Episode 179: What’s Lurking In Your Furniture? | Erica Reiner | Eco Interior Designer & Founder, Eco Method Interiors
When it comes to wellness, most of us think food, fitness, or mindset...but what about your furniture? Erica Reiner is the founder of Eco Method Interiors, a design firm that helps clients create beautiful, functional spaces that are also safe, non-toxic, and sustainable. She and Kara dig into the surprising things that might be affecting your health at home, the truth behind greenwashing in design, and how small changes can make a big impact. Whether you're renovating, redecorating, or just curious about how your environment affects your wellbeing, this conversation is packed with practical insight and thoughtful perspective.
“Being powerful means using your gifts, talents and strengths to make an impact in areas where you want to see change and believe in.”
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Follow along using the Transcript
Chapters:
00:00 Creating spaces that support wellness
01:20 From environmental science to interior design
03:10 Why what’s in your furniture matters
05:00 Common toxins hiding in your home
07:15 What greenwashing looks like in the design world
09:30 Balancing aesthetics, sustainability, and budget
11:00 Educating clients without overwhelming them
12:45 How to start detoxing your home
14:30 Where to splurge and where to save
16:15 Business lessons from running a mission-driven brand
18:00 Managing client expectations as a creative
20:15 Why she stepped back from social media
22:10 Building a life that matches your values
24:30 Advice for aspiring eco-entrepreneurs
26:00 What she’s still learning about herself and her work
Two of those people were female, and that was like a huge light bulb. But I didn't know you could be young and female and start a business as stupid as that sounds to say. But it was true. Like I just didn't identify as that. Until I saw it and I needed to see it.
That's Erica Reiner and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Hey guys, I am Kara Duffy, a business coach and entrepreneur on a mission to help you live your most extraordinary life. By showing you anything is possible. People who have mastered freedom, ease, and success, who are living their best and most ridiculous lives and making an impact are often people you've never heard of until now.
The number of interior design accounts that I follow on Instagram is probably excessive, but I don't think I'm alone in wanting to space both home and office that allows me to feel relaxed, happy, and powerful. What we don't think about enough when it comes to our interiors is, does our space contribute to our health, the health of the planet?
And does it align with our values? That's why Erica Reiner comes in. She's the co-founder of Eco Method Interiors, an interior design studio that considers toxicity, sustainability, human rights and beyond. When helping you design your dream spaces. Finally, beauty, elegance and comfort meet true health and wellbeing.
Welcome to The Powerful Ladies Podcast.
I thank you so much for having me here.
You were recommended to us by Anna on the powerful Ladies team, who honestly has given us some of the best recommendations of anyone who's been referring people to this podcast. And she just knows some of the nicest, coolest, most interesting people.
Let's let everyone know who you are right away before to asking you questions. What's your name? What are you up to, and where do you live in the world?
Yeah. First of all, shout out to Anna. Thank you for connecting us. Okay, my, my name's Erica Reiner. I live in Los Angeles right now. I'm coming to you from my coworking office in Marina Delrey.
And let's see. I am the owner and lead designer of my business called Eco Method Interiors, which I think we'll be talking a little bit about today. And what else can I tell you?
Let's just jump right into to eco method because I think it's so interesting. To give people context, what are most people who are working in people's homes designing and helping, styling or organizing?
What is it normally and when did you realize that you needed to create something different?
Yes. Okay. What it normally is like. So I guess I can, I'll answer that in reverse. How sure I am a little bit different because I normally always just say, so the process is fairly similar to conventional interior design.
Like all the steps that we would normally take. Everything from the consultation and the drawings and the prepping and the project management. All of that looks the same. The differentiating piece comes into play in two different categories For me. And the first one, a big one, is in whether it's a decorating or design project in the sourcing.
So I'm always looking to a big catalog of vendors that are maybe doing a better job at certain X. And then I'm thinking about in the project, based on the client's goals and my goals for their green goals for their project, I'm thinking about what can I achieve here where I'm swapping out conventional products and materials for something that was made cleaner or greener.
And so I come up with a little like deliverable for the client that is gonna explain what I'm after and how I think I'm gonna achieve that for their particular project. And then when I'm in the first thing, that's what I'm looking for. So if I'm like, okay, this is a. Super heavy, like wood based project or lots of woody furniture supposed to upholstered pieces that I have a different direction or meaning for me than something that is like a, maybe like a nursery or stuff with a bunch of soft furnishings that we wanna focus on toxicity or whatever the client's goals may be.
The method is weaving that all together in how I can make all that criteria in addition to traditional, conventional criteria of any given design projects kind of work. So that is the biggest piece. And then the other piece is in things like construction projects or renovations, ground up renovations.
I might also be doing some. Maybe a teeny bit of building specifications, not really like into the architectural zone. That's not, that's where my role stops, but a few things I can do and recommend and then all the hard surface materials in a home I can specify for something a little bit better.
