A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Welcome! Today we have a very smart lady, Lori Paranjape, of Mrs. Paranjape Design and Interiors with us. As well as being a really talented designer, Lori, affectionately known as Mrs. Paranjape, is also an excellent businesswoman and on the show today she's going to be offering lots of really practical advice for designers. She has had her work featured in People, HGTV Magazine, and Domino, as well as in many other publications. Listen in today to find out what Lori has to share with you. Mrs. Paranjape Design and Interiors, which specializes in luxury residential and new construction projects, was started in 2008. Lori is a self-taught and extremely motivated designer. She started out helping friends and acquaintances with their homes. As time went by, referrals continued to pour in and Lori began working as the in-house designer for Redo Home and Design, the well-loved home retailer to generations of families based in Nashville. Listen in today as Lori discusses the really innovative relationship she has with Redo Home and Design, and she also encourages designers and retailers to build awesome partnerships, just as she has done with Redo. Show highlights: Lori's explains the details of her 'Design Collective' business model that she has set up in Nashville. The wonderful, symbiotic relationship that Lori has with her business partner. The clear distinctions between the different aspects of her partnership. What constitutes a 'commissionable' sale within her partnership. How Lori's commission is paid to her. The intentional way that Lori sources everything that she needs. How Lori's retailer provides everything that she needs. The awesome and mutually beneficial kind of partnership that can be formed between a designer and a retailer. The way that Lori and her partner work to utilize a relatively small showroom space to their best advantage. Lori's unique, practical and real-life approach to designing a home for her clients. The way that Lori really takes care of her clients. Why you, as designers, really need to cultivate the skill of asking, listening, and then going a little deeper. Lori's special way of discovering the personal details about her clients, without making them feel uncomfortable. Lori's innovative ways of encouraging clients to spend more money on a project, if it's necessary. Some tips for overcoming difficulties with clients around the cost of a project in a comfortable way. The conversations that Lori has with her clients right at the beginning of their relationship. When to simply say 'no' to a client. Using candles and music to transform a room and create the right atmosphere. Ways of gaining a client's cooperation in using their home for a photo shoot. How to Find Lori: Website - Mrs. Paranjape Instagram - @mrsparanjape Pinterest - Mrs. Paranjape

Welcome to this week's Power Talk Friday! We have Raquel Langworthy, a lifestyle, and interiors photographer, with us. Rachel's philosophy is one of partnering very closely with her clients, so today we are going to be talking to her about how she does that with her designer clients, by creating with them a thorough and detailed relationship, working with them side by side and supporting them all the way. Listen in to find out more. Raquel is a Lifestyle and Interiors photographer based in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. She services mainly the east coast but she's traveled the country for various photography assignments for both documentary storytelling and interiors. Raquel has recently been published in NY Cottage & Garden, for their cover story, as well as in many other online publications such as Domino.com and Architectural Digest online. Raquel moved to New Jersey two years ago, and although she still feels new to the NJ market she has had the pleasure of working with a host of talented interior designers and architects to capture their work and portraits. Her focus in photography is naturally lit bright spaces. Her goal when photographing interiors is not only to capture the overall space but captivate an audience through visual storytelling and well-styled compositions. Listen in to find out what Raquel has to share on the show today. Show highlights: How Raquel starts her relationship with a new client. The importance of using the right styling to create the perfect composition. Why Raquel does not email her clients. How Raquel prepares for a shoot. Raquel also assists with the styling at times. Photographing a full house really takes a whole lot of styling! Raquel and Charlotte's work was featured recently on the cover of NY Cottage and Garden, and also in a ten-page article. How to tell if it's really worth investing in a talented stylist for a photo shoot, or not. What Raquel has learned from previous episodes of the podcast. Why you really have to be ready, to work nationally. The different specialties and skill sets of photographers. Some things to look out for when taking photos with your iPhone. Some tips for working with a photographer. Some tips for designers, when thinking about hiring a photographer for a project. Previous episodes mentioned on the show. Charlotte #138 Ashley Hotham Cox #321 Amy Flurry #108 and #323 Links: Website - Raquel Langworthy Instagram - Raquel Langworthy Photography Facebook - Raquel Langworthy Photography

Welcome to today's episode! We have Laurel Bern, of Laurel Bern Interiors on the show with us today. Laurel Bern is an award-winning New York Interior Designer, blogger, brand ambassador and speaker. Her design work has been featured in national as well as Westchester County shelter magazines. She is known for a having a young-traditional aesthetic and is one to buck many of the current trends unless they happen to be classic favorites. However, after 21 years as the principle designer in her firm Laurel Bern Interiors, she has turned her focus to blogging as a full-time occupation. Her award-winning blog, Laurel Home has drawn a large following – and by large- I mean with page views in the multiple hundreds of thousands every month- due to her candid style of writing, useful information and warm community of readers. You can see for yourself right on her website, laurelberninteriors.com she earns over $33,000 per month from her blog. Laurel's Rolodex is a comprehensive shopping guide for home furnishings with links to the vendor/manufacturers and features a list of some 180 designer-friendly vendors for interior designers. No professional confidences are divulged. Laurel's goal is to help you make your home more beautiful, personal and a really comfortable place in which to live. You will want to savor every moment of today’s show, so join us today to discover more about Laurel ’s incredible, entrepreneurial journey. Show highlights: How to blog effectively, in order to attract your ideal client. Steps you should take right from the start in order to create a successful blog. Your blog needs to live on a really well-built website. What your 'about' page is truly all about. The nuts and bolts of creating a successful website. Why you need to have a navigation menu on every page of your website. Selecting the most appropriate font for your website. How to avoid overwhelming your readers. How to use primary keywords People want a lot of knowledge, but they also want to be entertained. Figuring out your special secret sauce, and your own, unique voice. Your content has to be rich with relevant information. The importance of having your blog posts indexed. Some things that will help you to create magic in your blog. You can even take your own photos with your phone. Some tips to enhance your photos. Awesome ideas for free gifts for your readers of your blog. Why Laurel loves using Wordpress.com. Selecting information to place in your sidebar. Ways to keep your readers on your website for as long as possible. Learn about the $250 000 that Laurel left on the table for five years of her blogging career. Why you should get yourself onto an advertising network. The importance of blogging consistently. Ways to encourage people to take your surveys. Laurel has written a document called Six-figure Income Blogger, and it's really simple and full of the strategies that she's used, and lessons that she learned the hard way. Go to her website laurelberninteriors.com to get your copy for $199. It's in the first link in the main menu on the left-hand side. Previous episodes mentioned on this show. Claire Jefford #325 Linda Holt #97 Carla Aston #242 Stephan Spence #238 Recommendations: For really awesome geek help, go to Eileen Lonergan Laurel Bern Interiors Instagram: Laurel Bern Free Blogger Guide: Six Figure Income Blogger Guide

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We are really happy to introduce you to Esther (Pinky) Kiss today. Pinky is the founder of Born To Influence, a boutique publicity firm that specializes in helping experts and personal brands to get more publicity, leads, and sales. We will be talking to Pinky about how to get your ducks in a row, and understanding what you need to do, in order to be properly prepared for the marketing and PR process, and to gain credibility as an expert in your field. Today's show is geared for the interior designer who is in their own market, with a successful business, who would like to access PR and media opportunities specifically to create more business for their firm. Listen in to find out what she has to share on the show today. Pinky has worked on campaigns in a variety of industries, including software as a service, mobile apps, and digital information. She also has a podcast called Born To Influence, The Marketing Show, where although she does not air new interviews at this point, there is still a library available, on iTunes, containing tons of information. Pinky has also been involved in bringing several book launches to national bestseller and New York Times status. Listen in to find out more! Show highlights: The importance of having certain foundations in place, in order to be seen as an expert in your field. Why you need to be really clear about your goals. What you need to do to cover all the necessary bases, in order to get more clients. Positioning yourself to gain more credibility through publicity. The steps involved in creating an awesome bio to suit your specific needs. An example of a bio containing really compelling information. Creating a bio that will really earn you credibility The next step towards getting some publicity, once you have your bio and website locked down. How to really set yourself apart from the rest. Learning to understand the problems that your potential clients would be facing, and to think the way that your potential clients would be thinking. Creating your Intentional Media Message Content. Creating different pitches to suit different situations. Connecting your expertise to what the media is already interested in. Choosing the right talking points to suit specific media situations. Ways to connect with the right people in the right spaces. Why you should get some local TV experience before attempting to get onto national TV. Examining your underlying skill sets. Looking at big, current news items and connecting to that, to get publicity. All about Pinky's online study course, Publicity Empire. The right time to hire a publicist. Pinky has a free giveaway of her Media Positioning Checklist. Go to borntoinfluence.com/checklist to get it! Links: For the free training segment of Pinky's Publicity Empire online study course go to www.borntoinfluence.com/free-publicity-training Previous episodes mentioned on this show: Amy Flurry episodes #108 and #323 Pulp Design Studio episodes #176 and #310 Christy Leu episode #182 Ren Miller episode #12

Welcome to today's episode. We have Judith Taylor, of Judith Taylor Designs, with us on the show and today we talk to her about navigating the murky waters of working with friends and family. She also talks about the new furniture line that she is launching and her multi-generational heritage of furniture design and manufacture. In addition to studying interior design, Judith also studied at Toronto School of Art, she has a bachelor's degree in psychology and business administration and a past career in IT. These added areas of understanding have provided her with the unique ability to combine practicality, psychology, and aesthetics into her interior design projects. Listen in today to get her really spot-on advice and tips for working with family and friends in a way that won't drive you crazy! Judith is the founder and principal designer of her award-winning firm which specializes in residential design. She did her formal training in interior design in Toronto, where she received high honors for her work, which is inspired by broadly reaching disciplines. Judith started her career in IT, where she honed her skills in project management and developed a deep understanding of the process and an orientation to details. Today she lives in Toronto's Beaches neighborhood with her family. Listen in to find out more! Show highlights: All designers have a friend that they don't want to say 'no' to, or that they wish they hadn't said 'yes' to. What to do when you're approached by someone at a dinner party and they ask for some free advice about interior design. How to gently lead friends to the front door of your business. Using the right language to make it very clear that you are dealing with a business transaction. Sometimes there could be a fair payoff from working with friends or family. Establishing firm boundaries can be really tricky with friends. How a small favor can quickly snowball. Giving yourself a chance to reflect on the reality of the workload of a personal favor. Dealing with friends and family members who push your boundaries. Being clear about what you will and won't do. Explaining to friends and family the amount of work that goes into what you do. Handling discounts appropriately with friends and family. Why you have to be willing to have the hard conversation with friends and family. About the soon-to-be-launched furniture line that Judith has developed. Links: Judith's furniture line can be found at Silver 4 Home Blog "Point of View": Judith Taylor Designs Instagram Pinterest: Judith Taylor Designs Facebook: Judith Taylor Designs Houzz: Judith Taylor Designs To find out more about LuAnn's in-person coaching seminar on 28 July in Las Vegas go to Luann Nigara Previous episodes mentioned on this show: Lee Cockerell #222

Welcome to Power talk Friday! Today we're talking taxes and we're really happy to introduce you to our guest, Craig Cody. Craig is a certified tax coach, a certified public accountant, a business owner and he is also a former New York City police officer with seventeen years on the force! Pretty impressive, right! Listen in to find out more! In addition to being a public accountant for the last fifteen years, Craig is also a certified tax coach to a select group of tax practitioners throughout the country. They undergo extensive training and education on various tax-planning techniques and strategies to become (or remain) certified. With this organization, Craig has co-authored an Amazon best-seller, Secrets of a Tax-free Life. On the show today, Craig discusses the services that he offers his clients, and how he saves them money, tax-wise. He also explains how to develop the right relationship with your accountant, and how to ensure that he's the right fit for your business. Listen in today to hear Craig's awesome advice! Show highlights: Craig and his organization have a really pro-active approach to taxation. Why good relationships between business owners and their accountants are really all about great communication. Some questions that designers who have recently started out in business should be asking their accountants. How proper communication with your accountant can significantly affect the amount of taxes that you will have to pay. How to know if an accountant will be the right fit for yourself and your business. Craig explains the way that he works with his clients. Knowing if your business is healthy enough to hire an employee. How Craig's services help his clients make informed decisions. Craig's kind of pro-activity. Some typical tax-mistakes that Craig comes across. Some awesome tax-rebates for home-office designers. Crazy tax-deductions for working kids! How Craig's services differ from those of other accountants. Craig talks about his book, The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes That Cost Business Owners Thousands. To get your free copy of Craig's book, The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes That Cost Business Owners Thousands Links: Website - Craig Cody and Company Facebook - Craig Cody and Company Twitter - Craig Cody & Company Book - Secrets of a Tax Free Life

