We had the good fortune of connecting with Frances Karsh and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Frances, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?

I think “work-life balance” is quite a difficult term and hard to achieve, especially for women. I started my business after working at design firms for over 18 years . Although somewhat flexible, they were still your typical 40-50 hour work weeks. This atmosphere worked fine while I was single and when my children were young.
Now my children have after school activities to attend, travel sport teams , and they actually want me there and want to spend time as a family. Making time for my family would not have been easy while employed by other firms.
Working for myself, I feel has been a blessing in that I can make my own schedule and put priority to my needs, my children and family.
Of course when there is work to be done and deadlines to meet, that tends to take precedence and thankfully I have a husband who is also flexible in his job and can take on the slack when needed.
 I do my best to only book what I think I can handle and still maintain a good balance.

Now that I run my own business, I am learning to say no if the project isn’t a good fit or doesn’t work into my schedule, I am able to choose what I take on and what projects interest me.

I attended a presentation from a local leader years ago and she had great advice on the work life balance topic which i still am trying to adhere to. Her advice was be 100% /all in at whatever you are doing at the moment and don’t try to do both at the same time. When you try to juggle both , something always gives.

The work life balance will likely always be a challenge. What I have learned and still am learning to implement is:

  1. It is ok to ask for help,
  2. It is ok to say no
  3. Be as present as possible in what you are doing in the moment.

What should our readers know about your business?

I am only 2+ years into owning my Interior Design firm. I am most proud that I have been able to open and move forward on the basis of word of mouth and referrals from past clients and colleagues.

The artistic/design part of my story was a fairly simple one. After years of trying to decide what I wanted to do, I went back to school for an Interior Design degree in San Diego. I worked for a long time in the field for various firms and gained the knowledge and confidence I needed to go out on my own. It wasn’t necessarily difficult but it did take patience.

The business part is where I find the challenge. My training and most of my work experience is based in the artistic part of design, with some understanding of the business side. However the “business” was always handled by other staff.
I now have to understand and be responsible for all of the business including financials , accounting a
nd marketing.

What sets me apart from other firms is that although I am creative , I am also a very practical person. I pride myself on creating spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing but also functional and thoughtful.

I try to create spaces that are timeless and classic rather than just “on trend”.

Also, when you hire me, you get my expertise. I don’t have junior designers on staff so ultimately you work with me and my vision. I am fully involved from start to finish of the project.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I live in Eagle Colorado and enjoy heading up to Glenwood Springs for the day to visit the hot springs and go to the Slope and Hatch for Tacos. I also enjoy a side trip to Leadville where there are beautiful hikes to conquer and a fun downtown.

My happy place though is being on my backyard trails. Eagle has a great trail system and that is typically where you would find me -trail running-if not at work or with my family. After a tough run, I would head with friends to the Brush Creek Saloon for a burger and a beer.

The most beautiful drive during leaf peeping season is heading over to Crested Butte via Kebler pass, to me that is not to be missed if you can time it right.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
In terms of my path to this career I would have to say my family has played a large part in support. Both financially and emotionally, my parents supported me while I decided on a career path. My parents encouraged me to find something I loved and put up with me while i was figuring it out. My family, specifically my mother and step father also provided travel opportunities which led to my love of design. My mother also has always been at the forefront of fashion and fed my interest in all things design.

In terms of taking the risk of opening my own firm, my husband was my biggest supporter in that he just believes that I can do anything. He is very encouraging but also practical and supportive.

Lastly, my previous firms deserve some credit. I learned good and bad from every firm I worked for and ultimately they set me up for success.

Website: karshinteriors.com

Instagram: karsh_interiors

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.