Recycled content, stuff like that. And then also I am learning a bit more and trying to get more into the con the issues in the construction process itself, primarily with waste. And other things like, carbon output, all that kind of stuff. But a lot of it is, if you've ever seen a renovation, there's like just a ton of waste.
So I'm looking at that piece as well. If I'm working on something construction oriented
and for, I think there's also a lot of people who just aren't aware of how dirty. Home building and interior design and upholstery and carpets and paint. There's so much that goes into our living space is not clean.
So can you enlighten people on the realities of what most of us are living in and where the opportunities to be cleaner and healthier are?
Sure. Yeah. So I like to compare it to the fashion industry and the agricultural industry because they've both experienced. Like the swing from pre-World War II and more natural things to post-World War ii.
Lots of chemical inventions and process changes and stuff like that. And then back through now another more positive swing into the recognition of the past 70 years and going back to things like organic and slowing down, fast fashion, all that kind of stuff. So what we're, this is just applying everything we know about that to this industry and we experience the exact same issues and are looking to similar problem solving solutions.
So like everything from human health and toxicity issues in the fabrics, in the foam, in the solvents in the wet applied products like paints and stains in the actual particle board of Nonsolid wood materials. There is a huge chemical burden and overload in every single piece of material of every single.
Piece of furniture. And so that is a major concern for me. I'm a bit of a health nut. I try and balance like the fear of knowing too much and going insane. So I do try and stay nice and healthy right in the middle and do the best that I can. I do not live in like a granola hay hut. It's not possible.
So I'm right there with everyone else trying to figure it out. And then the other piece is the sustainability piece. And oftentimes people know about one or the other, just like through osmosis as people come to me with what they've experienced in society or been turned onto. It's awesome when people know, care about and wanna address both.
That can be a little bit harder. But the sustainability piece is going to be things like, was that thing responsibly sourced or was, orangutan habitat chopped down to get it to you? Were the people paid fair wages? Were the people who are making the thing exposed toxic chemicals or the air and was it just dumped into a river wherever it was made?
So everything surrounding the whole product life cycle of extraction, transportation, the product use and the product end of life. And what can be done after that is the sustainability kind of loop. That we're looking at. And so with all of that, I am, I, excuse my stuttering. I'm trying to get people coming to me that are a aware and interested and cognizant of these things, whether, they fall into one category or the other, or both.
And are looking to flex their purchasing power by having me help 'em out.
I recently I guess not recently anymore. In April I moved into a new place and I had, it had been six years since I had moved before. And I was like, you know what, this is a great opportunity to really see what's coming new into the new place.
'cause I knew everything wasn't coming with me. I. I every choice I was making, I'm like, how can this be sustainable plastic free? Like I was following your methodology before even knowing that you existed. And I was surprised at how some things were so easy to find and other things are really hard. And just like you said, it's like where do you make the compromises?
'cause it's also, it's not inexpensive to choose, like the right in quotes option. And so one of the compromises is always just what's the budget? And yeah. Resolving that. But for example I went to an avocado mattress and cleaner sheets and that just feels good to know, at least like the sleeping part of my life is
such a different place.
Yeah. Yeah. I always joke that the mattress is the gateway drug into green interior designs, and you're like, what else is there? Yeah. Yeah. I'd love to hear about like how you. What you were saying was easy to find or what you were saying was hard. I wanna see if that matches up with what I find.
Sure. So I was even doing smaller products, like things that were like in the kitchen or in the bathroom. So like it was easy to find a plastic-free razor choice. There was like, there's many, it was relatively easy to find plastic free toothpaste options. I now use the hello like tablets. It was like easy to find smaller things.
The mattress is actually very easy. There seems to be a lot of competition out there. Sheets were I would grade them as a B if we're doing like A to F. Sure. Yeah. There were plenty of options, but most of the options were so outrageously expensive that I was like, what? And I felt like I was con like choosing between.
Like green or it might've been like in like organic materials, but were they sustainable? Like it, I didn't get, I couldn't find like an all-in-one option. And even when I was moving in, so much stuff was shipped to my house, that the amount of cardboard I had was so overwhelming. And I literally started putting it up on a Facebook marketplace.
Be like, who wants to build your kid a cardboard house? 'cause I literally can provide everything he needs. That's smart. So grandpa came and took like my really big boxes that I thought was fun. And then other things like, like couches, like that was almost impossible. Like I think I found a couch that was, they tried to do the right things, but I have no idea if it has good foam or materials.
They just had some carbon transferring options in it. But it started to get overwhelming where yeah, you'd either find things that were not cute and went into that straw hot granola house you were talking about, or you would find things that were cute and you'd be like, I don't wanna spend $5,000 on that.
What? So it was just a really big swing. And I've worked, I have a client who's a fashion stylist and I know it's so much easier for me to call, like phone a friend and be like, gimme five places to look and make this easier. I wish I had that when I was moving to just help me narrow the scope versus spending so much time like Googling and checking and, 'cause you get so many lists made by some random publisher and you're like, yeah, did you pay for all these?
