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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

In today's world being a talented interior designer isn't enough to ensure that you have a profitable and successful interior design business. Design school doesn't always teach you the critical business skills to be sure your interior design business be everything you imagined it would be! A Well Designed Business is here to fill in the gaps and give you real live business skills from some of the top interior designers. Your host, LuAnn Nigara shares her 35 years of success in the interior design industry, and she finds the most successful guests to share their interior design business best practices.
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Now displaying: 2018
Jul 6, 2018

Welcome to Power talk Friday! Today we're talking taxes and we're really happy to introduce you to our guest, Craig Cody. Craig is a certified tax coach, a certified public accountant, a business owner and he is also a former New York City police officer with seventeen years on the force! Pretty impressive, right! Listen in to find out more!   

In addition to being a public accountant for the last fifteen years, Craig is also a certified tax coach to a select group of tax practitioners throughout the country. They undergo extensive training and education on various tax-planning techniques and strategies to become (or remain) certified. With this organization, Craig has co-authored an Amazon best-seller, Secrets of a Tax-free Life. On the show today, Craig discusses the services that he offers his clients, and how he saves them money, tax-wise. He also explains how to develop the right relationship with your accountant, and how to ensure that he's the right fit for your business. Listen in today to hear Craig's awesome advice!

Show highlights:

  • Craig and his organization have a really pro-active approach to taxation.
  • Why good relationships between business owners and their accountants are really all about great communication.
  • Some questions that designers who have recently started out in business should be asking their accountants.
  • How proper communication with your accountant can significantly affect the amount of taxes that you will have to pay.
  • How to know if an accountant will be the right fit for yourself and your business.
  • Craig explains the way that he works with his clients.
  • Knowing if your business is healthy enough to hire an employee.
  • How Craig's services help his clients make informed decisions.
  • Craig's kind of pro-activity.
  • Some typical tax-mistakes that Craig comes across.
  • Some awesome tax-rebates for home-office designers.
  • Crazy tax-deductions for working kids!
  • How Craig's services differ from those of other accountants.
  • Craig talks about his book, The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes That Cost Business Owners Thousands.

To get your free copy of Craig's book, The Ten Most Expensive Tax Mistakes That Cost Business Owners Thousands

Links:

Website - Craig Cody and Company
Facebook - Craig Cody and Company
Twitter - Craig Cody & Company
Book - Secrets of a Tax Free Life 
Jul 3, 2018

Welcome! Today we have Orlando Soria, the founder of the blog  Hommemaker, with us on the show. Orlando is a really charming and thoughtful interior designer, writer, and visual artist, from Los Angeles, California, with an unpretentious attitude towards the world, and his place in it. Listen in to our conversation today and find out what he has to say about the way that design, art, and writing can influence the world and the way that people think.  

Orlando got his start on HGTV as Emily Henderson‘s on-camera assistant on the home makeover series Secrets From A Stylist. A graduate of Cornell’s University’s College of Architecture, Art and Planning and The University of Pennsylvania’s School of Design, Orlando has been a staple of the design industry for years. His first book, Get It Together!, was released in Spring 2018 and in May of this year, Domino named him as one of the top twenty-nine designers to follow on Instagram. Listen in today to find out more!

Show highlights:

  • All about Orlando's zany brand new book, Get It Together! An Interior Designers Guide to Creating Your Best Life.
  • The creative process that Orlando went through, writing his book.
  • Why Orlando's book really stands out from all other design books.
  • Orlando's humble and unpretentious upbringing.
  • What influenced Orlando's creativity, growing up.
  • Why Orlando really likes to make things.
  • Why Orlando loves Martha Stewart so much!
  • What it was like, being on TV, and what Orlando has learned from the whole experience.
  • Orlando's really lucky break!
  • Orlando's humble attitude towards his strokes of luck.
  • Learning to appreciate the good things that come your way, in life.
  • The struggles that Orlando has gone through, since graduating.
  • Orlando discusses his blog, Hommemaker.
  • Orlando's plans, going forward.

Links:

Hommemaker website: Homme Maker

Orlando on Instagram: Orlando Soria

Orlando on Pinterest:  Orlando Soria

Orlando on Facebook:  Homme Maker

Orlando on Twitter:  Orlando Soria

To buy a copy of Orlando's book:

Get It Together!: An Interior Designer's Guide to Creating Your Best Life

Jun 29, 2018

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We are very happy to have Fred Berns back on the show today! Fred has been our guest many, many times before and he continues to bring value every time, getting right to the point with his really actionable topics. If you're new to the show, Fred has been on episodes #22, #48, #96, #174, #226, and #289 of the podcast. He is the only interior design industry business coach and speaker who creates personal bios and promotional material for design professionals all over the world, so listen in to find out what he has to share today, about how to set and get higher fees for the work you do.

Fred has more than 25 years experience training design professionals from Dallas to Dubai and creating their online profiles, website, and social media copy, blogs, and marketing forms. In addition, he offers a wide range of business coaching services, ranging from his High-Performance Coaching Program to his Bio Briefing and Website Onceover. As one of the biggest names in the business of interior design, he speaks at design conferences and other events throughout the U.S. and around the world. He also develops sales and marketing programs for international franchise organizations and companies within the interior design industry, and trains manufacturers, retailers, and others on how to increase sales to design professionals. Listen in to find out more.

Show highlights:

  • Why Fred really loves what he does so much.
  • Why so many designers, who work so hard, just aren't realizing the abundance and the prosperity that they deserve.
  • It's been Fred's passion over the years to convince designers to increase their fees dramatically.
  • The number one obstacle that's preventing designers from charging higher fees.
  • What Fred has discovered about some of the most financially successful, high-end designers in the world.
  • High-end clients are used to paying designers high-end fees.
  • Making the decision to make more money- and then focusing on that.
  • Why earning more is all about your mindset.
  • Having the guts to appreciate your value and raise your fees accordingly.
  • Create a list of twenty reasons why you can actually double your fees.
  • You can raise the standard of the whole design industry by charging higher fees.
  • Learning to run your own business by your own rules.
  • Explaining your value to your clients.
  • People with money always have money, regardless of the current financial climate.
  • Focusing on the pain points of your high-end clients, then painting yourself as a caregiver.
  • Positioning yourself as a partner to your high-end clients.
  • What you have to do to double your fees.
  • How to deal with any objections to your price.
  • Small thinking brings about small results.
  • Give yourself permission to earn what you really deserve, and to enjoy financial prosperity!
  • All about Fred's new Platinum Package.

Links and contacts:

Fred's website: Interior Design Business.net

Bio Briefing
Website Onceover

Fred's email: fred@fredberns.com

Fred's phone number: 3035893013

Jun 26, 2018

Welcome to the show! We have a special episode today, with Kim Hoegger, the award-winning owner, and designer of Kim Hoegger Home. On the show today Kim talks to us about her passion for antiques, retail store ownership, her days as a restaurateur, and also about her thirty plus years of experience in residential and hospitality design. Listen in to find out more.

Kim's business sense, her Southern charm, and her hospitality have all helped her create a design firm that delivers sophisticated, yet livable interiors to clients that return project after project. She is a designer with an eye for fresh, personally curated interiors and she brings a sense of warmth to each and every interior project she creates. With her classic, yet eclectic style, she easily mixes the old with the new in a refreshing way. From coastal to cottage, rustic to chic sophisticated, Kim creates interiors where her clients feel at home in spaces that enhance the lives they lead. Listen in to find out what she has to share on today's show!

