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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: June, 2017
Jun 30, 2017

Today is the first of two shows sponsored by Designer Inc. If you haven't yet heard of Designer Inc, be sure to go back to episode #85, where Heather Gillette, it's founder, was first introduced onto the show. On that show, LuAnn talked to her and to Designer, Mark Cutler about the introduction of Designer Inc to the marketplace. Today, Heather is back, joined by her co-founder, Dorothee Fischer, to share all of the latest developments to this valuable Interior Design Business tool. Listen in to find out all about these developments.

By using the To The Trade Only Designer Inc, you can cut your sourcing time by half. You can source by using filters- by product, by the showroom, by price point, by color, or even by dimension. It allows you to create client project folders, to organize your finds and you can share customized tear sheets with your clients. LuAnn points out that this software does not replace a Management System like MyDomo Studio- Designer Inc works in conjunction with your Client Management System, which is one of the really genius parts of it. With Designer Inc, which has all the trade sources on the site, you don't need to go back and forth to each individual site, when looking around for a particular item. You can search within the Designer Inc platform and compare, get quotes and purchase- all right there!  You can do this for multiple vendors for a single project, or a for single check-out experience. Once you've made your selection, you can simply go back and import your selection to MyDomo Studio and you're off and running! Sounds pretty fabulous, doesn't it! Listen in today, as Heather and Dorothee fill in all the gaps and tell you about the newest features to Designer Inc.

Heather Gillette is a tech person, who has specialized in early stage start-ups for the past twenty years, with a focus on the operations end. She founded and headed several departments at Youtube, including copyright enforcement, content review and user support departments. This was both pre and post-Google acquisition. Her teams kept Youtube legal and clean and processed millions of videos and user communications daily, with very little manpower. Heather is also the founder of New Decor, so she really knows the challenges that you face as Interior Designers, as Designer Inc was created specifically to increase their firm's productivity.

Dorothee Fischer is the co-founder and the Chief Marketing Officer of Designer Inc. She was also an early Youtube employee and she was their first post-acquisition marketing hire. She has twenty years of marketing behind her, nine of which she spent mastering social media. Her other areas of expertise include User Acquisition, Content Marketing, Partner Marketing, and Branding.

 

Today, Heather and Dorothee talk to LuAnn about:

  • The really special kind of relationship that gets built in, almost automatically, when people listen to this podcast and the people that LuAnn interviews. Heather can tell from the get-go, when people sign up for her site, that there's a different kind of relationship, due to this.
  • Heather explains the basics of what Designer Inc really is.
  • Heather explains some of the recent developments to their purchasing service, and why they launched it early.
  • How the quoting process works, within the Designer Inc site.
  • That Designer Inc will come back to you to confirm, should you have made multiple choices.
  • That you would pay no more order through Designer Inc, than you would if you ordered directly from the manufacturer.
  • How they make their money, at Designer Inc, through kickbacks from the manufacturers.
  • The loyalty program that they're developing, to offer you more savings.
  • That the commission will still be paid to the manufacturing or sales reps, for your order.
  • How the shopping experience actually happens, on Designer Inc.
  • Their Shop By Showroom filter.
  • Using the price filter on Designer Inc.
  • The various other filters that you can use, like style and dimension.
  • The flag feature that you can use, for your feedback, to make corrections on the site.
  • The save searches that you can use, to narrow down and save your searches as you build your projects.
  • That you can share items on the site, by inviting your client, so that they can also comment.
  • The really huge number of well-known vendors, on Designer Inc.
  • That they're a bit like the High Point Market, or Amazon, for Interior Designers.
  • What happens when an order goes wrong...that they take the responsibility and handle all of that, on your behalf.
  • That they handle all the shipping logistics, to the first destination.
  • That they really want your feedback, at Designers Inc.
  • How you, as Designers, can now invest and own equity at Designer Inc.