Are you getting a kickback? Is this even real? I can't tell anymore.
Yeah. So many good points you just made and something that you touched on. I always translate to what you're doing, identifying good, better, best, and you're like, this is good and this is a little bit better and this best thing.
Oh, but I can't afford that best thing. So we're gonna go back into the, and that's exactly how I mentally categorize or even like physically will categorize things to and think about. Okay, this part is good. This part's a little bit better and this is the best option, but I don't know if we're gonna be able to do it, but maybe we can on this thing.
It's like that. And I will say there are lots, like you were saying, how there's, lots of competition in the mattress marketplace. There is more. And more companies and makers and vendors coming onto the green home product world marketplace. Which is awesome. And, the more we can make those good, better, best decisions, like the more the market share will turn that way, just like with any other industry. Yeah. And I also just will say I get cardboard anxiety too. I'm just like, I really hope they recycle this. 'Cause you put it in the bin and you're just not sure how much is actually getting recycled.
Then again, that's the thing can we make our voices heard somehow so that the biggest users of cardboard are sourcing from recycled content? Stuff like that. A lot. There's a lot of I see a lot of companies saying things like, all of our packaging is recyclable and that is good and important. But it would be way more impressive if it was all from recycled content because then that creates the marketplace for producers to purchase and actually get things recycled. 'cause as your listeners may know stuff so barely any of it makes it into the recycling bin and then of that portion, only X amount is recycled.
There's a whole bunch of reasons behind that, but the more we can demand for these kind of products, like it's just gonna get better. So that's what I'm here to try and cheerlead everyone into doing.
And I think the packaging piece is often the last step in healthy and non-toxic and green and sustainable, and.
I dunno if you saw the article that came out on July 8th from Vogue about fashion designer Rachel Comey leaving Uline because of not necessarily their recycling or sustainability, but because of their political PO position as the owners.
No, I didn't see that.
Yeah. So Uline is a big, I do
know Uline.
Yeah.
But, and their owners are really big, far contributors, pro-gun pro anti-abortion. And she's I just can't give, I can't contribute to this anymore. And so she found a new supplier. She's been sharing it with people and they're one of the biggest for her, suppliers in the world.
So it's, yeah. I feel like there's so many I like, like you, I get overwhelmed because. To do the right thing today. It's who was hurt making this? Was the planet hurt? Will this hurt me? Yeah. Guilt. It's
just confusion. Overwhelm. Yeah. Yeah, totally. And that is, I think, a large part of when and why someone may reach out to me always before they reach out to me sooner rather than later.
But sometimes I do get those messages where they're like, help, I'm so overwhelmed and this is so much more work than I thought to source stuff for your house, let alone with this additional conscious criteria, right? I have tried to make my, internal workings work for you guys and, or at least with extra set of hands, take that burden off the plate and present things like, here are a couple options and this is this and this is that. And you can decide and it does help with that, but it's very much intentional. The confusion and the difficulty has is like the result of just unchecked capitalism. Don't get me wrong, I'm not like, so far left that I am, like saying we should go back to like communism or something.
But I'm just I think we need to find a happy place in the middle where things are no longer unchecked. Anything from environmental and human health, like consequences to, like a lot of these. A lot of these things are like this. You get the sticker shock, how you're talking about oh wow, like this well made, or, sustainable thing is really expensive.
And it's yeah, that's how things were like prior to the fifties, like your wedding, they would like all get you the one dining set and it was like, there you go. Starting your new life and you're gonna keep it until you die. And we just live in a very different universe that has been constructed over time with a lot of like rampant, just capitalistic culture that resulted in all of this.
So things got cheaper to make with different inventions and attention to chemistry and processes and stuff like that. And that's a good thing, but not, but at what cost. And so that's that balance that we're looking for. And so again, it's like a bit of it is a reeducation or a reframing of I understand why there's sticker shock in some cases, but you have to reframe the mind or just make it like a different kind of commitment.
This is stuff that I'm gonna get and maybe I feel this is a really big purchase for me. I'm going to get something that is fairly, like timeless or neutral in style that I would be comfortable with for 15 years. Which I think nowadays is a long time. Yeah. So there's a little bit of like psychological layering that we have to dig through and find people's priorities and stuff.
But yeah.
I just think it's part of the consciousness and which kinda leads to a minimalistic movement and there's a crossover into the kaari space of just having what you really love. I think it's very interesting. I'm with her. Yeah. It's just an easy I joke that I con mari people's businesses now, but it's Oh good.
Yeah. But it's true. It's like just that level of intentionality in choosing 'cause. Yeah, we make so many choices every day that we don't actually think about. And we don't, when we look at the sticker price, we're not factoring in what's the cost we're gonna have to spend later to deal with the consequences?
