Meet Renee Tjomstol of Creative Concepts Staging in Woodstock

Today we’d like to introduce you to Renee Tjomstol.

Renee, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I had two passions growing up, fashion & decorating. After graduating high school, I decided to pursue my passions by attending North Carolina State University to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Textiles. Right out of college, I went to work in the retail industry. I spent the next 22 years working for a major retail brand. During this time, I worked my way up to a Regional Visual Manager covering the Southeast region and based out of Florida. I specialized in visual merchandising, space planning, project management and developing others. As much as I loved what I did, I began spending personal time helping friends and family stage their homes for sale. I fell in love with this new option of a career and that is how I got my start. As my immediate family decided to relocate to Georgia, I saw this as an opportunity to join them in Georgia and start my own business in the field of home staging.

Within one year after identifying this opportunity for myself, I used my skills to stage my own home, sell it, move to Georgia and start my own business. I established myself by obtaining my professional staging accreditation and incorporated my business, Creative Concepts Staging, in March of 2016.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Has it been a smooth road? Absolutely not! To pick up where I left off from the last question, I moved to Georgia only knowing my family and 2 friends. I had to build my contact list from scratch. When starting a new business of this nature, it’s all about the contacts. You are talking to a girl who grew up as an introvert. Well, that had to change very quickly. There were a lot of days going from real estate agency to real estate agency just hoping I could just speak with someone, let alone try and get on their calendar to do a presentation for their team or be invited to a networking event. This is how I got the majority of my business at first. My business grew through this approach and now people are talking and word of Creative Concepts Staging is spreading. Currently, when it comes to business development, I am a one-woman band to grow my business. When I am not staging a home, I am networking and marketing. I do all my own presentations, I created and maintain my own website, and manage my business social media. I have an amazing support system of family, friends and other stagers that have supported me along the way. I could not image the path if I did not have them. As I look back, it has been a challenging road and still is today. It has taken a lot of hard work and has not been easy, but every moment has made me stronger and smarter.

Please tell us about Creative Concepts Staging.
Creative Concepts Staging is a home and business staging company. I offer staging services through verbal consultations, written consultations, hands-on occupied staging and hands-on vacant staging. I work with both realtors and directly with homeowners. My goal is to sell homes faster and for more money by transforming them into homes that buyers can visualize themselves living there. My extensive background in visual merchandising, space planning, and my ability to connect with homeowners, sets me apart from others. My professional background provides the knowledge to guide homeowners and realtors in the right direction, and my interpersonal skills allow me to connect and influence owners when asking them to make changes to their home that they have put so much of themselves into. I believe in explaining the why’s behind everything I am asking of the homeowner. The more they know, the more likely they are willing to make the change.

I am proud when I look at the after photos from a consultation when the photos post online. To see that the homeowner understood the concepts I was presenting and implemented them as I advised, confirms I am communicating my ideas effectively to them. I am also proud of the work my team does when we do hands-on staging. We work hard and there is a lot of physical work that needs to be done in a short amount of time. They are so willing to go that extra mile to ensure the staging is just right.

What are your plans for the future? What are you looking forward to or planning for – any big changes?
I am looking forward to continuing to grow my business. I currently source furniture from another staging company for my vacant stagings. When the time is right, I plan to purchase my own furniture to stage with. I am also currently in the process of adding design consultations to my services. I will guide homeowners through kitchen designs, paint choices, flooring and bathroom designs. I have owned my business for almost 2 years and my favorite word is “Believe.” I believe that this is what I am meant to be doing. I believe I will be very successful. I am truly proud for what I have been able to accomplish thus far. And I am truly thankful for all the help I have gotten along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.creativeconceptsstaging.com
• Phone: 470-494-5240
• Email: renee@creativeconceptsstaging.com
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/creativeconceptsstaging

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