Sometimes new clients can appear in the strangest of ways. This week, we asked three designers—Hilary Hays Greenhalgh, Amy Lee McArdle and Holly-Beth Potter—about the most unusual circumstances in which they have found business.
What Happens Abroad Doesn’t Stay Abroad
“One client found me through a chain [of events] that started on another continent. A friend of a friend overseas recommended me, and it turned into a major project stateside! Previous clients—a professional golfer and his wife—relocated to Dubai, and when their friends were inquiring about an interior designer in the U.S., they mentioned us, and we ended up helping their friends design their home. What began as an overseas introduction turned into a project on the home front.” —Amy Lee McArdle, Amy Young Designs, Palm Beach and New York
Zero to Sixty
“I recently did a virtual consultation for a client who found me on Instagram and wanted to work with me, as opposed to designers local to her, because I have Proverbs 23:3–4 in my bio and that resonated with her. [Also], my first entire-home renovation started somewhat unusually, as it began with a simple paint color consultation. The client said she may want to redo her hardwood floors and eventually her kitchen, and I explained that she would probably want to do that all at once because of the order of renovation. Before I knew it, we were in full swing in the middle of an entire home renovation with furnishings, window treatments and everything.” —Hilary Hays Greenhalgh, Little Green House Interiors, Malvern, Pennsylvania
From Client to Employee
“The most unusual way I’ve met new clients is by being a client myself. In 2019, my husband and I hired [architecture firm] Side Angle Side to help us add an ADU and reimagine a 1935 East Austin home. What began as a deeply personal renovation quickly became something more: It sparked a creative relationship that has continued to shape my career. Over time, those same architects introduced me to former employers, brought me into projects of theirs, and eventually invited me to join their team to collaborate directly with the incredible clients they attract. The builder we hired for our renovation project also referred me to a new client I had no prior connection to. These experiences affirmed for me that design is not a solo pursuit. Ilse Crawford once said, ‘Great design doesn’t happen in isolation. It comes from dialogue, trust and the willingness to see through someone else’s eyes.’ I’ve found that to be profoundly true. The most meaningful projects don’t come from traditional networking or chance encounters; they grow out of authentic relationships where everyone—architect, builder, designer and client—works together with openness and trust. When collaboration is at the heart of the process, not only do our businesses thrive, but the spaces we create carry the imprint of that shared vision.” —Holly-Beth Potter, Side Angle Side, Austin
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