'Cause there is no full cycle cost ever built in. We're not thinking about, okay, we bought this couch and then we're gonna have to dispose of it, and what if the there are chemicals that are cancer causing? What if something else we don't? It's like we don't, we ask those questions, I think enough to figure out like, what is it really worth to us?
Exactly. Very well
said. Yeah.
I just, I wish that there was a almost a checklist of before you buy this, think about this.
Yeah, absolutely. And that is what I'm thinking about when I'm doing it. So depending on like the kind of thing that it is, I am like, okay what criteria are we thinking about here?
And then what matters to the client you mean? Yeah. And so if that thing is going to be like low chemical, all natural, or if that thing is gonna be like just made in the most sustainably way possible that all goes in like the little description under the photo. So like they get the bullet points of the benefits that they can then make the informed decision on.
And what kind of makes this confusing is like conventional pieces, materials in this. In that like high design space are just as expensive, whenever anyone says isn't it more expensive? I'm like, no, that depends. Like we're talking about an industry that has everything from the who makes the geo car?
I know what you mean. I don't remember, but yeah, like Nissan
Insane. Yeah. Or was it like the Ford Pinto back in the day? Let's go with that. Up to the Rolls-Royce. So in, in the conventional space without necessarily considering any sustainability or toxicity factors. So you have this huge range.
Just like in fashion. Like you can get Yeah. The worst of the worst and the best of the best. And so when you're like, is it more expensive? I'm like if you are comparing it to super fast furniture and stuff like that, then yeah. But just like you said, when you're looking up the total like cost over time or benefit then No, not really.
And some things. Aren't, some things are fairly comparable. If you take an outdoor rug, one that's made from Virgin PET and one that's made from recycled PET, that is not a cost difference at all, really. It just depends on like the brand and style and stuff. So I think
it depends.
Yeah. Even making choices of what to keep that we already have, I was looking at new serving ware and I found a couple of places that are putting together mismatched like vintage pieces, which I thought was so cool. And it would've been like $250 for four forks. And I'm like, oh.
I'm like, you know what? I'm just gonna keep the set. I have.
Yeah.
Wow. We'll keep it because it looked beautiful and it was so nice. And there was some others that were. Just like beautiful and upcycled or recycled. And I was like, you know what, like the one I have is actually totally fine. And of all the things to spend money on a fork is usually the last thing a person sees in your house.
So I think we can get away with it.
Yeah, absolutely. Prioritize. How did you,
oh, sorry, go ahead.
I was gonna say for clients, I'll, if we're doing a whole house or actually whatever size this space is, we'll go through and be like, okay, what are your absolute. Must have keeps and then maybe you are thinking of keeping. And then based on that, even the stuff, if say they wanna get rid of it all I can help them manage that process. So whether it is donating at all to restore for, have that for humanity and taking a nice big tax write off. For all that value, those pieces, or whether it's attempting to sell it on a secondary marketplace, depending on what it is that's something that is a part of the, this piece too.
And then for the stuff that you're keeping, I do want people to be intentional about it. I don't want the kaori thing comes in here, like I don't want you to just keep it 'cause it was gifted to you or because Yeah. You have guilt about it or whatever. So it does, 'cause then in the, in, in the long run, you'll be happier and.
It all. What came first being healthy and eco oriented or being an interior designer?
So the environmental stuff came first. I started studying that in college. And then. Graduated in the great recession and kind of lefted around a bit there, trying to get, related jobs and solar companies and ac actually, plastics Recycling Company was my very first job outta college.
And then I went back to grad school in the environmental sciences, but between there I was just like a little bit bored, and I did a decorating certificate for fun because my mom had always been into it and I was always messing with my room and that's it. Just put that away.
It was like a really easy learn as you go thing. And then didn't think about it, went to grad school and then. After another series of, jobs and startups where I just kept feeling like this wasn't quite it. Or underappreciated. Or underused or whatever it might be. And then I started and started seeing like friends and family start their own businesses and I, it was like just a huge light bulb moment.
I was like, I could start this business. And then I did and I offered way too much and I had mixed messaging and I was all over the place and basically putting myself through business school, one failure at a time. Until, and then I thought about okay, I was trying to push my values onto people and then it's okay, I'm gonna rebrand and I'm going to try my hardest to get.
The same kind of like-minded people coming to me. And also do my bit in, in education and awareness and stuff. I had been, I had taught environmental science at different colleges all around Los Angeles, which I did love doing. So I wanted to keep that like educational piece, but not like the value pushing piece.
And I really wanted to blend my personal values of, environmentalism and human health with this thing that I thought was so fun. And this endeavor, this business I wanted to create in the, in interior design field. So it I arranged a marriage between those two and made it work.
You're such a great example of when I tell people to.
The more you can be a unicorn and layer all the things you love and find what that product or services is, the happier you're gonna be. Because I love kinda your speaking to not having to compromise. And when you do lean in on all of who you are, you really do attract the people that you want to work with so much faster and more clearly.
Because they love the thing that made you different from everybody else.
