Today we’d like to introduce you to Joy Lynskey.
Joy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…” When Charles Dickens wrote that statement I believe he could have been talking about starting a business.
A little over a year ago a good friend of mine said, “I wouldn’t consider myself a photographer, I consider myself a business owner.” At the time I cocked my head sideways and said, “Really?!” with a slightly incredulous tone. Here I am less than two years later and I totally relate to what she was saying and I’d even go so far to align myself with that statement.
It’s been four years since I “jumped into the deep end” and went from being an employee to signing my own paychecks. It’s been a wild, crazy, scary ride. When I was so frustrated with a recent position I had taken I remember asking my husband, “Are you sure? Shouldn’t one of us get a paycheck from someone else? It will be crazy!” He believed in me way before I believed in me.
JTI started on a fold-up table in my guest bedroom with my fellow designer friend acting as a moonlight freelancer for collaboration. See, the collaboration is what feeds me. I’ve had two miscarriages, and one healthy baby girl since I started JTI. I got pregnant two months after starting the company. Although excited, I was terrified. I didn’t know how to grow a business and a person simultaneously. Given the chance I would have gone back to work at another design firm but I had one commercial client that was keeping me pretty busy and I didn’t want to bail on them. Then I found out I wasn’t pregnant anymore and I was devastated. The loss was indescribable. The way I coped was to focus on my family and my business.
I’ve had an employee walk out, an employee leave because there wasn’t enough structure, and then a consequent employee leave because it was too corporate. I’ve interviewed and hired someone knowing they weren’t a good fit because another employee talked me into it. (I think I’ve finally learned to “Hire slow, fire fast!”) I’ve interviewed someone that I knew was a perfect fit only to hire her a full year later.
With our office I’ve dealt with cigarette smoke infiltration, mouse and flea infestation and just plain negativity run rampant-tion. We’ve been blessed by referral after referral and are now seeing the effects of many months of search engine optimization. I’ve lost friends but made tons more. I’ve had many clients turn into friends. My friend Lisa said, people come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime and I totally get that now. My dad made me get a minor in business administration because “just in case.” Apparently, fathers know best too.
I am proud of every space we have worked on in its full capacity. That’s a big deal. I love the living, breathing entity that is JTI and its ability to transform and evolve, challenge and encourage. The beautiful beings that make up JTI are what are so special to me. We work long hours in close quarters so we have a camaraderie you don’t find just anywhere. We share our toilet thoughts, our shower thoughts and our middle-of-the-night thoughts. We stand for big conversations (the continuation and funding of art in public spaces) and we put our money (and our paintbrushes) where our mouth is. We donate our time and talents whenever our schedule and resources allow. We are dedicated to #growingcreativity in all we encounter.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I would say that my biggest challenge is choosing balance within being a wife, mother and entrepreneur. Yes, I believe it is a choice. There is an underlying pressure that we have to be everything to everybody but that is not only unrealistic but actually impossible. I have struggled with feeling bad about taking time for myself (away from my children) but the truth is that the time that I take to feed myself spiritually and emotionally is what makes me a better wife, mother and leader. To me there is no work-life, I am the same person and must choose to be balanced in all environments.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Our Charter was written as a collaboration between all team members. It is what we are up to and what sets us apart. This is our charter in its entirety:
“We are a licensed interior design boutique that provides an exceptional level of creative and professional service. We design stunning commercial and residential interiors while fostering a collaborative, innovative and fun working environment.
Our combined strengths and ideas are building blocks that challenge one another and provide unique solutions. By actively listening our valued interpretations create environments that consider each clients’ unique statement, financial ability and functional concerns. These completed spaces provide a sensory experience and an emotional connection that inspires pride of ownership and self-expression.
We are a dedicated team committed to producing extraordinary results and supporting one another through authenticity, integrity and compassion. As visionaries, we value and appreciate our client’s trust. The quality of our work exceeds expectations.
Our ability to develop strategic partners and form conscious connections is imperative to future growth and success. We value and nurture our relationships. As socially aware citizens, we utilize our resources to make a difference in our global community.”
What were you like growing up?
I am a sixth generation Floridian and the last of six children from a blended family. I was raised between Fort Pierce and an even smaller town called Lakeport. A true tomboy, my childhood consisted of airboats, hunting and freshwater fishing. As a child I was gregarious and artistic. I loved to read and would often read up in a tree I had climbed. I enjoyed people of all generations as my parents had me late in life and I was around adults more often than most kids. I’ve always enjoyed making others laugh and feel like a day without laughter is a day wasted.
I am blessed with a pair of very unique people as parents. They couldn’t be more different from one another. I truly feel like I am a blend of the two of them and that in itself is a little crazy. My father is very particular, incredibly organized and meticulous. Even in the darkest of days he is positive and will continually say “I am blessed” no matter what pain or poor health he is going through. He taught me that “Only boring people get bored” and although I hated hearing that as a child, I completely believe it today. My mother is a true free spirit. She is an incredible woman who has always managed to put those around her at ease and be a constant encourager. She can make you laugh with one liners that will shock you to the core. She has the gift of hospitality, and can know a bag boy’s life story just in the short walk to the car. She taught me to always ask others questions and that inquisitive nature has fueled my very being.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3323 W. Commercial Blvd. Suite E220 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
- Website: https://www.jeweltoned.com/
- Phone: 9547749565
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeweltonedinteriors/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtidesignstudio/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/jtidesignstudio
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/jewel-toned-interiors-fort-lauderdale
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/10815440/
Acai fruit bowl raw vegan organic food
Image Credit:
Dana Hoff Photography
JA Photography
Holdfast Productions
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