Welcome to today's show! We have Ruthie Staalsen with us today and she's someone who is really loved by many! Ruthie operates out of the Dallas Fort Worth area in Texas, she has had more than fourteen years of experience as a designer and she's also on the board of the Design Blogger's Conference. Ruthie focuses on making homes look collected rather than decorated and there is a European flair to her personal design style- with an eclectic twist. She views her privilege of having had the opportunity to experience many different lifestyles as the greatest gift of her childhood. Listen in today to hear our awesome conversation with Ruthie about the value of mentorship, the value of attending conferences and Ruthie's way of running her business. Ruthie was born and raised overseas  and many of her influences come from Europe, Africa and Central and South America. She is an internationally published interior designer and she has built her business from the ground up. She was awarded the 2016 Designer Of The Year from the National Interior Design Society for a kitchen renovation project and she was nominated as one of the top fifteen decorators in Dallas. Her work has been published in Elite Monde- a lifestyle and fashion magazine in Dubai and also in Traditional Home Magazine Great Kitchens. Listen in to find out more. Show highlights: The incredible kind of connections that can be made with others at the Design Blogger's Conference. Ruthie's daunting first experience of a Design Blogger's Conference, about seven years ago. The way that your business will benefit from your attending conferences. Things that will keep you going and really spur you on with your business. Ruthie's awesome relationship with her mentee, Cheryl Luckett. (Episode #291) How you can really benefit from being a mentor. Some of the things that newbie designers tend to struggle with. Ruthie's take on charging the right fee, as a new designer. What happened when Ruthie started to hire people to help her. The huge responsibility- and benefits of hiring new people. Some interesting things about the way that Ruthie has set her business up. Ruthie's Away For The Day design service. Mistakes will happen- just get up and carry on! Living a really purposeful life as a designer. Ruthie's personal approach to decorating people's homes. How Ruthie finds the very best vendors to work with. How Ruthie really manages to express her authentic self through her blog.  Links: Her website and social: https://www.ruthiestaalsen.com Facebook Ruthie Designer Instagram : Ruthie Designer Linkedin : Interiors Twitter : Ruthie Designer Youtube : Ruthie Staalsen To join us at our birthday party go to the RSVP at Luann Nigara Party.