Building Ideas - We Build You Up

Business Plan

2011-10-13T23:45:00.000-07:00

BLOG 3 of a four-month-long blog sharing insights into the world of owning your own business.

IS OWNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS SEXY?- my friend Jen said so... what do you think?

I wrote a business plan for 2012. Is that sexy?

By writing a business plan, I provide structure for the future of the business, and give other people an opportunity to understand and assist me with my plans.

For those of you who like to cook, compare writing a business plan to this scenario: You have 50 people coming to a dinner you are hosting, sometime next year. Before you buy groceries, you must completely plan the event, not just what your guests will eat, but also the location, table decorations, floral arrangements, wait staff, party favors, live music, any extra electrical, water and parking arrangements, valets, napkins, flatware and everything it takes to make a party come off without a hitch. And then, you have to write about how much all of these items will cost and all of the benefits that you expect for yourself and the guests from having attended the dinner party.

Does this level of planning excite you? If so, you would get a major charge from writing a business plan. For those ridiculous, artistic personality types who would rather “do” than “plan to do,” they would almost rather be struck by lightning than have to do all that planning.

But, I DID IT!

Is that sexy?

Free Blog Poll

Proposals & Damsels

2011-09-29T22:49:00.000-07:00

BLOG 2 of a four-month long blog sharing insights into the world of owning your own business.

My friend Jen, a mother of three, said, (Angelique) “Owning your own business is sexy!” (for full story see blog post 9/12/11) After reading this post, TELL US IF YOU AGREE WITH JEN...

IS OWNING YOUR OWN BUSINESS SEXY?

This post was written by Angelique Medow, Principal & Designer of Building Ideas

Sometimes, business ideas come to me that seem so obvious that I wonder why they haven’t already been done.

I wrote a proposal that could land us a multi-million-dollar gig and partnership, and I made the presentation last week. Don’t know about you, but for me, it was a total rush.

If I worked for another person’s business, my ideas may or may not be considered relevant. Owning my own business allows me to implement the ideas which I am given. Writing those ideas into a proposal and then presenting it to the movers and shakers, knowing that implementing any one of the ideas could bring greater success to all of our companies and clients, makes me feel totally alive, like I could ride a galloping steed while wearing armor, waving a flag and heading straight to the battlefield.

Is that sexy?

Free Blog Poll

“Owning your own business is sexy?”

2011-09-12T20:21:00.000-07:00

BLOG 1 of a four-month long blog sharing insights into the world of owning your own business.

This post written by Angelique Medow, Principal & Designer for Building Ideas

My friend Jen said, (Angelique) “Owning your own business is sexy!”

Jen is a mother of three. She works part-time as an RN in a hospital, drinks margaritas, watches shows like Design Star, idolizes Madonna and wears wide-rimmed, white sunglasses with diamond-pinstriping to drive her mini-van of munchkins to school.

I think her concept of what I do is something like this: Awake around 10. Put on some ridiculously expensive dress, coordinating heels and red lipstick. Grab a designer handbag, get in a classic convertible and breeze into a meeting about money, paint colors and rugs … poo-pooing dismissal and yahooing approval as required. Noon: boutique lunch of salad with anchovies and champagne with latest client. 2p: shop for furniture and accessories. 6p: freshen up for hot date with Knoxville’s most eligible bachelor of the moment.

This is only partially true.

How about this? I’ll dedicate myself to writing a four-month blog showing “a day in the life of a designer” … and YOU DECIDE if owning your own business is SEXY?

My Day in the Life of a Designer by Sami Mack

2010-10-26T18:03:00.000-07:00

I recently had the chance to work with Angelique Medow, 'tagging along' on her job locations, and seeing exactly what went into the magical transformations of the spaces she works on. I was pleasantly surprised to see the commitment Angelique had to, not only the deadlines of the projects, but the quality of every detail.

We started on a residential project in Vonore, Tennessee, where we met up with some painters who had been finishing up some cabinets that would eventually have detail added to them before they were reassembled. The vision Angelique had was to sand down the edges of the wooden cabinets, which were painted white, to add the darker accent wood's natural color to each cabinet. It matched some other parts of the room which had already been completed. She explained the idea to all of us involved. (I'll be honest, she often sees much greater things than the rest of us would ever begin to imagine.) She had no qualms about getting her hands dirty and demonstrating the methods which she had envisioned to accomplish this.

