Info

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.
RSS Feed
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
2024
March
February
January


2023
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2022
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2021
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2020
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2019
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2018
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2017
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February
January


2016
December
November
October
September
August
July
June
May
April
March
February


Categories

All Episodes
Archives
Categories
Now displaying: Category: general
Jul 29, 2022

Today With Katie McFarlan:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. What does it take to be successful? We talk about it week in and week out on the show. There are so many details, so many facets to business success. But there are a handful of business practices that every successful designer puts into place—the things that set them apart from those who struggle. Today, Katie McFarlan of Dakota Design Co joins me to share the six business practices she believes are key to a well-designed business.

Pick It Apart

  • [11:54] Katie breaks down why setting a project minimum is important and the different ways to do it. 
  • [22:57] LuAnn and Katie discuss the value of clear service offerings and processes.
  • [32:57] Katie shares why investing in yourself is vital.
  • [47:42] LuAnn and Katie talk about professional photography and why it matters even if you don’t have projects yet. 
  • [51:28] Katie highlights how setting boundaries helps with business success.

LuAnn Nigara and Katie McFarlan's Ah-Ha Moments

“The more clarity you can put around things the less opportunity there is for designers to complain about “scope creep.” If you didn’t define what it is that you do, how is the client supposed to know that it’s out of the parameters?” -LuAnn

 

“When you do the same thing over and over again, it’s good at getting you to be more efficient and working out the kinks. Your clients will enjoy working with you more when they know what to expect.” -Katie

More About Katie McFarlan:

As a former wedding and event planner with 16 years of experience in operations and project management, Katie enjoys using both her creative and analytical sides to find solutions that work for her clients. With her intimate knowledge of how both industries work, she knows what it takes to get behind-the-scenes operations running smoothly so businesses can grow in a sustainable and professional way. Today her business, Dakota Design Company, helps interior designers and wedding planners who are buried in business operations get back to doing the creative work they love. Through consulting and done-for-you implementation, she and her all-female team streamline their clients’ services and pricing, create strategic client experiences, and refine and implement processes their teams and customers will appreciate.

Connect with Katie McFarlan

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#678 Power Talk Friday: Katie McFarlan: The Client Experience Starts with Processes

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Mydoma Studio, your complete designer toolkit. Mydoma makes it easy to streamline your processes, track projects, communicate with clients, and get organized. It’s created by designers for designers, specifically to address what you need as a business owner. I’ve said countless times that systems and processes are how you reach the next level of profitability. Mydoma Studio makes it easy to do that. You can get 20% off your first three months by going to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness

Jul 26, 2022

Today With Renee Biery:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I am chatting with Renee Biery, owner of  deVignier Design, Inc. and Only Girl On the Jobsite podcast. Renee works in restoration as well as new construction and she wanted to share with my listeners how renovation management is a stable income for interior designers throughout the year, as procurement and decorating ebbs and flows per job. A lot of takeaways here. Enjoy!

Pick It Apart

[3:50] Renee describes the scope of renovation management in her business.

[14:26] Renee shares how she changed the initial conversations with her clients, so that they would consider her for renovation management as well.

[22:53] Renee shares another way we can position ourselves to clients as their one stop shop.

[32:40] Renee gives us tips as designers on how we can confidently show up at a typically male dominated job site.

LuAnn Nigara and Renee Biery's Ah-Ha Moments

“Many designers are doing renovation management, but don’t necessarily lead with it in their marketing.” - Renee Biery

 

“There’s a lot of different people with different skill sets that are needed to complete the project, but they don’t have overlapping skills. A designer can add to that and elevate any project.” - Renee Biery

 

“View yourself as an equal on the team. You are not above and you are not below.” - Renee Biery 

 

“In order to be taken seriously, you have to show up seriously.” - LuAnn Nigara

More About Renee Biery:

Renée deVignier Biery, ASID, is an interior designer based in Wilmington, Delaware. She is a graduate of the New York School of Interior Design, one of the country’s oldest conservatory interior design programs, earning a degree with distinction in 1994 as an Associate in Applied Science in Interior Design. Biery is formally trained in practical interior architecture with advanced technical and rendering proficiency. Her credentials include NCIDQ board licensing as a professional member of the ASID, the design industry’s highest certification. 

 

For Biery, design is a lifelong calling. It is a throughline of home life, from the traditional American houses of the Delaware Valley, to her training and professional experience in the design world of New York, and back again to her roots in Wilmington. Across this map of influences, design has given Renée the way to celebrate a sense of place that is both local and original. 

 

Renée deVignier Biery was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware, home to the Winterthur Museum among many important and historic residences and gardens. Good design was always in her surroundings, “a common language of big rambling homes filled with proper antiques,” she explains. She drew her inspiration early from a number of grandly formal old houses belonging to members of her own family in Virginia and especially from her two grandmothers—one, a southern, Virginia lady with an eye for cutting-edge New York and European fashion, and the other, a social worker who had a talent for understanding people deeply. Those qualities combine in Biery’s approach to design. She puts people and their practical needs first. She aims to create work that will be lasting and meaningful. She views tradition with an edge but also with a natural, truly southern civility.

 

During and following her schooling, Biery worked in the design field in New York. She began in 1993 as an associate in the legendary Lexington Avenue boutique of designer Charlotte Moss. She spent several years as a senior designer in the firm of Barbara Hauben Ross, a well-known New York designer who specializes in refined, luxury Art Deco interiors. During this tenure Biery honed her skill not only in historical and architectural renovation, but also, specifically, in the edited simplicity of early modern color, shape, and structure. The experience has given her a quietly pared-down viewpoint to balance more embellished, traditional environments.

 

Biery returned permanently to Wilmington in 2000 and established her own firm, deVignier Design, Inc. She works in restoration as well as new construction, and remains committed to the personal attention of a studio practice where she is fully involved from inception to installation with every assignment. “These are people who are sharing their lives with me, who will often spend a number of years with me on a project,” she says. “If I do my job right, the relationship is as lasting as the work, and the resulting house will look like the homeowners, not me.”

Connect with Renee Biery

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook 

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Podcast

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#16- Charles Pavarini: Behind the Scenes of the Architectural Digest Design Show 2016

#305- Elizabeth Scruggs: The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business.

#380- Circle Design Studio: Architect & Interior Design Firm: John & Theresa Dorlini

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Mydoma studio, the project management tool for you to organize your communication with your team, your clients and your trades. Invoices, proposals, presentations, project milestones all in one place. See it for yourself- go to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness 

Jul 22, 2022
Today with Vita Vygovska

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today is Window Treatment Friday, and we are debuting part 4 of our Pricing Window Treatment Series. Vita is back with some great tools that she has learned to use when pricing a window treatment to a consumer.

Today, we are talking about how to breakdown your pricing for a client. How much detail do you include? How do you explain labor, fabric, hardware, and installation costs? We talk about it all! Tune in to learn how to have this tough conversation like a pro.

More About Vita Vygovska

Vita is the CEO and founder of Vitalia Inc., a nationally recognized authority on quality window treatments and soft furnishings, located in the Metro Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. Vitalia Inc. is your workroom and your partner for custom window treatments. Their mission is to provide value to their clients and improve their lives.

Vita would love to talk to you. Share your feedback, questions, problems, and challenges with her, and also your wins. You can email her at vita@vitaliainc.com

Connect with Vita Vygovska:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

YouTube

LinkedIn

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point 

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A BIG Thank You to Today’s Sponsor:

Kravet. Have you heard? The majority of Kravet Inc. product is in stock and ready to ship within days. Order your favorite patterns from Kravet’s exclusive in stock collections like Barbara Barry’s Midsummer to CuratedKravet’s exclusive decorative accessories. Keep your design projects on track with Kravet Inc. and order memos today at http://www.kravet.com.

