Mobile ShowroomKeeps Business MovingKitchen Design by Laura Hits the Road to Better Serve Clients

I I I he location of Laura Wallace's

X showroom changes every day."When people ask me

where my showroom is located, I sayit's in their driveway," she explains.

That's because this Sarasota, FL,kitchen and bath designer, and ownerof Kitchen Design by Laura, has amobile showroom...a 19-foot-longSprinter van equipped with hun-dreds of samples, including thosefor cabinetry, countertops, flooring,tile, etc., that she can bring directlyto her clients' homes.

ON A MISSIONAfter spending several years workingat other kitchen and bath companies,Wallace decided to start her owndesign business in 2007 to caterto Sarasota and Manatee counties"clients - as well as to long-distanceclients who find her on the Internet.Their needs range from face lifts toremodels of million dollar homes.

"It was always a challenge," shesays of working in a permanentshowroom. "I just felt I couldn't ser-vice people. They would come in withtheir ideas, and I was trying to cre-ate a design based on their vision.But if they had the right vision, they

Laura Wallace believes she can better serve her customers from her mobileshowroom...a 19-foot-long Sprinter van that she can drive to her clients' homes.

wouldn't need to hire a kitchen andbath designer. I felt like I was stuckin a tunnel," she reports. "I alwaysthought if I could get out to theirhouse and see what they were doing,it would really help," Wallace adds.

While she proposed a mobileshowroom to several previous em-ployers, none gave her idea muchcredibility. Undeterred, she movedforward on her own, just as the econ-omy started to tank.

"I went out one day, bought myvan and ordered all my products," shesays. "Then I found out I had breastcancer, all within the same week. ButI realized I was on a mission. I had to

help people. I know it sounds weird,but every house I walk into has aneed, so I focus on that."

Wallace has remained unfazed bythe recession, adding more than 250projects to her "before/after catalog"in the past five years. She credits hersuccess to several factors, one beingthat a large part of her business isreferrals. While she runs an ad in alocal home improvement magazineto maintain a presence, she indicatesthe best advertising is "doing the bestjob for my clients."

Three and a half years ago shealso teamed up with a local contrac-tor who boasts an extensive list of

satisfied clients, as well. "We do every-thing turnkey, and have every resourceimaginable to do a remodel," she says.

She also stresses the importance oftreating clients well, which correlateswith her business philosophy of clientsfirst, always. "I'm also a consumer," shesays. "I know what it's like to be treatedwell. I treat my clients like I want to betreated. I take everything to heart. I thinkthat's what makes a good company."

CLIENT CONVENIENCEWallace is confident she has beenprofitable during the recession be-cause her showroom is mobile. "I don'tknow that I would have done as wellin a [permanent] showroom," she says."My overhead is lower. I don't have topay rent or taxes on my space, and Idon't have to pay anyone to be in theshowroom or answer the phone. I havemy cell phone, myWeb site and mymobile van. I'm likea turtle with a shellon my back. I can gowherever I need tobe. My showroomis convenient formy clients, and theyseem to like it. I canset evening or after-hour appointments

AT A GLANCEKITCHEN DESIGNBY LAURAPrincipal: Laura WallaceShowroom: 19-foot-longSprinter vanHours of Operation:adjustable based onclient needsNumber of Employees: 1Design Software: KCDwBusiness Philosophy:"Clients first, always."

With a mobile showroom equippedwith hundreds of samples, Wallaceis able to design spaces that caterto her clients' needs, such as thekitchens shown above, below andon page 29).

and work around their hours versushaving to be in a showroom from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m."

Wallace estimates her mobilitysaves seven to eight trips to variousshowrooms, although she does takeclients to related venues when needed."I have samples of everything with me,and what I don't have. I can get," shesays, adding that she feels she has suffi-ciently stocked her space, which is littlemore than 150 square feet.

"Instead of huge displays, I focuson the basics. Clients can see what thecabinets are made of, what options theyhave for doors, etc. [Design] is all aboutcreating a vision for clients - more sothan them just looking at a showroom,"she explains.

While convenience is a big plus,Wallace indicates her mobile show-room isn't without its challenges. "Idon't think people realize how muchit takes to put it all together," she says."Not everyone can do this. You haveto be good at what you do in order tobe successful, whether that's a [perma-nent] showroom or a mobile showroom.It's like being a surgeon. You can havethe tools needed to perform a surgery,but not everyone can operate. But Ithink everyone who has their mind seton a mission can accomplish anything.If you have a desire and a vision, don'thesitate - you can do it." 13