The Home Stager’s Perspective: A Conversation with The Pegasus Team
One evening in 2018, RESA® members, Cristin and Joshua Szarek were enjoying a dinner in Catalina Island when they decided it was time to make their dream a reality. How did this dream come to fruition? By combining Cristin’s talent in design and staging with Joshua’s success as a real estate agent, they created The Pegasus Team to help agents and homeowners across the San Francisco area.
We were sitting at dinner in Catalina Island and Joshua said it’s a no-brainer… you’re amazing at design and staging. So… after that trip we started building a staging business, and never looked back.In 2019 we staged one of our first homes. It was a listing of Joshua’s. It took us 2 weeks and we used our personal vehicles and had the furniture store deliver the large pieces. We had no idea what went into staging and quickly evaluated what went well and what we needed to do to make the process quicker. We are constantly changing and pivoting our process but this year was the learning curve.
Going into 2020, business was growing with the launch of their listing prep division and Cristin and Joshua had hired their first full-time project manager. Despite the abrupt halt and uncertainty we all experienced in March 2020, The Pegasus Team were able to resume work and continue to grow. They have persisted through supply shortages and what they call “The Year of the Home Office”.
We continued to navigate sourcing furniture, specifically “The Desk”. Whether it was a 4th bedroom, or tucked away in a bedroom or living room, every home was staged with some sort of home office.
The Pegasus Team made the 2023 Top Ten Occupied Staging United States in RESA®’s Home Staging Industry Awards. In July, Cristin and Joshua joined us in Las Vegas for RESACON 2023 and are looking forward to next year.
Between staging, design, construction, launching our furniture line, awards, partnerships, and TV this year has been jam packed with surprises, twists, and turns. And, we have loved every moment of it.
ALL PHOTOS PROVIDED BY THE PEGASUS TEAM
Q: How does your commitment to RESA®, the exclusive nonprofit trade association for stagers, align with your professional goals and values? Share your perspective in detail.
Cristin: We are a professional staging organization and we are committed to continuing to grow through partnering and aligning ourselves with organizations, like RESA® that share our same professionalism, goals and values. We are excited to be apart of a community of like minded individuals who are striving to enhance the staging profession through education, mentorship, networking and a camaraderie of its peers.
Q: What inspired the beginning of your staging journey? We’d love to hear the story behind your career’s inception in vivid detail.
Cristin: Our company was formed through the need of a professional staging company that could deliver a high quality stage, within a quick timeline, for a reasonable price, and most importantly all within a professional manner and without the ego. Coming from the real estate industry we worked with many different types of staging companies and found that there was a niche for this new type of business model. Our number one goal is to be the easiest part of the real estate transaction and we look at the agents we work with as partners not just a one-time transaction. We value our relationships and continue to build upon them through our team’s professionalism, designer quality stages, affordable prices and our fun-loving/energetic communication and interactions with our clients and agent partners.
Q: Take us back to your very first day on the job as a home stager. What were your feelings, expectations, and the most memorable moments from that day?
Cristin: The first day on the job as a home stager….in a few words: sh*% show, stressful, long, overthought, emotional, and satisfying. Our first stage took one whole week! Yes… 1 week! We did not have a box truck, so we delivered the large furniture to the house and the other items we purchased fit in my car and we literally drove them to the house over multiple trips! We had no movers or warehouse space so we bought everything for the stage and carried everything up a two-story walk up in San Francisco. When we finally finished we did a soft showing with real estate agents an received such great feedback that we knew we must have done something right. We marketed the hell out of that one stage and the rest is history. 5 years later we still look back at that stage as a humbling point to remember where we started and how far we have come. We pushed through the tears, the joys, the ups, the downs, COVID, great clients (that are now friends), difficult clients (that we can’t get rid of), and everything in between. Now our business has over 10,000 sqft of warehouse space, a truck fleet, and multiple movers and designers. Even today we still have our challenges but at the end of the stage, it is always worth it.
Q: How has your perception of the staging industry evolved since you started?
Cristin: This may sound unconventional, but we generally gage a lot of how people perceive topics when we are having a cocktail while sitting at restaurant bar casually having a conversation with a perfect stranger….Initially when we started staging, conversations went from “you do what?” [with a very confused look] to now “OMG your a Stager [insert a million questions]” and we have now made a new best friend.
We have found that the general public have become much more aware of what staging is and have come to respect the industry; however they still know very little about it. Hence all the questions when they find out what we do. From a professional perspective we can only refer to the iconic seen in Pretty Women when Julia Roberts is ignored by the sales lady only to spend thousands of dollars at another location and she goes back stating “Big Mistake, Huge!” When starting out retailers and wholesalers were used to working with designers and custom fittings. When I would walk in, I would haul everything to the front counter and stack it up while they watched with shock. Now after my many Pretty Women moments, when we walk in the sales reps treat us like rock stars, they know exactly who we are, they help tremendously, sell items off the floor they normally wouldn’t and they help pull the items we need to get in and get out (they have learned stagers are always on the go and speed is key!). We definitely feel that retailers and wholesalers are beginning to understand the power and benefit of working with home stagers and we love being apart of the process.
