A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Our guest on today’s show is Debi Pinelli and the way we got connected is such a funny story! I have a very dear friend named Rachel who is the cousin of Debi’s husband! A few months ago, we had Tim Templeton on a power talk Friday show and he was talking to us about influencers and connectors that you will have in your circle of influencers. Rachel is that connector! Today we are going to talk about Debi’s business, A&J Interiors. She came to interior design through her specialty in designing her own window treatments. Debi has been designing and fabricating window treatments for over 20 years! She is the president of the New Jersey chapter of Window Coverings Association of America. Show Notes: How did she decide to make her window treatments into a business? How important is it to have good rapport with your vendor? What are some things that she did when she started to become successful? What are some ways you can reach out to others for help in running a business? Who does she have on her staff? Write procedures down! Why are bookkeepers so important to running a successful business? Where does she go to get inspiration for designs? Is Highpoint worth going to? Make sure you look at your numbers! What are some ways to look at advertising? Why did she join Window Coverings Association of America? What is “Windows to Success”? What does the New Jersey chapter of Window Coverings Association of America do? Does the New Jersey chapter just talk about window coverings? How often should an evaluation be done? Why did she decide to charge a flat fee for her services? Listen to your gut! How many chapters are in the Window Coverings Association of America? You will find the rest of the show notes at our resource center: Window Works.

Welcome back to power talk Friday! I am so happy that Stacy Brown Randall is back here with us today! Stacy was with us a couple of weeks ago. She talked about organization and how to make your business more effective and gave us lots of tips and specific details. One of the things she talks about is how she coaches us and organizes our business into quads. We talked a little bit about the details last time but today we are going a little deeper into each of the quads. We are really going to pick apart Stacy’s advice on how we maximize and take control of our client’s experience. Show Notes: What does it mean to take control of your client’s experience? What are the four quads for the four- quad strategy? “What is it like to work with you?” How should you look at the customer’s experience? What is a “sticky” client experience and why should you strive to have it? What are work touch points and why should you have them? What four things come from having sticky clients? What is a client’s experience? Why should you unpack a client’s experience? Why do you need a work output list? Where do you build the relationship with the client? What are the differences between a work touch-point and a personal touch-point? What is buyer’s remorse? How can you prevent clients from having buyer’s remorse? What is a journey card and why is a journey card so important? How can a journey card change the relationship between you and your client? What is the new client phase and what is an alumni client? How long does a new client phase last? Write things on a calendar and do those things! How can you reconnect with your clients? See the rest of the show notes at our resource center: Window Works

On the show today I’m happy to have Karen McKenna: the principal of KMCK Designs in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Karen has been in the interior design industry for over 21 years. In addition to running her own firm, she is the principal interior designer for Classic Interiors, a retail showroom in Idaho Falls also. Karen studied interior design and architecture and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Idaho. She has extensive experience in both commercial and residential interior design. Karen also acts as a buyer and a merchandise coordinator for Classic Interiors. The way Karen has positioned her firm and aligned it with the retail store Classic Interiors is rather unique. I’m going to let Karen explain it to you. Let’s see what you think! Show Notes: How did Karen come to work with KMCK Designs and Classic Interiors? Who are Mark Collard and Mike Jensen and what is their relationship to Karen? How does her relationship with the designer’s work? What is her payoff? What is the process for the quotation of products for a project? How does the bidding process work with the team she works with at KMCK Designs? Has she ever come across the relationship like she has with KMCK Designs anywhere else? How does the market experience happen? Why is loyalty to vendors so important? What sort of markets are they involved in? Are they using markets in Europe? What systems does she use to keep everything organized? Make sure to have documentation on what everyone is doing and has been said on every project! How do you maintain a good relationship with vendors? Is this process something that someone new to the business should start with or should this be done by someone who has been in the business for a while? The rest of the show notes is in our resource center: Window Works

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 shownotes, please visit our resource center: Window Works

Welcome to another power talk Friday! Nicole Holland is on the show today and she is part of the Business Building Rockstar Show! This is another podcast that is one of my favorites and let’s face it Nicole is a rockstar! She is out there trying to help other people create bigger and better businesses for themselves. She is a master coach and marketing strategist. Nicole is launching on November 1st a summit for The Business Building Rockstar. What is a summit? Listen to this episode and find out. Show Notes: What is a summit in podcast terms? What is the summit that Nicole is launching on November 1st going to be about? What is the difference in what you are “supposed” to do and what you “should” do when starting a business? How can social media be valuable to your business? What are some tools she recommends and uses herself? Is this summit going to be free? What are some special deals you can get when you upgrade? What are some of the topics that are going to be discussed on The Business Building Rockstar Summit? What is Nicole’s mission in life? How does Nicole incorporate her mission in life and making a dollar together? How can each session be accessed during The Business Building Rockstar Summit? Why do you want an all access pass for this summit? Why did Nicole decide to launch her podcast: The Business Building Rockstar Show? How many topics will be discussed on this summit? How much of a discount does this summit give on certain programs? How did Nicole get so many bonuses for her new launch that starts on November 1st? How can this summit help interior designers with their businesses to make their businesses bigger and known more? Resources: www.bbrshow.com/podcast www.bbrsummit.com/design www.acuityscheduling.com www.bbrshow.com/sessions You can download the Nicole Holland Business Building Rockstar PDF and get the Ticket to the free Summit at our resource center: Window Works

