Episode 046: More Than Just Color...A Handy Guide to Sherwin Williams Paint with Ashlynn Bourque
Show Notes
Hey, y’all, welcome back to the podcast. My guest today is Ashlynn Bourque. She is the Designer Account Executive for Sherwin-Williams, serving residential A&D in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Austin, and College Station, as well as interior design students.
Ashlynn has been with Sherwin-Williams for nearly 15 years and has so much great information to share with us today. In this episode, we chat about why Sherwin-Williams is different from other paint companies, their environmentally friendly products, and what the SW color of the year is for 2022.
With different sheens, glosses, and finishes, I had no idea that there was so much more to paint than just choosing a pretty color. You don’t want to miss this episode!
About Ashlynn
With nearly 15 years as Sherwin-Williams Company as Designer Account Executive, Ashlynn Bourque serves residential interior designers, architects, and interior design student in the DFW, Austin and College Station areas. She is president of the Interior Design Society DFW Chapter and active in ASID and Color Marketing Group.
Connect with Ashlynn
You can connect with Ashlynn via Sherwin Williams on Instagram, Facebook, and email. You can also connect with Ashlynn on her Instagram and Facebook.
Connect with Michelle
You can follow Michelle on Instagram or join her Free Facebook Community!
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Transcript
Michelle: Welcome back to the podcast, This is the Designed for the Creative Mind Podcast. It is a business podcast for interior designers and creatives. And I'm excited that you're here today because I want to introduce you to a friend of mine. Her name is Ashlynn Bourque.
She is the designer account executive for Sherwin-Williams serving residential architects and designers in DFW, Austin, and college stations here in Texas, as well as interior design students and affluent. Thanks for being here.
Ashlynn: Ah, thank you so much for having me, Michelle. This is great. Oh my gosh.
Michelle: I first met you if you recall. Well, you might not recall because you deal with so many of us, I had just started my business and I was doing home staging. So I was doing home staging, organizing and redesign by Michelle Lynne. That was that's a whole other story, but I first met you and I think you had just started with Sherwin-Williams.
Michelle: How long have you been there?
Ashlynn: I started in the summer of 2007.
Michelle: So I launched my business in 2008, so we literally just started together.
Ashlynn: Right. It's about the same time. We're both. Well, I'm coming on to 15 years, but you're not very far behind me. Yeah, no,
Michelle: And it seems like just yesterday, I know.
Ashlynn: Well, yeah. When you have fun at work and worked for a great company and you have the best clients in the world, so, it's so fun to just sit right into the world of, you know, residential design,
Michelle: What does your job entail? And then for the audience, we're going to get into some details about Sherwin-Williams and different paints and stuff like that.
I'm just curious, like, what do you do. Besides running around and helping designers and architects.
Ashlynn: Well, the primary focus of my job is to one get, get, you know, architecture and design pros tools to help them with color selection. Piece of that is to help its specifications in product information so that they're specifying the right product for the right job.
And, that's actually kind of fun cause you know, Sometimes you know, I have to kind of be an expert and if I'm not the expert, cause there are certain areas where I feel like some of my product knowledge is lacking because I don't deal with it every day.
Michelle: Let's talk about those paint finishes because I remember literally back in the day like when we did first meet, you walked me through all the different types of. Finishes as well as the products that, that you guys had at the time.
And I was like, holy cow, like there's, I just thought you would go down to the local Home Depot, pick up a can of paint. You're good to go. But you guys have the superior product. Okay, so let's start. Cause I'm all over the place right now. What makes sure when William's different from other paint companies, like why not go down to Home Depot and we're not going to, we're not going to bag on home Depot.
They've got good stuff, but what makes sure when William's different?
Ashlynn: Well, because we have probably the most locations of any paint manufacturer. Out there. We have guys are everywhere over 5,000 stores between us and Canada or getting close. I think we're closing that over if we're not there already.
They are all corporate-owned. Thus the training is synonymous all throughout. You know, wherever show throughout the US and Canada. Um, I'm not going to, because we have stores in, in foreign countries as well.
I believe that's a little bit different situation, but, um, but I will say for speaking for here in the US in Canada, everyone goes to the same training and for your assistant managers and store managers, we also promote from within. So people are, or as their, you know, ability shows. Worth it, they can be promoted up the ladder, you know, through various things.
