Welcome to the show! We have Janelle Blakely Photopoulos, the owner and principal of Blakely Interior Design, with us today for another episode in our series of The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business. Janelle recently sent us an awesome letter explaining all the lessons, improvements and systems that she's applied to her business since listening to the podcast. She is really a great example of a thoughtful business owner in that she listens, she learns, and she takes action. Join us today to find out what Janelle has to tell you about the way that she leads her team and runs her business.

Janelle earned a bachelor's degree in business and marketing from Syracuse University. Then, after honing her management skills with the corporate giant, AT&T, she realized her true calling and attended the Rhode Island School of Design to learn the technical aspects of interior design. Janelle started her residential interior design business in North Kingstown, Rhode Island, in 2010. Since then she has grown the business and established a reputation for creating really beautiful, livable interiors. Janelle has built a support team that reflects her vision and commitment to their clients. Her success is deeply rooted in her ability to collaborate and communicate adeptly with her clients and industry partners. In addition to the exponential growth of her design business, Janelle was recently nominated for Rhode Island’s 2018 Small Business Woman of the Year. Listen in to find out more!

Show highlights:

• Janelle talks about her passion for leading her team.
• The first time Janelle hired someone.
• The importance of tracking time.
• Shifting people into roles that are suited to their particular strengths.
• Taking the time to see your employees for what they're really good at.
• The team-wide assessment that Janelle had done to discover the specific strengths of each member of her team.
• You're only as good as the team that supports you.
• About the Client Concierge Experience.
• The small things that you do for the client really make all the difference.
• Some of the things she's learned along the way.
• The biggest takeaways that Janelle gained from the podcast.
• Janelle is a big believer in self improvement.
• The impact that Stacy Brown Randall has had on Janelle.
• Setting your client's expectations realistically in case something goes wrong.

Links:

Janelle's website: Blakely Interior Design

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Susan Wintersteen- #164

Chad James - #68

Caitlyn Wait - #284

Eileen Hahn - #363

Candy Scott- #279

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today we're happy to introduce you to Luann's exceptional cousin, Eileen Hahn! Eileen's superpower is helping people to intentionally build outstanding and exceptional teams- whether they have a dozen employees, or only one! On the show today Eileen will explain some of the layers and deep processes and that are required for you to become a really good leader. Listen in to hear what Eileen has to tell you about building a really extraordinary interior design team!

Eileen is a principal at Organization Effectiveness Consultants, a San Diego based management consulting firm. She partners with leaders of organizations to establish new levels of performance, financial results, teamwork, and employee work passion. Eileen achieves this by first examining current processes and systems, and then collaborating with the company leaders to apply changes which improve productivity and profitability. Eileen works extensively with organizations which are going through rapid growth, downsizing, mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, and cultural transitions. She facilitates succession planning, strategic planning, organizational change, joint problem solving, leadership development, and team building. In addition, Eileen also designs C suite selection and evaluation processes and she works with boards of directors to develop, implement, and facilitate these processes. Eileen is also a professional speaker and a university instructor. Some of her national and international clients include H.G. Fenton Company, The Wonderful Company, San Diego Padres, Ericsson Wireless Communications, Qualcomm, Pfizer Inc., General Atomics, Occidental College, Brooklynn Museum, General Motors, Anheuser Busch Corporation, The Venetian & Palazzo Hotels, Sea World Parks and Entertainment, and LEGOLAND. Listen in today to find out more!

Show highlights:

• Eileen is part of Luann's second book, The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business- The Power Talk Friday Experts, which is coming out at the beginning of 2019. (Eileen's chapter is called The Care and Feeding of Exceptional Employees.)
• What Eileen means when she talks about exceptional employees.
• Hiring someone who has the specific skills you're looking for.
• Eileen explains the selection process that she used to help a certain company to hire exceptional employees.
• The special ingredient in every sales call.
• What makes someone exceptional.
• The type of kindness, care, and feeding that's necessary for exceptional employees.
• Employees really present a big challenge to employers.
• Placing people orientation before task orientation in a business.
• Establishing trust and care with your employees.
• Some of the key principals behind hiring (and keeping) exceptional employees.
• Determining for yourself, as a principal, what an exceptional performance really looks like.
• People are willing to pay for exceptional!
• Taking the time to learn to be an exceptional leader.
• The exceptional benefits of taking the time to care for, and feed your employees.
• The importance of thorough training for employees.

Links:

Website: OEC Strategic Solutions

LinkedIn: Eileen Hahn

Email: ehahn@oecstrategicsolutions.com

Welcome to today's episode! We are very happy to introduce you to Breegan Jane, a unique and fun individual who is a super-high achiever! Thirty-three-year-old Breegan is an interior designer who also has a successful blog, a high following on Instagram, and she's a podcast/radio host. She previously worked as a creative director in the luxury yacht business and as a property manager for multi-international million-dollar homes. Listen in today to find out about Breegan's vast experience and how it informs her currently, as an entrepreneur and interior designer. 

Multifaceted entrepreneur Breegan Jane does it all.  A full-time businesswoman, interior designer, blogger, and popular podcast host of Mom Life Yo, all in all, her spare time. Her most recent project is the design of the new, buzz-worthy Los Angeles restaurant, NATIVE, spearheaded by award-winning Chef Nyesha Arrington of Top Cheffame. A single mom from Southern California, Breegan Jane credits her boys for pushing her to break down walls and test boundaries. She uses her powerful voice to inspire others and bring joy to people’s lives. Listen in to find out what Breegan has to share on the show today.

Show highlights:

• How Breegan's experience, managing international real estate projects with full staff and working as a creative director and marketing professional for a luxury yacht manufacturer, translates to her current interior design business.
• The importance of great leadership.
• Great lessons from great bosses along the way.
• Utilizing every opportunity to the best of your ability.
• Feeling more at home in Dubai than in Texas.
• The importance of visual representation.
• Being given the space to run with your ideas.
• Transitioning to the design world.
• How Breegan developed through her experience.
• The kind of project Breegan enjoys the most.
• Identifying 'no-win' situations with clients.
• What being a mom and entrepreneur mean to Breegan.
• The way that Breegan was raised to be empowered.
• The power of turning negatives into positives.
• Breegan's dreams and aspirations for the future.

