Episode 55: Ashley Stark Kenner of Stark Carpet
Ashley Stark Kenner is the Creative Director at Stark Carpet in New York, a company founded by her grandparents, Arthur and Nadia Stark, in 1938. Stark Carpet has been synonymous with the world’s finest floor coverings since its inception and has been the go-to resource for top interior decorators for decades. Ashley is also the Sr. Vice President of Design, bringing her fashion-forward vision to the company while maintaining the classic Stark aesthetic. Her unique style and eye for the eclectic are present in her vision for the company.
Listen in as Ashley discusses how she balances her high-octane career at Stark Carpet with creating content for social media, reaching 1 million Instagram followers, all while being a mother to her three kids. She also talks about where she gets her inspiration for her product line and how social media has allowed her to collaborate with other designers at a greater scale since she began in her career. Finally, she shares the process of taking a product from idea to reality.
Topics Discussed
[04:33] Why Ashley went all-in on Instagram & reaching 1 million followers
[08:50] Advice for succeeding on Instagram
[10:04] Avoiding burnout on social media
[12:17] The power of authenticity on social media
[16:56] Teaching your kids about the dangers of social media
[18:36] Exposed to the world and building collaborations through Instagram
[20:40] Ashley’s role and responsibilities at Stark Carpet
[22:59] The process of taking a design from idea to reality
[26:56] How COVID-19 has affected Stark Carpet
[30:26] Styles that Ashley gravitates toward
[32:52] Requests for custom designs
[39:04] Underrated design aspects around the home
[40:36] Why Ashley loves traveling for work
[46:16] Balancing family and work amid the pandemic
[48:38] What Ashley is looking forward to in the near future