Jul 19, 2022

Today With Jessica Davis:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, Jessica  Davis of JL Design in Nashville, Tennessee is joining me to share her tried and true strategies to hold clients accountable at the beginning, middle, and end of your project. We’ve all been on a tense phone call with a client about something not going their way. You think about all the ways this could have been avoided. Today Jessica shares her strategies to hold your clients, and yes sometimes even holding yourself accountable.

More About Jessica Davis:

Jessica Davis founded JL Design in 2005. She is a graduate of Watkins College of Art in Nashville Tennessee, and brings 18 years of Interior Design experience to the JL Design team.

“I knew I wanted to be involved in Design at a very young age, when I realized there were always new challenges to overcome. I have always been surrounded by the arts and I have always felt that my inner creativity would ultimately guide me in my career. I wanted to be a part of something that would allow me to work closely with people and enrich their lives through design. For me, Interior Design is defined by functional, unique, creativity tailored to each individual.”

With a degree in Interior Design, Jessica began consulting on Design projects in Middle Tennessee, and was soon being commissioned for jobs in New York, New Jersey, and Miami. JL Design’s reputation for innovative Interior Design solutions has made it a leader in its class.

“I feel so fortunate to be able to bring my devotion and energy to my clients every day, and forge relationships that I find so crucial when working in someone's home or personal space. There will always be a need for functional, progressive Interior Design, and I am committed to the art form and the evolving industry as it meets the needs of today.”

Carrie Flynn is the owner of Virtual Simplicity, LLC., which specializes in helping our clients get their online programs created, designed, and ready to launch with simplicity and ease, so they can launch + maximize profits fast. We offer custom funnel design + tech setup in Kajabi, and full launch management strategy/support. Carrie loves yoga, her daily coffee, British TV shows and movies, and college football (Go Gators!). She's been married to her husband for 17 years, and together they have two daughters, ages 13 and 5. Carrie lives in the Mount Dora, FL area with her family.

Connect with Jessica Davis

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Mydoma studio, the project management tool for you to organize your communication with your team, your clients and your trades. Invoices, proposals, presentations, project milestones all in one place. See it for yourself- go to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness 

Jul 15, 2022

Today With Carrie Flynn:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today Carrie Flynn, owner of Virtual Simplicity, LLC. is joining us to talk about all things, launching. 

Listen, I’ve launched a lot of successful programs; Money, Mindset & Sales, the Power Talk Friday Tour…but I would be lying if I said I did it all by myself and knew exactly what I was doing in terms of the TECH side. Thank God for my team! We, as creatives, have the brains, expertise, and superpower, but launching can be overwhelming. 

Carrie is a certified Master Marketer and Launch Manager and is here to prepare us for what to expect (including the roller coaster of emotions), do, and not to do when it comes to launching a new product or service. Enjoy!

More About Carrie Flynn:

Carrie Flynn is the owner of Virtual Simplicity, LLC., which specializes in helping our clients get their online programs created, designed, and ready to launch with simplicity and ease, so they can launch + maximize profits fast. We offer custom funnel design + tech setup in Kajabi, and full launch management strategy/support. Carrie loves yoga, her daily coffee, British TV shows and movies, and college football (Go Gators!). She's been married to her husband for 17 years, and together they have two daughters, ages 13 and 5. Carrie lives in the Mount Dora, FL area with her family.

Pick it apart:

[1:50] Carrie explains what it means to be a certified master marketer and certified launch manager. 

[10:30] Carrie gives some ideas you can take on your own to vet your launching idea to see if it will even work.

[23:55] Carrie gets more in depth on how to prepare for the emotional side of a launch. 

[37:40] Do you need to invest in ads and if so, what is a healthy budget?

LuAnn and Carrie Flynn's Ah-Ha Moments

“The clientele for your one on one business, won’t necessarily be the same clientele for your new launch.” - Carrie Flynn 

 

“You could have come up with an awesome idea that your people don’t need. They want to buy a transformation” - Carrie Flynn

 

“The vehicle is your choice to decide how you want to put your idea out there.” - Carrie Flynn

 

“Like I always say, if you are going to do it, do it like a business.” - LuAnn Nigara

Connect with Carrie Flynn

 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

EPISODE 32 Robin Baron – The President of ASID NY Metro Chapter Talks with us about PR and Brand Development

EPISODE 540 Robin Baron: Strategic Thinking on Product Development

EPISODE 474 Bria Hammel: Keys to Scaling Your Interior Design Firm

EPISODE 731 Chloe Mackintosh: Chloe Mackintosh: How She Went From Blogger to Interior Designer

EPISODE 476 Amanda Hamilton: Running a Mid-Size Firm & Creating Additional Revenue Streams

EPISODE 687 Demetrius Robinson: Show Up & Do The Work

EPISODE 701 Kristen Rivoli: New Brand, New Year: How Rebranding Can Work for Interior Designer

Jul 12, 2022

Today With Rick Campos:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Whether we’ve had it for 6 months or 5 years, we still have questions when running our design business. The experience may not be the same, but the questions we ask ourselves are. It’s the circumstances that change. 

Today with Rick Campos, who does freelance consulting exclusively for the interior design community, we tackle these questions that linger in our minds and all of the resources that are all around us that can answer them.

More About Rick Campos:

Rick Campos is a self proclaimed “recovering interior designer” with fifteen years of experience in the design industry. Formerly Director of Business Development for a notable Orange County design firm, his daily interactions with architects, builders, vendors and clients contributes to a broad perspective of the design industry.

 

In 2018 Rick traded in his tape measure for a microphone and launched Design Biz Survival Guide - a podcast about life and business for interior design professionals - with the intention of informing and inspiring the design community.

 

In 2019 Rick integrated freelance consulting into the platform with an emphasis on “the business of design” exclusively for the interior design community. He has since helped numerous design entrepreneurs grow their business to new levels.

 

The platform has since evolved to include annual business development retreats, learning opportunities, networking events, and an online community.

 

“My mission is to be the source of information and inspiration to interior design entrepreneurs that I needed when I launched my own design business back in 2007. To promote and further develop a design community that supports and empowers fellow design professionals on their journey in life and business.”

 

Pick it apart:

[4:00] Rick introduces what we will be talking about today, that a creative business is still a business.

[6:57] Rick addresses challenges that may arise from three to ten years down the road of owning your design business.

[16:24] Rick tells us the types of questions designers ask each other when they connect.

[33:40] Our conversation continues with great questions to ask your colleagues, including their background. 

[38:27] Rick gives us details about his 3rd annual Design Biz Retreat. 

[42:05] Rick talks about his expertise; selling luxury.

 

LuAnn and Rick Campos' Ah-Ha Moments

“No matter how long we’re in our design business the questions we have are the same, it’s the circumstances that are different.” - Rick Campos

 

“It’s the conversations with other people in the business that answer your questions, not Google or Youtube.” - Rick Campos

 

“What I have said one billion times is that people buy people and process, not products.” - LuAnn Nigara

 

“If anyone is going to help guide you, it’s going to be a fellow designer because they’re already doing it.” - Rick Campos

 

“Getting together with other people who do what you do is one of the most enjoyable ways to push the envelope on your business.” - LuAnn Nigara

 

Connect with Rick Campos

 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned

#06- Identifying Your Transferable Skills With Erika Ward

#50- Veronica Solomon: Powerful Marketing for Your Interior Design Firm- Website to Fan Engagement on Facebook 

#180- PowerTalk Friday: Michele Williams Talks About Profit First and Why It Matters to You

#482- Cheryl Clennendon- Small Business, Think Big

#485- Power Talk Friday: Claire Jeffers- Rock the Consult

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Mydoma studio, the project management tool for you to organize your communication with your team, your clients and your trades. Invoices, proposals, presentations, project milestones all in one place. See it for yourself- go to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness 

Jul 8, 2022

Today With Michelle Wiebe:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today is a Flashback Friday epsiode, where we revisit some of the most popular shows from our archives. I hope you enjoy Michelle Wiebe's episode that originally aired as episode 148!