Absolutely. And there's probably people like out there looking for that now. I just felt like everyone kept saying to me, oh, that must be like such a good market in Los Angeles. And I was like maybe yeah, I'm, I guess I don't know where these people are.
I can't see 'em, I can't find them. And just like getting clients and, starting the roster, it was like. Is it, I don't know. And, business building as a whole other enchilada. But I was like, okay, there has got to be like, there's, and there's got, but it's just a matter of those people getting on Google and like searching those particular keywords to find me.
So I was like, that I think is where the secret sauce is like someone who's already primed and ready to go looking for what you have that is that like maybe unique combination of things.
And I think there's so many people who want to redo their home or their space and they don't even know that there's an option to work with someone like you who can handhold them through the sustainable, healthy choices.
Options as well. 'cause. You just get, I think about people who are in that space of, for me it was like even going through COVID, I had to wait and be like, no, just wait. Just wait. You're gonna move. Just wait. But it was so when you're in your space for so long, you're like, it all has to go.
I can't look at it anymore.
Yeah, definitely.
Yeah.
I'm tired of looking at that thing I didn't used to look at so much. Yeah.
Yeah. What has surprised, or like where do you see the value where your clients like get it and they're like, this is it. Thank you. This is why I wanted to be working with you.
I think. I think because it's like we were talking about just such a major time commitment and endeavor to look well, like entire world is at our fingertips now. It's almost too much to source things from whereas before, like pre-internet, you would just go down to your nearest, like stone slab yard and pick one and that was it.
Yeah. And now you have the whole universe. So really helping narrow down that field and trying to, beyond like the time and potentially money savings that we would be bringing. It's also like the the fun part, the creative part the expertise of. Of taking who you are and what your identity is and being able to like, bring that out into your space.
I also talk a lot about like the psychological benefits of design and environmental design in terms of like atmosphere and space, stress levels, ol levels, like all that kind of stuff. I think is a big piece of the big piece of the pie that a lot of designers understand inherently, because we all feel it so much ourselves.
Like we're usually people who are quite sensitive to our physical environment. When I'm looking at restaurants, like in addition to looking at the food, I'm always clicking the indoor photos to see am I about to take someone to like some crummy Yeah. Like place with a bad vibe and it's like awkward and yuck to sit in.
That is not the experience I wanna have. And so I'm bringing that same. And other people know it or not, like into their home or their office, or even with business. I am, I'm so passionate about business and if you have a business that is client facing, a space in any way, anything from a therapist's office to an ice cream store, like if you have people coming in, you are non-verbally communicating with them about who you are and what the service, all that stuff.
And it makes my skin crawl when I see people neglect it or it's not representative of their brand and what they're trying to offer. It's the most horrible thing. 'cause I feel like you're leaving money on the table. And as a fellow business person, I'm just like, I can't let you do that.
You are, and it's just so out of integrity with who you are and what you would wanna be creating, i'm the same way. I have was recommended to go to an eye doctor, and I went and the space was so uncomfortable, I didn't care how good they were. I'm like, no. There's, this tells me more about you than what your qualifications are right away.
Exactly. Exactly. It's such a strong part of communication and we see this in the short term rental and rental space as well.
Like the visuals and the thought that goes into it is so important in your. Saying so much and people will respond to it really drastically. So I'm always thinking about that in for businesses and for people themselves. Are you happy when you come home? Do you feel like when people come over it expresses like who you are to people?
It's really like fashion in that way. What are you wearing out? What is it saying about you? And that is a natural and like normal process of human psychology.
Yeah. Yeah. How has your perspective of yourself changed after becoming a business owner? Oh
my gosh. I did a lot of self work like forced me to do so much growing and expanding and learning and.
I just don't know if I'd be the same person really without this journey now that I think about it. And how you put it like that. I, gosh. 'cause it really made me think about how I interact with people in terms of like my communication and my expectations of people, my, their expectations of me, what, how I wanted to be and show up versus what I was doing.
And so much of it was so confronting and it took so much, and I did have help along the way. I had coaches and people in coaching groups and, all met up with fellow business owners. I put my the most that I did was all of the work I did with myself, like there's the physical work you do on a business any given day, but really the extra hard parts and the extra, tough stuff was all my mindset and all of the internal stuff. So I think it has helped me just be better all the way around as like a holistic human being 'cause of how much I've had to do to stick in it, and be resilient and keep going.
Yeah. The, I don't think people realize how often the difference between success and failure is that last 20%.
And that's the hardest part I think to do in a business is the last 20%. 'cause we'll get so exhausted on the way, like up the climb and you're like, oh, okay. How much farther? So it's so easy. One is like in a
crack. Yeah.
Yeah. But that's a great kind of segue into what it means to you to be a powerful lady and do the words powerful and ladies.
Are they different when combined versus isolated?
Yeah, I think they are different when they're combined. I think, yeah. That's interesting. There's a little bit of a connotation to the word lady Yeah. In our history. But I think of it as, let's see, what would, like, how am I defining one? I would, I guess I would say the, the internal.
