Today we’d like to introduce you to Erika Mandel.
Hi Erika, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
For 40 years of its 48-year existence, I never gave our family window covering business a second look. My husband and I accidentally fell into the business 20 years after being in the corporate world. It’s the most challenging – and rewarding- role I’ve played to date, and I wouldn’t change a thing.
Before landing back ‘home’ in this business, I had careers with the largest of companies (KPMG and New Corp) the smallest of start-ups (learned the most at these by far), and everything in between. Running Creative Blinds, and keeping the values of yesteryear with the vision of tomorrow, is a culmination of my entire working experience to date.
Our Creative Blinds business is not ‘just blinds’ as I had thought for so many years. It’s our thriving family business with an owner (aka dad) who is the salt of the earth, it’s the best of shades, drapery, automation, and design, it’s a game changer to any home, it’s where function meets design meets beauty, it’s home automation and life simplification, it’s providing service excellence every step of the way, and it’s right up my alley since I love taking businesses to the next level. Not to mention that home design has been my #1 personal hobby for decades.
My favorite part of all this is getting to reconnect with people I’ve known at different points in my life. or career…and getting to make their house feel even more like home.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Smooth?! Is it ever? I came into this business 6 months before COVID. The pandemic changed our world overnight. The supply chain was a nightmare, the entire world was in a state of uncertainty, and quite frankly, I was still very new to the business.
We had to pivot quickly. We had 20 mouths to feed, including ourselves, and we had no choice but to embrace the new environment, offer virtual consults, train our people to do things differently (some who had been with us 30++ years), and reimagine ourselves in this new world. We did, and it turned out for the best. Through uncertainty came new ideas, new visions, new tactics, and an intense commitment to survival. We didn’t just survive, we truly thrived, and it’s owed to our employees, our ‘Creative Blinds family’ who weathered the storm, embraced the journey, and ultimately came out ahead.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Creative Blinds?
This business is about elevating everyday living. It’s way beyond ‘blinds’ as I thought for so many years. It’s how you experience your home. It’s the ease of living with automation, the way you experience sleep, comfort, privacy, and security, and it’s really the biggest game-changer to the design of the perimeter of each space. That’s why we also offer wallpaper and specialize in the custom design of roman shades, drapery, and automation. In touching the perimeter of each space, we help clients bring together all these vital living + design elements.
After installation, clients will often say how they had no idea how much the vision could change their spaces and their everyday living, and that it was the best investment they’ve made in their home. That’s why I love what we offer.
It’s SO MUCH FUN!
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you.
I’ve always looked at luck as a timing meeting opportunity.
If your eyes are closed, you won’t ‘see’ the luck ahead. If I’m in the right headspace, luck is always lurking. I think the biggest fallacy is thinking that luck finds you versus you finding luck. To me, that means that when I am open to, recognize and embrace an opportunity AND most importantly, take action, luck is always available.
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.creativeblinds.com
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/creative.blinds?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/creativecustomblinds?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/creative-blinds/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@creativeblinds3354