On the show today, we have Michelle Wiebe! Michelle is the principal of Studio M in Tampa, Florida. The specialty of Michelle’s firm is luxury residential new construction. I know we have talked to quite a few designers in this field I haven’t really picked their brain as much as I did with Michelle today. 

Her firm in addition to luxury residential, new construction they also do family condominiums, corporate headquarters, medical offices and small-scale hospitality spaces. Michelle is a busy lady! In addition to all of this, she serves on the board of interior design at Florida State University her Almer mater. She also serves on the high point market authority board and she goes all over the country speaking on design social media. She is the editor of Impression, the Studio M design blog.

Pick it Apart:

  • How many years has Studio M been in business?
  • How does one show their specialty in luxury residential new construction on social media?
  • What should a new designer know before taking on a big project in luxury residential new construction?
  • What is a CEU?
  • How can a designer educate themselves on different codes that need to be known before going into a project?
  • What should the contract consist of?
  • Can you really learn what you need to know from classes?
  • How should make your client feel?
  • Are there times when certain “projects” in a project should be hired outside of the firm?
  • Who does Michelle have on her team at her firm?
  • What does Michelle look for when going through the hiring process?
  • What is High Point Market Authority?
  • What sort of app can you use at the High Point Market Authority?
  • How long can you serve on the board for High Point Market Authority?

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Jul 5, 2022

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today is a solo show. I am sharing my thoughts on the biggest piece of business advice I have to offer from my long career as a business owner.

There are so many things you need to learn to run a well-designed business. If you’re a longtime listener than you can probably name many of them by now. But today, I am sharing my absolute greatest takeaway that you need to know.

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#575 Lisa Gilmore: Finance Fridays! From 850k to 2.25 Million in One Year!

#467 Taylor Spellman: Hard Truths on Why You Need to Manage the 80% Business

#398 Courtney McLeod: Defined Process = Success in Your Interior Design Business

#781 Flash Back Friday: Lori Morris: When Working with the Luxury Client, the Answer is Yes!

#683 Jessica Matteson: The Client Experience Is #1 in Design

#412 Power Talk Friday: Ashley Uhl: How to Deliver a High-End Client Experience

#663 Andrea Hysmith: Structure and Flexibility, Keys to Reaching Goals in Your Interior Design Business

#516 Power Talk Friday: Jude Charles: Video Storytelling for Your Brand

#626 Power Talk Friday: Jude Charles: How to Tell Your Story to Connect with Clients in Interior Design

#718 Power Talk Friday: Jude Charles: The Power of Dramatic Demonstration in Your Business Videos

#724 Power Talk Friday: Jude Charles: Using Video to Close More Interior Design Deals

#125 Nicole Heymer- How To Brand Your Business. Yes, again! Do not miss this one!!!

#317 Nicole Heymer: 6 Keys to Planning A Website That Makes Things Happen

#466 Power Talk Friday: Nicole Heymer: You’ve Defined Your Brand…Now What?

#589 Power Talk Friday: Eileen Hahn: Scaling from 2 Million to 5 Million

#622 Dwayne Bergmann: Empower Your Team to Own the Project Management While Maintaining Design Vision as the Creative Director

#634 Power Talk Friday: Jessica Harling: A Specific Process for Onboarding a New Hire

#669 Kelly Collier: Managing Expectations Through Clear Messaging

Window Treatments for Profit Podcast Episode #25 Rick Baker: Preserving Your Values as You Grow Your Window Treatment Business

Other Resources Mentioned:

Jul 1, 2022

Today With Adam Urbanski:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today is a Flashback Friday epsiode, where we revisit some of the most popular shows from our archives. I hope you enjoy Adam Urbanski's episode that originally aired as episode 280!

Today's guest  is Adam Urbanski, aka The Millionaire Marketing Mentor and he’s a real headliner in Online Marketing and Podcast circles! There are so many ways that Adam could really help and influence all LuAnn’s Designer friends to get that extra ‘something’ to tweak their businesses, so today, she’s decided to go with Adam’s Dream Business Design Process. Listen in to find out how this process helps Designers to identify what they want to sell the most and also how to sell to the most clients.

Adam, who has been in business for seventeen years now, is really the ‘go-to guy’ for Coaches, Consultants and other Service Professionals who want to attract more clients, convert more high-value sales, build an authority brand, or grow a Lifestyle Business that has more impact and generates more income. Adam’s clients have often doubled, tripled and even ten times-ed their businesses, some of them in as little as ninety days! All of this and Adam started out with only $194 and limited English and he still managed to turn his first business into a seven-figure business in less than ten years! LuAnn knows that she’s in the presence of a true expert with Adam, so she’s very grateful that he’s on the show today! Listen in now, as Adam shares some really hot tips with you, to help you to become a way better business strategist!

Pick it apart:

  • Becoming a master of, and being known for a very specific approach.

  • What his six question worksheet allows you to zero in on.

  • How he discovered his ideal clients.

  • That 90% of his clients are women and this happened by design!

  • That marketing is really all about listening.

  • Adam talks you through his six questions and how to best approach working with them.

  • Finding your specific magic, as a Designer.

  • Thinking about your dream income, per client.

  • Identifying your dream project.

  • Identifying the characteristics of your dream client.

  • What you’d need to do in order to execute your project in the best possible way. (i.e. identifying your Superpower)

  • Really understanding the expectations that you have to meet with your project.

  • Expressing what you’re really good at to your client.

  • Establishing systems for really clear processes in your business.

  • Knowing that everything is changing all the time, so you need to maintain a constant process of evaluation with your clients.

  • Asking yourself how much money you’d like to make from each project, per year.

  • Examining which three to six marketing activities you really need to focus on- to avoid becoming overwhelmed.

  • That you should really become a one track pony, in order to not lose sight of your core competencies.

Connect with Adam Urbanski:

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Jun 28, 2022

Today With Meredith Huck:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I am joined with fellow Jersey girl Meredith Huck, Founder of House of Huck. Meredith and I were chatting on Instagram, and it ended up with one of those instances in which I saw value in her being a guest on the show. 

Meredith has successfully achieved a net amount of six figures within her first ten months of business. She is here to give my audience three helpful tips for those who are twiddling their thumbs about starting their design business. Don’t worry, we get it. But I know that you will find value and information that will give you the confidence you are desiring to go for it!

More About Meredith Huck:

Founded in 2020, House of Huck creates timeless spaces focusing on functionality and beauty while keeping your lifestyle top of mind. We make the process streamlined and straightforward, taking decision fatigue off your plate and holding your hand every step of the way.

Meredith and her husband live in Coastal Connecticut with their two young children. She is also a licensed real estate agent in the state of Connecticut and enjoys supporting her clients to turn average houses into spectacular homes.

Pick it apart:

[5:18] Meredith elaborates on her first lesson that you don’t need a creative background to succeed in a creative business.

[20:17] Meredith starts to explain how you can make more money in your first year than you had in corporate if you are organized and disciplined.

[35:17] Meredith shares her lessons of process and systems in her first year.

[45:00] Meredith explains how you can be creative in the beginning if you don’t have the money to invest in the business.  

LuAnn and Meredith Huck's Ah-Ha Moments:

“Whatever you want to be, you don’t necessarily need to have had experience in that trade.” - Meredith Huck

 

“As a designer, you should be striving for as many trade resources as possible.” - LuAnn Nigara

 

“The wisdom and experience of your first year in business is like the memory of childbirth pain, it fades over time. It becomes hard to remember how hard the first couple of years can be.- LuAnn Nigara

Connect with Meredith Huck:

 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#6- Identifying Your Transferable Skills With Erika Ward.