Q: Would you share some insights into your creative process? Where do you typically find inspiration for your staging designs, and how do you translate that into your work?
Cristin: We pull our inspiration from what is trending in retail displays, design posts, our travels, hospitality design, and other design influencers (lol so basically everywhere).
When we stage a home we want it to be:
1) What buyers see on daily basis from when they are shopping for their own home.
2) We try to give people the dream of what it would be like to live in that specific home we are staging. We treat every home as it’s own individual project and design around it while incorporating todays trends.
As stagers we are not trend setters or influencers, we are here to make people feel something, experience something, and fall in love with something so they make an offer on something they may not have or make an offer more than what they may have. We give the illusion of a home, a house, a life. Design is what we do, creating experiences is our goal.
Q: Prior to entering the staging industry, did you have a different career path or profession? If so, please share some details about it. How have the skills and experiences from your previous career uniquely equipped you for success in the world of staging?
Cristin: To answer quickly; Different career path, 100%, and past experiences, yes. Both of us were on the corporate train and we had every desire to keep chugging along. Joshua had spent 10 years in the military before entering corporate and rose up the ranks in oil and gas and healthcare to executive level positions. I graduated and had to decide between law and corporate. I went into insurance then investment banking. Fast forwards, we both ended up in real estate and then Joshua convinced me to leave my job and start a business with him. I could not have thought of anything more sickening, but he was right and we have leaned heavily on our business and professional careers to shape the company we have created today. We have systems, we have process, we have communication strategies, marketing strategies, HR and the list goes on. When we started this business, we started it like a boot-strapped start-up in our garage (which is a Steve Job reference but also very true) and today we have built a corporation like the ones we worked for prior to entering this industry.
Q: Can you recall a particularly challenging staging project? What obstacles did you face, and how did you overcome them? What did you learn from that experience?
Cristin: The client, the agent, the contractor, basically anyone but us…. LOL we are joking. When you have been in this business long enough, challenging staging project are inevitable and for those that say otherwise well…. For us our biggest learning experience is not one in particular, but its overall.
We are a customer based industry and we delivery a service to satisfy a customer. Sometimes we knock it out of the park, other times we just do our job, and once in a while we have change outs or unsatisfied customers. For us, the customer is always right. While we have contingencies in our contract for change outs or damages or last minute destages, or contractors on-site, we feel it is our job to make the client and agent lives easier, so we swallow our pride and do our job. If there are change outs, we make them (within reason), if there are contractors onsite we continue the install (again within reason), if there is damages we typically will not charge. Some might say that is crazy, but for us the relationship is with the agent and getting the next stage with that agent is our goal not nickel and diming over damages or timing constraints. Again our goal is to be the easiest part of the real estate transaction so sometimes that means sucking it up. We are here to deliver a great product within the time we said we would and outside influences be damned.
Q: Staging often involves collaboration with real estate agents. Could you share some insights into how effective communication and partnership between stagers and agents can lead to successful property sales?
Cristin: Communication is key!!! Our agent partners love how much we communicate with them. Don’t be scared to email, text, call. Pick up the phone, you will find real estate agents love to talk. See them in person at stages or walkthroughs. Tag them in your posts!!!! They love the recognition! We can not say enough how much communication is one of our biggest differentiators. In staging you can easily get busy and overwhelmed or intimated by a “big agent.” But stay consistent and if you don’t feel comfortable doing it, then hire someone to do it for you.
Q: Staging can transform a property, but it’s not just about aesthetics. How do you balance design principles with the practical aspects of making a home more marketable?
Cristin: Design and practicality don’t always go together, BUT we really really try. When we stage a home we make it feel like a buyer could move in and start living there. While some spaces may be more challenging then others we work with the agent and photographers to make the most practical set up as possible. We also work with our agents to understand buyers trends; is an office important, family room, dining space. What are buyers looking for in todays market and that is what we try to incorporate in the stage.
Q: Could you share a memorable success story where your staging made a significant impact on a property’s sale price or time on the market? What were the key elements that contributed to that success?
Cristin: We have so many memorable experiences and we value them all. Our favorites are when we see a home that went on the market without being staged, then we come in an stage It and It receives multiple offers, over asking and closes in 30 days. It just proves that what we do as stagers really makes a difference and matters.
Q: The staging industry often requires adaptability and flexibility. How do you stay current with market demands and changing client preferences? What strategies do you use to continuously improve your skills and stay competitive?
Cristin: We try to stay current on trends through our retail partners, hospitality design and design influences. Keeping current and always doing your best stage is important because you never know what review or instagram post you may be tagged in. Showcasing your best work every time will keep you consistent and relevant.