 

 

Link:

To invest in Designer Inc, go to: www.wefunder.com and search for designerinc

Jun 28, 2017

Today's guest is Joe Cariati, an award winning glass blower, artist, craftsman, and educator, who has had more than twenty years experience as a designer, maker, and mentor. Listen in to find out more about Joe and his really arty craft.

Joe opened his own studio in Los Angeles, California in 2003, where he still continues refining his craft and pushing his boundaries, both as a glass blower and as a designer. He launched his own business, Joe Cariati Design, in 2015. Listen in today, as Joe talks to LuAnn about his career, the things that he's learned about being a Creative and running a profitable business, and also about the new line of glassware, lamps, pendants, and accessories that he now has available for you, through CuratedKravet.com.

 

Today, Joe talks to LuAnn about:

  • His background, starting in college and the many years leading up to where he is today.
  • The thousands and thousands of things that are made in his studio every year, today, with a very small team of three.
  • His simplistic, yet complex way of making things, to get a particular quality that his glass has.
  • The risk he took in forming his own company, which finally solidified in 2007.
  • His desire to create a legacy company, where it could be passed on to his son, Vincent Cariati, should he want to become a glass blower.
  • The really close, family vibe within his company.
  • Joe's particular requirements for anyone wanting to come and work with him.
  • What happened for Joe in 2007, when he applied and was accepted to the New York Now Show.
  • How it was for him when he met Kravet for the first time in 2008.
  • The validation he got as a designer/maker, from being recognized by Kravet.
  • What he did to prepare for his meeting with Kravet back then.
  • What's available and the things that are happening with his new line at CuratorKravet.com- with exclusive colors and products!
  • How he arrived at the particular color groupings that were settled on with Kravet, for his exclusive collection.
  • All about the colors he uses and how that challenges him, as a Creative.
  • The aspects of his business that he's most active in.
  • How he figured out all the processes in his business, before deciding which aspects would be best done by him, personally.
  • How to set yourself up in your business, and which people you should hire, in order to move in the direction that you really desire to go.
  • Thriving off of a repeatable process and getting predictable results.
  • The design scene in America right now.

Links:

CuratedKravet.com

Jun 26, 2017

Today's show is a very different one. LuAnn is airing someone else's podcast on her feed and she really hopes that you will like it! She was a guest on Nicole Culver's podcast, called A Few Blissful Bites, a few weeks ago. Nicole is a podcaster and business person who teaches food bloggers how to turn their blogs into profitable businesses. LuAnn listens to Nicole's podcast because she truly believes that business principals are business principals and anybody who does a good job of expressing and teaching them, is worth listening to. So she asked Nicole to be a guest on her show, but the funny thing is that Nicole said that LuAnn should be on her show too! Listen in as LuAnn and Nicole talk about building a business that you can be proud of.

 

The thing about Nicole is that she's very actionable. She runs a community, she has a Blogger To Business Support Group, where she offers training and resources, she does workshops and she does goal check-ins and live Q & A- and she brings all of this to her food bloggers. LuAnn knows that if you're an Interior Designer who's blogging, and you would like to turn that blog into something that earns money for you some day, that Nicole's resources and her community will be valuable to you. LuAnn points out that she has no financial investment in this at all- she just knows that good business strategies for a Food Blog will be good business strategies for a Design Blog. Listen in now, as LuAnn and Nicole talk about the things that really drive business and profit.

 

Today, LuAnn talks to Nicole about:

  • Why, if you were to take the word 'design' out of her podcast, it could apply to the food (or any other) industry also.
  • How LuAnn actually got into podcasting.
  • That what LuAnn and her partners have as their core belief is that you have to stick to your company mission.
  • That you have to filter your new ideas if you want to be really successful with your main bread and butter business.
  • That there is a hurdle to doing podcasts consistently and well- it has to support your main business.
  • LuAnn tells a story to highlight the real importance of her partners and herself having understood who their customer was, in the beginning, with their brick and mortar business.
  • Figuring out your niche and positioning yourself for your ideal market.
  • How LuAnn deals with competition without letting it affect her business.
  • That you need to know your competition, but not worry about them.
  • LuAnn's intention for her podcast and how it's really helped her business.
  • That LuAnn really understood her priorities and her passion, when she started doing her podcast.
  • What LuAnn did to attract her ideal listener for her podcast- working with intention.
Nicole's website: 
http://nicoleculverblog.com
Jun 23, 2017