Welcome! Today we have Orlando Soria, the founder of the blog Hommemaker, with us on the show. Orlando is a really charming and thoughtful interior designer, writer, and visual artist, from Los Angeles, California, with an unpretentious attitude towards the world, and his place in it. Listen in to our conversation today and find out what he has to say about the way that design, art, and writing can influence the world and the way that people think. Orlando got his start on HGTV as Emily Henderson‘s on-camera assistant on the home makeover series Secrets From A Stylist. A graduate of Cornell’s University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning and The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, Orlando has been a staple of the design industry for years. His first book, Get It Together!, was released in Spring 2018 and in May of this year, Domino named him as one of the top twenty-nine designers to follow on Instagram. Listen in today to find out more! Show highlights: All about Orlando's zany brand new book, Get It Together! An Interior Designers Guide to Creating Your Best Life. The creative process that Orlando went through, writing his book. Why Orlando's book really stands out from all other design books. Orlando's humble and unpretentious upbringing. What influenced Orlando's creativity, growing up. Why Orlando really likes to make things. Why Orlando loves Martha Stewart so much! What it was like, being on TV, and what Orlando has learned from the whole experience. Orlando's really lucky break! Orlando's humble attitude towards his strokes of luck. Learning to appreciate the good things that come your way, in life. The struggles that Orlando has gone through, since graduating. Orlando discusses his blog, Hommemaker. Orlando's plans, going forward. Links: Hommemaker website: Homme Maker Orlando on Instagram: Orlando Soria Orlando on Pinterest: Orlando Soria Orlando on Facebook: Homme Maker Orlando on Twitter: Orlando Soria To buy a copy of Orlando's book: Get It Together!: An Interior Designer's Guide to Creating Your Best Life

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We are very happy to have Fred Berns back on the show today! Fred has been our guest many, many times before and he continues to bring value every time, getting right to the point with his really actionable topics. If you're new to the show, Fred has been on episodes #22, #48, #96, #174, #226, and #289 of the podcast. He is the only interior design industry business coach and speaker who creates personal bios and promotional material for design professionals all over the world, so listen in to find out what he has to share today, about how to set and get higher fees for the work you do. Fred has more than 25 years experience training design professionals from Dallas to Dubai and creating their online profiles, website, and social media copy, blogs, and marketing forms. In addition, he offers a wide range of business coaching services, ranging from his High-Performance Coaching Program to his Bio Briefing and Website Onceover. As one of the biggest names in the business of interior design, he speaks at design conferences and other events throughout the U.S. and around the world. He also develops sales and marketing programs for international franchise organizations and companies within the interior design industry, and trains manufacturers, retailers, and others on how to increase sales to design professionals. Listen in to find out more. Show highlights: Why Fred really loves what he does so much. Why so many designers, who work so hard, just aren't realizing the abundance and the prosperity that they deserve. It's been Fred's passion over the years to convince designers to increase their fees dramatically. The number one obstacle that's preventing designers from charging higher fees. What Fred has discovered about some of the most financially successful, high-end designers in the world. High-end clients are used to paying designers high-end fees. Making the decision to make more money- and then focusing on that. Why earning more is all about your mindset. Having the guts to appreciate your value and raise your fees accordingly. Create a list of twenty reasons why you can actually double your fees. You can raise the standard of the whole design industry by charging higher fees. Learning to run your own business by your own rules. Explaining your value to your clients. People with money always have money, regardless of the current financial climate. Focusing on the pain points of your high-end clients, then painting yourself as a caregiver. Positioning yourself as a partner to your high-end clients. What you have to do to double your fees. How to deal with any objections to your price. Small thinking brings about small results. Give yourself permission to earn what you really deserve, and to enjoy financial prosperity! All about Fred's new Platinum Package. Links and contacts: Fred's website: Interior Design Business.net Bio Briefing Website Onceover Fred's email: [email protected] Fred's phone number: 3035893013

Welcome to the show! We have a special episode today, with Kim Hoegger, the award-winning owner, and designer of Kim Hoegger Home. On the show today Kim talks to us about her passion for antiques, retail store ownership, her days as a restaurateur, and also about her thirty plus years of experience in residential and hospitality design. Listen in to find out more. Kim's business sense, her Southern charm, and her hospitality have all helped her create a design firm that delivers sophisticated, yet livable interiors to clients that return project after project. She is a designer with an eye for fresh, personally curated interiors and she brings a sense of warmth to each and every interior project she creates. With her classic, yet eclectic style, she easily mixes the old with the new in a refreshing way. From coastal to cottage, rustic to chic sophisticated, Kim creates interiors where her clients feel at home in spaces that enhance the lives they lead. Listen in to find out what she has to share on today's show! Show highlights: About the exciting launch of Kim's new textile designs! What to expect when you dive right in and go after your dreams. Where to go after working out your initial design concept. Some things to think about that may not have occurred to you before. Having to wear many different hats, as a designer. The awesome advice that Kim received, that really took her to the next level. How Kim managed to align with just the right person! What it really takes to build a platform with your brand- and recognition too. What Kim has accomplished in a really short time, by hiring a publicist. Finding the right balance with a new endeavor. Why you should really get your work professionally photographed. Going after your dreams with your eyes wide open. How Kim handles the sale of her fabrics. Having a licensed product is no sideline- it's another whole business! All about Kim's new retail showroom. Kim really knows her clients well, so her buying process is very streamlined. What's coming up for Kim in the future? Kim's way of re-branding her products. Kim has also started coaching new designers and business owners. Other episodes mentioned on this show: Amy Flurry #108 and #323 Andrew Joseph #39 Steve and Jill McKenzie #304

Welcome to Power talk Friday! Today we're talking organization and we're really happy to introduce you to our guest, Jane Stolly. Jane is a Lifebizz Organizer, author and university Instructor who found her passion in decluttering spaces, business processes, and closets. The Structure Strategist loves to help companies and individuals getting more organized. Pretty impressive, right! Listen to today’s episode to find out more! Where Jane's organizing knack comes from? She believes it must be her Swiss roots. Jane's love for organizing began when she was six years old: As a young girl she was often found happily lining up her cats by size, her stuffed animals by color, her books by publication date. What makes Jane's organizing approach unique is her holistic method. She starts redefining your office and continues at your home - or vice versa. The end results of her seminars, coaching and/or consultations? Reduced stress, increased happiness and productivity. "Organizing is a lifestyle, that will help you conquering anything."Jane strongly believes that custom-tailored organizing systems and routines will massively enhance your work and life. By now, she did not only convince numerous friends and her family but also various clients of this mantra. Listen to today’s show to hear Jane’s awesome advice! Show highlights: Learn how to makeover your home or business! Declutter your home and your life to reduce stress. Make your system work for your lifestyle. Learn how to set things up so that you make the most of your time. Learn how Jane’s passion of organizing evolved to a different level of helping clients organizing their businesses with sustainable systems. Reaching out for help with organization is crucial for individual and personal growth. Learn how valuable “outside eyes” looking at your business can be. Re-organizing your business systems or marketing can save you time and money. Jane shares how to look at physical things from a different perspective. Organizing your priorities can save you time. Learn the importance of starting small when organizing. Jane shares how she markets her business outside her circle of influence. Jane shares how she overcomes fear in her own business. Jane shares how she has time to help others pursue their dream businesses. LuAnn encourages designers who are thinking of starting their own businesses to realize they have a lot to offer others and to get started. Links: Order your copy of Organizing for Your Lifestyle: Adaptable Inspirations from Socks to Suitcases is Jane’s book. Website: Organizing for Your Lifestyle Instagram: Organized Jane Stoller Facebook: Organizing Jane Twitter: Organizing Jane Linkedin: Jane Stoller

Welcome to the show! Today we have a great opportunity to showcase another career you might consider if you're looking for a slightly different angle within the design industry. We have Debbie Pegher, a long-time listener who is also an all-around amazing cheerleader of this podcast as our guest! Debbie is the showroom manager of Century Furniture, in the Washington Design Center and she has more than thirty years of experience as a designer working in retail, a design studio, and having her own design firm before she became the manager at Century. Listen in to find out more. Debbie serves as the board of directors of The Washington Design Center and she regularly hosts events for the design community in the 5000 square foot Century showroom. She served as membership director of the ASID Washington Metro Chapter from 2014 to 2016. Century Furniture was awarded Best Made in America, in 2012, by Made, a non-profit which honors excellence in American design, with Debbie's expertise. Furniture from Century was featured at the National Reagan Airport, and this honor culminated in an invitation to the US Capital, to watch the fireworks show, on 4th July. Debbie's leadership has earned her and the DC team at Century Showroom of the Year twice, most recently in 2017, with the best sales record recorded, for their showroom! Debbie credits and shares this with her co-worker, Gloria Domingez, a seasoned and talented design-oriented member of this two-person team. Listen in to find out what Debbie has to say today! Show highlights: Debbie gives a detailed explanation of how being an interior designer for so many years has informed her ideas and decisions at Century Furniture. The wonderfully welcoming approach of the staff at the Century Furniture showroom towards designers. About the fantastic team at Century- including those based at the factory in North Carolina. The real human kind of client experience that's to be found at the Century Furniture showroom. The willingness of Century to customize items, if required. The importance of treating all designers, including the young and junior ones, really well. Some of the things that Debbie has instituted at the showroom to welcome, and also to teach designers. Although it's a trade-only showroom, they still encourage the public in to come in and browse. How it really pays off for designers to create great relationships with design showrooms. The awesome events that Debbie hosts at the showroom at the Washington Center. The new and exciting events that Debbie has coming up for the Summer season. It's all about who you know- and who knows you! How Century services work 'the Century way', to avoid any problems. Previous episodes mentioned on this show: Kristen McLaughlin #319 Links: Century Furniture Instagram: Century Furniture Facebook: Century Furniture Linkedin: Debbie Pegher Instagram: Wash Design Ctr Facebook: The Washington Design Center Twitter: Wash Design Ctr Pinterest: The Washington Design Center Twitter: Century Furniture Pinterest: Century Furniture

Welcome to today's show! Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the zillions of ideas running through your head about how to improve your business? If so, you are not alone! We have heard so many of you saying in coaching, mastermind or one-on-one sessions that as much as you love the podcast, it can sometimes be the at the root of that feeling of panic. Running your own business is crazy and when you come to the podcast for help, you get it and then you land up with a notebook full of everything that you should be doing in your business. But, this can really be daunting if you don't have someone to help you prioritize and execute those ideas, so listen in today, to find out how we've been inspired to help you with this. The Power Talk Friday Tour is one of the solutions that LuAnn has come up with. She is inviting you to spend the day with her and with four selected experts from the Power Talk Friday shows and they will all deliver their very best to you. As long as you have a genuine desire to do the work, we promise to help you figure out the plan that is best for you. And it really doesn't matter if you're six months, six years, or even thirty-six years into your business! If you're interested in working hard and working smart, we're interested in working alongside you and we want to give you the tools to make it possible. Listen in now to find out more about the Power Talk Friday Tour -Las Vegas! Show highlights: For the Power Talk Friday Tour- Las Vegas you will spend time with Vince Nigara, Sarah Daniele, Nancy Ganzekaupher and Mark McDonough. What you can expect at the Power Talk Friday Tour. A great opportunity for you to access real-time advice and create relationships of quality and merit. Why we have included small breakout groups. An added bonus that you can expect from the sponsors. In addition to Sarah Daniele, Grace McNamara and John Dupra will be joining us too! What you can learn from Grace McNamara. How Revel Woods can help you be more profitable and serve your clients better. The awesome kind of connections that you will make with your fellow attendees. Re-listen to some of the shows to get to know your Las Vegas team of experts a little better: #78 Vin Nigara, #91 Sarah Daniele, #15, #159 and #256 Nancy Ganzekaupher, #110 Mark McDonough. LuAnn will be doing what she always does- break it all down, summarize it and give you ways to think about the new information. About the four books that LuAnn had in mind to support this endeavor. How the Power Talk Friday experts can really help you. The real beauty of the Power Talk Friday Tour!

Welcome to today's show! We have another in the series of husband and wife teams today and our guests are Jenny and Greg Madden, of Jenny Madden Design in Hoboken New Jersey. Today's interview is packed with valuable insights about knowing when it's the right time to employ an operations manager, how to work out if you can actually afford it, and the results that you could expect to get after placing someone in that role. Jenny and Greg truly are the real deal and they really have it together, so listen in today to find out what they have to share today. In the interview, LuAnn makes a point of complimenting Jenny and Greg on their About Us page, so we have decided to give you their company bio here, so that you can have an opportunity to see for yourselves just how deftly it conveys Jenny's skill and expertise, how it calls to their ideal client and expresses the way that they handle their projects with respect to budget, time, and the overall client experience. Listen in to find out more! Jenny Madden Design Bio At Jenny Madden Design, we take great pride in our client focus. We will not push a cookie cutter, signature-style onto your home. Instead, we’ll listen to your unique needs, dreams, and goals to create spaces that align with your design style and enhance your lifestyle. We also understand the importance of sticking to a budget. We specialize in mid-to-high-end furnishings, which will be of lasting quality and uncommon design. To that end, we’ve built relationships with a wide range of trade-only vendors, allowing us to bring you those sources at an exceptional value, making the most of each client’s budget. Jenny Madden Design has been in business designing beautiful spaces since 2011. Prior to founding Jenny Madden Design, Jenny acquired formal training from top-tier programs in both Architecture (BA, Columbia University) and Interior Design (MS, Drexel University). She then gained invaluable professional experience across multiple facets of the industry, including construction management, architecture, furniture sales and interior design. The years she spent working for a general contractor, managing large-scale construction projects, are particularly unique within the interior design industry. This breadth of experience places Jenny Madden Design in the distinctive position to not only design beautiful interiors but to successfully manage projects through to completion. Jenny is able to speak the language of the broader industry and build successful partnerships with architects, builders, and vendors. She understands that a smooth, professional project experience is as important to her busy clients as an excellent aesthetic design. Jenny built out her team to ensure she has the right mix of talent to enhance and support your project. Stefania and Maggie support the design and drafting phases, while Greg keeps operations and budgets tightly controlled. Our goal as a firm is to maintain boutique customization while providing the systems and support typically reserved for firms with a larger headcount. At the end of the day, we believe our portfolio speaks for itself. We love that our work has been recognized in local and national publications, both in print and online. But we take the most pride in our ever-growing list of happy clients. Jenny Madden Design offers luxury interior design services in the greater New York City area, based out of our Hoboken, NJ office. Whether you are embarking on a new construction project, a gut renovation or looking to furnish your existing space, our interior design team will guide you through the design process and into your dream home. Show highlights: The really awesome About Us page at Jenny Madden Design. Some tips from Jenny and Greg's experience of working together. Making the decision to put all their eggs in one basket. Why it was really necessary to have someone in an operations role. Greg as a pioneer in the work/family role. Greg and Jenny's really supportive relationship. The evaluation process they used for crunching the numbers. Their plan for dealing with their downward change financially. The benefits of having a fixed agreement for the business. How they've managed to keep on track with their projections. The way that their relationship has developed in the business. The importance of having great communication when working together. Other episodes mentioned on the show: Andrea Schumacher #86 and then a replay on #275 Links: Contact details for Jenny Madden Design: website: Jenny Madden Design email: [email protected] phone: 908-273-1634 office: 50 Harrison Street, Suite 202B Hoboken, NJ 07030 showroom: W Hoboken Living Room, 225 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

