The RESA Greater St. Louis Chapter was started in July of 2017 and has formed to 11 members from Missouri. They meet once a month to network, share ideas, and learn from industry professionals about how they can grow their home staging business.
In January the RESA Greater St. Louis Chapter welcomed in the 2019 board members. The board members on our local RESA chapters volunteer their time and expertise to help grow and navigate the chapters business and promote professionalism in home staging. Melinda Christman was elected as the 2019 RESA Melinda Christman VP of Membership, and I had a chance to ask Melinda a few questions to get to know her a little bit better.
Get To Know Melinda Christman
How long have you been staging?
We founded Olive & Opal Interiors in early 2017, starting the business on the side (nights and weekends) while working full-time in a St. Louis based advertising agency. I leaped into the business full-time in March 2018 and haven’t looked back. It’s been an exciting and challenging adventure!
What type of music do you listen do while staging?
I love to turn on a Spotify(R) playlist called “Happy Folk” or some classic rock. I feel like there is nothing worse than staging in dead silence, in my opinion. Music makes even the mundane tasks, like steaming bedding, more enjoyable and takes me to my ‘Zen’ space.
What would you share with someone who is thinking about attending their local RESA chapter?
Home staging can be a lonely business when you first start, especially because many people start out as solopreneurs. Being able to connect with experienced and newbie stagers in your market allows you an outlet to talk through challenges and opens you up to consider ways to grow your business to its full potential. I feel so grateful to have a supportive group of stagers cheering me on. I would say that joining the local RESA chapters was one of the best decisions I could have made for my business in the beginning and has built my confidence in ways that I can’t even describe.
What do you enjoy doing with your free time?
I am actually taking Horse Riding lessons, in preparation for a fun girl trip to Argentina! It’s a Hiking/ Yoga/ Riding retreat in Patagonia, so I have been sneaking in an hour of lessons each week to get ready for it. Staging has allowed
Learn more about Melinda’s business here.
Join the Real Estate Staging Association here.
Felicia has a background in production design and studied at Academy Of Art University where she had a focus in Motion Pictures And Television. In her free time you can find her reading about the latest marketing trends or hanging out with her husband in Disneyland.
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