SCORE Mentor Helps Interior Design Enthusiast Turn Hobby into Business

Ashlee Barclay was 14 when she first became interested in interior design. At the time, her parents were building a custom home and Barclay enthusiastically lent a hand with décor.

“I’m an only child so I’m my mom’s best friend,” Barclay said. “I fell in love with it.”

Barclay’s career path veered away from her love as she attended college to pursue a teaching degree and later worked as an elementary school teacher. More recently, the mother of three brought the classroom home as she began homeschooling her two oldest children as a stay-at-home mom.

While building her family’s custom home in Lafayette with her husband six years ago, Barclay’s love of interior design reawakened. In early 2024, she launched Admiral Landing Designs, a custom-crafted pleated fabric lampshade company.

“It’s been a complete whirlwind, but in a good way,” she said of starting the business. “This was not my plan for myself. Things just kind of took off very fast. When that happens you kind of question things: ‘Is it real? What’s around the corner next?’”

Barclay credits her SCORE Indianapolis mentor Brandon Roger with helping to provide clarity. He also guided her in transforming her beloved hobby into a viable business. She began mentoring in March 2024.

“I don’t have any business background,” Barclay said. “He has been so essential in helping me understand business, understand the things that I need and some of the things that I don’t need.”

Together, they worked on her email list, customer relationship management, and collaborated on a reference sheet outlining her goals.

“He has really made me sit down and say ‘OK, I’m going to make it a business,’” Barclay said. “His encouragement, his belief in me really has been stronger than my own.”

Roger, who helped in crafting a business plan and a vision for the business, said it was easy to support Barclay, especially after seeing the quality and craftsmanship of her work. He tasked her with creating a lampshade for a family heirloom lamp and connected her with an interior designer who also appreciates her handmade one-of-a-kind lampshades. Roger, whose expertise is in strategic planning, new product development within healthcare and business analytics, said Barclay, like him, has found a niche in “disruptive technologies.”

“She is unique for what she does, but there’s a very large market for it,” he said.

In addition to her mentor, Barclay’s mother, Thomasica, supports her daughter’s thriving venture. Similar to how Barclay worked alongside her mother designing the family’s home as a teenager, Thomasica assists with Admiral Landing Designs’ administrative functions and as a sounding board.

“She’s always been my rock, just wanting me to do well,” Barclay said. “I run everything by her.”

Deciding to create uniquely elegant lampshades came easy for Barclay. A staple in the UK, Barclay had difficulty finding the lighting accessories in the U.S. She viewed her business as helping to bridge that gap.

“Lighting is very important. It’s the jewelry of the home,” Barclay said. “I can actually handcraft it for you. I am your one stop shop from beginning to end.”

The mother/daughter creating bond continues with Barclay and her oldest daughter, 10, who together craft privacy pouches out of remnant fabric as part of their Stitches of Dignity collaborative effort. Once complete, pouches are stuffed with sanitary items and sent to a homeless shelter in Louisville, where the family is originally from.

About SCORE

Since 1964, SCORE has helped 17 million entrepreneurs start or grow a business. SCORE's 10,000 volunteers provide free mentoring, workshops, and educational services to 1,500+ communities nationwide. With more than 70 members throughout the Indianapolis area, SCORE Indianapolis provides nearly 3,000 mentoring services annually to local small business owners through one-on-one counseling and small business workshops. From startups to existing businesses looking to grow - the expertise SCORE provides helps entrepreneurs to succeed. Small business owners who receive three or more hours of mentoring report higher revenues and increased business growth For more information about starting or operating a small business, or finding a mentor, visit SCORE Indianapolis at www.score.org/indianapolis.