I have Marie Flanigan from Texas with me on the show today! Marie is an award winning designer whose background includes a BA in Architecture and Masters in Business Administration. She has over a decade of work experience in architecture and design industry and you can see how she uses these qualities beautifully in her work. While working with a previous firm she realized her love for architecture and interiors together. She quickly realized how she can achieve more in-depth creativity when the two are intertwined. Her trademark style is evident with the sophisticated texture, color, light and creating environments that people love to live in. Her distinguished designs can be found in luxury homes and commercial spaces throughout the country. Today we are going to talk about Marie’s marketing strategies and how they have worked for her and how they can work for you too! Show Notes: What is her marketing philosophy? What are the roots of her business, Marie Flanigan Interiors? What are some of the services her business, Marie Flanigan Interiors has to offer? What is her advice to someone starting out? How can designers make it easier to relate their designs? What are some ways that her team uses to relate their designs? How do you keep your brand consistent? How does her team finish up a project? What is the most important part of a project? Pictures are your assets! When did she decide to use videos for marketing? How did Marie find someone who knew how to use videos for marketing? How long does it take to make these videos? What is her advice on how to find a good videographer? How do you pick the music for the videos? Look for more ways to create an experience for the client! Are business retreats a good idea? Please visit our resource center: Window Works for the rest of the show notes.

On the show today I’m happy for you to meet Polly Williams, the founder of Camberyard. The designer’s advisor! Polly offers bespoke interior design business solutions and mentoring to creative professionals across the industry. She can advise you what your USP, promote your talent and make your business reach its full potential. Her expertise includes launching new brands, streamlining and expanding your current business, mentoring designers, PR, brand partnerships, social media strategy, fee negotiations and making introductions within the industry. Polly has over 12 years of experience advising an interior design studio in London. Show Notes: What is Polly’s 360-degree approach? What are some of the first things she talks about when a designer wants to start their own firm? How does she help lay the foundation of a business? Has she ever had to tell someone maybe they need more experience before having their own business? What are some other ways she works with clients besides setting up the outline of the business? How are the packages set up for her mentoring services? How does she help her clients with time management? How does Polly help a designer figure out their unique selling point or USP? Does everyone have a unique selling point? How do you determine what is appropriate to put on social media? How does a designer figure out their brand? How are colors and fonts used to determine the message the business is trying to give? Why did Polly decide on the name Camberyard instead of Polly Williams Consulting? Does a business need to have a logo? Make sure to go out and network and plant your seed! What does Polly mean when she says think globally, act locally? Is Polly available to work with clients virtually? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works

It’s time for another Power Talk Friday! Today on the show we have Stacy Tuschl! Stacy is a very accomplished young lady. She has a brick and mortar business in performing arts that is a seven figure business. The roots of her business started when she was eighteen years old from her parent’s backyard! She is also a real estate investor, the author of Is your Business Worth Saving? and the host of a podcast called The Business Rescue Roadmap. Stacy is going to talk to us about how she runs her business and give us some great tools and tips to use in our own businesses. Show Notes: How did she come up with the name of her book: Is Your Business Worth Saving? Why is it important for business owners to ask themselves is their business worth saving at certain times? What are some ways to keep money in the checkbook? How can business owners figure out the missing piece in their business keeping them from making more money? What is a mastermind group and where can they be found? What three people/group does she suggest having when running a business? Where and how does Stacy look to find different conferences to go to for new ideas? Where are some good places to get access for more information for free? What are some good tools to help with plan the day? Make sure to set goals! How is every department set up in her business? What are some tools Stacy uses for organization with her employees? Why is it so important to always take notes? Get out of your comfort zone and take risks! What is Business Rescue Road Map about? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works.

Welcome back! Our guest today has been in the interior design business for 17 years! Andrea Schumacher started her own eight-person firm, Andrea Schumacher Interior Design, including herself in Colorado in 1999. Andrea has experience in commercial and residential spaces and she has set design for television at Days of Our Lives and Columbia Pictures! She has a BA in interior design from the F.I.D.E.R. accredited Colorado State University and a certificate in Universal Design from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. Today she is going to share with us how she does things at Andrea Schumacher Interior Design and how she makes everything more efficient and successful and how you can too. Show Notes: She can have how many projects in the pipeline at one time? How are the positions broken down at Andrea Schumacher Interior Design? Did she work for anyone before she started her own firm? How was Andrea Schumacher Interior Design started? Explain how everything is broken down up front! What about the customers that can’t be pleased? When does the “process” go into the project manager’s hands? Why doesn’t she like to hear a budget before the design project begins? What was her aha moment that there needed to be a change with her accountant to get her books straightened out for her design firm? Who is Chandra and what is her role in Andrea’s firm? What are some ways that Chandra has increased profitability for Andrea’s firm? How much has her profitability increased since Chandra has started working at Andrea Schumacher Interior Design? Keep yourself as humble as possible and own up to your mistakes! What is the next big thing for Andrea Schumacher Interior Design? What is Design Leadership Network? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works

I am so pleased to have Mark Cutler and Heather Gillette with us on the show! The information that they are going to share today will maximize yours and your staff’s productivity in a way you previously could not imagine. Heather is a tech person and has been specialized in early tech startups for the past twenty years. She will explain that there are never enough resources, so you need to be creative and innovative to keep up with the amount of work. Heather founded and headed up several departments of YouTube. With little manpower, she and her team kept YouTube legal and clean while processing millions of videos and user communications every day. Heather wanted to bring this same thinking and make interior design more accessible. This is when their first company was born: NousDécor. Mark Cutler is an Australian-born interior designer. Mark is one of the Robb Report’s top 40 firms in the country and a leading proponent of interior design as a form of portraiture. He is formally the resident designer for A&E’s TV Makeover Mamas. He has many celebrity clients and his work has been in many leading interior design magazines. He currently serves as the Chief Design Officer at NousDécor. You can read the show notes and access all the links and resources at www.windowworks-nj.com

