Creating a Refuge in Your Home: Inside Moonstone Design and Build
BY EMMA GEARY - JUNE 6, 2024
One of the most exciting and inspiring parts of our work at LAB is the incredible entrepreneurs we collaborate with, both through our branding clients and Collective members. Lidia happens to be both!
All images courtesy of Moonstone Design + Build
One of the things I admire most about Lidia is the way she joyfully blends her creativity with relationship-building, creating homes for clients that are inherently unique to their lives and styles. Her business is built upon honoring her family’s cultural influences from Nicaragua, Greece, and beyond while mastering the logistics behind projects so her clients can truly enjoy the creative process.
Today on the blog, we’re digging deeper into the story behind entrepreneur Lidia Valdivia, Founder of Moonstone Design + Build.
What was the inspiration behind Moonstone, and how did you bring this dream to life?
Growing up in Nicaragua, I always dreamed of having my own business. I come from a family with many entrepreneurs, from my great-grandmother to my grandparents and dad. I grew up wanting to create something unique. I always admired my dad for growing and expanding his business. Further, living in a third-world country, I was surrounded by a lot of poverty. Kids asking for money on the street lights and houses made of cardboard or plastic grew a fire in me to want to give back to my country and community. In fact, I’m currently working on launching something connected to this, coming soon. ;)
When I moved to the US, my first job was sanding hardwood floors for a family friend, and then I worked with a siding crew for a while. A love for transforming old things into better & new grew. I slowly started my path to what Moonstone is today, but every step of the way was essential to my journey. I first started a subcontracting business for exterior work and then took on small jobs with clients. I spent a lot of time doing complete home renovations while investing in real estate, and now I’ve found my passion in working with clients to explore their style and infuse it into their homes deeply.
One of the unique parts of being an entrepreneur and owning your own business is dealing with uncertainty. How do you deal with this in your business as you grow?
There has been so much uncertainty along the way. I recently put out my white flag and closed our first business. I grew so much personally and professionally from the experience. Being an entrepreneur is tough, and fearing failure is real, but now I embrace failure from a different perspective. Failure is the walkway to success. If you are not failing, you are not getting out of your comfort zone, which is not a place I want to be.
Moonstone has been steadily growing, and I am very cautious about the following steps to take. We plan on hiring another member of our team soon, but we are taking our time to feel to maximum capacity to have someone join us! I am in a stage where every step forward is a firm step.
When you're feeling creatively tapped, where do you look for inspiration?
When my creativity is running low, travel is always the answer. I am inspired by different cultures, architecture, and foods! Whenever I travel to another country, I return home with so much inspiration & calmness in my heart.
What advice would you give to your younger self, at any age?
I would tell myself to slow down and always remember that in the long run, everything works itself out.
Thank you, Lidia, for sharing your story with us! To learn more about Moonstone, visit their website.
Emma Geary
Emma is the one writing it all down. She's been with LAB since 2021 and is finishing her MFA in Creative Writing in her spare time. Her favorite color right now is cobalt blue.
