Meet Betty Lang | Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Betty Lang and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Betty, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
I used to only think about my career and never gave myself enough work-life balance. For the past 20+ years I’ve had my own business, in my earlier years all I could focus on was the end game, but my end game kept changing. Every 5 years or so I would think of something new to venture into. My professor in design school once said, “creative people get bored easily so they are always looking for something new”, which was very true in my case. I am always looking for new ways to reinvent myself and evolve but my core will always be in design. Even though I am still a workaholic I’ve learned to give myself the mental and physical break I need for that work-life balance.

What should our readers know about your business?
It was definitely not easy getting to where I am now. I had to do a lot of part-time jobs just so I could have flexibility to run my own business. My business grew organically, and after 5 years I was fortunate enough to run my business full-time. They say it takes 10 years to become an overnight success, which is true in my case.
My creative path started 23 years ago when I opened my own flower shop at the age of 24. After 3 years I realized I wanted a career that I can solely rely on myself so I decided to choose a different career path. Starting all over again I went back to school to pursue a bachelor degree in interior design. It was risky, but I am the type to always follow my heart more than what my mind would tell me otherwise. After 5 years in the interior design world, I had to shift gear again in 2008 due to the economic crisis. I became a wedding planner and started another company. What sets me apart from other wedding planners is my background in interior design. My vision for a space is different from other planners. I am able to offer my clients more than just the wedding planning part, I can also help them design every aspect of their dream wedding. So for the past 15 years I’ve been juggling both businesses and I think being able to do both makes me different from most creatives out there. I am very proud of all the weddings I’ve produced and design projects I’ve completed in the past 20+ years.

About 10 years ago, I added another business under my belt. As though my plate wasn’t full enough, I became a partner for a little restaurant cafe. I learned so much in the short 2 years during the time I was running the restaurant and juggling my other two businesses. It was a very good life lesson for sure.

The road here was not easy, but I’m happy with what I’ve accomplished so far. The way I overcame the challenges is to constantly remind myself that things will get better, so I have to keep going. I know I still have so much more to explore, so I will continue to follow my heart and my intuition. I already have something up my sleeves as we speak.

The world should know that Lang Studio Design is just one of many creative ventures from Betty Lang. I have bigger goals for myself and I will continue to grow and evolve not only as a designer but as a creative.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m a total foodie so when it comes to places to visit the food gotta be up to my standards. It’s not just about the ambiance for me. When I say ambiance I’m not talking about a fancy place. I eat anything and everything so whether it’s a hole in the wall or a 3 Star Michelin restaurant, I’m game.

Assuming my best friend is not a picky eater I would take her or him to all of my favorite spots. In no particular order.

1. Brunch with a view of nature
2. Desserts would be a cute coffee and tea shop
3. Dinner – Korean BBQ
4. Local Japanese bakery for breakfast
5. Lunch at a hole in a wall Vietnamese restaurant
6. Dinner at a traditional sushi restaurant where they do not offer California rolls
7. Late night snacks getting some street tacos
8. Brunch at an afternoon tea place
9. Dinner at a fusion Japanese/Italian restaurant
10. Drinks with a city view

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First and foremost the people I want to shout out to are my mom and her brother, my uncle Phay. They’ve always supported me morally and financially. Being in the creative field is not easy and it’s even riskier when you start your own business. They’ve been there for me throughout all the changes in my creative career and even though they may not say it out loud, I know they are both proud of me. Thank you to my close friends and family who have been rooting for me all these years. I also want to give a shout out to my former teachers from grade school to design school, who I’ve kept in touch with for many years. They’ve shaped me to be who I am today as a person and a professional. I also want to thank my design school besties who have always been so encouraging and so inspiring for me to continue this creative journey.

Website: langstudiodesign.com

Instagram: @langstudiodesign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/betty-lang-studio/

Image Credits
Photos all by Betty Lang