In this episode, the first of a series of 3 shows, Shauna Lynn Simon, Owner/Founder of Beyond the Stage Homes and Styled, Listed, and Sold (SLS) Academy, talks about a strategy for connecting with your avatar (target clients/audience) on a personal level. She talks about the important steps, procedures, and pointers – the checklist to ensure the effectiveness of this strategy – holding workshops. It can be a powerful lead generation tool to build your brand and business. The success of the event could depend on how well you have prepared for it. Show Notes Choosing an engaging topic, and framing an attractive title Educational and specific topic would be an ideal choice of topic Choosing the right venue – inexpensive for a small audience, and a bigger venue or a showroom for a bigger audience, without sales pitching The key to selecting the right venue Content creation – valuable, informative, helpful What to give away as handouts Presentation techniques Inviting guest resource persons Securing sponsors Marketing and promoting it in social media – fill every seat Techniques in social media promotion Shauna Lynn will cover other related topics in the forthcoming 2 weeks: Determining who your community is and how you fit into that community Determining what you can contribute to the community to make it better, bigger, etc. Identifying your voice and connecting with your followers, clients, fans with that emotional connection You can listen to the full episode at our resource center: Window Works

We have our first request for an interview from a listener of the show! Lauren Clement comes from an interior design family! Her mother has had her business since Lauren was two and now Lauren has her own business, Lauren Nicole Designs. She is going to share with us how she runs her business and tell us about the people she has on her team. Show Notes: Who are her mentors? Who is on her team? When should you consider a new hire? What are Design 101 events? A WWII airplane hangar design? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works

For the past 8 or 9 months, we have had designer after designer talk about something that they are passionate about and turn it into a guiding force to increase business in their design firm. But I have not met anyone who has a design that is cruelty and vegan free…until now. On the show today is Deborah Rosenberg, a writer, lecturer, and founder of DiMare Design in Miami Florida. DiMare is an interior design firm that promotes the use of vegan, organic materials. She will never use any materials that involve the harming of animals and she educates her clients, suppliers, and the entire industry about the advantages and benefits of cruelty-free/vegan design. She has incorporated her family values in her design business. Show notes: Why and how Deborah started focusing on this niche. How did this become a big part of her designs? What does vegan mean? The sweet reason why she is so passionate about using “humane interior design” Leather manufacturers skin dogs to produce dog leather? How long she has been in the design business and her niche What materials she substitutes for animal-based leather What materials she uses to substitute for chemical-drenched materials Deborah is an animal activist with PETA. What she does for the organization What she uses for wellness, healthy design especially for allergy sufferers What are the desirable alternatives to leather, down, wool, and silk Do clients find her now because her design is vegan? It’s all about educating! What fabrics are ok? What is 72-hour turnkey design? What other services does her firm offer? Be as detailed as possible! Where she sources these materials How she charges for expedited service For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works

Thanks for coming back to power talk Friday! We love our talks with Krista Coupar. She has our heads spinning a little bit with all of the information she has given us so far. Today is she is going to share with us her story and her brand. Show Notes: What is brand building supposed to be about? Remember the inspirations! What should the essence of your brand be? What is the reason figuring out what your brand is? Resources: www.couparconsultations.com Please visit our resource center: Window Works

Window Works features Asler Valero, a Venezuelan-American interior designer with projects in the Caribbean, South America, and Europe. Asler's work has been greatly influenced by Stephen Sills Associates and Uniford Design Studios with whom he had collaborated on residential and commercial projects around the world. Asler is also recognized as a color expert by paint companies around the country, several of which he serves as consultant to. Show Notes What are the design lessons Asler learned at Sills-Hunniford Dwellings The most important design element for Asler The purposes behind his choice of design elements The reasons behind his choice of color schemes The reason why he is very organized and precise His tips on learning His tips on the value of styling a room for photography The rest of the show notes are in 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

If you’re planning to set up a family business, this podcast will give you valuable insights to help make your business a phenomenal success. LuAnn presents the one big factor that has contributed to the success of the family business, Window Works. It’s the vital role played by her husband Vince. He’s the so-called “Systems Nazi” in the company and his role-- accounting, finance, and systems administration—keeps the business organized, efficient, and effective. The role of the family members is to provide a strong, effective teamwork. Everyone’s commitment (including their extended family of employees) is strong. The plans and goals keep the family together in pursuing their common goals. Vince is fully committed to the quality of customer service that Window Works delivers. He sets up the rules, everyone else’s role, as well as the interconnected systems for 1) monitoring the processes and results, and 2) motivating the team to aim for a higher level of progress and success. Window Works, as a family business, is less bureaucratic, has a built-in trust factor with established relationships (customers, partners, dealers, suppliers, employees) and provides for the hands-on training and early exposure to the next generation. That, by itself, is part of the business plan. Show notes Business planning often guides the entire planning process and sets the agenda for the future operations of the business. Vince and Luann develop both the big mission and small mission plans. They aim for an exceptional level of customer service - the most critical factor that differentiates their business from the rest of the heavy competition Price point is not the only factor - identify the product and service you want to offer, its value Determine your “awesomeness” that makes you stand out in the marketplace Find out what the customer needs, wants, and is capable of paying for Aspire to bring the very best among the many products and services you offer Get the rest of the tips from our resource center: Window Works

Today we have Katie Deedy with us! Katie is a textile designer which includes: wallpaper, tile, fabric and accessories. Her business, Grow House Grow, specializes in narrative-inspired pattern work. We are going to talk about how her business got started, what sort of things she learned along the way and how she got her name out there. Show Notes: How did her business start? What is her business? How does history impact her work? What advice would she give to someone starting out? Don’t be ashamed of the side job! How did she make herself known? How can you access her product? What other products has her work crossed over into? How did her work end up in a museum? For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: http://windowworks-nj.com

