← Next On Scene: The Human Behind The Brand
Next On Scene: The Human Behind The Brand
From ICU to Interiors: The Nurse Designing Bold Homes
00:17:48
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If you're hosting for the holidays, refreshing a room, or looking for gifts that feel stylish and thoughtful, Wayfair has Black Friday deals happening right now. I pulled together my favorite hosting essentials and giftable finds all in one spot. You can shop my curated picks at Creatorsoul IO Wayfair JackieZook. All right, let's get into the episode. Welcome to Next on Scene, the human behind the brand. I'm Jacqueline Zuckerman delaure award winning publicist, mom, and media visionary. I believe Visit ability isn't just about being seen. It's about being of service. Each week, we are going to uncover real stories behind success. The breakthroughs, the heartbreaks, and the moments that made you who you are. Because the truth is, the more we allow ourselves to be human, the more powerful our impact becomes. This is where visibility meets legacy. This is Next on Scene. I am joined by the amazing Eunice Wetkesser.
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How did I do? Great.
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Who's one incredible interior designer, also a nurse by day and an amazing mom to two boys.
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B
Is that right? Yes.
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A
Eunice, welcome to Nexon Scene. I'm so excited to have you here.
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B
I'm delighted to be here. Thank you for having me. This is great.
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A
Okay, you're Citrus fashion icon. So I first want to talk about your outfit. So we're wearing black, and I'm all about psychology, healing with visibility. Black is a powerful color. It's mysterious, like white. Obviously, you told me when you're walking in. But what inspires you to get dressed in the morning and why black?
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B
I tend to kind of go for black for some reason, as a power color. For me, I feel most powerful in black. I love designing with black. Black is my neutral, whereas color sometimes I get nervous about, which is funny because I love color on wallpaper and walls and fabric. But black is kind of like a staple that makes me feel confident. I love that.
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But I love the mysterious side because I feel like until I got to know you better, like, you have this whole side that, like, not everybody knows about.
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B
Yeah.
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So I love that. Just want to share that. Like, it's a power collar, like, stepping into it. And it also needs, like, mystery, so.
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B
And a little edgy, which I love. You need a little edge.
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Yes. But the power edge. Like, I feel like that's the vibe. So Crown the Coal is the name of your company?
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B
Yes.
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A
How do they come about?
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B
Crown the Cool happened kind of slowly but surely as I evolved as a human. I originally started another company with another acquaintance of mine, and it didn't work out, but I kind of got the bug and the itch to want to do something for myself. And I kind of sat in my attic for a long time and thought about different names and ideas of what I wanted my own company to feel like and look like. And so crown the cool kind of stemmed from my children a little bit. I didn't want my design company to be my name, where it's very traditionally found in the industry. I wanted to make it known that my clients are, like, the cool ones. They're the ones who deserve their crown. And everybody deserves a moment, no matter what that moment is.
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A
I love that. So nursing to interior design, like, how did this come about?
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B
Good question. Well, you know, I feel like I've been kind of molded as a human by my parents, which everybody has. And going to design school and, you know, doing fashion or interior design was nothing that was ever accepted or presented for me. What I was told to do was become a doctor, a lawyer, an accountant. You know, that kind of. That kind of stability. Right. So art and fashion and design have just innately been within side of me kind of always, and I just kind of really wanted to explore that more. So when I bought my first home, my first apartment, really, that's when I painted all my walls some fun colors, fuchsia. This is. Designed it to the way I really liked. And a lot of people were commenting how fun my apartment was. I was designing our home in Winchester. It was during the time of COVID and I was working in the COVID icu, and it was really just an escape for me, a moment in time that I could have some solace in this, like, crazy time of our lives, especially because everybody was at home, and I was in the ICU treating patients. So it just gave me this, like. Like, happiness that I really needed. And I thought, why can't I just do this all the time? Like, I was in the, like, depths of this, like, very stressful situation, and I was like, you know what? Fuck it. I'm just gonna get that crazy wallpaper. You know what? I'm gonna put that wallpaper on the ceiling. You know what? I want my powder bathroom to be green and have, like, lions and skulls everywhere. Like, I want a neon sign in my house, like, who's telling me not to? And that kind of evolved the way I've started designing and kind of living my authentic life, too.
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A
I love that. So did you kind of fall into nursing? Not that you don't love what you do, but, like, how did that come about? Was it more of, like, you thought it was the right path?
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B
Like, what? Can you share a little bit more about that? Well, honestly, I was going to Northeastern for two years, and I had an undecided major, and my parents were like, you need to do something. Like, what's going on? And so my uncle had mentioned, why did you become a nurse? And I was like, you know what? Maybe I will. I've always just loved people. Nursing has evolved me in such a way that I can never. I can never take back because I've held so many strangers hands and they're dying. I've seen so many people wanting to live another day, but they can't. And it kind of gave me that mentality to be like, you know, what if they can't because they're so sick and I can.