Show highlights:

  • About the exciting launch of Kim's new textile designs!
  • What to expect when you dive right in and go after your dreams.
  • Where to go after working out your initial design concept.
  • Some things to think about that may not have occurred to you before.
  • Having to wear many different hats, as a designer.
  • The awesome advice that Kim received, that really took her to the next level.
  • How Kim managed to align with just the right person!
  • What it really takes to build a platform with your brand- and recognition too.
  • What Kim has accomplished in a really short time, by hiring a publicist.
  • Finding the right balance with a new endeavor.
  • Why you should really get your work professionally photographed.
  • Going after your dreams with your eyes wide open.
  • How Kim handles the sale of her fabrics.
  • Having a licensed product is no sideline- it's another whole business!
  • All about Kim's new retail showroom.
  • Kim really knows her clients well, so her buying process is very streamlined.
  • What's coming up for Kim in the future?
  • Kim's way of re-branding her products.
  • Kim has also started coaching new designers and business owners.

Other episodes mentioned on this show:

Amy Flurry #108 and #323
Andrew Joseph #39
Steve and Jill McKenzie #304

Jun 22, 2018

Welcome to Power talk Friday! Today we're talking organization and we're really happy to introduce you to our guest, Jane Stolly. Jane is a Lifebizz Organizer, author and university Instructor who found her passion in decluttering spaces, business processes, and closets. The Structure Strategist loves to help companies and individuals getting more organized.  Pretty impressive, right! Listen to today’s episode to find out more!

Where Jane's organizing knack comes from? She believes it must be her Swiss roots. Jane's love for organizing began when she was six years old: As a young girl she was often found happily lining up her cats by size, her stuffed animals by color, her books by publication date. What makes Jane's organizing approach unique is her holistic method. She starts redefining your office and continues at your home - or vice versa. The end results of her seminars, coaching and/or consultations? Reduced stress, increased happiness and productivity. "Organizing is a lifestyle, that will help you conquering anything."Jane strongly believes that custom-tailored organizing systems and routines will massively enhance your work and life. By now, she did not only convince numerous friends and her family but also various clients of this mantra. Listen to today’s show to hear Jane’s awesome advice!

Show highlights:

  • Learn how to makeover your home or business!
  • Declutter your home and your life to reduce stress.
  • Make your system work for your lifestyle.
  • Learn how to set things up so that you make the most of your time.
  • Learn how Jane’s passion of organizing evolved to a different level of helping clients organizing their businesses with sustainable systems.
  • Reaching out for help with organization is crucial for individual and personal growth.
  • Learn how valuable “outside eyes” looking at your business can be.
  • Re-organizing your business systems or marketing can save you time and money.
  • Jane shares how to look at physical things from a different perspective.
  • Organizing your priorities can save you time.
  • Learn the importance of starting small when organizing.
  • Jane shares how she markets her business outside her circle of influence.
  • Jane shares how she overcomes fear in her own business.
  • Jane shares how she has time to help others pursue their dream businesses.
  • LuAnn encourages designers who are thinking of starting their own businesses to realize they have a lot to offer others and to get started.

Links:

Order your copy of Organizing for Your Lifestyle: Adaptable Inspirations from Socks to Suitcases is Jane’s book.

Website: Organizing for Your Lifestyle

Instagram: Organized Jane Stoller

Facebook: Organizing Jane

Twitter: Organizing Jane

Linkedin: Jane Stoller

Jun 19, 2018

Welcome to the show! Today we have a great opportunity to showcase another career you might consider if you're looking for a slightly different angle within the design industry. We have Debbie Pegher, a long-time listener who is also an all-around amazing cheerleader of this podcast as our guest! Debbie is the showroom manager of   Century Furniture, in the Washington Design Center and she has more than thirty years of experience as a designer working in retail, a design studio, and having her own design firm before she became the manager at Century. Listen in to find out more.

Debbie serves as the board of directors of The Washington Design Center and she regularly hosts events for the design community in the 5000 square foot Century showroom. She served as membership director of the ASID Washington Metro Chapter from 2014 to 2016. Century Furniture was awarded Best Made in America, in 2012, by  Made, a non-profit which honors excellence in American design, with Debbie's expertise. Furniture from Century was featured at the National Reagan Airport, and this honor culminated in an invitation to the US Capital, to watch the fireworks show, on 4th July. Debbie's leadership has earned her and the DC team at Century Showroom of the Year twice, most recently in 2017, with the best sales record recorded, for their showroom! Debbie credits and shares this with her co-worker, Gloria Domingez, a seasoned and talented design-oriented member of this two-person team. Listen in to find out what Debbie has to say today!

Show highlights:

  • Debbie gives a detailed explanation of how being an interior designer for so many years has informed her ideas and decisions at Century Furniture.
  • The wonderfully welcoming approach of the staff at the Century Furniture showroom towards designers.
  • About the fantastic team at Century- including those based at the factory in North Carolina.
  • The real human kind of client experience that's to be found at the Century Furniture showroom.
  • The willingness of Century to customize items, if required.
  • The importance of treating all designers, including the young and junior ones, really well.
  • Some of the things that Debbie has instituted at the showroom to welcome, and also to teach designers.
  • Although it's a trade-only showroom, they still encourage the public in to come in and browse.
  • How it really pays off for designers to create great relationships with design showrooms.
  • The awesome events that Debbie hosts at the showroom at the Washington Center.
  • The new and exciting events that Debbie has coming up for the Summer season.
  • It's all about who you know- and who knows you!
  • How Century services work 'the Century way', to avoid any problems.

Previous episodes mentioned on this show:

Kristen McLaughlin #319

Links:

Century Furniture
Instagram: Century Furniture
Facebook: Century Furniture
Linkedin: Debbie Pegher
Instagram: Wash Design Ctr
Facebook: The Washington Design Center
Twitter: Wash Design Ctr
Pinterest: The Washington Design Center
Twitter: Century Furniture
Pinterest: Century Furniture
Jun 15, 2018

Welcome to today's show! Do you ever feel overwhelmed with all the zillions of ideas running through your head about how to improve your business? If so, you are not alone! We have heard so many of you saying in coaching, mastermind or one-on-one sessions that as much as you love the podcast, it can sometimes be the at the root of that feeling of panic. Running your own business is crazy and when you come to the podcast for help, you get it and then you land up with a notebook full of everything that you should be doing in your business.  But, this can really be daunting if you don't have someone to help you prioritize and execute those ideas, so listen in today, to find out how we've been inspired to help you with this.

The Power Talk Friday Tour is one of the solutions that LuAnn has come up with. She is inviting you to spend the day with her and with four selected experts from the Power Talk Friday shows and they will all deliver their very best to you. As long as you have a genuine desire to do the work, we promise to help you figure out the plan that is best for you. And it really doesn't matter if you're six months, six years, or even thirty-six years into your business! If you're interested in working hard and working smart, we're interested in working alongside you and we want to give you the tools to make it possible. Listen in now to find out more about the Power Talk Friday Tour -Las Vegas!

Show highlights:

  • For the Power Talk Friday Tour- Las Vegas you will spend time with Vince Nigara, Sarah Daniele, Nancy Ganzekaupher and Mark McDonough.
  • What you can expect at the Power Talk Friday Tour.
  • A great opportunity for you to access real-time advice and create relationships of quality and merit.
  • Why we have included small breakout groups.
  • An added bonus that you can expect from the sponsors.
  • In addition to Sarah Daniele, Grace McNamara and John Dupra will be joining us too!
  • What you can learn from Grace McNamara.
  • How Revel Woods can help you be more profitable and serve your clients better.
  • The awesome kind of connections that you will make with your fellow attendees.
  • Re-listen to some of the shows to get to know your Las Vegas team of experts a little better: #78 Vin Nigara, #91 Sarah Daniele, #15, #159 and #256 Nancy Ganzekaupher, #110 Mark McDonough.
  • LuAnn will be doing what she always does- break it all down, summarize it and give you ways to think about the new information.
  • About the four books that LuAnn had in mind to support this endeavor.
  • How the Power Talk Friday experts can really help you.
  • The real beauty of the Power Talk Friday Tour!
Jun 12, 2018

Welcome to today's show! We have another in the series of husband and wife teams today and our guests are Jenny and Greg Madden, of Jenny Madden Design in Hoboken New Jersey. Today's interview is packed with valuable insights about knowing when it's the right time to employ an operations manager, how to work out if you can actually afford it, and the results that you could expect to get after placing someone in that role. Jenny and Greg truly are the real deal and they really have it together, so listen in today to find out what they have to share today.

