July 12, 2024 • 11 mins
After dedicating 32 years to a successful finance career, I decided to retire and pursue my true passion - holiday decorating. My journey from the corporate world to the creative realm has been an exciting and fulfilling venture.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Athie Wright went from a Corporate Americajob to a Christmas angel. Hear how
(00:06):
she is now living her best lifeon my Dana Tyson podcast right here on
Sunday ninety nine point one. Ina little bit of Christmas behind you,
Yes it's Christmas in July. Ihave to give people just a little idea
of how you and I met.There is a winter wonderland in bel Air.
It's called Craft Decks, and lastyear was my first experience at Kraft
(00:29):
Decks, and we did a Chrislast year actually was a Christmas in July
grand opening of their Christmas Wonderland.They did it again in June and I
met Kathy and you came over andyou was just like, I've been listening
to Sonny for how many years?Twenty five years, twenty five years,
the whole time I've lived in Houston. So you were telling me about how
(00:52):
you're now living your dream life.Worked with Corporate America, and then one
day you said, I am goingto be the Chris Smith's decorator. And
you went from Shell to now aChristmas decorator like your dream job. Yes,
so I worked in Corporate America forthirty two years. I had a
successful career in finance, and itwas my passion for a long time.
(01:15):
I loved what I did, Ilove the people I worked with, and
on the side, I always havehad this love for Christmas and I am
just nuts about Christmas. I'm theone that starts decorating usually in October,
and I've grown to put up seventrees in my house area. And I
as I share pictures with my friends, several of them said, you really
(01:38):
should do this for a living,Like you really should, and I'm like,
I wonder if I could really dothat for a living. So I
thought about it for a couple ofyears, and the chance came up to
take early retirement from Shell, andI decided I was going to go for
it. So I retired early,well if you can call thirty two years
(01:59):
early young age wise, and Idecided I am going to follow my passion.
And my passion is truly making awinter wonderland and making people's Christmas dreams
come true. I want all thehappiness that I have in my house when
I decorate, to put that atother people's homes as well. I love
(02:20):
it. Now I know craft Xis a big part of your journey but
what was the first thing inspire peoplewho are watching the first thing you did.
It's one thing to have the idea, but you had to put it
into practice. So what did youdo? So the first thing I did
is I started following every Christmas designerI could on Instagram and looked at their
(02:40):
ideas and looked at their names.And I found a mentor in Dallas who's
been doing this for over fifteen yearsand us on the business side of opening
a design business, and that helpedme exponentially. Is amazing. It's abs
(03:01):
holiday de corps and she has beenthe best mentor to me. So all
these small things questions I can goto her on. She is the designer
herself, She is okay, andshe was willing to share some trades,
some secrets. Yeah, she's sharedsome. For she has at least one
or two classes a year that peoplecan join. And I did that and
(03:23):
it got me started. It alsoallowed me to form a network of other
people like me to talk to aboutit, to get ideas. And I
will say it's been it's it's beena great thing for me. Now.
When we were at Crafts for theirgrand opening of their Winter Wonderland, you
met the Hollyballs girls. Right,they're shark tanks. I love them.
(03:47):
Right, three cousins who made iton shark Tank got all this funding there.
Now they're in Houston, Houston growncompany. They're huge, beautiful holiday
balls that you hang from your outdoortrees. And I saw you talking to
them and taking pictures with them.I'm going to have them on my podcast.
They're traveling this war good. Ilove them. Weren't they amazing?
(04:09):
Oh, they're amazing. I actuallyI've watched them on sharp Tank. I
love their products and I have plannedI've already sent their pictures to a couple
of my friends who do are goingto hire twelve foot trees, and I
love the also the idea of puttingthem at the bottom of the tree to
kind of fill that space. SoI've already sent ideas. But I didn't
even realize they're from Houston. Soit was so exciting to meet them in
(04:32):
person and to talk about their amazingproducts. I love them and just the
same thing. They just talk topeople. They learned, people shared their
secrets. Women were willing to justsay, you know, this is what
I did. No one was hoardingtheir information. I think that's the key.
Collaboration is so important. And soas I'm looking at your tree,
(04:53):
can you describe it a little bitwhere you got your inspiration from. Yes,
this one. Actually they're ribbon that'son the tree. I bought a
craft Tech that day. The redand the White people. I love using
the high high quality ribbon from usuallyfrom Parasol, who is also at at
craft Tech Sunday, and to me, I love to start with ribbon and
(05:17):
with for this show, I wantedto do a classic red and white design.