Links:

Breegan Jane

Facebook: Breegan Jane

Breegan Jane Blog

Instagram: Breegan Jane

Twitter: Breegan Jane

Other episodes mentioned on this show:

Amber Lewis # 184

Vanessa DeLeon # 18

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today we have Kimberly Merlitti, the owner of KMM Consulting, with us. In her experience, Kim has found that accounting and finances seem to scare most interior designers. So she helps them by going into their businesses and taking on the role of CFO. From there she teaches them how to really understand what they need to do in order to become successful as entrepreneurs as well as interior designers. Kim's specialty is helping designers with what she calls Project Revenue Accounting, which is how to manage the revenue of a project that is already in process. Listen in today to find out how Kim helps interior designers to really get to grips with their finances and advance their businesses.

KMM Consulting takes on clients from around the United States. Kimberly has 20 years of experience working in accounting for companies such as Swinerton Builders, WRNS Studio and Martin Group. She has her Masters in Accounting from Golden Gate University located in San Francisco, CA. KMM Consulting’s clientele includes a diverse group of service based companies, with the main focus on small interior design, construction, and architectural firms. The goal of her firm is to make the businesses she works for as profitable as they can be by educating them on accounting, cash flow management, tax deductions, project reporting, and business management. Listen in today to find out more.

Show highlights:

• Kim explains the difference between accounting and projection.
• What Kim has learned the hard way, about the difference between general contracting and interior design.
• Creating a contract and coming up with the budget for a client.
• Unknown factors that need to be taken into account when working out a budget.
• Why you need to start tracking your time.
• How Kim uses a payroll calculator to help designers come up with budgets.
• Working out the billing for your client.
• Restructuring things when necessary, after tracking your hours.
• Taking the time, as a principal, to teach your staff about efficiency.
• The importance of understanding regulations.
• Working out the cost of employees.
• How to know if it's time to hire somebody.
• The process of doing the projections.
• Kimberly works with designers in all states. 

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

krista Coupar # 150

Links:

Website - KMM Consulting

Facebook - KMM Consulting

LinkedIn - Kimberly Merlitti

Welcome to today's show! We're really excited to have the celebrated and influential David Phoenix, of David Phoenix Interior Design in Los Angeles, with us on the show! David is a self-taught designer and today we're looking forward to talking to him about how he found his way, his passion and his point of view, as a designer. And we also talk to him about the new fabric line he recently developed and launched with Kravet Inc. Listen in to find out more!

David Phoenix Interior Design gives each project a singular ambiance that wholeheartedly embraces, uplifts and celebrates its inhabitants. And David is known for thoughtful, modern luxury and livability. David finds inspiration from a myriad of styles, looking back through history as he creates spaces for today. His work personifies his own approachable, self-assured manner—gracious and considerate. In juxtaposing modern and traditional elements, his aesthetic conveys an easy welcoming sensibility, rich with classic haberdashery details and nuance. David draws from his experience and instinct in the all-important matters of style and function. David enjoys an international clientele of celebrities, royalty, business magnates and discerning homeowners, including Maria Shriver, former Los Angeles Mayor, Richard Riordan and actor Rob Lowe, whose home was featured on the cover of Architectural Digest. He believes in living each day to the fullest, delivering personal, sophisticated and thoughtful environments. Join us today and find out what he has to share.

Show highlights:

David explains how he sees a quintessential American point of view

It all started for David with really great architectural designs in America

David's day at design school

David's journey to becoming an interior designer

How David ended up in Los Angeles, California

David's first job in Los Angeles

How the loss of a friend led David to start out as an interior designer

David's remarkable shopping encounter with Maria Shriver

Doing worthy things to become worthy

What it's really all about for David

David's tagline is "Think big and you'll be big"

A description of the fabric line that David's recently developed

The labor-of-love process of David developing his handsome fabric line

David's appreciation of the Kravet family and their 'culture of Kravet' 

Links:

Website: David Phoenix

Link to his collection with Kravet: Kravet Fabric Designer

Link to his furnishings collection with Hickory Chair: Hickory Chair Furniture

Instagram: David Phoenix

Pinterest: David Phoenix

Facebook: David Phoenix

Come and meet Luann and David in person, on Wednesday, October 3rd, at the Kravet Showroom in Chicago, for Chicago Design Week. Go to Luann Nigara for more information.

Previous episodes mentioned on the show:

345: Chris Ramey

Welcome to today's show! We are really happy to have a new designer, Colleen Primm, joining us today. Recently Colleen decided to start a client-facing Facebook group to share her expertise, to get her name out there, and also to get some clients into her pipeline. Although she only started the group at the beginning of June this year, she already has more than 640 members, almost all of whom are potential clients! On the show today she will be talking to us about her Facebook group and she will also explain exactly what she puts in there. Listen in to find out how Colleen has managed to attract so many potential clients to her group in such a short space of time.

Colleen, who has a bachelor’s degree in business administration (management) from The University of Toledo, an M.B.A. from Averett University and has also attended Cuyahoga Community College for Interior Design, has taken a pretty unconventional path to interior design.  Before deciding to make the change, she worked in the banking industry for twelve years, where she first underwrote commercial loans, and then a little later, mortgage loans. After a few years, she became a trainer, teaching people how to write mortgage loans. While working on residential loans, Colleen got to see a lot of homes, because she was reviewing home appraisals. That's where her love of design, and wanting to help people achieve better-looking homes came from. She finally decided to turn her passion into reality and quit her banking job to go back to school for Interior Design. So Colleen is the rare interior designer who can not only decorate your home but also talk to you about your mortgage! Listen in to find out more!              