Have you been considering putting your toe into the podcast pool lately? If so, you will really learn a lot from today's Power Talk Friday, as LuAnn interviews Rob Greenlee, a pioneer in the Podcast Industry. LuAnn often talks about your 'only' on the show. Well, Rob's only is that he is the very first person to take a radio program and turn it into a podcast and that's pretty exciting!  If you're wondering why she's talking to a leader in the Podcast Industry, it's because Interior Design Podcasts are busy popping up all over. Although LuAnn and Nick have been covering the business side of the industry on their podcast, the consumer-facing side of podcasting has more and more Interior Designers joining their ranks. LuAnn has had a number of previous guests who'd had their own podcast by the time that she had interviewed them and this is apart from the dozen or so other shows that have launched in the last year or two, that LuAnn has not yet had a chance to engage with. These are all consumer facing and talking about the things that LuAnn doesn't talk about- the pretty stuff. Listen in as Rob indulges you a bit and LuAnn picks his brain about where this field is heading and also to help you to decipher some of the in's and out's of it.

 

Rob is the head of Podcast Content at Spreaker.com, a really huge name in podcasting. He is the former Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer at Podcast Network, Podcast 1.com. He is also the former Content Manager of Podcast For Windows Phone, Zoon and Xbox and he currently co-hosts the new media show at Geek News Central Live, every morning at 9 am (Pacific time). Rob is also the former founder and lead host of Web Talk World Radio Show and Zoon Insider Podcast. The really cool thing is that Web Talk Radio was an eight year running national, syndicated terrestrial broadcast radio show and it's recognized as the very first broadcast radio program in the world, to begin podcasting! Listen in now to find out more!

 

Today, Rob talks to LuAnn about:

 

  • Why it's really not too late to start a podcast right now.
  • What's coming in the future, technologically, with podcasts?
  • How long it really takes to build a new media.
  • What current research about podcasts is showing.
  • The really powerful medium of podcasting.
  • What makes a successful podcast host.
  • Podcasting as a really viable form of advertising.
  • That you have to offer value, before you receive value, with this medium.
  • That authenticity and trust are fundamental qualities for success in this medium.
  • That your particular slant on design can really come across on the podcast.
  • Using video to supplement your podcast.
  • The best approach to podcasting as a marketing arm of a business.
  • What it takes to inspire the listener to have a visual experience through audio.
  • Ways to use listener's questions to create a podcast.
  • Why your Interior Design Podcast can really be unique.
  • That consistent production of shows really builds an audience.
  • Building a loyal base of listeners.
  • Choosing the best hook for your show.
  • Why you should really just jump in and do it!
  • That it's really okay to learn and evolve as you grow, with podcasting.
  • That it's really hard to predict where you will go with this particular 'box of opportunity'.
  • Doing your research, if you intend doing a podcast.
  • How you really can become an expert in your field through podcasting.
Jun 21, 2017

Today's guest is Reed Humphrey, the President of Alder and Tweed Home Outfitters in Park City, Utah, a family owned business that Reed runs with his two sisters. Reed was first exposed to the world of interiors at the age of eight, when he would travel all over the world with his parents, who were the owners of a successful lighting business, to visit suppliers and factories. This really allowed for Reed to develop a discriminating eye and knowledge for quality. This expertise has carried on as Alder and Tweed continue to source some of the best leathers, fabrics, furnishings, and suppliers in the world. Listen in to find out about how Reed and his sisters have used their really clear vision to re-invent and niche their business,  to service strictly, the vacation homeowners buying in Park City, Utah.

Reed, an open, humble and skilled leader, has operated the business side of Alder and Tweed for the past thirteen years, overseeing the logistics, strategy, marketing, and human resources. He also supports the wholesale side of Alder and Tweed Furniture. Since 2004, the firm has focused on a client-centric approach to projects, and it has grown to a staff of eighteen employees, with offices in both Park City, Utah and in Big Sky, Montana.