#182- Christie Leu- Christie Leu Interiors: Creating Your Own Mini Designer Summit.

#234- Kimberly Kay Interiors- A New Designer & Her 1st Five Months in Business. 

#278- Erika Ward- Master Business Skills 1st, Interior Design Skills 2nd.

#297- Mikel Welch- Interior Design, TV, Self Made Man.

#455- Megan Molten: Planning Creates Success in Your Interior Design Business

#463- Sara Lynn Brennan- Package Your Design Services For Profit and Clarity.

#607- Sara Lynn Brennan- Project Management With Specific Deliverables and Deadlines.

#677- Megan Molten: To Succeed, Focus on Your Why

#678- Power Talk Friday: Katie McFarlan: The Client Experience Starts With Processes.

Jun 24, 2022

Today on A Well-Designed Business:

Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Today we are going to talk about unleveling to new, different, bigger, and better projects. These are the projects that you want to do but currently are not doing because you don't have the experience yet. Let's talk about it!

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Power Talk Friday Tour Fall 2022

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Inside Voice, Outside Voice

Windowworksnj.com

Shop38east.com

Comfortex.com

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

 

Jun 21, 2022

Today with Kelly Fridline:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. For many of you, running a successful and profitable interior design firm is the ultimate goal. But sometimes, the goal might look different. Perhaps you’ve thought about coaching, course creation, or another avenue besides a traditional firm. There are many career paths in the industry, and all of them require adjusting, evaluation, learning, and making mistakes. Today, Kelly Fridline joins me to discuss what it looks like to take a unique career path and what she has learned as she has carved out her businesses.

Pick it apart:

  • [2:34] Kelly discusses her background in architecture and the path she took to interior design. 
  • [17:15] Kelly shares why she has chosen to not become licensed as an architect. 
  • [34:08] Kelly highlights why she started Virtual Design Mentor as a networking and growth opportunity for designers. 
  • [47:10] Kelly shares why her business involves other coaches and the strengths everyone brings to the table. 
  • [53:20] Kelly talks about Liase for Interior Design and how designers can use it to find virtual assistance for their businesses.

LuAnn and Kelly Fridline’s Ah-Ha moments:

“Humility is key, but so is being really proud of what your gifts are.” -Kelly Fridline

“No matter how many podcasts you listen to or how great your business coach is, there is still that learning experience where you’re going to make some really stupid decisions, and you’re going to learn from them.” -Kelly Fridline

“It’s such a personal thing. I have to believe with the body of experience and education you have, if it really mattered to you, you’d sit and pass the darn test. But it doesn’t. And until it really matters to you, so what?” -LuAnn Nigara

More about Kelly Fridline:

 

Kelly Fridline is an entrepreneur at heart, but a designer through and through. Since establishing Kelly Fridline Design, LLC in 2017, she’s learned the importance of flexibility in not only design, but business planning and goals. In the almost five years she’s been in business her focus has changed from primarily interior design, to Virtual Design Assistance and Renderings, totraining fellow creatives in the art of professionally presenting and documenting their projects, and finally assisting and mentoring fellow virtual assistants in business and attracting clients.

With a Master of Architecture from Savannah College of Art and Design and almost a decade of professional design, construction, and virtual collaboration experience, Kelly brings a unique insight to the interior design industry.

Using these experiences, this past year Kelly founded The Virtual Design Mentor and Liaise for Interior Design.

In addition to her own business, Kelly resides in the Metro-Detroit area with her husband, son, and two dogs.

Connect with Kelly Fridline

 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#389 Power Talk Friday: Nancy Ganzekaufer: The Interior Design Profit Formula

#256 Nancy Ganzekaufer- A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients

#159 Power Talk Friday – Nancy Ganzekaufer – How To Get Confident & Clear on What You Offer

#779 Power Talk Friday: Madeleine MacRae: What Should the CEO of an Interior Design Firm Be Doing?

#440 Power Talk Friday: Tobi Fairley: Her Design You Coaching Program

#419 Tobi Fairley- Say No to Busy and Yes to Health, Wealth and Joy

A big thank you to today's sponsor

Kravet’s commitment to innovation and ability to bring in new technology works to make life easier for you as a designer.  Their website makes finding quality home furnishings easy for you. And, the advanced color search allows you to create the exact custom color you are looking for and get filtered search results that best match your selection. Visit Kravet.com today to see it for yourself! Be sure to use coupon code AWDB10 for 10% off your first order.

Jun 17, 2022

Today With Nancy Ganzekaufer:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. It’s Power Talk Friday and this show is sponsored by Nancy Ganzekaufer and her newest program Profit Insiders for Interior Designers. She is back to talk about the importance of analyzing your profitability. More specifically, Nancy is here to discuss the importance of knowing your numbers for the jobs that are already completed. The whole point of our business right? Tune in to learn if how your pricing your projects is benefitting or hidduring your business, and how Nancy can help.

More About Nancy Ganzekaufer:

Nancy Ganzekaufer is a focused, motivated, and dedicated Interior Designer Business Coach. Through her work, Nancy empowers creative entrepreneurs to build the life and business they have always wanted and deserve.  As a mom of three young adults and a successful business owner, Nancy understands the unique challenges entrepreneurs face when pursuing their dreams of growing a profitable business. She leads by example through her hard work, encouragement, and most of all, her no-BS leadership style.  In addition to Business Coaching, Nancy is a National Board member of the Interior Design Society (IDS) and the Current and Founding President of the IDS Virtual Chapter.

Pick it apart:

[8:12] Nancy starts to tell us what she teaches the designers that she works with about pricing for profitability.

[13:19] Nancy walks us through how she helps an interior designer look at their projects for profitability. 

[23:40] Nancy talks more about her Profitability Analyzer.

[35:05] Nancy tells us about her Profit Insiders For Interior Designers year-long program.

LuAnn and Nancy Ganzekaufer Ah-Ha Moments:

“Using the Profitability Analyzer will help you see where you may still have a weak spot or service model that you are currently selling over and over again thinking that it’s great, but isn’t actually viable for you to make the money you need to make.” - Nancy Ganzekaufer

“The only way we actually know that we are consistently pricing for profitability is if we are consistently reviewing the projects.” - LuAnn Nigara

“Once you start running your business by numbers, you’re going to run the business like a CEO, not just by emotion.” - Nancy Ganzekaufer

“As you grow your company you have to consistently keep learning.” - LuAnn Nigara

Connect with Nancy Ganzekaufer:

Website

Profit Insiders for Interior Designers

Interior Design Business Forum Facebook Group

Business Building Boutique

Confident Interior Designer Membership Site

 YouTube

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#15: Nancy Ganzekaufer- Niche is Rich

#37: Lesley Myrick- Strategies I Used to Build My Business

#159: Power Talk Friday- Nancy Ganzekaufer- How to Get Confident and Clear On What You Offer

#256: Nancy Ganzekaufer: A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients

#389: Power Talk Friday- Nancy Ganzekaufer- The Interior Design Profit Formula

#584: Lesley Myrick- Building a Business From the Ground Up, Again

#766: Lesley Myrick- Offering Interior Design Without Procurement

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Today;s show was sponsored by Nancy Ganzekaufer and her newest program Profit Insiders for Interior Designers.

Jun 14, 2022

Today with Pamela Durkin:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today with Pamela Durkin, author of Elevate and owner of Pamela Durkin Designs, we are discussing how to time block our tasks. Pamela is coughing up some great strategies on how we can set specific blocks of time for specific tasks that will help us, get this, “Get more done in one day then you used to get done in an entire week.”

Pick it apart:

[2:00] Pamela talks to us about time blocking to increase productivity. 

[8:30] Pamela takes us to the next level of getting a weeks’ worth of things done in a day. 

[11:15] Pamela explains a strategy for completing the potential tasks we get from when we check all of our emails.

