Today with Jenny and Ben Slingerland
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Jenny and Ben Slingerland of Black Ink Interiors share the growing pains of their luxury design firm, how they run their team, and how they fill the gaps in expertise. Jenny also details what her Design for Build course involves and how it helps her students expand their business and get the respect of builders.
Pick it apart:
[25:22] Ben explains what their new hire, a client experience coordinator, manages
[27:24] Jenny explains how she provides initial design guidance on a project to her design staff and has designers handle client communication
[38:49] Jenny shares the coaches she and Ben have hired to enhance and grow their business
[44:01] Jenny explains how her class can help designers gain an additional revenue stream and how to talk to clients about the furniture stage
[47:41] Jenny explains how her LuAnn University course will help designers
[1:07:58] Jenny shares real advice for designers just getting their feet wet
LuAnn and Jenny and Ben Slingerland’s Ah-Ha moments:
“There is nothing greater to me if my students get one job or a positive response from a builder.” - Jenny Slingerland
“It’s knowing what the builder’s expectation is and delivering it in an organized, buttoned-up manner.” - Jenny Slingerland
“If you can make their life easier, they will hire you again and again.” - Jenny Slingerland
More about Jenny and Ben Slingerland:
Jenny is the Owner and Principal Designer of Black Ink Interiors, a luxury residential interior design firm based in Arizona. She and her team serve clients throughout the United States and the Bahamas. Jenny is known for her unique sense of style and her ability to visualize the possibilities of any space. She is an award-winning designer who has been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Business of Home and Luxe Magazine.
Ben is the Chief Operating Officer of Black Ink Interiors. He left the corporate world in 2018 to join the team and oversee the back end operations, allowing Jenny and the design team to focus on the client-facing activities. Ben has an MBA and over 20 years of business experience across multiple industries and disciplines including land acquisition & development for a national homebuilder and senior procurement and human resources roles at Mars Incorporated.
Connect with Black Ink Interiors:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma: To learn about how it can uplevel your professionalism and organization, go to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness and scroll down to the designer testimonial videos. Also on that site, my listeners can click to receive 20% off Mydoma for 3 months.
Today with Vita Vygovska
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Ever wonder how Vita Vygovska of Vitalia Inc. Window Treatments & Awnings has been able to scale her business and maintain a family life at the same time? Her passion for spreadsheets has helped her design and build a digitized Project Management system that streamlined her business process and serves as her center of truth. Listen now as she outlines the 10 must-have elements that every Project Management System needs.
Pick It Apart:
[18:35] Vita explains show a PMS gives you the options and checklists to make sure nothing is forgotten or falls through the cracks.
[36:33] Vita shows how to use the reports from your digital project management system to evaluate your business
[39:11] Vita shares about how she has worked very hard to consistently refine the systems and processes of her business and the benefits that brings to her personal life.
[40:50] Vita shares how she got a business coach.
[43:07] Vita reviews the need for a process of project management to get your order through each project stage
[48:17] Luann talks about key project stages: waiting for approval/deposit and balance due
Ah-Ha Moments with LuAnn Nigara and Vita Vygovska:
“10 points to a great Project Management System, but one of my favorites is that it has to be suggestive and intuitive, a va-va-voom, sexy system!” - Vita Vygovska
“A good Project Management System can provide validation to the feelings of busy because you can see the numbers in front of you, and gives you a whole new level of awareness.” - Vita Vygovska
“Mindset is huge. Other people giving you limitations is horse crap.” - LuAnn Nigara
More About Vita Vygovska
Vitalia Vygovska (Vita for short), CWFP, MBA, is an award-winning window treatment specialist, author, speaker, mom, wife, and a ballroom dance enthusiast. Her company, Vitalia, Inc, provides all-encompassing concierge-level, tech-driven fabrication, measurement, installation, and project management services exclusively for interior designers. In business for over a decade, Vita and her team are experts in their narrow field, providing designers with superb quality product and excellent communication. Most importantly, they take off the stress, save time, and give peace of mind in the job is well-done.
Connect with Vita Vygovska:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Today with Rachel Moriarty
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, we’re talking about visibility and authenticity. So many of us are bought into the idea that niching is the right way to go. But when we go to sit down and think about what we do that’s special, we can’t figure it out. For my guest today, Rachel Moriarty, the answer came from tapping into her own existing strengths and experiences. Now, she’s sharing those insights with us!
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Rachel Moriarty’s Ah-Ha moments:
“There’s no competition because everybody knows exactly who they are and stand in that space so strongly.” -Rachel Moriarty
“To me, it’s non-negotiable to have people in my life that know more than I know. It’s as simple as that. Because otherwise, how am I going to know more?” -LuAnn Nigara
“I love these tight relationships that I have with my clients because it allows me to go in deep, which I think is my gift as an introvert.” -Rachel Moriarty
More about Rachel Moriarty:
Rachel Moriarty is an Award-Winning Designer, #1 Best Selling Author, Style Expert as well as a Color + Pattern-ista!
Perhaps most importantly, Rachel is the ultimate colorful character! Those who know her and follow her on social media look forward to seeing her vibrant wardrobe, eclectic jewelry, and her ease with being what she calls ‘extra.’ Rachel’s multi-cultural roots - she is Mexican, Native American and Filipina - are an integral part of her love of diversity in design. Rachel is not afraid of color, texture, and design influences from across the globe. Raised by a Mexican-American feminist mother with a creative side, Rachel’s grandparents hail from Manila, Mexico City, the Arizona border town of Douglas, and California’a agricultural San Joaquin Valley. Rachel embodies and embraces them all as part of what makes her uniquely American and creatively equipped to design any space. Rachel embodies her personal belief that color adds interest and excitement to the world, and, like a chef seasoning a meal, she sprinkles it liberally to add passion and flavor.
Rachel’s iconic designs and unique personal philosophy have been featured in many publications, including Vision Magazine and San Diego Home and Garden Lifestyle, and Rachel has been featured on HGTV and The Design Network. Rachel has partnered with Unique Design Solutions to create her own tile color collection, and maintains an active clientele of both residential and commercial design clients. A former fashion stylist, Rachel’s passion for fabric, texture and color infuses all her creative work. Rachel is a master of weaving color into the spaces she designs to create energy, warmth and authenticity. There is a reason that clients line up to work with Rachel! Her warmth, enthusiasm and confidence manifest a seamless design experience and make the project fun start to finish.