I mean, our, our CEO started working in one of our stores, so, um, you know, it's, that's cool, but yeah, so, um, you know, it, it's just a great company and there's also a very familial feeling. To the whole organization, even as large as we are, cause we're pretty good with that many stores and, and then even periphery and support people.
There's just a great comradery. I have so many wonderful colleagues.
Michelle: and the fact that there has been like the tenure that you have 15 years, and you had mentioned in a separate conversation that we were having, but a lot of your colleagues have been there for upwards of 20 plus years.
Ashlynn: Yes. Yeah. So there's a lot about the company culture. It does. And I mean, I'm, I'm still kind of. One of the newbies in a, in a way. I mean, I'm probably averaging now, but, um, but yeah, I mean, we've just had, um, a guy who I took my second interview with retired with, I believe 44 years with the company. Wow.
There's amazing out of it. The paint's not so simple. And you gained so much knowledge, you know, over time. I think that longevity really speaks to the expertise that our employees have
Michelle: That's a good point because. I take it for granted. Like I just said, you know, early in this conversation is like, I just thought you could go down to the corner store, get a color you like and slap it on the walls.
But the, the product is, is different. So what are, what are some of the different products that you have and why should us as designers? Why should we know what they are?
Ashlynn: Sure. Well, and that's fine. And there are so many, let me just start by saying there are so many great painters out there and I'm not, um, don't want to sound critical of anyone, but sometimes the painter just buys what they've always used or, or the cheapest one
There are a lot of painters that are actually realizing the benefits of using better products because I will tell you every, it's just talking to interior design students yesterday. I gave two presentations yesterday in Fort worth. Um, at TCU actually, um, such great students in the program over there.
Among many that I serve, but I'm talking to them of, you know, the analogy was because I think I get this feedback that color is product. Color is not product color is like the fabric you're putting on a chair, but it's, you know, the chairs, a separate product. There are Parson's chairs, they're Eames chairs.
There are, you know, Windsor chairs. There are Chippendale chairs. Yeah, all different chairs. You, you wouldn't use like a rocking chair to sit at a dining in a, in a dynamic your Thanksgiving dinner, because you might make a mess. So, um, just like that, there are products that have different benefits. Um, the colors, just the bonus, the aesthetic piece, you know, really, really paint has two functions.
It's all about protecting the substance. Um, whatever that might be wood drywall, uh, brick, uh, cementitious material, uh, metal, what have you. Um, but you know, and then there's that fun aesthetic part too, of where you get to bringing color and finish and, and change things up, you know, though, and highlight those architectural features.
Ashlynn: So why should designers know? Because not every product's the same. I would say all manufacturers, not just Sherwin Williams, but all manufacturers have different, uh, areas of quality where you have more entry-level or budget-conscious products. You have your mid-grade or contractor-grade products, and then you have your premium products.
And, and usually those, you know, you're just paying for better ingredients. Um, that type of thing, um, just, um, ease of application, better coverage, like, you know, people say the paint primary and one, um, you know, that's just talking about hide. That high does the industry term for how opaque the product is.
Michelle: That makes sense. Well, and it's also like clothes. Like you can go buy quote-unquote disposable clothes because they're very trendy and on, on the season or you can go buy a classic piece that you're going to be able to wear for years because of the quality and the style. So paint sounds like it's similar in that respect.
It's like, you can just get the low-end stuff if that's what you need. Like maybe you're living in an apartment and you just wanted to put a color up and not pay a whole lot for it. Um, because you're gonna have to paint over it when you move out. But then if you're making, you know, a statement in your brand new home and you want to show it off, you can go and maybe get the paint and primer together and go for the more expensive brand because it's going to be on that wall for a long time.
Ashlynn: Well, well, let me throw a little curve into it because honestly, I have found. In my own personal experience of painting. And I am not a painter,
But I have been my husband's like, what are you painting now? Like this was my COVID project. What you can see behind me as I'm getting a dark wall shelf unit painted in, in the wall and everything. But anyway, so, but I will say though, there is even a difference in application. Properties in like maybe paying $15 more per can and only having to buy one can as opposed to buying something and having to buy two,
Michelle: Which ends up being more expensive
Ashlynn: At the end of the day, which ends up being more expensive at the end of the day.
Even before I worked at Sherwin's, I mean, I have a good employee discount, but, um, I would just wait for the sale, you know, to get the product I wanted. I just painted this past spring, uh, one of my, my guest room, cause it just needed some refreshing. And um, I used our new Emerald designer edition product, which is a new ultra-premium best-in-class.
