by Rick Mauch
daltxrealestate.com Contributor
Savannah Jones left the automotive industry in 2018 because of her drive to follow her true passion, home design. Her friend, Jazmin Browder, came along for the ride. Together, they run Where the Heart is Designs in Fort Worth, a successful staging and interior design company that’s been featured on HGTV and A&E.
Where the Heart Is Designs has made a name for itself working with Realtors and homeowners throughout the Metroplex. The company has a team of designers that specialize in home staging and interior styling.
Being a new first-time mom, Jones — the company owner — decided she wanted something that would allow her to work from home and spend more time with her new child. So, she went back to school for home staging and interior styling whilst building the company simultaneously.
“I was a recall coordinator for American Honda’s corporate office,” Jones said. “Prior to starting the company, I had no background in design.”
Browder went to dental assisting school in 2013 and practiced for a pediatric dentist in Fort Worth for about three years. And while she thought that’s what her career would be, the world and networking had different plans.
Like Jones, Browder — the company’s operations director — was also a mom of a young child looking for more time at home.
The name of the company came from the old saying “Home is where the heart is.” The idea came at the early stages of the company when Jones was brainstorming business name ideas. She wanted something unique, memorable, and meaningful and the two collaborated to form Where The Heart Is — Home Staging & Interior Styling, which has been rebranded into what it is today, Where The Heart Is Designs.
In July of last year their designs aired on the HGTV show “My Lottery Dream Home.”
“The experience was unlike any other we had in the business,” Jones said. “It was exciting and surreal all at the same time. The response from clients, friends, and family was huge.
“We hosted a watch party at Jazmin’s husband’s office and the whole team got to view the episode premiere. So many people tuned in at home as well, which was amazing to see.”
Later, they were also featured on the A&E show “Zombie House Flipping” with Dallas’ own Sarah Nowak and Chauncey Pham.
“We learned so much from the experience and it has drastically shaped our structure and goals moving forward,” Jones said. “We are glad to have had such a huge opportunity to share our designs in our home town.”
Jones and Browder weren’t friends when the business started. In fact, they’d never met before Browder saw an ad on Indeed and applied. Now they are inseparable.
“We quickly became close friends. Countless hours on Zoom calls, client appointments, you tend to forget you weren’t friends from the beginning but have become the BEST of friends,” Browder said.
They also share the bond of each having young children. Jones has three — a daughter who is almost 5, a son who is almost 2, and a newborn son. Browder has a 6-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.
“As a mom of multiples, learning how to balance free time/work time is extremely challenging. It truly does take a village and it couldn’t be done without the support of those around us,” Jones said. “Navigating between bedtime routines and mid-day naps is the best way to get work done.”
“And somehow you have to find time for yourself mentally,” Browder added. “Unfortunately, naps don’t happen for my kids anymore, but that’s when superhero dad comes into play, and distracts them with crafts and playtime if I need to get stuff done with work.”
Jones is married to her high school sweetheart, Dakota, a local real estate agent. Browder is married to her husband, Jeremy. He works for an organ/tissue donation company in Fort Worth.
“He isn’t involved in our business, but has supported me in such a big way, whether it’s helping at home or helping with the kids as I try and help Savannah grow the business to its fullest potential,” Browder said.
“Nothing would be done without the support of our spouses and our team to get things done productively,” Jones said. “Being a mom while owning and operating a business is not for the faint of heart. It comes with sacrifice, long days, and difficult seasons, but the reward is knowing that we are building something for our kids. We are building a brand, a company, and a foundation that they will have the option to work for one day.
“This business supports them and has helped us to keep our own identity as hard-working women in another role other than ‘Mom.'”
Browder believes she and Jones are proof that every mom should chase their dream.
“Every mom who works, whether it be full-time or part-time, goes through this slump of thinking, ‘This is impossible, there aren’t enough hours in the day.’ But you just have to have dedication and keep going, and then you sort of end up doing the impossible,” she said. “Every mom should go after their dreams, and not be afraid or apologetic about it.”
