Jane Verity Smart is an interior designer with a heart for healthcare spaces. In this episode, Jane shares her journey from corporate design to creating dementia-friendly environments. She reveals how personal loss fuelled her passion and led to a new venture in property staging. Jane talks about how she balances her thriving business with family life and gives valuable tips for success in the design world.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Jane specialises in healthcare and dementia-friendly interior design, transforming spaces to boost occupancy rates and improve patient well-being.
• Her approach focuses on sustainability, acoustics, and nature-inspired elements to create calming environments for patients and staff.
• Jane expanded her business to include property staging, allowing her to work locally while supporting her family after her husband's passing.
• The importance of listening to clients and individualising design, even within corporate guidelines, has been key to Jane's success throughout her career.
• Jane uses AI tools like ChatGPT and Microsoft Co-Pilot Designer to enhance her social media presence and streamline content creation.
• Balancing work and family life is crucial for Jane, who structures her day to include family time, dog walks, and focused work periods.
• Jane's definition of success focuses on happiness and fulfilment, prioritising being present for her family while running a successful business.
• Overcoming personal loss taught Jane the importance of living in the present and focusing on what truly matters in life and business.

BEST MOMENTS 

"Studies reveal that such environments can boost occupancy rates by up to 15 percent and foster tranquil atmosphere for patients. So it creates a really meaningful aspect to interior design."

"I listen to what people say because so many people don't listen."

"My definition of success, one of the biggest words is happiness because if you're not happy what's the point and that's another reason why I want to continue doing this and not just go and get a job and do something because it pays the bills because I want fulfilment in life."

"I've been doing this for over 30 years and I started out working in an architect's practice, worked there for 13 years and won a competition to design Audi showrooms, the car, and did that for quite a long time and took them through three corporate identity stages."

"You'd walk in the door and it would just smell really awful. And just look horrible as well, really clinical, very sort of hospital like, not homely at all, not somewhere that you wanted to go into, not somewhere that as a sort of somebody in their 20s or a child would want to go into."

ABOUT THE GUEST

Jane Verity Smart

I create and lead Property Staging transformations for Homeowners, Property Developers/Investors for Sale, SA, and HMOs in Leeds and surrounding areas. With over 30 years of design experience in commercial and residential interior design. I transform properties to create a lasting impact, achieving record Client property sales and value.

jane@viapropertystagers.com

0845 643 68 65

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/janeveritysmart

Instagram: @via_property_stagers

@jane_verity_smart

@viainteriors

HOST BIOS

Toni C. Eastwood OBE, MBA, (Business Transformation Coach and Facilitator)

Award-winning entrepreneur, who knows exactly what it’s like to start and scale NFP Business, raising multi-millions in funding. She has served as a non-executive board member and Chair of several charities and NFP organisations. With 30 years’   experience in SME, Business startup and growth, as Director of a FTSE 30 Company, starting and growing two businesses over the last 12yrs. Toni knows what it’s like to leave the familiar behind, to personally risk  everything to follow your passion for service and importantly to handle the inevitable obstacles along the way. 

Lesley Craven MA – Programme Director – (Business Transformation Coach and Facilitator)

Lesley has spent 30+ years leading public and social sector delivery, and as a CEO of numerous NFP organisations. She is an accomplished bid writer, facilitator, and business coach leading our delivery to 1000s of Small Business Owners and Leaders over the last 4 years.

PODCAST DESCRIPTION

The Women On Purpose Podcast is where we keep it real, have fun, an authentic and entertaining platform for individuals seeking personal growth, purpose-driven living, and the full range of emotions that make life an adventure.  We share some laughter, and yes, there might even be a few tears along the way. We want the conversation to flow and will be chatting with our guests learning more about their successes, challenges, and how they have navigated these sharing the tools and techniques they may have used alongside us sharing our tips and techniques from our ASPIRE Model.