It retails for over a hundred dollars a gallon. I'm not going to apologize for that. I've been listening to your podcast because we want the best when you want the best. Um, you're going to pay for the best, um, and the ease of application. It was one coat coverage. Granted it was a lighter muddier color, and we could say coverage related to colors and color delivery if you want.
I will never paint another product ever again. The other really cool thing is it has, uh, that particular product, Emerald designer edition has 200 exclusive colors just to that product. In addition to all the other colors that we have. So I use Dean Chai, which, um, oh, cause I still have some golden stuff.
But anyway, so it's just a really, and I drink chai every morning.
Michelle: There's a meaning to it. So what if I'm not the one painting? So as designers, we're going to specify the Emerald designer. What did you call it?
Ashlynn: And we'll design our edition
Michelle: So why would I want to specify my painting? Like “Hey, I need you to get the Emerald designer edition for this client”. Why? Like, why wouldn't he just say, well, I'm going to go get something cheaper and keep the, keep the difference? I only want to pay 50 bucks per can.
Ashlynn: Right? Right. Well, and, and he, you know, painters do get wholesale pricing. Don't think they're paying retail.
But that being said, so your designer edition as well as a couple of other products have a washable. Also, labor is the most expensive part of your paint job, your, your materials, maybe up to 15% of the cost of a paint shop. And you've seen this come in. So materials really aren't the bigger piece of that.
Ashlynn: The labor is the bigger piece.
Michelle: I'm not going to say slap it on the wall, but they can put down the wall much more expediently, much more efficiently, much more effectively. It's going to just lessen their time on the job.
Ashlynn: Exactly. It's going to lessen their, you know, they're going to be able to move on and off the job.
And I'm not saying like, um, you know, you can only do one code or something. Sometimes you do need to coast depending on what you bring up. I mean, every job is a little bit different. Um, and every painter works a little bit differently, but you know, there are, there are products that, you know, so it
Michelle: Benefits everybody for you to know what to specify, right?
Because your client's going to get the best results. With, the wiping ability of it and the durability of it and so forth, the painter is going to be able to move on to the next job and end up making more money because they can use the best quality paint and have the ease and efficiency of the application.
So everybody wins. Okay. That makes sense. And that's, I love these podcasts because I always learn.
Ashlynn: Well, I know, and it's not only bad. I mean, you don't have to get the real designer edition, especially in, unless you want one of those 200 very yummy colors. Um, but, um, you know, there, there are other products that.
As much experience, like duration home has been around for as long as I've been in my job. And you know, that technology with washable flat also has a washable flat, um, like the Emerald designer edition and like the other Emerald product we have for wa interior walls. It's also more shoe-resistant. So you think of a steam shower situation for your client, and you've ever been concerned about condensation in streets.
Because there's some type of airflow inefficiency or things like that. Um, those, those higher-end products, those non-porous products that I just mentioned, um, are gonna prevent you from having streaks in your color because of the moisture. But as in that they also contain an antimicrobial, which, um, will resist mold and mildew growth on the, on the paint surface on the film of the, uh, the surface of the paint film.
Michelle: That's amazing. Right. And those are the things that oftentimes as designers, we're just looking at the pretty colors.
Ashlynn: Exactly. Well, the one thing is I always, like I had that designer call me. It's been a few months back and they said, Hey, we painted this, you know, client's home and flat and they can't walk.
I'm like, well, did you use duration home or Emerald or Emerald designer edition? No, we did not. Okay. And so maybe that's, you know, if you, if you know, the client has a busy household with dogs and kids and you know, or maybe they're just not super type a perfectionist people. I know my family are not, um, they might need that extra washability, um, in that lower sheen, um, because flats also touch out better.
Michelle: What our clients are hiring us for is to be able to maximize the functionality of their beautiful home. Yes, yes. Hmm. Hmm. Hmm. Love, love, love it. Okay, so let's talk about paint finish. Okay. So, um, you had talked about Matt is going to be easier to touch up
Ashlynn: Flat and matte are easier to touch up.
Matte does the same thing. No. And may I actually only available in two products, like not every finish is going to be available in every product. Um, but let me just kind of walk you through basic, like basic, like finish one-on-one if you will. Okay. Okay. So, um, so flats are known for their ability to touch up and they hide imperfections.
Generally speaking for the vast majority of products, they're not.