In the interview, LuAnn makes a point of complimenting Jenny and Greg on their About Us page, so we have decided to give you their company bio here, so that you can have an opportunity to see for yourselves just how deftly it conveys Jenny's skill and expertise, how it calls to their ideal client and expresses the way that they handle their projects with respect to budget, time, and the overall client experience. Listen in to find out more!

Jenny Madden Design Bio

At Jenny Madden Design, we take great pride in our client focus. We will not push a cookie cutter, signature-style onto your home. Instead, we’ll listen to your unique needs, dreams, and goals to create spaces that align with your design style and enhance your lifestyle. We also understand the importance of sticking to a budget. We specialize in mid-to-high-end furnishings, which will be of lasting quality and uncommon design. To that end, we’ve built relationships with a wide range of trade-only vendors, allowing us to bring you those sources at an exceptional value, making the most of each client’s budget.

Jenny Madden Design has been in business designing beautiful spaces since 2011. Prior to founding Jenny Madden Design, Jenny acquired formal training from top-tier programs in both Architecture (BA, Columbia University) and Interior Design (MS, Drexel University). She then gained invaluable professional experience across multiple facets of the industry, including construction management, architecture, furniture sales and interior design. The years she spent working for a general contractor, managing large-scale construction projects, are particularly unique within the interior design industry. This breadth of experience places Jenny Madden Design in the distinctive position to not only design beautiful interiors but to successfully manage projects through to completion. Jenny is able to speak the language of the broader industry and build successful partnerships with architects, builders, and vendors. She understands that a smooth, professional project experience is as important to her busy clients as an excellent aesthetic design.

Jenny built out her team to ensure she has the right mix of talent to enhance and support your project. Stefania and Maggie support the design and drafting phases, while Greg keeps operations and budgets tightly controlled. Our goal as a firm is to maintain boutique customization while providing the systems and support typically reserved for firms with a larger headcount.

At the end of the day, we believe our portfolio speaks for itself. We love that our work has been recognized in local and national publications, both in print and online. But we take the most pride in our ever-growing list of happy clients.

Jenny Madden Design offers luxury interior design services in the greater New York City area, based out of our Hoboken, NJ office. Whether you are embarking on a new construction project, a gut renovation or looking to furnish your existing space, our interior design team will guide you through the design process and into your dream home.

Show highlights:

  • The really awesome About Us page at Jenny Madden Design.
  • Some tips from Jenny and Greg's experience of working together.
  • Making the decision to put all their eggs in one basket.
  • Why it was really necessary to have someone in an operations role.
  • Greg as a pioneer in the work/family role.
  • Greg and Jenny's really supportive relationship.
  • The evaluation process they used for crunching the numbers.
  • Their plan for dealing with their downward change financially.
  • The benefits of having a fixed agreement for the business.
  • How they've managed to keep on track with their projections.
  • The way that their relationship has developed in the business.
  • The importance of having great communication when working together.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Andrea Schumacher #86 and then a replay on #275

Links:

Contact details for Jenny Madden Design:

website: Jenny Madden Design
email: info@jennymaddendesign.com

phone: 908-273-1634
office: 50 Harrison Street, Suite 202B Hoboken, NJ 07030
showroom: W Hoboken Living Room, 225 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030

Jun 8, 2018

Welcome to today's episode! We're very happy to finally be doing our second show on Pinterest today and we have Kate Ahl, the owner of Simple Pin Media, on the show with us. Kate teaches Pinterest marketing and she is really passionate about helping bloggers, content creators, and small business owners to grow by using Pinterest for their business. If you don't really have your Pinterest locked down as yet, you can go back and listen in to episode #292 with Summer Tannhauser to get the basics, because today, Kate and LuAnn will take you onto the next step. You're really in for a treat, so listen in now to find out more!

Kate does full-service management of people's Pinterest accounts and she also does consult calls with people who really need to get their Pinterest house in order. Kate originally started Simple Pin as a way to help her blogger friends to focus on creating content for their blogs and now, four years later, she has worked with more than four hundred accounts and she has one hundred management clients on her books.

Simple Pin was started on a whim and a prayer that it could provide for a family financially when they were living off government assistance and only $1000 per month! Kate runs Simple Pin out of her She Shed in her garden, and she even has a Pinterest board devoted to her She Shed ideas. She finds working from home a peaceful way to balance her family life, as she has three kids and also a bonus foster baby to care for. Kate and her husband are passionate about running their businesses in a way that allows them the space to do great things that can really impact their community. Kate often gets asked to speak on Pinterest and she has spoken at Build Your Blog Conference, Indulge and Blended, SNAP, and Social Media Marketing World. This year, she will be speaking at Activate, Everything Food, and Fincon. She really loves speaking about Pinterest, so listen in to find out what she has to share with you on the show today!

Show highlights:

  • Pinterest is actually a search engine- it's like a visual Google!
  • Some things that you really need to know, to make your Pinterest more effective and to drive more people to your website.
  • The importance of having the right kind of images on Pinterest.
  • Supplying the right information about your images on Pinterest.
  • The two types of people to be found on Pinterest.
  • Pinterest is a place where people go to dream and plan- and to save their ideas.
  • How to specify where you are located on Pinterest.
  • Telling your story with catchy phrases on your pins.
  • Thinking about your clients' pain points when creating your posts.
  • Earning people's trust with Pinterest.
  • Thinking of your website as a central hub.
  • Why you, as a designer, should encourage your clients to create a Pinterest board.
  • Innovative ways of creating your various Pinterest boards.
  • Why it's still really worth using Pinterest, even though it can take a while to build up steam.
  • How Pinterest is actually designed to help people take action.
  • Some tips for your best pinning practices.
  • Why it's okay to use the same images over and over again!
  • Why you really have to listen to the Simple Pin Podcast!
  • All about Kate's Full Pinterest Planner- you can download it for free at Simple Pin Media!

Other episodes mentioned on today's show:

Summer Tannhauser #292

Allison Fannin #223

Leslie Carothers (Savour Partnership) #209
Links:

Website: Simple Pin Media
Pinterest: Simple Pin Media
Facebook: Simple Pin Media
Twitter: Simple Pin Media
Podcast: Simple Pin Media Podcast
Jun 5, 2018

Welcome to today's Where Are They Now show, where we will be re-interviewing Darla Powell, from Darla Powell Interiors in Southern Florida. Darla originally appeared in episode #203, where she shared a lot of information about how she got her business off the ground and right out of the gate within the first seven months. On today's show, you will learn about everything that Darla has managed to accomplish over the last year- and she will also be announcing something brand-new, which will be making its debut on the podcast today! Listen in to find out more.

Darla has a fun, genuine and down-to-earth approach to the designing of beautiful spaces. Since she launched her career in 2016, she has grown her business almost exclusively by word-of-mouth and her clients have really fallen in love with her work!

In her past life, Darla spent almost twenty years as a Detective Sergeant in Miami Florida, so one might say that she is an expert on the importance of having complete tranquility at home after a stressful day at work! Also, her background has carried over many hidden perks- including a strong sense of integrity, accountability and a ready-for-anything-ness that is key for home renovation projects.

