About Jennifer Johnson-Dwyer
Jennifer was born in Stuttgart, Germany. She left Germany for the U.S. in 1994 to attend Lafayette College in Easton, PA. After 2 years, she decided to make the cross-country trek to California where she transferred to California State University, Long Beach and completed her B.A. in German Studies (minor in Psychology). Jennifer truly enjoys learning and has obtained a M.B.A degree from University of Phoenix, a Master’s Certificate in Government Contracting from Old Dominion University and is currently enrolled in an Interior Architecture and Design program at the Academy of Art University.
Jennifer presently lives on Oahu, HI with her husband Craig, 1 dog and 2 cats. She loves to travel, garden, spend time with her family and pets, hike, salsa dance, play soccer, anything creative and enjoying life to the max!
Eclectic Designs provides the following services:
Floral Design: Special events- Corporate, Banquet, Private, Hotel
Photography: Portrait, Pet, Corporate and Special Events
Interiors: Consulting Services (Move-In, Color Selection, Re-Design) and Staging Services for the public, realtors, investors
Spotlight on Success questions...
1) Where did you get started in your business?
I started Eclectic Designs in my mind when I was about 5! Even at a young age, I'd always fantasized of having my own company. Some women I've met over the years have had their wedding day practically envisioned since birth. Not the case for me- for me, it was my business. When I was in the planning stages of the company, I was unsure how the public would perceive unveiling a company that offered such a range of services and by only one person. In the end, I decided to go with my initial instincts and provide photography, floral design and interior services. I'm extremely passionate about what I do and just as there are artists who use mixed mediums for their artwork (i.e. oils, pastels, charcoal, etc), I too use different design outlets to express my creativity. The design principles are the same, how they're executed merely changes.
I officially started Eclectic Designs in the Hampton Roads area of Southern Virginia in January 2006, but have moved the company with my family to beautiful Oahu, Hawai'i in May 2007.
2) What values do you try to live by?
I LIVE by honesty, integrity and without sounding too cliché, the notion of "do onto others...". A company can offer a stellar product or service, but if the people behind the company name are corrupt or don't respect their company or clients, they'll never be successful.
3) Who do you consider to be a role model?
It's really hard to pinpoint any ONE person as a role model. I am who I am today as a result of such a vast number of individuals and moments in my life. I was born and raised in Germany to an American Father and a German Mother. All of my 5 uncles (Mom's side) were entrepreneurs- they owned their own businesses, were self starters and most of them had even built their own homes. My Mother definitely instilled honesty and respecting others in me at an early age. My Mom taught me that sometimes being honest may initially feel harder, but in the long-run you're better off telling the truth! My Father always had a positive attitude about life and his famous motto was "it takes more muscles to frown than to smile," so I carry that with me when life gets hectic. I also consider my husband, Craig a huge role model. He's probably one of the most level-headed, calm and patient people that I know. My friends, extended family, teachers, professors, professional peers & other women business owners all have helped shaped me!
4) Name one of your biggest challenges and how you learned from that situation.
One of my biggest challenges was deciding to take the leap from a secure, corporate position with benefits and a steady income to launch Eclectic Designs. It was a scary decision, but I made the best decision for me and have not regrets about the change. Another challenge that I face is that I can be quite shy and loathe the notion of being a pushy car salesperson. I've learned that you have to believe in yourself 200% for others to believe in you and that you need to find what tactics work best for you and your personality. Lastly, there's never a dull moment as a small business owner. Envision a corporate organizational chart and the personnel involved in running a large corporation. Then morph all of the titles and assign them to one person- that's what being a small business owner is like! Every situation brings about its own obstacles, but the approach is the important factor.
5) When was your most successful moment to date?
I can honestly say that everyday since the inception of Eclectic Designs has been a successful moment. Some people may determine success by monetary figures only! It's much deeper than that for me. The services I provide are geared to increasing the quality of life for my clients- whether it be capturing a special moment on camera, transforming a home with design or making an event even more special with flowers. I'm happy with my decisions and proud of the direction the company is headed and that allows me to sleep better at night.
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