Show highlights:

• Why Colleen chose this particular method to market her firm.
• What it will take for you to join Colleen's facebook group.
• Colleen wants to have only members who will bring value to the group.
• What inspired Colleen to start her Facebook group.
• The importance of getting constructive feedback.
• The precise message that Colleen sent out when she started her Facebook group.
• Getting lots of engagement with Facebook groups.
• Colleen's strategic way of attracting mainly local clients to her group.
• All about Colleen's Facebook contests.
• The number of paid consultations that Colleen has done as a result of the group.
• Colleen explains and clarifies the amounts she charges.
• The amount of preparation that Facebook Live requires.
• The kind of questions that Colleen deals with.
• The events that she's created as a result of her Facebook group.
• Making connections- and making money at the same time!
• The kind of preparation that Colleen does and how she manages her time.
• The importance of being really well organized.
• How to learn more about lenders and the programs that they have to assist designers.

Links:

Facebook: Colleen Primm

Instagram: Colleen Primm Design

Website: Colleen Primm Design

Private Facebook Group: Primm and Proper Design Talk with Colleen Primm

Welcome to today's episode! We are delighted to have Karen Mooney, Taryn Schwartz, and Caroline McDonald with us on the show today. They are the three women responsible for the designer program at Ballard Designs and they are also behind the Ballard Designs' podcast, How To Decorate. Today they will be sharing their experience of interviewing celebrity interior designers for the podcast and also some of what goes on behind the scenes with the celebrity designers. Listen in today to find out what it really takes, and what really happens, when you get the opportunity, and then make the commitment to being a celebrity designer for a company as large as Ballard Designs.

Karen, Taryn, and Caroline are the hosts of the Ballard Designs' How To Decorate podcast. And their goal is to help you to unleash your 'inner decorator'. Outside of the podcast, they work in different departments at Ballard Designs. Karen has a background in graphic design and she's the senior vice-president of Brand management. Taryn is an industrial designer in the Product Design department. And Caroline manages content marketing, specifically the blog How To Decorate, and also art producing digital marketing photography. Listen in today to find out more.

Show highlights:

• Why they prefer doing their interviews in-person.
• How the relationship between Ballard Designs and their celebrity designers works.
• Why Ballard Designs chose to work with Suzanne Kasler, Bunny Williams, and Miles Redd.
• Making their celebrity designs affordable to their customers.
• The level of creative involvement of the talented celebrity designers.
• What it really takes to become selected as a celebrity designer.
• Why it takes what it does to become selected as a celebrity designer.
• Why it really takes such a lot of work to be a celebrity designer!
• Finding the right kind of vendor.
• Why a long-term business relationship is actually a lot like a marriage.
• Bringing Suzanne onboard.
• Then bringing Bunny and Miles onboard.
• The way that the designers earn their money.
• The way that people respond to Miles' dramatic pieces.
• Using inspiration to grab the imagination of the customer.
• Ways of making tried-and-trusted products look fresh again.
• Some ways that designers could get to become the celebrity designers.
• Doors always open as a result of relationships- so be nice!

Big name designers discussed on today's show:

Bunny Williams, Miles Redd and Suzanne Kasler

You can find the How To Decorate podcast on iTunes.

Note: This show will also be on video on Luann's Youtube channel.

Links:

Ballard Designs

How To Decorate

Instagram: Ballard Designs

Facebook: Ballard Designs

Welcome to another Power Talk Friday! Today we're having a Where Are They Now episode, featuring Heather Mc Manus, our very first guest ever on the show! Heather is an award-winning designer from New Jersey and the principal of Artistry Interiors. She is also the author of the book Love Where You Live- Dream Homes Made Real, which is available on Amazon. On the show today Heather will be telling us all about her latest venture, Collaborate To Win, a buying group that she started for you, her designer colleagues, to become stronger together and make more profit through having access to products that may normally have been unavailable to you due to buy-in minimums and yearly volume quotas. Join us on the show today to hear Heather explain her really interesting idea!

Heather started Artistry Interiors in 2012, after having worked in the design industry for a decade. Her first job, after graduating from the Pratt Institute, was at a high-end workroom where she gained really invaluable experience and learned everything about how quality window treatments and upholstery are made. From there she went on to further broaden her knowledge and expertise about furniture construction and quality through working at both Ethan Allen and Bograd's Fine Furniture. Listen in today to find out more!

Show highlights:

• Heather's concept of a video tip per day that she discussed in her interview on our very first show.
• All about Heather's innovative concept, Collaborate To Win, and why it was born.
• Some of the growing pains that helped Heather grow.
• Collaborate To Win even works nationally.
• Dealing with breakages.
• How the concept actually works.
• The level of trust that is required for this unique concept.
• Keeping relationships intact is a key requirement for the group.
• How the payment for the orders works.
• Heather is constantly creating educational videos to explain the rules of the game.
• When an order actually becomes an order.
• The importance of working systematically.
• How Heather uses videos to explain her pricing.
• The constant teaching, mentoring and masterminds that Heather does to assist people with her concept.
• The cost for the membership of the group.
• How you will really save money by being a member of the group- one order through the group could cover your entire annual membership buy-in!
• Why you really need to be responsible to be a member of the group.
• To learn more about Collaborate To Win, there will be a website up and running by this fall. In the meantime, you can email Heather at collaboratetowin@gmail.com- an email address dedicated specifically for this group.
• The details that you will need to send to Heather in order to apply to join her group.
• To meet Heather in person, she will be at Windowworks, in Livingstone New Jersey, for the October Lunch and Learn on October 29th. RSVP via Instagram (@windowworks)

Raquel Langworthy will be at Windowworks on September 17th for the September Lunch and Learn.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Nicole Heymer (Curio Electro #235 #317)

 Links:

Welcome to the show! Today we are very happy to introduce you to Vincere, an influential, Chicago-based, full-service interior design firm,  founded in 2007 by Micheal Stornello and Tom Konopiots. Vincere is a business fully committed to the principals of precision, proportion, scale, and form. They have completed projects throughout the Midwest, California, and Europe and their wide range of enterprises include everything from the pre-construction stage, through the interior design phase, to the acquisition and placement of the art and accessories. The team at Vincere firmly believe that the key to success lies in careful listening and clear communication. Join us on the show today to find out what Michael and Tom have to share with you.