A true design pro with years of experience, Rachel makes it a point to work with trusted tradesmen, quality craftsmen, skilled artisans, reliable installers as well as local artists to take each design project from concept to completion.
Connect with Rachel Moriarty:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast 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.
Meet Revel Wood’s John Dupra at High Point at our Meet and Greet on Thursday oct 14, 2021 or at the PTF Tour on Friday Oct 15th 2021 check the show notes for links to both of these and check the show notes for the link to revelwoods.com/pro-account to learn more about how you can educate yourself on flooring, confidently specify the right product for your project, and profit from your expertise.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#55 Rachel Moriarty – Message to Solopreneurs- Act As If the World is Watching
#214 Rachel Moriarty: How FaceBook Live Can Be A Game Changer For Your Interior Design Business
#174 Power Talk Friday- Fred Berns- Own Your “Only” Word & Tips to Discover Yours
Today with Bethany Wrede Peterson:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m talking with Bethany Wrede Peterson, an interior designer, host of Arrived podcast, and business coach who specializes in helping designers find their unique voice.
Bethany and I are talking today about a topic that isn’t new to the podcast—unlocking your unique voice, your niche, the thing that you do that nobody else does that makes you the obvious, only choice. But Bethany manages to frame it in a way that opened my eyes, despite the fact that I have been having these conversations for the last five years.
Pick it apart:
[3:55] Bethany shares the common trait she has seen in interior designers that holds them back from niching.
[9:10] Bethany discusses tips for finding your voice even when it’s not easy to filter down and discover it.
[21:43] Bethany talks about how to overcome the mindset blocks surrounding your voice.
[42:11] LuAnn and Bethany discuss how to conduct a post-mortem following a project and turn every failure into a success.
LuAnn and Bethany Wrede Peterson’s Ah-Ha moments:
“If you think about it from the perspective of what’s not worked versus what has worked...where have you felt burnt out in a client project? That’s a huge indicator that that is not the direction that you want to be taking your niche into.” -Bethany Wrede Peterson
“I think why it’s been troublesome for some of our colleagues to identify their only or their passion, is because they do that first level—review their past clients and see which ones they’re happy with. But happy is not as specific as ‘Which ones could you identify with so well that you could anticipate their needs, that you could identify with so well that you instinctively understood what they would like or want or the way you would service them that would be successful?’ The way you described it was so clear to me.” -LuAnn Nigara
“It’s not enough to simply say, ‘sustainable design,’ because we know there are a thousand other designers that can work to that. It’s about how we demonstrate that we are the right person for that client, not only for the broader niche, but with actually relating to that person’s whole life and story.” -LuAnn Nigara
“If you second guess yourself, your talents, your divine right to be doing this, then you’re depriving the rest of us of that talent that you’ve got. If you don’t show up and do it, then somebody doesn’t get it. And you have to think about that because there’s somebody out there that needs what only you can offer.” -LuAnn Nigara
More About Bethany Wrede Peterson:
Bethany Wrede Peterson is an interior designer turned podcast & brand messaging coach. She helps interior designers and creative entrepreneurs find their Voice to become more profitable, achieve greater meaning, and have more FUN in their work.
Bethany started her self-development podcast, ARRIVED., in 2019 initially to help her then-niche – single men – find their voice at home and in their relationships. After the pandemic hit, Bethany started receiving requests from peers to help them launch their pod, and realized that her own story needed to feature in her coaching. She works with clients one-to-one and is also the creator of 'Find Your Voice', an online course to help creatives rediscover their Why, find their Voice, and launch their pod in 8 short weeks.
Bethany has been featured in The Guardian; Wallpaper*; The Course Method; OnlineCourseTalks.com; I AM CEO; Subkit; and Minnesota AM950 radio. Her podcasts, 'ARRIVED.', and 'ARRIVED...Daily.' have been streamed in 25 countries.
Connect with Bethany Wrede Peterson:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma is your complete designer toolkit, the place for you to manage all of your projects, from time tracking to communication to product approvals, so that you can free your time up to focus on your business and serve your clients. You can get started today and save 20% off your first three months at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.
Other Shows Mentioned:
# 174 Power Talk Friday- Fred Berns- Own Your “Only” Word & Tips to Discover Yours
#256 Nancy Ganzekaufer- A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients
#440 Power Talk Friday: Tobi Fairley: Her Design You Coaching Program
Today with Jessica Mann-Amato
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Jessica Mann-Amato of Mancini Duffy, a New York architectural firm specializing in commercial and hospitality projects shares the innovative design software her firm uses to help clients visualize their project, iterate in real-time, and confidently add their stamp of approval.
Pick it apart:
[6:18] Jessica walks through her paperless process
[18:45] Jessica shares how they introduce 360 process to a legacy client
[22:49] Jessica explains how Covid forced them to develop the firm’s 360 system further
[24:49] Jessica explains her company’s R&D department
[40:18] Jessica talks about the state of her commercial firm in this semi post-pandemic climate and how her clients are adapting their spaces
[52:10] LuAnn talks about how designers can help local businesses set up a Zoom room
[53:53] Jessica talk about how to purchase the ToolBelt software
LuAnn and Jessica Mann-Amato’s Ah-Ha moments:
“This environment allows everyone to visualize what we’re describing.” - Jessica Mann-Amato
“It allows us to be more intentional about when we’re utilizing in-person time versus video time.” - Jessica Mann-Amato
More about Jessica Mann-Amato:
Jessica Mann-Amato, IIDA, is a natural design leader. With over 20 years of client-focused design experience, she oversees workplace strategy, space planning, and interior design for Mancini’s New York office as a principal and shareholder. She works diligently to bring her colleagues and clients together to achieve a shared vision, infused with a creative edge, that meets—and exceeds—expectations.