Welcome back to another episode of A Well Designed Business! Today we have Shauna Lynn Simon who is a fantastic home stager! Shauna is going to share with us how she steered her talents to home staging and why she decided on the home staging niche rather than interior design. Show Notes: How did she get into home staging? How did she reanalyze her situation when things did not take off the way she wanted? How did she figure out who her target client should be? Selling yourself vs selling a product What is the “wow” factor? What is in her client care packet? What are the differences between interior design and home staging? How do you tell someone their house is filthy? You can get the rest of the show notes from our resource center: Window Works

Welcome back to another power talk Friday! Today we have with us, Marianne Cherico! Marianne spent 27 years as a top producing realtor. She was a part of a two-person team that sold 100 houses per year! On top of her already impressive work in real estate, she started home staging in 2005. But then on top of home staging her most recent thing she has started and achieved is coaching. Coaching by Marianne helps us get unstuck, understand our limiting beliefs, and how to grow our business. Show Notes: Should you be all strategies? Who are you “being”? Why is mindset so important? It’s not woo woo! You have to be intentional! What would the CEO do? Get the rest of Marianne's valuable info from our resource center: Window Works

You may have heard of a show called “Devine Design”, right? Well, today we have the star of Devine Design on the show! Candice Olson started out in commercial design and then worked her way into residential design and then into her tv shows. She is going to share her work experiences with us and her collaboration with Kravet Inc.! Show Notes: How did Candice become “Candice Olson”? When did she decide the show had to come to an end? Who is Chico? How did you get on the show? How does she decide to do another collection? What is the labor of work when doing a collection? Let’s talk window design collections! Get the rest of the show notes from our resource center.

Kim Kuhteubl graces our show today. She is an award-winning film producer, author, actor, and member of the Producer's Guild of America. Since 1999, she has been producing stories and shows about interior design and real estate development in various media format such as print, television, and on digital platforms. She is the founder of Me by Design, a firm that specializes in branding and visibility for interior designers and the design trade. Me By Design is an idea boutique for the home goods /homeware industry. The business objectives include how to boost the brand value, visibility and audience engagement of boutique interior design firms and legacy design brands with a range of cross-platform, data-driven tools. Methods and techniques include digital storytelling, influencer, and social media marketing as well as bespoke video. Kim also serves on the Board of Advisors for Thrive GPO, a group purchasing organization and procurement service providing nonprofit organizations with access to better pricing for common goods and services. She has just recently published her book Branding + Interior Design. Listen to the podcast to get the details of the following: Show Notes All the various related industries that Kim has participated in Her grandfather was a major influence in her life and business Find out the secret to her overwhelming success. It’s something intrinsic At the start of her career, she was earning awards but she had very little income Her work values and attitude How creativity can serve people. The work of creative professionals has value which needs to be purchased and paid for. You can get the rest of the show notes and resources from our resource center: http://windowworks-nj.com

We have a special treat today! We have Jim Palmer, “the dream business coach”! Jim is an author, marketing and business building expert and in-demand coach. He is going to be talking with us in particular about something that we all struggle with as business owners: How do we get more business? Show Notes: • How do you attract more clients? • What sort of things can entrepreneurs do to attract business? • What was his turning point? • What can you do get over your fears? • Don’t become an also! • Newsletter versus an email • What is the most important number to know? See the rest of the show notes at our resource center: http://windowworks-nj.com

Just in time for school, we have Ellen Fisher, the dean of New York School of Interior Design! We are going to talk about the creating of designers and piggy-back off of the discussions from the past couple of weeks on how to make the experience for either an in college intern or a new graduate. Ellen Fisher has been with New York School of Interior Design since 1999, beginning her career at the College as a member of the faculty, and later becoming lower division area coordinator, associate vice president for academic affairs, and ultimately, vice president of academic affairs and dean in 2012. Fisher is a New York State certified interior designer, with graduate degrees in teaching with technology, and architectural studies. Read the full show notes at our resource center: Website http://windowworks-nj.com Please join our social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter

Nick May is with us today from The Chaise Lounge Podcast! Nick is the very first podcaster to devote the entire platform to the business of interior design. He is truly the trailblazer of our industry. He has been helping you with your business since 2014! Today we are going to learn more about the voice behind The Chaise Lounge. Show Notes: What is his business model? When did he start painting? When should you move more people in? Where is the marketing magic done? How did he get into podcasting? What two ways does his business work with designers? What kind of opportunities does his business offer? What is IDI? Go do Facebook live! Get the rest from our resource center: http://windowworks-nj.com

It’s another power talk Friday! Today we have Stacey Brown Randall. She is a business growth acceleration specialist! Stacey’s mission is to help small businesses and solopreneours make more money and find more time. She is a certified productivity coach, an adjunct professor and she has her masters in organization communication. Today we are going to talk about the topic of taking control of your business. Show Notes: What three segments does Stacey’s business focus on? How does this power talk piggyback last power talk Friday? What is the four quad system? How do you get true freedom from your business? What is “identifying the bullseye”? Write your processes down!!! Find someone that can hold you accountable! You can read the rest of the show notes at our resource center: http://windowworks-nj.com

Today we have Chad James with us from Chad James Group. Chad has a very thoughtful way of setting up his business. He considers his firm an educational firm and has the roles divided up into very specific categories. He identifies people as interns, apprentice, junior designer, design assistant and Chad himself. He is going to discuss with you ways to duplicate the systems he uses to manage his team with these categories. Show Notes: How did Chad come to use the systems he uses? What does he look for in an intern? How does he handle his hire process? Does each new person have to start at intern and work their way up? Take the initiative! How does he handle his staff day to day? Check out the rest from our resource center: http://windowworks-nj.com