Both Tom and Michael have very strong business backgrounds. Michael used to be in the television industry where he served as executive vice president, development, for King World Productions (now CBS Television Distribution). Tom was previously COO and CEO of two futures brokerage companies. Listen in today to find out how their previous business experience has informed the way that they run their full-luxury interior design business.

Show highlights:

• Some background on Mike and Tom's previous careers.
• How their shared passion brought them to start an interior design business.
• How they learned their design skill set through their real-life experience.
• Some of the mistakes they made and lessons they learned through trial and error.
• Creating impact for their clients and closing deals with three-dimensional floor plans.
• The way that they work with their vendors and contractors using 3-D models.
• The importance of being well-prepared and paying close attention to detail.
• All their clients are really value-conscious, regardless of their wealth.
• Their approach to addressing budget-related issues with their clients.
• The way that technology helps them to overcome certain client issues.
• Managing a million-dollar budget so that it looks like a million-and-a-half-dollar budget.
• They are fully transparent with their clients, in terms of the cost of things.
• In certain circumstances, it's necessary to tell the client that they're not the right fit.
• Avoiding traps and pitfalls with clients and adding the appropriate markup.
• Creating the kind of contract that can be put away and not thought about again.
• Finding the right balance within a partnership.

Links:

Website - Vincere

Facebook - Vincere

Instagram - Vincere Interiors

Previous episodes mentioned on the show:

Sandra Espinet #287

Fred Berns #289

Chris Raney #345

Are you ready to crush the last quarter of 2018? And are you really ready to make this the very best quarter of this year? Well, if you're the rare designer who is deciding to act, rather than to stay with the status quo, and to do, rather than wish, today's show is just for you! We have two very specific opportunities for you, and two different ways that we're making it possible for you to be the best you can be. Listen in now to find out how to take your game to the next level.

The first opportunity is the second stop on the Power Talk Friday Tour. (It's happening on Saturday 13th October 2018 in High Point, North Carolina.) For the High Point tour, Luann has gathered some of the new Power Talk Friday experts including Claire Jefford (#325 and #237), Stacey Brown Randall (#93) and Michele Williams (#137 and #180). The second opportunity is the two masterminds that Luann is offering, Foundation and Transition. Listen in to find out more.

Show highlights:

• On the tour, Claire will be talking about managing client expectations, something fundamental to running a successful project.
• Pinpointing the challenges that tend to come up with new projects.
• Most problems with new projects are rooted in something that wasn't clear in the initial agreement.
• Claire will walk you through the best practices for setting up your project to succeed.
• Stacey has proven techniques for building your pipeline through referrals- without asking your clients for them.
• Stacey is a business coach with a recently-launched podcast called Roadmap To Grow Your Business.
• Stacey will teach you methods to attract new clients into your pipeline- immediately.
• Michele Williams, principal of Scarlet Thread Consulting, will also be with Luann on the tour.
• Michele coaches designers and window-treatment professionals on the financial methods and systems for running a profitable business.
• Michele is about to launch her new podcast, Profit Is A Choice.
• Michele is also a certified Profit First coach.
• What you have to understand, in order to really be successful with your business.
• Why you really need to come to the High Point Tour.
• How Luann will use her superpower to help you.
• How the High Point Tour will be structured.
• What you will gain from attending the tour.
• The price for the tour and what it includes.
• Having the chance to get to know the awesome sponsors.
• About the Foundations and Transitions Masterminds.
• Foundations is group coaching for new designers.
• What you will learn in the Foundations Mastermind.
• The Transitions Mastermind is for the more seasoned designer.
• What you will get from the Transitions Mastermind.

Links:

Go to Luann's website Luann Nigara to get the early episodes.

To find out more about the tour go to Luann Nigara and click on the 'coaching' tab.

The landing page for the masterminds: Luann Nigara

Sponsors: The Power Talk Friday Tour is sponsored by MyDoma Studios, Revel Woods, and Bijou Wall Coverings.

Luann's second book, The Things I Learned From A Well-Designed Business, will be coming out in February of 2019.  This book is for the designer who wants to be intentionally focused, efficient and profitable. Luann has gathered 12 of the Power talk Friday experts and together they have created the go-to book for you to get detailed explanations, advice, and clarity about the ideas and concepts that have been discussed on the podcast, over the past two-and-a-half years.

Welcome! We have Dina Holland with us on the show today. And she's someone you may already know from her Instagram stories, with her really down-to-earth, likable and engaging approach. On today's show, we talk to Dina about the importance of finding your personal voice and the value of being real and authentic in everything you do- with your blog, your social media, and your website. Listen in today to find out how this can really help you to find clients who are just the right fit for you. 

Dina is the founder and principal of Dina Holland Interiors, but you might know her through her blog and Instagram account name, Honey, and Fitz.  It all started with a blog about eight years ago when Dina chronicled her own adventures in home decor and DIY projects. What started out as just a personal creative outlet quickly grew into a following of thousands with readers tuning in to see her own projects and those for neighbors and friends. Through word of mouth and the power of social media, Dina has grown her business far beyond the reaches of her blog and turned it into a successful full-service interior design firm with clients all over the country. Listen in today to find out what Dina has to share.

Show highlights:

• How Dina's authentic voice on her website is a pre-qualifier to the clients that are reaching out to her.
• The importance of being true to yourself.
• The list of questions that Dina has on her website.
• How Dina's questions help potential clients to find just the kind of help that they're looking for.
• The really clever content to be found on Dina's website.
• Why Dina has put pricing on her website.
• The really great copy on Dina's website.
• How Dina learned all she knows about design.
• How Dina started out as an e-designer.
• Dina's shift towards Instagram.
• How, as a designer, to start charging friends and acquaintances.
• The importance of having really good photos.
• Charging appropriately for the managing, sourcing, ordering, and shipping of products.
• Why charging an hourly rate is simply not enough.
• How Dina managed to figure out the next level of trade sources.
• How Dina managed to do floor plans when she first started out without any training.
• How Dina dealt with her branding- from Honey and Fitz to Dina Holland Interiors.
• Dina is getting ready to launch a small online shop.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Gail Davis #47

Carly Waters #211

Links:

Website - Dina Holland Interiors

Shop (launching later this summer) - Dina Holland Interiors

Instagram - @HoneyandFitz

To become a trade member of Article.com go to Well Designed Article to register.