Darla's career transformation was fueled by her need to express her boundless creativity. She spent her childhood summers rummaging through her grandmother's antique store where she developed an extensive knowledge of antiques, collectibles and of pieces that look perfect together, so Darla's refined eye definitely sees those diamonds hiding in the rough! Above all, Darla really loves creating rooms that are gorgeous, elegant and soothing, so listen in now to find out what she has to share with you on the show today.

Show highlights:

  • Darla talks about some of the things she's learned over the last year.
  • The difference that the hiring of assistants has made to the growth of Darla's business.
  • How Darla re-invented herself at the age of fifty.
  • Why Darla has begun to delegate outside of her particular zone of genius.
  • Why Darla's company has grown by leaps and bounds over the last year.
  • Starting a business costs money, so you really need to have a plan.
  • Some of the more challenging moments when Darla first started out as a designer.
  • Darla's initial fears about raising her rates.
  • The kind of clients that Darla attracted when she was charging lower rates.
  • Finding your sweet spot in order to attract your ideal client.
  • How Darla managed to attract the huge number of Instagram followers that she has!
  • Keeping abreast with the latest Facebook algorithms.
  • The importance of being authentic and engaging quality followers on social media.
  • Using rich pins on Pinterest to drive traffic to your website.
  • The awesome clients that Darla has attracted through social media.
  • The benefits of sharing other people's work on social media.
  • All about Darla's exciting, soon-to-be-launched new venture- Wingnutsocial.com.

Other episodes mentioned in this show:

Barbara Viteri (Designerlebrity) #155

Allison Fannin #223

Leslie Carothers #209

Summer Tannhauser #292 

Resources mentioned on the show:

Website: Darla Powell Interiors
Website: Wingnut Social
Instagram:  @darlapowellinteriors 
Instagram:  @wingnutsocial
Facebook: Darla Powell Interiors
Twitter:  @wingnutsocial

Book: The Big Leap by Gay Hendricks

Jun 1, 2018

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We have John Dupra of Revel Woods with us for an interview today and they are also the sponsor of today's show! Revel Woods' mission is to make the buying process of expert-curated, high-quality hardwood floors as easy as possible. Today, John explains the proprietary algorithm, and how it removes a large number of the technical barriers that one normally faces when sourcing a wooden floor. He also talks about the new website that they are launching, with a revamped pro-program, to help you, as designers, to make money on this sought-after, high-ticket item. Listen in today to find out about the really unique method that Revel Woods has developed specifically to enable interior designers to learn about and also to confidently specify hardwood floors on their projects.

John's father, Craig, started out in the wood-flooring business, working as an installer and a re-finisher before John was even born. Craig did this work for twenty-four years before eventually opening his own wholesale wood-flooring distribution company in Rochester, New York. While John was growing up, he spent all his summer holidays helping his father in his business. He then took a job with Saint-Gobain, a large materials manufacturing company, where he traveled the country as a sales engineer, working with flooring contractors for a period of eight years, before deciding to return home to join the family business in wholesale distribution. When John returned to the business, he joined up with the operations manager and together they developed an idea to put the boutique flooring showroom experience online. Their inspiration came from high-end fashion sites, like Stitch Fix and Trunk Club, and this was how the idea for Revel Woods was born. John has been featured in a number of the publications in the industry, including being recognized in Hardwood Floor Magazine's first ever forty under forty.

Listen in to find out more!

Show highlights:

  • John talks about the supply chain in the industry.
  • Where interior designers can go to see what the Revel Woods product looks like. (Revel Woods)
  • How Revel Woods make their product equally and fairly available to everybody at the distribution level so that they are able to control the end-user experience from beginning to end.
  • Why the Revel Woods brand is really a brand of curated expertise from top to bottom.
  • The high level of care that's provided by Revel Woods.
  • What happens when you complete the Revel Woods Selector and how it works.
  • How flooring really forms the center of every design space from an aesthetic standpoint.
  • How the Revel Woods product is designed to technically empower and also to provide a financial incentive for interior designers.
  • What Revel Woods are doing with their brand-new website.
  • How the new Revel Woods website solves pain-points for designers.
  • The discount plus a rebate structure that Revel Woods has settled on for pro accounts, as an incentive for interior designers.
  • How every aspect of the way that Revel Woods operates is very well thought out.
  • How Revel Woods have closed the loop to help find qualified installers for solo or small business owners who want to source their product.
  • Getting to really understand professional installers and the way that they think.
  • The way that Revel Woods will really work well for less experienced designers.
  • The incredible kind of support that Revel Woods gives designers.
  • The awesome features to be found on the new Revel Woods website!

Links:

Website: Revel Woods

Facebook: Revel Woods

Instagram:  @revel_woods

Twitter:  @RevelWoods

Pinterest: Revel Woods

May 29, 2018

Welcome to today's show! We are very happy to introduce you to Catherine Hersacher, the founder of Bespoke Fine Interiors in Aiken, South Carolina. On the show today Catherine talks to us about how she translates and brings her worldly exposure and background to the small-horse community of Aiken. Running an interior design firm in a small, tight-knit community has some very specific challenges, but there are pro's to it as well. On today's show, Catherine also talks a bit about her consultation process. She is able to achieve a design for any project that is cogent with her client's tastes and context. Listen in today to find out more about working as an interior designer in a smaller market.             

Catherine, originally from Massachusetts, founded Bespoke Fine Interiors in Aiken South Carolina in 2012, with fourteen years of design experience behind her. She previously worked for some of the top firms in the country, in the high-end residential and ultra-exclusive hospitality sectors of the design industry. Catherine gained invaluable knowledge in the luxury residential design field while working in Palm Beach, Florida. Then, moving to the Northeast, Catherine joined an exclusive hospitality design firm as an interior designer and specifications manager. Many of the projects were five-star and boutique properties, including hotels, clubhouses, residential towers and conference centers. These projects were often located all around the globe. Catherine was part of the Asia team and was frequently sent to present and conduct site visits in China and Hong Kong. Listen in to find out what Catherine has to share on the show today.

Show highlights:

  • Catherine discusses her backward approach to her career.
  • Catherine's return to school to get an undergraduate degree in architecture and a master's in product design.
  • Giving in to her horse addiction and moving to Aiken South Carolina.
  • The importance of setting your limits.
  • How Catherine manages to find the right work-life balance.
  • The type of design projects that Catherine works with, in Aiken.
  • Saying 'yes' to repeat work.
  • Catherine explains her superpower.
  • What Catherine loves the most about the market that she works with.
  • The awesome relationship that Catherine has with her current clients.
  • Working with a mid-level market.
  • All of Catherine's work comes from word-of-mouth and most of it comes from builders.
  • Why Catherine does not specialize in any particular market.
  • What Catherine finds the most challenging part of her work.
  • About Catherine's relationships with her contractors.
  • Why Catherine never thought that she would ever own her own business.
  • The way that Catherine has grown since starting her own business.
  • Catherine describes her initial consultation process.
  • Having the budget conversation in the first fifteen minutes of the consultation.

Other episodes mentioned in this show:

Susan Yeley #208

Natalie Hurst #172

Blanche Garcia #282

 Links:

Website: Bespoke
Instagram: Bespoke Fine Interiors  @bespokefineinteriors
Facebook: Bespoke Fine Interiors
May 25, 2018

Welcome! Today we're really excited to have Chaney Widmer, the founder of Mix and Match Design Company, back with us- and she is also the sponsor of today's show!  (She was previously in episode #260.)  We were really impressed when we first met Chaney because she was so well-spoken, so poised, and so directed and focused about her business. We were also really impressed with the way that Chaney's whole business is completely E-design and that she doesn't do any client-facing in-the-house work at all. Listen in today to find out more about Chaney's niche.

