Judging by the professional quality of her home staging photographs, you would probably never guess that the owner of Holly’s Home Matters, a home staging company located in Bel Air Maryland, has actually spent the past 20 years working as a Registered Nurse.
In fact, Staging Diva Graduate, Holly Battaglia is the mother of four children aged 7-14 and she still works part-time as a nurse while operating her creatively fulfilling home staging business on a full-time basis.
The fact that Holly can make positive changes in people’s lives through home staging while working part-time to help people in the most literal sense as a nurse is remarkable.
Holly recently wrote me to share her most memorable home staging experience where she left quite a lasting impression on her client.
After a home had sat on the market for ten months, the owners switched real estate agents and the new agent called Holly on Labor Day. That evening, Holly met with the exasperated homeowners and their new agent to discuss what needed to happen get the home sold. Four days later the home was completely transformed.
Credit: Danielle Arcilesi Photography
The property sold that weekend after its first showing post-staging.
The price had been increased to cover the costs of staging and updates, but they actually received over and above their asking price.
Holly writes, “This was a couple that spoke minimal English but they were very trusting of everything I did. Four difficult days of rearranging, bringing in updated furniture and hauling unwanted clutter to the dump, all paid off. It was a great feeling. This past New Years the homeowner emailed me from his home in Korea to thank me once again. He wanted to know if I remembered him because he would never forget me. It was the most rewarding project I’ve ever been part of.”
The fact that Holly is able to manage a large family, continue working as a registered nurse part-time and operate a successful home staging business should inspire many people wondering if they could manage to stage homes around their “day job.”
Do you operate your home staging business alongside another professional career? Did you leave a meaningful career to explore the world of home staging? Please share your experiences by leaving a comment below.
Debra Gould, The Staging Diva®
President, Six Elements Inc. Home Staging
Debra Gould knows how to make money as a home stager and she developed the Staging Diva Home Staging Business Training Program to teach others how to earn a living doing something they love while helping others at the same time.
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- Home Staging brings offers after real estate listing sits two years
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks Shirin. Yes, I can only hope that I have to make that tough decision. I am fortunate enough to work at a fabulous place, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns-Hopkins. I can be staging one day and then go to work with Bone Marrow Transplant patients the next. I can’t really say that I love one more than the other. I am off to work overnight tonight and genuinely look forward to my time as a nurse. I recently provided a silent auction item for a March of Dimes Signature Chef’s Auction that was chaired by our VP of Nursing, Dr. Karen Haller. I was thrilled that my nurse manager asked me to participate and to represent our unit in this worthy cause. Yvette Gordon of Type A Productions, LLC is also an RN on our unit and a professional photographer that combined with me to offer an amazing package. Yvette is one of the featured photographers on my website. I realize how many people are unhappy in their careers and I feel very blessed to have two careers that I love!
Way to go, Holly, you are doing a great job, and a rewarding one at that.
I raised my children while being a hair stylist for 36 years, and at the age of 62 I decided to make a change to home staging, its what I love.
Congratulations, keep up the good work.
Holly your story is inspiring. From my own experience, I’ve to say that as you get busier and busier, you’ll find that you have to make some hard choices, so I’m not sure how long you can continue to do both nursing and staging in addition to being a mom. It is always wonderful to hear about people, like you, who have the confidence to make such big changes. Congratulations and good luck!
Wow, Holly! What an inspiration! Both your talent and enthusiasm have come together to create a successful career. Not only do your clients benefit, but your children are growing up under the care of a very talented mom. I love that!!!!
Best wishes to you for continued success (and restful sleep!).
Hi Debra!
I have no problem believing that a registered nurse can make a success of home staging as a business! I left criminal law to open a home staging business and have never been happier! When I was working in criminal law, towards the end, I had to stop 2 or 3 times on my way to work to vomit on the side of the road. I no longer have to vomit. In fact, rarely do I hear my alarm clock ring because I’m up before it does, raring to go and anxious for the day to start so I can get to work. Thanks for showing me how to get my business off on the right foot.
Just wanted to give a shout out to Danielle Arcilesi of Danielle’s Real Estate Photography. Her site can be viewed at http://www.dphotos.net. She and I often pair up on jobs and most photos including the “after” photo above was courtesy of Danielle. I like to align myself with professionals that have the same work ethic as I do. I have been amazed with the support provided to me through the Staging Diva Network. The resources are endless! Thanks so much for your support and encouragement and I look forward to sharing more inspirational stories in the future!
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