Boutique Design - November 2014 - 140

Deborah herman
owner and president
Fabric innovations
BEST ADVICE: My father was my mentor.
The best lesson I learned about being
successful was "just work harder."

If SHE WEREN'T IN HER CURRENT jOB,
SHE'D BE A: I have no interest in being
something else.

4
but a healthful one beyond aspirational "wellness" lip service? All of
this offers another layer of design opportunity to make sure these
elements are designed in seamlessly and creatively.
Trisha Wilson: The greatest challenges ahead for hospitality

meg PrenDergasT
principal | the Gettys Group
ADVICE SHE'D GIVE YOURSELf If SHE
WERE HER BEST fRIEND: Travel to as
many places as you can; experience as
much as you can; do for others as much as
you can; and plan to leave the world in a
better place than when you found it. Oh, and
save for when you aren't a 9-to-5er....My
accountant would put that first on the list!
If SHE WASN'T IN HER CURRENT jOB,
SHE'D BE A: Is there such thing as a landscape architectural, painting studio, with a
pie shop wing?
WHAT MAkES A GOOD LEADER:
Someone who listens, does the work, learns
from it and owns it.

140 boutiquedesign.com

November 2014

designers, operators, investors, manufacturers and honestly, any
industry, moving into 2015 are largely economic and technological
in nature. The economy, both domestically and internationally, is
volatile and variable, which places substantial strains on the business environment. Since the economic downturn, banks have
become more risk averse, making loans more difficult to obtain.
And then, there was the recent low in the stock market. Moving into
the future, I believe that businesses will face an increasingly
competitive climate where substantial obstacles exist in both
keeping up with technological advances and utilizing them in
setting a business apart.
But it's not all negative! Yes, the increasingly globalized world and
heightened connectivity present unique business challenges, such as
the way Ebola has recently impacted the travel sector. At the same
time, our connected and advancing world also reveals opportunities.
As a designer, diversification can be crucial to growing your business.
Today, we are no longer confined to a city or state or country. These
lines have been blurred. Movement has become fluid. While transitioning into new markets can be difficult, it is often the next step in
building your business. Competition is now on a global level. I believe
that designers who adapt to these challenges will find opportunities to

Expect a year of bold,
statement-making
interiors with hardworking
pieces like those used
by VLDG in its design for
Chesapeake Lodging
Trust's Hyatt Herald
Square in New York

COU RTE SY O f V LD G (HYATT HER ALD SQ UARE ); CO URTE SY Of fA BRIC I N N O VAT I O N S ( H E R MA N ) ; T H E MI C H A E L G R O U P ( P R E N DE R G A S T )

WHAT MAkES A GOOD LEADER:
Someone who reaches across the aisle to
help others; someone who doesn't forget to
look back while looking forward.

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Boutique Design - November 2014

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