Reed, who lives in Sandy, Utah with his wife Jenna and his daughter, London, was raised in El Dorado Hills, California and moved to Utah in 2002, after being offered a scholarship to play basketball for Utah Valley University, where he studied business. Reed speaks Japanese fluently and enjoys basketball, golf and traveling. Listen in now, to find out more about Reed and his really successfully niched business.

 

Today, Reed talks to LuAnn about:

  • How the family business, which started out as a retail showroom, has evolved, over time, eventually targeting vacation home buyers in Park City.
  • How they decided to close their original business in Salt Lake City within one week, to move to Park City.
  • That the family all knew that they had to make a move, at the time- and fast.
  • The dynamics involved in running a family business.
  • What Reed and his sisters did to brand themselves in a different light, so as not be just another Design Business
  • How Reed and his sisters became are aware of the pain points of their clients, and what they do to help them to overcome these problems and make everything really easy for the client.
  • How they manage to allocate the money as an operating expense, to fly out to see the clients.
  • How they went into their new niche market and became known within it.
  • What they did to reach out to Real Estate Agents in Park City, within their first six months.
  • How they really make it their business to cover everything, seamlessly.
  • How their referral stream has really picked up.
  • How their Junior and Senior Designers work as a team, together with Reed's sister, Heather.
  • How the processes of their projects run.
  • How their Client Portal
  • Their fantastic team, which is capable of running different projects, at different stages, all at the same time.
  • The different packages that they have available, for all the various, different client needs.
  • Why Reed and his sisters haven't really made it known that they are the owners of the firm.
  • The biggest thing that Reed would caution people wanting to start a similar business with.
  • How they manage to operate their business without a showroom.
  • That they focus on quality and customer experience, rather than on the numbers.
  • What Reed and his team really love about what they do!

Links:


http://www.alderandtweed.com
http://www.alderandtweedfurniture.com

Upcoming events include today’s FB Live Flash Mob at 2:00 pm EDT from the Kravet Showroom.

Then, Design Uncorked – How to grow from Design Firm to Design Empire. A live interview with Kelli Ellis from the Kravet Showroom at Las Vegas Market on Tuesday, August 2 at 2:00 pm. 

Last week did you catch our 1st guest blog post by Kelsey Grose of Farmer’s Daughter Interiors? “How I Landed A Full Kitchen Project With No Portfolio”

It’s a great read.

Reminder: to be on our email list, text to this number- 444999 and in the text filed type designbiz it will bring you to 1 screen to enter your email and you’re all set.

Jun 19, 2017

Today's guests are Ronald Alvarez and Monica Santayana, the principals of Moniomi Design in Miami, Florida. This is really going to be a great show for the takeaways, so if you're in business with a partner, whether you're married to them or not, you will really get some great value today! Listen in as this very special husband and wife team talk about how they work and relate together and how this contributes to the great success of their company.

 

Ronald and Monica met while attending Florida International University, where they were both studying Architecture. They started Moniomi about five years ago and they've become unbeatable, due to the fabulous way that they lead their team, in the up and coming River Area of Miami. Monica focuses on the creative details and finishes and selecting the specifics of the Design Process, like the textiles and the furniture, while Ronald, who has his background in Project Management and Advertising, keeps everything running on time, within the budget and moving forward. They offer Full Service Interior Design, for projects of any scale, as well as Custom Art and Furniture Design, Graphic Design, Space Planning and Project Management.  Moniomi's commercial work includes a private aircraft terminal at Orion Jet Centre and their Hospitality Projects include Hyatt Place, Comfort Suites, Hampton Inn, Holiday Inn, Holiday Inn Express and Pincho Factory Restaurant. LuAnn really thinks that you're going to enjoy this talk with these two very special people, as she really enjoyed getting to know them and she thinks that you will too! Listen in now, to hear their conversation.