Welcome to today's episode! We're very happy to finally be doing our second show on Pinterest today and we have Kate Ahl, the owner of Simple Pin Media, on the show with us. Kate teaches Pinterest marketing and she is really passionate about helping bloggers, content creators, and small business owners to grow by using Pinterest for their business. If you don't really have your Pinterest locked down as yet, you can go back and listen in to episode #292 with Summer Tannhauser to get the basics, because today, Kate and LuAnn will take you onto the next step. You're really in for a treat, so listen in now to find out more! Kate does full-service management of people's Pinterest accounts and she also does consult calls with people who really need to get their Pinterest house in order. Kate originally started Simple Pin as a way to help her blogger friends to focus on creating content for their blogs and now, four years later, she has worked with more than four hundred accounts and she has one hundred management clients on her books. Simple Pin was started on a whim and a prayer that it could provide for a family financially when they were living off government assistance and only $1000 per month! Kate runs Simple Pin out of her She Shed in her garden, and she even has a Pinterest board devoted to her She Shed ideas. She finds working from home a peaceful way to balance her family life, as she has three kids and also a bonus foster baby to care for. Kate and her husband are passionate about running their businesses in a way that allows them the space to do great things that can really impact their community. Kate often gets asked to speak on Pinterest and she has spoken at Build Your Blog Conference, Indulge and Blended, SNAP, and Social Media Marketing World. This year, she will be speaking at Activate, Everything Food, and Fincon. She really loves speaking about Pinterest, so listen in to find out what she has to share with you on the show today! Show highlights: Pinterest is actually a search engine- it's like a visual Google! Some things that you really need to know, to make your Pinterest more effective and to drive more people to your website. The importance of having the right kind of images on Pinterest. Supplying the right information about your images on Pinterest. The two types of people to be found on Pinterest. Pinterest is a place where people go to dream and plan- and to save their ideas. How to specify where you are located on Pinterest. Telling your story with catchy phrases on your pins. Thinking about your clients' pain points when creating your posts. Earning people's trust with Pinterest. Thinking of your website as a central hub. Why you, as a designer, should encourage your clients to create a Pinterest board. Innovative ways of creating your various Pinterest boards. Why it's still really worth using Pinterest, even though it can take a while to build up steam. How Pinterest is actually designed to help people take action. Some tips for your best pinning practices. Why it's okay to use the same images over and over again! Why you really have to listen to the Simple Pin Podcast! All about Kate's Full Pinterest Planner- you can download it for free at Simple Pin Media! Other episodes mentioned on today's show: Summer Tannhauser #292 Allison Fannin #223 Leslie Carothers (Savour Partnership) #209 Links: Website: Simple Pin Media Pinterest: Simple Pin Media Facebook: Simple Pin Media Twitter: Simple Pin Media Podcast: Simple Pin Media Podcast

Welcome to today's Where Are They Now show, where we will be re-interviewing Darla Powell, from Darla Powell Interiors in Southern Florida. Darla originally appeared in episode #203, where she shared a lot of information about how she got her business off the ground and right out of the gate within the first seven months. On today's show, you will learn about everything that Darla has managed to accomplish over the last year- and she will also be announcing something brand-new, which will be making its debut on the podcast today! Listen in to find out more. Darla has a fun, genuine and down-to-earth approach to the designing of beautiful spaces. Since she launched her career in 2016, she has grown her business almost exclusively by word-of-mouth and her clients have really fallen in love with her work! In her past life, Darla spent almost twenty years as a Detective Sergeant in Miami Florida, so one might say that she is an expert on the importance of having complete tranquility at home after a stressful day at work! Also, her background has carried over many hidden perks- including a strong sense of integrity, accountability and a ready-for-anything-ness that is key for home renovation projects. Darla's career transformation was fueled by her need to express her boundless creativity. She spent her childhood summers rummaging through her grandmother's antique store where she developed an extensive knowledge of antiques, collectibles and of pieces that look perfect together, so Darla's refined eye definitely sees those diamonds hiding in the rough! Above all, Darla really loves creating rooms that are gorgeous, elegant and soothing, so listen in now to find out what she has to share with you on the show today. Show highlights: Darla talks about some of the things she's learned over the last year. The difference that the hiring of assistants has made to the growth of Darla's business. How Darla re-invented herself at the age of fifty. Why Darla has begun to delegate outside of her particular zone of genius. Why Darla's company has grown by leaps and bounds over the last year. Starting a business costs money, so you really need to have a plan. Some of the more challenging moments when Darla first started out as a designer. Darla's initial fears about raising her rates. The kind of clients that Darla attracted when she was charging lower rates. Finding your sweet spot in order to attract your ideal client. How Darla managed to attract the huge number of Instagram followers that she has! Keeping abreast with the latest Facebook algorithms. The importance of being authentic and engaging quality followers on social media. Using rich pins on Pinterest to drive traffic to your website. The awesome clients that Darla has attracted through social media. The benefits of sharing other people's work on social media. All about Darla's exciting, soon-to-be-launched new venture- Wingnutsocial.com. Other episodes mentioned in this show: Barbara Viteri (Designerlebrity) #155 Allison Fannin #223 Leslie Carothers #209 Summer Tannhauser #292 Resources mentioned on the show: Website: Darla Powell Interiors Website: Wingnut Social Instagram: @darlapowellinteriors Instagram: @wingnutsocial Facebook: Darla Powell Interiors Twitter: @wingnutsocial Book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We have John Dupra of Revel Woods with us for an interview today and they are also the sponsor of today's show! Revel Woods' mission is to make the buying process of expert-curated, high-quality hardwood floors as easy as possible. Today, John explains the proprietary algorithm, and how it removes a large number of the technical barriers that one normally faces when sourcing a wooden floor. He also talks about the new website that they are launching, with a revamped pro-program, to help you, as designers, to make money on this sought-after, high-ticket item. Listen in today to find out about the really unique method that Revel Woods has developed specifically to enable interior designers to learn about and also to confidently specify hardwood floors on their projects. John's father, Craig, started out in the wood-flooring business, working as an installer and a re-finisher before John was even born. Craig did this work for twenty-four years before eventually opening his own wholesale wood-flooring distribution company in Rochester, New York. While John was growing up, he spent all his summer holidays helping his father in his business. He then took a job with Saint-Gobain, a large materials manufacturing company, where he traveled the country as a sales engineer, working with flooring contractors for a period of eight years, before deciding to return home to join the family business in wholesale distribution. When John returned to the business, he joined up with the operations manager and together they developed an idea to put the boutique flooring showroom experience online. Their inspiration came from high-end fashion sites, like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club, and this was how the idea for Revel Woods was born. John has been featured in a number of the publications in the industry, including being recognized in Hardwood Floor Magazine's first ever forty under forty. Listen in to find out more! Show highlights: John talks about the supply chain in the industry. Where interior designers can go to see what the Revel Woods product looks like. (Revel Woods) How Revel Woods make their product equally and fairly available to everybody at the distribution level so that they are able to control the end-user experience from beginning to end. Why the Revel Woods brand is really a brand of curated expertise from top to bottom. The high level of care that's provided by Revel Woods. What happens when you complete the Revel Woods Selector and how it works. How flooring really forms the center of every design space from an aesthetic standpoint. How the Revel Woods product is designed to technically empower and also to provide a financial incentive for interior designers. What Revel Woods are doing with their brand-new website. How the new Revel Woods website solves pain-points for designers. The discount plus a rebate structure that Revel Woods has settled on for pro accounts, as an incentive for interior designers. How every aspect of the way that Revel Woods operates is very well thought out. How Revel Woods have closed the loop to help find qualified installers for solo or small business owners who want to source their product. Getting to really understand professional installers and the way that they think. The way that Revel Woods will really work well for less experienced designers. The incredible kind of support that Revel Woods gives designers. The awesome features to be found on the new Revel Woods website! Links: Website: Revel Woods Facebook: Revel Woods Instagram: @revel_woods Twitter: @RevelWoods Pinterest: Revel Woods

Welcome to today's show! We are very happy to introduce you to Catherine Hersacher, the founder of Bespoke Fine Interiors in Aiken, South Carolina. On the show today Catherine talks to us about how she translates and brings her worldly exposure and background to the small-horse community of Aiken. Running an interior design firm in a small, tight-knit community has some very specific challenges, but there are pro's to it as well. On today's show, Catherine also talks a bit about her consultation process. She is able to achieve a design for any project that is cogent with her client's tastes and context. Listen in today to find out more about working as an interior designer in a smaller market. Catherine, originally from Massachusetts, founded Bespoke Fine Interiors in Aiken South Carolina in 2012, with fourteen years of design experience behind her. She previously worked for some of the top firms in the country, in the high-end residential and ultra-exclusive hospitality sectors of the design industry. Catherine gained invaluable knowledge in the luxury residential design field while working in Palm Beach, Florida. Then, moving to the Northeast, Catherine joined an exclusive hospitality design firm as an interior designer and specifications manager. Many of the projects were five-star and boutique properties, including hotels, clubhouses, residential towers and conference centers. These projects were often located all around the globe. Catherine was part of the Asia team and was frequently sent to present and conduct site visits in China and Hong Kong. Listen in to find out what Catherine has to share on the show today. Show highlights: Catherine discusses her backward approach to her career. Catherine's return to school to get an undergraduate degree in architecture and a master's in product design. Giving in to her horse addiction and moving to Aiken South Carolina. The importance of setting your limits. How Catherine manages to find the right work-life balance. The type of design projects that Catherine works with, in Aiken. Saying 'yes' to repeat work. Catherine explains her superpower. What Catherine loves the most about the market that she works with. The awesome relationship that Catherine has with her current clients. Working with a mid-level market. All of Catherine's work comes from word-of-mouth and most of it comes from builders. Why Catherine does not specialize in any particular market. What Catherine finds the most challenging part of her work. About Catherine's relationships with her contractors. Why Catherine never thought that she would ever own her own business. The way that Catherine has grown since starting her own business. Catherine describes her initial consultation process. Having the budget conversation in the first fifteen minutes of the consultation. Other episodes mentioned in this show: Susan Yeley #208 Natalie Hurst #172 Blanche Garcia #282 Links: Website: Bespoke Instagram: Bespoke Fine Interiors @bespokefineinteriors Facebook: Bespoke Fine Interiors

Welcome! Today we're really excited to have Chaney Widmer, the founder of Mix and Match Design Company, back with us- and she is also the sponsor of today's show! (She was previously in episode #260.) We were really impressed when we first met Chaney because she was so well-spoken, so poised, and so directed and focused about her business. We were also really impressed with the way that Chaney's whole business is completely E-design and that she doesn't do any client-facing in-the-house work at all. Listen in today to find out more about Chaney's niche. Mix & Match Design Company was founded by Chaney Widmer in 2015 with the goal of making interior design services accessible and affordable for everyone. By harnessing the power of technology and using innovative online tools, Mix & Match has been able to help folks create homes that they love in a fun and efficient way - all online through "e-design" -while maintaining a personal touch. She wants to take the intimidation out of interior design - whether you are starting from scratch on a brand new home or redesigning a room that's ready for an update, she's ready to help! Over the past several years, Mix & Match has grown into a multi-faceted business that serves not only clients but other interior design businesses as well. On the client side, Chaney offers one-on-one e-design packages, and also shares inspiring and educational design content to a broad audience through twice-weekly blog posts and on social media. In February 2018, she expanded into the "B-to-B" world and released an online course for designers (or aspiring ones!) who want to launch their own online interior design businesses. This self-paced course is released a few times a year and provides a "quick start" guide to getting an e-design business up and running. Enabling others to pursue their goal of starting a design business is a passion of Chaney's, and she's very excited to help them succeed! Mix & Match Design Company is based in the great city of Philadelphia and serves clients locally and nationally. At the end of the last show with Chaney, we mentioned that she was in the process of coming up with a course for her interior design colleagues who are interested in learning about how to run a profitable and effective E-design business. She has subsequently come up with that course. It's called How To Launch An E-design Business, and it will launch on the 4th of June 2018. Today we will be talking to Chaney about exactly what is in her course and she will also explain how it works. Listen in to find out what Chaney has to share with you today. Show highlights: E-design is really flexible- it can either be your entire business or used as a side-hustle. The in-depth nature of Chaney's course. The way that Chaney has taken this aspect of design and systemized it. How Chaney's course will really save you time. How the principals in the course will be a good foundation for your design business. Chaney's course is recorded, so you can do it in your own time and at your own pace. The course can also be used to get the junior designers or design assistants who work for you up to speed. The major topics that are in the four videos in the course. Chaney really has her marketing well locked down! Chaney's belief is that designers should be providing everything that their clients need. Finding the right process for your clients. Most people accept that Chaney is an E-designer and so she won't go and do in-person consultations. The feedback that Chaney has had from designers who have purchased her course. Chaney's goals for the course that she created. Chaney is offering a free download from the course. What you will learn from the workbook of the course. Who the course is tailored for. Links: To get your free download of The start-up checklist for an E-design business go to E Design Biz Checklist You can find Chaney's course How To Launch An E-design Business at: E Design Course To get onto Chaney's email list go to the course landing-page at E Design Course. How To Launch An E-Design Business course: Mix & Match Design Company website: Mix And Match Design Instagram: @mixandmatchdesigncompany Facebook: Mix & Match Design Company

