A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Welcome back to another power talk Friday! Kimberley is a full service, luxury interior designer and she has offices in Canada and Los Angeles and is the founder of Business of Design. Business of Design is a dynamic platform for interior designers who want to run more profitable businesses. The number of resources that Kimberley has available for you at the Business of Design platform is unbelievable. She is also an author of several books. If you would like the full back story on Kimberley, please go back to episode 112 on this podcast. Today she is going to talk with us about the flat fee demons! She is an expert at pricing your project and positioning your firm and projects for maximum profitability. I have to let the cat out of the bag! Kimberley is starting her own podcast! Show Notes: How long did it take Kimberley to write her book about flat fees? What is internal negotiation and when does this happen? Why should a designer charge for the initial consultation? What other processes should be taken into consideration when setting a flat fee? How does resentment towards the client usually happen? What should you bill for? What is scope creep? How does a designer “train” a client? When should you cut corners? How should a contract be written? What are some “traps” that can happen if your contract is not written correctly? When is Kimberley’s next webinar? How can you get the membership? Resources: www.businessofdesign.com www.kimberleyseldon.com March 9th Webinar - Win The Flat Fee Game: https://businessofdesign.com/events/win-the-flat-fee-game/

Welcome back to another Well-Designed Business! If you are a first-time listener and just now finding our show thank you so much for tuning in! On the show, today Sarah Wilson is with me. Sarah is an interior designer located in Redlands, California. She has just hit her two-year anniversary in business. She is a designer with a degree from the designer institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles. Today you are going to learn why and how Sarah left a career as a software quality engineer to pursue her passion in interior design. While she was attending FDIN she participated in different chairing styles where she created a chairing style that she intends to one day bring to market. Color is one of Sarah’s passions and encourages clients to use bold colors in their spaces. Show Notes: What are some of the skill sets that Sarah brought to her business? What other degrees does Sarah have? What would she like to tell all the people starting their new interior design businesses? Where and how did she get her first client for her business? How did she start up her business? What is BNI? What were some things that she thought would be challenging but were surprisingly easy? How important is networking for your business? What are some mistakes that Sarah encountered during her first two years in business? What are some big victories that she has accomplished in her first two years? How did she come to the decision to raise her prices for her services? What goals has Sarah set for herself for 2017? What process did she use to bring in interns? How does Sarah organize her Instagram and use it to show off her work? Resources: www.chairish.com/trade www.instagram.com/chansaeraedesigns www.chansaeraedesigns.com

Glen Peloso will be joining me today on A Well-Designed Business. Glen is one-half of the Glen and Jamie of the Peloso Alexander Interiors. Each Glen and Jamie are successful interior designers some twenty plus years each and in 2013 these two respected designers came together to co-found Peloso Alexander Interiors in Toronto. Following their merger, they launched their brand “Glen and Jamie Designer Collection” which is an upholstery line that is now available in stores nationwide. They have both appeared in both print and television in North America and internationally, HGTV and Food Network. They are regulars as design experts for the Merrel and Dennis Show, Global Morning Show, Breakfast Television Toronto and CHCH Morning. They are also regular design columnists for national papers like the Toronto Star and are national contributors to a variety of national and international magazines. Glen and Jamie serve as design directors at Toronto’s largest attended festival, Buscar Fest. They were recently honored by being appointed ambassadors to the peer project, a non-profit organization that assists youth mentored by youth. They maintain two boutique locations and somehow, they run a full-time interior design firm with a staff of ten! Show Notes: How did Glen and Jamie come to want to found a business together? What are some skill sets that Glen has that compliment Peloso Alexander Interiors that are different from Jamie’s skillsets? How did the two stores come to be? What is the difference in the two stores? What is the idea for “the basement”? How did the media part of the business get started? When did Glen have his start in television? What advice does Glen give to people who want to be on television and be famous? What are the design tours that Glen Jamie do together? How can someone join a tour that is being held by Glen and Jamie? How do you most effectively use the resources given to you? Resources: www.businessofdesign.com www.pelosoalexander.com

It’s another episode of power talk Friday! I have Jim Riviello with me today! Jim is the founder of Leadership X University, LXU. He is a speaker, team development coach as well as the author of “There Must be a Better Way”. His latest book is called “Rivelations for Business Professionals”. Jim and his team provide business leadership and growth tools to help you accelerate yourself as an individual, a team leader, home owner and team development. He comes from his own experience and has been in our shoes. He shares his own personal stories and this one of the reasons I was attracted to Jim and his team. Show Notes: What is “be do have not have do be”? Where should you be looking first if you are not successful? When should you plan your work week? How should you or what are some ways to plan your work week? How can you use Monday to plan for the rest of the week? What is a power day and how often should you have them? What is the golden rule for having to reschedule a meeting? Why is it so important to just keep moving the “needle”? What is the importance of three steps? What does the phrase catch first mean? What kind of programs does Jim and his team offer? Resources: www.lxu.training There Must be a Better Way Rivelations for Business Professionals

Today is the one year birthday for A Well Design Business! IT’s been quite a journey with so many challenges and victories along the way. It’s like the best roller coaster you have ever been on. For the one year birthday show I have been thinking “what should I do?” I wanted it to be different from regular scheduling. I remembered what I did for the 6 month show and for the 100th episode and I decided I can’t do what I did on those shows again. Then I was listening to Natalie Eckdahls BizChix Podcast. It’s a great show! It has lots of insight on how to run a business. While Natalie is a great business coach for anyone on any level she seems to really speak to “solos” and the struggles of solos. Natalie just celebrated her 3rd year on air and for that episode, she invited someone to interview her. I love that idea! So, I snagged and copied the idea. Today I have invited Carol Cox to be my interviewer. Carol is the creator of “Speaking your Brand” which provides mission-driven entrepreneurs and organizations with communications and media training. She helps them excavate their stories and core messages and create a breakthrough brand and signature talk that grows their business and influence. Carol also teaches business and marketing at a university and during election seasons she serves as a political analyst on TV news. Show Notes: How did the podcast “A Well-Designed Business” come about? What was it that Luann saw that designers were struggling with and that her podcast could help? Why do people like Luann’s podcast: A Well Design Business? How does she find the guests for her podcast? What is the criteria for a guest that Luann would pick? Why did she come up with power talk Friday for her podcast? Is there some advice that Luann has heard in several of the episodes over and over? How did Luann learn to trust her intuition? Why did Luann decide to hire a speaking coach? Why didn’t she go to college? What kind of thinker do you need to be to be a good designer? What has she gotten the most of doing the podcast? When is, her book coming out and what is it about? What’s next for the podcast? Resources: www.chairish.com A Making of a Well-Designed Business https://www.speakingyourbrand.com http://bizchix.com https://www.silvamethod.com

I have two dynamos in the marketing and PR world, Ann Feldstein and Jennifer Powell Tumpowsky of Moxie Marketing and Communications. We are going to talk today about how to be prepared to work with a PR marketing firm and what you can expect them to help you with if you do hire one. But first a little background on these two accomplished women. Moxie Marketing and Communications is a New York-based public relations marketing firm representing interior designers, architects, manufacturers and brands in the interior design industry. Founder and President, Ann Feldstein and her partner, Jennifer Powell Tumpowsky have twenty plus combined years of industry specific experience. Ann, throughout her career, has worked on high-end brands and for fifteen years she was the Vice President of Communications at Kravet Inc. At Kravet, she focused on B2B marketing and PR, media and event planning and was a part owner of CrossFit Sanctuary. Jennifer is a native of High Point, North Carolina and her passion for the design industry and deep understanding of marketing makes her a valuable asset to their clients. Jennifer joined Moxie in April of 2016 after she also spent time at Kravet Inc. Jennifer was at Kravet for seven years and was the Director of Communications and oversaw the development of strategy, implementation of social media, copyrighting, public relations and assisted with events, product launching and media planning. Jennifer has visited every major design center in the country. She speaks to designers large and small about the power of social media and the importance of marketing in the interior design industry. Show Notes: What is it like to be a client at Moxie Marketing and Communications? Does their business work with interior designers that don’t know what their goals are? What is a brand presence? What is the purpose of going to different events? What does it mean to have a good social media presence? What are some principles for good social media campaign? How many social platforms should a business be on? Are there certain things that someone should have ready before deciding to work with a PR firm? How important is communication for your business? How should you capture your work? What is something that you need to make sure is very clear on your website or page? Resources: www.businessofdesign.com www.moxiemarketingny.com

