Scott Salvator – Design is 90% business
1. How has technology shaped the way you run your business?
Scott: It’s enabled me to be a much bigger business with a very small group of people. I deal with an incredible volume, not only of the actual product that’s delivered but monetarily. And that would have never happened without Design Manager, computers, or smartphones.
2. How has Design Manager specifically helped your business?
Scott: It’s provided financial structure and accountability.
3. How has the cloud helped your business?
Scott: I like DM Cloud because you don’t have to maintain it—the constant loading up your hard drive and doing updates all the time. It’s one less responsibility. You pay a fee, you’re done.
4. How do you see yourself: more as an artist or as a successful businessman?
Scott: definitely artist. But as an artist, I’m very good at running a business. Because what I have found is that people are well intentioned in design, but it’s a very right brain group of people, and it’s very hard for them to do it. It’s really 90% left brain all day. So if you can find 10% of your time to sit there and dream or design, that’s good. But a lot of time you are dealing with procedural and administrative things, which Design Manager falls into in terms of bookkeeping, sales tax, accounting, audits, monthly reports. So from day one, that was just something I knew.
“Scott Salvator is recognized as one of the country’s premier designers. From its inception in 1992, Salvator’s New York-based full-service firm has specialized in custom residential and commercial interiors for an elite international clientele from Los Angeles to Athens.”