As we prepare to welcome Jean Stoffer to Michigan Design Center for her "Trade Talk" & book signing on Wednesday, October 9, we had the privilege of catching up with the celebrated designer and entrepreneur. In this interview, she shares her thoughts on embracing new ideas, overcoming challenges, and finding a balance between work and life.
Your design business has grown and evolved into a whole lifestyle “brand” – do you naturally embrace change?
Jean Stoffer: I think maybe a better way of saying it is that I naturally embrace new ideas. I don’t necessarily come up with them myself, but when I hear them, I naturally want to think through them and consider, “what if?”
Who were some mentors that helped you along your path, and in what ways were they particularly helpful?
Jean Stoffer: Early on, I followed the kitchen design work of Mick DeGuilio very closely. I spent years studying every detail of his designs because, in my opinion, he was the absolute best. Years later, I met him and discovered he was as gracious as he was brilliant. Expanding beyond custom kitchens and baths, I’ve also found value in podcasts about successful business practices. Importantly, I rely on guidance from my faith.
How did you know when the time was right to grow your business to the next level?
Jean Stoffer: I spent many years raising my children and working part-time. When my last child was in high school, I had more time to take on additional work. However, it wasn’t until we moved from the Chicago area to Michigan to be near our adult children that things really took off. My daughter, Grace, was teaching school and was a brand-new homeowner and mom. She had expressed interest in taking on the interior design aspect of the work, while I had always specialized in kitchens and baths, collaborating with interior designers. It turned out to be a winning combination! I knew it was time to grow the business because I had the personal bandwidth, financial stability, and the added joy of working with Grace. I would be working more, but with someone I truly loved being with.
Most people don’t achieve success entirely on their own. What advice do you have for choosing the right people to add to your team?
Jean Stoffer: We now have more than 50 people working at our company and I have a lot of thoughts about this question. My strategy is to be open to young, inexperienced people who are hardworking, responsible, and have personal integrity. I’ve learned to have more than one person interview candidates and to start them in roles with less responsibility, providing a path for growth if they show initiative and excellence.
What advice can you give to help designers overcome challenges they face along the path to success?
Jean Stoffer: Challenges are the only constant. The key is to identify and overcome them and not to allow them to defeat you. As a business owner, you need to be courageous and try things others are afraid of. Often self-doubt is the biggest limiting factor. One crucial piece of advice I received from a very successful businessman was, “never spend more money on the business than you can afford to lose.” Start small and be frugal. Build your coffers. Grow wisely and within your means. This is also a great way to live anxiety-free.
With technology constantly connecting us more than ever before, how can we be more intentional about creating work/life balance while maintaining a high level of service for our clients?
Jean Stoffer: Decide on your work hours and stick to them. In the design world, there are very few 911-type emergencies that happen outside of those hours. If you have more work than you can handle within those hours, something needs to change. Analyze what you're doing, how you're doing it, and adjust. Don't get so caught up that you never take time to step back and regroup. Sometimes we take on more projects than we should, driven by fear or the excitement of something new. But if it’s too much, everyone suffers—you, your family, the client, the contractor. You either need to take on less work or hire someone to help. It’s that simple. Additionally, I recommend handling client communication via email rather than text, setting clear boundaries for after-hours responses.
Your work on the Woodward House beautifully showcases how you blend old-world charm with modern elegance, especially through your use of materials from Ann Sacks. Could you share what draws you to their products?
Jean Stoffer: I’ve been using Ann Sacks tile and stone for almost 30 years! The range of materials they offer is broad enough to work on nearly every project without looking the same. The “Made” line has so much breadth and the glazes to pick from fit into any design idea I have. The stone field tile and mosaics bring in that different texture and pattern that can really elevate a room. From sampling to tracking orders, working with Ann Sacks has always been seamless. Now with the extension of the Savoy collection, and other added collections with lower price points, it can be my one stop shop.
“Designing Success: A Talk with Jean Stoffer” |
