I was recently asked by a high school student –
“How did you know you wanted to be a color consultant?”
I was just a little embarrassed to answer, “I didn’t!”
Life takes you down many roads and I was always one to “go with the flow.” One job lead me to another to another… .
I have always been artsy-fartsy. But a horrible art teacher in high school convinced me my talent was subpar and – at the time – I believed him, I guess. I did nothing in the field for 40 years! Of course I tastefully decorated my and my friends’ apartments, and also became a prolific DIYer, but never again played with a color wheel.
Until 10 years ago.
A neighbor with whom I shared a passion for home improvement projects suggested we turn our interest and expertise in that booming industry into a consulting business of sorts. We both had the backgrounds – she was a graphic designer and DIYer and I, a self-taught renovation product specialist. Over several months, we narrowed our focus to paint color selection. In our neighborhood, it was a perfect fit. People were redoing/adding on to their homes and needed help with color selections that would tie the whole house together.
I had recognized that I had a natural talent for color/lighting and mood – the psychology of color – and my years as a public relations specialist made me confident that I could express to my clients “why” a specific color worked for them.
Fast forward 10 years and I now enjoy using my creativity and artistic talents every day. We even refined our business model into a franchise opportunity for others with a similar desire to utilize their artistic skills. Sometimes I think “what if” I had been encouraged by that teacher long ago, and also – why the heck did I even listen to him?! But it’s never too late to recognize your talent – and combine it with your own life experiences – and make a go of it as a business!
If this story resonates with you and you too have an eye for color, maybe paint color consulting is for you. Join us! Check out americascolorconsultants.com/franchise for more information, or call me personally to compare notes (703-362-3131).
Susan Mintz, Co-Founder, America’s Color Consultants