We’re back with another power talk Friday! I’m happy to announce that I have Charlotte Safavi with me today. Charlotte is a London born, Oxford University-educated writer and stylist. She has written for national shelter magazines such as Better Home and Gardens, Traditional Home, House Beautiful, HGTV magazine, Southern Living, New York Cottages and Gardens, Lux Interiors and Design, Southern Home and many more. I am looking at this list that Charlotte has been published in and think of how many times I have read those same lists for each of the interior design guests we have had on the show. Today we are going to look at it from the other side, the writer side. Show Notes: What makes Charlotte’s niche different than other stylists for magazines? Why did she decide on this niche? What does she do in her scouting for a shoot? What might be some suggestions that Charlotte would give the designer or photographer? When should a designer use a team like Charlotte’s team for their projects? What are some ways that Charlotte approaches a project when scouting? Why is it important to have a narrative or thread to a project? How can a designer keep the narrative or thread going through a photo shoot? What are some ways to stage a project to attract that client you want? Resources: www.instagram.com/charlottesafavi www.facebook.com/charlottesafavi www.charlottesafavi.com

Today on the show I have yet another fabulous business coach who specializes in our industry! Michele Williams is with me! Michele is the founder of Scarlet Thread and Consulting in Atlanta, Georgia. Today we will learn about Michele’s background which includes the financial software industry as well as a business in soft window treatment fabricator. She also has a BS in business administration, a diploma in Christian life coaching and she is one of the few certified profit first coaches in the United States. Michele was also the communication director and editor in chief of the Drapery and Designs Professional Magazine from 2009 to 2012. She is a member of The Design Collective in Atlanta, the Designers Work Club Council and the Window Covering Association of America. After talking to Michele I realized that there are so many things I could talk with her about but after we talk about her background a little bit we are going to pull apart work scheduling and chunking our day to have more productivity. Show Notes: What is her background in the financial software industry? When did she decide to start her window treatment business? Did she start with a business plan? How did she start to make her business bigger? What is the Design Collective in Atlanta? What is a round table discussion and how is it helpful? How is the Window Coverings Association helpful to Michele and her business? What are some of things that you can expect Michele to talk about the expo IWCE in Charlotte? Why is it important to listen to different people say the same things? Why is important to be able to chunk your time for productivity? Is it better to be proactive or reactive? How should you plan your calendar? Resources: www.chairish.com www.designcollectiveatl.com www.scarletthreadconsulting.com

On the show, today it is kind of a departure for the podcast because I am going to be speaking with an interior design student: Ashleigh Esprit. Ashleigh is a student Gwinnett Technical College in Atlanta, Georgia and she is working on her associates degree in interior design. She will complete her associates degree in the spring of 2017 and then attend Brunel University in the fall to get her masters in interior design. She has had great success in her internships and working with a great company, Sherwin Williams. She is very passionate about design and very passionate about her colleagues. She has started a blog, The Life of an Interior Design Student. In the interview, you will learn how Ashleigh and I came to know each other and what I have learned about her to make me respect her. Show Notes: Why did Ashleigh start a blog for interior design students? What are some of the struggles that she has experienced that other students have as well? How does Ashleigh overcome her times when she is having trouble staying inspired? What made Ashleigh want to be involved in the interior design business and study more about interior design? Are there any classes that Ashleigh thinks are more beneficial than others? Does Ashleigh think internships are important? Is there anything that she thinks should be included in the interior design curriculum that isn’t explained well enough already? Is Ashleigh a part of ASID? What are Ashleigh’s goals for her career in interior design? What are some other blogs that she has connected with? Has Ashleigh learned anything from doing her blog: The Life of an Interior Design Student? Resources: The Life of an Interior Design Student www.lifeofanidstudent.blogspot.com

On this power talk Friday I am happy to say that I have Heather Ann Havenwood! Heather Ann Havenwood is the CEO of Havenwood Worldwide. She is the head chief sexy boss, she is an entrepreneur and a top authority in internet marketing, business strategies, and marketing. What I found that is very interesting about Heather is that she started her first online business in 1999. If you think about that in 1999 nobody really had computers in their homes. In 2006, she took a company that she developed and grew it to an online marketing, publishing company from ground zero to over one million dollars in sales in under twelve months! Show Notes: What is Heather’s nitch? What should you promote first for your business? What are some of the differences between men and women’s approaches when it comes to getting what they want in business? When or should you become friends with clients? Why are consistency and commitment important? What is H2H and why is it important? Why is it important to google your name every occasionally? Why does everyone fail to succeed? Why did she write her book: Sexy Boss: How the Empowerment of Women is Changing the Rule Book of Sex, Money, and Business? Why are testimonials important to your business? How do you get testimonials? What is Heather’s podcast about? Resources: Sexy boss: How the Empowerment of Women is Changing the Rule Book of Sex, Money, and Success The Win with Heather Havenwood www.heatherhavenwood.com

I have Paula Grace with me today! Paula Grace comes to interior design as a second career. Before coming to interior design, she earned master degrees in clinical social work and business administration. She held a directorship in a large behavioral health program and was a senior instructor at the graduate level in a prestigious university medical center. This is exactly why I was so intrigued to bring Paula on the show! In addition to designing interiors, she also designs furniture and area rugs which are available to the trade. Paula Grace also consults and shares her knowledge with us her design colleagues on how to build strong professional relationships with clients, staff and vendors. Show Notes: What are the steps that an interior designer should start out with when trying to build a good relationship with clients? What should a designer talk about in the first meeting with a client? Why is it so important to stick to your original plan? What are some clues that you as a designer have not explained clearly enough what you are about? What are the four “c”s? How can designers reinforce to their clients that they made the right decision? How can you stay out of the “friend zone”? How can you deal with a person’s bad experience from a previous project? How can you as a leader decide if your staff members are happy in their work environment? What is the organization culture assessment instrument? What is the reveal and heal process? How do the relationships with your clients relate to your relationships with your staff members? How can you keep a great designer happy at a small firm? How open should you be when owning your own business? Resources: www.paulagracedesigns.com www.windowworks-nj.com/podcast-birthday-party www.chairish.com

Gillian Rose is a Canadian transplant whose New York-based interior design and color consultancy firm draws on several years of professional experience in design practice, as well as formal training from Parcel School of Design. As a color scientist, Gillian works to ensure the positive integration of people and their environments. Her consultation process includes supporting the function of space, avoiding the over and under-stimulating spaces based on personality, and avoiding negative emotional and physiological response to the built environment. Gillian is an accredited member of the association of Color Associates of North America and she uses the psychological and physiological impact of color on the human experience to bring exceptional creativity and tailored edge to her design projects. Show Notes: What are the names that Gillian and fellow color scientists refer to themselves as? How many businesses does Gillian have? How does her business The Science of Color help businesses? What does Gillian mean that color is part of our DNA? In what ways does color affect introverts and extroverts? Does instinct play a role in picking colors? Is it possible for people to be living in the wrong colors? When should you create different spaces when colors are not working all the same? Is there such a thing as a general color reaction? Are there certain colors that appeal to our libido? Are the colors that appeal to women and men different? What is the color assessment test? Where should you look to decide what color to use for a space? Who was Gillian’s mentor? What and where is the association of paint color collection? What are clear colors? Resources: www.gillianrosedesign.com www.thescienceofcolor.com www.finepaintsofeurope.com