 

Today, Ronald and Monica talk to LuAnn about:

 

  • The organic development of each of their different roles, within the business, which runs in a similar way to how they organize the rest of their lives.
  • The great level of respect and trust that Monica and Ronald have for each other.
  • How Ronald and Monica really support each other and also even push one another at times.
  • That Ronald initiated and brought systems into the business, while Monica concentrated on developing the firm.
  • Their one on one Discovery Consultations, to really get the feel of the client and ascertain whether they will be compatible, or not.
  • That they really look for creative freedom, with their projects.
  • How they coordinate and work together on a new project.
  • Where they fork off from one another with the projects and Monica focuses on the Design side of things, while Ronald focuses on the organizational side.
  • How they handle their vendor meetings.
  • That their construction documents and drawings need to be really clearly defined, for the Project Manager.
  • That clients tend not to see the Contractor as separate from and the Designer, which can be a little unfair on the Designer.
  • That most of their projects involve some type of renovation, which is bigger than the decorating side of things.
  • How the communication between Ronald, Monica and the rest of the team is organized, during a project.
  • That it's really just Ronald and Monica, as a team, that deal with the residential projects.
  • That their design team works with the Hospitality and Commercial Projects.
  • That their Residential clients know and feel comfortable in that they can reach out to Ronald and Monica, personally.
  • The great respect that Ronald and Monica have for each other's capabilities.
  • Why you need to focus on building a really strong team.
  • Monica shares some things she's learned, in hindsight.
  • Ronald's advice and number one take away- that all relationships, with your clients, employees and vendors really need to be valued.
Jun 16, 2017

The guest for today's Power Talk Friday 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!

 

Today, Adam talks to LuAnn about:

  • 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.

 

Links:

Adam's websites: www.adamurbanski.com or www.themarketingmentors.com

Adam Urbanski is also on Facebook

Jun 14, 2017

Are you a little intimidated at the thought of incorporating art into your design projects? Well, today's show could really help you to move beyond that, as the discussion centers on the value of a trusted vendor- in this case, an expert Framer, someone who can really help you to attain success in this area.  LuAnn points out that the expert Framer is yet another colleague for you to rely on and so she couldn't think of a better way to have this conversation, than to have an artist on the show, alongside his favorite Framer. Listen in today, as LuAnn talks to Paul Thomas, a renowned artist and Daniel Beauchemin,  an accomplished Interior Designer and the owner of the famous Chelsea Frames, in New York City, about the importance of quality professional framing and how that can really enhance a beautiful piece of art.

Paul Thomas has been described as an artist of intuition. His paintings are composed through a natural pattern of creation, rather than a formal analysis. Paul's work is a true reflection of his personality- bright, cheerful, full of vitality and movement and filled with an inner radiance. Much of the translucence of the color tends to be lost when viewing Paul's work online or in a catalog, so it would really be well worth seeing it in person. His work is in both public and private collections in the US, Canada, France, Italy and South America. Some of the highlight collections include the US Consulate in Florence, Italy, The Museum of Contemporary Art in Bologna, The Louis Azzaro Collection, The NYU Langone Medical Centre, Montefiore Medical Centre, Boston Scientific World Headquarters, Holiday House 2013, 2014 and 2015 and Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2015. In 2016, Paul won “Best In Show” at the Architectural Digest Design Show, where he collaborated with Charles Pavarini (Episode #16). Paul has also worked in collaboration with numerous other well known Interior Designers. In 2017, Paul's work became the exclusive art for Haru Restaurants in New York City.

Daniel Beauchemin grew up in a house where the design was part of daily life. It was a multi-cultural environment where he was exposed to the Canadian-American and European culture at home and his parent's friends spanned the whole world, so he developed an eclectic taste for beautifully designed things from a very early age. Daniel studied Architecture, with a focus on Furniture design, as well as Art History and Interiors. He came to New York in the early 1990's and worked with some notable New York City Interior Design Firms and he also opened his own firm in 1996, which he ran until 2009. He purchased Chelsea Frames in 1995 and it became the focus of his work. By 2009, it had become one of the most renowned framing studios in the USA, with customers all over the world. He left for a while and worked and designed for Larson-Juhl, but after seven years, he rejoined his partner, Jaclyn Acker, full time in Chelsea Frames, where he still works with Collectors, Designers, and clients on a daily basis. Listen in now and learn from a unique perspective, how you can incorporate fine art into your Design Projects with confidence!