Jessica utilizes Mancini’s cutting-edge technology to further the design process and bring each client’s vision to life. She uses the company’s state-of-the-art Design Lab to lead clients through proprietary 360 Design Sessions which immerse them in their future spaces and allow for a truly collaborative and interactive design process, which Jessica has always promoted with her clients.
Jessica cut her teeth by devising beautiful and functional interiors for consumer goods companies, digital media movers and shakers, and boutique financial firms. Her career highlights include design projects for a wide array of clients that met unique business goals, integrated new workplace strategies, and delivered design that has had significant impact on clients’ company culture. She has created spaces for clients such as Indeed, Rent the Runway, McGraw-Hill, Rauxa, Pernod Ricard USA, ALM Media, and Citigroup, among many other innovative companies.
Jessica believes that true design inspiration is achieved with real collaboration within her group and with each client. She readily shares what she knows with the designers of Mancini, making mentoring and professional development a key component in her work.
A graduate of Ringling College of Art and Design, before joining Mancini Jessica worked with Spector Group, HLW International LLP, NELSON, Furnstahl & Simon Architects, and Conant Architects. She served as the 2009-2010 International Interior Design Association (IIDA) NY Chapter President.
Connect with Jessica Mann-Amato:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast 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.
Meet Revel Wood’s John Dupre at High Point at our Meet and Greet on Thursday oct 14, 2021 or at the PTF Tour on Friday Oct 15th 2021 check the show notes for links to both of these and check the show notes for the link to revelwoods.com/pro-account to learn more about how you can educate yourself on flooring, confidently specify the right product for your project, and profit from your expertise.
Today with George Oliphant:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. It's Power Talk Friday! George Oliphant from NBC’s George to the Rescue shares how the show (now in the 12th season) came about, how he chooses designers to help him, and why relationships matter. New Jersey designer, Campbell Minister, was chosen as the featured designer (who then chose Window Works to supply the window treatments!).
Pick it apart:
[14:43] George shares how he got the George to the Rescue opportunity
[38:42] LuAnn asks George how a designer can put themselves up to be a designer on the show
[45:33] LuAnn explains the connection between relationships and opportunities
LuAnn and George Oliphant’s Ah-Ha moments:
“It all comes down to relationships. Who have you taken the time to know? Who have you taken the time to help along the way?” - LuAnn
“I wanted to be part of the helping.” - George Oliphant
“People really like to help other people - and if they can, they will.” - George Oliphant
More About George Oliphant:
George Oliphant is the popular Emmy Award-winning host of NBC's George to the Rescue, a weekly national home improvement show. For 12 seasons, George and his team of contractors and interior designers have rescued deserving homeowners and community centers.
George Oliphant started out his career as a touring children's theatre actor. He quickly transitioned to become the host of Nickelodeon's Nick GaS. From then on, he worked as a VJ for various MTV shows. After working as a VJ, he landed jobs for NBC as a host, one of them being, Open House to the Rescue, which then turned to George to the Rescue. The show began in New York and is now a part of all NBC stations across the map. GTTR recently won a second consecutive National Daytime Emmy for “Outstanding Lifestyle Series”. You can stream past episodes at Youtube.com/George2Rescue and on Peacock.
Connect with George Oliphant:
George to the Rescue Instagram
Connect with Campbell Minister:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast 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.
Today with Leyden Lewis
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. We talk a lot about the business side of design—from niching to raising your rates to processes and systems. But today, we’re talking about the root of design—creativity. Bringing creativity and innovation to your design not only establishes you as a designer, it also levels up the value you bring to your clients. My guest today, Leyden Lewis, is certainly an innovator and a visionary. He’s sharing his insights into designing from the heart, creating irreplicable work, and drawing inspiration from the world.
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Leyden Lewis’s Ah-Ha moments:
“Be aware that your own maturation, your own age, your own marketing and financial literacy has to tie in. If anything, I learned everything that I know about my business from a series of amazing exposure and failures. Everyone’s story is the same in that regard. We all make errors or misjudgments.” -Leyden Lewis
“In five and a half years doing this business, almost every successful designer who has been on the show agrees, it almost always comes down to relationships. It’s the relationships you make, it’s the way you care for them. The internet is going to be there, but what I want to say to the younger designers is don’t negate the relationships.” -LuAnn Nigara
“I’m an outlier. I try to push myself. I bring the fierceness and the robustness and the pushing of the design envelope to my own work. Of course, I have done simple designs for clients who do not want to be pushed, but wherever there’s an opportunity, I push the envelope. Because design for me is an absolutely organic concept. I think it should be evolving, I think it should reflect the times that we’re in, the conditions, the people, the cultural shifts. To me, design is not static.” -Leyden Lewis
More about Leyden Lewis:
Leyden Lewis Design Studio is a Brooklyn-based firm that over the last thirty years has created poetic and culturally sensitive spaces and furniture in the United States and around the world.
Founder and Creative Director Leyden Lewis is a trained architect with a background which encompasses the culturally rich Caribbean heritage of Trinidad and Tobago, urban sophistication, and classical European Modernism. Leyden Lewis Design Studio has been included in the Elle Decor’s A-List top 125 designers in the world in 2019 and 2020, as well as features in Architectural Digest by Carly Olson, New York Magazine - The Cut by Wendy Goodman, a TV feature on Open House TV on NBC, House Beautiful by Hadley Keller.
As a fine artist, his work has been exhibited widely and has received much acclaim, in 2004, Leyden Lewis was invited by the curator Thelma Golden to participate in the Harlemworld: Metropolis and Metaphor show at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Critic Herbert Muschamp referred to Lewis's work as "the poetic heart" of the exhibition. When it is desirable, Leyden Lewis Design Studio assists and consults with building art collections for clients.
Connect with Leyden Lewis:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma is your complete designer toolkit, the place for you to manage all of your projects, from time tracking to communication to product approvals, so that you can free your time up to focus on your business and serve your clients. You can get started today and save 20% off your first three months at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#587 Darrell Long: The Best Design Comes From Within, Not Pinterest
Today with Vita Vygovska
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Vita Vygovska of Vitalia Inc. is back for Window Treatment Friday and this time we’re talking digitizing your systems. Why go digital? Go paperless to take back your time and alleviate that frustrating back and forth with your vendors and installers. Dread the client making a change to the estimate? With Vita’s digital system, you’ll fret no more!