Today I have Cathi Hargaden on this power talk Friday! Interestingly enough for you interior designers, she is a feng shui expert. She has been practicing and teaching this for over twenty years. She has taught this at workshops, universities, demonstrations at retail stores, hospitals, homes etc. She has traveled to several countries doing this for small businesses. I know you are all thinking we already know about feng shui and how to teach this. What we are going to talk to Cathi about is how feng shui relates to our business and success. Show Notes: What ways can you bring tenacity to your business? What is so important about what “sits behind you”? What should be in front of you at your workspace? How can you make your environment project what kind of person you are? How should your desk be arranged in your workplace? How can plants help your work environment? How can you put power into your workspace? In what way, should an interior designer’s layout their personal space? What sort of help or tools does Cathi have to declutter? How do you identify what elements you need more of? What does water flow represent? What is the power of signs? How does space clearing relate to safety? How many different kinds of feng shui are there? Resources: www.wealthyspaces.com www.facebook.com/wealthyspaces

Welcome back! On the show today I have Barbara Sallick! She is the Co-Founder and Senior Vice President of Design for Waterworks, and Author of ‘The Perfect Bath’. In 1978, Barbara and her husband Robert Sallick founded Waterworks, a luxury kitchen and bath brand in Danbury, Connecticut. The two are dedicated to bringing the European style to the American bath market. In the years to follow Waterworks has transformed the kitchen and bath market. Barbara has applied her education and lifelong love for art, antiques, travel and the principles for architecture and decoration to educate those around her and to elevate the bath to a room that is as beautiful, personal, inviting as it is practical. Today on the show Barbara is going to share with us the steps to confidentially design and execute a perfect bath project. Show Notes: What sort of things does Waterworks help a person do? When should you have experts help you with your bathroom? Who do you need to have on your team when starting on a bathroom project? What is an architecture trim? Why is important to work with the right sales consultant for you? Why should you not be intimidated when walking into Waterworks? When should you bring your client to the showroom? How much homework should you do before you bring a client to the showroom? What sort of lingo should you have when coming to Waterworks? What sort of customer service does Waterworks have? When should you call the client service department when working with Waterworks? When did Barbara and her husband pivot their business, Waterworks? Why was this pivot such an important decision for more success for the business? What is her new book, The Perfect Bath about? Resources: www.waterworks.com www.windowworks-nj.com/barbara The Perfect Bath Waterworks: Inventing Bath Style

On the show, today I have Kate O’ Hara of Martha O’ Hara Interiors. She is another guest that has been requested by a listener! Kate O’ Hara is the director of business and marketing development at the Minneapolis, Minnesota and Austin, Texas-based interior design firm Martha O’ Hara Interiors. After pioneering the local firms’ expansion to national markets and international clientele. Kate was named one of Minnesota’s the top thirty-two under thirty-two marketing professionals. She has played a leading role growing and refining Martha O’ Hara marketing strategy and social media presence. You will hear Kate talk about how they have over 200000 followers on Facebook and how they rated as a top industry expert on houzz.com. These things happened under Kate’s leadership. Her mother Martha runs their award winning interior design team which has been featured in local and national media. Show Notes: How did Martha O’ Hara Interiors get started? What are some things that have made Martha O’ Hara Interiors successful? What should be on the hiring criteria? What is the interview all about? How many times should you “meet” someone before hiring them? What is the most important investment for the business? How does the hiring process work through Martha O’ Hara Interiors? How does the Houzz.com platform work for promoting business? How can you get more reviews on Houzz.com? What are some things you can do to get more followers? How does Martha O’Hara Interiors prepare for the questions going to be asked on Houzz.com? Any response is better than no response! How does different social media platforms work together for a better presence? Resources: www.houzz.com www.oharainteriors.com www.instagram.com/oharainteriorsofficial www.facebook.com

On this power talk Friday I am happy to say that I have finally brought a lawyer to you! I have been thinking about it for a while and I have Kwame Christian with us today! Kwame is part of the American Negotiation Institute and a fellow podcaster. He is the host of negotiation of entrepreneurs and he is very passionate about teaching business professionals like us to negotiate and be more persuasive. I love negotiation almost as much as I love sales! Kwame has a lot of great advice and tips you don’t want to miss out on. Show Notes: What is Kwame’s definition of negotiation? Who do we negotiate with the most? What is a “date test” and why is it important? How can negotiation help be a better communicator? How can persuasion help you be a better business person? What are the three things you need to be a good negotiator? What is the difference between an open-ended and a close ended question? When should you find out someone’s push points? Where do you as a business person need to find confidence first? What is the first step for negotiation? How has society shaped women on how to get what they want? What is the art of concession? When and how should you say yes and no? Why should you say no? What is a no sandwich? Resources: www.americannegotiationinstitute.com www.linkedin.com www.kchristianlaw.com Kwame's Podcast: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/negotiation-for-entrepreneurs/id1101679010?mt=2 About Kwame: http://americannegotiationinstitute.com/about/

Today on the show we have Grace McNamara. Grace has owned and produced window fashion Vision magazine since 1986. Vision is the business publication for the window covering industry in North America. I can certainly attest to this, we have subscribed to this magazine since the very beginning of our business! It is always full from cover to cover of useful information. In addition, Grace also produces the international window coverings expo, the industries national trade show and educational conference. Also, in 1990 Grace developed the window fashion certified professionals program. The longest ongoing training for window coverings professionals. Grace is a member of the international furnishings and design association and a press member of ASID and IIDA. Show Notes: What two areas has Grace niched her business in? Why did Grace choose window treatments? Is there anyone else that addresses this market the way that Grace does? How did she come across the cake design business? What was the practical and emotional situations when deciding to buy a business? Why is confidence so important when running a business? What is IWCE (International Window Coverings Expo)? Where is, the IWCE going to be held? What is going to be offered at IWCE that would be helpful to businesses? Who are some of the speakers that will be at IWCE? How many seminars does Grace have available for the Expo? How does she come up with the topics for the Expo? How do you register for the Expo seminars? Why did Grace decide to have the Expo in Charlotte this year? How many attendees are there generally at the expos? Resources: www.iwce-vision.com www.wf-vision.com http://windowworks-nj.com/join-luann-nigara-for-opening-ceremonies-iwce-2017/

I have another outstanding show for you today! Corey Damen Jenkins is with me today and he is no exception to the amazing people I have been meeting. What you will learn from Corey Damen is that he is one of the good guys. He is the kind of person that everyone would agree is very open, sincere, humble and giving. What you may or may not know about Corey is that he is the principal of Corey Damen Jenkins Associates which is located in Birmingham, Michigan. In 2011, television audiences voted him the winning design star of HGTV’s Show House Showdown. Since then it has been a whirlwind of accomplishments! Today we are going to talk about how his lifelong dream came true in 2016 with his launch of his first couture collection of furniture, Corey Damen Jenkins exclusively for Leathercraft. This collection was nominated for the prestigious 2017 Arts Award for the Best Product Design. Once you start to listen to this episode it will be no surprise to you that Corey Damen believes in giving back to the design community. His firm generously donates to several charities. Show Notes: What was the process like to get Corey Damen to decide to get on HGTV’s Show House Showdown? What were the reasons that Corey Damen was cast for HGTV’s Show House Showdown? How has Corey Damen learned to deal with his past insecurities and reconstruct the way he deals with things? How does he get the most out of his projects? Does he use PR firms? When working with a PR firm how should a design firm behave and be organized? How did Corey Damen decide to design his furniture through Leathercraft? What is Leathercraft? How did Corey Damen decide what fabrics to use on his furniture collection? Who did Corey Damen name a piece of his furniture in his new collection after? How does he come up with his designs for his furniture? Resources: His website: http://coreydamenjenkins.com His Leathercraft Furniture line: http://coreydamenjenkins.com/collections/ The Kate Spade Collection for Kravet which was mentioned in the episode: http://www.kravet.com/products/collections/kate-spade-new-york/