Today on the show we are in for a real treat! Alan Tanksley has a “royalty” background in interior design and has his own successful firm: Alan Tanksley, Inc. We are going to talk about his “royalty” background and how space you work in can make a difference. Show Notes: Was Mark Hampton his first job? What has he learned working for different designers? How has his design changed? What advice would he give to someone starting out? How does the space he works in inspire him? How did he design his space? Make sure your team “fits” together! See the rest of the resources here: http://windowworks-nj.com

On this week’s power talk Friday I have a returning expert: Kae Whitaker of Kae Whitaker Solutions! When Kae was on the show before she shared with us a case study with a particular interior designer that she helped turn her business around in three months-Farrha Hyman. Today she is going to talk with us how to hire the people you need. Show Notes: How do you decide how many people to have? Where should you look for people? What college student majors is a good pick? How do you increase workflow? Make good relationships with coordinators! What does the interview process look like? Paid employees versus intern When is the best time to find an intern? What are the six things that have to be in place for an intern? See the rest of the resources here: http://windowworks-nj.com

We have Natalie Reddell for this Well-Designed Business podcast episode. She is an interior designer, lifestyle blogger, and founder of Commander in Chic Design firm. Natalie began her career as a designer at the age of 4 , when she began collecting toothpaste tube tops as buffet lamp lampshades for her dollhouse. When she's not working, she can be found at home with her 17-year old son, Schuyler, and Scarlett O'Hara (their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel). Natalie received her undergraduate degree in interior design from Florida State University. She also studied the history of architecture & design at Parsons University, Paris, France. She has been in the industry for more than 16 years & has experience in kitchen & bathroom design,home staging, historic-restoration, commercial design & buying for a large furniture company. Her work now is mostly high-end residential design. She has clients in Florida, Georgia, Virginia, the Carolinas, Montana, Colorado, Panama and the Bahamas. For the rest of the show notes, please visit: http://windowworks-nj.com

We have Laura Umansky from Laura U! This is a special interview for me because I love to meet the people you look up to in the design world. We love to see them create beautiful interiors but also big business platforms for themselves. Today we are going to talk to Laura about this. Laura founded her business Laura U in 2006 and personalized customer service is paramount. Show Notes: What was her work experience before going out on her own? Was there a business plan? What’s it like working with her husband? How did she establish the minimum of rooms she will do in a project? What are the processes her business uses? How is destination design different? What are the biggest challenges in destination design? For the rest of the resources, please visit http://windowworks-nj.com Website: http://windowworks-nj.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/windowworks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windowworksnj Twitter: https://twitter.com/WindowWorks_NJ

Welcome to another power talk Friday! I have Tim Templeton with us today. Tim is the author of a referral of a lifetime in the Ken Blanchard series. Ken is a veteran executive entrepreneur, consultant, international best-selling author, speaker and lifelong learner. Tim and I are going to be talking about referrals. We will discuss how to get them, how to access them, how to ask for them and how to maximize them. I know from personal experience that this is something that entrepreneur’s struggle with. Show Notes: What is the importance of referrals? What is Tim’s philosophy? How did Tim meet Ken Blanchard? Is there an art to getting referrals? What process should you use to get a referral? How should you go about rebuilding a relationship? All referrals are not treated equally! What is a perfect client avatar? Resources: Tim’s Website: consultinggold.com The Recognized Authority Always Positive in Your Business The Entrepreneur’s Handbook Vince Siciliano The Tipping Point Mark Levy www.thereferralbook.com The Referral of a Lifetime Guide Book www.thereferralofalifetime.com

Welcome back! Today we have Lori Sawaya! Lori has been in the business of color for over 20 years. She has a background working with print, architecture paint, and color. Her experience and knowledge enable her to make complex color concepts easy for everyone to understand. Today we are going to talk about color, what you should keep in mind when picking a color and new tools you can use when it comes to color. Show Notes: What is her opinion about color? What is spectral data? What is colorimetry? What are the most common color mistakes? Why is light so important? Have any mistakes been made? Be professional as you can! What new tools can be used? For the rest of the show notes and resources please visit: http://windowworks-nj.com

