In today’s episode we’ll be touching on a topic I love, project autopsies. My guest today, Eddie Maestri, has also found these autopsies to help not only improve his overall business, but also the relationship with his team members.
Eddie Maestri started designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and officially founded Maestri Studio in 2008. Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), he is a registered architect in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nevada.
Eddie delivers custom architecture and interiors tailored to his client’s style and needs. Each project influenced by the grand, yet approachable architecture of his hometown, the clean lines and patterns of mid-century design, and his exposure to far away places through his love of travel.
Eddie Maestri, AIA, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, started designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and officially founded Maestri Studio in 2008. Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), he is a registered architect in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nevada. Eddie holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design and a Master of Architecture from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, with a Health Systems & Design certificate. In addition, he spent a semester in Italy, focusing on architectural and urban studies and expanding his talents and love of freehand drawing, art, and interior design.
Eddie delivers custom architecture and interiors tailored to his client’s style and needs. Each project influenced by the grand, yet approachable architecture of his hometown, the clean lines and patterns of mid-century design, and his exposure to far away places through his love of travel. Eddie guides the firm’s team throughout the process of every project while encouraging a collaborative design studio with independent and innovative thinking.
Eddie’s work has been featured on several AIA and neighborhood home tours throughout the Dallas area and in numerous local and national publications such as DHome, Luxe Interiors + Design, Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, and Domino. He prides himself on his passion for design, attention to detail, and building strong client relationships.
LuAnn University - Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!
http://www.luannnigara.com/cob
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Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
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AWDB 604 - What Would Lu Do: The All Important, Project Autopsy
How the Industry Has Changed: Actionable Tips to Adapt, Grow, and Profit - Free Webinar!
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. You’ve probably heard about new technology developing—AI, chatGPT, the metaverse—all the things. But are you jumping on the bandwagon?
Today Leslie Carothers of Savour Partnership, a digital marketing firm for interior designers, is here to talk about how metaverse applications and AI are changing the future of the world, business in general, and our industry.
[2:30] Leslie unpacks all things metaverse and how they’re being used.
[11:20] Leslie discusses how big brands are using metaverse activations.
[46:54] Leslie and LuAnn talk about AI and its implications for designers.
[0:09] Leslie discusses the ethical implications of AI.
[10:05] Leslie shares a product design project she completed with AI assistance.
“There is nothing that will replace the soul that you bring to a project, there is nothing that will replace the execution ability that you bring to a project. There's nothing that will ever replace the problem-solving ability that you bring to a project. And there's nothing that will ever replace the therapeutic aspect, as many of you know, that you bring to a project for your clients. You are irreplaceable as designers. So you never have to worry about AI replacing, in my opinion, ever, your jobs.” -Leslie
Named by Home Furnishing News Magazine as one of the Top 40 Most Inspiring Women In Home, Ms. Carothers has a long history of innovating within the digital marketing space.
Her innovations have included: implementing the USA’s first ever furniture product development initiative in the virtual world of Second Life, implementing the USA’s first ever multi-brand influencer marketing program on behalf of her past client, Cargill’s BiOH Polyols division, and acting as co-principal in the world’s first virtual designer showhouse to include augmented reality.
Other innovations include being the first agency to offer shoppable digital magazine creation on behalf of brands within the home furnishings and interior design industry and being the first to work with a major publisher, Meredith Corporation’s Better Homes and Garden Magazine, to bring together a group of influencers with a group of journalists, during the implementation of BHG’s first Stylemakers program.
Most recently, she is the founding advisory partner and an investor in the world’s first international search engine platform, Ethos Design Collective, that allows consumers to search for vetted luxury designers to hire.
Ms. Carothers was also an early user of Facebook Groups and now runs the popular Facebook Group, #DesignWealth, for interior designers who are interested in all aspects of designing passive income into their websites.
In her spare time, she is a long time volunteer board member of the Bienenstock Furniture Library and also writes a popular lifestyle blog, Design Happy Living, where brands like Thibaut have collaborated with her to reach new consumer/designer audiences.
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
Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
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
Today With LuAnn Nigara:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. In this episode, we'll talk about how to turn your aha moments into actionable steps that will help you achieve your goals for your business and your life. You will hear some of the amazing insights from Amber De La Garza, a productivity coach who was a guide at LuAnn Live, and how she taught us to get our CRAP together.
LuAnn's Ah-Ha Moments:
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll wind up somewhere else.” -LuAnn
“The best version of your well designed business is only achievable through a well designed life. They are intertwined, without question.” -LuAnn
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
Get The Goodies!
For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.
To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!
Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:
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
Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. If you’re a long-time listener of the show, you already know that I was a salesperson basically from birth. Selling is a part of my nature. But for most designers, that doesn’t seem to be the case.