On this power talk Friday I am excited to say that Kimberley Seldon with me again on the show. If you remember she was just on the show about a month ago, and she has her interior design business but she also has Business of Design where she teaches interior designers how to run their businesses more effectively and more profitably. Kimberley’s Business of Design is one of our happy sponsors here! Show Notes: How long did it take Kimberley to write her third book? When does her third book come out? Does Kimberley like flat fees? What are the steps to turning your business’s business model around? What systems should be in place when you decide to “try”? Should the fees or the client wish list change? Make sure to document! Does a designer have to track everything even though they have a flat fee? Are there projects that have no deficiencies? How should a designer expect to be paid? How can you make yourself sound professional and confident when talking about money? How can you tell when you have a mature pier? What happens when a client misses payments? How many times should you talk or ask about money? How should you deal with a change in a project? How should the client be billed when something does change in a project? When is Kimberley’s newest webinar? Is Kimberley’s Webinar free? Resources: Volume One: Have the Professional Life You’ve Always Wanted http://businessofdesign.com/product/business-of-design-volume-1/ Volume Two: Make Every Project Satisfying for Both you and your Client http://businessofdesign.com/product/business-of-design-volume-2/ How to Win the Flat Fee Game http://businessofdesign.com/events/win-the-flat-fee-game/ Kimberley's website: www.kimberleyseldon.com www.businessofdesign.com "Join today and start to turn your business in the right direction. And a reminder Basic membership is free and you'll receive a free download of Kimberley's book 10 Profit Drivers for signing up." The new book coming 1/31/17

On the show today I am so excited to introduce you all to Nicole Heymer! Nicole is the owner of Curio Electro Boutique Web Design Agency that specializes in branding, content strategy and web design and development for interior design firms and other innovative businesses. She has been helping more interior designers bring in more leads and increase their visibility online since 2011! I know we have talked about branding on the show more than a couple times, but this is such an important aspect of your business in this age of social media. I promise there is more to learn about branding. Show Notes: Why is branding so important for interior designers? How does Nicole divide the ways to look at branding? What are the benefits of having a brand? How can you let people know what you really want or enjoy to design? Can you have too much “language” on your about me page? Give the reasons why! How does a client determine “your worth” and what to pay an interior designer? How should you pick your colors? Why are colors and what they mean so important? How do you figure out your message? What is the bare minimum you can do when starting out? Why is font important? What should be included in your branding guidelines? Is it worth it to hire a photographer if possible? What can you do to let people know you can do what they want, even when you have no projects yet? How can a designer “beef up” their website when starting out? How can a designer use blogging to express their brand? When should and shouldn’t a designer use a blog? What else could be used for good website content? What makes you different? Resources: www.curioelectro.com http://curioelectro.com/interior-design-branding http://curioelectro.com/seo-for-interior-designers-architects

Today one the show I am talking with Michelle Nussbaumer. Michelle is an interior designer, textile and furniture designer, an author and owns a beautiful shop: Ceylon et Cie located in the Dallas design district. Michelle’s journey includes a husband and four children and it starts in west Texas. She goes from New York, Rome, Los Angeles and all the way back to Texas. Recently her book for Rizzoli, Wanderlust: Interiors That Bring the World Home was released and it includes thirty years of interior design as well as her travels. Today Michelle and I talk about her career, her opinions on the business and her globetrotting lifestyle. Show Notes: How does Michelle keep up with everything she has going on? Does Michelle have different teams or organizations for each project? Where did Michelle just sign a licensing agreement? How are her schedules set up and what system(s) does she use? Is her business a family business? How big is her team and who does what? How does she try to make all of her home designs feel? What is Michelle’s business model for designs? What advice would Michelle give to a brand-new designer fresh out of school? What has her experience been with interns? Can a person do a trial run to decide if you want to work at a design firm? How did she decide to write a book? How did she decide what her book, Wanderlust: Interiors That Bring the World Home would be about? How did Michelle find her agent for her book? What is the process like when writing a book? What about her fabric business? Will her fabrics be in showrooms? Resources: www.ceylonetcie.com To purchase Michelle's book: http://www.rizzoliusa.com/book.php?isbn=9780847848911 Wanderlust: Interiors That Bring the World Home

Welcome back to another power talk Friday! I’m happy to let you know I have Marianne Cherico back with me! If you remember episode 75 Marianne and I talked about her philosophy on asking “what would the CEO do?” in order to get yourself organized daily, weekly and yearly. Just to give you a reminder of who Marianne is and what she does she has owned and operated a successful home staging business since 2005. She also spent 27 years in the real estate business and 17 of those years she was part of a top producing New England real estate team. Marianne has coached many home stagers all over the country on how to up-level their business by developing both mindset skills and strategy. She helps home stagers own their magnificent and create their life and a business that sets their souls on fire. Show Notes: What do home stagers, in particular, seem to struggle with? What is the inner and outer game? How is the outer game affected by the inner game? How does she decide how and what a client needs to do to prioritize? What does she suggest clients do to get more business? What is Marianne’s tele summit: your home staging business on fire going to be about? Who are some of the speakers that will be on the tele summit and what are some of the topics will they be discussing? How does it work to be a part of tele summit? Is it free to be a part of tele summit? Who should listen to the tele summit? Resources: www.windowworks-nj.com www.coachingbymarianne.com http://tinyurl.com/stagingsummit-luann

I am happy to tell you all that I have Barclay Butera on the show today! Barclay Butera is the creative force behind the Barclay Butera design firm and the showrooms located in New Port Beach, California, West Hollywood, California, Corona Del Moore, California and Park City Utah. Butera is renowned for his approachable elegance and glamorous coastal chic interiors. His passion for interior design began two decades ago! You will learn today how it has grown into an impressive lifestyle enterprise that in addition to his interior design business he also has licensing with some of the industries most respected partners including Kravet, Bradburn Gallery Home, Eastern Ascents, Highland House Furniture, Left Bank Art and several others. Not to mention he has five coffee table books. Show Notes: When did Barclay realize that he wanted to be in the interior design business? How old was Barclay when he started his first business? Was Barclay organized enough that his second location was as successful as his first? How many designers does he have working for him? How is the company set up? Is there a management program or does Barclay oversee everything? How does he handle things at corporate if he is not present at the corporate office? Who handles the licensing for his business: Barclay Butera Interior Design? What is it like to work with Kravet? What happens at the different showrooms? How many projects does Barclay Butera Interior Design company do a year? What kind of system does he have to work up the ranks? When does Barclay have time to write five coffee table books? Why did Barclay decide to write a book? What would be his advice be to someone who wanted to accomplish as much in business as he has? What would he say is something that he has seen that prevents a company from running well? Resources: www.kravet.com www.barclaybutera.com

Today on the show I am happy to welcome Charrisse Johnston, chair of ASID National! She is also the principal and the firm-wide practice leader of Steinberg Architects. Steinberg Architects has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Shanghai. Charrisse was previously the senior associate and studio operations leader at Gensler where she managed and designed K-12, higher education, and workplace projects. Before that, she was Vice President of corporate planning for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter where she oversaw the companies consolidated financial and strategic planning efforts. Today we talk about all kinds of things including her career path which also includes both behavioral psychology and a successful wedding planning business. We will also talk about how she was introduced to ASID as a student in California. Charrisse is smart, down to earth and an inspiring leader. Show Notes: Would Charrisse say that entrepreneurs have a better start out with a financial background? What is Charrisse’s niche in Steinberg Architects? How old is the Steinberg Architects business? How does design work for an “after the fact” work? Has Steinberg started a trend for architectural firms to start offering architectural design as well interior design? What is evidence-based design? Where can you find more information on evidence-based designs? Why did the position names change? How successful was Charrisse’s student chapter when she was president? How did she gain her position as chair of ASID national? What are some programs and benefits that ASID National has to offer for new designers and for seasoned designers? How is ASID National using health and wellness in design? How is ASID helping designers with designs for people who have to leave their home and move to an assisted living home? What new events are coming out in 2017 at ASID National? What are some government issues that ASID is trying to work on? Resources: www.steinbergarchitects.com www.gensler.com www.informedesign.org www.asid.org

Guess what? This is our six month anniversary! I have two very special shows for you this week. The first show we are going to meet one of the masterminds behind the fabulous curatedkravet.com platform. Curatedkravet.com is celebrating a few milestones of its own. This spring marked the one year anniversary of the hugely successful curatedkravet.com! Our special guest today is Will Hunt Lewis, Senior Director of Merchandising of curatedkravet.com! In this position, he oversees all business done with merchandising and product development for all product category. Today Will Hunt and I are going to talk all curatedkravet.com from quality, delivering times, to the designers that curate the rooms. Show Notes: How long has Will Hunt been with Kravet? What were the vision/goals for curatedkravet.com? What are some of the best features of curatedkravet.com? What kind of products are on the website? How are the products sourced? What does he love best about the website? How is customer service handled? How are designers found for the website? What is a “magalog”? Resources: www.curatedkravet.com Code for 10% off: ckpodcast www.facebook.com/windowworksnj

