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PRESS RELEASE: Former Software Sales Leader Pursues Career of Another Color — Décor and Design — and Finds Success and Growth Opportunity
April 13, 2005 For Immediate Release Contact: Seattle, Washington – A former software sales leader at Microsoft, Kathleen Banak, decided to pursue a career of another color. She visualized a welcoming "Home" that people could enter to experience the warmth of colors, fabrics, and décor particularly suited to Northwest living. Banak's vision became reality in November of 2003, when she opened the first Authentic Home in West Seattle. The transition for Banak from software salesperson to interior décor innovator has been easy. Three years ago, Banak envisioned transforming a life-long passion into a workable business model. Having strong personal drive and confidence of vision, Banak has assembled an experienced staff with strong skills, brought together the first Authentic Home, achieved quick success in her first year and one-half, and put into action the plans for opening of a second Home store. Banak projects a thirty percent increase in sales for 2005. Authentic Home, a transformed 1932 bungalow located in the 7000 block of California Avenue, is a showcase for interior décor products and ideas. In mid-May 2005, Banak will be opening a second Authentic Home north of University Village, when she completes the transformation of a cedar-sided 1918 house into an Authentic Home showcase. Customers love the ambience and comfortable surroundings of being in a Kathy Banak "Home." Banak attributes the success of her business-model to an "interior style guidance" philosophy that does not intimidate customers and does not dictate interior decorating requirements. Instead, the Authentic Home staff helps their clients develop a décor and style that reflects the personality of their families and their individual homes and lifestyles. At the heart of Banak's designs is individual color consultations based on her collaborative relationship with Devine Color™, a Portland company that manufactures paints particularly suited to the Northwest palette. Authentic Home has been honored by Northwest Home + Garden Magazine, receiving a "Top Shop" award for being one of the "123 Best Places To Shop" in the Seattle area. This award acknowledgement is in the March/April 2005 edition of the magazine. The Authentic Home web site, www.authentic-home.com, will have a new look in April 2005. About Kathy Banak Since opening in 2003, Banak has made Authentic Home the source for interior design guidance for the owners of many Seattle's grand, older homes. However, she has found that owners of contemporary homes and condos appreciate her unique insight as well. She also works as the exclusive interior color consultant to a select set of homebuilders in the Seattle area and provides management for interior projects of every scale. Banak's business experience in the software industry extends over twenty years where she applied her sales and marketing skills with major software manufacturers including MultiMate, Borland International, Ashton Tate and Microsoft. Since moving to Seattle in 1997, she has provided marketing consulting services to such non-profits as the YWCA, School's Out Washington, and the Youth Tutoring Program and has participated in the philanthropic organization, Social Venture Partners. Banak is a 1982 graduate of Central Connecticut State University, with a degree in Marketing.
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