[26:00] Pamela and LuAnn discuss the importance of communicating to your clients your time expectancy. 

LuAnn and Pamela Durkin’s Ah-Ha moments:

“We need concentrated time to accomplish anything. We need to be aware of the fact that bouncing around to different tasks can hurt our productivity. ” - Pamela Durkin

 

“If we can think about where we are spending our time and how that relates to money in our business, then you ask yourself if you should even be doing those things.” - Pamela Durkin

 

“Time blocking is more than being efficient, it’s understanding that we have finite hours in the day and if we’re not making enough money by putting these blocks of time in, then maybe we are not charging enough.” - Pamela Durkin

 

“We are imperfectly perfect and always a work in progress. We should always give ourselves a pat on the back for our progress. As long as we are trying and moving forward, it’s all good.” - Pamela Durkin

More about Pamela Durkin:

Pamela Durkin, ASID, LEED AP ID+C

Design is powerful and Pamela wants designers to step into that power. After 30 years in the high-end design business, she is now helping other designers create a business they love through her In Demand Designer Program. She teaches them how to be magnetic and attract the best clients. This method makes owning a design business easier and more fulfilling. Her book, Elevate! can be found on Amazon. 

Pamela Durkin has been a professional interior designer for over 30 years. She is a past-president of ASID Florida South Chapter and served on the Board of Architecture and Design in NJ. She lives in Naples, FL and in her spare time, loves spending time on the beach and learning new moves in her home dance studio. 

Connect with Pamela Durkin

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook 

LinkedIn 

Book

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#577- Power Talk Friday: Amber De La Garza, LuAnn is in the “Productivity” Hot Seat.

#607- Sara Lynn Brennan: Project Management with Specific Deliverables and Deadlines.

Jun 10, 2022
Today with Lori Morris

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Lori Morris, one of the most passionate and driven people LuAnn has ever come across, joins the show today to share what it takes to grow your business to the level of attracting luxury clients and delivering the level of service and design that they expect. 

Even as Lori’s business has grown so large, she maintains creative control and has a hand in every project they tackle. If you want to attract those luxury clients, if you want to work on these magnificent homes, if you want to offer that truly above and beyond level of service, then stay tuned to LuAnn and Lori’s conversation for takeaways that you can apply to your business to help reach your goals. 

Not one to merely dip her toe in the water, Lori Morris is an ‘all or nothing’ designer whose artistry is rooted in tradition, unconventional ideas and fearless execution of perfection. Reinventing the standard of design since 1987, her work can be found in some of the most high-end properties across Canada and North America, including Miami, Dallas, St. Louis and San Francisco, with each project delivering a unique, timeless look with an unprecedented level of luxury, comfort and style.

Leading an extensive team of professionals in-house and abroad, Lori Morris is a full-service firm offering a complete design and build turnkey solution for any project. Lori’s ‘no rules’ design philosophy has evolved into her own signature LMD style, which she coins “Sexy French.” In every space, you’ll find a seamless melding of sensory, form and function, with materials sourced from artisans across the world that provide intricate molding, artful flooring, and walls that use some of the most exotic and rare marbles. Leading by way of example for strength and confidence, Lori continues to be revered as one of the most coveted designers in the interior design world, empowering others by embracing her role as a role model for all women entrepreneurs.

Lori is an “all or nothing” designer who works on high-end properties across Canada and North America. She delivers an unprecedented level of luxury, comfort, and style with every project. Lori is a true artist who prides herself on creating a unique feeling for every one of her clients. Tune in to learn about her ‘no rules’ design philosophy, which has evolved into her own signature style, and her advice on attracting luxury clients and scaling your business toward high-end projects. 

Show Highlights:

  • Lori explains the unique purpose of her “LMC” (Lori Morris Concierge) service.
  • Lori details why the Design Build Books that she delivers to architects can be 1,000 page documents.
  • “Sexy French” is a collaboration and a marriage between the modern design that Lori loves and the French design that she loves.
  • Every house is treated like an original painting.
  • The moment that Lori decided to get the kind of clients to perform the kind of magic that she wanted to perform.
  • Learn from your mistakes: It’s not a mistake if you have the experience once. It’s only a mistake if you do the same thing twice.
  • Lessons working with the luxury client: Lori shares her insights.
  • The importance of a mutually respectful relationship.
  • Don’t confuse “red flags” with something that you just don’t want to do.
  • It is key to manage your client’s expectations.
  • There’s always a solution to a problem!

Connect with Lori!

Lori’s Website

Lori’s Instagram

Lori’s Twitter

Lori’s Facebook

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Jun 7, 2022

Today with Rydhima Brar:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, Rydhima Brar of R/terior Studio shares her story and her journey to design with us. From her childhood in Kuwait, to her corporate career in LA, to launching her own firm at the beginning of the pandemic, to amazing growth and press attention—Rydhima shares how her story, and how storytelling in general, laid the foundation for her design career.

Pick it apart:

  • [5:00] Rydhima shares her journey and discusses her connection to construction and design during childhood in Kuwait. 
  • [16:08] Rydhima discusses how a difficult personal experience launched the rebirth of her career and pushed her into her passion—design. 
  • [32:05] Rydhima and LuAnn discuss the Kaleidoscope Project and Rydhima’s experience with it. 
  • [46:26] Rydhima reflects on her path and what she has learned.

LuAnn and Rydhima Brar’s Ah-Ha moments:

“My world just turned upside down. It was a scary thing—my journey was terrifying. But during that time when I was home, a rebirth happened. I gave birth to my daughter and I gave birth to my business. That’s when I decide to really pursue my passion and remove myself from a place of fear and anxiety and into a sense of calm. Design became a place of refuge for me.” -Rydhima Brar

 

“That is the key. When you are determined, then you make things happen. It’s not a passive thing—starting a business. It’s not just an idea you put on paper that unfolds in front of you. It’s waking up everyday, recommitting to taking action, to being determined, to being undeterred, to believing in yourself and knowing that you’re worth it, that you’re worth doing this career.” -LuAnn Nigara

More about Rydhima Brar:

Rydhima Brar grew up in Kuwait, where her childhood was filled with breathtaking design & architecture, helping out with her father’s construction business. In 1990, the effects of the Gulf War drew Rydhima and her family to leave their home in the cover of night for another country. Returning to Kuwait after the war, I experienced the rebuilding of our home, and the rebirth of a nation. As her father then rebuilt his business, she helped him organize his building materials and sample libraries, always complaining but secretly loving every minute of it.

As a young adult, she then took to New York City to begin a career in Business and Finance, yet her love for design never left her. After several years, it was a move to L.A. that sparked the next evolution for her career, now shifting toward design, a transition that was gradual yet inevitable. Starting with her own condo, she rediscovered her love for an approachable + functional + luxe aesthetic, using bold color and unique pieces throughout. Friends were impressed with the result and Rydhima then began to help design their spaces.

A few projects later, she found herself fully immersed in the world of professional design, where she felt she belonged. She then balanced going back to school while working on projects, and the pages of the new chapter were lled with new experiences and challenges, which eventually led to the most recent chapter, the birth of her own business, R/terior Studio.

FUN FACT

Rydhima has a blog dedicated to discovering what your favorite cocktail says about your interior design style! Rydhima believes that craft cocktails, much like interiors, need to be carefully crafted with attention to every detail to become a masterpiece—Each ingredient, or design element, has a purpose, and when paired well with other ingredients, the result is sophisticated, balanced, and bold. Check-out the blog HERE.