On the show today you are going to meet Sarah Daniele! Sarah was recommended to me by a previous guest and my friend, Rachel Moriarty. So, who is Sarah Daniele? She is a very smart, take- the- bull- by- the- horns type person, interior designer and also happens to be the co-founder and CEO of Mydoma Studio! Sarah has a degree in interior design, has worked for others and then eventually started her own business, Mydoma Studio. Her business focuses on residential renovations, add-ons, kitchen, and bath. Today she is going to share with us a little about her career. Show Notes: When did Sarah start her new software? What were her guidelines for her new software system? Was her software originally for other designers? When did she decide to let other designers use her program? What changes were made to her software program to fit other designers? How did she know that other designers would need a different program than herself? How did she build her beta team to test the new product? Is Mydoma Studio an accounting software? Where did the name Mydoma Studio come from? How did she decide the “look” of her website? What is the usability of Mydoma Studio? What is Mydoma Studio and what can it help designers do with clients? What is the process to sign up for Sarah’s program on Mydoma Studio? What is a product catalog builder? What does it mean when the product catalog builder is global? How does a designer get the client on board using Mydoma Studio? Would the client still have access to their studio after the project is finished? How are the invoices incorporated in the program? Is there a way for the designer to view the project like they are the client? What is the targeted audience for Mydoma Studio? How are the fees decided? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works

Have you heard of Chairish yet? If you haven’t yet I am so happy to introduce you to this brand and Anna Brockway: one of the founders of this brand! Listen in to Anna’s story of how she started her company only three and a half years ago and it already has 150000 items available on the site Show Notes: What is Chairish? Why did she start the business? What is the Chairish pink book? Is it a business or a feature? Research the market! What kind of special features does the Chairish site have? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our Resource Center-- Window Works

Deborah Rosenberg is here with us today on Power Talk Friday. If you remember Deborah was first on the show on episode 82. Deborah is the founder of an ultra-luxury design firm, Dimare Design and www.certifiedcrueltyfree.net. She is a leader in cruelty-free and wellness healthy design. During episode 82 she talks about her passion for animal’s rights and how she has skewed her interior design firm to stand firmly behind this passion of hers to be cruelty-free. Deborah believes that luxury design should look good, feel good and do good. Deborah has also been on TLC as a featured designer; she has appeared on the Today Show; she writes articles and lectures on humane and wellness design. If you haven’t listened to episode 82 you need to go back and listen to it because you will get full details of how she runs her business and her great business principles. She mentioned in that episode that she was working on a certification program for interior designers, if you have a passion to bring this to your business as well. The course is launching! You can read the full show notes at www.windowworks-nj.com/deborah-rosenburg

On the show, today we are lucky to have Amanda Gates with us! Amanda is the principal of Gates Interior Design, a Feng Shui practitioner, a podcaster, an award-winning blogger and very soon a published author. She has been seamlessly marrying interior design and Feng shui for over 17 years to help her high-end clients awaken their souls and rejuvenate their spirit all through the art of intentional design. She is best known for her classic design with a modern twist and was selected by Nashville Home and Garden Magazine as one of the top designers to watch. Her designs and educational blog which was named top 25 interior design blogs in the world! Amanda is quite accomplished and is very generous to share her advice. Show Notes: How does she incorporate her design with the phrase “good design enhances your lifestyle but intentional design enhances your quality of life?” What does intentional design mean? What is BTB? How long has Amanda been studying Feng Shui? How does she divide Feng shui and interior design in her business or does she? How does Amanda figure out if she has found “her people”? Hoes she figure out if a person is not a client for her? How did her blog get started? How many elements are in Feng shui? When is her book, Detoxing Clutter with Feng Shui” coming out? What is her book about? How can you get your blog known? What are some tips to starting a blog? How can a podcast appeal to potential clients? Why is it important to work with a coach? Why is it important to join a mastermind? Why is it important to look for a coach outside of your business industry and shop around? Be cautious of the advice you take when starting out! How do you figure out who you should work with? Resources: “Detoxing Clutter with Feng Shui” Her website: https://gatesinteriordesign.com Her Blog- Rated Top 25 in the World for Interior Design: https://gatesinteriordesign.com/blog/ Her Podcast: Design 101 https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/design-101-designing-your/id505550006?mt=2

Julianne Taylor is the founder and creative director of Taylor Burke Home: a luxury home décor brand offering bold, unexpected and sophisticated in furniture and lighting. Since launching Taylor Burke Home in 2012 Julianne has quickly emerged one of the home décor’s most prominent female entrepreneurs. She is also known in the industry as a trend setter and taste maker. She has a BFA in interior design from the University of Georgia and a Masters in Human Resources from the University of South Carolina. Show Notes: What famous show did Julianne appear on? How did Taylor Burke Home come into thoughts? What were the biggest factors getting Taylor Burke Home going? How did she do a proof of concept to make sure her business was going to be successful? How much money do you need to start your business? What is “SCORE” and how can it help when starting a business? Be careful of the dream killers! What made Atlanta the place to debut? What sort of products does Julianne have at Taylor Burke Home? How many female entrepreneurs did Julianne interview for her book, DesignHER? What was the experience like interviewing these ladies for her book? Are there certain things that Julianne would say female entrepreneurs would go through when running a business? What nickname did she get working in her business? What advice would she give to other female entrepreneurs starting out or planning to start a business? Resources: www.score.org www.taylorburkehome.com “DesignHER” [email protected] 1-800-860-5821 www.amazon.com

I’m so glad you tuned into power talk Friday! We have Kae Whitaker with us again! This is Kae’s third time on the show. If you have missed her first two shows you need to know she is a Houston-based branding and business developing strategist. Her company caters to personal coaches, personal brands, interior designers and event industry professionals. Kae’s personal coaching focuses on the whole brand. She understands very clearly that in order for you to be successful that all the pieces within your brand company have to line up. With over ten years of sales and marketing development she understands the way consumers think, what makes them want to buy your product or service. She has dedicated herself to helping creative businesses become more profitable and more productive. We are going to do an end of year planning. This is going to be a two-parter. Kae is going to talk to us about looking back on our year and what we need to evaluate to make good decisions moving forward. Krista Coupar is going to be talking to us on the following show. She is going to talk us about planning for the new year. Show Notes: What is one of the first things to look at when looking back on the year? What are some things that will get in the way of accomplishing goals for the year? What are some other markers to look at at the end of the year? Who should you be looking at when evaluating for the year besides internally in your business? What social platform is best for your business? Take good notes! How can you evaluate the “processes” that were used throughout the year? Are there any tools that may be more helpful than the ones you are using? What could be the reason you are unhappy with your job and how can you fix this? Resources: www.kaewhitaker.com www.facebook.com/kaewhitaker www.Instagram.com/kaewhitaker www.parascope.com/kaewhitaker