Satin you get, you move into a little bit more washability. Um, you might lose some touch-up ability, but then, the higher quality product you have, the better, the touch-up is, you know, when you move up to like satin or what have you. Um, the other, um, for semi-gloss. So that's going to be super durable, except that you don't want your walls looking like plastic.
It's great for trim, but just know it's going to highlight all the imperfections and, um, And you're not going to be able to touch it up. You get it, you have to touch it. Like if say you were painting a high-gloss wall, you'd have to paint, touch up corner to corner. You can't just dab in that one spot. Right, right.
Ashlynn: Into those higher, higher, more reflective finishes, like semi gloss, gloss, et cetera, high gloss. Right. And in north Texas, we probably don't want lacquered walls because there's usually so much movement. Yeah, it will be almost, and that will turn into a maintenance nightmare.
Michelle: They sure are pretty.
Ashlynn: Yes, they are. And, and do, do I, um, you know, pattern ceiling or use it on furniture, um, now in other areas and I'm saying. Um, because in north Texas, as Michelle knows, and I know not all the listeners are hearing in like the Dallas Fort Worth area, even Fort Worth, I was told yesterday, do not have the foundation issues we have, but we're built on black clay that has a lot of movement.
And so you're constantly battling cracks in your wall and, and things like that, especially for older homes, you can have them fix and they'll show up like 18 months later. It doesn't matter. I always caution people in this area. Like, yeah, maybe you just reserve that for the powder room ceiling.
Ashlynn: That's less likely to have a problem or something not expansive. Um, so do you guys carry,
Michelle: Do you have the lacquer.
Ashlynn: We have pro lacquer of product and we have high gloss and gloss finishes for products. Yes. Um, generally, if you're talking lacquer though, are you talking like a mirror, like finish?
That's always what my products are. People are asking and I'm like, yeah, that's what they're looking for. I'm like, okay. Then they need to use lacquer. And I don't know the specific product names. It's really bad. I should. Um, I know there, we
Michelle: As long as we know that we can go to Sherwin-Williams. Because I know that back in the day we used something, it was probably gosh, 20 15, 20 16. And it was in the powder bathroom and it was just beautiful.
Ashlynn: Right? So, and for paint, there's gloss and high gloss, but if you truly want lacquer, finish that as a clear coat, that is a sec, like a clear coat top of the top coat.
Right. So that makes it, so it's kind of like when you finished your nail Polish, Yes, it was definitely finishes it off per say.
Michelle: Back in the day, when I used to paint my nails myself, we'd put that, we'd put that gloss on. Okay, perfect. That makes sense. I love that. Um, So I think you had also mentioned, um, that Sherwin Williams has environmentally friendly products.
Ashlynn: Of course.
Michelle: Yeah. I love that. And I really think that that is a draw for a lot of people, but just because the awareness has, has come up, what, um, what does it mean to have. Friendly paint. Does that mean that I can throw the trash can in the trash or the can of paint that I'm not painting anymore? No, it was still needs to be, it still needs to be handled properly.
Ashlynn: It still needs to be handled properly, even, even I've noticed claims online. Saying, you know, we're the greenest pain or whatever. They still have the same stuff in their paint that we do. I mean, there have to be just certain ingredients in paint, um, unfortunately for it to perform well. Um, but for the most part, so, you know, there are VOC restrictions.
We don't have them in Texas, but they certainly have. In California and in the Northeast. And also, um, I think Colorado just enacted a law, just maybe in the last year, year and a half or two also in Maricopa County in Arizona, there are lots of restrictions on volatile, organic compounds.
That's B O C. So, that is the off-gas that creates, you know, chemicals into the air or what have you, but because we want to sell products in.
Ashlynn: In those areas. I mean, we, we have stores everywhere. Um, we're going to make all of our products, no need to make products for Texas versus products for California. We make all those products. Um, matter of fact, all of our contractor grade series are all zero VOC. Um, we have some living well from super paint, a super paint line has, um, a couple of products in the living room series.
That one is an air purifying. So it actually not only has no VOC, but it actually helps remove formaldehyde produced VOC, um, from other objects and building material. Yes. And, um, and it also helps mitigate ambient odors within the space. And, um, so that's pretty cool. And then we have one that has a micro by cidal it's EPA registered that actually gets rid of like Marissa and Eco-Line, there's a couple of it staff.
Michelle: If you and I hadn't connected both as we've developed a friendship, but also from a personal professional standpoint, I don't think that those would be details that I would have ever thought about from a paint.
