The Real Estate Staging Association, is the only 501(c)(6) tax-exempt non-profit trade association in the home staging industry. The purpose of RESA is dedicated to improving business conditions for our members and the industry as a whole, rather than for the benefit and profit of an individual owner(s). Our association survives and thrives because of the RESA Members, and we could not do what we do at RESA HQ without the help of the 250 industry leaders who volunteer their time all over the US and Canada to move the RESA mission forward. At RESA HQ we are privileged to work with RESA members to grow their local chapters, and their businesses at large.
We chatted with the 2020 RESA Kitchener-Waterloo Chapter President Dawn Fisher about how she got started in the staging industry, her involvement in RESA and the local staging community.
- How long have you been staging – and what inspired you to start staging?
Staging was a natural transition from my background in interior design, set design within the film industry and Real Estate Investment. It’s been 7 years and I haven’t looked back.
- Are you a business owner, or do you work/collaborate with a staging company – tell us about the company you represent?
You are looking at the CEO of Dawn Fisher Design, a full service interior design & home staging company based in Guelph, Ontario. We are skilled storytellers through the art of design.
In Residential Design: By creating a space that encompasses you – the homeowner. In Home Staging: By staging a property that entices & connects to the buyers leaving them wanting to purchase. In Commercial Design: By elevating your company’s brand.
- Do you have core training? And if so who did you get trained with? I have a background in Interior Design and am a CCSP – Canadian Certified Staging Professional. Continued education is very important to Dawn and is a member of the IDCEC International Design Continued Education Council. You can also find her attending various new product launches learning more to provide educated advice to her clients.
- When did you join RESA and how did you get involved with your local chapter? I joined RESA almost immediately after completing my CCSP training, as it was highly recommended by Christine Rae and CSP International. They provided all the information on where to go to sign up, through there I reached out to the local chapter via the “Find A Chapter” page.
- Why did you choose to volunteer your time to RESA? I chose to volunteer to become apart of our RESA Kitchener-Waterloo Chapter because I had already received so much from previous leaders, and wanted to give back. As well as being passionate about increasing our membership and growing our local community of professional stagers.
- What is the most rewarding thing about being involved with your local chapter? The most rewarding thing about being involved with my local chapter has to be my new role as President. It’s absolutely invigorating hosting the meetings and seeing fellow members excited to be involved in the meeting. Plus I have made such great friends through the group.
- What did you do prior to home staging that aids you in your staging business? My educational background is in Interior Design, which gave me a solid base. After school I inadvertently landed in the Film & Television Industry “Hollywood North” up here in Canada. This was an incredible experience, where I was able to hone my storytelling skills through design. It all falls nicely in place for staging really. My years of training and experience allows me to see the details that others don’t see, but make a huge impact because it connects to buyers emotions. Let me explain, when you are watching a movie you usually have an hour and a bit to connect to the characters in the story. For some reason those seconds here and there that you’ve seen the character have given you a sense that you truly know them. How? Their characters have been developed through their environments, wardrobe and acting. It’s a wondrous puzzle that is in constant play through the film. Staging is this in a sense but we create the environments that connect to buyers that turn the property to sold!
- What do you say to home stagers who want to attend a chapter meeting but aren’t sure what to expect? Please come out you won’t be disappointed. There is so much sharing, support and education to grow your business. Did I say support? Running a small business can get lonely and sometimes a little advice from someone else in the same situation would be heavenly. Well that’s what our RESA Kitchener-Waterloo Chapter is amazing at, we support each other and help the best we can.
If you are in the home staging or real estate industry and would like to connect with your local RESA chapter, you can find a list of all of our active chapters here. No chapter in your area? We would love to talk to you about the possibility of a RESA chapter near you – reach out to Vanessa@RESA-HQ.org for more details.
Learn more about Dawn’s staging business 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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