Hi! Welcome to another episode of A Well-Designed Business! Today is the actual 6- month anniversary of the podcast and I thought I would do a solo show and reflect on The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business. And then I am going to share with you, my Top 10 favorite podcasts. Now these are by no means the only things learned in these last 6 months and they are not even necessarily the absolute most important. And as a matter of fact, I have specifically not included the coaches and consultants on this list. Every one of the consultants I have had on has shared extremely valuable advice, but it is straightforward and easy to grasp listening to their interviews. Today I am concentrating on regular designers like you who have discovered something, implemented something and are by doing it have made improvements to their businesses. So are you ready? Sandra Funk Levy- The Importance of Systems for a Profitable Interior Design Business ; Episode # 2. Sandra is all about the systems, systems, systems. You need to get your systems locked down from hello through goodbye when the project is complete. That's just what Sandra Funk Levy has done at House of Funk. She has implemented very specific daily, weekly, monthly and yearly systems and goals. She urges us to create processes because she knows 1st hand when you use them consistently you will improve your businesses bottom line. Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/sandra/ Rachel Moriarty – Message to Solopreneurs- Act As If the World is Watching; Episode #55. Rachel acts as if 1000 eyeballs are on our on you because one day they will be. Rachel implores soloprenuers to do 2 things- handle your image and everything connected to it in the most professional way as if you were a big firm that everyone is watching but also and as important to run your firm as if you were a big guy. Respect your own work hours, implement systems that even if only you are using them will serve you one day when you have employees.Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/rachel/ Stephen Cooper episode # 31 Develop strong personal relationships with your vendors (The Value of a Trusted Vendor ) When you invite ethical vendors into the design process with your clients you have more productive meetings. The expert can in the moment make suggestions, which enhance your vision for the project. And a reliable vendor in the meeting can prevent you from spending hours designing concepts that cannot be executed. Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/steven/ Susan Brunstrum -Practical Advice for Project Management, episode #36. Susan ends every client project with a three- step process. She sits down with her financial manager and they evaluate the project and runs a profit analysis- looking for errors and ways to be more profitable next time. She has a meeting with our entire staff evaluating the efficiency of the process for that particular project and they discuss what went right what went wrong how can they improve the next time. Lastly, she invites every single client out for lunch or dinner at the completion of the project to get their feedback and to say thank you to them for their business. Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/susanb/ Farrha Hyman Success Story- How I Re-Designed my 15 Year Old Firm, Episode #43. Even a 15-year-old firm can turn around with the help of the right business coach and the biggest Takeaway from Sarah that you have to follow the advice of that business coach even when it pushes you out of your box. Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/farrha/ Erica Ward Identifying Your Transferrable Skills (Getting real and evaluating yourself and what you bring to the table) episode # 6. Identify what are your transferable skills and hire opposite those skills. Barbara Viteri talked about the same type of thing and they both encourage you making a lists of: the things you’re good at the things you know how to do the things you like to do the thing you’re not good at the things you don’t know how to do the things you don’t like to do then with the list that’s opposite of yours, you arrive at the qualifications that you’re looking for in your first hire. Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/06-identifying-your-transferrable-skills-with-erika-ward/ 7. Nancy Ganzekufer- Niche is Riche, Broad is Broke. Episode 15. Countless examples, Cheryl Janis specializing in boutique healthcare spaces, Terri Lind Davis with her art and boomer focused design, Heather McManus with her video series and her book, I could go on…all of these designers and many more have created a niche so that they can stand apart from any other designer a prospective client might be contemplating. Andrew Joseph from Andrew Joseph PR said to us- discover what is your “you”, what is your essence, what makes you different from the others. Link: http://windowworks-nj.com/nancy/ James Swan Meet the Man Behind The Million Dollar Decorating Podcast; Episode # 49 research and investigate first if the dream the desire you have for your firm is actual

It’s power talk Friday! Krista Coupar is with us again! Today she is to talk with us about work-life balance. The key questions we need to ask ourselves to arrive at this perfect equation. Show Notes: Are hours wanting to work and amount of money wanting to make realistic? How do you make more money working less hours? Math vs finance Why is it so important to simplify? Why is it important to understand the seasons in interior design? For the rest of the Show notes, please visit: http://windowworks-nj.com

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. Will Hunt's previous experience includes One Kings Lane as Buyer of Furniture, and Jonathan Adler where he oversaw all aspects of merchandise planning for all distribution channels. Prior to moving to New York, he owned his own home furnishings and gift retail store in Mississippi. For the rest of the Show notes, please visit our website: Website: http://windowworks-nj.com If you haven't subscribed yet, please visit our social media at: Instagram: http://instagram.com/windowworks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windowworksnj Twitter: https://twitter.com/WindowWorks_NJ

Maria Killam is the founder and CEO of Understanding Undertones of Colour. She's a decorator, author, speaker and internationally sought-after Colour Expert. Transform the way you see color at http://www.mariakillam.com Maria's has 5 Fall Specify Colour with Confidence™ workshops scheduled, get all the information about what they include and upcoming dates here. If you want to learn Maria's system of Understanding Undertones and finally get your paint colours and finishes right, go here. Maria's second ebook White is Complicated: A Decorator's Guide to Choosing the Right White takes the mystery out of the thousands of whites available and you end up with the 5 useful whites that you'll use every time you need to specify a white for trim, cabinets, woodwork and walls. Choosing exterior colour this season? Maria's How to Choose Exterior Colours with Confidence 60-minute webinar will give you a step-by-step process and includes Maria's go-to exterior colours. For more expert tips, visit: http://windowworks-nj.com Join us on: Instagram: http://instagram.com/windowworks Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/windowworksnj Twitter: https://twitter.com/WindowWorks_NJ

Welcome to another Power Talk Friday! My guest today is Alice Seale, who has over 30 years entrepreneurial experience as a realtor in the retail design industry. She is the founder of Seale Realty Advisors in the Dallas area. Alice has co-authored the book, Winning Ways in Real Estate. She has great advice for entrepreneurs. Join us! What you’ll hear in this episode: Alice’s path to real estate in retail design What to look for in a realtor How a design center is born and developed The mix of wholesale and retail How Alice spots the trends in “pop-up” design centers Rent or buy? How do you decide? Alice tells you what questions to ask up front HVAC—why you MUST pay attention! Watch expenses on taxes and insurance! Consider leasing with an option Ask for any accommodations up front Find a realtor who has YOUR best interests in mind Why renting is a good option to start out in business Know what’s going on in your city and its development How to know when it’s the RIGHT time to purchase How to ask your landlord to “put some skin in the game” Make a wish list of renovations and negotiate adding value to the property Establish financial relationships early: Be a PERSON at the bank and not just an account number! Consider obtaining a letter of credit instead of paying a large security deposit Why Alice recommends that you have a female banker Get all the details from Alice here: http://windowworks-nj.com/alice-seale

