Money & Me: A dream career drawn out for UAE designer

A career switch from the real estate business to interior design helped George Arnold Foster-Vincent find his financial footing in life.

George Arnold Foster-Vincent heads up design for Ethan Allen in the UAE. Antonie Robertson / The National

George Arnold Foster-Vincent is the head of design in the UAE for Ethan Allen, a furniture and interior design company. The American-Panamanian, 32, is a former estate agent and has lived in the country for the past 16 months.

Describe your financial journey so far.

My financial journey has been a learning experience. I have made good and bad decisions in my career financially and I believe our financial experiences get better with time. My dad was against me being an interior designer, because he didn’t see it as a financially stable career. I believed in myself and my talent so I continued with my dream. Today, he has a different opinion of my career choice after seeing how I’ve grown financially and professionally. I have worked very hard to make my passion one that can support my family and myself without having to have a second job. While many interior designers were “born and bred” into the profession, others have taken a roundabout route, spending years in another field before making the switch. In my case, I started in the real estate business in California. That gave me the opportunity to have a game plan for the future – which came into play when the US real estate market crashed in 2008. It was the perfect transition.

Are you a spender or saver?

Part of my career’s main activity as an interior designer is to “shop” for my clients and be able to manage a given budget. I have to be able to estimate the cost of the design project and manage not only myself but the client’s budget. I can say that I’m a spender, and I’m pretty sure that my wife will agree. As much as I have shopped for my clients and myself, I have learnt to become a “smart spender”.

What is your philosophy towards money?

Money is enjoyed in the moment and wherever you are at the time. It gives our life a particular rhythm, a particular “charm”, a particular perception of the world and our place in it. But the most important thing is that money doesn’t make us – it just enhances who we really are as humans. Money creates problems when we don’t have it and more problems when we do have it. It is only an illusion that we are in control of our money, in actual fact, we do not notice how subtly and intensively it exercises control over us. Always remember financial success comes to you when your focus is not on it.

If you won Dh1 million, what would you do with it?

There would be so much to do with it. For the past few months I’ve been debating on whether to open up a creative design programme that welcomes kids with creative abilities who aren’t able to fit in a regular classroom setting. I want to make a difference and be able to share it with others. It was challenging for me in my high school days trying to fit in with the other kids who were great in science and math when the only thing I wanted to do was to get a pen and paper and bring what I had in my mind to life. I want to make sure to tell these kids who have talent and feel out of place that they will succeed. It was not easy to be creative at an early age but it gets better.

What has been your best investment?

My education. It has helped me to polish and to better understand my talents, and to be able to apply what I’ve learned to the professional world of design. I would also say that investing in real estate in California has been a smart decision, not only for myself, but for my kids and their future.

What do you enjoy spending money on?

On my family, planning that next memorable vacation. Also on making my homes comfortable and welcoming to my family and friends.

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