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30 | Kitchen & Bath Design News | May 2015 C hange is hard. No one knows this better than Leslie Cohen, CKD, CID, AID, ASID, who had to reinvent herself and her business when she moved cross-country two years ago. Cohen originally established her business, Leslie Cohen Design, in 1990, and the long-time California native was well known in the San Diego design community, with a strong client base and a reputation for her creative, award-winning kitch- en and bath designs. But a move to Raleigh, NC present- ed a host of new challenges – and none of it was easy. "Starting my business over in an area with a completely dif- ferent culture than I have lived in my entire life – and where I didn't know a single person – has been the hard- est thing I have ever done in my life," she states. "And it wasn't just business – [when I moved here] I didn't have doctors, services such as hair dressers or dry cleaners, anything. It has been reinventing my entire life." But while the changes might have seemed overwhelming at times, Co- hen likes to focus on the upside. "I have learned more about myself than I ever imagined I could," she says. "I've had to learn how to reach out to others, voice my insecurities out loud, fnd true friends and champions and create a new network." Indeed, networking has been critical to rebuilding in a new area, because she believes that "people here really want to have a relation- ship with you before doing business." At the same time, Cohen is ada- mant about building relationships purposefully. As she puts it, "I can't stand networking just for the sake of networking." She decided early on that she would take an active role in commu- nity organizations where she could make genuine connections, including women's clubs, garden clubs, social business clubs, trade organizations, etc. "From day one, I jumped in with both feet," she laughs. The woman's clubs and garden clubs had strong components of vol- unteerism within the community, something that immediately struck a chord in her. She also volunteers to mentor design students and, she notes, "I attend all sorts of meetings – from local government public discussions of development to women's empower- ment. I'm sort of everywhere!" Jumping into the community has paid of, Cohen explains. "Now that people are getting to know me, I am able to start setting up speaking engagements. This will expand my reach. I visit local suppliers and get to know them. It has been exhaust- ing and exhilarating. But now I show up and people say 'I know you from somewhere.' I've stayed within the realm of things that interest me and causes that I believe in so that what I do is something I truly believe in." AN ECLECTIC BACKGROUND Cohen has a broad professiona l backg rou nd t hat spa n s desig n, business and technology skills – all of which she puts to use in her day- to-day work. She says, "I am a CKD and also a California State Certified Interior Designer, a professional level ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) designer and a member of the Alliance of Interior Designers, a very active local de- sign group in the Triangle Area. I am active in my local NKBA, ASID and AID chapters." She continues, "My education def- nitely afects the direction of my frm and our capabilities. My bachelor's degree is in Business Administra- tion and I am four classes short of an MBA. I also have four years of art and design education. Although I always wanted to be a designer, I took a detour into the computer feld for a few years. This background means we tend to be a technologi- cally advanced company as far as the software we use and how the business is run. And it is run as a business – I enjoy the fnancial end, project administration and marketing just as much as design. USING TECHNOLOGY Cohen's technology background is evident in her profciency in every- thing from her Web site and strong social media presence, to her use of design software. In fact, she issues "press releases" on social media, which have turned out to be one of her strongest marketing tools. She notes, "I've decided that the media that work best for me are my busi- ness pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Houzz. I post things I am involved in, awards I win, anywhere I am published. I have used LinkedIn to expand my network in my new loca- tion. [As a result of all of this], people here are starting to notice me." She also uses Chief Architect X7 (the full edition, not just Interiors) 3-D CAD software for her design work, and says her clients "are thrilled to be able to visualize their home in advance of ordering anything." And she uses Publisher and Photoshop for a variety of visual communica- tion needs. By Janice Anne Costa Industry Profle Designer Reinvents Herself In Cross-Country Move Cohen's recent bath project, which won an ASID Excellence in Design award, features custom curved cast glass enclosures with a horizontal grain. Former West Coast designer Leslie Cohen is winning over a new East Coast clientele with her passion for great design, as seen in this award winning kitchen that features a custom tile mural and hood. Photo: Ed Gohlich Photo: Ed Gohlich