Pick It Apart:
[10:37] Vita shares what she’s hearing is the biggest struggle of window treatment pros
[12:25] Vita describes a digital time-saving solution for repetitive processes
[17:26] Vita shares the second step to automating your backend systems
[20:19] Vita shares the third iteration the original estimate receives - becoming a PO for the vendor
[21:20] Vita shares how the original estimate is turned into notes for the installer
[28:29] Vita advises listeners how to think about a big change
[37:09] Vita tells why posting your documents to the cloud will simplify your life
Ah-Ha Moments with LuAnn Nigara and Vita Vygovska:
“If you are using pen and paper and a calculator to figure out the yardage, that has to stop!” - Vita Vygovska
More About Vita Vygovska
Vitalia Vygovska (Vita for short), CWFP, MBA, is an award-winning window treatment specialist, author, speaker, mom, wife, and a ballroom dance enthusiast. Her company, Vitalia, Inc, provides all-encompassing concierge-level, tech-driven fabrication, measurement, installation, and project management services exclusively for interior designers. In business for over a decade, Vita and her team are experts in their narrow field, providing designers with superb quality product and excellent communication. Most importantly, they take off the stress, save time, and give peace of mind in the job is well-done.
Connect with Vita Vygovska:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Today with Kristen Rivoli
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Many designers are interested in expanding their business, whether that involves bringing a product to the market, tapping into a new niche, or building up passive income. My guest today, Kristen Rivoli, brings interesting insight into this idea. She recently rebranded and added a passive income stream to her business, built on selling curated designs to those who love the idea of design but don’t have the budget for it. She’s sharing her insights with us in today’s episode!
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Kristen Rivoli’s Ah-Ha moments:
“The best advice I can give to my clients right now is, we’re going to move forward with the design, but we’re all just going to have to be a little more patient. Things are a little more upside down today. It’s just our reality of today.” -Kristen Rivoli
“Give all sides of the design world a try. Try it on and see if it works.” -Kristen Rivoli
“It is a challenge. Many designers have talked about the challenge of offering a different ladder of services that is different than their bread and butter or passion.” -LuAnn Nigara
“There are lots of potential clients who are not your client today, but they will be in five or eight or ten years. If you can offer a service to them that respects where they are now...that’s what you’re doing. You’re saying I know that you want something beautiful and you want someone to help you but you’re not quite ready for my full service, so let’s deliver something to you, let’s get you in the Kristen family, and in ten years when you’re ready, you’re going to think of me first.” -LuAnn Nigara
More about Kristen Rivoli:
Kristen Rivoli Interior Design, founded in 2009, is built upon my extensive experience designing luxury residential and large-scale commercial projects. With an expertise in new builds and gut renovations, I design premium homes customized to your tastes and needs. My designs have been featured in Architectural Digest, House Beautiful, New England Home, Boston Common, Domino, Boston Globe Magazine, and HGTV. A native of western New York and graduate of the Art Institute of Pittsburgh, I live with my husband, two sons, and dog just outside of Boston.
Connect with Kristen Rivoli:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma Studio is the best place for you to manage all the details of your design projects. From time tracking to invoicing and receiving payments, even communication between you, your trades and your client. Go to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbuisness to get started today.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#319 Power Talk Friday: Kristan McLaughlin – Your Local Design Center As A Resource for Your Interior Design Projects
#10 Denise McGaha – Deadline Driven Design
Today with Mickie Kennedy:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. For Power Talk Friday, small business PR pro Mickie Kennedy joins us to share a unique angle we can use to help get the attention of publications. Learn how to reverse engineer an effective press release that starts with ditching everything we know about design, allows us to gather feedback from consumers, and positions us as a thought leader in the industry.
Pick it apart:
[2:38] Mickie talks about why focusing on PR strategy matters
[8:03] LuAnn summarizes how HARO and proactive PR differs
[16:50] LuAnn and Mickie talk about a PR strategy schedule
[22:52] Mickie shares how to do “newsjacking” properly
[27:50] Mickie suggests his take on the suggested number of survey respondents
[32:08] Mickie offers his opinion about why PR helps your business
LuAnn and Mickie Kennedy’s Ah-Ha moments:
“Having those “as featured on” sections on your website convey expertise and is an implied endorsement.” - Mickie Kennedy
More About Mickie Kennedy:
Mickie Kennedy is the Founder and President of eReleases, the small business leader for press release distribution, now celebrating 22 years in business. He is an expert at helping small businesses increase their visibility and credibility and he’s here today to share some valuable insights.
Connect with Mickie Kennedy:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast 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.
Today with Lane McNab:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I’m joined by Lane McNab. Lane runs a successful interior design business, Lane McNab Interiors, but, like so many of you, she found herself wanting to diversify. That desire eventually led to the birth of Guild by LMI, Lane’s furniture line.
Starting a furniture line, or adding any facet of the business, takes a lot of work. Today, Lane is sharing a spotlight on the challenges she faced and how she overcame them along the way.
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Lane McNab’s Ah-Ha moments:
“You have to determine along the way where you’re going to make a compromise, because you can’t make everyone happy all the time. So you have to determine what is the foundation of what you’re trying to do, and then that can inform those decisions as you’re trying to make them. There are hundreds of decisions that go into developing something like a furniture line.” -Lane McNab
“You know what I love about that, is it’s so typical of any entrepreneur’s journey, but of course to a designer’s journey. I can imagine that if you analyzed the projects you’ve done and the way you priced them twelve years ago, you’d probably say the same thing: ‘in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I was going to get another client or if the phone was ever going to ring again, so I was pricing projects at a lower rate. But I eventually understood that my value was worth more.’” -LuAnn Nigara
“Once I know what I’m going to do, and that my risk tolerance is ok with it, I’m just going to do it. I’m not going to hit a wall of ‘oh it’s too hard or too expensive.’ You just get to the next fork in the road and figure out how to make it work.” -Lane McNab
More about Lane McNab:
A Southern transplant, Lane grew up in Tallahassee, FL and completed undergraduate studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. Soon after she moved to the West Coast where she attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Graduating with advanced degrees in vocal performance, she pursued her music career spending several years as a highly-acclaimed operatic soprano in leading roles throughout the Bay Area.