Connect with Rydhima Brar

Kaleidoscope Project  

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook 

Pinterest

LinkedIn

Blog

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#739 Marianna Zimmerman: It’s Never Too Late to Design Your Life

#771 Power Talk Friday: Michelle Feeney, Founder of Floral Street. To Succeed, Identify a Gap in the Marketplace

#743 Chanae Richards: An Unconventional Path to an Interior Design Business

#573 Cheryl Luckett, #BLM: See Something, Say Something

#397 Power Talk Friday: Where Are They Now?: Cheryl Luckett: Dwell By Cheryl

#291 Cheryl Luckett – From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design

#267 Rasheeda Gray: A Pipeline With Over 20 Interior Design Projects in Under 2 Years

#562 Rasheeda Gray: #BLM 2020 The Year of Vision

#23 Rio Hamilton – Media Expert and Author of the Wildly Popular Industry Blog, Mon Oncle

#614 Dennese Guadeloupe Rojas: Creating Another Revenue Stream for Your Interior Design Business

#47 Gail Davis: Make Your Life Count

#669 Kelly Collier: Managing Expectations Through Clear Messaging

#677 Megan Molten: To Succeed, Focus on Your Why

#455 Megan Molten: Planning Creates Success in Your Interior Design Business

#601 Darla Powell: Real Tips to Up Your Social Media Game

#330 Darla Powell: Darla Powell Interiors 18 Months After Opening

#203 Darla Powell – How to Launch an Interior Design Firm

Jun 3, 2022

TODAY WITH MADELEINE MACRAE:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. For today’s Power Talk Friday, I’m sitting down with long-time friend of the show and Power Talk Friday expert Madeleine MacRae. 

I often hear from listeners and designers who understand that the old adage, “You have to work on your business, not in your business,” is true if they want to grow and scale. But they don’t always understand what that actually looks like. Madeleine breaks down the CEO-level activities that let you scale at each stage of business.

Pick it apart:

  • [3:48] Madeleine breaks down the four stage of business and what each one entails. 
  • [9:58] Madeleine and LuAnn discuss the value in knowing what level of business you desire to end up at. 
  • [17:31] Madeleine breaks down the CEO-level activities that solopreneurs should be doing.
  • [27:35] Madeleine shares what the CEO must do as an owner/operator. 
  • [46:54] Madeleine discusses the high-level activities that business owners should be doing at the owner/manager level.
  • [55:55] Madeleine talks about the ultimate goal for those who want to scale—the true CEO level.

LuAnn and Madeleine MacRae's Ah-Ha Moments

“It's really important to remember that growth eats capital. So sometimes we get this idea of “I just want to become I want to go to owner operator, and then I want to go to owner manager, then I want to go to CEO” overlooks the fact that you're having to take that profit that your business is generating and reinvest into different things. learning, all of the things that you have to decide if you want to take it on.” -Madeleine MacRae

 

“If you don't have secured lead flow and you don't know how to turn that faucet on higher, you will never be able to move out of solopreneurship.” -Madeleine MacRae

“To look back and think about the growth and the pain and the struggle and the rewards of each of the levels as I've worked my way through the different various stages and still stay in—it's a crazy feeling to be in the various stages at the same time with different companies.” -LuAnn Nigara

Connect with Madeleine MacRae

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned

#315 Madeleine MacRae: Invest 5 Days to Improve Your Sales Skills

#283 Power Talk Friday: Madeleine MacRae: Set Clear Goals in 5 Steps

#363 Power Talk Friday: Eileen Hahn: Building An Exceptional Interior Design Team

#222 Power Talk Friday: Lee Cockerell- Customer Service the Disney Way

#658 Genevieve Trousdale: Genevieve Trousdale: Running Your Interior Design Business On Your Own Terms

#663 Andrea Hysmith: Structure and Flexibility, Keys to Reaching Goals in Your Interior Design Business

#760 Jessica Harling: The 7 Step Sales Process for Interior Designers and Window Treatment Professionals

#634 Power Talk Friday: Jessica Harling: A Specific Process for Onboarding a New Hire

Books Mentioned:

The Job You Were Born For by Eileen Hahn

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

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Kirsch is your source for custom drapery hardware and window coverings. With a history of innovation and extensive industry knowledge, Kirsch can set you up with what you need for your next project. Visit kirsch.com to learn more.

 

May 31, 2022

Today with Deborah Main:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business.

Today’s episode is a little bit different than the usual business acumen. We’re diving into Deborah Main’s story of how she became The Pillow Goddess. Deborah is the epitome of an inspirational story—of resiliency, of overcoming hardship, and chronic illness, and of art and creativity serving as an outlet in times of suffering. 

Deborah’s story serves as motivation, inspiration, and absolute proof that art and design can heal and bring joy in even the toughest of times.

Pick it apart:

  • [0:36] Deborah shares her inspirational story of battling chronic illness.
  • [14:24] Deborah discusses how she found pillow design, serving as a creative outlet that helped her focus on something positive. 
  • [24:00] Deborah shares the limitations her illness still has on her life and what it has taught her. 
  • [35:46] Deborah tasks about how she works with interior designers.
  • [43:42] LuAnn and Deborah discuss the new collection with Robin Baron.

LuAnn and Deborah Main’s Ah-Ha moments:

“You mention it as part of your journey, ‘Oh I answered an open call for designers and made some pillows and applied to Austin Fashion Week’ as if they are things you just do in the course of your day. I’ve got to believe that it took a lot of courage and guts to actually do it.” -LuAnn Nigara

 

“I was very sick at the time, and my husband thought I was crazy but he supported me. He easily could have said, ‘Oh you’re obviously feeling better—why don’t you just do the dishes and make me some food?’ But he just saw what was happening. He saw me opening up and lighting up and he was so happy to see that that he never questioned me—he just wanted me to keep doing pillows.” -Deborah Main

More about Deborah Main:

Deborah Main is The Pillow Goddess, a dynamic, innovative design leader who has helped individuals and businesses create beautiful, distinctive high-end spaces for 18 years.

 

Based in Austin, Texas, Deborah’s experience and deep appreciation for design, textiles, the home furnishings industry, and a wide variety of interiors and home products gives her a fully-rounded understanding of what it takes to provide an exceptional luxurious look and feel to both personal environments and commercial spaces. She provides interior designers with high-quality products for their clients, while also helping retailers and brands differentiate their products/services from their competitors.

 

Deborah’s private clients are some of the leading high-end specialty boutiques, national e-commerce sites, interior design businesses, and home brands in the United States. She has helped them provide value to their customers and environments – building brand awareness in the process – which has allowed them to position themselves as the exclusive and unsurpassed option for luxury clientele.

Connect with Deborah Main

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook 

Pinterest

The UnZipped Collection

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#449- Design Biz Live: What We Learned at LuAnn Nigara Live, It’s About the Conversation.

#454- Power Talk Friday: Jamie Lieberman: Hashtag Legal: Lawyers That Speak Designer. 

#638- What Would Lu Do?: Processes and Contracts: They Aren’t Made to Be Broken.

#640- Power Talk Friday: Ashley Connell: Founder of Prowess: Helping You Find Your Next Hire.

#654- Jenny Madden: Navigating Maternity Leave in Your Interior Design Business.

#721- What Would Lu Do?: Year End 2021-Questions to Ask.

#723- What Would Lu Do?: Let’s Do a Revenue Generator Review.

#725- What Would Lu Do?: Year End: How to Plan Your Marketing.

#727- What Would Lu Do?: Year End Review: Apps, Tech, Memberships and More!

Thank you to today's sponsor!

Mydoma Studio: Mydoma makes it easy to streamline your processes, track projects, communicate with clients, and get organized. It’s created by designers for designers, specifically to address what you need as a business owner. I’ve said countless times that systems and processes are how you reach the next level of profitability. Mydoma Studio makes it easy to do that. You can get 20% off your first three months by going to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.