Welcome to another Power Talk Friday! You're in for a huge treat today! We have Virginia Muzquiz, the Referral Diva, on the show with us! Virginia is a connector with a real passion for teaching people how to cultivate referrals. And on the show today she explains how she teaches people to be referral-ready so that they can go out and get the referrals they need to grow their businesses. Listen in to find out more.

Virginia is the owner and chief connection officer at Master Connectors Incorporated and she is the executive director of B & I in America. She has over thirty years of experience in teaching six-figure companies and solopreneurs how to build a sustainable and profitable business.

Virginia believes that referrals are built out of relationships- and that requires people to like and trust you. This is why she really knows that learning how to create and leverage social capital is crucial in building businesses. Her numbers don't lie and Virginia's methods grew the contract service division of a nationally known education franchise from zero to 2.5 million dollars specifically, and only, by word-of-mouth. Today Virginia shows more than 1400 entrepreneurs how to redirect the time and money spent in non-productive networking into leveraged word-of-mouth strategies that produce measurable improvements in their ROI. Virginia is also the host of the Passion + Purpose = IMPACT podcast. Listen in to find out what she has to share with you on the show today.

Show highlights:

• Virginia explains where she starts when teaching people how to be referral ready.
• Simply showing up with your skill-set, as a designer, is not enough.
• The key to creating really effective referrals.
• The gift that you need to bring along to your potential client.
• The importance of being really clear.
• Getting your clients to align with your core values.
• Knowing who you are and what you love.
• Giving to givers who give.
• How Virginia helps business owners to discover their own, unique core values.
• The importance of finding what you're really passionate about.
• Virginia's four-step plan to succeeding at networking events.
• What you need to read and listen to, in order to really be prepared for networking events.
• The right way to get someone's business card.
• Knowing what your niche is so that you can connect with your tribe.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Article.com #301

Links:

LinkedIn: Virginia Muzquiz

Website: Master Connectors

Twitter: The Referral Diva

Facebook: Master Connectors

To become a trade member of Article.com go to Well Designed Article to register.

To get the info about Luann's mastermind go to Luann Nigara and click on the coaching tab.

Welcome to today's show. We have Shannon Claire, a designer that Luann discovered on Instagram, with us on the show today. Shannon has a really beautiful Instagram feed and on the show today she will be talking about it and she will also share some tips from the perspective of someone whose career is not an Instagram marketer but has utilized the tool in a really effective way.

Shannon Claire is an interior designer and stylist based in Washington, DC, specializing in

creating beautiful spaces so that your home feels uniquely and comfortably you, but elevated. Shannon Claire offers many services that include full-service interior design by the hour, e-design projects for clients who do not live locally but still need design help, and event and space styling. She has been featured in HGTV Magazine, Domino, The Washington Post,  Buzzfeed, The Everygirl, Glitter Guide, The Charlotte Observer, CNN, Forbes, Style Me Pretty, House Beautiful Magazine, and Style At Home Magazine. Listen in to find out what she has to share on the show today.

Show highlights:

• The first thing to think about, as an interior designer, if you want to really start taking your Instagram seriously.
• It can be hard to switch from using Instagram as a personal, or social tool, to use it as something that can funnel back into your business.
• The importance of identifying what your particular brand looks like on paper, or in a photo.
• Shannon explains why she only shares things on Instagram that fit into the specific aesthetic that she has created there- like pink walls.
• The way that Shannon's before and after pictures really draw you in.
• Shannon discusses her 'wake-up point'.
• The benefits that she has seen from really dedicating herself to her particular style and aesthetic- and the kind of content that she was posting.
• All the pictures on Shannon's feed are from her own home or her own projects.
• The way that Luann's Instagram feed has changed recently.
• The things that will really make your Instagram feed uniquely yours.
• Choosing your Instagram photos intentionally.
• The way that Shannon uses visual landmarks to let people know that she is in DC.
• Some things that you can do to reach out to the people in your area, to let them know where you are.
• Some information about the way that Instagram's algorithms operate.
• The importance of having an engaged following on Instagram and building a community.
• Effectively using captions on your photos.
• Learning to be authentically yourself!
• Ways to get your work featured out there.
• What comment pods are-and how to use them.

Links:

Instagram - @shannonclaire

Blog - Shannon Claire Interiors

Pinterest - Shannon Claire Interiors

Shannon's website: Shannon Claire Interiors

Welcome to today's episode. We have Jane Dagni, the new editor-in-chief of Designers Today Magazine with us on the show today. Jane is a really well-regarded and true professional and today she will be talking to us about her new position as editor-in-chief, her take on the design industry, and also her future plans for the magazine. Listen in today to find out how Jane has really earned her respect in the design community.

Jane Dagni became an assistant editor at Country Living Magazine, a B2B magazine for professional interior designers, decorators and related businesses twenty-six years ago. She spent fourteen years at Country Living, where she wrote and produced at least a hundred-and-fifty feature stories and wrote countless columns. For the next eight years, she worked on writing gigs, short projects, and substitute teaching to support her family. Her clients included Benjamin Moore, Bob Vila, the Cottage and Gardens Magazines and Fort Lauderdale Magazine. In 2014 her colleague, Amy Flurry, recommended Jane as a communications manager at a tech startup that was creating a project management sourcing software for small boutique interior design firms. When the company closed Jane was hired as the editorial director at Steel Yard. Then, in December of 2017, Jane became editor-in-chief of Designers Today Magazine. Jane also participates in industry panels and Listen in today to find out more.

