What if you stopped waiting until everything was perfect before taking the next step? In this episode of the STR Sisterhood, I’m joined by Ramya Mehta, founder of Yellow Tulip Designs, short-term rental interior designer, corporate product manager, and mom.

Ramya’s journey into STR design began by helping family members with their properties. By the second project, she was hooked—and realized that many of the skills she had developed in product management could translate beautifully into short-term rental design.

We talk about how prioritization, communication, understanding the customer journey, and focusing on what delivers the most value can shape not only a successful design project, but a better guest experience.

Ramya also gets candid about something so many of us struggle with: perfectionism. When launching her business, she initially felt like she needed everything—from her logo and colors to her Instagram—to be completely figured out before she could start. Her mentor gave her a much-needed reminder: you don’t need all of that. You can just start.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Turning the skills you already have into new opportunities
• Designing with the guest experience in mind
• Moving forward despite perfectionism and fear
• Balancing a career, motherhood, and a growing business
• Communicating effectively with clients and guests
• Using AI as a tool in the design process
• Why mentors, community, and support matter

One of the biggest reminders from my conversation with Ramya is simple: you don’t have to know exactly how everything will work out before you begin.

It’s easy to let the “what ifs” keep you stuck—especially when you’re stepping into something new. But every challenge you work through becomes evidence that you’re capable of handling the next one.

So if you’ve been waiting until you feel completely ready, have every detail figured out, or know exactly what comes next, this episode is your invitation to take the next thoughtful step anyway.

You can learn as you go. You can adjust along the way.

And, as Ramya reminds us, you’ll figure it out.

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY POINTS:

[00:49] A short introduction about our guest Ramya Mehta and what sparked her interest in short-term rental design

[03:50] Ramya explains how her career as a product manager directly influences her approach to designing memorable short-term rental experiences

[06:35] How designing Ramya’s family's second short-term rental gave her the confidence to turn her passion into a business

[07:59] Ramya opens up about overcoming perfectionism and learning to put herself out there before everything felt ready

[10:37] Ramya shares how personal loss, purpose, and creating value help her push through fear and uncertainty

[14:54] How ruthless prioritization helps Ramya balance motherhood, a corporate career, and growing her design business

[19:07] Ramya highlights how strong communication from her corporate career has become a foundation for her design business

[21:38] Ramya explains how AI has transformed her design process by helping her create data-backed strategies and visualize client concepts

[25:25] How mentorship and community have helped Ramya confidently navigate a new industry and continue growing

[28:14] Ramya reflects on how stepping beyond the corporate world allowed her creativity to become a new career path

[28:49] The lightning round

Golden Nuggets:

• “I'm putting myself in the shoes of a guest to see how I can elevate their experience, how I can provide, make them feel that this was the right decision that they took to book that property.”
• “You don't have to have all that. Just go ahead and start it.”
• “You just have to live your life and do what you want to do and do good.”
• “If something doesn't provide significant value in my life, it's not worth my time.”
• “Just ask. The worst thing that's going to happen is they'll say no, but if you don't ask, you're not going to get it.”

Let’s Connect:

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/yellowtulipdesigns/

Website : https://www.yellowtulipdesigns.com/

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