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Why.
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Why aren't I doing this? So it. It. It's evolved my. My, like, way of thinking about life and how life is so short and how you should try to do what you want to do in your real, authentic selves and not listen to the voices, the. You know, the other people who tell you, like, oh, that's not right. Or, you know, I don't. I don't understand that. Well, it doesn't. They don't need to understand it. You're the only one who needs to understand how you feel.
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That was really sentimental.
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Yeah. Like, I love that I'm a sentimental girl.
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A
You know, in the industry you're in, like, you have to be a Libra, right?
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Well, in nursing, in design, it could be different.
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Yeah, it's so funny.
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Like, two extremes, I know. Yeah. Well, it's really like, I'm a Libra, right? So, like, the balance. I have to be balanced at all times. And sometimes, you know, I get a little unbalanced, but it's cool. Like, it's great to feel like I can be that, like, boss bitch. But also, I will never be a bitch in reality. You know, I'm caring, I'm loving. I truly want the best for you and want the best at the end of the day for my clients and for myself, too.
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A
So now I want to talk about. Because you have two careers.
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Two careers.
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And you have two little boys at home, right?
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Like, like high rate.
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So. So, like, how. What is the day in the life of Eunice?
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It's really hectic. I actually. I actually don't know how to do everything. It's like, you know, I always say I do many things. Am I, like, amazing at all of them? No, but I think I Do a good job, you know, because you can't do so many things and be amazing at all of them just because there's something that always takes a hit, you know, when I'm working a lot as a designer, like, my family life can take a hit. And then, you know, the nursing side, I mean, there's no. There's no balance. Months, my life is hectic. I. Sometimes I'm like, how did I brush my hair today?
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It looks nice today.
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Yes, I called it yesterday. So truly live in the moment. I can't think about five hours from now because five hours from now is too much. I love, like, day. I love that because if I think about all the shit I have to do, because I have so much shit to do, I will never be able to get out of bed. Right. Because it would be so overwhelming and riddling with anxiety for me. So I just go. I go with the flow and I always know if it's meant to be, it will be all these, like, good.
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Takes and like solid takeaways. I. Yeah, I love it.
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Thanks.
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So you're incoming resident for the ifta. Can you educate the audience about what that is?
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So IFTA is International Furnishing Design Association. And so for me, you know, I, as a nurse and wanted to get into design. I didn't know anybody, I didn't know how to introduce myself. Like, I would be writing emails, calling other, like, design offices, studios, and nobody would give me the time of day. They're probably like, who the hell is this person? I was like, I will run your coffee. I don't need you to pay me. I want to just know how the business works. And I just really wanted to be involved as much as possible. And really nobody care. I was just another person. Probably just, you know, people don't like to share their secrets on us. And also people don't have a lot of time in their hands to like, mentor somebody, a stranger. Right. So when I went to an IFDA event, it was actually the gala, it was two years ago or three years ago actually. And I walked in and I was like, oh, my gosh, this is amazing. It's so bougie. They're like awarding all the designers and architects and contractors, and it just felt so, like, lavish. And I loved it. And I introduced myself to all the winners and just was myself. And then I started going to all the networking events and then actually having, like, real connections with these people. And they saw the fire in me and they saw that I was doing small gigs, big gigs, and they Saw my talent, and they kind of was, you know, they kind of accepted me. So for who I was, a person who has a lot of ambition and fire. And I think that's why they wanted to nominate me as president, because I'm a younger face, but I'm also respectable. And I love to stay true to tradition, but kind of twist it a little bit and give it more of, like, a younger flair. But also, for me, it's about really connecting with others and making them feel the opposite of what I felt. Because what I felt was, like, I wasn't worthy of getting, like, to work at, like, you know, a studio or whatever because I had no background in design. But in reality, you don't need a background. You know, you just have to be an incredible business person, too. But in my mind, there is room for everybody, and the universe feeds off that energy too. And if you're kind and you give off, like, an opportunity, somebody the energy will give, the universe will give that back to you. 10 volts.
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A
I feel the same. I'm so glad you shared that. Like, there's no such thing as competition. Like, the right person will never miss you, right?
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Exactly. And if it's. If it's meant to be, it will happen. And if it doesn't happen, it's just the universe telling you this was not the right situation. And it will come eventually.
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A
So I want to talk to you about home life. So I know that you have two boys that are on the spectrum, and I really feel like it's so inspiring as I'm a huge advocate for all the things and commend you for all, all of it. So what is it like in terms of your day to day and balancing that with everything else that you have to handle on a regular basis as a business owner, as a nurse, all the things.