Show highlights:

• What makes Designers Today such an awesome magazine.
• Jane's mission for the magazine.
• Designers Today is becoming a subscription magazine. Go to Designers Today to sign up.
• Jane explains what's happening with her magazine at the moment.
• What makes Designers Today really stand out from other magazines.
• The thrust of the magazine.
• Some fun and unexpected things about Designers Today.
• Building trust is really a big thing for Jane.
• What Jane looks for in new designers.
• The way that Jane is changing the structure of the magazine.
• How Jane plans the issues of the magazine.
• How Jane would like designers to communicate their journeys with her.
• Why Jane really doesn't want people to feel intimidated.
• Bypassing the small talk.
• The kind of inspiration that Jane gets from vintage magazines.
• The way that Jane is bringing the magazine back to life.
• All about Jane's Designer Experience. Go to Designer Experience.
• Jane's blog is a great way for designers to find out what she's looking for.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Laurel Bern #342

Amy Flurry #323 and #108

Laura Thurman # 272

Judith Taylor #340

Links:

Designers Today's website: Designers Today

Instagram: Jane Dagmi

LinkedIn: Jane Dagmi

Twitter: Jane Dagmi

Jane's email: jdagni@designerstoday.com

Books Mentioned on the Show:

Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear by Elizabeth Gilbert

Recipe for Press: The Designer Edition by Amy Flurry

Recipe for Press by Amy Flurry

Welcome to the show! We have the pleasure of introducing you to an Australian designer today, Belinda Nihill, the principal of Nest Design Studio. After the birth of her first child, and working as a qualified interior designer for more than fifteen years, Bel started a blog focused on children's spaces. On the show today she explains how her really small, niche blog, Nest, progressed to becoming a really successful boutique design firm with clients in Australia, USA, France, Ireland, Dubai, Canada and many more places around the world. Listen in today to discover how Bel managed to really set herself apart from other Australian designers.

Nest Design Studio was founded in 2010 and is known for its classic and creative style. Recognised both nationally and internationally, Nest has been featured in more than 25 magazines worldwide and has also been profiled on a number of other media outlets. Nest was included in the House and Garden Top Fifty Rooms of 2015 and in 2016 Bel released her first book, Beautiful Babies Rooms. Building on her reputation for being a leader in the children's interior field, and due to demand from her clients, Bel has now extended Nest to include residential and commercial interiors as well. Bel is a member of the Design Institute of Australia. Listen in today to find out more.

Show highlights:

• How Bel's blog was born, soon after the birth of her child.
• How Bel went about creating her blog.
• Bel has completed nearly 500 nursery and children's room projects in the eight years that she's been in business.
• What helped Bel's blog to grow and feed her business.
• What Project Nursery is all about and how it helped Bel to grow her business.
• Finding what you're really passionate about as a way to grow your business.
• It took about six months for Bel's blog to gain some traction.
• Some of the things that really helped Bel grow her blog.
• What prompted Bel to start doing e-designing.
• How Bel worked out how much to charge for e-design.
• What Bel has learned about systems in the eight years since she's been in business.
• What Bel learned from the episode with Chaney Widmer (#327).
• Bel explains how her business has grown.
• The kind of budget that Bel works with for children's rooms.
• What's to be found in Belinda's book.
• Belinda's plans for the future.
• The steps that Belinda is taking towards her future plans.
• How Belinda sources her products.
• Belinda's advice for new designers.
• Some tips for building community on Instagram.
• Some of the challenges Belinda has faced with running her business out of her home.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Cheryl Janis #41

Laurel Bern #342

Chaney Widmer #327

Christina Perry #05

Rachel Moriarty #55 #214

To register to become an Article trade member go to Well Designed Article. Well Designed Article

If you would like to be in Luann's mastermind, email her assistant at Christie@luannnigara.com to set you up for a chat.

Welcome to today's episode of Power Talk Friday! We are very happy to introduce you to Peter Lang today. Peter is a really smart CPA who has niched his business around helping designers with their unique financial challenges, like unconventional sales tax situations and budgeting around the massive upfront payments from clients. Many designers and artistic professionals find that ordinary CPA's are simply not equipped to cope with their specific needs. Peter, however, is a proven expert in helping interior designers with the kinds of financial duties that they weren't taught in art school. On the show today Peter discusses the years he spent learning how to help our constantly under-served industry and he also explains why he chose to follow his dream of starting a firm of his own. Listen in find out more.

Peter started out at a large firm in Boston, where he became aware of the kind of problems that artistic professionals, like interior designers, were facing. He moved to a smaller firm but soon became bored with being a traditional CPA. He noticed that interior designers were constantly being under-served by standard CPAs, so he followed his heart and started his own business in Rhode Island, where he now lives with his family. Listen in today to find out what Peter has to share with you.

Show highlights:

• Peter's experience of being told that he helped people too much while working at a cut-throat firm in Boston.
• The importance of being comfortable enough with your accountant to ask him whatever you need to know.
• How it happened that Peter started helping interior designers.
• The difference between gross profit and net profit.
• Why you need to keep track of your expenses in order to set your goals.
• Financial mistakes that designers often tend to make.
• How Peter helps new designers to really understand their financial situation.
• The way that Peter helps designers to increase their profit margins.
• Situations and ideas that could get designers into financial trouble.
• Peter explains how putting your money into a number of different bank accounts can help you to better manage your finances.
• Why you really need to trust your accountant.
• How Peter helps designers navigate their way to success by finding the right software for their business.
• Choosing the legal entity that best fits your specific business.
• When it makes sense to change your business to become an S-Corporation.
• Understanding more about taxation.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Michelle Williams #180

Fresh Books #265

Links:

Peter's website: The Designer CPA

Peter's email: peter@thedesignercpa.com

Peter on Facebook: The Designer CPA

Peter is also on Instagram

Welcome! We have Albie Buabeng with us on the show today and she's one smart lady! Albie will be sharing with us her journey into interior design, which has lead her to becoming exclusively an e-designer. She will also explain how the success she's enjoyed as an e-designer inspired her to produce a conference and a community called the E-Design Experience. The E-Design Experience was created specifically to help designers, just like you, on their journey to becoming a more efficient e-designer. Listen in today to find out more about Albie and her community.