Of a powerful lady would be someone who knows who they are and has a voice and has found a way to stand in their space. Like for me, I had a lot of like self-esteem stuff to work on and confident stuff to work on. A lot of that which, I just had to do to con to continue growing a business.
And so that's what I'm saying as it made me holistically better. So I feel much more powerful in having those foundational building blocks built up more. And then. Being able. I think what also is powerful is being able to use your energy and your time and your skills and your knowledge for something that you believe in, whatever it might be.
That is my story is I couldn't really believe all my values and history behind for this new shiny thing. I had to bring it along. And so just knowing what that is and being resilient I think is a big piece of that. It's really easy not to be, but I think there's a lot of strength in learning and growing and resiliency.
And lastly. I would say anything makes you feel empowered. And it for, the year I took Kav MAGA before the pandemic that was incredibly empowering. And so it's internal, it's external. It's definitely like a holistic picture. But I think everyone's journey is gonna be different on how, what is going to make them feel that way.
Yeah. How have women supported you on your journey and inspired you along the way?
One at the very beginning, the, a few of the people I said I saw starting their businesses. So let's take three. My now husband, my friend Katie and my sister. So two of those people were female. And that was like a huge light bulb, but just I didn't know you could be young and female and start a business as stupid as that sounds to say.
But it was true. Like I just didn't, I identify as that. Until I saw it and I needed to see it in, in people that I. Closely related to and now I do like this manifestation stuff. They would call it an expander. So they expanded what I thought was possible for myself. So the inspiration in the first place, and then I have met so many different female entrepreneurs and business owners along the way and have been very intentional about seeking them out.
And because it was, it just always felt like I needed to see that and surround myself with that and get to know those people because it was so hard. I just needed to keep commiserating with people, learning from people that I could identify with. And so I was, yeah. I've always been looking for other powerful ladies too.
Yeah. Learn from and speak from all along the way.
You talked about resiliency and how much you have to like self propel, right? As a business owner, even when you have coaches and groups and a community, it's still at the end of the day, like you wake up and you go, okay, I get to do it all today. Let's go.
What are you doing to keep yourself present to the possibilities and in a space of moving forward in creation versus getting sucked into what can feel overwhelming from even just the to-do list perspective.
I mean you have to really want what it's going to provide you. You have to really have a clear why and like super clear reasons for doing it.
'cause some people fall into business occasionally and like things will fall in their lap and it's a perfect fit. And I don't know those people personally I have heard stories or like seeing glimpses that has not been my story or anyone else. In close proximity it does happen, but like usually a stay a long staying, you have to have such a clear reason for doing it.
For me, it was, like I mentioned, not feeling fulfilled or appreciated or whatever at work. But also I had read the four hour work week, like so many of us, and it resonated with. Me like so many millennials and elder millennials, like all myself. Because I think we are all coming to this consciousness of like American culture and work culture versus maybe some other places.
And pace of things and overwhelm and the imbalance that we're all feeling. And so I think that really resonated with people. Wow, what if I could do something and only spend, this amount of time? And that was super, super powerful for me. I was like, yeah, wow. Can this actually be done?
Do I work four hours a week yet? Hell no. I work, there's plenty. But I can take time out during the day to finish early and go to the chiropractor if I want to, or whatever it might be. So having the autonomy and having the geographic freedom too, because my husband's Australian, we might go back there one day and I wanna.
Be able to, not be tied down to a place. And then other things like at the, really, if you work for yourself, there's potentially no salary cap like that. Is contingent on a few things, but there is, you make your own potential. And also I have always felt like I could be a good boss and a good leader and a good owner of things. And it's been really fulfilling to be able to do that. So everything from, the work like fit to the benefits of the, word freedom we throw around a lot, but, that was all super into my why. And so that is what I think about when things are super duper hard.
'cause I'm also thinking about do I have to go back to work for someone else? I don't, I'm not gonna do that. Yeah. But if you don't mind, then maybe, is not for you because it is hard.
Yeah. We ask everyone on the podcast where they put themselves on the Powerful Lady Scale.
If zero is your average everyday human and 10 is the most powerful lady imaginable, where would you put yourself today? And on average,
I'm
just
curious who you imagine as the most powerful lady on the planner right now, who right now,
is
it still Oprah for everyone? I, it's, I think it's changing a lot, right? I think if you said right now who's really doing powerful things, like the first person that pops into my head is actually Liz Cheney, because she's having to constantly be in disagreement with so many people and she's just standing her ground about things.
And I, that's just so exhausting to constantly be having to like, hold yourself up against
The wave of things. So she popped in my head, reese Witherspoon's kicking ass right now. Like she just keeps adding more and more on.
I always think about Dolly Parton. Yes. Yes.
And Jane Fonda. I love those two ladies so much. I,
this is, oh, the woman in Texas who just said that she can use the carpooling 'cause she's pregnant. She's on the list now too.