Q: Beyond aesthetics, what do you believe are the most important qualities or skills that a successful home stager should possess? How have these qualities shaped your own career?
Cristin: Thick skin? Not a perfectionist? These are all qualities I lack by the way…. I would say to myself when I started, don’t get upset if someone dislikes something I did or don’t agree with the furniture choice (which by the way is easier said then done). Being a stager, owning your own business, and incorporating a design that is an expression of you is personal and when people don’t agree with that, it can feel like a personal attack on you. But remember this is a business and not a hobby. Hobbies you can take personal, business you need to keep moving forward and let the hits roll off, repair the damage, and move forward.
Q: If you have a team of home stagers, could you share some insights into your approach to team management? What strategies do you use to ensure cohesion and consistent quality across your projects?
Cristin: Training, training, training. We have a training section in one of our warehouse where we train all designers/crews to ensure that everyone knows what to expect on a stage. We have weekly crew meetings to go over whats working (and what not). We also have a consistent crew so they know what we like and how we do stages, which helps with consistency of the design.
Q: If you could stage a home for any celebrity, living or historical, who would it be, and what kind of design theme would you choose for their home?
Cristin: Umm is Barbie a celebrity? If not then definitely Carrie Underwood and there would be a lot of glitter and faux animal print.
Q: In the world of home staging, sometimes surprises happen. Could you share a funny or unexpected moment that occurred during one of your staging projects? How did you handle it?
Cristin: Ahh surprises aka a “logistical nightmare”… I think our biggest issues is forgetting a major item like a couch (how does that even happen) or cushions… but you just have to stay calm and work through them. Keeping everything moving forward is important and don’t freak out and stop work. You have a crew of people expecting to get direction from you, so when issues arise keep calm and make sure everyone is doing what they are doing and make sure you can pivot when needed.
Q: Imagine you could time travel to any era in history to stage a home. Which time period would you choose, and what elements from that era would you incorporate into the design?
Cristin: This is a hard question, because we love the current design styles, but I think it would be fun to travel to the future and see what they are doing there!
Q: If you could collaborate with any famous interior designer or decorator, living or deceased, on a staging project, who would it be and why? What do you think you could learn from them?
Cristin: We love Athena Calderone and would love any opportunity to collaborate with her. She has been doing this for so long and the wisdom from both a business person and design would be an amazing opportunity.
Q: Home staging is a competitive field. What advice do you have for other staging professionals looking to stand out in the market and build a strong client base?
Cristin: First, create your brand. Are you a luxury stager, are you a budget friendly stager? Look at your market and see which is a viable business option and then execute. Also keep client relations positive, it is easier to get a repeat client then try to find a new client.
Q: Balancing creativity with the demands of running a business can be challenging. What tools or systems do you use to manage your staging projects efficiently and stay organized in your daily operations?
Cristin: We use several systems to keep our business operation which include, Gmail, Wix, Canva, monday.com, QuickBooks and I am sure there are many more I am forgetting. For our stages we use floorplanner to create the floorpans for each stage so our designer and crew know exactly where everything is going.
Q: What are some common misconceptions or objections you’ve encountered about home staging, and how do you educate potential clients or naysayers about the benefits it brings to the selling process?
Cristin: We are not here to convince someone to stage their home. In our experience someone totally against staging will be totally against staging whether or not we do a great job and the home sells for more money and in a quicker time because we can’t prove that given the alternative the same outcome would have not happened. What we say is, your home will sell for the right price to the right buyer. What we find is that homes that are staged generate more buzz which leads to an offer more quickly and typically more than a home that is not staged. Can we grantee a staged home will sell or will sell more than asking, definitely not. But we will always point out that the staging price and benefits of staging is less expensive than a price drop.
Q: Client testimonials and reviews can build trust with prospective clients. How do you encourage satisfied clients to share their positive experiences, and how has this influenced your ability to acquire new clients?
Cristin: After every stage we send links to our reviews. We believe reviews are what validate us as a successful staging company to have new clients call us and give us the opportunity to work with them.
Q: How can real estate agents better communicate the value of staging to their clients, and what role can they play in making the staging process smoother and more effective?
Cristin: Staging is another tool to selling a home. Each home is different and each home requires different needs. Agents in those areas should consider what is the best option for that home. If staging is one of those tools then working with the stager to determine if a full stage or partial is the best option and then determining what level of staging will work and then letting the professional do their job.
You can find out more about The Pegasus Team at https://www.thepegasusteam.com/
Marketing Assistant at Real Estate Staging Association
Joanna creates marketing, advertising, and social media messaging for the purpose of conveying the organization's mission, vision and value, educating consumers, attracting new members, highlighting member accomplishments, providing content for real estate agents, and promoting strategic partners.
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