Other Shows Mentioned:

#540 Robin Baron: Strategic Thinking on Product Development

#32 Robin Baron – The President of ASID NY Metro Chapter Talks with us about PR and Brand Development

#41 Cheryl Janis

#423 Tiffannie White

#715 Kathleen Jennison

Sassy Says #45 Tiffannie White

Sass Says #31 Cheryl Janis

May 27, 2022

Today with Desi Creswell:

Welcome to A Well Designed Business. If you’re anything like me, you have a neverending to-do list. There’s always something else to get done, another box to check, another urgent task to complete. But when we get bogged down in those tasks, it becomes impossible to work on the business.  So how do we motivate ourselves to take a step back and work on the higher level needs? Interior Design Coach Desi Creswell shares her framework for getting big tasks done, even if it feels like you’ll never be able to.

Learn more about Desi’s masterclass “The Focus Fix” starting June 7th, 2022

Pick it apart:

  • [2:52] Desi talks about what a balanced business looks like and how we stop ourselves from building one. 
  • [14:40] Desi sheds light on common mistakes she sees when people try to focus on important tasks. 
  • [29:09] Desi walks through her simple framework for tackling major tasks.
  • [45:08] LuAnn and Desi talk about how to keep yourself committed to tasks even when you don’t want to do them. 
  • [52:05] Desi shares the importance of evaluating yourself with curiosity to see why something isn’t getting done.

LuAnn and Desi Creswell's Ah-Ha Moments

“Ask yourself ‘Why do I think that my clients are worthy of my time and attention but my business is not?’” -Desi Creswell

“There will never be a time where you magically have a week where you don’t receive any emails or phone calls or have any deadlines.” -Desi Creswell

“What you want us to recognize is, we don’t just do it on Tuesday because we put it in our calendar to do it. We do it because on Wednesday we will be so glad we took the first steps.” -LuAnn Nigara

Connect with Desi Creswell

Learn more about Desi’s masterclass “The Focus Fix” starting June 7th, 2022

Website 

Instagram

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned

#698 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: Tactics to Beat Burnout and Overwhelm

#557 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: Develop Your CEO Mindset

#475 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: How to Create More Time

#753 Sandra Funk: How to Grow a Thriving Luxury Interior Design Business

A Big Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Revel Woods: Your source for premium hardwood and resilient flooring. Using the Revel Woods selector tool, you’ll be able to find curated suggestions for your project catered to your client’s home. When you sign up for a free professional membership, you’ll get access to exclusive discounts and referral benefits. Visit revelwoods.com to get started.

May 24, 2022

Today with Sonal Kotecha:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today we have on Sonal Kotecha, founder of Rumah Interiors, a Dubai-based boutique interior design firm.

Sonal and I were going back and forth on Instagram and she was telling me all of the lessons that she had learned from the show. As we were chatting, a light bulb went off and I knew I had to have her on as a guest. I am so appreciative of her sharing her lessons that I know you will benefit from hearing her story. Enjoy!

Pick it apart:

[6:38] Sonal tells us about the first big lesson she learned from A Well-Designed Business.

[17:30] Sonal explains her second lesson from the podcast regarding your talent as a designer is not enough for success. 

[27:49] Sonal and LuAnn discuss the third lesson Sonal learned. 

[42:25] Sonal elaborates on her fourth lesson.

[50:22] Lesson 5- we all need a “Vin” man. 

[54:40] Last lesson of work-life balance is key.

LuAnn and Sonal Kotecha’s Ah-Ha moments:

“The discovery call is a sales presentation and the way we choose to discuss something, like trade discounts, will impact not only that conversation, but all of the following conversations.” - LuAnn Nigara

 

“We know what we are good at and we lean into that, and we hire people for the areas that we aren’t “good.” - LuAnn Nigara

 

“We need to strategically prepare for situations when we are not being driven by a state of emergency.” - Sonal Kotecha 

More about Sonal Kotecha:

Sonal Kotecha is the founder of Rumah Interiors, a Dubai-based boutique interior design firm, dedicated to providing a stellar design service for her clients in the Middle East and beyond. 

 

She calls herself a child of the world – after growing up as a second generation Indian in the United Kingdom, to parents born and raised in Kenya – she moved and set up her own home base in Dubai at the young age of 24, where she continues to live with her husband from yet another corner of the world, South Africa – and she credits this diverse background as being the reason she is able to connect on a deeper level to people & clients from all over the world. 

 

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Interior Architecture & Design from Nottingham Trent University in 2007. Shortly after graduating, fate led her on a one-way ticket to Dubai, where she built up experience working both as an in-house designer for a private developer, then for a multi-disciplinary interior design studio, before taking the plunge into entrepreneurship and starting Rumah Interiors in 2017. 

 

Sonal likes to keep her ear to the ground when it comes to movements in her local property industry and has witnessed first-hand the astronomical leap in residential projects in Dubai over the last 12 months. Sparked by a post-pandemic heightened appreciation for a well-designed home environment, and several new UAE’s government backed initiatives, such as more accessible residency visa options, an influx of new residents moved into the country that she has proudly called home for the last 12years. As a result, the floodgates to new projects opened up, and she had to quickly adapt from being a one-woman show, to a small team of powerful [female] design professionals, who could take on multiple projects in parallel from concept through to completion.  She realized that some of her old processes & contracts were no longer viable, and then along came A Well Designed Business Podcast – and in the conversations, she found answers to the questions that had been keeping her awake at night…

Connect with Sonal Kotecha

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#449- Design Biz Live: What We Learned at LuAnn Nigara Live, It’s About the Conversation.

#454- Power Talk Friday: Jamie Lieberman: Hashtag Legal: Lawyers That Speak Designer. 

#638- What Would Lu Do?: Processes and Contracts: They Aren’t Made to Be Broken.

#640- Power Talk Friday: Ashley Connell: Founder of Prowess: Helping You Find Your Next Hire.

#654- Jenny Madden: Navigating Maternity Leave in Your Interior Design Business.

#721- What Would Lu Do?: Year End 2021-Questions to Ask.

#723- What Would Lu Do?: Let’s Do a Revenue Generator Review.

#725- What Would Lu Do?: Year End: How to Plan Your Marketing.

#727- What Would Lu Do?: Year End Review: Apps, Tech, Memberships and More!

Thank you to today's sponsor!

Did you happen to go to the new Kravet Showroom in HP last month? They unveiled the Kravet Home. Kravet has furniture, rugs, lighting accessories and fabric for every room in your house, including your outdoor rooms. The new showroom in the Steel Building is beautifully set up as a home. From the foyer as you enter, all the way through the living room, great room, dining room, bedroom, home office suite and the outdoor patio space. It is a treat to see the fabrics, wallpapers, sofas, desks everything all displayed just as you would specify them in your projects. And the rooms have been designed by some of your favorite designers. Thom Filicia, Carrier & Co and Mabley Handler to name a few. So if you are planning to go to HP in the fall, be sure to put Kravet on your list of must see stops. And in the meantime, go to kravet.com and get your trade acct set up today. No opening minimum orders, no yearly minimums and true trade pricing, so you can make money. Check it out and tell them I sent you.

May 20, 2022

Today with Vita Vygovska

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today is Window Treatment Friday, and we are debuting part 3 of our Pricing Window Treatment Series. Vita is back with some great tools that she has learned to use when pricing a window treatment to a consumer. 

Today, we are covering profit, and what designers can expect when selling window treatments.

More About Vita Vygovska

Vita is the CEO and founder of Vitalia Inc., a nationally recognized authority on quality window treatments and soft furnishings, located in the Metro Philadelphia area of Pennsylvania. Vitalia Inc. is your workroom and your partner for custom window treatments. Their mission is to provide value to their clients and improve their lives.

Vita would love to talk to you. Share your feedback, questions, problems, and challenges with her, and also your wins. You can email her at vita@vitaliainc.com

Connect with Vita Vygovska:

Website

Instagram 

Facebook 

Pinterest

YouTube

LinkedIn

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point 

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

 

A BIG Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Kravet. Have you heard? The majority of Kravet Inc. product is in stock and ready to ship within days. Order your favorite patterns from Kravet’s exclusive in stock collections like Barbara Barry’s Midsummer to CuratedKravet's exclusive decorative accessories. Keep your design projects on track with Kravet Inc. and order memos today at www.kravet.com.