Ashlynn: We haven't even, and, and then even talking about the products for your millwork, for your trim, because your oil-based or alkyd products are full of VOC. They also yellow over time. And we've got technology has really progressed where we've got tons of. Have a low VOC option, hybrid products, waterborne and animals, and our pro classic line or Emerald urethane trim, enamel line, Emerald urethane trim.
And Emerald also comes in the other 200 colors from ML designer issue. So they're low VOC and they perform just as well, if not better than oil.
Michelle: Oh, that's good to know. Okay. I've got a lot of trim. I need to paint my house. That's turned yellow in the years. Um, and that's that benefits our clients as designers, because if the home is if it's a new build, you're not going to be inconveniencing anybody cause they're not living there.
But if it's a renovation and they might happen to be living on the other side of the house, that's going to be a lot more comfortable to have these low VOC. Right? Yes. Does it, does it hinder the drying time or anything like that? Actually, they dry much faster.
Ashlynn: Win-win. I know cause, well, I mean, you know, there is some cure time, um, but I would say.
You know, just by its nature. Painters like it because it flows in levels and it smooths out all the brush marks. If they're brushing or we're willing the product, um, quickly, there's a lot of times they're spraying anyway, but, um, But, you know, these dry much faster. Um, but like oil-based, you're not even supposed to set something back on the shelf or at least up to two weeks after you painted.
Anyway, and there's some cure time with, with these other products as well. Um, I think overall you've got, you know, you've removed the VOC and it does again, another product that kind of speeds up the painter's production time because it drives
Michelle: As we're recording this, my floors are getting finished up downstairs, just phase one and I'm thinking, okay, so we're going to have to paint the baseboards and the walls are going to look like crap.
Cause everything else is clean. I think it's time for some that Emerald designer edition fun. Okay. So Ashlyn, how can. Find a, you, if they don't live in the Dallas Fort Worth or Austin or color station area so that they can get to Sherwin Williams. Right. But they don't have access to you directly, although we will share how, how they can find you in the show notes.
Ashlynn: Absolutely. Um, so, um, you just go to the Sherwin-Williams website. You can even type in designer account executive for Sherwin-Williams and you will come up with a list of everyone listed state by state for all of you listeners all over the country.
So we have folks in Canada, too. Our team is maybe between getting close to 30 now, 30 people. And we're primarily in big Metro areas,
Michelle: Which makes a much business sense. But I think that obviously we can't cover everything in this little pod. And there's so much more to dive into that. It's definitely helpful. If you guys get the opportunity to look around in your, in your cities to see where, um, your account executive might be speaking, because I know you give some really good presentations.
So I know you're always, always busy, so yeah, let's talk about the color forecast, Sherwin Williams, color forecast, and color of the year.
Ashlynn: That's always fun. Yes. So our color of the year, I'll just start with that one. Um, is Evergreen Fog this year, Sherwin Williams, 9130. And I know that our director of color marketing, and I know she has a team that she relies on to help her kind of, you know, dive through all the research and information for both the color of the year and the forecast.
But I know she called, uh, chose this because it's just a calming, soothing color. It's all about renewal. And I think we're all in a period of renewal right now.
It's simple, but it's yet sophisticated. You know, it's kind of this gray-green, just maybe a little bit of blue in it.
Michelle: Megan just specified it for a project that we're working on. It’s pretty, it's really pretty.
Ashlynn: You're going to have to share pictures.
Michelle: I’m going to double-check the finishes that we're specifying too.
Ashlynn: So just let me know if you need a specification or something like that for that project or, or any of them. Then the color mix is our color forecast. So we put on a new one every fall and, um, I've been really honored the last couple of years.
Cause I've got to provide reports and actually sit in on some of the reports being given, um, was actually in high point in early 2020, for the first time just sitting in on that whole process. And it was so cool. Get so excited for it every year at the whole company.
It's probably one of the biggest initiatives. It's continuing education. So those needing, continuing education get an hour CU credit. And basically, we provide, usually in person like we did at the Dallas market center, just back in September, we did a great, big, huge lunch.
Then I was the featured speaker there and just presenting and we, this year, we're telling four stories and they're, um, method. Uh, Femara and dreamland are four stories and we kind of talk about the different pallets and, and what's driving those stories and what the influencers are, and not just about paint.
It's like, why are you saying even the products that you've seen, um, on the marketplace and, and why are, why are tile and fabrics and all these colorways? Well, this is why this is what we see driving.
