Each Friday Simplifying Fabulous! presents Fab Fridays, an up-close-and-personal look at how one of our community members simplifies fabulous in their own life. Is there someone you'd like to see featured? Email your submission to info@simplifyingfabulous.com.

Simplifying Fabulous! with Beth Greene of Kravet Inc.

ABOUT Beth Kimless Greene is the Executive Vice President, Marketing and Strategic Branding of Kravet Inc., one of the design industry's leading distributor of decorative fabric and furniture, and one of my absolute favorite fabric houses! Beth Greene lives in Hewlett, New York with her husband Marc, and their children Benjamin and Amanda. In this two part Fab Friday series, Beth talks about the inspiration at work and at home. Here in Part 1, Beth talks business! Robin Baron: What do you love most about your work? Beth Greene: I am so excited about being creative and at the same time, business oriented. I have developed a left brain/right brain ability to balance creativity and the ability to jump out of the box with the practicality and resourcefulness of a business model that can continue to be profitable. I work for the best out there. There is a level of trust and admiration on the part of the Kravet family which allows me to expand my horizons and trust my instincts and endeavor into areas that our industry has never experienced which keeps us in our top position.

RB: The mantra of Simplifying Fabulous! is that Confidence Begins at Home. Do any aspects of Kravet Inc., align with this? BG: People always tell me how confident I am. I am truly the poster woman for "Confidence Begins at Home." It all had to start there. I had a great teacher in my mom, a great partner and supporter in my husband and children that constantly reinforce who I am.

I bring this to my work each and every day. I approach everything I do with this confidence, modesty and strength and it almost gives me the power and acknowledgement to be creative, unique and the leader in the industry for Kravet/Lee Jofa/Brunschwig. The programs we put together for our customers come together from a mission of great service, quality and partnerships. We stay consistent with our messages, on strategy and continue to develop our brands to deliver the best in the design industry. RB: What impact has working in the design industry made on you? BG: My mom was a very successful interior designer and growing up I never understood why all these people needed my mom to make their lives beautiful. She was so talented, had great taste and was business minded. At one point in my career, I was fortunate to get involved in a new business pitch for a competitor and truly was the only one who knew what an interior designer was. I guess at that point I realized that my mom was a strong role model, and working in the design industry is was like coming home to me. It's in my blood. My sister and niece also work in the industry. My mom is not with us anymore, but is definitely watching and admiring my success from above.

RB: Tell me about your work space. BG: My personal office at Kravet is filled with lot of personal tidbits from the almost 20 years here. The walls are papered with every ad I have ever done, award winning and all.

There is a skirted table filled with knick knacks from my years of events: a chocolate Oscar from the Governors Ball of the Academy Awards, a Burberry Barbie still in the box (a collectors item, I am sure!), a bamboo plant to keep my mojo in tact, a pile of designer inspired art books, and lots of photos in frames of the family and work friends.

I also have a collection of “green” terms to commemorate my last name, like “Its not easy being green,” “GREEN with envy” and “green on the inside and green on the outside.” They are cute and make me smile. People send cut outs from all sorts of magazines for me and they are all pinned to the wall. My office is a haven for my years at Kravet and is my second home.

RB: What does the word “community” mean to you and your brands? BG: We are a community at Kravet Inc. It starts with the Kravet family that are involved each and every day in the business. They are hands on and treat every employee as a member of their extended family. This has such a positive effect on how we approach our customers, the interior design trade. We treat our customers also like family. From product development to answering their needs to solving their design dilemmas and all aspects of customer service. That is truly a sense of community and partnership. We work with each other to make everyone happy in the end which makes us money and continues to set us apart from our competitors.

See how Beth Greene translates her personal style into her home in the second part of our Fab Friday series!