After years of extensive travel and studies abroad, Lane left opera singing to manage the demands of a growing family. When she returned to the working world, she focused on her other artistic passion: designing interiors. Before founding Lane McNab Interiors in 2012, she apprenticed with a local design and construction firm as a designer and project manager which gave her an invaluable hands-on experience and a deep knowledge of the design and construction process.
A continuously curious learner with a passion for beauty, uniqueness, detail, and quality Lane has created a firm with a team of like-minded professionals giving her a devoted clientele and close relationships with vendors and tradespeople throughout the Bay Area. Her designs have been featured in numerous publications and tastemaker sites. When not passionately pursuing design, Lane spends her free time with her three children and husband in their 115 year old house in Berkeley, CA.
Connect with Barry Lantz:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Kravet: Kravet’s commitment to innovation and their ability to bring in new technology works to make life easier for you as a designer. Their new website redesign makes finding quality home furnishings even easier for you. With the new redesign, you can quickly access all of your tools, like your account settings, price lists, current and past orders and more. The product has also been enhanced to offer more tailored results to get you what you're looking for quicker. Designers can now also search more specifically by color with Kravet's new advanced color search, which 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!
Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#205 Lane McNab: How Interior Designers and Contractors Work Together
#540 Robin Baron: Strategic Thinking on Product Development
#73 Kim Kuhteubl: Understand the Value of Your Creativity and How to Find Your True Tribe
#670 Power Talk Friday: Susan Inglis: Sustainable Furnishings Council, What You Need to Know.
Today with Desi Creswell:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Desi Creswell, interior design coach and mindset guru shares the common signs of overwhelm and what can be done to combat the overwork that quietly sneaks into our lives when we take our eyes off our work/life vision and start telling ourselves all sorts of stories about why we must stack our day so high it starts to spill over.
Pick it apart:
[9:51] Desi covers the first few signs of overwhelm: buffering, daydreaming about quitting, and not being excited about your wins.
[16:26] Desi walks through the final signs of overwhelm: not feeling creative and not having fun anymore.
[27:05] Desi addresses how we can prevent overwhelm.
[43:01] Desi offers approaches to saying no to a project.
[51:19] Desi shares how working on our mindset allows us to process through negative emotions.
LuAnn and Desi Creswell's Ah-Ha moments:
“We’re overworking because we’re trying to get somewhere, but that ends up slowing us down - and might result in us quitting the dream instead of getting us there faster.” - Desi Cresswell
“Confidence is being able to have your own back through any emotion and knowing you can handle it.” - Desi Cresswell
More About Desi Creswell:
Desi is a Certified Life & Business Coach for interior designers who are exhausted from the hamster wheel and want to get out of the hustle. As a former interior designer who found another way, Desi understands how it feels to be trapped in the constant spin of busy work.
Through her intimate group program and private coaching, she coaches designers through mindset tools and practical strategies so that they can make the time to build meaningful progress toward their business and life goals.
Connect with Desi Creswell:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast 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.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#475 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: How to Create More Time
#557 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: Develop Your CEO Mindset
Today with Barry Lantz:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. In his twenties, Barry Lantz worked retail before starting his own full-service interior design business. Then, instead of retiring, he switched gears to begin a successful encore career in art. Learn what advice this seasoned pro has for young designers and the words his mother told him that he’ll never forget.
Pick it apart:
[7:09] Barry talks about his first job before starting his own business.
[11:15] Barry shares his story about pitching to Kravet.
[17:41] Barry talks about his unique approach to client presentations.
[26:35] Barry shares advice for designers.
[30:36] Barry talks about the need for designers to have confidence.
LuAnn and Barry Lantz’s Ah-Ha moments:
“For me, selling is the rush. I just love to sell!” - Barry Lantz
“Two of the biggest words for success are selling and presentation.” - Barry Lantz
“I never think anything. I’ve never said that to a client.” - Barry Lantz
More about Barry Lantz:
Known nationally for his sense of style and interior design talent, Barry Lantz embarked on a professional artistic career in 2010. After painting several pieces for an event and selling them unexpectedly, he began to paint on canvas as a layer to his design business. His art has become an important component of his successful design profession.
Barry of A Lantz Design has designed interior and exterior spaces for more than thirty years. His signature interiors have been published in local and national publications. Barry’s work is admired, respected and enjoyed in over thirteen states in the United States. His style and talent have also been featured on HGTV. Barry continues to provide interior and exterior design services to his clients everywhere.
The long lasting relationship he has with clients is what motivated him to begin his expression on canvas. With the use of color, scale, form and balance the interior spaces he creates become works of art.
By applying his forward design approach to canvas, Barry’s art comes alive with movement, mood, color, scale and proportion. Inspiration comes from shapes, light, texture, color and earthly ingredients.
His new found love for painting has become a passion. “Having placed several hundred pieces since 2010 is overwhelming and very flattering,” he shares. Barry paints in his design studio in Carmel, Indiana. His studio features work in all sizes and colors and you can see a painting in progress.
Commissions are welcome for the most discriminating buyers and collectors.
Connect with Barry Lantz:
Kravet: Barry Lantz Canvas to Cloth
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Kravet: To see what’s new at Kravet, go to Kravet.com and use coupon code AWDB10 for 10% off.
If you are going to High Point this fall, Oct 2021, please be sure to stop into to Kravet. Their showroom is one of the most beautiful ones there. You can see the Canvas to Cloth Collection, meet the Kravet team and let them know how much you appreciate their support in helping me bring this podcast to you.
If you will be in High Point, I hope you are planning to come the LuAnn and Friends Meet and Greet party sponsored by Revel Woods Pandora's Manor. This is a free event but you do need to RSVP. Please go RSVP here!
Today with Lisa Princic:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. We talk a lot about niching on the show. But today we’re talking about a different aspect of getting clear on what you do—your value proposition. Don’t let the marketing jargon fool you: your value proposition is something you already have, whether you’ve defined it or not. Today, business strategist Lisa Princic is sharing her insights on what a value proposition is, why it matters, and how to gain clarity around yours.
