Today we’d like to introduce you to Seth Bursha.
Hi Seth, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
When I was a young boy, my dad bought me and my brother a lawn mower and told us that we could use it to make money if we asked some of our neighbors if they could use help cutting their grass. We did door-to-door visits by simply knocking and asking everyone within walking distance, since it was a push mower and we couldn’t drive.
Fast forward about four or five years when I was in high school and I got a job at a local grocery store, and a second job washing dishes at a restaurant. I was making minimum wage at one and a quarter more at another. By working a lot I was able to convince my papa to finance a riding lawn mower for me and I would pay him back. I used this mower to increase the number of yards I could cut in a day. At this point, I was working 3 different jobs; the grocery store, the restaurant, and my lawn care business. I eventually left the restaurant but maintained my business as well as an employed position through the remainder of high school.
Following high school, I enlisted in the Army National Guard. When I returned from training, I enrolled in a local university. After one semester, I left after learning about the average starting salary for someone with a degree in “Sports Management.” I didn’t go back to lawn care, but I still continued to try to start a side business while working full time, and attending trade school. After working a trade for 4 years, I was pretty handy with tools which helped me with what I do today.
I started a furniture assembly business and started working as a subcontractor, but I didn’t make a lot of money. I did this full-time for about ten months successfully before I hit a slow period which caused me to go back to an employed position. During this time, I worked the business on the side. I worked like this for a couple of years, but in the summer of 2020, I stepped away for what I determined to be the last time. It has been 2 years and the business continues to grow and I am often busier than I can seem to handle. It has evolved from furniture assembly, to art and home decor installation services, to window treatments, closet systems, appliance installations, and wallpaper. I call it Bursha Interior Decorating.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The first obstacle to get through is the skepticism and paranoia, things like always thinking that more work isn’t going to come in, or that nobody is going to want to pay what I am charging. There was, and sometimes still are, times where I have a bunch of calls and then they run out. Once they run out, I get concerned when several days go by without work. The paranoia would keep me from working efficiently to grow my business during my downtime with social media, website development, business calls, etc. It is important to be confident while understanding that not everything can be spoken into existence
The second obstacle was learning how to present myself on lead sites and online through my website. It took a long time to finally develop a logo that I liked, looked professional, and that I thought fit what I was trying to do. Creating a professional profile picture, uploading professional photos regularly, and sending review requests all were vital aspects of building my profile and gaining the confidence of customers before I ever get hired.
The third obstacle was learning how to financially build the business. It is hard when starting off to build a big bank account because a lot of money goes right back into the business. This could include buying tools, paying for marketing fees, paying for a vehicle, and countless other things. It is important to keep up with expenses and income as accurately as possible. It brings more clarity to you business and will keep you at ease with your finances.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am an Interior Decorator. My primary job functions are Art and Home Decor Installations. These include mostly art, mirrors, shelving, draperies, tv mounting, and window coverings. I also perform services for furniture assembly, blinds and shades, closet systems, wallpaper installations, and appliance installations.
Sometimes I’ll do additional tasks such as replacing light fixtures, faucets, and other similar things that aren’t construction related. I try to maintain these services as my primary. I don’t want to be labeled as a handyman. I want my label to feel and sound more professional and specialized.
A large part of my work is for individuals and businesses moving into new locations. For homes, this consists heavily of art installations, tv mounting, and window coverings. For businesses, it is many times a mixture of decor installation and furniture assembly. I have done retail store fronts, school lockers, whiteboards for classrooms, cubicles for office spaces, and installed wallpaper in waiting areas. There is a large range of services that can be covered under the decorator label.
What does success mean to you?
I believe success is different to each individual. For me, success is feeling good about where I am in my current stage. As I grow in different areas of life (family, business, religion), I want every other area to benefit in some way that also allows those areas to grow as well. I like running my own business and seeing it grow, but if other important areas of my life have to starve as a result, I wouldn’t feel successful in how I was growing my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Bursha.design
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bursha.design/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Bursha.Design