Today’s show was a departure for me. It was recorded live at the Javits Center at the boutique design show in New York. If you are unfamiliar with BDNY let me give you some background. Boutique design New York is the leading trade fair and conference for hospitality design industry. Fall of 2016 marked the seventh year in a row that designers, architects, and other industry professionals gathered together for the two-day event November 13th and 14th. If you are currently designing for hospitality, contract or commercial or you aspire to work in the industry this is the show to attend. There are rows and rows of booths full of samples and sales representatives waiting to tell you about their latest products and services. The first interview is with Irina Peer. Irena is the director of design and merchandise for the Robert Allen Group. Robert Allen was showcasing two of its latest collections: Looks Natural and Performance Upholstery. They also gave an exclusive sneak peek at 701 Velvet, their new line they launched the next day. The second interview we are going to meet Robert Duban and Karen Keating from Kravet! In this interview, you will learn about the options you have in hospitality and health care industries. Did you know that Kravet is the only company to have guaranteed in stock crypton fabrics? I'll let Robert and Karen tell you what else is new at Kravet. My next chat is with the vice president of JF Fabrics, Tony located in Toronto. They are going to talk about their new line and their crypton collection and how it has value for residential and commercial applications. Do you remember episode 16 of the podcast with Charles Pavarini III of Pavarini Design Associates? If you do, you will remember that Charles and Randall were busy designing a new line of lawn furniture. Show Notes: What is special about the Robert Allen performance book? What some features that a person in hospitality would not like to miss from the Robert Allen Group? What kind of research did Irina do for these collections? What are some qualities that the 701 Velvet collection have? What are some of the new introductions to the collections from Kravet? What does every product/collection at Kravet have? How many people are working to get these designs going for Kravet? What would Robert and Karen want everyone to know that could not come to their booth at BDNY? Where do they get their inspiration? What is going on in the contract line for JF Fabrics? What is the great thing in the fabric in the crypton home collection at JF Fabric? What sort of products do Charles and Randall use for their new lawn furniture collection? How was the journey getting the final product for their lawn furniture? Where are, their products made? Can you buy just one piece or do you have to buy in bulk? Are Charles and Randall the only lawn furniture company of their kind? Resources: www.pavarinidesign.com www.olfoutdoor.com www.robertallendesign.com www.kravet.com www.jffabrics.com

I am so grateful to have Kimberley Seldon on the show today. She has been requested by more than one guest that has been on the show. Kimberley is not only going to further beautiful luxury design, but also help by teaching interior designers how to emulate you and have a fabulous business. Kimberley is a brilliant and talented woman of many trades. She is an interior designer, editor, keynote speaker, broadcast personality and runs her online platform “Business of Design” where she teaches professional development to designers, decorators, stagers and stylists! Show Notes: When did Kimberley have her “come to Jesus” moment in her career? What caused her to have a “come to Jesus” moment? Is it possible that interior designers make mistakes? Should you bill the client if a mistake happens outside the company? What were some of the challenges working with her own business coach and transitioning with her coach? How did she make her paperwork not suck? Why is it important to have good paperwork? How do you present yourself when you are a brand new interior designer? What are some things you should not do when first starting out? “The wrong client will never turn into the right client.” Should you charge for your consultation? How much should you charge for your consultations? What is Business of Design and what does it offer? Is there a book coming in the near future? If there is a book what would it be about? What does her business look like on the inside? How many courses does Kimberley offer? What is the difference between the free membership and paid membership for her courses? Resources: www.businessofdesign.com/awdbpodcast www.businessofdesign.com www.kimberleyseldon.com

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! I am delighted to have Thomas Corley with me today. Tom is first and foremost fellow New Jersey folk. Tom is a CPA, financial planner and an author. It’s his books and research he has done for these books and speaking engagements on this topic that drew me to him and his platform. He has written three books so far: Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals, Rich Kids: How to Raise Our Children to be Happy and Successful in Life, Change your Habits, Change your life. I love topics that teach us something about taking ownership of ourselves as people, as business people, as parents, employees etc. and pushes us to better ourselves. Today Tom is going to talk to us about what he has found while doing his research and how to help yourself help yourself. Show Notes: Did Tom grow up wealthy? What does his research contain and how does he go about doing his research? What are rich and poor habits? What did he learn while doing his research? What is the comparison between wealthy people and exercise? What are the differences between a goal and a dream? What are more rich habits that wealthy people participate in? What are the habits that wealthy people don’t participate in? There are how many types of luck? How do rich and poor people accumulate their luck? How is the type of luck determined? Why are technical people important and how can they help your business? How many kinds of habits are there and what are they? What is a keystone habit? How can you open your mind to positivity? Resources: Rich Habits: The Daily Success Habits of Wealthy Individuals Rich Kids: How to Raise Our Children to be Happy and Successful in Life Change your Habits, Change your life www.richhabits.net

Welcome back to another episode of A Well Design Business! Today on the show I’m going to talk with Mark McDonough, the founder and editor of “Tastefully Inspired” blog and the curator of the Instagram feed for “Tastefully Inspired”. Mark’s skills and experience blend a very deep understanding of how the internet and social media at the bits and bytes level with some extensive talent promotion experience from a previous career. Mark has worked to build the brands of various top designers like the Robert Thomas Collection, Clodagh Design, Timothy Corrigan, Terry Hunziker, Lori Weitzner and many more. Mark explains that he believes that the world of design is changing and good design more than ever needs to be seen. Therefore, he decides to create Tastefully Inspired to showcase the true tastemakers in our industry. Show Notes: When did Mark launch “Tastefully Inspired”? How did Mark decide to use the design industry as his nitch business? How long has Mark worked in the marketing industry? How does Mark find the designers to have on his blog? What does every designer he has on his blog have in common? Who calls Mark for ideas for a “cool” designer? What are his goals with his podcast? Where did he come up with the idea to start his own podcast? What are his thoughts about restoration hardware? What are his thoughts about Curated Kravet? Are there specific do’s and don’ts when working with an Instagram? How can you use hashtags on Instagram to increase visibility? What is a five-dot system and why is it important? Can you have too many hashtags on a picture? What is the best way to communicate with designers? How should you do your research when using hashtags? What are some other platforms to use for traffic? Resources: www.tastefullyinspired.com www.curatedkravet.com

Ashlina Kaposta is the design blogger behind The Decorista, a household name in the world of interior design blogging. Ashlina works around-the-clock hours as an interior designer, site technician and writer, and she attends design conferences as either a speaker or a member of the audience. She has recently launched a new self-adhesive wallpaper line with graphic stripes, animal prints, and other fun designs! Here she is on our podcast discussing her inspired designs, motivated moves, energized creations, and life-changing choices and decisions. Show Notes How Ashlina started her career Why she created the blog Decorista Her tips for building a successful business Importance of taking courses to enhance business skills Why enhancing speaking and writing skills is necessary The role of her blog in her success Attending industry events is very helpful Attending shows and visiting showrooms had a role in her success Continue learning everything you can about the industry and the people in it. The importance of publicity and exposure Building a successful brand Invest in your own stylized photography of your own work Be intentional - what it means Tips on creating a vision board of your ideal project, the type of project you want to attract and be paid to execute. Tips for dreams, goals, and planning You can find the rest of the show notes here: Window Works

Amy specializes in helping interior designers pitch for press publicity. She follows a proven method of evaluating your press potential, current marketing materials, identification of storylines, and designing a strategic method for your media outreach plus specific recommendations for implementing such method. She also helps designers in personalized pitch development for your current and future pitching on print and online. She is an editor and contributor to some of the biggest magazines on the news stand (Lucky, Country Living, Condé Nast Traveler, InStyle, Better Homes & Gardens). Amy authored the book Recipe for Press (Pitch Your Story and Create a Buzz) and then took to the road, sharing her editorial insights with creative entrepreneurs. Her book has been called “the small business blueprint for DIY publicity,” packed with good, no-nonsense advice on how to get your story or product onto the pages of influential publications. Amy conducts lectures and workshops to further educate entrepreneurs on how to refine their message, engage media, and create relationships with editors and bloggers. Amy co-founded Paper-Cut-Project, a company whose clients include Kate Spade, Christies, Hermès, Cartier, and the Victoria & Albert museum. Paper-Cut-Project’s work has been featured in the New York Times, Italian Vogue, Nylon and Marie Claire Taiwan. Amy is also the creative director of Parlore, helping to develop and position a product management app and trade resource for interior designers. Show Notes Techniques to create buzz for your business using the press How press helps your marketing Amy’s role in your press marketing The advantage of choosing Amy over other PR firms Are you ready for a publicist? What makes a good pitch and when to pitch Why Amy wrote the book Recipe for Press Standard method of pitching A pitch is short, concise but the homework takes a lot of time Amy’s publicist strategy The best things to do and the worst things to avoid in pitching The importance of research The different approaches for online and printed magazines Understanding the editorial calendar What are the blogs to write in Quick way to find who writes about who Creating content for interior designers Creating long-standing relationship with a publicist You can find the rest of the show notes and resources at www.windwworks-nj.com