Mix & Match Design Company was founded by Chaney Widmer in 2015 with the goal of making interior design services accessible and affordable for everyone. By harnessing the power of technology and using innovative online tools, Mix & Match has been able to help folks create homes that they love in a fun and efficient way - all online through "e-design" -while maintaining a personal touch. She wants to take the intimidation out of interior design - whether you are starting from scratch on a brand new home or redesigning a room that's ready for an update, she's ready to help!

Over the past several years, Mix & Match has grown into a multi-faceted business that serves not only clients but other interior design businesses as well. On the client side, Chaney offers one-on-one e-design packages, and also shares inspiring and educational design content to a broad audience through twice-weekly blog posts and on social media. In February 2018, she expanded into the "B-to-B" world and released an online course for designers (or aspiring ones!) who want to launch their own online interior design businesses. This self-paced course is released a few times a year and provides a "quick start" guide to getting an e-design business up and running. Enabling others to pursue their goal of starting a design business is a passion of Chaney's, and she's very excited to help them succeed! Mix & Match Design Company is based in the great city of Philadelphia and serves clients locally and nationally.

At the end of the last show with Chaney, we mentioned that she was in the process of coming up with a course for her interior design colleagues who are interested in learning about how to run a profitable and effective E-design business. She has subsequently come up with that course. It's called How To Launch An E-design Business, and it will launch on the 4th of June 2018. Today we will be talking to Chaney about exactly what is in her course and she will also explain how it works. Listen in to find out what Chaney has to share with you today.

Show highlights:

  • E-design is really flexible- it can either be your entire business or used as a side-hustle.
  • The in-depth nature of Chaney's course.
  • The way that Chaney has taken this aspect of design and systemized it.
  • How Chaney's course will really save you time.
  • How the principals in the course will be a good foundation for your design business.
  • Chaney's course is recorded, so you can do it in your own time and at your own pace.
  • The course can also be used to get the junior designers or design assistants who work for you up to speed.
  • The major topics that are in the four videos in the course.
  • Chaney really has her marketing well locked down!
  • Chaney's belief is that designers should be providing everything that their clients need.
  • Finding the right process for your clients.
  • Most people accept that Chaney is an E-designer and so she won't go and do in-person consultations.
  • The feedback that Chaney has had from designers who have purchased her course.
  • Chaney's goals for the course that she created.
  • Chaney is offering a free download from the course.
  • What you will learn from the workbook of the course.
  • Who the course is tailored for.

 Links:

To get your free download of The start-up checklist for an E-design business go to E Design Biz Checklist

You can find Chaney's course How To Launch An E-design Business at: E Design Course

To get onto Chaney's email list go to the course landing-page at E Design Course.

How To Launch An E-Design Business course:
 
Mix & Match Design Company website: Mix And Match Design
Instagram: @mixandmatchdesigncompany
Facebook: Mix & Match Design Company
May 22, 2018

Download The Skills Assessment!

Welcome to today's episode of Design Biz Live! As many of you know, this means that I have Judith Neary and Corey Klassen with me and that we're going to have an in-depth discussion about the intricacies of running your interior design business. Listen in to find out more!

On the show today we are going to be talking about the important personality traits that you need to master in order to be really successful as an interior designer. Judith gives a fabulous description of what is and what isn't a successful interior designer and Corey discusses the specific questionnaire that he sends out to his clients before their first consultation, along with his specific eleven step 'What I will do and what I won't do' document that he attaches and goes over with them when they sign the contract. Listen in today to find out what it takes to create a smooth and easy process for your clients.

Show Highlights:

 

  • Some of the overarching traits that are really important for interior designers to have- or to develop. 
  • What adaptability means to Judith.
  • Corey's take on adaptability.
  • Why it's not okay to adapt your particular zone of genius to please a client.
  • About Corey's detailed Self Assessment Check List of Skills.
  • Working within your particular zone of genius.
  • Learning how to manage both conflict and resolution.
  • Corey's way of dealing with things that bother him.
  • Becoming willing to do the hard thing- so that everything else can fall into place.
  • Corey discusses his initial process with new clients.
  • Corey's process of knowing what he will and won't do.
  • The three things that Judith will not do.
  • How Corey works out what he will charge for each project.
  • Why Corey always presents his proposals to his clients in person.
  • Why Corey does not take any digital communication from his clients outside of their project in the MyDoma Studio platform.  
  • What Corey charges to cover his initial consultation and operation costs.
  • Being really clear with your clients about what you will and won't do. 

 

Other episodes mentioned in this show:

Lee Cockerel #222

This show is also a video on our YouTube channel
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 18, 2018

Welcome to another Power Talk Friday! We have Claire Jefford back on the show with us today (she was previously on #237) and we will be talking to her about how to create products, courses, and the kinds of things that designers can sell to consumers on their websites. She will explain what this looks like, how to do it, why you should be doing it, and also, some steps that you can follow in the process. LuAnn really enjoys talking to Claire and she loves having her on the show because it means that it's going to be a seriously good one, so listen in today to find out what Claire has to share with you.

Claire started her interior decorating business in 2011 and her firm specializes in 3D design as well as custom residential projects. Claire has a very keen eye for detail and she particularly loves to mix patterns and fabrics. Her company was named one of the top thirty interior design firms in Ontario in 2017 and she is very proud to be the highest reviewed design professional in the greater Toronto area on Howzz, with more than ninety reviews! Claire, not one to shy away from social media, has been creating videos on Facebook since 2013 and she started her own Youtube channel in January 2016. She also has a second business, where she coaches and helps other designers to run their interior design businesses. With her no-nonsense approach, she shares marketing ideas, proven processes and social media strategies, to help others in the field to build confidence in the way that they work. Claire also runs a free Facebook group called Interior Design Business Strategies, which is an amazing community focusing on the business of design. Listen in now to find out more. 

Show highlights:

  • Claire explains the difference between a product that you create and an affiliate link.
  • The right time to do affiliate links on your website.
  • Getting to know your audience.
  • Some steps to creating the kind of product that consumers can buy from your website.
  • Finding and recognizing opportunities to create your products.
  • Looking at your customers' pain points in order to create a valuable product.
  • Layering some affiliate links into your website.
  • The importance of building trust with your audience through your website.
  • Saving both time and money are always really important.
  • The benefits of having a Facebook group.
  • How to do a really effective pre-sale for your product.
  • The walk-through video that Claire created.
  • Being really clear about what you're offering on your website.
  • Knowing when you should throw in the towel.
  • Sometimes you're going to need to invest in what you're creating.
  • The time and effort that it took for Claire to create her 'Rock The Consult' course.
  • Categorising your blog posts.
  • The beauty of creating products that will retain their relevance over time.
  • Why you really need to charge for all the time you're using.
  • Remember to get testimonials from your customers!

Claire was also in episode #237: Claire Jefford - How to Get More Clients with Video Content

Other episodes mentioned on this show:

Kae Whitaker #274

Carla Aston #242 

Links:

Claire on Instagram: @ClaireJeffordDesigns

Claire's website: Claire Jefford

Claire on Facebook

Claire on Youtube

May 15, 2018

Welcome to today's episode! I have Steven G, of Interiors By Steven G, with me today and we will be talking about how and why Steven G came to the decision to leave the first interior design firm that he partnered with and how he launched his own company, based on the lessons (or the negatives, as he calls them) that he learned there. He will also discuss how he established his company and reputation with the luxury property developers in the South Florida region. Today's show is a fantastic example of gambling on yourself and of calculating the risk vs your return on investment, so please listen in carefully to what Steven has to share with you today.

Interiors By Steven G is one of South Florida's most outstanding interior design firms. Steven leads a team of more than eighty professionals, which include licensed interior designers who are fluent in seven languages, interior design renderers, a full Autocad department, design assistants, an in-house marketing and PR department, as well as a full warehouse team with their own fleet of trucks. Their locations include a one-hundred-thousand square foot corporate office and showroom and the NOW by Steven G Showroom. These are both located in Broward County. Listen in to find out more.