Today, LuAnn, Paul, and Daniel discuss:

  • Daniel's perspective on the relationship between an Artist and a Framer and what he brings to the table when he works with an artist like Paul.
  • How Daniel was recently approached by Larson-Juhl to do their booth presentation at the Art Expo New York 2017.
  • How Daniel approached the Larson-Juhl booth at the Art Expo New York and framed Paul's pieces in three different ways so that he could effectively display both Larson Jewel's products and Paul's work.
  • Paul's thought that the artist's work is elevated by what the Framer does with it.
  • How Daniel guides designers to learn to develop an eye to select a really good frame.
  • That it's really Daniel's job to listen.
  • The three very different collection styles that Daniel used with the Larson-Juhl booth presentation.
  • The effect that Daniel's work- the art of framing- has on Paul and his work.
  • The real benefit of Artists, Framers, and Designers working collaboratively.
  • How Daniel actually 'finished' one of Paul's pieces.
  • Some tips for Designers to work better with Framers.
  • That Daniel works regularly with Designers all over the world, so you can feel free to reach out to him.
  • Paul's suggestion for making the best decision when choosing a frame.
  • That there are some Designers who actually create the room around the art because it's such an important feature.

Links:

Daniel's email: daniel@chelseaframes.com

Jun 12, 2017

Today’s guest is Kathy Kuo, an open, high-energy, talented designer, and Rockstar businesswoman.  You may have seen her amazing Instagram feed or heard of the online boutique she founded, Kathy Kuo Home. She’s also a wife, mother, cook, and world traveler. Born in Taiwan, raised in Boston, and now settled in NYC, Kathy graduated from the Rhode Island School of Interior Design and has traveled to over 30 countries. She recently starred in the FYI Network’s Rowhouse Showdown and her designs have been featured in several lifestyle publications. She’s here to discuss her career, her design firm, and how Kathy Kuo Home can help you!

What you’ll hear in this episode:

  • The impetus behind the e-commerce site she founded 10 years ago: it later became Kathy Kuo Home
  • How times have changed in the last 2-3 years
  • Kathy’s site, and how it is consumer-facing and trade-facing
  • Freedom and flexibility with online shopping
  • How Kathy’s network functions to meet clients’ needs
  • What it’s like working with celebrities
  • Great topics on Kathy’s blog: The top three? How to answer awkward questions, How to mix metals, and How to create a design board
  • Why your initial contract should include clear intention
  • How to deal with a client’s inflamed remarks
  • Vendors available at KKH
  • E-design: how it works
  • Why the presentation has to be significant
  • Kathy’s “Get the Look” project collection

Resources:

www.kathykuohome.com (Find Kathy’s blog, shop, and design business information!)

www.mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness (Find the special offer for listeners!)

Jun 9, 2017

The guest for today's Power Talk Friday is Jan Bowen, the Founder, and Principal of Strategic Solution Services. Jan is an author, a keynote speaker, a catalyst and a thought leader, with the central theme of her work being alignment. Jan talks about work aligning with life from both the inside and the outside. She is passionate about helping people to live their lives fully, through her work as an Author, a Coach, and a Public Speaker as well as through her business. Listen in to find out more about Jan and the really inspiring work she does.

LuAnn could talk to Jan about any of the several aspects of coaching that she does- Leadership Coaching and working with teams or individuals, but the subject of intuition is the one that came up. There are so many things that LuAnn can teach, but she realized that although she's a huge believer in intuition and she's spent her whole life, since childhood, cultivating it, she feels that teaching people how to cultivate and follow their intuition isn't something that she can break down into actionable advice. Intuition has become so instinctive for her that she doubts she has the language to teach it. So, today LuAnn will talk about that with Jan, because Jan really knows how to teach people how to use it- it relates to leadership training and to interactions with clients. Listen in now and find out from Jan how you can cultivate your intuition and use it to enhance your life and business.