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Lisa Princic’s Ah-Ha moments:
“This is what I find interesting about service-based businesses. We start a little bit casually. We say “I want to do this thing” and we don’t really think about it like a business. But could you imagine a business that is planning to have huge growth or is asking for a lot of venture capitalist funding before they get started—they have to prove themselves before they go to market. They’re figuring out their value proposition before they’re setting up shop. They have to know that it’s getting traction, they have to do their market research, and they have to get clear on why it’s going to be successful. We don’t do that.” -Lisa Princic
“Whether or not you call it out on your website “I am the interior design that does sustainable design” for example, if you have enough blog posts and information out there, the people that are searching that will find you, and if they love your portfolio and all the other things fall into place, then they already know you can do that because of the writing, but whether your website has you niched all the way down is irrelevant at that point.” -LuAnn Nigara
“Trust is created through words more than it is through photos. It’s letting them know what you do. You can be ultra nurturing, you can be leading edge...these are all really subtle things that we can write down...You’re going to better suit different clients based on your personality.” -Lisa Princic
More About Lisa Princic:
Lisa Princic is a trained business strategist and the host of the Scaling Deep Podcast. Lisa's clients turn to her for help with business growth when they are worn out from chasing the next mass marketing trick, but know they need to go beyond word of mouth. She is a results-oriented, deep thinker who has an innate instinct for “seeing” the value of a business and turning that into a pipeline of ideal clients. A staunch believer in business simplicity and intention, Lisa helps her clients accomplish their goals by focusing on what to do AND what to ignore.
Connect with Lisa Princic:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast 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.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#651 Power Talk Friday: Rachael Bozsik: Gaining Credibility in Interior Design
#174 Power Talk Friday- Fred Berns- Own Your “Only” Word & Tips to Discover Yours
#256 Nancy Ganzekaufer- A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients
#214 Rachel Moriarty: How FaceBook Live Can Be A Game Changer For Your Interior Design Business
Today with Kate Rasmussen:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, we’re talking about how to take on new projects—specifically projects that you don’t have experience or expertise in. It can seem almost impossible to break into new avenues in your business. But with the right strategy in place, you can find and land new projects, even without the specific expertise in that area. I’m joined by Kate Rasmussen of Wade Weissmann Architecture, who has quite a bit of experience doing just that!
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Amy Lynn Allard’s Ah-Ha moments:
“When you’re breaking into a new market, you’re probably not going to hit the same profitability margin, but you also don’t want it to hit the bottom line too hard, especially when it’s a much larger project.” -Kate Rasmussen
“We analyze at the end of a project what went well, what didn’t go well, from design to schedule to communication, and then at the heart of it, profitability.” -Kate Rasmussen
“It does attest to the power of relationships, that it’s not a transaction, it’s a conversation, it’s a friendship, it’s a relationship. You’re not necessarily calling them to ask them to show you or teach you or help you propose this. You’re calling on a colleague that you know has done a project of similar style or scale and you’re picking their brain about that project— what were the pitfalls, the challenges, what did you not know before you started.” -LuAnn Nigara
Connect with Kate Rasmussen:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point
LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.
Kirsch: 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.
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business! Flashback Friday is back and we dug up another favorite from the podcast archives.
Christine Lin of San Francisco’s Form and Field walks through how she went from working for a designer part-time to starting her own thriving business. A podcast listener, Christine implemented much of what she heard, but she also experienced some bumps along the way. Listen in to learn what tripped her up and what she’s doing so it doesn’t happen again.
[6:33] Christine talks about how she got her business systems set up
[15:50] Christine tells how she works with friends who are also clients
[23:03] Christine talk about mistakes she made with hiring
[29:20] Christine shares her experience with hiring and managing a bookkeeper
[39:41] Christine tells how she got fired from one of her projects
[46:34] LuAnn asks Christine what went wrong when charging a flat fee
[58:10] Christine shares the mantra that has helped makes her business better
“I had an employee handbook before I even hired anyone.” -Christine Lin
“I knew I could go farther and faster on my own.” -Christine Lin
“It wasn’t about what’s leftover, that’s what I’m going to pay myself. It was, this is my goal, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to hit it.” -Christine Lin
“What can you do differently to produce a better result.” -Christine Lin
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
insidevoiceoutsidevoice.com
http://www.luannnigara.com/cob
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!
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
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Revel Woods. Please go to revelwoods.com to learn how you can add wood flooring to your product offerings. I know you make money on design fees-- but to generate real revenue you have to be selling product too, and why not wood flooring? Revel Woods has their design trade program so well thought out that it makes it easy for you to get into this, experience or not.
Today with Amy Lynn Allard:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Looking for advice on systems to turbo-charge your business? Amy Lynn Allard of Boston’s Amy Lynn Interiors learned to thrive using well-crafted, meticulous systems. She is big on time blocking, but that’s not all. Amy walks through two of her most powerful systems, the team agenda and an invaluable spreadsheet she uses to create a multiple-project timeline.
Pick it apart:
[17:53] Amy explains her approach to adding specs to elevations.
[25:47] Amy walks through how she creates her agenda.
[42:14] Amy explains her Monday morning overview meeting.
[45:22] Amy shares how she creates a schedule for new client work.
[46:42] LuAnn recaps Amy’s new client schedule creation process.
[53:52] Amy shares about her business coach.
LuAnn and Amy Lynn Allard’s Ah-Ha moments:
“Hire and fire off your core values.” - Amy Lynn Allard
Connect with Amy Lynn Allard:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.
Revel Woods is a designer-focused supplier of premium hardwood and resilient flooring. Through their Pro Account Program, designers become flooring experts and are empowered to advise clients on the flooring that works best for their lifestyle. Learn more by going to RevelWoods.com.
IDS: The Interior Design Society (IDS) is one of the country's largest design organizations dedicated to serving the residential interior design industry. We're a group of like-minded professionals interested in broadening their network, professional development, and continued education. IDS offers its members a place to belong within a supportive and welcoming design community through local chapters nationwide, and our Virtual Chapter!
