Hardwood Floors December 2018/January 2019

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS DESIGNER INSIGHTS

By Emily Morrow Finkell

All photos courtesy of Emily Morrow Finkell.

While considering what to write for the “40 Under 40” issue of Hardwood Floors , I was reminded of some vital life lessons, ones that we all can learn at any age, and at any level of success. Typically, my articles focus on topics such as color, consumers, or design trends with titles like How to Use the Mega Trends or How to Design Your Interiors . This time, there’s a different insight I’d like to share, How to Design Your Life . DESIGN YOUR LIFE

experience has taught me that each path you take always helps to build and prepare you for the next one. We all experience moments in our lives, either following graduation or a geographical move, when we accept a job where we don't feel we are fully utilizing our skills, passions, or abilities, or the culture is not a good fit. Look inward and think about your journey. Mine, for instance, began with a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design with a concentration in textiles. After I graduated in December 1989, job openings for college graduates were down 13.3 percent, and the job market had become one of the most competitive times since the early 1980s. Lucky me, right? It’s true that necessity is the mother of invention, and so I took a job with a womenswear company in West Georgia, where I did everything from emptying the trash cans, to

In my hometown of Dalton, Georgia, I am surrounded by some amazing success stories of industry icons. Known as the "Floor Covering Capital of the World," Dalton is famous for entrepreneurial, hardworking, forward- thinking individuals. It's also one of the most productive manufacturing areas in the U.S.; our hometown values emphasize "going to work and rolling up our sleeves," according to the Greater Dalton Chamber of Commerce. There is an energy and a sense of community pride. Dalton is not unique in the number of individuals who are in their encore careers, but it is special because it’s the heart of the floor covering industry and our enterprises. Howmany of you have wondered if your career path was the best direction? Or was your decision made out of necessity due to your circumstances? Regardless of your answer, my

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