Today, LuAnn talks to Jan about:

  • How her intuition speaks to her.
  • How she teaches people to cultivate their intuition.
  • What people tend to think that intuition is.
  • Allowing your intuition to build and develop.
  • Keeping a log of your successes with your intuition.
  • How to know the difference between just an idea and her intuition.
  • That intuition is rational- it's not emotional.
  • Starting with knowing what your personal feelings about intuition really are.
  • That your intuition will never lead you into harm- it will save you.
  • Your intuition is really your truest self, talking to you.
  • Paying attention to ways that you get your intuitive messages and the miraculous patterns that they form.
  • That many people get their intuitive messages when they're showering.
  • Having goals for how you would like your intuition to work for you.
  • How Jan uses her intuition in a unique way, within business relationships.
  • The many, many areas in your life that intuition can really work for you.
  • Keeping track of how your intuition talks to you, to increase the intuitive messages that you will receive.
  • Clearing your clutter, to be still and better hear your intuitive voice.
  • When you are physiologically busy, you can often be more open to hearing your intuition.
  • Allowing your intuition to talk to you, as you really do have all the information that you need, for everything.
  • Listening carefully to pick up the non-verbal messages that people are giving you.
  • That your heart is really intelligent!
  • Why you need to trust and follow your hunches.
  • That using your intuition makes it grow stronger.
  • Intuition is part of the human condition.

Resources:

Jan's books:

It's Not That Complicated- How To Create A Personalised Template Of Alignment.

Why Do You Get Up In The Morning?- Demystifying Life Purpose

How To Hear What You Know

Links:

Jan's website: www.janlbowen.com

Jan is also on Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter

Jun 7, 2017

The guest on today's show is Jane Cunningham, the President, Principal Designer and CEO of Room Resolutions. Interestingly, Jane is also a classically trained musician- she used to be the Principal Clarinettist in the Honolulu Symphony. Jane describes how she is particularly skilled at finding her way through the intimacy of the second movement of a musical piece. LuAnn learned from Jane's website how Jane sees the second movement in music in correlation to the journey we have in our lives, seeking a different tempo in the second half, or sometimes even changing the theme, or using a different key. That got LuAnn thinking about Fred Berns (#174) and she found it interesting that Jane not only knows what her 'only' is, but she has it right there, on her website! Listen in and find out how Jane's skill as a classically trained musician and her specific talent for the second movement inform her both as an individual and as a Designer.

 

Room Resolutions is a luxury Interior Design Firm, which is located in Las Vegas, Nevada, specializing in large scale residential and commercial renovation, as well as new builds. Jane runs Room Resolutions together with her daughter, Amanda, who is the firm's Design Manager. Amanda is responsible for educating the clients about the scope, the specifications and the details of the selections in the projects, from vendor relationships, procurement and expediting, to total Project Management, including the overseeing of the tradesmen and craftsmen. She also manages all the Social Media and website tasks. Sounds like a busy lady! Listen in now to find out more about the awesome firm that these two ladies run together!

 

Today, Jane and LuAnn discuss:

  • The 12 Core Values of her Company, that Jane has listed on her website.
  • How Jane arrived at her Core Values.
  • The value of being clear about who you are and what you want to convey to your clients.
  • The more that people get to know who you are, the more you can stand out.
  • That for Jane, there has to be an in-depth relationship with her clients, which starts with her being intrinsically honest about who she really is.
  • Vulnerability- how it works for Jane in getting people to know who she really is.
  • What Jane means by 'Champagne Professionals'.
  • How Jane's firm keeps everything in really detailed and systemized order.
  • Making sure that the communication is really clear when working on a project, by setting everything up in advance.
  • Jane's process of avoiding glitches in the Designer world.
  • Dealing effectively with changes, with clear communication.
  • How Jane handles with her client communication, by corralling them in the beginning.
  • How Jane ascertains if a client is right for her firm.
  • Two questions that you could ask your potential clients, to tell you a lot about them.