After spending a few hours sanding, one cabinet at a time, carefully making sure they were uniform, yet still unique, as a quality of anything done by hand, we had to run around to collect supplies for another project she was working on.

... more "Day in the Life of"s to come!

Design Greetings!

2009-04-03T11:51:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Building Ideas' blog!

Here is a bit of information about who we are. Keep checking for exciting building and design project overviews, photos, and stories!

About Angelique Medow

Principal Designer, Building Ideas

Angelique loves art and people, and it brings her great joy to bring the two together in harmonious environments. Whether it’s reorganizing or creating new businesses, restaurants, hotel lobbies or creating homes that maximize efficiency, free space, natural and artistic light, beauty and functionality, Angelique delights in making spaces work beautifully-well for everyone.

Ever since she was little, she just ‘knew’ what could be done to make spaces more inviting. At the time, she drove her parents crazy with thoughts like, ‘let’s move that wall and open things up’ and ‘paneling is too dark and cave-like!’ When she grew up and people started hiring her for such suggestions and loving their new spaces, her parents finally came ‘round. She got the opportunity to entirely redo their home, inside and out, including adding a very large outdoor living area. Now they call her from their deck or sunny, indoor sitting room and tell her how much they love their ‘new’ home!”

Angelique began learning about the industry from the ground-up. Though the inspiration for her creative ideas is a gift, she knew that what she needed, more than anything, was the practical knowledge of how to turn those inspirational ideas into reality …

So, for ten years, she worked side-by-side with contractors, subcontractors and crew members to learn how to dig footers, pour foundations, frame and brace structures, run electrical and plumbing, hang and mud drywall, install cabinetry, tile, wood flooring, sinks, faucets, toilets, lighting, you name it … everything it takes to make a great space!

This hands-on training gives Angelique a unique edge- she can speak the language of the contractors and crew, and she knows how to get things scheduled and done right the first time. This saves clients time and money, assuring that each subcontractor is scheduled to work at the right time and in accordance with the timing of the other subcontractors. This means fewer, more efficiently-paid hours, which means it takes less time and money to complete projects.

Angelique works with clients, contractors and crews, directing design and decorating projects and working together to come up with creative building ideas and solutions to design challenges.

She also enjoys working with architects and builders to design new commercial buildings and residences. Aside from building for others, Angelique also enjoys creating very artistic, eclectic and unique residences for show and sale. Her last home design featured lake views, spacious rooms, fireplaces, a courtyard within a in wooded setting, a commercial-grade kitchen and hand-painted wall artistry. The home was purchased and is being enjoyed by a well-known executive at HGTV.

Angelique has also been given the opportunity to host a television show on HGTV, called HGTVPro.com Kitchens & Baths. It’s for industry professionals who want to learn more about new products, services and methods to improve business and client relations.

She is also a member of and sponsored by the NKBA, or, the National Kitchen and Bath Association. She is quoted and featured in their marketing literature and national magazine, Profiles.

She recently received the honor of being asked to design a world’s ‘first’: custom trim profiles and packages that include her copyrighted, new milling techniques that allow for the most beautifully versatile, easily-installed trim in the world. It is currently under production at Kretz Lumber Company in Antigo, WI and will be available to commercial and residential retailers by late 2009.

Angelique lives and works in Knoxville, TN, but has projects throughout the U.S. and Asia.

Angelique views her job differently than most designers. “My job is to listen to what my clients need, want, hope and dream. I allow myself to receive and share creative guidance, which inspires clients to turn their dreams into their reality.”

When you are ready to optimize and beautify your home or business space, Angelique Medow and Building Ideas are ready for you.

Building Ideas

Commercial and Residential Design and Décor

POB 23421/Knoxville, TN 37933

angelique@buildingideas.net

Thank You

for the opportunity to introduce Building Ideas.

Feel free to call to discuss any building, remodeling,

and interior design questions or needs.