Why is that? Why do some of us gravitate toward selling while it sends others into a panic? My guest today, Matthew Finlin, CEO of The Human Potential Academy, believes he knows—and he’s shedding light on why this happens and what designers can do to bring more assertiveness into the process and close with confidence and compassion.
[2:58] Matthew explains why creatives have a natural resistance toward sales.
[7:10] Matthew dives into personality traits and their impact on business and relationships.
[17:48] LuAnn and Matthew discuss why designers struggle to set boundaries and why they need to learn how.
[32:51] Matthew and LuAnn dive into how our personality traits impact our pricing.
[36:32] LuAnn and Matthew highlight why confidence matters in pricing and selling.
“Compassionate closing is all about recognizing that if you have a product or service that you truly believe is going to benefit this person and change their life positively.” -Matthew
“You really need one thing to be good at sales. And it's not knowledge, unfortunately. You actually just need confidence.” -Matthew
“I don't care how wealthy you are wants to overpay. That's the truth. But what I know from all the interviews I've done is that 99% of designers are going to deliver their heart and soul into the project—they just need to convey their value.” -LuAnn
Matthew Finlin is the founder and CEO of Human Potential Academy. He has been a business phenom since he started his career a decade ago. From door-to-door sales trainer to high level business in Hong Kong.
A man of many talents, he started off as an entrepreneur and after a massive spiritual awakening, he answered the call. His life mission is to bridge the gaps between the business, scientific, and spiritual communities.
Matthew's extensive experience in both business and personal development allows him to bring out the best in every individual, helping them achieve their full potential and make a difference in the world. He is dedicated to helping as many people as possible reach their fullest potential by empowering self-leadership.
He now trains and coaches his teams and clients in his philosophy: the 5 Pillars of Human Potential. It’s important to note that he started his coaching career working exclusively with women and helping them achieve any goals they desire, whether it’s business, relationships or more.
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
Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
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
Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by April Gandy, owner and Principal Designer of Allure Designs. With six successful years in the design industry and an appearance on HGTV, April could teach us a lot! But today she wanted the focus to be on what you, and your client, can expect both mentally and financially when working on a renovation project.
This is an episode that will give you simple AHA moments. Any episode where my guest wants to help with the process with our clients, is a win.
[3:28] April starts us off on the things designers should walk clients through when doing a renovation.
[14:12] April explains how designers formulate that initial investment range to their clients in the beginning without a spec book.
[19:55] What April includes in her design fee.
[33:24] Things April has learned to avoid and/or keep doing from experience.
[36:15] LuAnn and April talk about April’s “Erika Ward transferable skill,” and how valuable these skills are for designers.
[46:23] The level of detail that April and her team goes with client checklists that they follow.
[51:27] April tells us about the group coaching she does.
“Understanding what you are doing before you do it is going to help you keep your time lines and budgets in check, but also your client in check,” - April Gandy
“The more information that you give them from the start, the more you ensure them that you know what you are doing and they’ll trust you,” - April Gandy.
I'm from Chicago’s Avalon Park neighborhood on city’s south side. Growing up in the inner city provided me with a strong foundation in which failure was not an option. I vowed to overcome my circumstances and to create a better life for myself and my family. After graduating from St. Francis de Sales High School, I went on to college at Northern Illinois University and became the first in my family to graduate from a university. During this time, I joined the US Air Force Reserve in 2000 and proudly served our country for 21 years. I pledged the greatest Sorority in the world, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc in 2002. I later graduated with a BA in Criminology and went on to complete an MEd in Instructional Design (much different than interior design lol).
I started my design career journey in 2006. At the age of 23, I bought my first piece of property; a 700 square foot fixer–upper condominium in the west suburbs of Chicago. As an impecunious single mother, I had to think outside the box to bring my new home to life. I taught myself many things on the road to transforming my fixer–upper into a beautiful home. During this undertaking, I realized I enjoyed the process of home improvement. Throughout the years, my skills evolved and I began assisting family and friends in making their homes beautiful. After a decade of working on personal projects, I decided to make the business official and pursued an interior design career. I created Alluring Designs Chicago in 2017. I partnered with my mother, Valerie Steward, and close family friend, Jennifer Anderson, to breathe life into this business venture. Together we
have overseen multiple renovation projects and countless room makeovers. Our team dynamic is seamless and together we bring so much value to every project. Although becoming owner and Principal Designer of my interior design firm, my expansion mission includes founding a community development organization dedicated to building beautiful homes in the inner city. The vision is to make communities beautiful one home at a time. Let's get to work!
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
Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
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
#06: Identifying Your Transferrable Skills with Erika Ward
#278: Erika Ward – Master Business Skills 1st, Interior Design Skills 2nd.