After creating a comfortable, stylish, and functional home for her family of three in her NYC Hell's Kitchen studio apartment, Albie made the transition from retail visual merchandising to interior styling and design. And she hasn't looked back! She helps creatives and influencers in their fields decode their spaces and create beautiful dreamscapes. Listen in to find out what she has to share on the show today.

• Show highlights:
  Why Albie has chosen to follow the e-design path.
• The importance of having well-structured systems in place in your business.
• The way that Albie has refined her processes.
• Albie uses an automated email platform to ensure a smooth process for her clients from start
  to finish.
• How Albie moved into teaching e-design to her colleagues.
• Where the biggest challenges that Albies students are facing lie.
• Albie's business model for the E-Design Experience.
• The kind of designers that Albie attracts to her E-Design Experience community.
• Where the different e-designers source their products.
• The way that e-designers market their businesses.
• How Albie managed to find her voice as an e-designer.
• The social media platforms that Albie dropped out of while figuring out her specific path.

Albie describes her ideal client.
Other shows mentioned in this episode:
Article.com #301
Chaney Widmar #260
Nicole Hymar (Curio Electro) #125 #317
Links:
To become an Article trade member go to Well Designed Article to register. http://welldesigned.article.com
The E-Design Experience
Website: Albie Knows Design
YouTube: Albie Knows Design
Instagram: Albie Knows Design

Welcome to another episode of Power talk Friday! Today we have Mikael Dia, a digital marketing expert and the founder of Funnelytics, with us on the show. Funnelytics is a software company that helps entrepreneurs and marketers to convert traffic into more profit. And Mikael is a really extraordinary entrepreneur and marketing expert who is really passionate about helping business owners, just like you, to get your message out in a way that is more impacting, more direct and way more focused. On the show, we talk with Mikael about his Growth Accelerator program with its nine phases towards success in growing your business online. Listen in today to get Mikael's really helpful advice.

Mikael has two master's degrees- an MBA from the Hult International Business School, and a master's degree in civil engineering from Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada, with a specialization in project management. Mikael's first venture was a Mandarin language school that he started in London in 2012. It grew quickly and Mikael and his business partner were able to exit from it successfully within eight months. Mikael has since grown his marketing agency, White Coat Digital, to over a million dollars in just eighteen months. He is known for his expertise in scaling online businesses very quickly and this has allowed him to raise over a million dollars in angel and seed funding for his ventures. Mikael,  originally from Montreal, now lives in Toronto with his wife and eighteen-month-old daughter. Listen in to find out what he has to share on the show today!

Show highlights:

• The best way to look at sales funnels.
• Guiding the conversation with your potential clients.
• How to start the process.
• Finding the top of your mountain.
• Discovering your ideal client and appealing to them in the right way.
• Getting to understand your ideal client.
• Putting out the right message to attract the right person.
• The power of your marketing message.
• Finding the emotional reasons for people's motivations.
• Measuring what's working and what's not.
• Creative ways to work with the numbers.
• Mapping things out in a colorful, visual way.
• Ways of keeping track of your Facebook ads.
• All about Mikael's 16-week Growth Accelerator program.
• The awesome support that Mikael's program will be offering.
• Mikael's process is all about growth.
• Why you really need to simplify everything.

 Links:

Other episodes mentioned on this show:

Adam Urbanski #280

Nancy Ganzekaupher #256

Kae Whitaker #274

Kae Whitaker #259

Claire Jefford #325

To find out more about Mikael's Growth Accelerator program go to The Dia Project

Mikael's other website is  Funnelytics

You can reach Mikael's PR representative, Ester (Pinky) Kiss, on (323)770 3530 or find her at Born To Influence

To find out more about LuAnn's group coaching program or mastermind group starting on September 12, email Christie at christie@luannnigara.com to make the necessary arrangements.

Welcome to today's show! We have Taylor Dietrich and Yashlie Negron with us and they are the co-founders a firm that works both in real locations and virtually, called Do Not Let Us Design. And that's a catchy name that really piques your interest, right? On the show today Taylor and Yashlie discuss their interesting journey in the industry, starting out as interns, being promoted and eventually graduating into project managers and junior designers. They have come up with a very interesting concept, so listen in today to find out more.

DNLUD as a name comes from the misconception of misjudging someone who might look too young or easygoing. Taylor and Yashlie have embraced any negative connotations and turned these to their advantage while striving to produce really unique and stunning interiors. 

Yashlie grew up around construction zones and witnessing places transform before her eyes instilled in her a desire to create a similar kind of magic. She graduated with a BFA in Interior Design from the New York School of Interior Design. Since graduating, she has worked with various design firms.

Taylor, inspired by travel and all things foreign, became inspired to contribute to the arts through interiors after spending a semester in Florence. After graduating from the University of Rhode Island in the Textile, Merchandising, and Design program, she quickly jumped into the trade. She specializes in project management.

Listen in to find out what these two really savvy ladies have to share on the show today.

Show highlights:

• How DNLUD concept came about and why they decided to do it.
• How they started their own company while still working part-time for another firm.
• The kind of confidence they had, starting out.
• Their process of legitimizing their brand.
• The kind of legal assistance they used for their business.
• Some of the things that Yashlie and Taylor do to assist designers.
• The close attention that they pay to the details.
• The way that they really have their systems locked down.
• How they go about managing their projects.
• Their way of being transparent with their processes, in real time.
• The really organized process that they use with their clients.
• The fees that they charge and the way that they get paid.
• How they create a visual package for their clients.
• How they understand the design holistically.
• The way that they protect their clients' confidentiality.

Links:

Yashie and Taylor's website: DNLUD

Email Yashlie and Taylor at yashlieandtaylor@dnlud.com

Yashlie and Tayor on Instagram: dnlud

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Brittany Ems #149

Danielle Liss #171

Welcome to today's episode! We have Chris Ramey, the president of The Home Trust International and Affluent Insights/Retail-Rescue, on the show with us today. Chris is a marketing professional who is very well versed in both our industry and the habits and traits of affluent people and he truly understands all there is to know about the client and the consumer base, particularly within the affluent consumer market. He's pointed out to us that research has shown that the biggest problem that interior designers are facing lately is finding clients. So today Chris, who really knows the kind of pain that many interior designers are experiencing right now, explains what luxury really means and how to interact with the extremely wealthy market. Listen in to find out more.