I'm pregnant and I do live in Los Angeles and I have thought about that, but I don't know about that one. Yeah. Let's see. This is so hard. And I hope everyone else stutters as much as I'm starting to get this out because I do feel quite proud of everything I have achieved and learned and grown into.
However, I would say just. I do feel quite helpless, like the rest of us does in the face of really tough social issues in this country and the world, and it makes me feel less powerful. Inherently so that is something I totally struggle with, but I'm gonna go ahead and say a seven.
Perfect.
Yeah.
I think you brought up a great point about, when I look at female entrepreneurs, and this is me, very stereotypical based on my personal experience and network, most women who are business owners I hate the phrase work-life balance 'cause it is just ridiculous. It's misleading.
Yeah. Yeah. And women are very holistic typically in how they look at something like. Okay. How can I run my business? How can I have my family? How can I handle these things? How can I see my friends? How can I make sure that my values and priorities, like how do we make all of it?
Just throw it into the pot and we'll figure it out later. And there's been a lot of clients coming to me and I work with men and women, but there's been a lot of female clients coming to me just saying, I feel so exhausted lately. Yeah. I'm like, yeah, because you're doing all the things and the political and social pressures and, ridiculousness on all sides are just keep adding to our to-do list.
Like when Roe v. Wade was overturned, I woke up and my first thought. Was, damn it. Something else to do. Yeah. Feels
like I don't
have room on my to-do list and now I have to find it.
Yeah. Like how am I going to participate in this or get swallowed? Byp dispar and guilt and Yes. Be, I don't wanna be in ostrich.
With my head in this hand. But okay, what's it gonna be? Am I gonna have to research like the best organizations to don? I do. Am I gonna go to a rally? I don't really wanna it's too hot out, I'm pregnant. I can't go to a rally. What am I gonna do that's gonna make me feel less horrible because action really does Yes.
Help so, so much. And so it's figure, even like having to figure out like what that is, you're like, ugh. Yeah. Can we all just take a break?
Yes. Yeah. When is everyone taking a vacation? We need to do like the August reset that they do in Europe, because Yes, everyone needs the time out. Everyone needs some pool time.
Everyone needs some more cocktails. 'cause everyone's real hot and bothered right now. I just, okay come, let's come back to reality please. So we can actually have a conversation.
Yeah. But I do think a part of being. I do think that brings up a good point in feeling powerful, is not just ignoring or commiserating about the things that are like really important to us and putting our Yeah.
Anywhere our mouth is or, our time into action. And I think that is a huge dis distinguishing factor in what makes someone powerful. And when I hear stories of what incredible women have done in these really tough situations, yes. I, it's so admirable. And I think that is like a, huge piece.
And it makes me really appreciate the lineage that powerful ladies come from because we certainly weren't the first. And to know that. For better or worse, like women keep having to show up bigger than they were expected to or allowed to or whatever that space was. It just keeps, if women have done it before us in so many different scenarios, we tend too, especially now that we have access to know that more of each other exists, which is what I hope powerful ladies shows and Yeah.
'Cause almost everyone on Powerful Ladies, if you find 'em on LinkedIn or Instagram and say, Hey, I heard you here. I know so and you're gonna get a response. These are women who want to support and help and connect and okay, what else can we do together to make everything easier and better?
Yeah. So it's nice to be in that space. But even with the, they were telling, I saw the financial protest that said don't spend any money on July 14th. 'cause women control so much of the economy, so we just don't spend any money that day. There'll be an impact. I was like, can you have told me that two weeks before?
Because I have a schedule and I have things and I'm like, Ugh. Like I'm happy to participate, but I need time so I can make everything work.
Totally. Yeah. And you're right. Like we should absolutely be taking advantage of this connection. I think that is what we're seeing more of now. So I do feel hopeful in that regard.
Yeah. Speaking to the power of community and connection, we've been asking everyone this year, what do you need? What are you looking for? Because this is a powerful group, and so often the person who has it is just in front of you and you haven't asked.
Let's see. The thing I'm facing right now is figuring out.
Maternity leave. And then what it's gonna look like and how it's gonna look like getting back into things. So I would love to just see examples of how people did that, who worked for themselves and the real nitty gritty and like logistics of what did they do and how did they manage it and what was that experience like for them and what would they recommend?
Because I just need to be like shown some that it can be done. And it's not gonna mean the end of this first baby egg. Created on my own and all of that stuff. So I am looking for some expansion and illumination on what this exciting and terrifying next chapter's gonna look like.
You are in the right place 'cause I have actually helped quite a few clients and have maternity leave in their first year of business or after.
So I'm happy to talk to you after the podcast about this at some point, but to give our listeners some of my, what I would share with you.
Yeah.
What I usually walk clients through is having an A, b, and C plan. We know that the baby's in charge, so we have to be prepared to throw all the plans out.