Today with Fiona Mostyn:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Many designers know that a blog can be a valuable marketing tool. But are you using your blog to its fullest potential? Or are you making the mistake that many designers make of not beginning with your goal in mind?
Today, I’m joined by Fiona Mostyn of My Deco Marketing, a blog service for interior designers. Fiona is sharing her insight into how you can leverage your blog to grow your business and help it thrive.
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Fiona Mostyn’s Ah-Ha moments:
“If you want to elevate your business to get the clients that you want, you need to think about who that person is and then start speaking to them in their language, which is what your blog allows you to do. So I really think that niching is the key to a successful business.” -Fiona Mostyn
“Niche down so much that you’re not only the best option for your people, you’re the only option.” -Fiona Mostyn
“I’ve said often on the show, back in the day when we started our company and there was no internet that when you wanted to advertise, you called someone and you paid them and you gave them money and they developed an ad for you and put it in a magazine. And now, we’re expected to be designers and window treatment professionals and podcasters and also marketing people.” -LuAnn Nigara
More About Fiona Mostyn:
Fiona runs My Deco Marketing, a specialist marketing service that helps interior designers and home decor brands with smarter marketing to become more visible online.
Fiona has written hundreds of blogs for designers and home decor brands. Fiona also provides CPD marketing webinars and content for the UK's leading associations for interior designers including The British Institute of Interior Designers, The Home Staging Association UK & Ireland and The Decorcafe Network for Creative Businesses.
In January 2021 Fiona published 365+ Blog post ideas for interior designers.
Connect with Fiona Mostyn:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Kravet is always working to make finding quality home furnishings even easier for you. With their latest website redesign, you can quickly access all of your tools, like your account settings, price lists, current and past orders and more. The product has also been enhanced to offer more tailored results to get you what you're looking for quicker. Designers can now also search more specifically by color with Kravet's new advanced color search, which 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!
Other Shows Mentioned:
# 364 Janelle Photopoulos: Leading, Not Simply Running, Your Interior Design Firm
#635 Beth Diana Smith: Refining Process in Your Interior Design Business
#214 Rachel Moriarty: How FaceBook Live Can Be A Game Changer For Your Interior Design Business
Today on A Well-Designed Business:
Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Today’s listener question comes to us from a designer whose vendor left them high and dry. Join me today and I break down this listener's dilemma from start to finish.
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
http://www.luannnigara.com/cob
Windowworksnj.com
Shop38east.com
Comfortex.com
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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
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Today with Emily King:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. What money story are you’re playing in your head? Does it open you up to opportunities and building a successful business or does it hold you back from making your dreams a reality? Emily King, of The Rich Woman, walks through how to discover our money personality and detox ourselves from negative money talk so we can start living a life of abundance and opportunity.
Pick it apart:
[16:10] Emily explains what money mindset is.
[25:20] Emily shares how her money mindset was shaped by her childhood.
[34:11] Emily explains the money personality archetypes.
[47:14] Emily shares some things you can do on your own to recognize and overcome your money blocks.
[51:07] LuAnn tells how she prepared her daughters to be able to support themselves no matter what.
LuAnn and Emily King’s Ah-Ha moments:
“We get to rewrite our money story to a more empowering one.” - Emily King
More About Emily King:
Emily King is a wealth & abundance coach for entrepreneurial women and the founder of The Rich Woman signature coaching program. Since 2015 she’s worked with 100’s of women to help them create a loving relationship with money so they can massively increase their income and impact. Armed with an MBA and certifications as an NLP practitioner, timeline therapist and pilates instructor (yes--all those things!), Emily brings the perfect mix of manifesting-woo and business chops to the table to help women across the world live their best ‘Rich Woman’ lives - a life of financial freedom, fulfillment and fun.
Connect with Emily King:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Revel Woods is a designer-focused supplier of premium hardwood and resilient flooring. Through their Pro Account Program, designers become flooring experts and are empowered to advise clients on the flooring that works best for their lifestyle. Learn more by going to RevelWoods.com.
Today with Melinda Marquardt:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m joined by Melinda Marquardt of the Vale London, a line of exquisite textiles and wallpapers for the luxury interiors market. Melinda struck out on her own after years in the corporate world, determined to lean on her creativity and passion to fuel her business. She buckled down, learned the business side, and figured out how to thrive. Today, she’s sharing what she believes entrepreneurs need to remember to succeed!
Pick it apart:
LuAnn and Melinda Marquardt’s Ah-Ha moments:
“If you keep trying new things and keep trying as hard as you can and working as hard as you can, things will come together. That’s how I feel about trying the business side of things and figuring out the art side of things. You just learn a lot, and everything will come together.” -Melinda
“Somebody else might be thinking about designing for it to be marketable, but what you’re saying is when you have the experience of having traveled the world within the business of textiles, you understand inherently that there’s a market somewhere. It might not be the zip code you’re living in, but in order to design true to yourself and to design something that’s truly beautiful, you have to design what you love.” -LuAnn
“I want to stay true and focused to the vision of my company and my artwork.” -Melinda
“The risk isn’t just the money on the line, the risk is that you can show up and do the hard things, and if you don’t have the stomach for that you’re not going to run a successful business.” -LuAnn
Connect with Melinda Marquardt:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.
Kirsch: 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.
Other Shows Mentioned:
#628 Power Talk Friday: Ginna Christensen: The Importance of Values in Your Interior Design Business
#47 Gail Davis: Make Your Life Count
Today with Patricia Lohan:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. It's Power Talk Friday! Feng Shui expert, Patricia Lohan shares how you can clear your home and office of subconscious obstructions so you can provide space for opportunities and prosperity to flow. Learn how to intentionally filter your environment, analyze your art and position your desk for success.