Hi Welcome to another episode of A Well-Designed Business. On the show today I have Brook Devenport. Brook is the owner of Blinds & More located in Minnesota. We are going to hear Brook’s personal story and how she took a business that practically started by accident and after nearly 6 years she transformed it into a well run, profitable business with 7 team members who together do both custom window treatments and interior design in Southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa. Show Notes The business didn’t magically grow into a high earning business. It took a lot of planning and tool-using Initial sales targeting was $60,000 in yearly sales. On the second year annual sales was $178,000. Current sales run to $650,000 annually Sales goal was but sales was Things they did differently to achieve the sales goal Her husband’s role in the success of her business Tracking appointments and tracking dealer’s performance All the tools they installed to track and monitor the business Their “ahah” moment Color coding the hard files The Tony Robbins effect on their business Being intentional. What it means When they decided to run a business, to work on her business, not simply in her business. The role of advertising on her success Quotables: If you know how to sell, you can sell almost anything. – Luann Take responsibility for setting your goals for monitoring your expenses, for analyzing every project for net cost and net profits. Manage your business with your eyes wide open. You can find the rest of the show notes and resources at www.windowworks-nj.com

I have another fun show for you today! Taylor Spellman is with us today. Taylor is a New York based interior designer and staging expert. She is also the host of Bravo’s new TV show “Yours Mine or Ours”. No matter what she is designing- whether it be a 10-million-dollar penthouse, the lobby of a high-rise or the showroom for a fashion client-- her super down to earth personality combined with her bold style makes her a stand out in our interior design community. Taylor has the unique and unteachable talent using high end one of a kind pieces to an afternoon spent at the Goodwill. Today you will learn how she came from humble beginnings and now has million dollar clientele in New York City. Show Notes: Did Taylor go to school for interior design? What are some pros for an interior designer that was not classically trained in the interior design field? What do Taylor’s clients have in common? How did she decide she wanted to work with men for her niche? How long did she research her idea for her niche before launching the idea? What did Taylor go to school for? What were Taylor’s intentions for her career? What is Taylor’s competitive edge? Nothing just happens! How did she discover staging as another niche? How did she find events to attend in real estate and build relationships? Why is it a good idea to have a lawyer? What opportunities came about before “Yours Mine or Ours”? What is the show “Yours Mine or Ours” about? Is it all just about real estate when helping clients with their homes? How does she execute her design on the show? Where do her girls from her business fit in while Taylor is working on set? Is there any other advice she would give to her colleagues? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Welcome back to another power talk Friday! I am happy to introduce to you Lindsey Anderson who is also known as One Click Lindsey. The reason for this is that she is a professional coach, counselor and her business is in helping. Lindsey is the founder and CEO of Trafficandleads.com. Today we are going to talk about how to get your web presence to work for you. Show Notes: How can you capture the email address of a potential client? What does it mean to capture an email address of someone who visits the website? Are most of the people that visit the website ready to commit? What is an e-book? What is email marketing? Are there other ways besides eBooks to resource your website? What is Fiverr and how can it be helpful? How often should you email the email addresses you receive? What does it show when you email people who have given you an email address? After getting the email address do you need to hire a professional to help manage the emails? What is MailChimp and how can this be helpful? What do you do if what your offer is not working? What could you include in your emails? How should you write the emails? Why is Lindsey’s nickname One Click Lindsey? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works.

Kate Greunke is with us today! Kate is a published author, entrepreneur and founder of Kate the Socialite. Kate the Socialite is a marketing firm and niches in marketing for interior designers, window treatment professionals and remodelers. After two years of watching interior designers be taken advantage of by big companies and listening to her clients say and tell her how difficult it was to keep up with their email and social marketing, Kate decided to create a solution. She had already been designing custom newsletters and social media content for years. Not everyone could or would spend big bucks on a custom package. She decided to create a marketing solution that was affordable and easy to use, something that could be easily customized and sent in just a few clicks. Then a short time later, Socialite Subscribe was born! Check out Kate's website at www.katethesocialite.com. Show Notes: How did Kate arrive at her platform niche? Who were her best customers? What happened to her business when Kate found her niche? What are her services she provides for businesses? How does she make the newsletter different for everyone? What kind of success stories does she have? Does she have services to help with technical services? What social media platforms does she help people use? To get Kate’s help do you have to be bound with a contract? Is it a good idea for a client to sit down and evaluate their time before signing up? What about those people who do not have a mailing list or a small mailing list? What are the pros to having a smaller mailing list sometimes? What does your mindset have to do with the success of your business? How often does she have a meeting with her clients and how does the interaction go ? When was she first offered a publishing contract? When did she write her first novel and what was it about? What is her favorite part of her job? What role does her husband play in her business? What sort of free services can you get with her program? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Something must be in the air, I keep running into fourth generation business owners! Last week Scott Kravet was here for our 100th episode and he told us about the history of the Kravet family. He is part of the fourth generation of the Kravets to work and run Kravet Inc. Today we have Jake Baer on the show with me and he is the twenty-eight-year-old CEO of Newel. Newel is the home of the largest decorative art collection and furniture in the US. Newel has been known for many years for its prop rental business since the 1930s. Jake was named the CEO of Newel in 2015 and he has really spearheaded change with a brand-new gallery in Manhattan. He has recently moved their collection to a massive warehouse in Long Island City in Long Island. We are going to talk about how he is moving Newel into a new age. Show Notes: What was it like for Jake growing up in a family business? Who did he work with to learn the business? What sort of challenges has Jake faced being a young CEO? Are his siblings involved in the business: Newel? What is he doing for newer/younger interior designers? How can you get in on the dinners that Jake holds for interior designers? How does his business help people who live the apartment life? Can furniture be shipped out all over the US? What kind of antique furniture does Newel have to offer? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Welcome to another power talk Friday! We have Shauna Lynn Simon with us again today! If you listened to a previous power talk Friday, we started talking about how to host a successful home consumer event. In the first episode, we talked about the first three things that you need to do to set up a successful event. This included choosing your title, choosing the venue for the workshop, how to market your event and securing sponsors. Today Shauna Lynn is going to take it further with us and talk about content creation, managing and selecting guest speakers if it’s not yourself, handouts that you should possibly do using your event for a lead generation machine. Show Notes: How can you create a good visual at your event? If you don’t access to electronic presentation what are some other ways to present? How can you prepare for your speaking part? Do you want audience participation? How should the area for seating be set up? When should you ask for donations at an event? How can you use your vendors to explain designs better? What should be the focus at your event? How do you choose a guest speaker? How can you increase your reputation at these events? What other material should you include in the goody bags? What is a lead generation machine? Free is good! Why is it important to use a professional event planning program? How can you ask for guest’s email addresses? How important is a “thank you” after the event? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Before I introduce our guest on the show today, Joni Vanderslice I have a big announcement! I am happy to introduce a new sponsor to the show: Mydoma Studio. If you remember a couple of weeks ago we had Sarah Daniele, the CEO of Mydoma Studio who told us about her company, how she came to found it, and all the features it has for you to help run your interior design projects more efficiently. If you missed that show you should go back and listen to Sarah and all about Mydoma Studio! In the meantime, thank you Mydoma Studio for recognizing these fabulous interior designers that we have here at A Well Design Business. As I said we have Joni Vanderslice with us today and she is the owner and president of J. Banks Design Group in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Joni founded her firm thirty years ago! Since then she has nurtured the Hilton Head Island-based operation into an internationally recognized force of residential and resort design. J. Banks Design takes on a global portfolio of projects that translates resort living to home and home living to resort-living. Show Notes: How many people are in her firm and how many interior designers does she have working for her? How did she get started? What is a catalyst in business and why is it important to have one? How did Joni’s consultant help her with her firm? How should you write a job description? How did she use a philosophy of using gifts to build her firm? How should you mentor new interior designers? What are the “words”? What are the other people at the firm doing that are not interior designers? Are the jobs at the firm mostly full time or part time? What does Joni’s day look like at J. Banks every day? How often does she have meetings with her team? What is the Valentine Project? How is Kravet Inc. helping with the Valentine Project? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works.