Show highlights:

  • How Steven intentionally, and also organically built his collaborations with the luxury property developers in South Florida.
  • Why Steven has focused his career and business on the luxury condominium market.
  • How Steven used to reach his buyers through his sales center.
  • How Steven works between seventy and eighty hours every week to remain out-of-the-box as a designer.
  • How Steven's business first began to blossom, and how he found his niche.
  • The importance of being structured in the way you do your business.
  • How Steven has never forgotten where he came from- or to say 'thank you'.
  • Steven's humble approach to his business.
  • How Steven got his foot in the door with the luxury property developers, early on in his business.
  • How Steven assesses the potential return on his investments.
  • Reaping the benefits of long-term design investments.
  • How Steven realized that the first firm that he partnered with was going to crash and burn.
  • The way that Steven built his company on 'the negatives'.
  • Steven is always reachable- this really works for him!
  • How working hard can allow you to eventually land in a really beautiful place!
  • The importance of creating your own destiny.
  • Steven is a wealth of knowledge- and he is willing to share it with you, designers!
  • Why you always need to think ahead of the game.
  • Please take the time to go to Steven's website interiorsbysteveng.com The work is really unbelievable!

Resources:

Interiors By Steven G

Steven on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Linkedin
May 11, 2018

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Last Friday we started a great conversation with Ashley Hotham-Cox, the editor-in-chief of Home Design & Decor in Charlotte, about how to pitch yourself and how to get press. Today we are really happy to continue the conversation with Amy Flurry. Amy has appeared once before on the show, on episode #108 and she's really a smart lady, so if you haven't met her yet, you are really in for a treat! Listen in now to find out more!

Amy has two decades of editorial experience, conceiving ideas for stories, producing shoots, and writing copy for magazines and online publications. These include Country Living, In Style, Refinery 29, Conde Nast Traveller, Better Homes and Gardens, and Lucky Magazine. Amy authored Recipe For Press- Pitch Your Story and Create A Buzz, (which we spoke about in episode #108) after being inspired by her career in publishing. She has now written her second book, Recipe For Press- Designer Edition. This book is filled to the brim with tools for interior designers, architects, landscape planners, and product designers who need to take advantage of any new media opportunities which are available. Amy applies her collective expertise- from trend direction to product and brand development, working with companies to expand their marketing strategies and to connect businesses to the interior design trade. Listen in to find out what she has to share with you on today's show.

Show highlights:

  • The really great advice that Amy gave to LuAnn when they first met.
  • About Amy's fabulous new book, Recipe For Press- Designer Edition.
  • The overarching points that Amy wanted to get across in her new book.
  • Why designers need to create a strategy for getting press.
  • The shift that Amy has seen lately, in the design industry.
  • The new opportunities that are available now, for designers to get their names out there.
  • Why you need to have a really good pitch.
  • How to create a killer pitch.
  • Why you really need to know what you want to get from the press.
  • Remember that all publications need content!
  • The amount of work that you're going to be in for when you engage with a publicist.
  • Why it makes more sense to pitch for publications in your neighborhood.
  • Press is not about ego- it's actually about business!
  • Working your way up- starting with your local press and local market.
  • About Amy's layering strategy.
  • The way that Amy creates events that are really worthwhile for everyone in the room.
  • Why retailers really want you, as interior designers, in their showrooms.
  • The importance of sharing- and recycling images.
  • Celebrating the things that set you apart from other designers.
  • Some of the fabulous resources that are available on Amy's website- Recipe For Press.
  • About Amy's incredible company- Paper-Cut-Project. You can see it on Instagram.

 Links:

Other episodes mentioned on this show:

Laura Thurman #272

Claire Staszak #166

Lynn K Leonidas #179

And Amy Flurry appeared before on episode #108

 

To order your copy of Amy's book go to Recipe For Press.

Go to Luann Nigara, to the 'live events' tab, to find the RSVP link for the opening night, at Lefroy Brooks, of the ICFF at the AND Building on 22nd May. The first 25 people will receive a free book from LuAnn!

To figure out all the things that you can do with MyDoma Studio go to My Doma Studio.

To get onto LuAnn's email list text the word designbiz to 444 999, or go to her website www.luannnigara.com and go to the events page.

May 8, 2018

Welcome to today's episode! On the show today we are going to be having an in-depth conversation with Deborah Von Donop, an interior designer, and well-known blogger. We will be talking to Deborah about monetizing your blog and also about how and why it is really important to create a content-rich blog, in order to drive readers and design enthusiasts to your website for the opportunity to monetize through affiliate links and sponsored content. Listen in to find out more about networking as your biggest resource for growth.              

Deborah is the principal of DVD Interiors in Connecticut and she is the editor and founder of the national blog DVD Interior Design. Deborah also guests blogs for a number of other sites, including Westchester Magazine, I blog Magazine, Blissfully Domestic.Com and more. She writes weekly posts about design resources, highlights from industry events and also interior design topics which are aimed to educate and inspire her readers. Deborah's experience includes a BFA in Interior Architecture from Cal State University in Long Beach, a CCIDQ certification, an NCIDQ certification and a LEED GA credential. All of this combines really well to bring an in-depth knowledge to all of her projects. Listen in now to find out what Deborah has to share about upping your game in social media.

Note- This show with Deborah pairs very nicely with the upcoming show featuring Claire Jefford, which will air next week. It follows up on today's show with how to create your own content to sell through your website and blog, so be on the lookout for that!

Show highlights:

  • Deborah discusses her evolution from interior designer to online media marketing expert.
  • How Deborah really got to grips with the online marketing space from the inside out.
  • How the online marketing space has really widened Deborah's opportunities.
  • How Deborah is now applying her experience from her blog, over the last few years, to her interior design business.
  • Why Deborah really loves to teach people about the importance of republishing their work.
  • Why you really have to give a lot before asking for anything back in the online space.
  • Three good places to start with monetizing your blog.
  • How advertising has evolved to become more sophisticated.
  • Making money through affiliate marketing.
  • Why middle bloggers are rising in the online space.
  • Why you should always be consistent with your message in the online space.
  • About word of mouth marketing.
  • Ten great online environment options.
  • Getting your blog to the point where you can monetize it.
  • How much traffic you need to be a successful affiliate marketer.
  • The benefits of using evergreen content in your blog.
  • Creating income through sponsored content.
  • Why you have to be really passionate about blogging to make it.

Links:

To contact Deborah, or to get her Visibility Package go to DvD Interior Design 

Book mentioned on the show: Jab Jab Jab Right Hook by Gary Vaynerchuck.

To get all the details about the Kips Bay show-house go to Kips Bay show-house

May 4, 2018

Welcome to today's episode! We are really happy to have Ashley Hotham Cox with us and she's going to be a really hot topic on the show today!  Ashley comes with a significant level of experience. She used to be with Traditional Home and now she is the newly appointed editor-in-chief of Home Design & Decor. Listen in today to find out what Ashley has to share about promoting your design work through features in interior design magazines.      

Ashley is a long-time Charlotte local- with a twist. As a North Carolina native, she graduated from the University of South Carolina with a bachelor of arts degree in fashion and a master's degree in journalism before earning her experience as a writer at Charlotte, Charlotte Wedding, and Charlotte Home & Garden magazines, and also as an editor at Traditional Home in New York. She is also a designer, having earned her certificate in interior design from the Parsons School of Design. Ashley returned home in 2016 to join the team of Home Design & Decor. Listen in now to find out more about how to pitch successfully, to be featured in design publications.

