Meet Jeannelly Hartsfield: Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jeannelly Hartsfield and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jeannelly, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Starting my own business started with having a pep talk with myself. I asked myself questions like: “who did I want to be?” “How would my 30s be different from my 20s?” “Do you want to work to live or live to work?” Having these conversations with myself gave me the confidence I needed to go for it and never look back. My brand, my business was created in 3 weeks. I was turning 30 in three weeks and I knew I wanted to do something differently than what I had been doing. Working as a project manager in a leading cyber security firm was a challenge and a great role, but I knew there was more for me out there. So I thought, maybe I’ll launch a Project Management firm and help small businesses manage their projects. And once I said it out loud. There was no fire. There was no excitement. There was nothing, honestly. After a few friends stopped by my home and complimented me on how well everything was decorated, I thought, what if I helped other people decorate their homes. That’s when the fire came. That’s when the excitement came. That’s when there was SOMETHING. It’s a false narrative when people say it takes a lot of time to launch a business- most times when you aren’t ready is when you are the most ready.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Ivyleaf Interior Decor is a full service interior design firm catering to the metro-Atlanta and surrounding areas. We also have a handful of clients outside of the great state of Georgia where we work with them virtually for e-design services. We curate spaces in ensuring that they are functional, stylish and budget-friendly. Ivyleaf Interior’s audience is the everyday working family who wants the HGTV home without the large and in charge price tag. We pride ourselves in being the home decor remedy, giving homes a big hug with furniture and decor that is sure to make the spaces feel cozy & inviting.

The thing that I am most proud of is the clients! They make me the most excited because people are truly investing in these beautiful homes and then contacting us to design it. Nothing makes my heart happier than seeing young adults creating a better living environment for their families. My clients are truly the best and when we meet for the first time, it always feels like a reunion because I love to connect with a lot of them via social media. They understand that there is a process and they truly allow me to be really creative because they see the work, they know that I have their interest and their coins considered. I have their backs and they have mine and that’s what I am most proud of – that clients can trust me with any kind of budget and they know that Ivyleaf Interior WILL deliver

While some may truly believe that Ivyleaf Interior was an overnight success, I am here to denounce that claim because it took a lot of long nights, time away from my small babies, a lot of perseverance and resilience to get to where it is today. It took plenty of consistency and honing of the craft. Every project has a lesson learned. As a certified project manager, lessons learned are pivotal in the success of your business because you’ll know not to make the same mistake twice. Mistakes are absolutely necessary for a business to thrive. Some of the lessons learned throughout this journey is to always amend a contract when the scope of work changes. No matter how busy you may become, make sure you go back to the contract and add the change in scope because this will save you a lot headache. Another lesson learned is to go with your gut- trust your instincts. We have these innate spidey senses that reassures you or discourages you from moving forward with something- listen to it. Don’t ignore that feeling, it’s there for a reason.

What I would like for the world to know about my brand is that women who are in the minority can have a piece of the pie, too! I want people to know that your purpose in life, and what you do can be changed. You can wake up one morning and decide to be a doctor, your title today does not determine your tomorrow.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
When my family comes into town, I always want to ensure that they have the best time ever. A weekend long trip would consist of stopping by Atlanta Breakfast Club for some yummy brunch, then we will work off those calories walking the Atlanta Beltline. Once we get home and drop the kids off with the grandparents, the adults will probably grab dinner and drinks at Little Alley Steak, a top of the line steakhouse! If we’re feeling seafood, Pappadeaux is always a favorite as well.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

Website: www.ivyleafinterior.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/ivyleaf_interior

Facebook: www.facebook.com/ivyleafinterior

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6N5tLchjGKxSMe_lQnd5cQ

Image Credits
S. Marche Photo