Is this you right now during finals:

- have NO idea how to actually finish your studio project and/or portfolio

- pulling all-nighters since your to-do list keeps growing

- secretly hoping to present an amazing project and collection of your work

- but feeling totally overwhelmed + sleep-deprived??

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OOF. Been there. So many times.

After designing projects + creating beautiful presentations for 8+ years at two of NYC’s award-winning firms, I want to share what I’ve figured out.

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In 60 mins, you’ll learn my exact system for knowing:

- what is CRITICAL to work on

- what to put aside immediately

- how to pick the right stopping point + finish strong!

(I learned this the hard way… later used it to finish presentations clients loved)

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This hour will make all your other hours easier.

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BONUS:

If you stay 'til the end, I'd love to send you a small gift

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If we haven’t met yet, I’m Sarah!

It’s so nice to ‘e-meet’ you :)

Have you ever finished a presentation perfectly on time?

This is what I call the ‘holy grail’ of design school.

I always envisioned it as leaving studio by 5pm the night before the final. I’d be a little tired, grab a slice of pizza on the way home, chat with my roommate, then later peacefully drift off to sleep.

My work?

In this daydream, it’s already printed and neatly pinned up in studio.

(clearly a pre-Covid fantasy)

The next morning I’d show up to my presentation feeling calm, confident, and well-rested.

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...Oh YOU haven’t ever done this in school yet, EITHER??

HAH. I can’t even type this out without laughing and having a little PTSD flashback.

Guys, this dream of calmly wrapping up NEVER HAPPENED for me while I was in school.

Not once!

Lmao. I wish.

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I always wanted to present my ideas beautifully AND get sleep.

But it didn't really work out for me in school.

Without having a real framework or experience to guide me, my reality was feeling completely exhausted the night before a studio presentation.

Thinking about the one-more-thing I need to finish. Running on caffeine fumes. Semi-desperate to present and get it over with.

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Truthfully, my presentations or my final portfolio never looked as good as I wanted them to. Ugh.

Before design school, I was always a top student, so this was the hardest truth to swallow.

In my mind, I could sit and work forever. Despite spending 13-15hr days/nights in studio, I never knew HOW to put all the pieces together exactly the best way.

I would spend so much time trying to make every aspect perfect and inevitably run out of time - throwing it all together at the end.

It never looked as strong as the top students’ work.

NOT a good feeling. Especially after all the blood, sweat, and tears.

Can you relate??

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I FINALLY figured it out when I started working with talented teammates at my first job.

I realized there’s a CERTAIN WAY all great presentations come together.

Each time you do it, the process is refined - it becomes easier and easier.

Once you understand the clear path forward, you produce at the next level.

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Hundreds of presentations, a killer portfolio, and many years later, it hit me: my old fears had evaporated.

Putting together beautiful presentations is now second nature to me.

It feels incredible!

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Now I want to pass it on.

Teaching students the strategies I’ve mastered in the years since design school feels like sending a love letter to my past self who struggled.

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Friendly PSA:

If finishing your projects and putting them into a presentation feels like it takes you forever…

and EVEN THEN it still never quite looks as strong as you wish it did:

1. This is NORMAL
2. This is a skill you can master! You just have to learn how + practice:)
3. You don't have to stumble around and figure this out on your own. You can follow a proven framework I will lay out for you in this presentation.

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So are you ready to get better, faster, stronger at upleveling your presentation skills??

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Join me. I got you!

Ahh can’t wait.

- Sarah  

 @swhitdesign 

 @swhitdesign_mentoring <- coming soon!

FAQ

Q. What do I need to bring?!

A. Yourself + a notebook to take notes.

Come as you are - this is a no-judgement zone... show up in your PJs if you need to!

Q. Where's the link?

A. You will receive a zoom link once you register!

Other questions?

Email me at [email protected]

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Hope to see you there!

This is my Thesis class after our final presentation at Pratt in Brooklyn. We made it!!!

PS. If you're curious, here's my official bio:

I created SWHITdesign originally for side projects in 2015 while gaining vast experience designing at rapidly growing, award-winning NYC architecture firms.

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I used my natural enthusiasm for the creative process to successfully conceive multiple projects during my seven-year tenure at Morris Adjmi Architects. While at MA, I skillfully navigated various interior programs and their nuances – from hospitality and condominium amenities, to office and single-family residences. Additionally, I shepherded the creation of the MA x AFNY plumbing collection, which launched in 2019.

Major career highlights at MA also include surreal moments of becoming a lead project designer in my mid-20s, negotiating multiple $10-15K raises(!), and even being the lead designer for an A-list celebrity’s new home.

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2020 launched the beginning of SWHITdesign Mentoring. I work exclusively with smart and ambitious designers who want to fast track their careers and thrive in a competitive industry.

Under SWHITdesign Interiors, I've worked on private residences in California, Connecticut, and Ohio. Right now I’m developing proposals for a few other exciting projects for 2022.

Additionally, I’m back in NYC consulting for Jeffrey Beers International. Under JBI, previously I worked on a five-star luxury resort in Costa Rica. Currently, I’m focusing on a recording studio and private residence in Miami.

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After designing for eight years in NYC, I originally planned on a year sabbatical world trip for June 2020 (!). Newly rescheduled as soon as the world fully reopens, the dream is to alternately explore cities, their design, and study with local craftsmen as well as scuba dive around the world.

I have a Master of Science in Interior Design from Pratt Institute in NYC, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Maryland.

Lobby for Whyle, located in Washington DC. MA

Private Villa's Living Room for a Luxury Resort located in Costa Rica. JBI

Amenity Room for 55 W 17th Street, located in NYC. MA