Download The Skills Assessment! Welcome to today's episode of Design Biz Live! As many of you know, this means that I have Judith Neary and Corey Klassen with me and that we're going to have an in-depth discussion about the intricacies of running your interior design business. Listen in to find out more! On the show today we are going to be talking about the important personality traits that you need to master in order to be really successful as an interior designer. Judith gives a fabulous description of what is and what isn't a successful interior designer and Corey discusses the specific questionnaire that he sends out to his clients before their first consultation, along with his specific eleven step 'What I will do and what I won't do' document that he attaches and goes over with them when they sign the contract. Listen in today to find out what it takes to create a smooth and easy process for your clients. Show Highlights: Some of the overarching traits that are really important for interior designers to have- or to develop. What adaptability means to Judith. Corey's take on adaptability. Why it's not okay to adapt your particular zone of genius to please a client. About Corey's detailed Self Assessment Check List of Skills. Working within your particular zone of genius. Learning how to manage both conflict and resolution. Corey's way of dealing with things that bother him. Becoming willing to do the hard thing- so that everything else can fall into place. Corey discusses his initial process with new clients. Corey's process of knowing what he will and won't do. The three things that Judith will not do. How Corey works out what he will charge for each project. Why Corey always presents his proposals to his clients in person. Why Corey does not take any digital communication from his clients outside of their project in the MyDoma Studio platform. What Corey charges to cover his initial consultation and operation costs. Being really clear with your clients about what you will and won't do. Other episodes mentioned in this show: Lee Cockerel #222 This show is also a video on our YouTube channel

Welcome to another Power Talk Friday! We have Claire Jefford back on the show with us today (she was previously on #237) and we will be talking to her about how to create products, courses, and the kinds of things that designers can sell to consumers on their websites. She will explain what this looks like, how to do it, why you should be doing it, and also, some steps that you can follow in the process. LuAnn really enjoys talking to Claire and she loves having her on the show because it means that it's going to be a seriously good one, so listen in today to find out what Claire has to share with you. Claire started her interior decorating business in 2011 and her firm specializes in 3D design as well as custom residential projects. Claire has a very keen eye for detail and she particularly loves to mix patterns and fabrics. Her company was named one of the top thirty interior design firms in Ontario in 2017 and she is very proud to be the highest reviewed design professional in the greater Toronto area on Howzz, with more than ninety reviews! Claire, not one to shy away from social media, has been creating videos on Facebook since 2013 and she started her own Youtube channel in January 2016. She also has a second business, where she coaches and helps other designers to run their interior design businesses. With her no-nonsense approach, she shares marketing ideas, proven processes and social media strategies, to help others in the field to build confidence in the way that they work. Claire also runs a free Facebook group called Interior Design Business Strategies, which is an amazing community focusing on the business of design. Listen in now to find out more. Show highlights: Claire explains the difference between a product that you create and an affiliate link. The right time to do affiliate links on your website. Getting to know your audience. Some steps to creating the kind of product that consumers can buy from your website. Finding and recognizing opportunities to create your products. Looking at your customers' pain points in order to create a valuable product. Layering some affiliate links into your website. The importance of building trust with your audience through your website. Saving both time and money are always really important. The benefits of having a Facebook group. How to do a really effective pre-sale for your product. The walk-through video that Claire created. Being really clear about what you're offering on your website. Knowing when you should throw in the towel. Sometimes you're going to need to invest in what you're creating. The time and effort that it took for Claire to create her 'Rock The Consult' course. Categorising your blog posts. The beauty of creating products that will retain their relevance over time. Why you really need to charge for all the time you're using. Remember to get testimonials from your customers! Claire was also in episode #237: Claire Jefford - How to Get More Clients with Video Content Other episodes mentioned on this show: Kae Whitaker #274 Carla Aston #242 Links: Claire on Instagram: @ClaireJeffordDesigns Claire's website: Claire Jefford Claire on Facebook Claire on Youtube

Welcome to today's episode! I have Steven G, of Interiors By Steven G, with me today and we will be talking about how and why Steven G came to the decision to leave the first interior design firm that he partnered with and how he launched his own company, based on the lessons (or the negatives, as he calls them) that he learned there. He will also discuss how he established his company and reputation with the luxury property developers in the South Florida region. Today's show is a fantastic example of gambling on yourself and of calculating the risk vs your return on investment, so please listen in carefully to what Steven has to share with you today. Interiors By Steven G is one of South Florida's most outstanding interior design firms. Steven leads a team of more than eighty professionals, which include licensed interior designers who are fluent in seven languages, interior design renderers, a full Autocad department, design assistants, an in-house marketing and PR department, as well as a full warehouse team with their own fleet of trucks. Their locations include a one-hundred-thousand square foot corporate office and showroom and the NOW by Steven G Showroom. These are both located in Broward County. Listen in to find out more. Show highlights: How Steven intentionally, and also organically built his collaborations with the luxury property developers in South Florida. Why Steven has focused his career and business on the luxury condominium market. How Steven used to reach his buyers through his sales center. How Steven works between seventy and eighty hours every week to remain out-of-the-box as a designer. How Steven's business first began to blossom, and how he found his niche. The importance of being structured in the way you do your business. How Steven has never forgotten where he came from- or to say 'thank you'. Steven's humble approach to his business. How Steven got his foot in the door with the luxury property developers, early on in his business. How Steven assesses the potential return on his investments. Reaping the benefits of long-term design investments. How Steven realized that the first firm that he partnered with was going to crash and burn. The way that Steven built his company on 'the negatives'. Steven is always reachable- this really works for him! How working hard can allow you to eventually land in a really beautiful place! The importance of creating your own destiny. Steven is a wealth of knowledge- and he is willing to share it with you, designers! Why you always need to think ahead of the game. Please take the time to go to Steven's website interiorsbysteveng.com The work is really unbelievable! Resources: Interiors By Steven G Steven on social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram Linkedin

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Last Friday we started a great conversation with Ashley Hotham-Cox, the editor-in-chief of Home Design & Decor in Charlotte, about how to pitch yourself and how to get press. Today we are really happy to continue the conversation with Amy Flurry. Amy has appeared once before on the show, on episode #108 and she's really a smart lady, so if you haven't met her yet, you are really in for a treat! Listen in now to find out more! Amy has two decades of editorial experience, conceiving ideas for stories, producing shoots, and writing copy for magazines and online publications. These include Country Living, In Style, Refinery 29, Conde Nast Traveller, Better Homes and Gardens, and Lucky Magazine. Amy authored Recipe For Press- Pitch Your Story and Create A Buzz, (which we spoke about in episode #108) after being inspired by her career in publishing. She has now written her second book, Recipe For Press- Designer Edition. This book is filled to the brim with tools for interior designers, architects, landscape planners, and product designers who need to take advantage of any new media opportunities which are available. Amy applies her collective expertise- from trend direction to product and brand development, working with companies to expand their marketing strategies and to connect businesses to the interior design trade. Listen in to find out what she has to share with you on today's show. Show highlights: The really great advice that Amy gave to LuAnn when they first met. About Amy's fabulous new book, Recipe For Press- Designer Edition. The overarching points that Amy wanted to get across in her new book. Why designers need to create a strategy for getting press. The shift that Amy has seen lately, in the design industry. The new opportunities that are available now, for designers to get their names out there. Why you need to have a really good pitch. How to create a killer pitch. Why you really need to know what you want to get from the press. Remember that all publications need content! The amount of work that you're going to be in for when you engage with a publicist. Why it makes more sense to pitch for publications in your neighborhood. Press is not about ego- it's actually about business! Working your way up- starting with your local press and local market. About Amy's layering strategy. The way that Amy creates events that are really worthwhile for everyone in the room. Why retailers really want you, as interior designers, in their showrooms. The importance of sharing- and recycling images. Celebrating the things that set you apart from other designers. Some of the fabulous resources that are available on Amy's website- Recipe For Press. About Amy's incredible company- Paper-Cut-Project. You can see it on Instagram. Links: Other episodes mentioned on this show: Laura Thurman #272 Claire Staszak #166 Lynn K Leonidas #179 And Amy Flurry appeared before on episode #108 To order your copy of Amy's book go to Recipe For Press. Go to Luann Nigara, to the 'live events' tab, to find the RSVP link for the opening night, at Lefroy Brooks, of the ICFF at the AND Building on 22nd May. The first 25 people will receive a free book from LuAnn! To figure out all the things that you can do with MyDoma Studio go to My Doma Studio. To get onto LuAnn's email list text the word designbiz to 444 999, or go to her website www.luannnigara.com and go to the events page.

Welcome to today's episode! On the show today we are going to be having an in-depth conversation with Deborah Von Donop, an interior designer, and well-known blogger. We will be talking to Deborah about monetizing your blog and also about how and why it is really important to create a content-rich blog, in order to drive readers and design enthusiasts to your website for the opportunity to monetize through affiliate links and sponsored content. Listen in to find out more about networking as your biggest resource for growth. Deborah is the principal of DVD Interiors in Connecticut and she is the editor and founder of the national blog DVD Interior Design. Deborah also guests blogs for a number of other sites, including Westchester Magazine, I blog Magazine, Blissfully Domestic.Com and more. She writes weekly posts about design resources, highlights from industry events and also interior design topics which are aimed to educate and inspire her readers. Deborah's experience includes a BFA in Interior Architecture from Cal State University in Long Beach, a CCIDQ certification, an NCIDQ certification and a LEED GA credential. All of this combines really well to bring an in-depth knowledge to all of her projects. Listen in now to find out what Deborah has to share about upping your game in social media. Note- This show with Deborah pairs very nicely with the upcoming show featuring Claire Jefford, which will air next week. It follows up on today's show with how to create your own content to sell through your website and blog, so be on the lookout for that! Show highlights: Deborah discusses her evolution from interior designer to online media marketing expert. How Deborah really got to grips with the online marketing space from the inside out. How the online marketing space has really widened Deborah's opportunities. How Deborah is now applying her experience from her blog, over the last few years, to her interior design business. Why Deborah really loves to teach people about the importance of republishing their work. Why you really have to give a lot before asking for anything back in the online space. Three good places to start with monetizing your blog. How advertising has evolved to become more sophisticated. Making money through affiliate marketing. Why middle bloggers are rising in the online space. Why you should always be consistent with your message in the online space. About word of mouth marketing. Ten great online environment options. Getting your blog to the point where you can monetize it. How much traffic you need to be a successful affiliate marketer. The benefits of using evergreen content in your blog. Creating income through sponsored content. Why you have to be really passionate about blogging to make it. Links: To contact Deborah, or to get her Visibility Package go to DvD Interior Design Book mentioned on the show: Jab Jab Jab Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuck. To get all the details about the Kips Bay show-house go to Kips Bay show-house

Welcome to today's episode! We are really happy to have Ashley Hotham Cox with us and she's going to be a really hot topic on the show today! Ashley comes with a significant level of experience. She used to be with Traditional Home and now she is the newly appointed editor-in-chief of Home Design & Decor. Listen in today to find out what Ashley has to share about promoting your design work through features in interior design magazines. Ashley is a long-time Charlotte local- with a twist. As a North Carolina native, she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor of arts degree in fashion and a master's degree in journalism before earning her experience as a writer at Charlotte, Charlotte Wedding, and Charlotte Home & Garden magazines, and also as an editor at Traditional Home in New York. She is also a designer, having earned her certificate in interior design from the Parsons School of Design. Ashley returned home in 2016 to join the team of Home Design & Decor. Listen in now to find out more about how to pitch successfully, to be featured in design publications. Show highlights: Ashley discusses the big differences between what she was doing at Traditional Home and what she's doing now as an editor-in-chief at Home Design & Decor. Ashley discusses an overview of the editorial calendar and what she's looking out for, and how this affects you, as designers. Finding the cut-off dates for specific features. What you can do if you miss the cut-off date for a certain feature to promote some work that you've done. Weighing up if you should publish on Instagram or not if you have missed a deadline. Everything is always subject to change in time. Becoming really familiar with a specific publication before pitching your work to them. Ashley discusses what her front-of-book looked like for last year. The exceptions to the rule of featuring new design projects only. The kind of pitch that really gets Ashley's attention. What you need, in order to be considered for a magazine feature. Why you shouldn't be discouraged if you get a 'no' from an editor. Photography is not cheap, so should you supply your own photos for a magazine feature, or not? Why you need to turn the lights off when taking pictures for a publication. Photographing interiors is very different to taking real estate shots. Why Ashley doesn't really buy into trends. Why you need to really get to know about a publication before pitching them. Ashley's favorite thing about her job. Things that will really make your project different, bring life to an interior- and a great story! Social Media: Instagram: @AshleyHCox @Clt_homedesigndecor @tri_homedesigndecor

