Meet Shamika Lynch | Small Space Design Wizard

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

Hi Shamika, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I left the corporate world about 5 years ago (very soon after entering it) because it just wasn’t a fit for me. It was a major risk, but as soon as I got a taste of what it was like to be an independent contractor and work the gig life, there was no turning back for me. I took all the odd jobs with a few slightly more stable jobs and learned everything I could. Looking at my resume, you’d be hard pressed to put me in a single category– that’s how I knew I was a creative. I’d always wanted to be an entrepreneur, but never believed in myself enough to take the chance on myself. Finally, in 2018, I got fed up with working for other people on their terms and decided to work on my own terms and start a business. It was scary, but if I didn’t take a chance on myself, I knew I’d always wonder “what if”.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business focuses on designing small spaces — not just the aesthetic aspect, but also the function of small spaces. Many times in design, small spaces are overlooked because massive homes are glorified in the interior design space, but so many of us live in smaller homes and I firmly believe that we deserve to have homes that function beautifully, too!

I’m self-taught, so a lot of my experience came from my own research and trial and error. It wasn’t easy, but when I figured it out for myself, I just knew there had to be other people experiencing the challenges I was experiencing and that’s what inspired me to start my business. I’m constantly learning new lessons, skills, and methods. One of my favorite lessons to remember as a an entrepreneur is that my business is on my terms, so if something doesn’t work for me, I can change it.

I want the world to know that you can live small and still have a big life and big style and big joy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I like being a tourist in my own city sometimes, so we would do all the cheesy things. I’d love to take them to the One World Observatory and go on a lobster cruise at the Piers, but most important to me is food and chill, so we’d definitely hit all the wonderful local restaurants in the area. I have 2 toddlers, so I definitely can’t hang anymore, but I love a good brunch outside.

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?
My mom is a certified hustler. I watched her defy all odds stacked against her after moving to a new country on her own. She taught me to hustle and I learned my work ethic from her.

Website: maximizingtiny.com

Instagram: @maximizingtiny

Image Credits
Melissa Cacioppo | MC Architectural Photography