An Interview With Fotis Georgiadis
When you’re looking for partnerships, you want a relationship, not a transaction.
As a part of our series about business leaders who are shaking things up in their industry, I had the pleasure of interviewing Stephen Houck, CEO of Stacy Garcia.
Stacy Garcia is a successful creative entrepreneur and founder of multiple business enterprises and brands: LebaTex, Inc., Stacy Garcia Blue Label, Stacy Garcia | New York, Stacy Garcia Home, and Stay by Stacy Garcia. Respected for her inventive use of color and remarkable design skills, Stacy Garcia knows the hospitality, home decor and lifestyle design industries inside and out. Celebrating over 25 years of experience in the design industry, Stacy brings a contemporary, well-traveled aesthetic to the ever-evolving world of fashion and interiors. Holding multiple trademarks in many categories around the world, this internationally renowned designer has partnered with some of the world’s leading manufacturers and retailers to create products that span from floor to ceiling for hotels and homes on a global scale.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
I’ve always been very artistic and naturally gravitated towards the arts. I studied surface pattern design at Syracuse University, and the major trained me on how to design all kinds of surfaces. I even studied abroad at Central Saint Martins in London as an exchange student, which had an amazing textile program, offering a focus on screen printing, knitting, and a variety of other mediums. After college, I built a career off of that major — and it has allowed me to work with some really incredible companies. Looking at my partnership with Koroseal now, it’s really a pinch-me moment. They’re leaders in materials — not only design, but in their manufacturing process, which produces beautiful color and collections. They are also the only commercial wallcovering company that has both manufacturing and full distribution capabilities.
Can you tell our readers what it is about the work you’re doing that’s disruptive?
The work I’m creating is all about innovation in the materials. In addition to having a career as a designer, I’m also a trend forecaster. You can’t innovate if you’re not forecasting; you need to make sure you’re looking at what is driving the marketplace. For example, given the trend of bedding becoming more neutral in hotels, it’s created space for more room to play in other parts of the design — for there to be a statement wall or carpet. In this Koroseal collection, we’ve simplified down the city to graphic motifs that are clean, crisp and fresh, and yet have the right amount of saturation and optimism. They make an excellent statement on the wall of any space. Though simultaneously, they also respond to the current moment, where many of us are spending more time indoors as a result of the pandemic — and instead of being surrounded by such bold colors, we’re looking for more calming hues. To be disruptive, you must first have a grasp on the present, see what’s working and then have the vision to not be afraid to dig deeper and bring the future to fruition.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
Not amusing per se, but I’ve learned a variety of important lessons throughout my career. Here are just a few:
- Be patient. It’s easy to underestimate the amount of time it takes to be successful. Small successes add up and turn into tremendous success. It’s important to keep in mind that people can appear to be an overnight success, but they’ve been hustling for 20+ years.
- When you’re looking for partnerships, you want a relationship, not a transaction.
We all need a little help along the journey. Who have been some of your mentors? Can you share a story about how they made an impact?
While I’ve looked up to iconic trailblazers like Georgia O’Keefe, those that have taught me the most are the closest to me. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from both my father and grandfather. At my first internship, one with Ralph Lauren, I was originally put on tasks like arranging the merchandise closet. While I was overjoyed to even step foot in that iconic building on Madison Ave and had already felt like I had made it in securing the role — my father knew I had more to offer and could get more out of the experience. So, he sat me down and had me practice these words to share with my manager: “I don’t mind doing the scut work, but I’m here to learn.” And after advocating for myself and showing my eagerness to expand, I was able to excel, and was the only intern placed in the high-level meetings. This follows the idea of “if you don’t ask, you don’t get” — and while the answer might be no, you at least have to advocate for yourself. I thank my father immensely for pushing me in such a way.
And I definitely learned my hard work ethic and gratitude from my grandfather. He was a cutter in a garment district, a job he took great pride in — and he was a Holocaust Survivor from Poland. He ended up having ten grandchildren — something that made him feel innately rich, often saying: “I’m a millionaire” as he referred to having us as his grandchildren.”
In today’s parlance, being disruptive is usually a positive adjective. But is disrupting always good? When do we say the converse, that a system or structure has ‘withstood the test of time’? Can you articulate to our readers when disrupting an industry is positive, and when disrupting an industry is ‘not so positive’? Can you share some examples of what you mean?
Disruption is always important. If someone is not disrupting, they are not innovating. It’s all about innovation — which is critical to survive in any industry.
We are sure you aren’t done. How are you going to shake things up next?
Writing a book would be incredible! In the meantime, we have BIG plans for the future of Stacy Garcia Inc.!
We are launching another collection of Stacy Garcia | New York commercial wallcoverings in collaboration with Koroseal, an awesome manufacturer in Louisville, and we are undergoing a brand re-launch for our blue label commercial brand. We also made a power move into the residential markets with our ShopStacyGarcia.com designer curated website and our exclusive Stacy Garcia Home brand of products. We decided to curate our shop with a modern-eclectic vibe and a colorful product mix — positioning ourselves as an anti-big-box store. Beyond that — more home decor, art and maybe even fashion!
Do you have a book, podcast, or talk that’s had a deep impact on your thinking? Can you share a story with us? Can you explain why it was so resonant with you?
Wow! That is a tough one! I am constantly reading and listening to pod-casts, Clubhouse, and Audible. Some of my recent favorites include: the book The Future is Faster than you Think, by Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler and Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It by Christopher Voss and Tahl Raz. I’ve also been enjoying Reid Hoffman’s podcast Masters of Scale and “Breakfast with Champions” every morning on Clubhouse.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Leap and build your wings on the way down” is a mantra a close friend shared with me early on. These words have guided me through major parts of my career, encouraging me to take risks and understand that you won’t know unless you try!
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I would love to write a book or to start a speaking series titled “Lead Like a Woman.” While there are lots of incredible men who have mentored me, we’ve grown up in a man’s society and there needs to be more female leaders — and ones open to sharing their experience. When we embrace the feminine energy, we are so much richer. The methodology, intuition, and emotional needs are different. My whole idea of “Lead Like a Woman” no matter if you’re male, female, or non-binary, is about the of embracing the feminine energy within us. And my experiences and life stories can help the next generation — not just women.
How can our readers follow you online?
Instagram: @stacygarciainc + @koroseal + #SGNYforKoroseal
Website: koroseal.com/SGNY
Thank you so much for joining us. This was very inspirational.
Meet The Disruptors: Designer Stacy Garcia On The Three Things You Need To Shake Up Your Industry was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.
