Alexa Jorgenson
Huntington Beach, California
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
Hello everyone! I call Huntington Beach, California my home, but I have also lived in Irvine, California. There, I went to Concordia University to earn my BA in Business Administration, with an emphasis in Marketing. At Concordia, I was nominated and became a member of Sigma Beta Delta (the International Society in Business, Management, and Administration), as well as Omicron Delta Kappa (the National Leadership Honor Society).
I also have my real estate salesperson license and currently work as a design associate for La-Z-Boy. Through QC Design School, I am currently taking Interior Decorating, Staging for Designers, Professional Organizing, and Virtual Design Training.
How did you get into the world of professional design?
Since I was young, I’ve always been interested in design. I have been inspired by my grandma, who has an eye for design and has remodeled her home beautifully.
I got into the world of professional design through QC Design School. After finding that QC offers an interior decorating certificate (and so much more), I have been able to learn valuable knowledge that has helped me become a design associate at La-Z-Boy.
Why did you decide to pursue your interior decorating certificate online, rather than in-person?
I decided to pursue my interior decorating certificate online for flexibility and convenience. Online courses are often self-paced. They provide people who may be full-time employees or full-time students the benefit of completing the courses at their own pace.
Moreover, I greatly enjoy that online classes have saved me time and money. Not having to drive anywhere to get to school on time is also a major plus! With the current COVID-19 pandemic, I chose to pursue my interior decorating certificate online in order to study without interruption or inconvenience.
Why did you decide to enroll with QC Design School (compared to the other schools out there)?
I decided to enroll with QC Design School because of the excellent certificates and certifications they offer. As soon as I saw QC’s website, I knew that their courses offered quality education. I also like the way the learning experience is self-paced. I had the freedom to start and work on my studies whenever I wanted.
At QC Design School, students have up to two full years to complete the course they sign up for. Because of this, I felt comfortable knowing that I would have plenty of time to thoroughly learn the material and graduate from the course. Moreover, the courses are affordable!
You’ve recently joined QC’s team of Student Ambassadors. As an Ambassador, what is the #1 reason you would recommend QC Design School to aspiring designers?
As an Ambassador, the #1 reason I would recommend QC Design School to
aspiring designers is for the quality courses that are offered. QC Design School’s courses contain excellent content in a variety of different ways! Your materials will help you learn and include videos, full-color lesson texts, self-studies, and fun assignments. These quality courses allow aspiring designers to develop their own unique style!
In addition to your interior decorating certificate, you’re also planning to obtain a certificate in home staging. What is it about home staging that interests you so much?
That’s correct! In addition to my interior decorating certificate, I am also working on obtaining a home staging certificate. (And just recently, I also decided to pursue a professional organizing certificate, too. Fun fact!)
QC Design School offers quality content, and my goal is to learn as much as I can to contribute to the beautiful design world. Home staging interests me specifically because it’s a way to present the beauty of a space. Home staging allows designers to transform a blank space into a work of art!
Why do you feel that interior decorating and home staging go together so well?
Interior decorating and home staging go together so well because they both help make a space look presentable. Knowing how to decorate and where to stage everything helps designers tie a room together perfectly.
You are currently located in Huntington Beach, California – a city of almost 202,000 people. In such a competitive market, how do you intend to stand out from other designers in your area once you eventually launch your own design business?
Once I launch my own design business, I intend to stand out in a competitive market by understanding and appreciating every style. My interior decorating certificate course at QC Design School has taught me a variety of design styles.
With this knowledge, I can listen to and understand clients, in order to deliver them their desired style. I intend to stand out by not pushing my style preference on them. Rather, I’ll bring their unique style to fruition within their homes.
What sort of services, packages, etc. do you aspire to offer clients once you start your own design business?
Once I start my own design business, I aspire to offer clients personalized services. Every client is different, and I want to offer each their own unique service. Whether they’d like to see everything digitally, or be physically walked through the entire process – I aim to offer clients a service that is specialized to their needs. That way, I can help make their house feel like a place to call home.
How has your experience been so far in QC’s Interior Decorating certificate course?
My experience thus far in QC’s Interior Decorating certificate course has been excellent! This program is rewarding because it has taught me so much, and has made me more confident in my own designing.
How valuable have the course materials, assignments, and tutor feedback been, and how have they helped you to grow as a designer so far?
My QC Design School courses have provided me with a variety of ways to learn! The assignments are fun, engaging, and effective. They have helped me develop my own unique style while learning new design topics.
Additionally, the tutor feedback has been nice, encouraging, and helpful. Everything provided to me has proven to be extremely valuable, as I now have learned so much! I’ve grown into a design associate with a bright interior design path ahead of me!
What has been your favorite assignment so far and why?
My favorite assignment so far has been the Practice Design Profiles assignment. I had to fill out client and room profiles for a redesign project.
This assignment has been my favorite so far because I happened to be redesigning my bedroom at the exact same time. So, I used myself for the assignment example. This project helped me effectively recreate my own space and define the changes – which I absolutely love now!
You started your online training in 2020. Why did you choose to embark on this journey during a global pandemic, and how has online schooling helped make the process possible for you?
I chose to embark on this journey during a global pandemic because I knew it would be a constant. With the given online format and flexibility, the pandemic has actually not affected my courses or my learning experience. If anything, QC Design School allowed me to start immediately, since it is an online program.
I also decided to embark on this journey during a global pandemic so I could use my time to learn the necessary skills I’d need to get into the professional design world as soon as I could. For me, choosing this journey during a pandemic was a great decision.
What’s in store for you and your design career in 2021 and beyond?
In 2021 and beyond, my design career will continue to grow! As a design associate at La-Z-Boy, I plan to continue learning about:
- Interior design
- Interior decorating
- Staging
- Organizing
- Virtual design
This way, I can deliver the BEST business I can to my clients. With that, my goal is to grow from being a design associate to becoming an interior designer!
Finally: what is YOUR definition of “success” as a professional designer?
My definition of “success” as a professional designer is delivering clients a space that makes them feel happy. “Success” means thoroughly understanding clients, their wants and needs, and transforming their design dreams into a reality.
Using one’s talent, a professional designer is successful by discovering a client’s vision and delivering them a beautiful product!