Pick it apart:
[28:32] Patricia shares her perception of Feng Shui in comparison to an iceberg
[32:02] Patricia explains the importance of the art you choose for your spaces
[41:12] LuAnn and Patricia talk about what to do with objects in your space that you don’t love
[46:20] Patricia explains how she assesses the energy of a house
LuAnn and Patricia Lohan's Ah-Ha moments:
“Feng Shui is acupuncture for your home.” - Patricia Lohan
“I love the idea of making your home become a vision board of where you are going.” - Patricia Lohan
More About Patricia Lohan:
Patricia Lohan is the creator of Feng Shui Mastery and Author of The Happy Home: A Guide To Creating A Happy, Healthy, Wealthy Life. Patricia Lohan helps women make their home magnetic to money, luck, and blessings. She shows you what they don't teach in school, what lies between the lines, your top secret tool for success. She is a feng shui expert, a healer, and a passionate female entrepreneur who has shaped her dream life living in Bali with her husband. Patricia has a gift at making feng shui simple and easy to understand and implement.
She has helped thousands of people across the globe embrace feng shui and create lasting changes in their homes, lives, and businesses. Patricia has seen firsthand the power of the mind, surroundings, and inner healing, clearing and aligning everything so it works holistically.
Connect with Patricia Lohan:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
Big thanks to both Revel Woods and Mydoma Studio for sponsoring the show and for sponsoring our upcoming High Point Market activities. Revel Woods will be sponsoring our Thursday night get together on October 14, 2021 in High Point. This will be free and open to all. Just a little bonus fun night, especially if you are coming in on Thursday to be here for Power Talk Friday the next day. Join me, many of my LuAnn University instructors. and my co-authors from both Power Talk Friday Expert books! RSVP here
The Power Talk Friday High Point Tour is sponsored by Mydoma Studio and Revel Woods. Both Sarah Daniele and John Dupra will be with us for the celebration dinner after an intense day working, brainstorming, learning and creating between the workshop sessions, the round table coaching sessions and all the things in between. Please go see how each of these companies can help you be more efficient, more profitable and be a better business owner. mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness and revelwoods.com
Today with Demetrius Robinson:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Demetrius Robinson, full-service luxury interior designer and lifestyle brand pro behind At Home With Savvy, shares his secret sauce for Instagram success. Demetrius chats about why he recently rebranded, how he approaches his online community, and how he hacks the occasional lack of motivation.
Pick it apart:
[9:58] Demetrius gives an overview of how he selects brands he represents
[22:30] Demetrius explains how he meshes his DIY community and his luxury clients
[30:10] LuAnn and Demetrius discuss the importance of tone and language choice on social and with clients
[36:12] Demetrius talks about why and how he rebranded
[49:17] Demetrius shares his process for creating content
LuAnn and Demetrius Robinson’s Ah-Ha moments:
“It’s about not just being present, it’s about being sure of what you’re there to do.” - Demetrius Robinson
“Our reputation is all we have.” - Demetrius Robinson
“I lean on discipline rather than motivation.” - Demetrius Robinson
More About Demetrius Robinson:
Demetrius is an Indianapolis based Interior Designer, Content Creator and founder of At Home With Savvy, a home lifestyle brand that's dedicated to inspiring others to live a more elevated home lifestyle. He founded his interior design business in 2016 and recently began creating design and lifestyle content online at the start of the global pandemic in March of 2020. In just one short year he's grown his Instagram account from 6k-94k followers by implementing a strong and unique social media strategy. With the growth of his online platform, he's had the opportunity to partner with brands such as Spotify, NEST Fragrances, Home Depot to name a few.
Connect with Demetrius Robinson:
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On this week’s Flashback Friday, we’re taking a look back at episode 314 with Kristen Thomas of Studio Thomas.
Like many designers, Kristen started her business taking on any work that came her way. But four years in, she wanted to gain clarity on the experience she wanted to create, the clients she wanted to work with, and the philosophy she wanted to connect with as she approached projects. She made the decision to niche down and gain clarity. The results spoke for themselves.
“It was a pure faith thing. We just said we have to believe in ourselves and work hard. For me, there was no option of failure. It just wasn’t even an option, because for me, I was going to work so hard and treat everybody so good, and get my reputation where I felt like it was strong enough where I could ride forward on that reputation and get better and better jobs.” -Kristen Thomas
“When you look at Studio Thomas, when you look at your Instagram, when you look at your website, and you are a designer that maybe is in business one or two years, or maybe a designer that’s in business seven, eight, or 15 years, and you’re not doing that type of work, it’s very easy to be down on yourself and think ‘Oh my goodness, what am I doing wrong? How do I get there? Why don’t I know how to do that?’ But to hear how hard it was for you—that doesn’t come through on Instagram.” -LuAnn Nigara
“I never planned on being a leader. I never planned on being a boss. Never. I was going to be an interior designer and I thought that’s what I was going to do. And the more people we got on our team, the more I thought, ‘I got to learn to be a leader.’” -Kristen Thomas
“It’s like a tug-of-war. If you have a client who doesn’t think the same kind of things that you’re thinking, you literally feel like you’re going back and forth like a tug-of-war. It’s not flowing well. It’s not fun for them. It’s not fun for you, and you don’t want to do that. You want your highest contribution, and you want to be the very best at what you do.” -Kristen Thomas
insidevoiceoutsidevoice.com
http://www.luannnigara.com/cob
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!
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
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Kirsch: Kirsch is the leader in drapery hardware. Their Briza Motorization, allowing your clients to control their draperies in an instant from anywhere. It’s simple to install, quiet, and easily integrates with third party systems. It’s even available on most of their most popular rods. Visit kirsch.com today to learn more!
Other Shows Mentioned:
#174 Power Talk Friday- Fred Berns- Own Your “Only” Word & Tips to Discover Yours
#256 Nancy Ganzekaufer- A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients
#291 Cheryl Luckett – From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design
#606 Phoebe Oldrey: How a Niche Can Give New Life to Your Business
Today on A Well-Designed Business:
Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Today’s listener question comes to us from a designer struggling with where to find the funds to invest in their business. I say it all the time, we all have our superpowers. Today, I lean into this idea in the sense that running a business takes a village. You are not going to be the best at everything. To run our business, it takes a dream team. Start to assemble yours.
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
http://www.luannnigara.com/cob
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
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Other Shows Mentioned
#375 Lisa Gilmore
#484 Laurence Carr
#349, #564 Peter Lang