Isn't it intriguing how we are sometimes lead to meeting certain people in strangely serendipitous ways? Today's guest, Christie Leu, met LuAnn in a really fun and unusual way. Listen in to find out what brought these two ladies together and why LuAnn wanted to have Christie on the show today.
Christie, originally from Ohio, is the principal of Christie Leu Interiors in DC. She started out in her career as a working artist, participating in juried shows and selling her work through galleries, stores, and catalogs. However, after having completed some major renovations to a number of her own homes, she realized just how much she really loved every step involved in the Interior Design process. So she enrolled in Montgomery College when her children were in pre-school and she earned an Associate Degree in Applied Sciences in Interior Design, with a further specialization in Kitchen and Bath Design. Christie was a star student and she won the local version of the National Kitchen And Bath Design Competition and was also asked to serve on the Montgomery College Advisory Board for Interior Design. Listen in now to find out more about how Christie and her colleagues learn from each other and help one another to grow and develop their businesses.
Today, Christie and LuAnn talk about:
- The hysterical story about how Christie and LuAnn met at IWCE.
- What happened with Christie, Darcy Heather, Lisa Escabar and Jessie Cooney at a Gail Doby Design Summit Event and their fabulous Mini Summit that ensued from that.
- How their Mini Summit really helped them to get to know one another and gave them a real understanding of the reasoning process that people have.
- The background behind Christie Leu Interiors.
- How Fred Berns (#174) helped her to discover that she's probably the only Artist Triplet Mom Interior Designer in the country- and how that's lead her to give her clients a really fabulous experience!
- That her assistant (Hired from Craig's List) also has triplets- the same age as hers!
- How being the mom of triplets helped her with her design process.
- What she really gained from the role play, during the Mini Summit.
- Why LuAnn really has no problem in asking for the money.
- The question of a standard markup on all products.
- Using historical data to help to arrive at an appropriate markup on products.
- Options for clients around flat fees and markups.
- Having boundaries with flat fee contracts.
- The benefits of listening to good and relevant podcasts.
- The work they did with the 'Energy Person' who was brought to their Mini Summit.
- That Christie prefers meeting with clients few times - how she keeps things efficient, in order to do that.
Christie's website:
www.christieleuinteriors.com