Hi, welcome to another episode of A Well-Designed Business! If you are a loyal listener—thank you for tuning in again! And whether you are new or returning, please go over to our Facebook page and like us there so you can be a part of the conversation, to be in the know about all things A Well-Designed Business podcast and Window Works. Find us at www.facebook.com/windowworksnj So on the show today you will meet Terri Lind Davis from Tampa Florida. Terri has 30+ year career in interior design and today we discuss the path her business has taken. From the beginning right out of college to today where she is revitalizing her business with a return to one of her passions and talents, painting. It’s sort of a memory lane conversation but see if you can identify the 2 major things in her career that have created and sustained a pipeline of clients for her in 2 Florida cities over 30+ years… So stay put, I’m going to tell you about Kravet Inc, our show sponsor and then we’ll meet Terri. So what were Terri’s 2 pipeline builders? They were the position at the high-end furniture store and the years associated with the luxury homebuilder. Both of these not only brought in clients in real time, they both resulted in repeat business with these clients and referrals from those clients year after year, long after she left the store and after the builder retired. And you know what I’m thinking? While Terri didn’t necessarily strategically plan her 2 pipeline builders, you certainly could. If you are starting out, could you work part-time at a luxury furniture showroom or a kitchen showroom, a tile showroom? Somewhere you could meet a new stream of potential clients? Of course you would be up front and discuss policies with the owner but as Terri said, it is good for them too…you can agree to bring any purchases of their product line back to the store…win-win for both of you. Or another avenue is to reach out to builders and realtors…And don’t just send a card or a packet…make a meeting, explain you want to develop a long-term relationship with them that brings value to their clients. Explain that they can proudly tell their clients they are associated with a talented, trusted interior designer to help them with their new home purchase. Paint the picture for the builder or realtor so they can see the relationship and how all 3 parties involved- you, them and the client are enhanced by their suggestion to use your services… Do either of these sound like something you could do? I’d love know if you do one or the other. Go to our Facebook page and tell about what you did and how it went. If you hit a roadblock, let me know that too, maybe I can help you through it. Terri had a few more words of wisdom earned over her career so go over to www.windowworks-nj.com/terri-davis for your free pdf of The Things I Learned From Terri Davis. Remember to follow me on Instagram, Twitter, FB and let me know when you use the lessons from our talented guests. Have a great day!

Today I would like to introduce, dare I say my first fan: Rachel Moriarty! She has been so supportive from the beginning on social media. I would like to give her a huge THANK YOU! One of the conversations that we had on social media about more episodes with solo entrepreneur shops and firms. It’s nice to show appreciation for the big influencers on the show. We can see where a business can go. But we need to take the time to also have good conversations with people who run fabulous businesses all by themselves. Show Notes: What was Rachel’s motivation to talk about solo entrepreneurs? What is a creative entrepreneur mindset? What kind of systems and programs does she use? What is a “work jam”? What is her design process? Why “Go Red for Women”? Who does her photography? Look vs feel in a room What advice does she have for new entrepreneurs? Please visit http://windowworks-nj.com for the full episode and show notes.

Diane Gardner is a tax coach and the author of Why Didn't My CPA Tell Me That? and Stop Overpaying Your Taxes. You are going to be blown away today by the information Diane shares. She saves her clients thousands of dollars in taxes with every consultation. Many times we look backward in dealing with our taxes, and a tax coach looks at the future and plans it exactly how you want to be. In this episode you will learn: What is a tax coach and why do you need one How you can plan where your tax liability be Why your accountant isn't your tax coach Why tax filing is different than tax planning How your legal entity can make you pay less in taxes Why it's almost a guarantee that you are paying too much in taxes Resources: Website: http://www.adeptbusiness.biz/index.php Book: Stop Overpaying Your Taxes

Today we are going to talk about going to market with Deb Barrett! She specializes in a niche for attending the different furniture and accessory markets: High Point and different markets around the world. Now she is specializing in bringing groups to these markets so that they have the best experience at market as opposed to walking in circles and not knowing where to go. Today we are very lucky because high point is about two and a half months away! This is a great time to listen to Deb with her expertise and knowledge on how to make the best of attending markets in general but we are going to be talking about High Point because it’s coming up soon. Show Notes: Why should people attend High Point? What is High Point? How do you know if you should go to High Point? How should you go about pre-planning? How is High Point divided? What advantages come with registering? Why would designers want to think about expanding internationally? Be up to date on business etiquette For more details on this episode, please go to: http://windowworks-nj.com

LuAnn Nigara is an award winning window treatment authority, author, and host of the 5 star-rated podcast, A Well-Designed Business, which serves the design industry as an overall business dynamo. Based in Livingston, New Jersey, LuAnn got her start in 1982 when she, her husband, and cousin, purchased a franchise of the Florida based, full service window treatment company, Window Works. With LuAnn at the helm of sales, they quickly expanded from New Jersey to serving the entire metro area from Philadelphia, to the Hamptons to Connecticut and became the leading showroom in gross sales of the more than 120 stores Window Works stores around the country. “I have always been fascinated by sales and the components of a sale,” explains LuAnn, who brings an unmatched passion and expertise to the business of window design. “At ten years old my Aunt gave me the book, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino and I quickly looked for every book like it. That was the beginning of what became my obsession with the art and skill of the sale.” Soon after running Window Works leading franchise, LuAnn thought of something no one else had: Why not work directly with interior designers? “Back then I thumbed through the phonebook,” laughs LuAnn who recalls cold calling designers and asking them to partner with her. Today, she counts Sussan Lari Architects, Alexandra Angle Interiors in Los Angeles, Anyon Designs (San Francisco), House of Funk in NJ, Pembrooke & Ives and Charles Pavarini as clients. After more than thirty years of designing, creating and installing window treatments for the most discerning clients, LuAnn is now recognized as a leading voice in the business of design. In addition to speaking at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID-NJ) and the world-renown Hunter Douglas conference, she is regularly called on by Design NJ as a resource. She’s been featured in Design NJ and appeared on House Smarts TV. In 2012, LuAnn authored the e-book, 10 Things to Know About Window Treatments and was featured in Big Bold Business Women of NJ. In the summer of 2015, LuAnn was searching for radio shows that spoke of her interest in the business of design--and found nothing. That was her “Ah Ha! Moment” and she decided to start a podcast. Today, she hosts a weekly 60-minute podcast ‘A Well-Designed Business.’ The twice weekly Internet show features in depth conversations with industry professionals on just about every subject on the business of interior design, from “Branding for Designers” “How to Get PR,” and How to Structure your Fees. LuAnn lives in New Jersey with her husband. After more than three decades in business, she has no plans to stop any time soon. Learn more about Luann and her work here: http://windowworks-nj.com Connect with her on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/windowworksnj