Some amazing things about Amanda!

Jun 5, 2017

Are you an Outlanders fan? If so, you're just going to love listening to the accent of today's guest! LuAnn warns you though, that if you're not, the first five to ten minutes of today's show aren't going to be your cup of tea! Today's guest is Laura Lochrin, who's originally from Scotland and she only moved here, with her husband and children, five years ago.  She now lives in sunny California. Listen in to find out about Laura and the particular way that she goes about her business.

LuAnn was really surprised to discover that Laura only opened her firm eight months ago. Today, they talk about the challenges that Laura faces in having a start-up design firm, two small children and a husband- all of this while living on the other side of the world from where she was raised! Listen in now, to their really fun conversation.

Today, Laura talks to LuAnn about:

  • What it was like for her, getting started in the USA.
  • How she grew her Instagram following in such a short time.
  • Her Instagram feed- how much of her own work is on it and how much of it is curated posts of other people's work.
  • Laura's way of working with Instagram.
  • How Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook and now also Yelp are translating into business for Laura.
  • Appealing to the right people for her kind of work, through her Instagram feed.
  • Using Instagram as a Marketing Tool.
  • Those things are starting to get a little hectic with her solo business, now.
  • Time management- one of her biggest challenges at the moment.
  • The challenges of being a working mom.
  • How she makes things work, as a mom and a designer.
  • That she developed the necessary confidence to do design work as a result of her background in advertising.
  • Some of the challenges that she faces with her business, at the moment.
  • How much she's learned from listening to LuAnn's Podcast!
  • That she uses Design Manager to help with her administrative processes.
  • That she falls a little more in love with MyDoma, every time she uses it.
  • What she does that really helps her new business to thrive.
  • How Laura structures her fees.
  • That she knows the value of her work because she knows what she has to give up in her life, in order to make it happen.
  • Making the time to go to the Industry Markets and to meet other designers.
  • That her Superpower is all about the details- in every aspect of her life.

Laura's website: Laura Lochrin Interiors

Jun 2, 2017

Today, LuAnn is delighted to be getting together again with Anna Brockway, who first appeared on episode #79 of the show. Anna is the CEO and founder of Charish, which is also one of the show's sponsors. Anna is back today, as there are some crazy new updates to Charish that she and LuAnn want to share with you. Listen in to find out more about Charish and why it's important to you, as Interior Designers.

Charish is an Online Marketplace, which was started about four years ago. Three months ago, it had over 150 000 items available for sale on the site and nearly 1 000 000 buyers and sellers that do business there every month. Recently they've introduced a really cool virtual app that Interior Designers are going bananas about! Listen in now and find out more about Anna's really fun and fast growing business. If you're new to the show, please go back and listen to episode #79, to get the full story of how Anna started Charish and everything else that you need to know about it.

 

Today, Anna talks to LuAnn about:

  • A quick run down of what Charish is and how it helps Interior Designers with their businesses.
  • That the transactions at Charish are similar to those on e-Bay.
  • The delivery service that Charish provides.
  • The advantages of using Charish for Interior Designers.
  • The 'cash back' discount benefit, for Interior Designers who use Charish.
  • The new and exciting things that have been recently added to the Charish platform, making it an even better tool for the Design Trade to use.
  • How the fantastic, new, 'try it before you buy it' virtual app works.
  • That you can use the app to do design work on your iPhone.
  • Amazing ways that you could use the app.
  • The really large range of prices available at Charish.
  • The Charish Pink Book- a digital pricing guide. Their version of the Kelly Blue Book.
  • The environmental advantages to buying vintage furniture.
  • The styles and trends that are available at Charish.
  • The value points for used furniture.
  • Pricing for either time or money.

Links:

Anna's website:

https://www.chairish.com

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