And I will tell you that Sue Watson, our director of color marketing and her team just do an endless amount of research. and I feel so validated. I was on a Pantone webinar not too long ago and it validated everything we were talking about. I think we should spend a little further.
I just get really proud of the word, Sherwin Williams.
Michelle: That is so cool. I love hearing that. And I just, I always love when people love their work and it definitely shows up in you.
It shows up in the company, the longevity of all of them, I mean, not all, but so many of the employees that just doesn't happen that much anymore. No, it doesn't. And I didn't, I didn't realize that it was. I never thought about it's not franchise, but that's why the consistency is so amazing because everything is just, um, from the top down.
Well, gosh, Ashlyn, we could talk about this for, for ages, but I love hearing about Sherwin-Williams and learning about the nuances and the differences. And paint because again, as a designer, I think sometimes we just look at the color. Okay. I want iron or put that up there. We're good to go all over my house.
Well, we will probably have to continue this conversation for a future podcast and we can potentially just dive down into some of the specific niches. So we'll pencil that in for now. Let's dive into the next segment, which is rapid. Okay. It's just fun and light and easy. And you've listened to the podcast, like you said, you'd had a couple of, couple of episodes recently.
You're not being taken by surprise. So let me just start off with the first one. Ashland.
When was the last time you laughed so hard that you nearly peed yourself or maybe you did pee?
Ashlynn: I'm not sure it could have been when we were on vacation in Costa Rica and just, uh, just cousins and their family and with my sons and husband and everybody. Yeah, a good belly laugh.
Michelle: Left-handed or right-handed?
Ashlynn: I write left-handed but everything else is right.
Michelle: Interesting. You know, I'm wondering if Genevieve, my daughter is going to be that way because she's three and a half and she still picks things up with both hands and writes with both hands.
Michelle: So what was the last movie you watched?
Ashlynn: Oh, Free Guy with Ryan Reynolds in the virtual reality. That was a fun game. And that was a super fun movie.
Michelle: How do you relax?
Ashlynn: Oh, that's a really tough one. If I need to be refreshed beach if I want to ski, I, you know, that's always a busy vacation. You almost need a vacation after that one day. That makes sense.
Michelle: Chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies.
Ashlynn: Chocolate chip. Gluten-free gluten-free.
Michelle: Do you have a consistent morning routine?
Ashlynn: Generally, I'll do a little bit of, you know, 30, 30 minutes of working out, mornings. And then I'll jump in the shower and get ready, make my breakfast with my chai tea. And, um, and I have to. Um, fried eggs, just in very minimal oil with some fresh fruit and that's pretty much it.
And then I dive, try to dive right into a couple of emails for a little bit, and then get in the car, get on the road. If I've got appointments that day.
Michelle: So the same breakfast, every breakfast every morning?
Ashlynn: Yeah, I know it's boring.
Michelle: No, it's not. I love these conversations because I find it interesting as to what works for different people.
Michelle: It's nice. Cause you don't have to think about it.
Ashlynn: You don't have to think about it. I know what I'm getting at the grocery store every time. So don't forget to put it on the list. I know. And you know, sometimes I'll kind of do some other things on the. On the weekends or what have you?
I found some little gluten-free black, chocolate chip waffles that I'll let myself with every once in a while, but I've just found once you're over 29, I'm like you can't eat the same things.
Michelle: So what did you want to be when you were doing.
Ashlynn: I kind of wanted to be an architect. I used to draw house plans. Oh. I went along the way, but sketch out like my grandmother's my, our house, my grandmother's house. I would sketch it out where all the, you know, and I was thinking, this is where you ended up.
And this is where I ended up. And it's funny, you know, you'd go to the grocery store and I'm dating myself here. You know the question was, did you want a house plan magazine or.
Michelle: And what is your color?
Ashlynn: Oh, dear purple. Really about that purple. But I try to like really love all colors. I'm in color marketing group and they say, be a color professional. You can't have a favorite. Um, but I'll just say that you can always gravitate to something.
So then I kinda like red-violet, like I was telling the students yesterday, I love all the tertiaries give me proofs, red, violet, whatever. But, but yeah. Purple is probably where I'd mostly, there you go.
Michelle: That's where you land and you look good wearing it. I think that's what it comes down to. It's like, what do I look best in? That could be my favorite color. Okay.
And if you could have dinner with anybody past or present, who would be, who would you invite?
