Today we’d like to introduce you to Zach Weiler.
Hi Zach, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story! That’s a tall order. Really, when I think about how my design journey started, I can’t help but think about some of my peculiar habits as a child. I was obsessed with rearranging furniture around the house. Mostly my bedroom of course, but other rooms too. I would arrange everything one way, then decide something else may work better, and arrange it all over again. I wanted to find a perfect balance, an arrangement of the room and everything in it that gave it all balance and harmony. I guess I’m still that kid, doing exactly the same thing as an adult.
Like every young person trying to make their way, I did a little bit of everything until interior design really clicked as my calling. I moved to California for school, did everything from worked at Jamba Juice to various retail gigs. I even enrolled in Vet Tech college thinking animals were the answer, but no. Nothing really fulfilled me. Honestly, I felt a little lost back then, which I look back on as normal. Finally, something did click, and I saw an ad for the study of Interior Design, so I enrolled. It’s been full steam ahead ever since.
My path mirrors a lot of designers here in Atlanta in that early on I found my way to Atlanta Decorative Arts Center (ADAC). I learned so much by working with several interior designers, primarily selling them textiles. After a couple of years, I started working on the design side, under one designer and directly with clients. I learned a lot there too, enough to have the courage to finally start my own company, Zach Weiler Design.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Smooth! Anyone who ever uses that word to describe starting their own business is either delusional or lying. But anything worth doing is never easy, and never smooth. Sure, I know what I’m doing when getting a client’s vision into a room, how to communicate their dream with practical options and pricing, giving voice to a project and finding design solutions when something isn’t working, whether the issue be budget constraints or deadlines and more. But all of this happens when you get to the fun stuff. The other stuff, the accounting, the taxes, my time management, networking, marketing, all of that is a pure grind. It’s all worth it though once you know you’ve made a client happy, and you can see the end result of a project come to life.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Zach Weiler Design is a full-service firm specializing in residential interior design. We do everything from paint consultations to custom window treatments, create floorplans and provide furniture consultation, lighting schedules, kitchen, and bath renovations, and more. Like any designer, I listen to my client’s needs and wants. I have to understand their lives within their home, and how to best combine what they want with how they actually live. It’s a tricky dance. I take a down-to-earth approach with my clients. Home is where we take off the mask we show the world and relax, and feel safe. The whole process is just so great. And when you finally get to photograph the space, it’s a huge accomplishment for anyone that had a hand in getting there. That final pic and the smile on your client’s face is everything.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Some people think that if they own and run a company, they’re a success. This is far from the truth. I believe that success is the combined result of persistence, experience, and a little luck. Having just opened my company, I know I have a long way to go. But this new phase in my career came after paying a lot of dues. Everyone must pay their dues in some form or another. Nothing in life comes free. Just try to enjoy the ride and learn as much as you can from everyone you interact with. I’ve learned that wisdom and perspective come to you from the most surprising corners. And if you listen hard enough and learn each day, your own version of success is never far away.
Contact Info:
- Website: zachweiler.com
- Instagram: @ZachWeilerDesign
- Facebook: Zachary Weiler
