From Melissa’s Desk: Celebrating 10 Years in Business!
Well friends, it’s that time of year again—time to close out another great one. Whew! What a year. This has been the most challenging [insert crying, screaming, vomiting] and the most rewarding [insert laughing, smiling, and dancing] year yet. But this year is incredibly special because...
W E T U R N E D 1 0 ! ! !
Ten years in business! It’s been a flash, a blip in time. A whole decade?! The years have flown by, but the days remain inspiring and FULL OF PASSION…but long. Every bit of it is a blessing! This year, above all others, hitting such a “double-digit” milestone taught me that you can only control what you can control and to hand the rest over to God. The economic market surrounding our industry—in real estate and development—has really pushed us to be even more innovative and tenacious. What I report with utmost pride is that we didn’t let the knockdowns, setbacks, and frustrations beat us. We re-aligned, re-focused, and re-applied.
In December of 2014, I sat in a similar spot—full of hopes, dreams, and passion, with a downright fire in my gut to build a team that would change the landscape of commercial interior design. I’m here to report that with 10 years under our belt, we are just getting started. That same fire is still there, stronger then ever! Change is not easy or overnight. We still have lots of work to do.
I was told I couldn’t, I shouldn’t, and asked why would I? The answer remains the same: I was called to. In this year alone:
We designed and delivered outstanding projects, communities, and clubs. Leaving our stamp on the design and procurement world.
We built and deployed a sales force ready to take on the world, and tell our story.
We continue to nurture our branding and marketing services as a turnkey design brand.
We launched a podcast and a viral, ever-growing social media campaign.
We built a rock-solid financial and accounting shared service team.
We continued our efforts with our philanthropic focus. We made contributions with time and impact to several worthy and inspiring organizations.
We invested in our amazing studios with leadership training, implemented tools for success, and aligned ourselves with best-in-class consultants and clients.
I'm so incredibly blessed that I get to learn every day, be challenged in ways I never thought I would, and work alongside such "SPARK!" I’m grateful that we are entrusted with the projects we are, and that we have and will continue to build a brand rooted in drive and service. I'm proud of what we're doing here, who we're serving, the legacy we're creating, and the lives we're impacting.
We are not everyone’s cup of tea, its more like bold espresso over here. Finding the RIGHT teammates—as we grow in areas and maintain momentum in others—is a continuous challenge. It’s the same for clients and consultants. Our brand will stay steadfast in standing up for our talent, time, and value. I hope this is always a topic to navigate because that means we are continuously evaluating whether we are placing ourselves in the right collaborations and alongside the right folks to fulfill our goals and guarantees.
Failure and struggle are inevitable. Growth doesn’t happen during life’s easy times. I continue to learn much more from the struggles than from any of our successes. I welcome the bumps in the road with grace, and I wish them upon each and every one of you. There is good in it—really! Over the years several BIG lessons have been learned and continue to pop up. So, what are they?
The Top 10 Lessons I Have Learned from the Past 10 Years of Leadership:
Even the greatest of people/talent have to be in the right seat.
You can’t teach speed. Learn where there is a return on your time.
Everything is solvable. Everything.
Strive to surround yourself with much smarter people. And those that compliment you, not copy you.
Not all clients are good clients, and not all money is good money.
Bigger is not always better. Focus on efficiency and artistry.
Don’t be good at everything. Be great at what really drives you.
Being unique is a gift. Never make yourself small.
Shut up and listen. Like, really listen. They will tell you all you need to know. Serve first!
If it was easy, everyone could do it.
Lessons learned? You bet. We have a solid one, three and 10-year master plan. Our focus is on moving forward, and we have involved every person in our amazing portfolio in these plans. I will continue to be a forever learner, and I thank my team for partnering with me on this daily focus.
If they say you can’t, go prove them wrong. Find the people who believe in your vision and mission and make it happen. Work hard. Pray harder. We get one life here on this Earth; make it count because before you know it, it’s a decade down the road! Time is precious, make it count.
We set out to provide Better Living For Everyone. This goes for those in-house as well as those we engage with and design for. You will find us taking on each day under this mantra. How blessed we are to fulfill it.
Finally, a few personal notes of gratitude.
To my Dave, Ava, Brady, and Cooper—thank you for continuing to believe in me. You are the reason why we operate under “family first” and you will forever be my greatest muses.
To my Integrators, you are my professional everything. Thank you for being the string to my kite, and for providing wind when I need it the most.
To the entire crew here at BDSC, you amaze and motivate me daily. Man, we have fun. Team is everything and I am honored you chose here to work and play. Let’s continue to build GREAT, design impactfully, and THRIVE in 2025!
Thank you team, for another incredible year, and onto the next 10 years!
Melissa Banko
Founder & Visionary