Welcome to today's show! We are really happy to have Jo Buckerfield with us today. She is the designer and project manager for the UK based design firm Your Space Living and her husband, Mike Buckerfield, is their studio manager. Mike has been Jo's champion in getting her onto the podcast and it's been no easy task because it's just not her thing to go out and be interviewed! Mike emailed LuAnn a few months back, saying that he'd been listening to the show and that he loves it! He explained that having Jo on the show would really bring it so much value because she is truly an amazing designer in the UK, so listen in to find out what she has to share on the show today. When the home design company that Jo had been working for as a furniture designer for many years went out of business unexpectedly in 2012, she wanted to ensure that the clients who had been left with unfinished projects still got their dream homes. That was when Your Space Living was born. Working tirelessly and out-of-pocket for six months, Jo and Mike completed every one of the abandoned projects, and so they laid the foundations for the successful company that they are still running today! Jo's design expertise, creativity, and vision allow them to go beyond the standard and create beautiful spaces that meet the needs of modern-day families. Listen in now to find out more. Show highlights: Jo is a full-service interior designer who leads with her kitchen design- she explains how this really works for her interior design firm. Jo explains all about her great reward-based client referral system, which is also an awesome marketing tool. How Jo evolved to becoming a project manager. Jo's really rewarding personal approach to her clients. The lovely gift hampers that Jo gives her clients to say 'thank you' at the end of a project. The little touches that serve as reminders to Jo's past clients. The intentional way that Jo keeps a positive spin about kitchen design on her website. The massive difference between kitchen design and interior design. How Jo manages to have enough time to spend with her clients through doing mainly kitchen design. The recent evolution of kitchen design. Why it really helps to understand the construction aspect of design. How Jo really puts her heart and soul into the industry. Jo's way of dealing with potential clients who are not the right fit for her business. Constantly tweaking her website to ensure that the right message is being put out there. Adding value for clients by giving them the right advice. Ways to be able to work with your ideal client with no worries. Social Media: Your Space Living Facebook Twitter Instagram: @yourspaceliving

There is a new landscape to how consumers are shopping for design products. More and more design clients are choosing products and features online. It might seem like the heyday of the local Design Center is over, but that is far from the truth. Your local design center is an ever-evolving resource for you and all of your design products. How can you properly utilize a design center to keep up with a changing industry? How do they remain a designer-focused tool, rather than a consumer-focused tool? My guest, Kristan McLaughlin, is going to answer all of this and more! Kristan McLaughlin is the General Manager of Leasing & Partnerships at the Boston Design Center (BDC), the region’s preeminent destination for luxury interior furnishings. For the last 4 years, she has been overseeing the massive 350,000 sq. ft. space that houses 70 home and contract showrooms. Kristan is also the President of the Design Centers International, a Board Member of the Decorative Furnishings Association and a partner to many such as Boston Home, Design New England, and New England Home to name a few. Kristan is a proud mom of 5 humans and 2 Golden Retrievers - Hula and Finn - who keep her from becoming a true empty-nester. She and her family look forward to moving back to Boston in the future and decorating their “grown-up home.” I am excited for you to hear so much more about how the Boston Design Center is ahead of the curve in innovation and style. You won’t want to miss out! More in this episode: Why a Design Center is still an important part of the new landscape of consumer purchases. Why a Design Center is the place for the most “Aha” moments! Design Centers across the country are absolutely evolving to the new market and new consumer. Event spaces and conference rooms are just another way the Centers are utilizing their spaces well. Clients don’t have to come in with a designer. Discover the product search engine that was designed within the industry! The new offerings that Design Centers are doing to make their services even more accessible. Being a part of the Design Center can be a good way to keep your foot in the field. Engaging with the internet is good for business. Resources: Boston Design @bostondesigncenter Facebook: Boston Design Center @kristanmclaughlin

Welcome to today's show! We are delighted to introduce you to our guest for the show, Jill Zarin. Jill is a veteran of the TV show Real Housewives of New York, and wife of the late Bobby Zarin, owner of Zarin Fabrics in New York. We will be talking to Jill today about Zarin Fabrics, about the rug line that she has recently launched with Unique Loom, and about her luxury ladies lunch that she hosts every year in the Hamptons for charity. Jill has also promised to give us a tour of her apartment in New York City, which boasts some pieces from DXV for the faucets, and all her rugs are there, too! Listen in to find out more! Last fall, Unique Loom, one of the most plentiful sources of handmade and power loomed rugs in the world, teamed up with Jill to create their very first rug collaboration. It's a vibrant collection, offering bold, colorful options with an airy and modern feel. This collection delivers quality design at an attainable price, which is a priority shared by both Jill and Unique Loom. The collection was inspired in part by Jill's personal style, as well as the various motifs found in the history of Manhattan's urban design. Listen today to find out more about this awesome collaboration. We're sure that every single person who knows Jill is thinking about her and everything that she went through recently, with the loss of her beloved husband, Bobby. Show highlights: The tedious way that advertising used to be done in the past. A little about the way that Zarin Fabrics used to be run in the past. Surprisingly enough, Zarin Fabrics is actually a fabric warehouse! Zarin Fabrics is the only drapery and upholstery supply company in the city of New York. Jill's experience with Macy's Training Program. Some of the projects and products lines that Jill developed prior to her collaboration with Unique Loom. Respecting the expertise of those who are in the know- unless your gut tells you otherwise! Jill's past jewelry lines and some mistakes she made with them. The wonderful partners that Jill has for her current line of rugs. The fantastic fabrics that Jill's rugs are made of. Jill discusses her fabulously affordable rug lines. How Jill has learned to go with the designs that she likes. All about Jill's luxury charity lunch this year, at Topping Rose House Hotel in the Hamptons. The valuable swag bags that Jill gives away at her charity lunches. The celebrities that show up for Jill's charity lunches. The entrepreneurial aspect of Jill's charity lunches. Enjoy the tour of Jill's apartment. The phenomenal DXV design pieces in Jill's apartment. Links: Jills website: Jill Zarin eSale Rugs Jill on Social Media: Facebook Twitter Instagram Kravet has a new code for you. You can get 10% off any one project using Kravet fabric, trims or wallpaper—specify Kravet fabric, trim and wallpaper for your next interior design project and use the code AWDB10 at checkout!! MyDoma Studio is a software platform that helps you manage your client projects easily and efficiently. Go to MyDoma Studio to learn more.

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We are very excited to have Nicole Heymer back on the show today! Nicole is the owner of Curio Electro, a boutique creative agency that specializes in branding and websites for interior design firms and other interesting and creative businesses. Nicole is the genius behind my LuAnn Nigara website- and I really love it! There are certain things that we do that really represent who we are and what we do and my website is one of those things for me! And one of the reasons for Nicole coming back on the show is rooted in my own experience of being part of her company and going through the whole discovery process of building my website with her. Listen in today as Nicole takes us through her entire, really organized and actionable process- it's just like therapy for your business! Nicole's clear and actionable approach to branding has been featured by some of the design industry's favorite resources and organizations. From ASID's Tech Talk series to the New Jersey chapter and also to the Window Coverings Association of America, Nicole is an active ASID partner and she currently serves as the editor of the New Jersey chapter's Blueprint Magazine. Listen in to find out more. Show highlights: Stepping back to get an overview of what you're doing. Starting out with a very clear plan. How Nicole developed her process. The whole planning process. Looking ahead to the goals that you want to accomplish- then doing things in the correct order. Some of the goals that designers could aspire towards. Getting to grips with the messaging on your website. Clearly showing people who and where you are, and what you do, on your website. Being truthful with your messaging when creating your brand. Taking your budget into account when planning your website. Getting really clear about who you want to take action on your website. Getting clear about the kind of action that you would like to be taken on your website. Some things to consider when setting up your website. Nurturing your clients' needs with lead magnets. Telling the story of a project with your portfolio. Ways of driving more traffic to your website. Coming up with content for a blog. About Nicole's Brand Discovery Class that's coming up shortly. Go to brandingdiscovery.com to find out more. Previous shows mentioned in this episode: Nicole Heymer #125 How To Brand Your Interior Design Business Rachel Cannon #306 Sandra Espinet #287 Kae Whitaker #259 Marina Umali #248 Nancy Ganzekaupher #256

Welcome to today's show! We have Wendy Woloshchuk with us today and she's the principal of Details Full Service Interiors located in rural western Massachusetts. Wendy is a real inspiration for designers! She lives and works in a rural area almost two hours away from the nearest design center and yet she's killing it! This is because she knows exactly who her ideal client is and she's claimed it without wasting any time on ideas and pursuits that are not authentic to her client base and all her marketing is intentionally created to attract this client to her every day. It was really no easy task starting an interior design business in a very small community, in the middle of a recession! Wendy is known for her no-nonsense approach and for her creative style with it's attention to detail. Nothing makes her happier than when her clients see how she's managed to infuse their personalities into the design and they love the finished space! Listen in today and become inspired by Wendy, her business model, and her awesome business acumen. Wendy opened Details in 2007 after going back to school to learn interior design as her second career in 2005. Details Full-Service Interiors specializes in designing comfortable, personalized homes for busy families who want to make the most of their family time and resources. Wendy has been using Facebook as her primary marketing tool for the last five years. She shares fun tips and decorating ideas on her Facebook daily live show, The Daily Details, and she has recently started a consumer-facing Facebook group, called The Details Design & Decorating Club, in order to keep her following and her business growing. Listen in now to find out more about Wendy and the way she runs her rural design business. Just to let you know- this show is also available as a video presentation on LuAnn's Youtube channel, A Well- Designed Business. Show highlights: How Wendy first got into using Facebook Live consistently for her marketing. Wendy walks through her whole process of pushing through with Facebook Live. Ways to come across naturally and authentically in your videos. How Wendy creates the content for The Daily Details. How Wendy prepares herself for her Monday videos. Ways for you to emulate what Wendy has been doing on Facebook Live. When she really began to experience engagement on Facebook Live. There are people watching you on Facebook that you don't even know about! Why Wendy chose Facebook as her primary marketing tool. Finding where your ideal client is hanging out on social media. How Wendy found her niche within her community. How Facebook Live makes you more accessible to your ideal market. What it's like- and some tips for doing business in a rural area. The benefits of building a great relationship with your reps. Some free- and some for-purchase downloads that are available on Wendy's website. (Some of them are even MyDoma Studio packages.) You can arrange for a consultation with Wendy and you can also purchase pre-paid furniture packages and even accessories via MyDoma Studio. The benefits of having affiliate sites. The DIY package that's available on Wendy's website. Ways to build a portfolio on your website. LuAnn has done a six-show series on the how, the why and the technical aspects of Facebook for business. These shows can be found on her website (www.luannnigara.com) in the Social Media and Marketing collection. For more FB marketing tips please search social media on LuAnn Nigara Kravet has a new code for you. You can get 10% off any one project using Kravet fabric, trims or wallpaper—specify Kravet fabric, trim and wallpaper for your next interior design project and use the code AWDB10 at checkout!! MyDoma Studio is a software platform that helps you manage your client projects easily and efficiently. Go to My Doma Studio to learn more. Other episodes mentioned on this show: Claire Jefford #237 Rachel Moriarty #55 and #214 Dixie Willard #273 Links: Details Full-Service Interiors Facebook: Details Full Service Interiors Instagram: Details Full Service Interiors

Are you ready to harness the secrets of the best in the industry to create consistently amazing results in your business? this Power Talk Friday is Madeline MacRae. Madeline was LuAnn’s guest in episode 283, and returns for this episode. Madeline is the CEO, founder and chief innovator for MM MacRae, a national learning, coaching and consulting firm. MM MacRae specializes in the development and growth of pros and companies specializing in the home professionals industry. She is such a high energy, driven person, and she shares a wealth of knowledge on this episode. If you’re ready to do what it takes to achieve freedom and long-term growth in your business, you will want to absorb Madeline MacRae’s information like a sponge! What you’ll hear in this episode: Madeline and LuAnn led a seminar on goal setting at the International Window Covering Expo in Tampa, FL, and discovered their ideas on goal setting are identical! 5 Day Sales Challenge (see 5 Day Sales Challenge Facebook Page) to help you learn the need for peer accountability, mindset and to give you concrete tools, that usually cost $3000.00 in our program, to help you tweak things in your business to make it more successful. It will also make you a better salesperson. In addition, you will have a call to action each day. The 5 Day Sales Challenge will include Madeline making a live appearance in the group every day and will share ideas, inspiration, and to answer your questions. Madeline will do some episodes of Facebook Live leading up to the challenge and will let you know when she will appear in the group. Topics will include: Day 1: Master your Metrix Day 2: Confidence is King Day 3: Systems Make Sales Day 4: The Fortune is in the Follow-up There is Gold in your Nose! Discover your inner creativity in relation to sales. Learn the importance of getting a definite yes or no answer when selling. Utilize effective listening skills when listening to your clients’ needs. Learn when a client is really a client, not a potential client or lead. Resources Mentioned in the Episode: mmmacrae.com for consulting and coaching Fasttrackmember.com for Madeline’s Bootcamp landing page 5 Day Sales Challenge on Facebook The 5 Levels of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell Now Discover Your Strengths, by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham Strengths-Based Leadership, by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie To get access to some of Madeleine’s goals training absolutely free go to Fast Track Sales Systems.