#874: Zane and Emily Williams: Leading Clients Through the Design
Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Christina Frei, owner of Innate Marketing Genius, a boutique marketing practice where she helps solo business owners own their voice, market to their strengths, and get the right clients consistently. Christina takes a holistic approach to marketing, and helps us discover how to market from our strengths by identifying our marketing archetype.
In this conversation, we dig into what it means to be a Nurturer, Adventure Guide, Door Opener, Steady Presence, and Celebrator, and how this can help you show up better in your business.
[2:38] Christina defines marketing archetypes as different ways to help other people that bring you fulfillment, then shares the 5 different archetypes.
[11:47] Christina breaks down what it means to be an adventure guide, one of LuAnn’s archetypes.
[16:39] LuAnn and Christina discuss that building self-awareness and finding our true voice takes time.
[24:46] Christina explains the celebrator archetype, also LuAnn.
[30:11] LuAnn and Christina explore the combination of her two archetypes and how she exhibits them.
[37:37] LuAnn asks Christina what we should do after we find out what our marketing archetype is.
“What I noticed is that when people operate from that deep ‘why’—that fulfilling, helping other humans kind of thing, then it's magnetic.” – Christina Frei
“The way that you [show the person that you are reaching out to that you care] is to honor who you are first, and then come from that place.” – Christina Frei
“When a celebrator steps back and really appreciates other people or their work…it just moves mountains. It just changes something and it up-levels the entire game.” – Christina Frei
“So much starts with being self-aware… If you have self-awareness, you can show up in your blog posts, in your marketing, in your consultations, and in your design” – LuAnn Nigara
“It's so lovely to just validate that every human, I would say, on the entire planet has a natural capacity to want to help other people…the desire to me is miraculous.” – Christina Frei
Christina runs a boutique marketing practice called Innate Marketing Genius, where she helps solo business owners own their voice, market to their strengths, and get the right clients consistently. Her holistic marketing approach grew out of a lonely, chaotic time, when she moved to Boston all on her own—and discovered her own way to really connect with people.
Personally, she's on a mission to live more sustainably; she is obsessed with thrift shopping and is a new convert to plant-based eating. In between, she chases her dog around with a stuffed animal snake, meditates on a pink couch, cold plunges like Wim Hof all year long, and obsesses over the perfect cup of green tea, all in a seaside town just north of Boston.
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
Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
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
Today With LuAnn Nigara:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today is a solo show and we'll be talking about charging. We'll go over the three common beliefs that hold us back from achieving our full potential: that our clients only want the biggest discount, that we deliver a shoppable product, and that we are competing with everyone else.
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
Get The Goodies!
For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.
To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!
Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:
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
Today on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined by Bernadette Smith, Founder and CEO of the Equality Institute, a boutique diversity, equity, and inclusion firm whose mission embed equity and inclusion into organizational systems and culture, enhancing outcomes for employees and customers.
When we are afraid of offending someone, we tend to say nothing. We get so comfortable in our lanes, that we dont do much to move diversity forward. Bernadette and I discuss how to have the courage to address diversity. She talks about her ARC Method that helps people become open and actionable, and much more!
[5:28] Bernadette explains how her experience with DEI derived from the wedding industry.
[13:22] Bernadette shares actionable strategies that anyone, from any size company, can put to use.
[20:38] Both Bernadette and LuAnn relating to fear of saying the wrong thing in the past.
[24:00] Determining your personal role in all of this.
[29:58] What designers can do in their own businesses.
“My approach to diversity, equity, and inclusion is that we are all in this together and can learn from each other.” - Bernadette Smith
“I have a lot of privilege. Some of it I’ve earned like my master’s degree, but a lot I didn’t earn, so I feel like I have a responsibility and a sense of purpose to know how much power I have by accident,” Bernadette Smith
“A positive ROI of creating meaningful conversations among your team, is that they will become better equipped to have meaningful conversations with their clients.” - LuAnn Nigara
Bernadette is Founder and CEO of the Equality Institute, a boutique diversity, equity, and inclusion firm whose mission embed equity and inclusion into organizational systems and culture, enhancing outcomes for employees and customers. She’s an award-winning author of four books, including her latest, the bestseller Inclusive 360: Proven Solutions for an Equitable Organization.
Bernadette is frequently requested as a keynote speaker to help promote an inclusive work environment and celebrate diversity. She is a trusted advisor to Fortune 500 companies and has presented to a variety of audiences, including CEOs, leadership teams, human resource and diversity leaders, sales and marketing professionals and more.
Because of her insight and impact as a change agent, she has been featured in the New York Times, Forbes, the Washington Post, and Fast Company. Her media exposure includes appearing on CNN, the Today Show, the BBC, and National Public Radio. Bernadette has been named one of Chicago’s Notable LGBTQ Executives by Crain’s Chicago Business.
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
Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
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