On my website, you'll see somemore non traditional designs, so you'll
see some neutral, you'll see somepink, you'll see a very rustic,
You'll see all kinds of examples.But this one I wanted to do more
traditional, and I wanted it tobe more fun, and I wanted it
(05:38):
to be showcase some special Santa ornamentsthat I've collected over the years to work
it in. Because that's one thingI get asked a lot is if I
hire you, will it be allstandard ornaments or can I still use some
of my beloved you know, keepsakeornaments. And I say absolutely use you
know, let's use your beloved ornaments. And so on this, I've used
(06:00):
a couple of my santas that Ilove, some red and white, some
silver ones, and that's a goodway to incorporate. Pick a ribbon,
pick a theme, and then incorporatethose loved items in it. So that
was my inspiration is classic and incorporate, incorporate what you love. Because I
think the key, and this iswhat I've learned from others, the key
(06:23):
is customization. So I've even gottenthe tagline of customization as our specialty.
So what the customer wants, that'swhat they should have. It shouldn't be
just my vision, it should betheir dreams coming true. So that's your
company called Kathy, right, Imean, what's your company called? Where
can we find? I did useI used to play on my name,
(06:43):
and it's called The Right Holiday Design. So love it the wr ight And
I'm on Instagram and I'm on Facebook, and I have my own website,
so it's www. The Right Holidaydesigndot com. And I think that's fun.
Like the biggest you asked me someof my challenges and things earlier on
starting it. It's not the decorating. I love that. It brings me
(07:06):
so much joy and it's that's notthe problem. I've even though I like
write and even America, I thinkone of my biggest challenges has been I
learned to build my own website.I've learned how to do Instagram rules.
I've learned how to put video togetherwith music. So those are the skills
(07:27):
that I that I'm really stretching on, and I'm really enjoying those. It's
just a brand new skill set.Well, when I met you, the
passion just jumped out of you.I was like, oh my gosh,
who is this woman? And Iknow you get a little inspiration from the
Christmas music on Sunny, but stillyou are like, yeah, I love
that love. I love Christmas.I love Christmas. Yes, if someone
(07:50):
were to want you to decorate theirhouse, how soon should we get in
touch? What's your timeline? SoI'm actually running what Special right now for
Christmas in July, so it startsnow. I already have my first two
bookings. So to get the dateyou want in the installation windows, so
I install from November first through Decemberfifteenth, and so all it takes is
(08:11):
one hundred dollars deposit to secure yourdate and then you have that date locked
in and make sure that you getan installation of the date that you choose.
So all you have to do isgo on my website. There's a
schedule of free consultation button and there'syou know It'll send me a message to
my email and I'll get back withyou right away and on the forum to
(08:33):
complete, and then I talk toyou about what your dream is. You
know, what is your dream foryour tree? Is there a picture you've
seen that you love? What isit? And then we book it and
in between now and then I'll sendan inspiration board of from our conversation,
this is what I it sounds likeyou want. Is this inspiration what you
(08:56):
want? And then we go fromthere. At the I love what you're
doing. You must be just thehappiest lady. Now. I had to
spend time in corporate America to bewhere you are today, Yes, exactly,
and I appreciate those years. Iappreciate those years, but I have
to say it feels different. Iwake up in the morning and I'm so
(09:16):
happy. I can't wait to getup and like, I have a to
do list? What are you todo today? I'm going to film a
video, I'm going to decorate thistree, I'm going to do this,
and it feels different. And myfamily has said, wow, you're so
much happier, Like not that Iwasn't happy before, but it's just it
just it just shows. And I'verun into people I used to work with
(09:37):
and they're like, you look younger. Your I sparkle, and I'm like,
I'm just happy. I'm almost giddy. Christmas. Yes, Christmas year
all. I love it. Itjust makes me so happy. And I
do love that Sonny starts the musicearly because it's so funny. My son
will even text me here, Sonny'scoming on this day, just coming on.
We're they're starting Christmas music and I'mlike, yes, little and constant.
(10:01):
After that hurricane, we should startChristmas music even earlier this year.
Right, yes, so I wasselling Dana. I'm on generator power right
amazing. But we have no powerfrom the hurricane, and we were also
hit by the tornado a few weeksago and we're still doing repairs on our
house from that. But I'm notletting those things set me back. It
(10:22):
doesn't impact my joy and it doesn'texpect impact my love for Christmas. I'm
just love it. I am soglad you bring us, bring us some
joy, and you're going to bringbeauty to the holidays, lots of joy,
and I just had to share yourstory. Thank you for taking a
little time. I hear no generatoror anything. Oh okay, I'm glad.