But if you have an A, b, and C plan of what you think it might look like, both like how do you prepare to leave because the baby could come early. And then also what does it look like to come back like. What would a plan look like if you decided to give yourself six months of not coming back? What would it look like if you wanted to come back in two weeks?
What would it look like if you take a traditional maternity leave and slowly work your way back in? You, there's so many options for you being a business owner to, to choose. And then probably in reality, from my experience, is people cobbled together parts of those plans, but because they had three pathways, they were able to pick from things versus have to create it from, that moment.
It's always required having like really clear teams set up and knowing who's having things and also being bold enough to go dark. Thriving in business means that, I love the phrase that small business owners do, and entrepreneurs create systems. So it's a great opportunity to look at where, is there a system in your business that maybe isn't automated enough or isn't systematized enough where.
You can create more space for yourself on a day-to-day basis, but also with your team. And then there's so much possibility to rely on community. If I have one client who's going on maternity leave soon, and her mother's stepping in 'cause she has the same qualifications for X amount of time, I have another one who literally has called a, I don't call them competitors, but like a parallel company.
And they're like, Hey I'm going to take the Aternity leave. Can you support my business during this time? I'll pay you, but I know you can do this. Would you be willing to work this out together? And so there's these opportunities that we don't think about of who can fill the gaps for, even the good, better, best plans to make things happen.
And then, having businesses with kids is also great. I have a client who, we've redone her entire business where she doesn't take, she dials down to 10% capacity over the summer. Her kids are probably six or seven and 10 ish. And so her business cycle starts where in, in August. So she does sales over the summer, but that's it.
And she wraps up clients at the end of May, and then she works a little bit to get anyone who's doing a, like more than a year work with her. But she, it's totally scales back, wonderful and wonderful. She never thought that was possible. And anything is in our businesses 'cause we get to control it.
We just need to move the pieces around. And she's even doubling her business while doing that, oh
my God. Amazing. See, that's the kind of like stuff you need to hear. And what did you just say that I wanted to touch on? Oh, I think just like the mention of structures and systems and like really penciling things out is like music to my little nerdy organizational ears because I find that the.
The antidote for my overwhelm or my stress or whatever it might be, is exactly that. Like giving myself structure, giving myself a plan pen to paper kind of thing. And then implementing it is just like the most relieving thing. And I think that is just gotta be step one, which surprisingly I haven't done yet.
It's just was going like, I think I'm gonna do this. Yeah. And I think if I, structure it a little bit more, maybe formalize it a little bit more, it'll make me feel really good.
And also will help you to tell you team and your clients here's what we're thinking. Here are the three options and how they might impact you.
Yeah. But also tell your husband and like your family, because they're gonna have to be the ones that really check in with you ultimately. Which, because. So much changes right in that moment. And some people have come back and been like, I don't wanna do this anymore. You're like, okay, let's figure out how to offboard it.
Sell it, switch it. Cool. Yeah. Other people say, I wanna own it. I don't really wanna do the work anymore. Okay. Also an option. Other people are like, get me back in there. Yeah. So you, we really have the full gamut, but who are your partners gonna be to help you choose what plan makes sense for you? Powerful ladies tend to be women who get bored and need an outlet and can rush into things and say yes to too much.
And so I think for the maternity leave piece, especially as a business owner who's gonna be your accountability partner to make sure that you're slowing down and choosing the long plan versus the, I have to get back their kind of panic plan. 'cause that's really easy to do as a, as an owner. But yeah, how cool is it that you're in the position to make it up and Yeah.
Copy some of those European material leave styles if you want to.
Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. We're Canadian.
Yes. Honestly, there's, so there are closer options that, yeah. Are there. We can drive too. Yeah. Yeah. For everyone who wants to hire you, collaborate with you, support you, where can they find, follow and reach out to you?
Yes. So Eco Method Interiors is the name, and that'll be on Instagram, the website, the emails, hello at Eco Method Interior. So you'll find that kind of all across the board. And I would love for someone listening to reach out and say hi. So don't hesitate.
Amazing. Thank you so much for being a yes to me and the powerful ladies and to Anna and for sharing your story with us today.
It's so important to hear stories of women who are combining all of their passions or turning it into a business who are doing all of that while becoming, moms and creating their families and just not doing our best not to compromise. 'cause there's so much pressure to compromise every day and it's nice to see that you don't have to.
Thank you so much. I loved this conversation and what you're doing. I appreciate it so much and it was absolutely my pleasure.
All the links to connect with Erica and Eco Method Interiors are in our show notes @thepowerfulladies.com. Please subscribe to this podcast wherever you're listening, and leave us a rating and review. It helps us so much to connect with more listeners like you. Come join us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies, and if you're looking to connect directly with me, you can find me at Kara Duffy or @karaduffy.com.
I'll be back next week with a brand new episode and new amazing guest. Until then, I hope we're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
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Instagram: @eco.method.interiors
Website: www.ecomethodinteriors.com
Email: hello@ecomethodinteriors.com
Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