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It's not easy. It's really hard. It takes a lot of toll on the family. For me, I never knew anybody with kids until I had my own, so I had no idea what I was getting into. So I was like, oh, my gosh, this is so hard. I always say being a mom is the hardest job ever, and then throwing in, you know, kids with disabilities is 50 times harder. The only thing I can say is, I live my day like I tell you, like, how I, like, balance my life. I live my day hour by hour. I can't focus on all the bad things that happen because there's so many bad things that happen. I need to focus on all the good things, because if I just focus on you know, the tragedies that I've seen so far or, like, the heartaches or the struggles that my kids. My kids had to endure, then I'll just, like, focus on that. And that's. I don't want to shine that on that. I want to focus on all the good things, all the things I can do, everything that brings them joy and happiness. And is it easy? No. It's definitely way more work than I expected. But that's life, you know, Life isn't meant to be easy. And they've really, like, kind of, like, taught me a different way of seeing the way I see myself, because they have a lot of. Especially my oldest. He's. He's more spectrum y. He has more struggles, like, socially and. And just, like, the way he is in general. Like, you could tell. But he's a special. He's a special boy. He's amazing. In reality, I'm, like, shaping my life to shape them, to show them that you can be whoever you want to be as long as you have a lot of passion and fire and a goal, no matter what that is. If you want to be the CEO of this huge company, build your own company, or if you want to work on the market, basket and, like, bag of groceries, if that makes you happy. I'm all Gucci about that. It's whatever fuels your fire and, like, makes your life happy.
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I thank you for sharing that, like, openly, because I know it's hard to share things like, just even. Honestly, even mental health is so big in my family, like alcoholism, all the things. Like, it's important to talk about things because you're. You're not only, like, speaking it out loud. I feel like, helps heal us, inspiring so many other people to help them.
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So, like, I really appreciate that. Yeah. And, you know, I always say I'm. Anybody can always contact me if they have, like, a question or just see the bitch about, like, what their kid did. I'm here because I've been there, girl, and I'm still in there. You know what I mean? And moms and dads, like, we all struggle, right? And you have this idea of, like, what your child is going to be like, and sometimes they're completely different than what you could ever expect. But you just have to think what their differences are is what makes them special. Right.
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I think the bold things that you do are huge statements like, you can be bold. Like, it's safe to be bold. And like yourself.
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Yeah. You got one life to live.
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So true. Happy mom, happy wife, happy life.
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Exactly like.
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Okay, I want to talk about the red carpet challenge. I asked you to pick three songs.
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Oh, yeah.
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So fun. Okay, so we talked. One was the greatest by Sia, right?
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Love Sia.
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Oh my God, I love her. Big juicy Biggie Small. Love him. And your top choice was bossy, right? Oh my God, I love it. So if we look at those three songs today, which one speaks to you in this moment?
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Right, Like Khalees, like she's just like the beat to it and it's just like, it's like gives you that like affirmation. Yeah, I'm a boss.
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Totally.
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No, and every time I have like a big meeting or I worked out really like hard, I have all this like adrenaline and like all the good like feelings. I play that song and like I'm just like, hell yeah. You know what? I am the motherfucking boss.
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I love it. And if you could design anyone's home, who would be next?
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I would love to design like a rock stars home.
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Okay, let's pick one.
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I would love to design Sia's house.
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So cool.
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Yeah. She seems like very artistic and out there and fun and I would just. She's like a dream girl for me. I love her words. I love her just her energy. She's magnetic. I would love to drive like designer home. Yeah.
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Reach out to her.
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Yeah.
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See it.
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Call me.
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Okay. What's your go to confidence booster? Before a big moment, I just like.
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To give myself good intentions and tell myself like all the good values I have. You know, stuff like you, you know, you are worthy, you are the star, you are articulate, you have a passion. You know you are the divine goddess because if you don't say it, no one else will. So true. Yeah.
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So if there was one sentence the world could remember you by, what would it be?
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That's a good question. I would say kindness, creativity and beauty. I love that. Yeah.
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A
Beautiful.
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Well, thank you for coming on to. It's just so inspiring. Thanks for having me.
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A
So great. So how can people like get in touch with you, follow you all the things?
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So my IG is Crown the Cool Studios or I have a website, www.crownthecool.com and you can just fill out the questionnaire and like get in contact with me. I'm all bites.
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So she will never.
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I'm good.
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I love it.
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Thank you.
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A
This was awesome. I'm here to give you your red carpet moment. So follow us on all our podcast channels on any stream from iHeartRadio, Spotify. If you just type in next on scene. The human behind the brand. Or you can also follow us on all our social media channels at nextonscene. Can we for you to come on this journey with us. Your say is very impactful as an audience member. So come along for the ride and we are gonna all evolve together and we can't wait for you to see who's next on scene.