which is important to me, and I do my yoga and I'm training for another half marathon this year. Wow, yeah, and I just turned 60.

Speaker 2 5:00

Happy birthday, thank you. Have there been any hardships or challenges along the way that have kind of helped you become the person you are?

Speaker 3 5:10

Yeah, there's been a lot of challenges, I think, getting into the business, because no way you're going to get your business. I've had some clients where I could have done things differently, pricing and thinking you trust someone and you're you know things like that are going to happen. But with my business I've learned to do things a little bit more differently, a little bit more cautiously, because it is your business, but at the same time you know you have to make that client know that they appreciate you as much as you appreciate them.

Speaker 2 5:45

Yeah, for sure. Yeah, anything else that you think our listeners should know about you or your process, and maybe even some plans for the future, with Closets by Jazz.

Speaker 3 6:01

Yeah, basically, if they do decide to reach out, I am very loyal when I say I'm going to call you, I'm going to call you oil. I say I'm going to call you, I'm going to call you. I've had many clients that have hired me and said you're the first designer to have a plan the next day. And when you're kind of taking the people's money to get things started it's a little hesitation. But if you feel like you're there for them and you're going to work on that project, honesty and being loyal to that client is the most important thing. There could be a hundred designers out there but there's only one that they feel that they're going to be a fit for you, because not everybody is a fit, which I've seen.

Speaker 2 6:45

That Right and maybe talk a little bit about you know some of the places where you source items from and you know and how that might work for a potential client.

Speaker 3 6:57

Right, I source out a lot to Serena Lilly, pottery Barn, west Downs, there's Ballard's, there's Woodstock Furniture there's many different stores down hell mill that I source through or you know whatever they're looking for. Um, the one thing that clients like that I do have a lot of trade accounts, which is kind of like a a plus, because that actually helps out with your budget, and I have reps that help me. Um, and then you know I just I source, I go online like restoration hardware. It's whatever the client wants. I can go to HomeGoods and do their whole store. It doesn't have to be Pottery Barn. Whatever the client's budget, I work around it. I never go over the budget and I make sure is listening is a key to this business, as in your business, if you don't listen, it will definitely backfire on you because then you're working harder and using that client's money and that client does not want to see that. They want a good listener and I think that's one of the things that I bring to the table is a very good listener, getting the projects done.

Speaker 2 8:13

Right, and I'm sure that listening helps you make sure that you cater exactly to what they're looking for. And you probably have lots of very satisfied clients out there.

Speaker 3 8:23

Yeah, and that's the way I've heard from my previous clients who had our designers that when they hire them, they don't hear from them and then it's almost like they're not important. And that's why it wants to feel important, because they're making an investment in you as I'm making an investment in them.

Speaker 2 8:44

Got it. If folks are interested in working with you or learning more about you, where should they go to find your contact info?

Speaker 3 8:52

Well, they can email me at Janet and Scott 64 at gmailcom or 678-978-8651, or my Instagram, which is design by jazz design and all my works out there and I've got amazing references I could send to the clients so they feel a little bit more about me and obviously get information from my past clients to make them know that I'm going to do a good job for them.

Speaker 2 9:32

Awesome. Well, thank you so much for joining us today, jess Okay, thank you so much, yeah, this was great for joining us today, jess Okay, thank you so much.

Speaker 1 9:38

Yeah, this was great Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Milton Moore. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpmiltoncom. That's gnpmiltoncom, or call 470-664-4930.