Show highlights:

  • Ashley discusses the big differences between what she was doing at Traditional Home and what she's doing now as an editor-in-chief at Home Design & Decor.
  • Ashley discusses an overview of the editorial calendar and what she's looking out for, and how this affects you, as designers.
  • Finding the cut-off dates for specific features.
  • What you can do if you miss the cut-off date for a certain feature to promote some work that you've done.
  • Weighing up if you should publish on Instagram or not if you have missed a deadline.
  • Everything is always subject to change in time.
  • Becoming really familiar with a specific publication before pitching your work to them.
  • Ashley discusses what her front-of-book looked like for last year.
  • The exceptions to the rule of featuring new design projects only.
  • The kind of pitch that really gets Ashley's attention.
  • What you need, in order to be considered for a magazine feature.
  • Why you shouldn't be discouraged if you get a 'no' from an editor.
  • Photography is not cheap, so should you supply your own photos for a magazine feature, or not?
  • Why you need to turn the lights off when taking pictures for a publication.
  • Photographing interiors is very different to taking real estate shots.
  • Why Ashley doesn't really buy into trends.
  • Why you need to really get to know about a publication before pitching them.
  • Ashley's favorite thing about her job.
  • Things that will really make your project different, bring life to an interior- and a great story!

Social Media:

Instagram:

@AshleyHCox

@Clt_homedesigndecor

@tri_homedesigndecor

May 1, 2018

Welcome to today's show! We are really happy to have Jo Buckerfield with us today. She is the designer and project manager for the UK based design firm Your Space Living and her husband, Mike Buckerfield, is their studio manager. Mike has been Jo's champion in getting her onto the podcast and it's been no easy task because it's just not her thing to go out and be interviewed! Mike emailed LuAnn a few months back, saying that he'd been listening to the show and that he loves it! He explained that having Jo on the show would really bring it so much value because she is truly an amazing designer in the UK, so listen in to find out what she has to share on the show today.

When the home design company that Jo had been working for as a furniture designer for many years went out of business unexpectedly in 2012, she wanted to ensure that the clients who had been left with unfinished projects still got their dream homes. That was when Your Space Living was born. Working tirelessly and out-of-pocket for six months, Jo and Mike completed every one of the abandoned projects, and so they laid the foundations for the successful company that they are still running today! Jo's design expertise, creativity, and vision allow them to go beyond the standard and create beautiful spaces that meet the needs of modern-day families. Listen in now to find out more.

Show highlights:

  • Jo is a full-service interior designer who leads with her kitchen design- she explains how this really works for her interior design firm.
  • Jo explains all about her great reward-based client referral system, which is also an awesome marketing tool.
  • How Jo evolved to becoming a project manager.
  • Jo's really rewarding personal approach to her clients.
  • The lovely gift hampers that Jo gives her clients to say 'thank you' at the end of a project.
  • The little touches that serve as reminders to Jo's past clients.
  • The intentional way that Jo keeps a positive spin about kitchen design on her website.
  • The massive difference between kitchen design and interior design.
  • How Jo manages to have enough time to spend with her clients through doing mainly kitchen design.
  • The recent evolution of kitchen design.
  • Why it really helps to understand the construction aspect of design.
  • How Jo really puts her heart and soul into the industry.
  • Jo's way of dealing with potential clients who are not the right fit for her business.
  • Constantly tweaking her website to ensure that the right message is being put out there.
  • Adding value for clients by giving them the right advice.
  • Ways to be able to work with your ideal client with no worries.
Social Media:
Your Space Living
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram: @yourspaceliving
Apr 27, 2018

There is a new landscape to how consumers are shopping for design products. More and more design clients are choosing products and features online. It might seem like the heyday of the local Design Center is over, but that is far from the truth. Your local design center is an ever-evolving resource for you and all of your design products. How can you properly utilize a design center to keep up with a changing industry? How do they remain a designer-focused tool, rather than a consumer-focused tool? My guest, Kristan McLaughlin, is going to answer all of this and more!

Kristan McLaughlin is the General Manager of Leasing & Partnerships at the Boston Design Center (BDC), the region’s preeminent destination for luxury interior furnishings. For the last 4 years, she has been overseeing the massive 350,000 sq. ft. space that houses 70 home and contract showrooms. Kristan is also the President of the Design Centers International, a Board Member of the Decorative Furnishings Association and a partner to many such as Boston Home, Design New England, and New England Home to name a few. Kristan is a proud mom of 5 humans and 2 Golden Retrievers - Hula and Finn - who keep her from becoming a true empty-nester. She and her family look forward to moving back to Boston in the future and decorating their “grown-up home.”

I am excited for you to hear so much more about how the Boston Design Center is ahead of the curve in innovation and style. You won’t want to miss out!

More in this episode:

  • Why a Design Center is still an important part of the new landscape of consumer purchases.
  • Why a Design Center is the place for the most “Aha” moments!
  • Design Centers across the country are absolutely evolving to the new market and new consumer.
  • Event spaces and conference rooms are just another way the Centers are utilizing their spaces well.
  • Clients don’t have to come in with a designer.
  • Discover the product search engine that was designed within the industry!
  • The new offerings that Design Centers are doing to make their services even more accessible.
  • Being a part of the Design Center can be a good way to keep your foot in the field.
  • Engaging with the internet is good for business.

Resources:

Boston Design

@bostondesigncenter

Facebook: Boston Design Center

@kristanmclaughlin

Apr 24, 2018

Welcome to today's show! We are delighted to introduce you to our guest for the show, Jill Zarin. Jill is a  veteran of the TV show Real Housewives of New York, and wife of the late Bobby Zarin, owner of Zarin Fabrics in New York. We will be talking to Jill today about Zarin Fabrics, about the rug line that she has recently launched with Unique Loom, and about her luxury ladies lunch that she hosts every year in the Hamptons for charity. Jill has also promised to give us a tour of her apartment in New York City, which boasts some pieces from DXV for the faucets, and all her rugs are there, too! Listen in to find out more!

Last fall, Unique Loom, one of the most plentiful sources of handmade and power loomed rugs in the world, teamed up with Jill to create their very first rug collaboration. It's a vibrant collection, offering bold, colorful options with an airy and modern feel. This collection delivers quality design at an attainable price, which is a priority shared by both Jill and Unique Loom. The collection was inspired in part by Jill's personal style, as well as the various motifs found in the history of Manhattan's urban design. Listen today to find out more about this awesome collaboration.

We're sure that every single person who knows Jill is thinking about her and everything that she went through recently, with the loss of her beloved husband, Bobby.

Show highlights:

  • The tedious way that advertising used to be done in the past.
  • A little about the way that Zarin Fabrics used to be run in the past.
  • Surprisingly enough, Zarin Fabrics is actually a fabric warehouse!
  • Zarin Fabrics is the only drapery and upholstery supply company in the city of New York.
  • Jill's experience with Macy's Training Program.
  • Some of the projects and products lines that Jill developed prior to her collaboration with Unique Loom.
  • Respecting the expertise of those who are in the know- unless your gut tells you otherwise!
  • Jill's past jewelry lines and some mistakes she made with them.
  • The wonderful partners that Jill has for her current line of rugs.
  • The fantastic fabrics that Jill's rugs are made of.
  • Jill discusses her fabulously affordable rug lines.
  • How Jill has learned to go with the designs that she likes.
  • All about Jill's luxury charity lunch this year, at Topping Rose House Hotel in the Hamptons.
  • The valuable swag bags that Jill gives away at her charity lunches.
  • The celebrities that show up for Jill's charity lunches.
  • The entrepreneurial aspect of Jill's charity lunches.
  • Enjoy the tour of Jill's apartment.
  • The phenomenal DXV design pieces in Jill's apartment.

Links:

Jills website: Jill Zarin

eSale Rugs

Jill on Social Media:

Facebook

Twitter

Instagram

Kravet has a new code for you. You can get 10% off any one project using Kravet fabric, trims or wallpaper—specify Kravet fabric, trim and wallpaper for your next interior design project and use the code AWDB10 at checkout!!

