Aga Artka Interior Design, LLC

A year older, a year wiser?

November 12th, 2009 7:47 am

Today I turn 26 years old. I normally don’t get nostalgic about birthdays or aging, for that matter. But this year has been such a significant year for me, that it would be a shame not take a moment to look back at the changes and accomplishments of the past twelve months.

Let me start by saying, if you don’t know at least one person who is a victim of the recession and workforce reduction, now you do! My position with a large Milwaukee corporation was indeed eliminated last fall, and I was devastated at first. I took my time to be angry, upset, judgmental, revengeful and so on, and a whole 24 hours later I bounced back and took the challenge seriously. Yes, it was a challenge to me. Not a failure, but a reason to do more and better with my life. So I planned a long family vacation first, after which I hit the ground running. On January 21st, 2009 (which conveniently happens to be my name day as well) I registered my interior design business. And that’s how Aga Artka Interior Design came to life.

I read a lot of the plane to and from Poland, where I spent almost three weeks relaxing with my closest family and reconnecting with myself. A few great books, which provided much needed inspiration, motivation and a push to act, are:

Escape from Corporate America: A Practical Guide to Creating the Career of Your Dreams

My So-Called Freelance Life: How to Survive and Thrive as a Creative Professional for Hire

Tribes: We Need You to Lead Us

Secrets of Six-Figure Women: Surprising Strategies to Up Your Earnings and Change Your Life

These stories showed me that if those people can do it, I can too. Who said that a Polish girl can’t be successful in Milwaukee, WI!

First and foremost, I am finally happy. I control my destiny. I decide what’s good for me and my business. I have the power to say no, if my gut tells me so. I can blame myself and only myself, if I make a mistake. This one-person-show makes running it so much easier. It is not for everyone, but it’s definitely the way I always wanted to lead my life. And here I am….living the dream!

From a professional perspective, I have attended more conferences, industry events, educational seminars, networking gatherings that I can count on my two hands. Each and every one of those activities taught me something different, and pushed me even harder in reaching my goals. To list a few…

• Coverings, The Ultimate Tile and Stone Experience
• NeoCon, World’s Trade Fair
• BizTech Conference and Expo
• NakedBiz Growth, Socia Media Seminar by Soho Publishing
• Renewable Energy Fair
• Fine Furnishings Show
• Christmas Fantasy House by American Cancer Society
• Commercial Real Estate & Development Conference by BizTimes Milwaukee

As far as accomplishments and publicity goes, my own house  was featured in the JS Online, my articles appeared in the local Soho Magazine and will soon be available via the online resource Bizme.biz . I have shared my design knowledge with the readers of Manage My Home, a DIY online service hosted by Sears. I had an opportunity to judge a national woodworking competition organized by Wood Digest and written articles for Surface Fabrication Magazine. I successfully decorated a room in this year’s Christmas Fantasy House. The feedback on my design was wonderful from both home owner as well as the public. I was even asked to speak in front of Interior Design students at Waukesha County Technical College, which I enjoyed very much and hope to have provided some inspiration for them. I am grateful to have had a chance to do all these things, and let the world know I am here, and doing fine. I am sure that next year will bring just as many great opportunities if not more.

This year has been fun and definitely proved to me that the economy is bad for those who listen to media. Those of us, who stick to what we know and wake up every day with a target in mind, today’s economical situation is a challenge, and not an impossible one to win by any means.

This year has been a year of trial and error. Next year I plan on implementing some changes into my business model, marketing message and outreach methods, and finally start created a name for Aga Artka Interior Design and myself. A name that speaks passion, story telling and unlimited creativity. I plan to travel overseas because there are way too many places in the world I want to see and experience in my lifetime. I want next year to be the best ever! Ready, set, go…….