34: Nikki Greenwood: From Corporate to the Window Treatment Business
Today with Nikki Greenwood:
Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit! Many of us come into the business because a friend or family member recruits us in. Others join and work their way up. But few people buy into the window treatment business without any background or connection. That’s exactly what my guest today, Nikki Greenwood did. After building a friendship with a window treatment professional, Nikki found herself with the opportunity to purchase the business, and she dove in ready to learn how to keep the business thriving.
The Break Down:
[0:40] Nikki shares her story of how she came to purchase the business.
[13:32] Nikki discusses how she overcame the knowledge gap by searching for resources in the industry.
[20:40] Nikki talks about the investments she made in herself and the business.
[29:34] LuAnn and Nikki discuss her big-picture challenges and how she worked through them.
[38:00] Nikki talks about her goals and what’s next for the business.
LuAnn Nigara and Nikki Greenwood's Ah-Ha Moments:
“When I started this journey, I didn’t know that custom window treatments were even a thing.” -Nikki Greenwood
“The weekly accountability and the guidance of a coach is a game-changer in getting the business organized. But some business owners resist doing it, either from the standpoint of not wanting to invest or saying ‘I don’t have the time to do it.’ But ultimately, the time you spend is exponentially going to save you time down the line.” -LuAnn Nigara
More about Nikki Greenwood
For Nikki, it was love at first sight when she first visited Savannah to plan a destination wedding downtown in April 2018. She and her husband decided to move and bought a house sight unseen in August 2018. In their new neighborhood, they were fortunate to find a fabulous group of neighbors, including the former owner of Savannah Window Fashions Jeanne Dunn. Nikki purchased Savannah Window Fashions in 2020 from Jeanne, leaving behind corporate life and a career in advertising.
In Nikki’s previous corporate life, she wore many hats. Advertising, project managing website builds at a digital agency, floral designer, non-profit economic development, event planning, and property management. Nikki is thrilled to take Savannah Window Fashions forward as the new owner. It was an unlikely career change, but perfect in so many ways. Nikki has always had a deep and abiding love for homes. As the granddaughter of a builder and daughter of a carpenter, she spent many summers on job sites as a kid.
She adores Savannah, and her greatest desire is to build a business that contributes to the community by helping interior designers in the amazing work they do, providing top-notch, treatments for our local historic homes and properties, and making homes more beautiful and functional. Nikki is passionate about preserving the great skill and craft that goes into fabricating custom window treatments, and has a great desire to pass the knowledge on from her current team to a new generation of seamstresses and seamsters.
When she’s not living and breathing window treatments, Nikki loves exploring downtown and surrounding areas, spending time with animals (her family has one dog, three indoor cats, two porch cats, and two turtles), reading, and hosting friends and family on visits to Savannah. Nikki’s husband, Ryan, works at Georgia Ports. They enjoy bike rides, spending time with friends and neighbors, beach days at Tybee, and exploring Savannah. Nikki’s daughter, Zoe Greenwood, is a full time student at Georgia Southern Armstrong Campus, studying Political Science. Zoe also helps out at the family business part time. Ryan has a daughter attending Ohio State University and a son living in Dayton, Ohio.
Nikki is a member of the Ardsley Park Garden Club and enjoys volunteering at and attending the home and garden tours put on by local clubs.
Connect with Nikki Greenwood and Savannah Window Fashions Website
Instagram
Facebook Our Favorite Links
Shop38east.com
Madeleine MacRae's Home Pro Toolbox
Windowworksnj.com
Comfortex.com
Vitalia Inc.
Exciting Windows
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
luannuniversity.com
http://www.luannnigara.com/cob
Inside Voice, Outside Voice
Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:
Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2
Connect with LuAnn Nigara
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Power Talk Friday
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Other Shows Mentioned
#589 Power Talk Friday: Eileen Hahn: Scaling from 2 Million to 5 Million
#363 Power Talk Friday: Eileen Hahn: Building An Exceptional Interior Design Team
#752 Power Talk Friday: Kelsey Kurtis: Connection-Based Branding For Success
#760 Jessica Harling: The 7 Step Sales Process for Interior Designers and Window Treatment Professionals
A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor
Exciting Windows: A community of window treatment professionals dedicated to helping each other learn and grow. Exciting Windows wants to ensure that each owner builds a better business that is pleasurable, profitable, and valuable.