A letter from the Founder & Owner of House of Form
Hi friend, Dala here 👋🏽
I've been MIA, but it's just because I've been knee-deep in all the nitty-gritty stuff behind the scenes. As I sit behind my computer and write this note to you, I am also reflecting on the last year of business ownership, growth, and balancing my role for what's best for the business. My day-to-day has done a 180, so I can now focus fully on running a boutique interior design studio as a CEO. I'm still wearing just about every hat, but now I've got some incredible leaders on board, so I can zero in on the good stuff.
First, I’d love to reflect on 2023 and share five things I’m proud of achieving.
1. A New Design Studio: We designed and built a design studio that embodies the essence of House of Form. If House of Form was a restaurant, this would be it. If you haven’t been to our space, take a virtual tour here.
2. Smooth Sailing: We fine-tuned our systems, automated what could be automated, and streamlined everything else. Less hiccups, more incredible projects, and a happier team! More importantly, there’s more time for the design details, allowing us to be hyper-focused on every square inch of your space.
3. Team Love: Welcomed two rockstar interior designers to the crew. Meet the whole team here! Our HoF veteran, Jillian, was also promoted to Design Manager, and Gabrielle was promoted to Senior Brand Experience Manager. These two take a lot off of my day-to-day task list, allowing me to focus on the future of House of Form, refining my skills as a leader, and deepening relationships within our industry.
4. Vegas, Baby!: We've set up shop in Las Vegas – the hospitality hub! Commuting there is almost the same time as going from North Phoenix to Gilbert, so it felt like a no-brainer. This expansion reflects a commitment to fostering a strong presence in key design-centric hubs. Where should we go next?
5. Role Remix: I took some time to massage and redefine my role. Going from designer to leader was a trip, but with an amazing team, it's been a smooth ride! This will allow me to dive deeper into my strongest skill set – having a steady hand in the concept development phase of our hospitality projects, shaping the space with my team through to completion.
So what does 2024 look like? I've got an illustration that can help paint the picture! On our return to the design studio post-holiday office closure, we gather to craft both personal and company vision boards. The company vision board outlines projects we're excited to tackle, awards we aspire to achieve, goals for company culture and structure, and much more.
I'll let the visuals do the talking, but here are the three things that are currently energizing me:
1. Dream Projects: A wine tasting room, elevated steakhouse, chef-driven eatery, and a boutique hotel in Miami. We take our design team’s dreams and wishes for the year as a target market for our marketing efforts.
2. First Friday: We're on a mission to grow our First Friday program. Art tours, workshops, supporting local talent – it's our creative escape from the studio grind on the first Friday of every month. As this evolves, we may open it to the public!
3. Boss Mode: I'm all in on refining my leadership skills with an emphasis on building an unstoppable team. I’ve joined a peer advisory group where I can bounce ideas and receive an outside opinion on the fine details or the big leaps. On my reading list this year is “10x is Easier than 2x” by Dan Sullivan with Dr. Benjamin Hardy, “All In” by Mike Michalowicz, “CEO Excellence” by Carolyn Dewar and Scott Keller, and “Traction” by Gino Wickman.
Thank you for rocking with us for 8 years! I appreciate you for recognizing our hard work, appreciating our talent and singing our praises to your community without us having to ask for it!
Cheers,
