315: From Corporate Marketing To A Thriving Interior Design Firm, Anne Lopez, CEO of Studio 790 Interior Design

Building a business while raising a family often sounds like a contradiction, but the conversation on Call Me CEO shows how it can become a designed life instead of a constant tradeoff. Host Camille Walker talks with Anne Lopez, CEO of Studio 790 in Miami, about leaving a stable corporate career to start an interior design business at 39, then facing COVID and a surprise divorce as a new single mom. The core message is clear for women entrepreneurs and mom business owners: you do not need a perfect background to start, but you do need ownership of your time, your values, and your next right step.

Anne’s story highlights a practical entrepreneurship lesson that is easy to miss: confidence is often built after action, not before it. She describes early projects where she didn’t know construction language, asked for time, and taught herself through research. That willingness to learn on the fly becomes a repeatable leadership skill for founders. Instead of pretending, she uses honesty and follow-through, which builds trust with clients and supports long-term growth. For anyone starting a service-based business, this is a reminder that competence can be developed quickly when the mission is personal and the stakes are real.

The episode also gets concrete about pricing strategy, a major pain point for women in business. Anne keeps her model simple with an hourly rate, but adds clarity by setting minimums and maximums so clients can budget with confidence. Transparency lowers friction, reduces scope stress, and helps clients feel safe, which can increase conversions and referrals. Camille reinforces the mindset piece: separating emotion from math, valuing expertise, and adjusting pricing based on real data. A smart takeaway for small business owners is to “set it and forget it” for a year, then review results and refine.

Design is not treated as decoration, but as a tool for connection and well-being. Anne shares how listening to a client’s emotional needs can turn a room into a sanctuary, and she offers actionable interior design tips for people not ready to hire a firm. Start with one space, write down how you want to feel there, and make one cohesive change such as paint or lighting rather than impulse-buying random pieces. She warns that a room fails when items do not work together, even if each item is “nice.” The budgeting advice is equally grounded: save intentionally, account for tax and shipping, and avoid stretching so far that the project becomes a burden.

Finally, the conversation turns to working on the business, not just in it, through AI tools and systems. Anne describes an “AI first” culture where the team uses AI for better emails, automated reporting, faster drawings, and rapid website and landing page builds. The larger point is strategic: AI is not a threat when it is used to serve people better, create operational leverage, and protect time for family and health. Pair that with habits like reading, exercise, and intentional connection, and you get a sustainable model of purpose-led growth for ambitious women who also want a life they recognize.