After quite the thorough interviewing process and manual review process my training has been approved for the 5-day IRIS Certification course!! As of today I am the only Staging Instructor on the East coast or in the South. As a matter of fact there are only 3 other IRIS staging instructors nationally! (Anna Jacoby - Fremont, CA, Sandy Dixon - Denver, CO and Ruthanne Hatfield - Napa CA)
So, why is this certification so great? Of course I am biased as this was my training & now I am an instructor, BUT with all that said, this certification is great because it is so difficult to acheive. You know when you attend an IRIS staging course that it has been thoroughly reviewed by the education committee (which consists of other stagers and instructors in the industry). The manual was set to a specific outline, but written by the instructor themselves - so they actually have to know their stuff! The instructor had to pass a long list of credentials including a pretty amazing series of 'what do you do when' questionaire. (my interview submission package ended up being about 35 pages I think - this was not including the manual itself which is around 200 pages.) Best of all, with this training you get to become a member of IRIS (Interior Redesign Industry Specialists)!
I know. You are thinking, so what, just another organization to join. Right? WRONG! If you want to be active in the industry, this is a great place to be! Here are some of the great things that IRIS currently provides it's members:
- Local Chapters to get to know your fellow stager/redesigner
- National annual convention - this provides fellowship, education sessions and of course a fabulous time!
- Monthly public newsletter - to keep your clients & potential clients in the know!
- Monthly member newsletters - to keep YOU in the know (did I mention that I'm the editor?)
- Two Tip Tuesday (written by our very own Sandy Dixon) to keep your business momentum!
- Press release templates
- Advertise your local events on a national level through the IRIS website (www.weredesign.com)
- An opportunity to grow in your business, your resume and the industry through various volunteer positions
- Discount options for various trade related businesses (ex: Sherman Williams, Williams Sonoma, Kirklands, Pier 1, Restoration Hardware, etc) -These discounts alone can pay for your annual membership!
- Monthly teleconferences that provide you with tips to help grow your business or knowledge. (Also available online if you miss it.)
- More, More, More - there are just so many things, I cannot think of it all!
You know I am passionate about the things I am involved in, so of course this is no different. If you are interested in taking my course, please visit my website - below are this years current dates. As of right now there are seats available in each date... but with a class size limited to only 6, space is in fact limited!
Here are the available 2008 class dates (you can register online):
- July 14-18
- Sept 22-28
- Nov 3-7
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Melissa Marro, a published artist, now turned staging advocate and national speaker speaks her mind about real estate and the home staging industry. In her 'no holds barred' approach, audience members find real answers to the industries pitfalls and learn how to overcome them with tried and true information and guidance. With marketing as her passion, she turned a small home based business into one of the nation's largest home staging and training facilities. Selling her successful home staging company in January 2012, Marro is now a full time speaker and instructor for Staging And Resign and Real Estate Staging Association (RESA)'s trade events.
For more information on having Marro speak at one of your real estate functions, please contact her at 843.619.1593 or email at marro.melissa@gmail.com
Congrats, Melissa! I know you worked hard for this. I think it's wonderful -- keep staging forward!
Congratulations, Melissa! I am sure you will have a positive affect on so many. Best of luck!
I add my congratulations to you, too, Melissa! I know how much work has to be done in order to become an IRIS instructor. Your students are lucky to learn the staging business from such a pro. Enjoy this new apsect of your business!
Melissa,
Congratulation on this great acxomplishment. You Go Girl! I wish you the very best, too. Don't forget to have fun!!
Have a Colorful Day!
CONGRATULATIONS on your achievement! I am sure you worked very dilligently to get this accomplished. I look forward to hearing of future successes!
Melissa,
Well stranger, it's been a while (couple months I suppose). Yours truly has been mega busy relocating BACK from Baltimore to the lovely Palmetto state and HERE I AM. I'm finalizing the Baltimore alliance (passing the torch, so to speak, with regards to all my leads that I can't chase) and am now as much a Columbia fixture as Finley Park. I am SO excited about your training course. I've been looking into IRIS and you being the instructor is the icing on that Red Velvet cake. Perhaps September? I'll let you know. :)
SO HAPPY! I'M NOT WORTHY!
Karen - Thank you so much! I really did work incredibly hard for this & had the support of my team and several IRIS members along the way also!
Teresa - I appreciate the vote of confidence! Thank you!
Diana - Thank you! I am excited to be able to offer even more benefit to my upcoming students!
Irene - You know me, I'm always trying to have fun!
Tori Lynn - It feels great to finally have this under my belt! It was my goal when I took my IRIS course way back when... I knew before I got out of class I wanted to teach it!
Audrey - I wondered where you've been! Great news on you moving back. Now we'll be seeing you at roundtables? I would love to have you in my class... how exciting!
Congratulations Melissa! I know how hard it is to get approval to be an instructor. Nancy Cummings (an IRIS member) and I took Ruthanne's course last year (We wanted to drink wine in Napa).
You have much to offer....I know you will be a great instructor!
Congratualtions Melissa,
This is a major accomplishment and you should be proud. I read your blogs all the time and use the information to grow my business. Thank you for all your effort and encouragement. You help raise the bar for educatoin in the Staging field. The better trained we are the more acceptance there will be by Realtors.
Isn't that what we are all shooting for?