Atypical Work Ethic

A few years ago, like most 22 year old's, I was listening to success podcasts, overly eager for an opportunity to become a millionaire at something I thought I knew enough about, hoping to dodge the college path. At the time I wanted to go into the design industry.? I wasn’t sure what that looked like, but while looking through ELLE Magazine , I noticed an article about a Design-Real Estate Boutique in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.??

The studio looked like it was really out of Chicago, or LA.? They used colors, moods, materials and lighting that I only saw in magazines but real people in my home state were living in.? They could beautify a neighborhood without gentrifying it.? Sustainability and the people who lived in the spaces they designed mattered most.? There was personality in what they created. They took a typical, sometimes decaying area of an old Salt Lake City block with modest Mormon history and upcycled them into something contemporary and timeless, breathing life back into the area.??

I immediately looked up Lauren Bald , one of the designers and agents, (now a Principal at Atypical Design Studios) on Instagram.? I was starstruck and envious of her style, personality, and ability to stand out. Not only did she have an amazing brand and presence online, she had the numbers to back it all up.? I sent her office an email and asked for 20 minutes with her to review my working portfolio and answer any questions I had.??

Lauren personally responded immediately.? That was the first lesson I learned from her.? No one is so amazing at what they do, that they can’t take 5 minutes out of their workflow to respond to an email.? She’s a true professional, even in the small ways.??

We set a time/day and I began polishing my extremely rough design portfolio of concepts.? At the time I worked at a local bank.? I had to dress in a shirt and tie and head back to that job just after my meeting with Lauren. But I found a shirt and tie that weren’t so boring in hopes that I would look the part.??

I arrived at her studio in Salt Lake City.? I was ten minutes early.? Still relying on the advice of my Boy Scout days, I didn’t realize arriving more than 1-2 minutes early was irritating, ha.? But Lauren and her team were kind.? Another designer offered me coffee and got to know me while Lauren finished what she was working on.??

Lauren invited me into a breakout room with glass and industrial lighting.? She had a clipboard that fit the aesthetic of their studio.? The studio sound system was playing soft classical music.??

“So how can I help you?” Lauren asked as we sat down.??

I told her I was interested in a career in design as well as completing my real estate license.? I wanted to work somewhere like her studio at the time, but wanted to know what it took, how they did what they did, etc.? I asked her about her background.? She was,( and still is,) a hustler.? No one works as hard as Lauren Bald.? And she took note of every word I said.? Although I felt intimidated and was nowhere near ready to work in a studio like hers, she took me seriously and treated me like a professional or one of her clients.??She looked at every single page in my amateur portfolio and gave me feedback and asked more questions.

I was 14 when the ‘Great Recession,’ hit my family hard and I wanted so badly to work somewhere in the AEC Industry, but I was nervous that I would be setting myself up for another cycle of that era.? I asked Lauren, “how did your team make it through the ‘08 crisis? It seems like that’s a pretty tough feat in a place like Utah.”??

She smiled and replied, “ We worked our asses off.”??

The answer stunned me a bit, but it clicked in my head as she said it.? I had spoken with other designers and contractors prior to meeting with her and no one had been as direct or clear as she was.? The important thing was not the means, methods, or even the achievements that Lauren had discovered overtime.? It all came from the work, time, passion, and dedication she put into her work.? Sure, she knew how to market herself, so it looked like fun on Instagram, but she walked the talk.? Every one of those photos is worth thousands of hours she put into making it.??

I left extremely grateful and while my career path changed a lot over the next 8 years, no matter where I’m at, Lauren’s simple advice of hard work is what I think of.? If I’m struggling to hit a deadline, find a new opportunity, or even just get to work in the mornings, the memory of this plays back in my mind.??

Lauren is true representation of someone who works hard but wisely, by enhancing her natural talents and abilities that she has spent hours, days, years building.? She is always ahead of trends in any market.? She knows how to maintain style without sacrificing the integrity of her character and values and the needs of her clients.? I hope to pay it forward!?

If you are looking for an amazing interior designer who knows how to listen and bring to life your ideas for your home or commercial space, make sure you reach out to my friend, Lauren Bald and her team at Atypical Design Studios!