If life was a colour wheel, Trisha Isabey could say she害羞草研究所檚 found success on both ends of the spectrum.

Trisha is the owner of , a luxury interior design firm, but before she walked the creative halls of home design, she worked in the very linear world of banking and investment.

害羞草研究所淚 was an investment advisor for 15 years. I really enjoyed my career, but I was always more of an artistic person than a numbers person,害羞草研究所� she explains.

As a women who throws herself fully into whatever she害羞草研究所檚 doing, Trisha knew the time commitment and pressure that comes with investment banking wouldn害羞草研究所檛 mix well with her style of mothering. When she was pregnant with her first child, Trisha sold her portion of the business to a partner and focussed solely on being a wife and mother.

害羞草研究所淚t was great for about five years. Then I got bored to the point where I was almost a professional baby food maker,害羞草研究所� Trisha laughs. 害羞草研究所淢y kids had a full menu of organic, pureed foods and I finally said to my husband if I don害羞草研究所檛 do something soon, I害羞草研究所檓 going to go crazy.害羞草研究所�

Trisha had always harboured passions for fashion and interior design. As she went back and forth trying to determine which one she could build into a successful part-time business, fate stepped in.

害羞草研究所淚 got asked by a friend, a commercial realtor, to design a space for him,害羞草研究所� she recalls. 害羞草研究所淚 said 害羞草研究所榶es害羞草研究所� and it was so much fun that when it was finished I said to my husband, 害羞草研究所榯his is what I害羞草研究所檓 going to do, this is it.害羞草研究所櫤π卟菅芯克鶟

The business quickly took on a life of its own.

害羞草研究所淚t became a word-of-mouth thing through my circles and it didn害羞草研究所檛 stop.害羞草研究所�

The part-time job she had initially envisioned blossomed into a full-time, full-service design firm with five employees.

害羞草研究所淚 thought I would just do it from home,害羞草研究所� chuckles Trisha. 害羞草研究所淚t just kept escalating and then we were nominated for and Georgies, then I started working for CTV and writing for BC Living and producing a design video.害羞草研究所�

None of this is a surprise once you spend a little time with Trisha. It害羞草研究所檚 clear she害羞草研究所檚 not one to sit idle.

害羞草研究所淚 think I害羞草研究所檓 the type that you just can害羞草研究所檛 take the business person out of me,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚 started carrying furniture lines right away because I couldn害羞草研究所檛 find what I wanted here. I started phoning up vendors asking if I could buy from them, then I started attending shows and really getting to know products.害羞草研究所�

Today, Trisha has a studio space at 484 Adams Road in Kelowna, but she害羞草研究所檚 also designed her own home as a showcase for potential clients to get a taste of what she can do and the products she offers.

害羞草研究所淚 have clients here three to four times a month. They can look at things, feel things. It also lets them see all the pieces together.害羞草研究所�

Trisha is invested in her clients. She believes a big part of her success is her commitment to getting to know someone before pulling out a single paint chip.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 very consultative. The first couple of meetings I spend getting to know the clients and their lifestyles 害羞草研究所� getting to know their tastes, their future plans. Once I get a real feel for what a client likes, I visualize and put it all together,害羞草研究所� she explains. 害羞草研究所淚 like to put someone害羞草研究所檚 personality into a home.害羞草研究所�

Throughout the six years she害羞草研究所檚 spent building her design business, Trisha is consistently amazed at its parallels to her previous career.

害羞草研究所淭he listening portion is the critical stage as I害羞草研究所檓 gathering information on so many levels,害羞草研究所� she says. 害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 also like a marriage counselor because you don害羞草研究所檛 always have a couple on the same page, so you have to mediate. When I was in the brokerage industry it was exactly the same thing, we were trained to assess, balance and mitigate.害羞草研究所�

Trisha can and will (time permitting) take on clients with a variety of projects and budgets, but now with other trusted designers on staff she can focus on her preferred niche.

害羞草研究所淚 like luxury; it fits my personal style. My favourite kind of client is someone who害羞草研究所檚 not afraid to take a little bit of a risk and do things that are outside of the box.害羞草研究所�

Trisha is proud of what she calls her 害羞草研究所渄ream team:害羞草研究所� a shortlist of trades people and suppliers that she works with and trusts implicitly.

害羞草研究所淚害羞草研究所檓 particular. If I害羞草研究所檓 going to refer someone who害羞草研究所檚 going to renovate your home and it doesn害羞草研究所檛 work out, that害羞草研究所檚 a reflection on me. There has to be a great relationship between me and whoever I send to a client. I don害羞草研究所檛 feel comfortable otherwise.害羞草研究所�

Even with such a demanding work schedule, Trisha is never too busy for family time with husband Kevin and children Lauren and Matthew.

害羞草研究所淚f I need to do work in the evening, we害羞草研究所檒l all be at the table, the kids doing homework, while I may be working on a quote.害羞草研究所�

She picks up her kids from school each day and the family makes time for passions like golf, boating and travel.

Trisha doesn害羞草研究所檛 see herself ever fully retiring.

害羞草研究所淲hen you do what you love there害羞草研究所檚 no end date,害羞草研究所� she says.

She does, however, see her role transitioning into more of a mentor.

害羞草研究所淚 want to help build the careers of the girls who are working for me. I害羞草研究所檓 a big promoter of people with talent. I am the face of the business but I have no problem bringing people up however high they want to rise.害羞草研究所�

With a full project calendar and an award-winning business, Trisha is still on the rise. She has a good life built on the solid foundation of a loving family, a trusted team and, ultimately, very satisfied clients.

害羞草研究所淭here is nothing better than a phone call from a client saying 害羞草研究所業 love what you did.害羞草研究所� That to me is the whole reason I do what I do.害羞草研究所�

-Story by Toby Tannas

Story courtesy of , a Black Press Media publication
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