We at WealthChoice are all about clients and valued resources who are following their passion and living life on their terms. It’s what drives us. Honestly, there is little more rewarding then helping someone live the quality of life they want.
We were recently introduced to Meryl Thompson by one of our trusted resources. Meryl is the Founder of Lusso Inc, an east coast based design firm that provides luxury furniture and design advice to interior designers and architects. I just loved Meryl’s story and wanted to share it.
By focusing on what her priorities are in life and her passions, Meryl has created a life and a company that allows her to live her life on her terms. It’s a truly inspiring story for other executive women looking to live their ideal life.
Meryl’s background:
From the age of 14, Meryl worked with her father in New York in the garment industry, loving the interaction with people and the industry. Her plan had been to follow in her father’s footsteps. Tragically, her father passed away unexpectedly when she was a junior in college. She wound up working in a high-end men’s clothing store and found out she was quite good at sales, which led her to launch her first business in 1995.
After meeting her future husband, she chose to relocate to Boston when he was transferred there for work. This meant Meryl had to close the business she had established. At this time, she turned her focus to high end modern furniture at a showroom in Boston, working with designers, architects, and end users. After 14 years as the top sales person for this company, her compensation was cut dramatically. Reevaluating her priorities of family, work, and philanthropy, Meryl chose once again to launch a business in 2014.
Creating Lusso Inc:
Meryl is very proud of the company she and partner Julie have created. Lusso is an online luxury dealership of modern American and European furniture and lighting. They also provide furniture and design advice to designers and architects, as well as to end users. Unique to their company is that they are involved in the project process from concept to final delivery. They start with learning their client’s goals for each project, budget and timeline and act as a valued partner in the project process from start to finish. One of the most important qualities of Lusso is that they aim to over deliver on client service.
Meryl has some very clear priorities she shared with us: She loves her job, being an entrepreneur, spending time with her family and supporting local charities. By running her own business, she has found a way to spend time on what is truly important to her. She lives her life on her own terms.
Benefits of having her own business:
One of the themes that repeats when speaking with Meryl about her company is that by owning her own business she can prioritize what is important to her. From dictating the business model of high level customer service and quality work, to spending time with her two boys and her husband, she can spend time on what matters most to her.
Because Lusso is an online resource, Meryl can work from home rather than have to commute into Boston. This allows her to spend more time with her children and her husband. It also allows her time to actively support several non-profits that are very important to her in her local community. On the business front, having flexibility of time allows her time for key business trips to research and network for new furniture lines, design concepts, and innovative technologies that allow for unique design concepts.
That is not to say running a business is without challenges. Developing a pipe line of projects is a non-stop effort, and she is dedicated to building the business. However, over many years in the business Meryl has developed deep relationships with clients and manufacturing partners who have become friends and mentors, and great supporters of her business.
Words of wisdom from Meryl:
Meryl credits her success in life to her mother. Her mother taught her independence, ethics, loyalty, honesty, the importance of giving back, and that hard work will always pay off. As a young woman out of college, Meryl’s mother was a wife, mother, and professional woman. And she taught Meryl and her sister how to balance life and be the best she could be.
Repeatedly when speaking with Meryl, she emphasizes the importance of relationships: Family, trusted advisors, clients, friends, and charities. She believes her success is attributed to taking good care of those around her and those who mean so much to her.
We’ve had much discussion over the past years on life and balance, and most of us would agree that it is not possible to “have it all.” Meryl is a perfect example of someone who has prioritized what is important to her, and she has made choices. By making choices, she lives a life that is full and on her terms. I think it’s a story worth telling, and I hope it inspires others to do the same.
At WealthChoice we aspire for every client to live life on their terms. Let us know if you have questions about how we can help you live your ideal life.
