Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Ellen Nichols
Hi, Mary Ellen; we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Mary Ellen began her career in the business world as a commercial banker, then became a full-on entrepreneur when she married the love of her life, John, in 2005. Over the years, the company has acquired multiple franchises in the UPS Store. Her passion for festive seasons led her to explore the purchase of an existing business in 2020, Christmas Decor, a company specializing in outdoor decorations and lighting. She felt every season/holiday should be celebrated, so she made the company Christmas Decor Plus More. But why stop at the exterior? Driven by her ambition to host grand celebrations in a beautifully adorned home, the idea for Design Decor was born, focusing on interior decorating and specializing in seasonal decorating. Amidst a bustling life with boy/girl twins, two dogs, two cats, and a wonderful husband, she spearheaded this venture, blending her love for the holidays with her knack for elegant design.
Welcome to Design Decor Knoxville, a proud woman-owned business that is blossoming from the passion and creativity of our founder, Mary Ellen. We specialize in transforming spaces into seasonal wonderlands, embracing the spirit and magic of each holiday. Our journey began with a love for celebrating life’s special moments, and now, we bring that celebration to you. From the sparkling enchantment of winter to the vibrant hues of Smoky Mountain autumn, our decorations captivate the essence of every season, making your spaces shine with holiday cheer. Join us in celebrating the beauty of the seasons. With Design Decor Knoxville, make every moment a cherished memory—your year-round source for seasonal splendor.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Anyone who tells you that running a business is easy is lying. We brought a new concept to the market: the ability to lease seasonal decor. A client can walk in and pick out a fully decorated designer Christmas tree and have it delivered to their home, then the following season, they can choose a different theme for their tree. That has brought challenges because it’s a new concept, so getting the public to understand the scope of what we offer has been an undertaking. We are also finding an inventory management system to know what is available at any given moment since items are in flux between in-store sales, online sales, and decor leasing. Then comes the hurdle of warehousing the inventory (and knowing exactly where it’s at) because we also store customer-owned seasonal decor. We needed more space quicker than anticipated and moved showroom/warehouse locations. This is a learning journey, and we keep striving to be better each day than the day before. You have to be willing to do the things you’re not good at as well and learn the best way for your company to be good, whether it’s an online class, hiring a new employee, or outsourcing to another company.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Welcome to Design Decor Knoxville, a proud woman-owned business that is blossoming from the passion and creativity of our founder, Mary Ellen. We specialize in transforming spaces into seasonal wonderlands, embracing the spirit and magic of each holiday. Our journey began with a love for celebrating life’s special moments, and now, we bring that celebration to you. From the sparkling enchantment of winter to the vibrant hues of Smoky Mountain autumn, our decorations captivate the essence of every season, making your spaces shine with holiday cheer. Join us in celebrating the beauty of the seasons. With Design Decor Knoxville, make every moment a cherished memory—your year-round source for seasonal splendor.
One of our niches is real-touch, real-look faux florals. You can shop in our retail location at 6217 Baum Dr. Knoxville 37919 or online at designdecorknoxville.com. We are very flexible when working with clients in the way they want to do business. You can have us decorate your space by purchasing decor from us, leasing decor from us, or having us decorate with your decor. We work with homeowners and corporate businesses and do as much or as little as you want done. We strive to do business the way we like with others: “Do unto others as would have them do unto you.”
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Our business is God’s business, and He will provide. It’s on us to take action and make things happen, but at the same time, if we wait upon the Lord with patience and faith, it will all work out in our favor, even things that seem crazy impossible at the moment. We had decided to pursue another business opportunity around 2019 and were anxious to find the perfect business. We explored another franchise business and were very far along in the buying process when something didn’t seem right. They were waiting for us to sign the purchase contract. We started praying about the situation. After more due diligence, we discovered that their ethics didn’t align with our ethics, so we decided not to move forward with that business opportunity. A few months later, we found the Christmas Decor business opportunity, and God made it evident that this was the right move for us. Looking back, I realize that was the right decision! The other business is shrinking market share while Christmas Decor is doing well and growing yearly. Being patient is not always easy, especially for a type A entrepreneur, but when we wait for God to reveal himself, we will prosper.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://designdecorknoxville.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designdecorknoxville/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/designdecorknoxville
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnuUUsZMy59Ii_2JTYk1FcQ
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@designdecorknoxville