MyDoma Studio is a software platform that helps you manage your client projects easily and efficiently. Go to MyDoma Studio to learn more.

Apr 20, 2018

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We are very excited to have Nicole Heymer back on the show today! Nicole is the owner of Curio Electro, a boutique creative agency that specializes in branding and websites for interior design firms and other interesting and creative businesses. Nicole is the genius behind my LuAnn Nigara website- and I really love it! There are certain things that we do that really represent who we are and what we do and my website is one of those things for me! And one of the reasons for Nicole coming back on the show is rooted in my own experience of being part of her company and going through the whole discovery process of building my website with her.  Listen in today as Nicole takes us through her entire, really organized and actionable process- it's just like therapy for your business!

Nicole's clear and actionable approach to branding has been featured by some of the design industry's favorite resources and organizations. From ASID's Tech Talk series to the New Jersey chapter and also to the Window Coverings Association of America, Nicole is an active ASID partner and she currently serves as the editor of the New Jersey chapter's Blueprint Magazine. Listen in to find out more.

Show highlights:

  • Stepping back to get an overview of what you're doing.
  • Starting out with a very clear plan.
  • How Nicole developed her process.
  • The whole planning process.
  • Looking ahead to the goals that you want to accomplish- then doing things in the correct order.
  • Some of the goals that designers could aspire towards.
  • Getting to grips with the messaging on your website.
  • Clearly showing people who and where you are, and what you do, on your website.
  • Being truthful with your messaging when creating your brand.
  • Taking your budget into account when planning your website.
  • Getting really clear about who you want to take action on your website.
  • Getting clear about the kind of action that you would like to be taken on your website.
  • Some things to consider when setting up your website.
  • Nurturing your clients' needs with lead magnets.
  • Telling the story of a project with your portfolio.
  • Ways of driving more traffic to your website.
  • Coming up with content for a blog.
  • About Nicole's Brand Discovery Class that's coming up shortly. Go to brandingdiscovery.com to find out more.

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Nicole Heymer #125 How To Brand Your Interior Design Business

Rachel Cannon #306

Sandra Espinet #287

Kae Whitaker #259

Marina Umali #248

Nancy Ganzekaupher #256

Apr 17, 2018

Welcome to today's show! We have Wendy Woloshchuk with us today and she's the principal of Details Full Service Interiors located in rural western Massachusetts.

Wendy is a real inspiration for designers! She lives and works in a rural area almost two hours away from the nearest design center and yet she's killing it!

This is because she knows exactly who her ideal client is and she's claimed it without wasting any time on ideas and pursuits that are not authentic to her client base and all her marketing is intentionally created to attract this client to her every day.

It was really no easy task starting an interior design business in a very small community, in the middle of a recession! Wendy is known for her no-nonsense approach and for her creative style with it's attention to detail.

Nothing makes her happier than when her clients see how she's managed to infuse their personalities into the design and they love the finished space! Listen in today and become inspired by Wendy, her business model, and her awesome business acumen.

Wendy opened Details in 2007 after going back to school to learn interior design as her second career in 2005. Details Full-Service Interiors specializes in designing comfortable, personalized homes for busy families who want to make the most of their family time and resources.

Wendy has been using Facebook as her primary marketing tool for the last five years. She shares fun tips and decorating ideas on her Facebook daily live show, The Daily Details, and she has recently started a consumer-facing Facebook group, called The Details Design & Decorating  Club, in order to keep her following and her business growing. Listen in now to find out more about Wendy and the way she runs her rural design business.

Just to let you know- this show is also available as a video presentation on LuAnn's Youtube channel, A Well- Designed Business.

Show highlights:

  • How Wendy first got into using Facebook Live consistently for her marketing.
  • Wendy walks through her whole process of pushing through with Facebook Live.
  • Ways to come across naturally and authentically in your videos.
  • How Wendy creates the content for The Daily Details.
  • How Wendy prepares herself for her Monday videos.
  • Ways for you to emulate what Wendy has been doing on Facebook Live.
  • When she really began to experience engagement on Facebook Live.
  • There are people watching you on Facebook that you don't even know about!
  • Why Wendy chose Facebook as her primary marketing tool.
  • Finding where your ideal client is hanging out on social media.
  • How Wendy found her niche within her community.
  • How Facebook Live makes you more accessible to your ideal market.
  • What it's like- and some tips for doing business in a rural area.
  • The benefits of building a great relationship with your reps.
  • Some free- and some for-purchase downloads that are available on Wendy's website. (Some of them are even MyDoma Studio packages.)
  • You can arrange for a consultation with Wendy and you can also purchase pre-paid furniture packages and even accessories via MyDoma Studio.
  • The benefits of having affiliate sites.
  • The DIY package that's available on Wendy's website.
  • Ways to build a portfolio on your website.

LuAnn has done a six-show series on the how, the why and the technical aspects of Facebook for business. These shows can be found on her website (www.luannnigara.com) in the Social Media and Marketing collection.

For more FB marketing tips please search social media on LuAnn Nigara

Kravet has a new code for you. You can get 10% off any one project using Kravet fabric, trims or wallpaper—specify Kravet fabric, trim and wallpaper for your next interior design project and use the code AWDB10 at checkout!!

MyDoma Studio is a software platform that helps you manage your client projects easily and efficiently. Go to My Doma Studio to learn more.

Other episodes mentioned on this show:

Claire Jefford #237

Rachel Moriarty #55 and #214

Dixie Willard #273

Links:

Details Full-Service Interiors
 
Facebook: Details Full Service Interiors
 
Instagram: Details Full Service Interiors
Apr 13, 2018

Are you ready to harness the secrets of the best in the industry to create consistently amazing results in your business? this Power Talk Friday is Madeline MacRae. Madeline was LuAnn’s guest in episode 283, and returns for this episode.

Madeline is the CEO, founder and chief innovator for MM MacRae, a national learning, coaching and consulting firm. MM MacRae specializes in the development and growth of pros and companies specializing in the home professionals industry. She is such a high energy, driven person, and she shares a wealth of knowledge on this episode. If you’re ready to do what it takes to achieve freedom and long-term growth in your business, you will want to absorb Madeline MacRae’s information like a sponge! 

 

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • Madeline and LuAnn led a seminar on goal setting at the International Window Covering Expo in Tampa, FL, and discovered their ideas on goal setting are identical!
  • 5 Day Sales Challenge (see 5 Day Sales Challenge Facebook Page) to help you learn the need for peer accountability, mindset and to give you concrete tools, that usually cost $3000.00 in our program, to help you tweak things in your business to make it more successful. It will also  make you a better salesperson. In addition, you will have a call to action each day. The 5 Day Sales Challenge will include Madeline making a live appearance in the group every day and will share ideas, inspiration, and to answer your questions. Madeline will do some episodes of Facebook Live leading up to the challenge and will let you know when she will appear in the group. Topics will include:
  • Day 1: Master your Metrix
  • Day 2: Confidence is King
  • Day 3: Systems Make Sales
  • Day 4: The Fortune is in the Follow-up
  • There is Gold in your Nose!
  • Discover your inner creativity in relation to sales.
  • Learn the importance of getting a definite yes or no answer when selling.
  • Utilize effective listening skills when listening to your clients’ needs.
  • Learn when a client is really a client, not a potential client or lead.

 

Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

mmmacrae.com for consulting and coaching

Fasttrackmember.com for Madeline’s Bootcamp landing page

5 Day Sales Challenge on Facebook

The 5 Levels of Leadership, by John C. Maxwell

Now Discover Your Strengths, by Donald O. Clifton and Marcus Buckingham

Strengths-Based Leadership, by Tom Rath and Barry Conchie

To get access to some of Madeleine’s goals training absolutely free go to Fast Track Sales Systems.

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