Ashlynn: I have really thought hard about this? Cause listen to the podcast. It's my favorite. This is going to sound a little. Well, I don't, I don't care how it sounds.
Ashlynn: Um, I'm gonna say, Jesus.
Michelle: That's exactly awesome. Yes, yes, yes. Yes.
Ashlynn: I feel like religion has gotten in the middle of, what he was teaching and I would really love to hear it straight from the horse's mouth, you know, like his lips to my ears. Not that I, you know, don't pray and things like that, but I would really just love to have this sit down one-on-one.
Michelle: I just read a book, I read two books. I've actually read more than two books in my life. What? It sounded like two books. And I can't remember, oh, it was 8030 and 8033 written by Ted Decker.
And what it was is, it was a Bedouin woman. Who, you know, women back in the day, blah, blah, blah, long story short. Um, she met Jesus, not knowing who he was, and just was transformed. And this was the story. And it was from his lips to her ears and how it impacted her and things along that line, especially as a woman back in the day because she was like the lowest of the low because of her history and so forth.
Michelle: So it was really interesting. And I was thinking the same thing when I asked you that question. I hadn't really given it any thought. And as soon as you said, gee, I was like, yeah, that would, that just makes sense. How much fun would that be? Would you invite me?
Ashlynn: And of course, well, and it's true too. Like sometimes you, you, you get these glimpses of the divine. In your interactions every day. I mean, um, with various people, I mean, I think we've had some conversations that were kind of, you know, a little spirit. Woo. And, um, just cool like that. So I think you, you get these glimpses of the divine here and there.
I really want to know what, what were, you know, I know what we're supposed to be doing. I've read the book, you know, I, I, I know stories and I read the Bible, but. Um, probably not as much as I should, but at the same time, it'd just be great.
Ashlynn: That just that unconditional love, you know, of like, like you were saying that the Bedouin woman, even the lowest of the low to the highest of the high, and I saw this thing once where somebody had a whole mistaken thing about, you know, Maybe it was Christianity or religion saying, oh, well it's only about for rich people.
Ashlynn: I'm like, well, no, if you read like the right, the last shall be first and the first shall be last, so, and make sure the earth and that's so true, but I think that it would be interesting to have. At your table and really understand where it began and how we have quote, unquote, translated it to meet our needs.
Michelle: Now, like how far have we really veered off? How far are we, you know, and with all the different offshoots and so forth, it would just would love that conversation.
Ashlynn: We're supposed to love all of our brothers and sisters, but you know, I'm not talking about a specific neighbor. We're just supposed to love our fellow human beings. So, um, you know, I say that not all this division.
Michelle: My gosh. I know that that's a whole other podcast in my heart. My heart hurts just with all of that, so we will leave it with Jesus. I think that's a great way to wrap up. So thank you Ashlyn for being here.
Ashlynn: Thank you for having me.
Michelle: It's fun. It's fun. It's fun. Will you tell the audience how we can connect with you?
Ashlynn: Yes. My email address is [email protected].
Michelle: So when you guys are in the Dallas Fort worth, Austin college station area, make a note of that, make a note of that, and you can find, like I said, just search out, um, designer account executive.
Ashlynn: If you're a commercial designer or architect, Um, we have folks just for them. Um, and so they're called architectural account executor.
Michelle: And I've got a whole laundry list of how we can track down you and how we can track down Sherwin Williams and all of those details that we will drop into the show notes.
Ashlynn: So thank you Designed for the Creative Mind. You've got a great thing going with this fabulous podcast and I'm so just honored to have been a guest.
Michelle: Well, I learned so much and I think that this is just going to show a lot of our audience that there's much more to paint than just color.
So y'all need to dive down. Find your account executive wherever you are for Sherwin Williams and call them, learn more, educate yourself, provide value to your clients. Yes. All right. So for those of you who can benefit from even more resources surrounding the business of running your interior design business, join me at our growing community.
It's a Facebook private group and yeah, yeah, I know it's Facebook, but this is the best platform for this group. And it's called the interior designers business law. I hop in there once a week on Wednesdays and do just a little mini-training. So you get some mini-training, we've got an amazing community.
I'm really just humbled and honored with all of the support that goes on in there. So don't hesitate to join me there. And finally, don't forget to leave a review wherever you're catching this podcast, because it definitely helps keep us relevant. So banks, everybody, and thank you.
Ashlynn: Thanks Michelle and live colorfully.
Michelle: That's right.
