Meet Estela Leyva

We had the good fortune of connecting with Estela Leyva and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Estela, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
As an entrepreneur, it’s all mindset. Everyday it is mindset . Now , not all days are hard, we have wins too. But when the tough days show up ,
You have to be your own coach, the voice that pushes you , the one that encourages you. You need to ask yourself, how bad do you want to succeed ?

You have to constantly remind yourself of how far you’ve come and you can’t quit now. All that time, all the expenses , all the connections you’ve made and now the thought of giving up crosses your mind , you have to ask yourself, “ Well how bad do you want to succeed?”

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We provide boutique homestaging services as well as small design projects, more specifically vacation rental designs. Stellhous officially launched in Jan 2022 but to be quite honest the seed was planted long ago. This passion of interiors was something thats been cultivated since childhood but I had no idea that life would take me into a completely different direction . Stellhous is my second career and it wasn’t until retiring from the government that I was able to bring this business to fruition.
I believe what sets me apart (and this is coming from what my past clients have said ) is that my approach to staging is not so much “staged” instead you see layers of items that almost looks as if it’s a lived in home in good way . When we stage, we don’t just bring in furniture to fill a void, no . Everything is strategically placed along with a color story with the intention to evoke an emotion of home.
Today we are in year 3 and the growth has been steady but slow. I like the cadence though , it has allowed me to create the correct systems and processes for our business, create and nurture relationships and build brand awareness.
The challenges I had early on were that of mindset , which now I understand this is a valid and recurring issue most entrepreneurs have. I overcame this from listening to seasoned stagers , podcasts , many many numerous podcasts on business building, running a staging business and it’s helped to battle these woes and provide many answers to questions I had early on . I’ve joined various groups ,organizations, professional coaching programs, educational events to reinforce my building business era. I have the desire to want to learn more , to educate others on homestaging and be present in this arena.
One of the lessons I’ve learned along the way is that not everyone will be your client ,no matter how good the services are that you can deliver , not everyone is going to be your client. I’ve learned to be okay with that.
Homestaging is truly a passion of mine but I think where this comes from is the transformation. I love a good before and after , especially one that serves it purpose of helping get a home sold quicker and often times for more money than the asking price.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I like being in places where there is diversity. If I pass by a restaurant and I see people of different backgrounds eating together at a table, that’s where I want to be. That’s a good place. One of my favorite restaurants, is not a Michelin star rated , it’s not a place where the tableware is set .Its the humble establishment with a line wrapped around the block, that is my spot. For me it’s Las Cuatro Milpas in San Diego because it feels like grandmas cocina . It’s wholesome food and there is no private seating, find an empty spot and pull up chair. We are lucky to live in this beautiful city of San Diego , so many gems. Balboa Park is high on my list due to it’s history and Spanish Colonial Style architecture but so is Old Town and Coronado . All beautiful and so much to discover.
If I had to be a tour guide for a friend it would definitely be in these areas I mentioned and perhaps then head east to Julian for shopping , apple pie and it’s beautiful scenery.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’m lucky to have numerous unofficial mentors that have shaped me into who I am today. First and foremost, my mother who instilled in me a strong work ethic, Micheal , my former department manager that taught me how to be a great leader, my husband Ben that has been my constant moral support system who gives me those much needed pep talks from time to time. As far as community ,I’ve created friendships with other homestaging business owners not just in San Diego but nationwide. The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) is probably the most instrumental in my recent business growth .The insurmountable amount of resources, the trainings offered, the sense of camaraderie one gets amongst the staging community is the best support system because being a business owner, it can be a lonely world.
I listen to many podcasts in relation to design, homestaging , business , local real estate and mindset. I’ve learned so much from these what I call, “ mini coaching sessions.”
They have helped me so much and prefer them over books because I can listen while on the go. In my downtime, I enjoy reading books in business , E-Myth, Atomic Habits, Never split the difference , but my current read is The company of one by Paul Jarvis, which I’m loving .

Website: Www.stellhous.com

Instagram: @stellhous

Facebook: Stellhous