Today we’d like to introduce you to MacKenzie Dowse.
Hi MacKenzie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m Jessica MacKenzie Dowse, but please call me MacK! I’m the owner and lead creative designer behind Jessica MacK Designs, where I create bespoke holiday displays that bring warmth, wonder, and a touch of magic to homes and businesses.
My love for holiday design began early, inspired by my mom and both of my grandmothers. I was the child helping my mother fluff, and light the tree while the rest of the family scattered. Because to me, yes it was a chore, but I knew it was the beginning of magic. I have so many cherished memories of helping my Mama string popcorn to place around the tree. Or walking into my Mema’s house and seeing it dressed up as if Santa and Mrs. Clause lived there themselves. Each of these women who raised me had their own unique holiday style, and I fell in love with all of it. That love eventually grew beyond Christmas to include Thanksgiving and Halloween, and today it fuels the heart of my business.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
We are a young business, but a passionate one. The holidays are very personal for everyone we work with. My job is one that requires me to make sure that I not only ‘deck the halls’, but that I am able to capture the feeling my client is looking for. Sometimes that means the road may be a little bumpy. Clients minds can change, pieces may be sold out for the season, or personal things happen requiring us to pivot entirely to a less dramatic design. Of course we also have the similar struggles as other businesses, but we keep pushing through it. My goal is for everyone to feel loved and welcomed to come to us for any holiday design inspiration.
One of the biggest struggles in such a niche industry is simply getting started, getting out there where people know and contact you. It takes patience and perseverance to move through that period. It definitely helps for me to have people in my corner, cheering me on through the tough times. I’m sure every business owner can relate to that. You just have to keep reminding yourself to keep pushing through it, including myself.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I LOVE the holidays, Christmas is still my favorite with Halloween a close second. That love eventually translated into Jessica MacK Designs, LLC here in Austin. Our specialty is in the holidays. Whether is be a planned murder mystery dinner, holiday themed wedding, a Thanksgiving feast in Aspen, or a winter wonderland for you and your family to be greeted with. We can do it!
We are, however, most known for Christmas. We love decorating commercial and residential homes for the holidays. We pride ourselves on being a family oriented business, and allowing our clients to feel apart of the design, if they want to be. This work is very personal for some, so we take great care in making sure they are involved in every step of the process. From picking out the trees and greenery, ornamentation, to color scheme and so forth. There are two things that set us apart. One, we like to incorporate personal items into the design. Whether that be family ornaments that a client’s child has made, or a Santa that their relative bought them many years ago. Without this, would it really feel like the holidays? Two, we decorate for ANYONE. Even down to delivering a small decorated 3ft tree to a family that is grieving in the hospital, a busy family that just doesn’t have the time to put up their own decor this year, and of course the ones who let us design and decorate for them to the nines. We love working with people, and that means really working to help make the holidays special for them.
I love having a customer walk in after finishing a design, and seeing their face light up. Then hear about their stories of past memories rekindled as they see their sentimental pieces in the midst of the decor.
I am honestly most proud of chasing my passion, and taking the plunge in starting my own business. It has been hard, but also very rewarding. I have met such kind and welcoming people in this industry. And I am very grateful that I get to be apart of that community, and to share it with others.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Patience is key. Especially in this industry. You are going to feel like a small fish in a big pond. But once you step in, you’ll find some really amazing and loving people. I am learning something new everyday about owning a business. There are a lot of moving components, and you have to focus on the planning, budgeting, and advertising side, before you can devote time to the fun pretty side. Don’t give up, even when you feel like it is going no where, and to make sure the people in your corner know how appreciative you are of them. Look for and accept the guidance from those who have gone through this before, most are glad to help and want to see you succeed.
Pricing:
- Santa’s Lil’ Helper $250+
- Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree $500+
- Deck the Halls (must inquire)
- Secret Santa $200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jessicamackdesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicamackdesigns/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Jessica-MacK-Designs/61567372397904/#
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQSc6CgBqs-6Z5p7rtk788w
