Bre Hance got her interest in design when she was still young, growing up in Tempe, Arizona with parents who worked in the home industry. Her father was a contractor for residential painting and drywall, while her mother was the project manager for a custom home builder. Several dinner table discussions with her parents about the nuances of home design and construction have sparked her interest, which eventually turned into a passion for “designing beautiful and functional spaces.”
Her experience as a Division 1 athlete and team leader gave Bre Hance the skills and experience she needed to lead a team professionally, and to deliver great results on a consistent basis. By constantly meeting and surpassing expectations, she is able to start and develop professional relationships because people trust her to deliver excellent results every time.
At InHance Interiors, Bre Hance has built a successful company through the strength of her network of contacts who believe in her vision and who are confident in her skills to take the business to the next level, as a “professional designer and business owner.”
Bre Hance works with a team of skilled and experienced creative professionals who can execute a specific vision to the smallest detail. Working together, they have built a diverse portfolio consisting of designs that are stylish, timeless, and high-concept.
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Jerome Knyszewski: What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
Bre Hance: Our company turns a generally difficult process into a seamless and enjoyable one. The team is made up of people who are genuinely enjoyable to work with, and we operate with a very transparent and systematic process that eliminates the stress and confusion that is common in this industry. We also just like to have fun! This is an exciting time for clients — let’s enjoy it!
Jerome Knyszewski: Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Bre Hance: Dig deeper into your client’s personalities. Find out what’s important to them and brainstorm ways to reflect that in your work with them. Maybe they are interested in dogs — can you execute a built-in doghouse? If they have kids who are involved in sports, how can you craft a playroom that takes their activities into consideration? Doing this not only prevents burnout, but it shows the client that you hear their vision, which leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty, and in turn fills your bucket!
Jerome Knyszewski: None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
Bre Hance: My husband was my inspiration for my business. He started a construction business years ago, which drove me to start designing for a small group of clients within his network. Those projects made me want to start InHance, and being around his network allowed me to have a starting point for the business. However, I am beyond grateful for my parents and their support and encouragement. There is literally not a thing in the world they have told me I couldn’t do or conquer. I have the most confidence ever and with everything I do. I really attribute it to them making me always feel like I was the best and I could do it — They let me shine!
Jerome Knyszewski: Ok thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of this interview. The title of this series is “How to take your company from good to great”. Let’s start with defining our terms. How would you define a “good” company, what does that look like? How would you define a “great” company, what does that look like?
Bre Hance: A good company is average. They may be half in/half out, unwilling or unable to learn from mistakes, never taking risks or valuing internal or external relationships, not operating as a team nor communicating well, and most importantly lacking vision and follow through.
A great company is the exact opposite — clear vision, open communication, encouraging collaboration, following through and sticking to their word, accepting feedback and truly implementing a better game plan, taking calculated risks, and really investing in company culture.
Jerome Knyszewski: What would you advise to a business leader who initially went through years of successive growth, but has now reached a standstill. From your experience do you have any general advice about how to boost growth and “restart their engines”?
Bre Hance: Never stop believing. Put all your energy and power behind it, pivot if you have to, invest in it — whether marketing or people, you have to spend money to make money.
Jerome Knyszewski: Generating new business, increasing your profits, or at least maintaining your financial stability can be challenging during good times, even more so during turbulent times. Can you share some of the strategies you use to keep forging ahead and not lose growth traction during a difficult economy?
Bre Hance: Doubling down on the customer experience has been the most important strategy, especially during COVID-19. Many prospective customers are economically strained or have doubts about the industry from bad past experiences. Repeatedly showing the customer that I am here to make their vision a reality and that I understand what they are looking for gives the customer a slightly higher peace of mind in a time of heightened uncertainty, and makes them feel comfortable knowing they are going to get their money’s worth.
Jerome Knyszewski: In your experience, which aspect of running a company tends to be most underestimated? Can you explain or give an example?
Bre Hance: Doing it right and well! I think everyone has a vision, but it’s hard to execute. You have to be quick on your feet and a thoughtful, critical thinker in order to build it out as fast as you grow, in order to create a wonderful customer experience, which is our mission.
Jerome Knyszewski: Can you share a few ways that a business can earn a reputation as a trusted and beloved brand?
Bre Hance: Follow through and stick to your word. There is nothing more important than being a reliable company. Following that, deliver. Exceed expectations. And always communicate. We operate extremely transparently and our clients feel way more comfortable that way.
Jerome Knyszewski: Great customer service and great customer experience are essential to build a beloved brand and essential to be successful in general. In your experience what are a few of the most important things a business leader should know in order to create a Wow! Customer Experience?
Bre Hance: Continually restate your client’s vision and goals in communicating with them to prove that you hear them and understand what they are looking for. This habit inspires a client relationship built on trust and communication — every client wants to feel unique, so make sure they know that they are.
Jerome Knyszewski: What are your thoughts about how a company should be engaged on Social Media? For example, the advisory firm EisnerAmper conducted 6 yearly surveys of United States corporate boards, and directors reported that one of their most pressing concerns was reputational risk as a result of social media. Do you share this concern? We’d love to hear your thoughts about this.
Bre Hance: There are many different approaches to navigating a social media presence — I tend to prioritize showcasing InHance’s personality. In between project update posts, I give our followers a glimpse into being a mom entrepreneur, wife, and all-around multitasker. By approaching social media with openness and vulnerability as opposed to the more refined/corporate layout, I worry less about hurting our reputation and focus instead on giving my followers a comprehensive (and potentially inspiring) view into our work and lives as businesswomen.
Jerome Knyszewski: What are the most common mistakes you have seen CEOs & founders make when they start a business? What can be done to avoid those errors?
Bre Hance: Getting in their own way. Know your strengths and focus on your highest and best use, and delegate the rest. Trying to do all of it is going to take a long time!
Jerome Knyszewski: Thank you for all of that. We are nearly done. You are a person of great influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
Bre Hance: I would want to find a way to give more resources to inner city kids. Help even the playing field a bit. Whether it’s the YMCA type facilities, internet for everyone, and/or access to after school programs that allow these kids to be introduced to an entire world of possibilities.
Jerome Knyszewski: How can our readers further follow you online?
Bre Hance: You can find me on:
IG: @inhance_interiors
Facebook: InHance Interiors
Website: www.inhanceinteriors.com/
Jerome Knyszewski: This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent with this!
