We had the good fortune of connecting with Rae’Van Parson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rae’Van, any advice for those thinking about whether to keep going or to give up?

I think knowing when to put something to rest (or “giving up”), is such a wonderful gift to give yourself because it’s an acknowledgment to begin preparing for something that is more suitable for you.

When I’ve been at a crossroads with putting something to rest or continuing, I generally ask myself, “does this [endeavor] serve me in some positive area within my life or is it benefitting others positively?” If I feel like I have had to compromise my principles to continue trying to do something, I generally know it’s time to walk away…because I’m forcing it to some degree. In my opinion, there’s hard work attached to a purposeful goal, and then there’s harder work forcing something that is ultimately draining you.

Our time is SO valuable! Every hour, day, week & year counts. And while failure is one of the best lessons we can experience in life, we also have to know when continuous failures in some area, could be a sign that we are misaligned with what will deeply fill us with opportunity, success & joy!

My Advice: Be painfully honest with yourself, give yourself a window of time to explore and work at something, and then evaluate how you’ve felt, how you’ve been thinking, and the goals or targets that you’ve hit (or missed) during the process. I think this can help give you confirmation around continuing something or putting it to rest.

What should our readers know about your business?

About My Business: I am the owner and principal designer of the DFW-based multi-disciplinary design company, Sang-Froid Design House. We provide services for residential & commercial interior design, graphic design, and human-centered design strategy. Being a design house is such a joy because we are enabled to design one-of-a-kind home interiors, create brand identities & cultivate problem-solving strategies alongside our clients.

How I Got into This Business:
I would like to say the start of my business was a culmination of design being in my DNA. Growing up, I was the kid who spent her time having a hand in designing SOMETHING. It was either designing a home on Sims, building theme parks on Rollercoaster Tycoon, painting portraits of superheroes, or creative directing upcycled fashion collections.

I received my undergrad degree in Interior Design & Architecture from OU, and my master’s in Human-Centered Design from SMU. My experiences there confirmed that diving into different facets of design was my path forward. During and after school, I freelanced for a variety of individuals and small businesses and worked as a Workplace Strategist for an architecture firm. I felt in my heart it was time to take a calculated risk and start Sang-Froid Design House.

What Sets Us Apart:
Sang-Froid Design House embodies the purpose-driven passion I have had for design since I was a little girl. My team and I work to spark new ideas, bring visions to life and solve problems that create new experiences and memories for clients. What makes us different is our design approach and process. We value working with our clients as our partners, and bringing them along the journey. We enjoy picking our client’s brains throughout the project and leveraging their perspectives in order to drive a design solution that feels authentic to them.

My Lessons & Major Keys:
(1) Do not discredit or doubt yourself just keep moving! Your instincts are all that you have. An old boss of mine once told me, “everything you need to move forward in where you want to go is already in you, you just have to start moving”

(2) Keeping your head in the game is so important, so apply strict tunnel vision. You do not have time to allow anyone or anything to distract or derail you. Tell yourself every day: “You are meant for greatness, you are on the cusp of greatness and you were made to do great things.”

(3) Write your plan to work your plan. Often I will write down a list of my top 5-10 vital to-do’s that I will need to accomplish every day for my business. If I cross off all 10 items, great. If I cross off three, I still made compounded progress that day. I challenge others to apply a similar structure.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ideal Itinerary: I would take my best friend to…

Entertainment:

The Perot Museum – It’s honestly one of the most fascinating pieces of architecture in Dallas to me. Beautifully designed inside and out. Knowing my best friend, she loves a good photo op, and the Perot is an amazing backdrop.

The Dallas Museum of Art – There’s always something new to see at the DMA. I’ve always found a special type of peacefulness when walking through the exhibits at the DMA.

The Look Cinema – My besties and I love catching a matinee or night movie.

Bowl & Barrel – Bowl & Barrel is such a nice place to go to in order to enjoy a few games of bowling and a GREAT happy hour menu.

Zero Latency DFW – Being that we sometimes have a competitive bug, we would definitely play a game of VR at Zero Latency.

Food & Drink/Vibes:

Cocktails at the Adolphus Hotel / The French Room – The Adolphus is such a great evening vibe! Sophisticated, incredible cocktails and an all-around nice environment to dress up and lounge.

Cork Wine Bar – Cork Wine Bar has great wine tasting experiences that we would definitely take part in.

Uchi Dallas – One of the best if not THE best sushi restaurant I’ve ever been to, we would definitely make a reservation to eat our hearts out at Uchi.

Jaxon Beer Garden – This area is a very chill place to go. Fun, enjoyable, and an all-around great vibe.

Terilli’s – Great Italian food!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I would first like to shout out to my family and friends! The level of encouragement, prayers and emotional support that I have received has been an incredible experience in itself. I am very thankful for the human beings in my life (my tribe) and I know I wouldn’t be where I am and who I am today without them.

Website: sangfroiddesignhouse.com

Instagram: symoneparson

Other: Business Instagram: @sangfroiddesignhouse

Image Credits
Staybryght

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