 

May 17, 2022

Today with Rick Campos:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today I am joined by Interior Designer and fellow podcaster Rick Campos of Design Biz Survival Guide. I had the absolute honor of turning the tables on Rick and putting him in the hot seat for his 4 year anniversary episode. I am delighted to share this with you today and thank you again Rick for the tremendous honor of making me apart of this milestone.

More about Rick Campos:

Rick Campos is a self proclaimed “recovering interior designer” with fifteen years of experience in the design industry. Formerly Director of Business Development for a notable Orange County design firm, his daily interactions with architects, builders, vendors and clients contributes to a broad perspective of the design industry. In 2018 Rick traded in his tape measure for a microphone and launched Design Biz Survival Guide - a podcast about life and business for interior design professionals - with the intention of informing and inspiring the design community. In 2019 Rick integrated freelance consulting into the platform with an emphasis on “the business of design” exclusively for the interior design community. He has since helped numerous design entrepreneurs grow their business to new levels. The platform has since evolved to include annual business development retreats, learning opportunities, networking events, and an online community. “My mission is to be the source of information and inspiration to interior design entrepreneurs that I needed when I launched my own design business back in 2007. To promote and further develop a design community that supports and empowers fellow design professionals on their journey in life and business.”

Connect with Lesley Myrick

Website

Instagram 

Facebook 

Podcast

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

May 13, 2022

Today with Corinne Bentzen and Melanie Kaplan: 

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On today’s sponsored show, I’m sitting down with Corinne Bentzen and Melanie Kaplan from The Company Store. We’re talking about the importance of staying on color trends, seasonal rotations of products, how the brand stays dedicated to premium quality, and their commitment to sustainability.

Pick it apart:

[18:34] Melanie shares her background in design and textiles, including experience in cotton mills that laid the foundation of her expertise. 

[23:27] Melanie discusses how her team plays into the success of the brand. 

[26:30] Melanie talks about the company’s design process and valuable partnerships. 

[31:30] Corinne and Melanie share how seasonal rotation and constant innovation keep the brand’s designs fresh and relevant. 

[44:23] Corinne and Melanie talk about how they maintain their commitment to artisanal quality.

Ah-Ha Moments:

“We have global design partners all over the world. It’s been my experience that partnership is so much a part of the success of the brand. We have great suppliers that understand our mission. We have design people that are so talented and understand the direction and vision of The Company Store. It’s an ongoing process. We think about the lifestyle, we think about the quality it needs to represent. We never shortcut anything in this brand.” -Melanie Kaplan

 

“We are the color authority. We have never, ever been afraid of color. In fact, we love it, and that’s a distinction of The Company Store.” -Melanie Kaplan

 

“That is the type of support that an interior designer needs, when you’re going to recommend bedding—people are going to sleep on this. Comfort is key and critical, and it can be judged way more harshly than walking on an area rug, for example. When I think about everything that goes into your products, I know I would not want to learn all of the things, so it’s nice that designers can just go to the website and order swatches.” -LuAnn Nigara

Connect with The Company Store

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook 

Pinterest 

Twitter

More About Corinne Bentzen:

Born in Geneva, Switzerland, Corinne Bentzen began her career at Procter & Gamble, where she built brand identity for premium brands before taking the leap across the pond to join Tiffany & Co. in New York. There she put her strategic thinking, strong decision making, and leadership skills to work, ultimately leading her to The Company Store where she breathed new life into the 110-year-old home goods retailer acquired by The Home Depot in 2018. Not one to shy from a challenge, Corinne most recently took over the leadership of Home Depot’s HD Home, in addition to her leadership role at The Company Store. An avid skier and cyclist, Corinne lives in Connecticut where she enjoys an active family life with her husband, two children, and their rescue dog Rosie.

More about Melanie Kaplan:

Following a graduate program in Textile Design and Science at Fashion Institute of Technology, Melanie  Kaplan launched a career in design and development of home furnishings products that spans a range  from decorative fabrics to finished consumer products, from bed ensembles to lifestyle furniture, from  children’s garments to kitchen textiles. 

From Design Director for a decorative fabrics company, Melanie transitioned to Vice President of Product Design and Development at a bedding producer, where she first worked directly with major  retailers to develop their programs. 

As Senior VP of Design for home furnishings at Dan River, a storied American textile company, Melanie’s  ability to translate art and concept to commercially successful design led Dan River to a spot as an  innovative leading supplier to the retail home furnishings market.  

In 2007, Melanie moved to the retail world as the Chief Creative Officer for Hanover Direct Inc., where  she headed all design, product development, sourcing and image development for the company’s key  brands, including The Company Store.  

Since The Home Depot’s acquisition of The Company Store in 2017, Melanie continues in a leadership  role. As Product Development Senior Merchant, her energy, expertise and leadership continue to inspire  colleagues on all sides of the global supply chain to the American home furnishings consumer. 

A native New Yorker, Melanie commits free time and resources to organizations committed to  improving the lives of individuals, children and families affected by various hardships.

What's new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

www.luannnigara.com/cob

insidevoiceoutsidevoice.com

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

 

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well - Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business - The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

 

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Thank you to The Company Store for sponsoring this show!

May 10, 2022

Today on A Well-Designed Business:

Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Have you ever had a project where you felt undervalued and taken advantage of? A situation where someone else was taking credit for your work? What about mixing work and family? 

These factors create a spiderweb of entanglements and equal a ticking time bomb of emotions and feelings. Today's episode comes from a listener who, while highly skilled, talented, and experienced, has found herself in a situation where she has mixed family and business in a high dollar project in which she is not getting the compensation or recognition for her contributions.

Listen in as I break down the situation, the challenges, and what Lu would do.

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Inside Voice, Outside Voice

Windowworksnj.com

Shop38east.com

Comfortex.com

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

 

May 6, 2022

Today with Michelle Feeney:

Welcome to A Well Designed Business.  On this Power Talk Friday I am talking to Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street. Floral Street is a modern British fragrance that is both sustainable and eco-friendly.

You’re probably wondering why I had Michelle on. Well despite her not being in interior design ,Michelle has provided me with a couple of aha moments that I want to bring to my listeners. She is an intelligent and accomplished business person and I can’t wait for you to hear about her experience to the top, how her fragrances make her customers feel, and how taking a break to stay at home gave her the information she needed to jump back in! 

 

Pick it apart:

[1:00] Michelle and LuAnn talk about the correlation between how a floral scent should make you feel on your body, but also when you walk into a room. 

[13:18] Michelle talks about starting Floral Street at 53-years old. 

[27:18] Michelle tells us how Floral Street breaks the mold in the sustainability of the fragrances ingredients and packaging. 

[32:37] Tiffany talks about how to make your brand a cult brand through partnerships.

LuAnn and Michelle Feeney's Ah-Ha Moments

“Interior designers focus on how clients want to feel in a space. They should extend that into, not only how the products in the room contribute to the “feel,” but also how the room is scented.” -LuAnn Nigara

 

“Many people fear how to get investments from the “big boys”with the money, but what they lack are the ideas and passion that you have.” - Michelle Feeney

 

“It’s important to take yourself out of that everyday and look in, to see how your idea could fit into the modern world.” - Michelle Feeney 

 

“If you are an individual and you are trying to build your brand, who you associate with becomes really important. There’s strength in numbers because they can help you tell your story.” - Michelle Feeney

Connect with Floral Street

Website 

Instagram 

Facebook

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned

#32- Robin Baron- The President of ASID NY Metro Chapter Talks With Us About PR and Brand Development 

#540- Robin Baron- Strategic Thinking on Brand Development

1 « Previous 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Next » 39