This episode is sponsored by Fine Lines, a west coast wholesale rep agency with showrooms in Las Vegas and Seattle representing over 50 fabulous gift, fashion + home lines.

Ronald Carter likes to think of creative styling as an art form. It's a masterpiece, carefully crafted by your imagination and passion. You could say Ronald fell into this career by accident. Having experienced being a struggling actor, he was in desperate need of a side hustle. He was living in Seattle at the time, and he recalls asking a friend if she knew of anyone who was hiring. She suggested Ronald check out Eddie Bauer, and the rest is history.

Ronald started out as a greeter and then moved to the home store as a sales associate. There, he noticed a young woman named Joyce styling a table and found himself drawn to what she was doing. Soon after a conversation, Ronald asked if he could help her, and she kindly accepted the offer. Following Joyce’s departure from the company, Ronald interviewed for her job and moved right on into the role without further ado.

In the 3 years that followed, Ronald worked his way up to designing floor plans for the corporate office and training new visual managers. His retail career, however, did not end there. Ronald went on to work for Nordstrom, Anthropologie, and Porch. The training, the people, and the influences he’s met throughout his journey have helped him become a better designer. Continued training has helped Ronald in his new adventures in interior design, and he’s looking forward to the next chapter in this crazy world of styling and design.

Michelle and Ronald kick things off with a discussion around his career journey, from pursuing acting to an extensive career within the retail space. Ronald shares his experiences working for some of the biggest names in retail. They discuss Ronald’s walkthrough process, the importance of storytelling, and how to handle micromanagement and challenging clients. They also talk about risk taking and trends, and how to stay current while staying true to yourself.


What’s Inside:

• How Ronald moved from acting to a career in styling and design.
• Insights into Ronald’s walkthrough process.
• How to stay current while staying true to yourself.