This is a celebratory episode dear loyal listeners! This is our 100th podcast episode and it’s time to celebrate! It’s certainly a very optimistic number as the podcast prognosis goes: If you make it to the 7th episode, you can make it to the 45th … and if you make it to the 100th you’ll make it for a while! Our guest for this landmark episode is Scott Kravet, the great grandson of Samuel Kravet, the founder of Kravet Inc. Kravet Inc. will be celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2018. Another 100th reason to celebrate! Kravet Inc. was established in 1918 by Samuel Kravet, and it has grown to be the industry leader in the home furnishings industry -- fabrics, furniture, carpets, drapery, trimmings, wall coverings, and others. The family’s commitment to innovation has helped the company transform from a small fabric house to a global leader, representing brands and designers from all over the world. Kravet Inc. owns Kravet, Lee Jofa, Groundworks and GP & J Baker, all high-end fabric houses that specialize in style, luxury and exceptional design. Scott Kravet, part of the company’s 4th generation, is the Creative Director and Head of Product Development. Having a near encyclopedic knowledge of fabrics, he oversees all aspects of product development for Kravet and its brands. He is an alumnus of Emory University and the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. Scott manages creative teams in 5 design studios in New York and worldwide. He travels the globe sourcing products from the finest craftsmen and best mills. I’m deeply grateful to Kravet Inc. for continuing to sponsor our podcast (since 2015) which by now is followed by professional groups consisting of over 70,000 and growing! At the minimum, Window Works get contacted by 5 interior designers daily and they all mention the Well-Designed Business podcast as the source and resource. Thank you, Kravet Inc.!! Show Notes Kravet products are for trade-only. All products are available to interior designers only to protect their interests Retail sales are for interior designers only Kravet designs remain cherished and fashionable for a long time Kravet Showrooms are updated with the latest featured designs regularly The “for trade only” policy does not seem to be an issue All lamps, trays, pillow, textiles, all neatly laid out corporate products on exhibit Honor and respect what your family has accomplished as a personal, professional, and corporate policy It’s not enough to create beautiful anything; you must package and market it smartly. Reinventing the business Reaching out to the influencers Watch out for the Kravet Centennial where they will be honoring all the people who have helped them all these years. Check out Episodes 10, 59, 17, 34, and 74 where designers talked about their experience in working with Kravet. Kravet has a culture that supports creativity, collaboration, kindness, and respect to your clients and vendors An archive of over 30,000 textile collections is currently on exhibit; check out with ASID for the details. The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works.

It’s power talk Friday again! I have a treat for all of you today. I found our guest, John Muldoon while I was doing research, and I got jazzed up when I saw what John is doing! We are going to be talking to him about his “business” (a consulting firm) that he has had for twelve years! But we are really going to get into his powerful blog called The Monthly Experiments Project. Show Notes: What is his description of his job and why are there two versions? How did he come up with his brand? What is his blog The Monthly Experiment about? How did he come up with his blog: The Monthly Experiment? Why is he doing his blog The Monthly Experiment? What happened when John finally found a balance between work and life? What did he do to help pick up the business when he started working less? How do you get more referrals according to John? How can you make your blog or podcast more successful and what is the most important quality a blog can have? How can you be more helpful? What are the two things that create the value of a blog? How do you start a blog and how does John help people with this? How do you join his blog challenge and join his free membership group? What are some of the “Experiments” he has done on his blog? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Today on the show I have Carrie Leskowitz! Carrie brings a unique perspective to her work. She is not only an interior designer but she is also a certified Marth Beck life coach. Carrie combines her background in fashion and psychology with twenty years in the interior design industry. She shows her clients how our living space often mirrors our inner space. Her blog: Carrie’s Design Musings, is in its sixth year and has a very loyal following! Show Notes: How did Carrie come to interior design? What was her experience at Design Bloggers Conference? Why should you go to the Design Bloggers Conference? What are the requirements to qualify for the Design Bloggers Conference? How often is the Design Bloggers Conference held and where is the conference venue? Do you get paid or is there money involved going to the Design Bloggers Conference? What were her observations at the Design Bloggers Conference? What did Carrie do while at High Point at the Design Bloggers Conference? Why did she start her blog: Carrie’s Design Musings? What are the nuts and bolts of her business? How many employees does she have? How does she connect her life coach experience to her interior design business? When did she understand her value, and decide to start sending an invoice for her coaching? What are some typical triggers that people start to think they are stuck? Are there any tips that she would suggest to her clients to help them feel unstuck? Are there any cautions that she would say to a new designer getting started? Try everything! What is something she does herself when she feels overwhelmed? Can you retrain yourself on how to react to certain things or situations that bug you? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Our guest today on the show is Linda Holt! Linda was recommended to me by a listener of the podcast! Thank you, Marie! She suggested Linda because she admires her work and she loves the interesting bit that she comes from a twenty-year career in photography and she specializes in modeling and celebrity head shots. Linda has worked with more than 3000 celebrities, actors and models as one of Boston’s top headshot photographer. So today she is going to talk to us about why she made the switch from photography to interior design. Show Notes: What degree did she earn first in college? Why didn’t Linda get a degree in interior design when she went to college? What niche made her so successful in photography? How did she arrive at her systems that she used in her photography business? Why is it important to pay attention to personal details and remember them with clients? How does she use Pinterest and Pinterest Boards for her business? How does she bill for her work and what are the factors that determine the way she bills? Does she talk to her clients up front about money or as she goes? What are the “two hours”? Why did she start her blog Linda Holt Interiors? How often does she blog and how “big” is her blog? How does she write and how does she figure out what to write about? Does she read other blogs or listen to other podcasts? What happened to her when she was at the Design Bloggers Conference? How does she help designers use their iPhones to take better pictures? What did Linda win at the Design Bloggers Conference? What sort of things did she learn from the Design Bloggers Conference? The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works.

We are back with another power talk Friday and we have Fred Berns with us again! As you know Fred Berns has been on the show two other times. We have talked about our bio briefing, our website once over because Fred is a leader in the interior design business coaching arena. He has twenty-five years of experience specializing in helping interior designers grow their interior design firms through more effective websites, more effective programs, and more effective introductions and bios. Today we are going to talk about selling methods of the masters. Show Notes: What do financially successful firms have in common? What is the “daily dozen” and how is this helpful to your business? What is saving the best for first and how does it work? What is the number one financial obstacle for designer firms? Treat obstacles as opportunities! What are closing questions and how can they help close a sale? Always talk about a phase two before you talk about phase one! How do you make sure there is “no money left on the table”? What does it mean to have money left on the table and why is it bad? How should a new designer start marketing? What is one thing people can’t get anywhere else? Pay attention to what clients had a problem with in previous transactions! What are common mistakes designers make when selling their services? What is feel, felt, found? How can you use a blog as a good selling tool? What is the best personal tool to use when trying to “sell yourself”? How can you adapt your bio with Fred Bern’s knowledge that he has shared with us? Download the free resources from Fred Berns from our resource center: Window Works

Today I have someone whom I’m sure many of you are familiar with his businesses or platforms. You have probably heard of at least one of them and maybe you know Adam Japko through one of these. He is the founder and CEO of Esteem Media but prior to Esteem Media he was the president of DigitalSherpa. Esteem Media is the home of leading national and local media brands that specialize in luxury home design and fine wine. Through Adam Japko, Esteem Media leads the industry in community and initiatives that help business professionals just like you navigate the shift between traditional and digital media. Adam also has a wine blog called WineZag. I hope you enjoy this interview with Adam Japko as he talks about his business Esteem Media and all about the Design Bloggers Conference! Show Notes: Where does the commerce happen? How did Adam come up with the model he uses in his businesses? What extra value does Adam put into his work? What is the Design Bloggers Conference? Why did Adam launch the Design Bloggers Conference? What are keynote designers? What three groups are used to design the outcome of the Design Bloggers Conference? Is it just designers who come to the Design Bloggers Conference? What things can you learn by coming to these conferences? How often is the Design Bloggers Conference held? Who will be the speaker at the next Design Bloggers Conference? What makes the Design Bloggers Conference different from other conferences? In what ways does the Design Bloggers Conference make connections that people will never forget, and how does it branch out to people? How are these connections made different? Bring your values to your work! Don’t bring a work version of yourself to work! How you get the most out of your life. You will find the rest of the show notes at our resource center: Window Works.