(10:43):
I'm glad that this is my oldCorporate America at your piece. Well
you did great, glad. NOI'sreduction works. The best of luck to
you and to all those who arewatching. Go check out Kathy's Instagram and
and see maybe she can decorate yourhouse this year and make it. I
would love to do. I loveit. Thank you so much. Love,
bye bye, bye bye
Athie Wright went from a Corporate Americajob to a Christmas angel. Hear how
(00:06):
she is now living her best lifeon my Dana Tyson podcast right here on
Sunday ninety nine point one. Ina little bit of Christmas behind you,
Yes it's Christmas in July. Ihave to give people just a little idea
of how you and I met.There is a winter wonderland in bel Air.
It's called Craft Decks, and lastyear was my first experience at Kraft
(00:29):
Decks, and we did a Chrislast year actually was a Christmas in July
grand opening of their Christmas Wonderland.They did it again in June and I
met Kathy and you came over andyou was just like, I've been listening
to Sonny for how many years?Twenty five years, twenty five years,
the whole time I've lived in Houston. So you were telling me about how
(00:52):
you're now living your dream life.Worked with Corporate America, and then one
day you said, I am goingto be the Chris Smith's decorator. And
you went from Shell to now aChristmas decorator like your dream job. Yes,
so I worked in Corporate America forthirty two years. I had a
successful career in finance, and itwas my passion for a long time.
(01:15):
I loved what I did, Ilove the people I worked with, and
on the side, I always havehad this love for Christmas and I am
just nuts about Christmas. I'm theone that starts decorating usually in October,
and I've grown to put up seventrees in my house area. And I
as I share pictures with my friends, several of them said, you really
(01:38):
should do this for a living,Like you really should, and I'm like,
I wonder if I could really dothat for a living. So I
thought about it for a couple ofyears, and the chance came up to
take early retirement from Shell, andI decided I was going to go for
it. So I retired early,well if you can call thirty two years
(01:59):
early young age wise, and Idecided I am going to follow my passion.
And my passion is truly making awinter wonderland and making people's Christmas dreams
come true. I want all thehappiness that I have in my house when
I decorate, to put that atother people's homes as well. I love
(02:20):
it. Now I know craft Xis a big part of your journey but
what was the first thing inspire peoplewho are watching the first thing you did.
It's one thing to have the idea, but you had to put it
into practice. So what did youdo? So the first thing I did
is I started following every Christmas designerI could on Instagram and looked at their
(02:40):
ideas and looked at their names.And I found a mentor in Dallas who's
been doing this for over fifteen yearsand us on the business side of opening
a design business, and that helpedme exponentially. Is amazing. It's abs
(03:01):
holiday de corps and she has beenthe best mentor to me. So all
these small things questions I can goto her on. She is the designer
herself, She is okay, andshe was willing to share some trades,
some secrets. Yeah, she's sharedsome. For she has at least one
or two classes a year that peoplecan join. And I did that and
(03:23):
it got me started. It alsoallowed me to form a network of other
people like me to talk to aboutit, to get ideas. And I
will say it's been it's it's beena great thing for me. Now.
When we were at Crafts for theirgrand opening of their Winter Wonderland, you
met the Hollyballs girls. Right,they're shark tanks. I love them.
(03:47):
Right, three cousins who made iton shark Tank got all this funding there.
Now they're in Houston, Houston growncompany. They're huge, beautiful holiday
balls that you hang from your outdoortrees. And I saw you talking to
them and taking pictures with them.I'm going to have them on my podcast.
They're traveling this war good. Ilove them. Weren't they amazing?
(04:09):
Oh, they're amazing. I actuallyI've watched them on sharp Tank. I
love their products and I have plannedI've already sent their pictures to a couple
of my friends who do are goingto hire twelve foot trees, and I
love the also the idea of puttingthem at the bottom of the tree to
kind of fill that space. SoI've already sent ideas. But I didn't
even realize they're from Houston. Soit was so exciting to meet them in
(04:32):
person and to talk about their amazingproducts. I love them and just the
same thing. They just talk topeople. They learned, people shared their
secrets. Women were willing to justsay, you know, this is what
I did. No one was hoardingtheir information. I think that's the key.
Collaboration is so important. And soas I'm looking at your tree,
(04:53):
can you describe it a little bitwhere you got your inspiration from. Yes,
this one. Actually they're ribbon that'son the tree. I bought a
craft Tech that day. The redand the White people. I love using
the high high quality ribbon from usuallyfrom Parasol, who is also at at
craft Tech Sunday, and to me, I love to start with ribbon and
(05:17):
with for this show, I wantedto do a classic red and white design.