Welcome back to another Power Talk Friday! I’m happy to let you know that we have David Duncan Livingston with us today! He is a professional photographer from the San Francisco Bay area. He has worked in over 40 states and 4 provinces! His particular skill, in addition to his photography, is that he works with interior designers as a producer, art director, and stylist when doing professional photography for you and your projects. He really works with you to get to the story that you are trying to produce with each project. I have to tell you that once you look at his website you will see that he does exactly what he says he does. For this power talk Friday David and I have to decided to talk about Houzz and we are going to pick his brain on how each of us can maximize our Houzz platform. Show Notes: What happens in the initial phase? How do you decide what kinds of pictures to post on Houzz? Is there such a thing as putting too much on your profile? How do you organize an idea book? Why is it important to keyword your photos? What are some tips for iPhone users? Learn more at: http://windowworks-nj.com/david

Today we have a treat because Veronica Solomon is a rock star powerhouse woman in interior design. I came across Veronica and I thought she is a smart lady, she has some great things to share and always seems to have good advice. Then I browsed her website. I had to be picked up off the floor. Once I was off the floor I probably spent as much time on her website as I have on other designers’ in the past 8 or 9 months that I have been interviewing. She has so much information and it's put out there so organized, clear, and user-friendly; and talks to the consumer. Today she is going to share with us how and why she decided to organize her website. Show Notes: What is a “how we work” page? Be up front! How does having the price figures on her website help her with business? Who created her website? How does “wix” work? What is her plan for the fall? What are some of her future goals? How did she grow her group? Are live videos the future? Read the entire show notes and access resources at: http://windowworks-nj.com/veronica/

On the show today we have James Swan! James is the host of the podcast Million Dollar Decorator. This is in addition to his illustrious career as an interior designer. Being the host of this podcast and speaking with James about being guests on each other’s podcasts I really started doing research on him. I am very impressed at what a high level accomplished interior designer he is. Let’s be honest there are interior designers who make it big in their hometown and have a good 25 to 30-year career. But then you have interior designers that do things in a high level way and that is James! And this is what we are going to talk about today. Show Notes: What’s the scoop on his career background? Delegate! What are some things to think about when starting a business? Why is training so important? What’s in his book? Will there be another book? How did he end up in Maine? To learn more about James Swan, please visit http://windowworks-nj.com/james

Welcome back to Power talk Friday! I am pleased to have Fred Berns back with us! If you remember he was on the show a couple of months ago and he discussed how to create a killer bio. I am aware that you all love his show so much that Fred and I have been talking about him coming back on the show. So he is here today! If you have not heard his episode you should go back and listen to it! It has a lot of terrific information in it. If you did miss his show Fred is a coach who trains professional designers worldwide on how to promote themselves and how to more effectively and dramatically increase their sales. I have to say what he says he is going to do he is going to do. Today he is going to tell us the keys to a killer website. Show Notes: What are interior designers doing wrong on their websites? What elements should be on the homepage? “Four seconds and two clicks” Why do you need more than images? How can you make it easier to navigate your website? What should you avoid? Why should you “think links”? You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at www.windowworks-nj.com

Gail Davis has a very interesting past that would be very helpful to her colleagues. Interior design is her second career. Her first career was in fashion. When you hear her story about her career in fashion, I think everyone will understand why she went into interior design! Show Notes: How long was she in fashion before switching to interior design? Why interior design? How did she “walk” into her internships? What is the biggest difference interning at a younger age vs being older? What sort of questions should you ask yourself when designing a room? Were there certain things that were the same between the two designers? What business practices did she learn? Resources: Instagram: gmdinteriors https://www.instagram.com/gmdinteriors/?hl=en FB: https://www.facebook.com/gmdinteriors/

Welcome back everybody! Barbara Viteri has such an interesting trail leading to where she is today with her Designerlebrity™ Barbara had a very successful business called Viteri Style Management where she was a consultant for interior designers. But Barbara is pivoting her career now. She is going to share with us about how she got to where she is now. Show Notes: What did she do in Viteri Style Management? What exercise can help with hiring? What is Designerlebrity? How did she come to her new career move? Be real! Don’t pretend! Resources: www.facebook.com/barbaraviteri www.instagram.com/barbaraviteri www.twitter.com ~ @viteristyle [email protected] www.viteristylemanagement.com

Krista Coupar of Coupar Consulting returns to the show to talk about billing and hourly fee’s. How To Effectively Bill Out Using an Hourly Fee Structure: • Step 1: Understand your existing pipeline • Step 2: Do an analysis of your current client base and your average monthly billing • Step 3: Determine utilization rates for yourself and your team • Step 4: Match up current project initiatives with the hours the team has available to work • Step 5: Evaluate if you need to add to your team You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at www.windowworks-nj.com