What does it look like to be so committed to the success of your business that failure simply CANNOT be an option? For some, there is a crutch to fall back on, but for others, the welfare of their family depends on the level of commitment—and there is no Plan B. Today’s guest is passionate about her design business and there is no doubt about her commitment to success and claiming her niche. Kristen Thomas is the principal designer and owner of Studio Thomas, a full-service interior design firm based in Denver. With a degree in interior design and a background in real estate and home building, Kristen has spent the past 20 years honing her ability to transform homes into spaces that truly enhance and elevate the lives of her clients. When you hear Kristen on the show today, you will understand how the term “elevating and enhancing the lives of clients” is a true goal for her—a true mission. She has given careful and thorough thought to knowing very clearly who her ideal client is, what her ideal project is, and what the Studio Thomas aesthetic is. It’s because of this self-discovery that she made a very bold move this past January, and I’ll let her explain exactly what transpired. What you’ll hear in this episode: The growth of Studio Thomas in just 5 years When failure is NOT an option, so you MUST make it work “I’m really concerned with infusing value into my clients’ homes.” The emotion behind the hard work and commitment Creating the culture where employees are empowered and valued Kristen’s goal: to have a company that people love to come and work for and where everyone’s voice is valued The “slow” hiring process in creating chemistry and culture on the team In January 2018---the complete overhaul because Kristen “didn’t want to be everything to everyone” Deciding who you are, finding your best value, and being comfortable in your philosophy Being the best at what you do and making the highest contribution, facing the fear of turning down the jobs that aren’t WHO you are “You have to run your business and not let it run you.” After acquiring 16,000 Instagram followers, Kristen erased it all and started over with intention at every step Revamping, rebranding, and narrowing the focus “Our favorite color is texture.” The story behind the K. Thom lifestyle brand Vetting the client—how it’s done Why clients are willing to trust Kristen and Studio Thomas Kristen’s husband’s role in Studio Thomas and how he helps the growing business The visions, systems, and processes that make the business work and grow as you take bold steps in claiming your niche Resources mentioned in the episode: Camp Chroma WCAANJ Kristen's Website: Studio Thomas Kristen's Instagram: Studio Thomas Kristen's Facebook: Studio Thomas

Welcome to another Power Talk Friday! Financial planning may seem boring, however, the results of it certainly are not! Today we're very happy to introduce you to Hilary Hendershott, a CFA (certified financial adviser) with a lot of street cred. Hilary, who has been nicknamed The Investor's Voice of Reason, is the founder of Hilary Hendershott Wealth Management, a leading financial advisory firm for women and her mission is to motivate women and their loved ones to be financially empowered through wealth building. On the show today Hilary explains why you really don't need to feel intimidated, as a woman, at the thought of consulting with a financial adviser, so listen in to find out what she has to share with you today about money mindset and the importance of proper financial management. Hilary is also the host of Profit Boss Radio, a weekly podcast where she and her guests offer inspiration, advice, and support for women in their financial journey. She's a TedX speaker, she's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, NBC, ABC, Fox, Daily Worth, Forbes, and Investopedia. Hilary was recognized in 2014 as a Top Forty Under Forty Entrepreneur in the Silicon Valley. She's had more than thirty television appearances and she is considered the go-to personal finance expert in the Silicon Valley for NBC. Listen in now to find out why it's really critical for you to understand your finances. Show highlights: The right time to bring in a professional financial adviser. The importance of saving money. Why it really is well worth spending the money on getting some professional financial advice. Why Hilary sees wealth building as the last female frontier. Why you don't actually have a business until you're paying yourself a CEO's salary. About Hilary's course Money Blueprint For Business Owners. Being well compensated for the liability of running a business. Some financial facts that everyone should know. Not having to feel intimidated by your financial adviser. Not throwing the baby out with the bathwater when dealing with a financial adviser. The functions of a fiduciary. Why Hilary avoids using 'Wall Street speak'. Hilary explains the way that she does her business. Understanding the type of business that you're in. The difference between a lifestyle business and a sellable business. Smart ways to save on taxes by forcing yourself to save. Simple tweaks to help you to build a strong and profitable business. Links: Hilary's website: www.hilaryhendershott.com Other episodes mentioned in today's show: Danielle Liss #171 Jody Padar #229

I recently received an e-mail from Colleen from Colleen Knowles Interiors in Mercer Island, WA. Colleen says she is in the process of getting her back of the house systems more organized, and requests that we do a show on purchasing. So, on today’s show, Judith, Corey and I will address all the winding trails you may find yourself on when dealing with all the many facets of purchasing. For many designers just starting out in the industry, purchasing and pricing can sometimes be a volatile topic. Industry norms along with the best practicing of purchasing can overwhelm you if you don’t have good systems in place. Show Highlights: • Corey explains three different models for purchasing and pricing. • Learn some of the pitfalls of the kickback model. • Steering away from legal problems. • A designer can act as a sales consultant.. • A professional approach to pricing • Project minimum, flat fee and hourly pricing • Collecting retainer and consultation fees • How to incorporate pricing for online vendors • Judith discusses managing purchased items onsite. • Avoid discussing net purchase pricing with clients. * The better you handle the contract and front end, the smoother the back end will be. • LuAnn and Judith say there is no substitute for personal touches. Resources: This episode is available on A Well-Designed Business YouTube Channel. Corey Klassen Designs Judith Neary, Roadside Attractions Design Studio

Welcome! Jason Byrne of Jason Byrne Design joins us today for the second airing of The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business- the listener version. Jason has been a really kind supporter of the show over the last few months and he's been keeping in touch regularly via email. One time he sent an email with a list of the things that he's done in his business based on what he learned from listening to this podcast and he has sent others, with the specifics about the shows that he really liked and what he gained from listening to them. He particularly enjoyed the solo show about vendors and he sent LuAnn the most amazing, heartfelt email the next day to thank her for the show and to tell her how well it resonated with him! Listen in today to find out more. On the show today Jason starts out discussing his mission statement- Delivering excellence through communication and design- and what it really means to him, because sometimes mission statements can be quite a stumbling block for new designers. Jason, who used to teach Design Technology at Sydney Design School, also shares some of his expertise about the best kind of technology to use for either commercial or residential design and he explains some of the ways that he has made use of what he's learned from the podcast. Listen in to find out what Jason has to share today! Show highlights: Jason talks about his mission statement- how he arrived at it and what it means to him. He explains why he is so focused on clear communication. Why it's so important to Jason that less-than-good news really needs to be delivered in person. Jason explains how this show helped him to develop his 'schedule of fees' and his 'job run sheet' documents. Jason discussed some of the specifics around the documents that he has developed. How Jason ensures that he and his client are really on the same page when discussing design. A document that Jason developed and little exercise he designed to help his clients to understand where they are in the process. The importance of maintaining a really clear connection with your client. How the idea of a weekly client email has really helped Jason. (Laura Umanksy #64) The various design technologies that Jason would recommend for both commercial and residential designers. (He used to teach Design Technology at Sydney Design School.) How to get up and running with Autocad. About some of the more advanced design tech products. Link: Jason's website: www.jasonbyrnedesign.com His website and social: Jason Byrne Design Facebook: Jason Byrne Design Instagram: Jason Byrne Design Pinterest: Jason Byrne Design - Nail Salon

Welcome to the show! We are really delighted today to have Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry back again! (Episode #176) These brilliant ladies run a truly amazing design firm, Pulp Design, both in Seattle and in Dallas and on the show today they have some really fun news to share with you! They are about to realize a dream that they've had since starting their business eleven years ago. They are super-excited to finally be launching a licensed fabric collection with S Harris! Listen in now to get the latest! The work of Pulp Design has been recognized and published by Architectural Digest, The Traditional Home and New York Times Magazine. Both Beth and Carolina have been recognized as rising stars in interior design by Fashion Group International and they have both won awards for their fabulous work. Listen in to find out what this dynamic duo has to share with you today. Show highlights: All about the launch of their licensed fabric collection. As designers, Beth and Carolina have always wanted to have a product of their own. How they were approached by the creative director of S Harris. Why S Harris wanted to partner with Carolina and Beth. Creating a quality brand. The way that these two dynamic ladies like to think strategically. What their fabric line is like. Where the inspiration for the fabric designs came from. The whole process of creating the patterns. The inadvertent creation of the design for their fabric collections. The awesome experience of being accepted to collaborate with S Harris. Looking for the right kind of company to align with, as a small firm. Red flags to look out for when offered an opportunity to collaborate. Beth and Carolina's cautious approach to growing their business. The great support that they get from their team. Successfully expressing their brand through all the employees in their company. Taking the time to reflect on the values of your company- before working with anyone. Carolina and Beth's principal of quality completion. Creating success by getting to really know yourself. Get your invitation to their VIP preview event at High Point. (Details on their website pulpdesignstudios.com) Links: Website and SM: Pulp Design Studios Facebook: Pulp Design Studios Twitter: Pulp Design Studios Instagram: Pulp Designs Studios Pinterest: Pulp Design Studios

As Interior Designers, we spend a lot of our time thinking about and choosing color. Have you ever stopped to wonder how that color is actually made? No, we are not talking about mixing pigments at the paint store. Today, I want to dive into the amazing topic of color data. What are the measurable ways that one color is distinct from another? Is there a quantity we can use to describe why some colors work better together than others? Here to help you unravel your Color DNA is Lori Sawaya, the podcast’s newest sponsor, and my amazing guest this week. Lori got her start in graphic design, and as color printing became more readily available, she started to become obsessed with the color management aspects of her career. This obsession turned into several years of dedicated training and study, which led Lori to a whole new understanding of color and how we measure it. From there, Lori developed a course that would teach other designers how to not just measure color data but use it within their design process. Lori's business, Camp Chroma, is all about giving you the foundational tools you need to leverage the power of color data. Other industries rely heavily on the values and measurements surrounding color, so why not Interior Design? Listen to this week’s episode to learn all about how color functions, and how you can begin your journey with Camp Chroma. It’s a whole new world out there, and the future of color looking bright! I am delighted about the partnership between A Well Designed Business and Camp Chroma, and I know you will be too. More in this episode: Lori tells us all about why she loves color so much. Learn all about how color gets made and why Camp Chroma is so powerful! The tools and that you need to analyze color. Now that you have data on color, you need to learn how to utilize it. The actual surfaces that you can use to measure color DNA. Discover the possibilities of the hue angle. We are busting the super big urban legends about color! Take the time to play with your data. We have actually quantified how humans perceive color. Dive into Lori’s design process, armed with the data values. What it means for Lori to be an Architectural Color Design Expert. Camp Chroma starts with the foundation and builds your skills from the ground up. Resources: This episode is sponsored by: Camp Chroma Online Social Media: Instagram: The Land of Color Facebook: Fun Colors Twitter Linkedin: Lori Sawaya Join in Online Luann Nigara

Welcome to today's episode! We really have a big treat in store for you today- we have Lori Weitzner as our guest and if you're not yet familiar with her, she's the principal and creative director of Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Lori has a really unique perspective on the use and significance of color in design and she discusses this today on the show. She also talks about the choices that she's made in her business and she shares many of the big moments that have shaped her career. Lori's latest endeavor is her book Ode To Color- The Ten Essential Palettes for Living and Design and now she's also developed The Ode To Color Analysis- a practical guide on how to find one's color world, as a compliment to the book. Listen in to find out about the windy road and some of the pivotal moments that this super successful lady has taken to get to where she is today. Lori's career as a designer spans thirty years and she's known internationally for her contribution to the world of textiles and wall coverings under that brand Weitzner. The Weitzner brand has been sold through highly esteemed houses, like Sahco, Larson, and Pollack. You may be familiar with Lori because of her trims, which are available through Samuel and Sons, or her rug designs for West Elm, or possibly even through her paper designs for Papyrus. Listen in now to find out more. Show Highlights: A special moment that really stands out for Lori, that set her on her particular career path. What a textile designer actually does. The serendipitous story of what happened when a very young Lori decided to risk everything and go off to a trade show in Lyon France. About Lori's big break with Jack Larson. The secret to how Lori, at the tender age of twenty-two, managed to sell forty-eight of her designs in one weekend, at a trade fair in France. How Lori's confidence has always worked for her. Why you should go for what you really want- not just what you think is possible. Lori shares about her next level of achievement after Jack Larson, with Sahco. How Lori started out with her own business- with a $100 000 loan from the bank. Getting the balance right between Lori's creative side and her business side. How Lori instinctively knew what she was meant to be doing with her career. How Lori's design for her Newsworthy wallpaper was developed. Lori discusses her new book Ode To Color and how it came about. How Lori discovered that her first language was actually color! All about Lori's Color Analysis Test. Resources: Lori's Website: Lori Weitzner To take Lori's test with her Ode To Color Analysis, or to buy her book go to Ode To Color Lori's panel discussion on 3/23/18 at the Architectural Design show in NYC LuAnn's book: The Making of A Well-Designed Business®

