“In the early days of social media, things were a lot different than what the experience is today and I feel almost lucky to have started during that time. I soon began to build my business and blog, but without much trained experience and industry knowledge it was rough and I have most certainly gone through many ups and downs to get to the phase I am in now, but also I don’t think I would change much if I look back on where I started from.”

Lea Johnson

Tell us a bit about your Creekwoodhill and how you got started in this industry?

My start in the industry came about very organically but also a bit happenstance. I didn’t plan to
start a business. I began using social media (primarily Instagram) as a way to digitally document
the build of what was then our home. Also, it provided me a creative outlet as well as served as
a source of inspiration that is much different than what I was seeing on Pinterest and Tumblr. I
learned I actually loved the social aspect of social media and soon found myself networking with
other like minded individuals within the interiors community, which further fueled my passion.

With social media opening new opportunities every day, what do you think the future of
e-design/styling will look like in 5 years?

I can only imagine the e-design/styling industry will grow over the next 5 years and become
more and more mainstream with generations such as millennials and gen z. Technology will of
course change but I think we will see a shift of a more advanced way of creating and delivering virtual design/styling/architecture while a more mainstream way of utilizing NFTs becomes the
future and the norm. Who knows, maybe even AI will play a major role in its evolution which
otherwise speaking is very manual and even quite analog.

As an entrepreneur, can you tell us the importance of social media and its impact on
your small business?

For me personally, my business almost worked backwards. Like the whole ‘which came first
the chicken or the egg’ saying. It was more of a here are all these people who want to hire me,
want to work with me, want to pay me to create but I don’t yet have a business scenario.

After some time building my business, I can only think that social media played the biggest role in
Creekwoodhill’s inception. Not to say that Creekwoodhill was influenced and built for social
media, I want to be very clear that Creekwoodhill is very much me and my own ideas and
ideology. However, let’s be honest, social media has made reaching out to people who you may
not have previously otherwise ever been in the same room with that much closer. In short, the
world doesn’t seem as large anymore. Most of everyone can find someone, hire someone, buy
something, etc. right at the tip of their fingers.

Lastly, what advice do you have for women looking to grow their own business in this industry?

Do it! There will never be a right or wrong time or a perfect time. You will always think it’s
not ready, not good enough, not finished enough, etc. But it is far better to start something and
put it out there while putting yourself out there than to leave it unfinished and sitting on the shelf.

Interviewing Lea Johnson felt equally as nerve-wracking as it did surreal. Lea’s work styling interiors is truly the icing on the cake to any home. As for her writing, Lea’s words emanates the feeling of true comfort only an old friend could give. Writing about a writer isn’t the easiest especially when you consider them as an inspiration. Thank you again, Lea for letting us feature you on the Auden Street blog!