The art of the compromise - hold your nose and close your eyes. We want our leaders to save the day but we don't get a say in what they trade away. We dream of a brand new start but we dream in the dark for the most part. Dark as a tomb where it happens. I've got to be in the room where it happens.

Two months again when I decided to adopt the #sharethemicnow initiative for the home industry, I knew what I wanted to see happen, but I had no actual idea of what would happen. There are certain things you can anticipate but other things you can never see coming...and that's precisely what happened to me.

Two of the participants of the initiative were House Beautiful Magazine's Senior Editor and Editorial Director. They happily turned over their platforms for a day and, like so many of the other takeovers, it sparked some necessary conversations re: to the shelter magazine industry. This I anticipated.

Shortly after the takeovers they reached out to me regarding something new they were bringing to House Beautiful - an advisory board. After seeing the conversations instigated by the STMN initiative - and the impact - they wanted ME to be part of the inaugural board for 2020 to 2021. This I never. saw coming.

My first internship in college was at a Hearst publication - Marie Claire - as part of the marketing department. This was over a decade ago. Talk about a full circle moment.

To be asked was an honor. And to know that many of my fellow board members were "discovered" and considered because of their involvement with STMN was a humbling revelation.

Like the song says, we all want to be in the proverbial room where it happens - we want to be amongst the decision-makers and table shakers, and trust me...there are a lot of tables that need shaking within the homes industry.

What Is The House Beautiful Magazine Advisory Board?

Well for starters, we're part of the print (September 2020) masthead, as well as the digital... so WHOA! That's kind of a big deal. Consisting of 26 interior design professionals from all over country, the House Beautiful team decided that more voices were needed to have the uncomfortable conversations our industry - country - desperately needs.

Equity.

Inclusion.

Transparency.

For me, this was slightly personal - a chance to continue STMN without actually sharing the mic...a chance to continue shaking the table in a way that felt true to me...a way to set a better precedent...a chance to walk the walk.

At the time that I'm writing this, we're about a week out from our first meeting and I am looking forward to our first gathering - it's a lot of talent, a lot of experience, a lot of voices, so I don't know what to expect but I know it'll be gooooooooood. We have one year to have uncomfortable conversations, challenge the way things are currently done, and usher is some exciting changes...at least that's the plan. Being that this is my first advisory seat, in addition to being the first of its kind for a shelter magazine, I expect their to be some growing pains and an adjustment period; but by the looks of this council, I also expect there to be some real impact made in the home industry. Everything starts with a single first step and this is ours.

While it's my face (along with my peers) on the page, know that this is also for you. Being "in the room where it happens" means I can leave the door open...and maybe even take it off the hinges altogether.

In the same way that we (as professionals) want to be represented and feel seen throughout the industry, we want you - the reader, the shopper, the client - to also be represented and feel seen.