Welcome to today's episode of Power Talk Friday! We have Carol Cox with us today and she's the founder of Speaking Your Brand. She's also LuAnn's speaking coach and LuAnn really adores her- especially for her skillful way of assisting her to pull the right content together, in order to craft a captivating and cohesive speech. On the show today Carol explains what you really need to be thinking about, and the best tactics to use if you're not yet that well-known and you're going to be taking part a panel discussion. Listen in to find out about ways to really connect with an audience. Speaking Your Brand helps high-performing and purpose-driven women entrepreneurs and professionals to shape their businesses and personal brands, share their message, and become recognized as influencers in their field. Carol is a sought-after presenter and trainer on public speaking, branding, and leadership for women. She's also a podcaster and a TEDx speaker. Carol teaches classes in business and marketing at a university and she serves as a political analyst on TV news during election seasons. She is based in Orlando Florida and she works with her clients both locally and virtually around the world. Listen in today to find out what Carol has to share about public speaking and really engaging with your audience. Show Highlights: How to be a really great panelist. What a moderator could do to keep the conversation flowing if someone is dominating a panel discussion. What you can do if you're a panelist and someone on the panel is really monopolizing the conversation. Setting the ground rules ahead of time. What you need to prepare beforehand if you're going to be a panelist. Using emotion to create a really engaging story. Giving careful thought to the meaningful content that you're going to be talking about. Tips for being gracious and complimenting others authentically when you're in a panel discussion. Ways that you can bond with the other panelists, before the discussion. Taking the opportunity to network with the other panelists. Why you should give the moderator your own printed introduction before the discussion. Creating the very best pitch for yourself. Checking the room out beforehand, prior to the panel discussion. Ways to alleviate any nervousness you may feel before the discussion. Ways of getting the audience to relate to you. Remember that the more you do it, the better you will get. To check out the Speaking Your Brand Podcast go to www.speakingyourbrand.com/podcast To get the PDF for this show go to www.luannnigara.com/episode307

Welcome to today's show! It really looks like our guest for today, Rachel Cannon of Rachel Cannon Limited Interiors, is doing some good things down in Baton Rouge Louisiana! What really gets LuAnn going is Rachel's promise on her website of a structured process and a step-by-step method, when it comes to her design. On today's show, Rachel talks about the fifteen-step the ten-step processes that she uses with her clients and how she came to develop them. She also discusses the way that she changed her marketing in order to attract the right client. Listen in to find out more. The specialty of Rachel Cannon Limited is designing a space where you'll feel happiest and at peace, that's both practical and uniquely beautiful, and that also tells the story of who you are. Rachel is known for creating classic, fresh, and smart interiors, with details that are both livable and deluxe. As an experienced and licensed interior designer, she leads a team of creative minds who effortlessly mix subtle color and rich architectural features, weaving in the meaningful details of your life. Listen in today to find out about Rachel's design processes and how she markets her business. Show highlights: Rachel discusses her systems and the way that she works with her clients. Rachel's ideal client profile. How Rachel's fifteen-step process About Rachel's Ten-Step New Construction package. What Rachel's VIP Day and her One Week Room Rescue is all about. Why the process keeps refining. How Rachel changed her marketing to attract the right client. A good way of dealing with difficult clients. The value of having a really good contract with your client. Teaching your clients how to work with you. Rachel's document of 'rules' for her clients-why she uses it and what it has in it. The real cost of interruptions when you're working. What brought about a turning point for Rachel, regarding the fees she charges. Discovering your real value. Why it's important to know who your ideal client is. How Rachel's VIP Day came about. Getting clear on charging the right amount for your services. How Rachel vets her potential clients to see if they're a fit for her. Why you really need to document everything that happens with your clients. Links: Her website and social: Rachel Cannon Limited Facebook: RCL Interiors Instagram Twitter Linkedin: Rachel Cannon

Welcome to today's episode of A Well-Designed Business! We are introducing a new feature on the show today, called The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business- Listener Shows. This show will be intermingled with our current Power Talk Friday feature and either one or the other will air each Friday. There have been a number of designers who have emailed LuAnn over the years and shared with her their lists of all the things that they have learned from the podcast and then applied directly to their businesses. It then occurred to LuAnn that if you, the listener, actually hear your peers explaining the results of taking those actions, it may just give you the extra push that you need to take action on all the information that you have received from the show. That is what has motivated LuAnn to start this new feature for the show so listen in today to find out more! Our guest for today is Elizabeth Scruggs and she's the owner of Superior Construction And Design in Tennessee. She is the mid state's only female general contractor and designer. She's been in business since 2000. Recognising a love of construction when building her own home at the age of twenty-four, she knew that coupling that knowledge with her interior design skill was a service that few could provide. Elizabeth and SC and D have won numerous awards over the years and she believes that continuing education is vital for success. Elizabeth attends industry trade events and market events each year and she was a member of the Modenus Blog Tour of K-biz in January of 2018. She currently serves on the national board of directors for the Real Estate Staging Association, the board of directors for the Nashville chapter of the Nashville Association of Women in Construction, she's the vice-president of the virtual chapter of the Interior Design Society and the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Elizabeth's clients are busy working professionals in the age range of forty-five to fifty-five, looking to upgrade their current home, but lacking the time and desire to oversee it. She finds her sweet spot in handling these full-home renovations from inception to completion. Elizabeth has been a contributing writer for Wilson County's premier magazine, Wilson Living, for six years and she's been featured in The Lebanon Democrat, The Wilson Post, and The Mount Juliet Chronicle. Elizabeth resides in Tennessee, just east of Nashville, with her husband of twenty-six years and their twin daughters and young son. Listen in to find out what Elizabeth has to share with you today. Show highlights: Elizabeth shares about what it was about Brittany and her company that moved her to action.(#149) Elizabeth's 'aha moment' with Gavin Zuchlinski of Acuity Scheduling and how Acuity has really worked for her. (#241) All about Elizabeth's 'pick your brain' thirty-minute phone calls. How Elizabeth has benefited from getting to know about Kate The Socialite. (#104) What Elizabeth has learned about systems from Kimberley Seldon. (#112) Why Elizabeth really loves Nancy Ganzekaufer's Business In Words so much! (#256) What she learned from The Prepared Performer- Molly Mahoney. (#247) Elizabeth's awesome takeaway from the Facebook Live Queen- Jessica Brace. (#250) What Kate O'Hara had to teach Elizabeth about Pinterest. (#215) What she took away from the episode with Summer Tannhauser. (#292) How much Elizabeth learned from the episode with Leslie Carothers and Sam Henderson of the Savour Partnership. (#209) The effect that the episode with Adam Japko, of the Design Blogger's Conference, had on her. (#95) Time chunking with Darci Hether. (#220) Lessons learned from Carla Aston (#242), Fred Berns (#174), and Tabitha Carro (#235). About Elizabeth's relationship with her good friend and designer bestie Kristi Barnett aka The Decorologist. Links: Elizabeth's website: Superior Construction and Design Elizabeth on social: facebook blog pinterest houzz insta You can get your free PDF of The Things I Learned From Elizabeth Scruggs at www.luannnigara.com/305

Welcome to today's show where we feature another husband and wife team, Jill and Steve McKenzie. They are the owners of McKenzie Design Llc and also Steve McKenzie's, a home décor business which is located in the heart of Atlanta's west-midtown design district. Steve does the interior designing and runs the product design side of the business, while Jill predominantly oversees the running of the store and does the buying for the business. Recently, they have also been doing a lot of product design and creation and also the licensing of certain products. Listen in today, to find out how they work together as a team, to run the retail end of their interior design business. Steve started Steve McKenzie's in 2012 after his tenure of more than twenty years with Berkshire-Hathaway owned Larson-Juhl, a custom frame manufacturer, and distributor, where he served most recently as the company's president and CEO. Through practicing as an artist for more than twenty-five years, Steve has developed a unique technique of painting with walnut ink and focusing on organic composition. His studio is located in the upper loft space of Steve McKenzie's. Jill and Steve have three children and three Springer Spaniels. Listen in today, to find out more about the ethical and service driven way that they run their business. Show highlights: It all started with Steve's art- the fabric collection being the genesis of both the store and the design business. The community that has developed as an offshoot of their showroom. How it happened that Steve ended up taking the route he did, creating and selling his own textile line in showrooms across the country. How Steve found the right experts to help him with getting his product line manufactured and launched. Getting really clear about your expectations with mentors and mentees. Some tips for getting your product line known 'out there'. The Jill works (and hustles) with Steve to get his products out there. The grounding effect of Steve's corporate background. What went into Steve and Jill's decision to open their own showroom and retail lifestyle store. The idea of creating a personality around Steve's fabrics. Jill's style of marketing their product lines. Jill and Steve's approach to their lifestyle brand of products. How the design side of their business was born. Evaluating whether or not to start a showroom. How Steve and Jill cope when their opinions differ in their business. Creating healthy boundaries and a good work-life balance. Covering all the hours in the showroom. Jill and Steve's real commitment to really great customer service. Why the customer is always (Even when they're not!) Links: Website and Social: Steve Mckenzies Mckenzie Interior Design Steve Mckenzies Steve Mckenzie Art Houzz – McKenzie Interior Design/steve mckenzie’s Pinterest - @stevemckenzies Instagram - @stevemckenzies Twitter - @stevemckenzies Facebook - @stevemckenzies

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Rebecca Richards joins us as our guest on the show today and she's the director of marketing for Charles Cunniffe Architects in Aspen Colorado. Rebecca is also part of the firm's management committee and one of her responsibilities within that committee is the hiring process for the firm. So today she talks to us about the process that she uses for hiring and she also shares some of the key questions that she asks and some of the things that she looks for when she interviews candidates. Whether you're a solo interior designer looking to make your first hire or you run mid-size or a larger firm and you're looking for a direct process to follow when doing your hiring, we relate this to you, so listen in to find out what Rebecca has to share with you on the show today. Rebecca joined Charles Cunniffe Architects in 2006 and the firm widely increased their market reach while decreasing their marketing expenditure under her leadership as director of marketing. Rececca's keen eye for design has led to the complete redesign of the company's marketing materials and their website, and also to the addition of their social media outlets. Her appreciation for design and sustainable business practices has become instrumental in the operations at CCA. CCA is quite a powerhouse of an architectural firm. They have nineteen people on their staff and they have been named as best places to work for the last four years running. Their Elk Peak Ranch project was named Home Of The Year in November 2017 by Mountain Living Magazine- and it's truly spectacular! (Check out their website www.cunniffe.com or my Instagram feed today, as I will be featuring their work all day.) Listen in now to find out more. Show highlights: Rebecca describes the structure within CCA and also what the various roles are, within their management committee. Rebecca's holistic approach to the hiring process. Rebecca goes through her entire hiring process, step by step. Methodically looking at the necessary roles within the office structure, prior to the hiring process. Where CCA advertise for their staff. Why Rebecca likes to respond to every single resume that she receives. Cross-checking the resumes, to get a bigger picture of the person. It can be quite hard to stand out as an entry-level applicant, so Rebecca explains what makes someone really stand out for her. Internships- how they can really make you stand out as a job applicant. The best questions to ask when conducting a phone interview. The importance of finding out what the applicant really wants and expects- in terms of the job and the salary. Rebecca describes her process of the second interview. Why it's really worth spending the time figuring out exactly where the applicant is at, and if they fit where you need them to be. Why it's really important to ask for references. Getting the information that you really need when doing a reference check. Knowing when it's the right time to hire someone. Links: CCA website Skype handle: rebeccalynnhill Instagram Facebook Blog Twitter LuAnn on Instagram: @luannnigara Kravet has launched their new website and they have a new code for you, as a listener of this podcast, to get 10% off any one purchase of Kravet fabric, trimmings, or wallpaper. Go to Kravet and use the code AWDB10 at checkout. Charles Cunniffe Architects website: Cunniffe

Welcome to today's episode of A Well-Designed Business! We have Laura Buchner and Kirsten McCoy with us on the show and today we are going to be talking to them about how their interior design firm was founded in 1982 by Penny Steele, and how they purchased it from her in 2005 when she retired. Listen in as we pick apart their motivation for buying an existing business from someone else rather than starting their own business from scratch. Laura and Kirsten are the principals of Meadowbank Designs, which is located in the Philadelphia Pennsylvania area. Meadowbank Designs has completed a wide range of projects throughout the country, for generations of clients, from historic preservation to vacation homes and also additions and renovations. They are best known for residential design which combines traditional motifs with a modern sensibility, and also for providing the highest quality of design excellence and personal service. Listen in today to find out about Laura and Kirsten's decision to buy their business, and how they went about acquiring it. Show highlights: Kirsten and Laura discuss their decision to buy the business. The confidence that they felt about their relationships with the existing clients. The really awesome way that Penny, the previous owner of the business, worked to create a great relationship between Laura, Kirsten and the existing clients. What made them decide to buy an existing business, rather than starting up one of their own. The organic process of how they came to decide to buy the business from the previous owner. How the previous owner arrived at the value of the business. The time that it took for the business to be fully paid off and for Kirsten and Laura to begin making a profit. How they worked their finances, in order to get the business paid off as quickly as possible. Using professional systems, in order to run a business the right way. How they overcame the difficulties that they experienced during the recession in 2008. The importance of their constant and clear communication. The number of clients that they typically handle during any given quarter. The roles that Laura and Kirsten each play for their projects. The really mature way that they handle conflict when it comes up. The different, yet complimentary things that Laura and Kirsten each bring to the business. Some things worth considering, when thinking about buying an existing business. Previous episodes mentioned on the show: Fred Berns: Episodes #22, #48, #96, #174, #226 and #289 Links: Meadowbank designs can be found at: Meadowbank Designs Facebook: Meadowbank-Designs Instagram: Meadowbank Designs Twitter: Meadowbank Designs Pinterest: Meadowbank Designs Fred Bern's website: https://interiordesignbusiness.net

