When Sean Gray agreed to help a friend's mother move from a three-story home into a loft, he didn't realize it would be the beginning of a career. Mr. Gray, 30, of Squirrel Hill, helped facilitate the move, he says, "by compressing the belongings into a more streamlined lifestyle." And that is exactly where his career has taken him. He refers to himself as "a lifestylist." He's organized everything from birthday celebrations, dinner parties, homes and wardrobes to black tie events. "I de-stress," he said. "I create an atmosphere where design and inspiration can happen, so an event can take place or a closet can be organized. I'm a doer. I make it happen." As 2004 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a major in sociology, Mr. Gray was unsure of what he wanted to do. In the summer of 2006, he began to do event planning for local organizations like the Pittsburgh Aids Task Force. He soon was asked to help plan the 2006 Best Friends Ball benefiting the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. As his reputation grew as an event planner, his assistance with managing friends' wardrobes and homes began to make Mr. Gray realize his talents were more versatile so he began his own outfit, Sean Gray International. He does not want to specialize his business for fear of losing his sense of innovation. He would rather focus on meeting the needs of others. "I believe the less specialized my business is, the more special it is."-- Kara Voorhees, Post-Gazette staff writer
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Sean Grey
When Sean Gray agreed to help a friend's mother move from a three-story home into a loft, he didn't realize it would be the beginning of a career. Mr. Gray, 30, of Squirrel Hill, helped facilitate the move, he says, "by compressing the belongings into a more streamlined lifestyle." And that is exactly where his career has taken him. He refers to himself as "a lifestylist." He's organized everything from birthday celebrations, dinner parties, homes and wardrobes to black tie events. "I de-stress," he said. "I create an atmosphere where design and inspiration can happen, so an event can take place or a closet can be organized. I'm a doer. I make it happen." As 2004 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh with a major in sociology, Mr. Gray was unsure of what he wanted to do. In the summer of 2006, he began to do event planning for local organizations like the Pittsburgh Aids Task Force. He soon was asked to help plan the 2006 Best Friends Ball benefiting the Western Pennsylvania Humane Society. As his reputation grew as an event planner, his assistance with managing friends' wardrobes and homes began to make Mr. Gray realize his talents were more versatile so he began his own outfit, Sean Gray International. He does not want to specialize his business for fear of losing his sense of innovation. He would rather focus on meeting the needs of others. "I believe the less specialized my business is, the more special it is."-- Kara Voorhees, Post-Gazette staff writer