On my website, you'll see somemore non traditional designs, so you'll
see some neutral, you'll see somepink, you'll see a very rustic,
You'll see all kinds of examples.But this one I wanted to do more
traditional, and I wanted it tobe more fun, and I wanted it
(05:38):
to be showcase some special Santa ornamentsthat I've collected over the years to work
it in. Because that's one thingI get asked a lot is if I
hire you, will it be allstandard ornaments or can I still use some
of my beloved you know, keepsakeornaments. And I say absolutely use you
know, let's use your beloved ornaments. And so on this, I've used
(06:00):
a couple of my santas that Ilove, some red and white, some
silver ones, and that's a goodway to incorporate. Pick a ribbon,
pick a theme, and then incorporatethose loved items in it. So that
was my inspiration is classic and incorporate, incorporate what you love. Because I
think the key, and this iswhat I've learned from others, the key
(06:23):
is customization. So I've even gottenthe tagline of customization as our specialty.
So what the customer wants, that'swhat they should have. It shouldn't be
just my vision, it should betheir dreams coming true. So that's your
company called Kathy, right, Imean, what's your company called? Where
can we find? I did useI used to play on my name,
(06:43):
and it's called The Right Holiday Design. So love it the wr ight And
I'm on Instagram and I'm on Facebook, and I have my own website,
so it's www. The Right Holidaydesigndot com. And I think that's fun.
Like the biggest you asked me someof my challenges and things earlier on
starting it. It's not the decorating. I love that. It brings me
(07:06):
so much joy and it's that's notthe problem. I've even though I like
write and even America, I thinkone of my biggest challenges has been I
learned to build my own website.I've learned how to do Instagram rules.
I've learned how to put video togetherwith music. So those are the skills
(07:27):
that I that I'm really stretching on, and I'm really enjoying those. It's
just a brand new skill set.Well, when I met you, the
passion just jumped out of you.I was like, oh my gosh,
who is this woman? And Iknow you get a little inspiration from the
Christmas music on Sunny, but stillyou are like, yeah, I love
that love. I love Christmas.I love Christmas. Yes, if someone
(07:50):
were to want you to decorate theirhouse, how soon should we get in
touch? What's your timeline? SoI'm actually running what Special right now for
Christmas in July, so it startsnow. I already have my first two
bookings. So to get the dateyou want in the installation windows, so
I install from November first through Decemberfifteenth, and so all it takes is
(08:11):
one hundred dollars deposit to secure yourdate and then you have that date locked
in and make sure that you getan installation of the date that you choose.
So all you have to do isgo on my website. There's a
schedule of free consultation button and there'syou know It'll send me a message to
my email and I'll get back withyou right away and on the forum to
(08:33):
complete, and then I talk toyou about what your dream is. You
know, what is your dream foryour tree? Is there a picture you've
seen that you love? What isit? And then we book it and
in between now and then I'll sendan inspiration board of from our conversation,
this is what I it sounds likeyou want. Is this inspiration what you
(08:56):
want? And then we go fromthere. At the I love what you're
doing. You must be just thehappiest lady. Now. I had to
spend time in corporate America to bewhere you are today, Yes, exactly,
and I appreciate those years. Iappreciate those years, but I have
to say it feels different. Iwake up in the morning and I'm so
(09:16):
happy. I can't wait to getup and like, I have a to
do list? What are you todo today? I'm going to film a
video, I'm going to decorate thistree, I'm going to do this,
and it feels different. And myfamily has said, wow, you're so
much happier, Like not that Iwasn't happy before, but it's just it
just it just shows. And I'verun into people I used to work with
(09:37):
and they're like, you look younger. Your I sparkle, and I'm like,
I'm just happy. I'm almost giddy. Christmas. Yes, Christmas year
all. I love it. Itjust makes me so happy. And I
do love that Sonny starts the musicearly because it's so funny. My son
will even text me here, Sonny'scoming on this day, just coming on.
We're they're starting Christmas music and I'mlike, yes, little and constant.
(10:01):
After that hurricane, we should startChristmas music even earlier this year.
Right, yes, so I wasselling Dana. I'm on generator power right
amazing. But we have no powerfrom the hurricane, and we were also
hit by the tornado a few weeksago and we're still doing repairs on our
house from that. But I'm notletting those things set me back. It
(10:22):
doesn't impact my joy and it doesn'texpect impact my love for Christmas. I'm
just love it. I am soglad you bring us, bring us some
joy, and you're going to bringbeauty to the holidays, lots of joy,
and I just had to share yourstory. Thank you for taking a
little time. I hear no generatoror anything. Oh okay, I'm glad.
(10:43):
I'm glad that this is my oldCorporate America at your piece. Well
you did great, glad. NOI'sreduction works. The best of luck to
you and to all those who arewatching. Go check out Kathy's Instagram and
and see maybe she can decorate yourhouse this year and make it. I
would love to do. I loveit. Thank you so much. Love,
bye bye, bye bye
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