Welcome to today's episode of Power Talk Friday! We are delighted to introduce you to Duncan Blair, the director of marketing for Article, a furniture company out of Vancouver Canada, and the sponsor for today's show. Article recently approached LuAnn about getting onto the podcast to tell you about their products. LuAnn agreed to this because she thinks that it's an interesting company with great potential as a resource for you and your interior design projects. Duncan is here today to tell us all about Article, so listen in carefully as we pick it apart to see if it really is a viable option for us, as designers. Article has been in business since 2013. It is an online company and an original, modern furniture brand that engineers remarkably better furniture shopping experiences. It is a dedicated, deadline orientated, people pleasing type of company, with a trade facing program, and they are currently in the midst of an initiative to spread their wings and further develop their trade program, to make it both more efficient and more effective. Listen in now, to find out more. Show highlights: Duncan explains why he thinks that Article would make a really good alliance company for interior designers. What Article does, to help make the designers who have a hard time ordering furniture from an online location, more comfortable. Article's really generous return policy- if you don't like it, you can send it back- seamlessly, with no problem. About Article's dedicated trade team, to guide you and help you to pre-purchase. Jill and her team at Article are interior designers who really understand. Article has a complete fabric swatch kit, which is available to designers at no cost. Their really reasonable flat rate freight shipping fee, for anywhere in Canada or the USA. Article's three-tiered shipping model. Article's really awesome customer service. Duncan explains about their free exchange service. What really sets Article apart from other vendors, in terms of their delivery times. Article really prides itself on its ability to always meet your deadlines. The members of the team at Article are always ready to help you out with questions that are specific to the design industry. All about the furniture at Article and where it is made. About Article's fair trade policy and their pledge to only having a positive impact on the world. What would be required in order for you to become a trade partner with Article? (Go to welldesigned.article.com) The discounts that are available through their trade program. About the quality and styling of the products which are supplied by Article. Article's projected income for the next financial year. Links: Article on Instagram: @article Apply for the Article Trade Program: Article Article: Article Linkedin: Article Houzz: Article Instagram: Article Facebook: Article

A very warm welcome to the three hundredth episode of A Well-Designed Business today- and happy birthday to us! February the 15th was the second birthday of the podcast and we are having our birthday party tonight (21st February) at Lefroy Brooks in New York City. Today is a really big day for the podcast and there's lots of awesome news too, so listen in now to find out more. It really takes a lot of effort from many people to get this podcast aired each week and I'm truly grateful to everyone involved! I'm especially grateful to you, my designer friends, who show up and listen in to the show every single week! Listen in today as I share some news and express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has played their part in making this show so successful! Show highlights: A special mention of thanks to everyone that works so hard to get this show ready and aired! Special thanks to our featured sponsors- Kravet Inc and MyDoma Studio. How we know that Kravet is truly in the business of helping you to run a better business. Why I really love MyDoma Studio so much! A shout out to all our other sponsors. Thanks to all the wonderful guests who have been on the show! A really HUGE thank you to you, my designer friend, who listens to this show every week- It's because of you that I show up each week!. How my world has expanded tenfold because of my designer friends, who follow me, interact with me on Instagram and Facebook, and give me really valuable feedback. The changes that are happening with the show. Why we will be airing our shows just twice a week, as of next week. We will be adding more video content to the podcast as we go forward. How the Well-Designed Business Fan Club got started. The details about the first meeting of the fan club. You're welcome to join! How you can really benefit from joining the fan club. About my book- The Making Of A Well-Designed Business. It's finally out! The biggest lesson that's in my whole book! If are just hearing about this and you'd like to join us at our birthday party, there's still time for you to get in, so go on over to Party. To get our amazing newsletter every Wednesday, simply text 444 999 and enter the word designbiz. The first meeting of the Well-Designed Business Fan Club will be on Friday 23rd February at noon (eastern time). To join, email Deborah at [email protected] and put LuAnn Fan Club in the subject line. My book, The Making Of A Well-Designed Business, is available in e-book form and in paperback. The paperback is $14.95 and the e-book is $7.99, but from 21st February until 28th February 2018 the e-book will only be $3.00- in honor of our 300th episode! Go to The Making Of A Well-Designed Business.

The interior design industry was recently rocked with the news that Houzz.com acquired IvyMark for a reported $30 to $40 million dollars. There have been panel discussions on Facebook Live and other podcasters have addressed it on their shows as well. These discussions have covered, among other things, the motivations of both the Ivy team and of Houzz.com, the ramifications of the purchase to the interior designers who are using the IVY platform and the ripples this news is making through our industry. I agree wholeheartedly that all of these discussions are important and valid and they have been well addressed. But today I want to address the lessons we can learn from this situation and talk about how and why it is so important for us as business owners to understand how Ivy and Houzz might have avoided some of this significant backlash from the design community. It begins and ends with you as a business owner, your conduct, your philosophy and your leadership.

Welcome to A Well Designed Business! Today we have Rich Rogers as our guest and he is the sales manager for the exterior side of Window Works. Rich is someone who has really been making LuAnn's life a whole lot easier in many ways and for many years and he is a real asset to the team at Window Works, with his experience in the trade and his knowledge about product lines. On the show today he will be talking about awnings and discussing some awesome solutions to almost impossible situations. Listen in to find out more. Before coming to work at Window Works Rich was the senior regional manager for K E Dorosoil Awnings Inc., an Italian based company and the primary awning supplier that Window Works have used since 1985. They really provide an enormous range of outdoor shading solutions, with a slightly European, outdoor restaurant feeling. Listen in now to find out about a shady way of offering savvy solutions and making more money in your design business! Show highlights: Rich's thoughts on where designers tend to miss the boat with outdoor shading solutions for their clients. Understanding both the products and the solution. Creating amazing awnings for awkward spaces. The lasting quality of the products that Rich works with. The awnings are so awesome that people even take them with when they move house! Creating awareness about quality, unique awnings, and their features. Offering solutions using exterior products. Operating automated products with your smartphone. Automated products are not only functional, they're really beautiful too. Some high-end options for you to offer your clients. The featured 'Genius Project' and how this product line differs from others. The unbelievable size of the awning that was put onto Nomad Pizza in Princeton. Creating shady solutions at the Life Hotel. The benefits of starting out with the Genius range of products. Why you really need not be intimidated by this kind of product. Link: The Dorosol website: KE Outdoor Design The Window Works website: Window Works NJ

Welcome to another episode of A Well Designed Business! We have Mikel Welch, of Mikel Welch Designs, as our guest on the show and today we pull back the curtain to find out what the lifestyle of a celebrity interior designer is really all about. And guess what? It turns out it's not at all the way we think it is. It involves a lot of risk-taking situations, unforeseen bumps in the road, sleeping on sofas at other people's houses and even asking friends for some help. Mikel, who is a really hard worker with a very clear vision for himself, grew up in Southfield Michigan. Today, he works as an on-air personality and design expert for Pickler and Ben TV show and he is also the brand ambassador to Inspire Closets. All this, in addition to running his own interior design projects. On the show today Mikel shares his really remarkable and encouraging success story. Listen in to hear about a turning point with Steve Harvey and other ways that doors keep on opening for Mikel. Mikel worked as a set designer for the Steve Harvey Show in 2012, where he created lavish green rooms for prominent people, including First Lady Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Joan Rivers, Halle Berry and Tyler Perry, just to name a few. In 2012, before joining the Steve Harvey Show, he was on the HGTV Design Star's season seven, where he finished as a top-four contender. Before that, in 2011, he was behind the camera, as a set designer for Style Network's hit reality show, Jerseylicious. He has appeared as a design expert on WGN TV, CBS-TV's The Talk and he has made special guest appearances on behalf of West Elm, CB2 and Pottery Barn. His designs have been featured in The Huffington Post, HGTV Magazine, Essence Magazine, Chicago's NBC-TV, HGTV's Shop This Room and The Fabulist on E! Network and Splash Magazine. Mikel was also recently profiled in CS Magazine, Modern Luxury Interiors and Crain's Chicago Business. It all sounds so exciting and Mikel really sounds like a lucky guy, doesn't he? Listen in today, as we pick his incredible career apart and find out the truth behind how it all really happened! Show highlights: What Mikel had in mind, and how things fell into place for him when he made the move to New York from Atlanta. What has happened as a result of Mikel donating his time and services. How Mikel used Craig's List to start his career as an interior designer. The unglamorous start to his New York life. Creating unbelievable opportunities by working strategically for free. Getting set design experience while building a portfolio. Mikel's first real experience of a reality show. What he had to go through working on Jerseylicious. Pushing through the fear and just doing it! The benefits of boot-camp with a celebrity coach. The challenges of working on television. The really lucky break with Steve Harvey. Why Steve Harvey liked and helped Mikel. Mikel's way of working smarter, not harder! An awesome new opportunity at Inspired Closets. Taking the right kind of risks. Resources: A soon as the new Kravet website goes live, you can use the promo code AWDB10, for a 10% discount on any Kravet fabric, trim and wall covering order.

Welcome to today's show! We have Ruthie Staalsen with us today and she's someone who is really loved by many! Ruthie operates out of the Dallas Fort Worth area in Texas, she has had more than fourteen years of experience as a designer and she's also on the board of the Design Blogger's Conference. Ruthie focuses on making homes look collected rather than decorated and there is a European flair to her personal design style- with an eclectic twist. She views her privilege of having had the opportunity to experience many different lifestyles as the greatest gift of her childhood. Listen in today to hear our awesome conversation with Ruthie about the value of mentorship, the value of attending conferences and Ruthie's way of running her business. Ruthie was born and raised overseas and many of her influences come from Europe, Africa and Central and South America. She is an internationally published interior designer and she has built her business from the ground up. She was awarded the 2016 Designer Of The Year from the National Interior Design Society for a kitchen renovation project and she was nominated as one of the top fifteen decorators in Dallas. Her work has been published in Elite Monde- a lifestyle and fashion magazine in Dubai and also in Traditional Home Magazine Great Kitchens. Listen in to find out more. Show highlights: The incredible kind of connections that can be made with others at the Design Blogger's Conference. Ruthie's daunting first experience of a Design Blogger's Conference, about seven years ago. The way that your business will benefit from your attending conferences. Things that will keep you going and really spur you on with your business. Ruthie's awesome relationship with her mentee, Cheryl Luckett. (Episode #291) How you can really benefit from being a mentor. Some of the things that newbie designers tend to struggle with. Ruthie's take on charging the right fee, as a new designer. What happened when Ruthie started to hire people to help her. The huge responsibility- and benefits of hiring new people. Some interesting things about the way that Ruthie has set her business up. Ruthie's Away For The Day design service. Mistakes will happen- just get up and carry on! Living a really purposeful life as a designer. Ruthie's personal approach to decorating people's homes. How Ruthie finds the very best vendors to work with. How Ruthie really manages to express her authentic self through her blog. Links: Her website and social: https://www.ruthiestaalsen.com Facebook Ruthie Designer Instagram : Ruthie Designer Linkedin : Interiors Twitter : Ruthie Designer Youtube : Ruthie Staalsen To join us at our birthday party go to the RSVP at Luann Nigara Party.

Welcome to another episode of Power Talk Friday! There have been perhaps a dozen times in the last two years that someone has suggested to LuAnn that she does a show about vendors and what it's like working with them. Then, something quite incredible happened in a Facebook group recently, where a vendor spoke out very directly to a particular designer about his experience with other designers. This brought about mixed reactions from designers in the Facebook group. Some were incensed at his misdirected wrath, saying that it was ridiculous, while others felt it was better to just walk away. LuAnn's opinion, however, was that this was really a vendor to hang on to for dear life, because although he had been both blunt and less than politically correct, he was honest without being mean, cutting or personalizing his opinion- really epitomizing what it is that vendors have to go through. Listen in today, to find out what LuAnn has to tell you about how designers are directly affected by whatever their vendors are going through at that time. For the last two years on this podcast, LuAnn has championed you, as designers, standing in your space and helping you to teach your clients how to do business with you. So when the vendor stands in their own space and wants to teach you how to do business with them, you really cannot take offense to that, now can you? Listen in today and learn as LuAnn explains how to work with your vendor and also, how you can express your needs to your client about how you want them to work with you. Show highlights: LuAnn reads the Facebook post from the very straightforward vendor. Ways that you can learn to think from the point of view of the vendor. The difference between your relationship with your client and the relationship that your vendor has with you. The kinds of difficulties that vendors tend to have and how they usually deal with them when they are not yet standing firmly in their own space. Why it's actually easier for a vendor to have “the hard conversation” upfront- even at the risk of losing the whole project. What Lee Cockerell, the senior vice president of Disney World, had to say in episode #222 about doing hard things. Becoming empowered, setting boundaries and teaching your clients how to do business with you. Learning from your mistakes- without throwing your vendor under the bus. What inevitably ends up happening to you when you try to blame your vendor. It's really all about very good communication. Some great tips for working really well with your vendors. Protecting your vendors from information overload. The benefits of using a project management software like MyDoma Studio. Really valuing the kind of vendor that makes it clear to you how to work successfully with them. Giving your vendor the benefit of the doubt. Links: To be on our email list: Text the number 444999 and enter the word designbiz. To come to our birthday party, generously hosted by Lefroy Brooks, on Wednesday, February 21st go to Luann Nigara Party On Monday, February 19th Blanch Garcia will be doing a Lunch And Learn at out New Jersey showroom on running your design business.