Meet Chris Francois of C. Francois Designs in Sandy Springs, Ga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Francois.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started designing when I was very young. I grew up in a single parent home where my mom was not always able to buy us the more expensive things like name brands and the nicer things that other kids had, so I use to make stuff out of what we did have. My mom didn’t have a lot but she always taught me to make the best of what I had. As a child growing up It was difficult to watch the other kids have so much and my brother and I have so less. It use to hurt my feelings so bad because I felt so poor and left out.

I remember one time when I was in the third grade, my school had what they called “Snack Time”. Snack time was the hour where you could eat whatever snack you bought to school that day. All of the kids had a snack except my brother and I, so we were forced to sit and watch the other kids eat their snack in front of us. It was the worst feeling in the world. I cried and my feelings were so crushed. I wished I had a different family a rich family and it felt so unfair. When my mom worked my grandmother kept us most of the time.

My grandmother was a “Maker”. She was the neighborhood seamstress. She designed wedding dresses,clothing,etc. You name it , She designed it. She was also the neighborhood babysitter and she cleaned houses as well. As a little girl I use to watch everything her and my mom did. They could beautify anything! I remember catching the bus with my granny just to go fabric shopping at Cloth World. That was the fabric store everyone went to in New Orleans.. I use to love going with her all the time. It was like the Candy Store for us! I started designing as a hobby consistently in the 6th grade when my mom got married and we moved away from my family.

The man that my mom married was very physically and verbally abusive to her and me and my brother. Life was was bad but I had a really nice teacher that I met at my new school named Mrs. Williams. She was my home economics teacher. That was my absolute favorite class! She noticed that I was very creative and told me that she believed in me and with my creativity I could go very far. At that point designing became a consistent hobby and a huge outlet for me. The only thing that I have always been consistent in is DESIGN. It’s truly my happy place! I did not realize that it was my passion until, tragedy hit 2005 and I had to use my talents to be able to survive and help take care of my family.

August of 2005 my family and I lost everything we had worked hard for. Everything! One of the most horrific hurricanes hit my city and took everything we had. Hurricane Katrina. It was the most devastating time of our lives. We had no savings, no food, no clothes, no shoes, no home… nothing. We had to start all the way over. All I had was a high school diploma, $82 and and and my natural talent….. DESIGN. Being from New Orleans, we are raised to use our talents to make money. The little tap boy that stands on the corner in the French quarters always has his shoes and his bucket. His talent and his bucket for the money he’s earning with his natural talent.

When Katrina hit and I lost everything, I became that little tap boy. I started to design and I sat my bucket out. I had to live and rebuild all over again. I enrolled in Barber school and designed to make a living. That’s when I realized that Design was my passion and I just could not live without it. I started off designing tutus and hair bows for little girls, then t-shirts, then canvases. I was all over the place in Design. I knew I loved and wanted to design but I couldn’t afford to go to school nor did I really know what area of design made me the happiest until I rented my first really nice apartment. It was small but it was the best I had ever had.

When I walked in, my creative mind took off! I had so many ideas, so much I wanted to do and I did it. I designed everything in my new little house from the hardware to the canvases on the wall. That’s when I had found my area of passion for design. Once I gave birth to my princess “Braxtyn” I knew at that point I needed to run toward my passion. My daughter is the best motivation in my life. She’s my whole world and I’m not raising her to work for anyone. I’m raising her to run behind her passions and run her own businesses… I knew I needed to set that example for my princess so I did.

I started reading books, taking classes, designing my ideas, and sharpening my skills all while still barbering. My skill made room for my talent. I started working with a Well known Celebrity Designer that I learned a lot from. I took one of her classes and she fell in love with me. She offered me a position to work with her and of course, I happily accepted. She was like my Design Mentor for a period of time. I learned a lot of the business side of design from her. I also was able to design for more than a handful of celebrities while working with her which was even more motivating for me.

When I initially started working with her my goals were to help her where she needed me, learn, and make extra money to provide for my princess. I was so determined to get to my dreams and I had been through so much. I just wanted to be successful and even though I come from nothing I just wanted to have something. I wanted to be stable and successful for not just me and my daughter but my family. Eventually I woke up one day and decided I’m not gonna wait any longer to have my own. I have been a servant to others in so many ways. It was time to put that same effort into myself.

So I came up with my business name, took care of the legalities, and invested any extra money I made into my website, business cards, my business as a whole. I have made huge sacrifices to fulfill my dreams and provide a stable financial life for my princess. One of my biggest dreams is to meet Oprah and have my own DIY/Design Show on HGTV. I love HGTV and Oprah!!! Both are very inspirational to me, so I started my own show Live on Facebook called “Design Talk Tuesday’s With Chris” at 7 pm every Tuesday night. I wanted a way to show people that they can do anything they put their mind to and show them through my passion for design.

This has been my way to reach people unselflessly and share what I know by doing what I love. I designed my own Tv show on Facebook and YouTube! I’ve been having so much fun with it and my viewers ( My Glam Gang) show me so much love. It feels really good to be appreciated for my talents and to know that I’m helping people along my journey. My Glammers mean so much to me and I feel so fulfilled when I’m designing with them. I literally record in a small apartment on my island every Tuesday night with the help of my amazing team of friends that are always there for me and rooting me on.

They are my biggest supporters and I love them so much! I’m so thankful to God for the great people that he has placed in my life to help me along my journey. I’m just a small town New Orleans Girl who loves to design and inspire with big dreams. I eat Design for breakfast lunch and dinner and I. Love it! I am the blueprint to life for my daughter and I refuse to fail. I just want to be great and leave a legacy.

C. Francois Designs and my princess are my life!

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?
It definitely has not been a smooth road and it still isn’t. I haven’t always had the support I’ve needed. Emotionally or financially but I don’t allow those things to stop me. I keep going because my daughter is watching me and I just wanna be successful. I pray a lot and sacrifice just as much.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the C. Francois Designs story. Tell us more about the business.
My business is C. Francois Designs. I am a self-taught Interior Designer and Faux Finisher I specialize in Home Decor Wine & Design Parties/ Events, and Upscale DIY projects I am known as the “Upscale DIY QUEEN” or “Design Icon”. I host Mobile Wine & Design Parties for corporate and personal events in the state and out of state. I also offer design workshops monthly in the Atlanta area.

I am mostly proud of the amount of people that I inspire through my designs and how much love and support I receive because of it.

I think what sets me apart as a business is that I am extremely passionate about what I do, I’m very transparent, and all of my designs are produced by my hands with a story behind every piece. The love I have for design stands behind every piece. Everything I do is wrapped in love and passion. I’m not just creating a piece, I’m creating a lifestyle. My heart is all over it.

What is your favorite childhood memory?
I have 2! The first is when my dad came in town and bought me a fresh pair of Reebok’s from the mall and I spent the whole day with him. My dad had never been around. And he still disappeared after he did it but that was the best day of my life! I kept those Reeboks for years.

My second favorite childhood memory was when I won the city coloring contest of Esplanade Mall. I was in the third grade! I won a $500 shopping spree and my picture was featured the whole year! I was so excited and happy! I’ll never forget those memories!

Contact Info:

• Address: 6050 Roswell Rd. Suite 128
  Sandy Springs, Ga 30328
• Website: Www.cfrancoisdesigns.com
• Phone: 6787905081
• Email: info@cfrancoisdesigns.com

Image Credit:
Antoinne Duane Jones, Luckie Styles, Ashley Nicole

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