The Home Trust is an aggressive marketing agency with hyper-focused marketing programs to help them really penetrate the market. It is best known for its rich consumer-facing website which is aimed at high net-worth families, where they find the world's best products and services for their homes. Chris is a consultant and a speaker, consulting and speaking to organizations with all luxury categories. He is the most quoted independent authority in the luxury segment and he has, in the past,  been president of The Luxury Marketing Council Miami and The Luxury Marketing Council Palm Beach, as well as president and founder of Savvi Formalwear, and president of International Design Guild.

Chris is a member of National Speakers Association, a columnist for Hearst Business Publications' Floor Covering Weekly, and he has earned the 'Top 5% appellation' from Gerson-Lehrman for his work with private equity firms investing in home and luxury segments. He also sits on the Retail Wire Brain Trust panel and he is a director for Domestic Estate Management Association Palm Beach.

Chris, originally from Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, now resides with his wife in Palm Beach County, Florida. Listen in to find out what he has to share with you on today's show.

Show highlights:

• How Chris came to understand the affluent market so well.
• What you, as a designer, need to understand in order to be successful in reaching the affluent market.
• You don't sell to the affluent market- you fascinate them!
• What it takes to connect with the affluent market.
• Creating something that is uniquely yours.
• Why you need to constantly be honing who you are and what you do.
• Why it is really so important for you to have the courage to express your own, singular point of view.
• How Chris helps designers.
• Chris explains his 'Laws of Luxury'.
• Why you should not align your brand with fashion.
• The different kind of business model and sales strategy that is applied to the luxury market.
• Evoking desire for your brand.
• Having money doesn't necessarily make you a luxury consumer.
• How to market to the truly affluent.
• Scarcity is another pillar of luxury.
• How logos define you.
• Ways to get known within the really affluent market.
• Collaborating is always a pillar of luxury- but you really do need to have enough money to advertise.
• Why you really don't want to be perceived as isolated.
• Surprising and delighting your client in a way that will drive loyalty to your brand.

 Links:

Chris Websites: The Home Trust

Email Chris at:
cpr@affluentinsights.com

cpr@thehometrust.com

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Nicole Heymer #125 and #317

Studio Thomas #314

Nancy Ganzekaupher #9

Jo Buckerfield #320

Welcome! Today we have a very smart lady, Lori Paranjape, of Mrs. Paranjape Design and Interiors with us. As well as being a really talented designer, Lori, affectionately known as Mrs. Paranjape, is also an excellent businesswoman and on the show today she's going to be offering lots of really practical advice for designers. She has had her work featured in People, HGTV Magazine, and Domino, as well as in many other publications. Listen in today to find out what Lori has to share with you.

Mrs. Paranjape Design and Interiors, which specializes in luxury residential and new construction projects, was started in 2008. Lori is a self-taught and extremely motivated designer. She started out helping friends and acquaintances with their homes. As time went by, referrals continued to pour in and Lori began working as the in-house designer for Redo Home and Design, the well-loved home retailer to generations of families based in Nashville. Listen in today as Lori discusses the really innovative relationship she has with Redo Home and Design, and she also encourages designers and retailers to build awesome partnerships, just as she has done with Redo.

Show highlights:

Lori's explains the details of her 'Design Collective' business model that she has set up in Nashville.

The wonderful, symbiotic relationship that Lori has with her business partner.

The clear distinctions between the different aspects of her partnership.

What constitutes a 'commissionable' sale within her partnership.

How Lori's commission is paid to her.

The intentional way that Lori sources everything that she needs.

How Lori's retailer provides everything that she needs.

The awesome and mutually beneficial kind of partnership that can be formed between a designer and a retailer.

The way that Lori and her partner work to utilize a relatively small showroom space to their best advantage.

Lori's unique, practical and real-life approach to designing a home for her clients.

The way that Lori really takes care of her clients.

Why you, as designers, really need to cultivate the skill of asking,  listening, and then going a little deeper.

Lori's special way of discovering the personal details about her clients, without making them feel uncomfortable.

Lori's innovative ways of encouraging clients to spend more money on a project, if it's necessary.

Some tips for overcoming difficulties with clients around the cost of a project in a comfortable way.

The conversations that Lori has with her clients right at the beginning of their relationship.

When to simply say 'no' to a client.

Using candles and music to transform a room and create the right atmosphere.

Ways of gaining a client's cooperation in using their home for a photo shoot.

How to Find Lori:

Website - Mrs. Paranjape

Instagram - @mrsparanjape

Pinterest - Mrs. Paranjape

Welcome to this week's Power Talk Friday! We have Raquel Langworthy, a lifestyle, and interiors photographer, with us. Rachel's philosophy is one of partnering very closely with her clients, so today we are going to be talking to her about how she does that with her designer clients, by creating with them a thorough and detailed relationship, working with them side by side and supporting them all the way. Listen in to find out more.

Raquel is a Lifestyle and Interiors photographer based in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey. She services mainly the east coast but she's traveled the country for various photography assignments for both documentary storytelling and interiors. Raquel has recently been published in NY Cottage & Garden, for their cover story, as well as in many other online publications such as Domino.com and Architectural Digest online. Raquel moved to New Jersey two years ago, and although she still feels new to the NJ market she has had the pleasure of working with a host of talented interior designers and architects to capture their work and portraits. Her focus in photography is naturally lit bright spaces. Her goal when photographing interiors is not only to capture the overall space but captivate an audience through visual storytelling and well-styled compositions. Listen in to find out what Raquel has to share on the show today.

Show highlights:

• How Raquel starts her relationship with a new client.
• The importance of using the right styling to create the perfect composition.
• Why Raquel does not email her clients.
• How Raquel prepares for a shoot.
• Raquel also assists with the styling at times.
• Photographing a full house really takes a whole lot of styling!
• Raquel and Charlotte's work was featured recently on the cover of NY Cottage and Garden, and also in a ten-page article.
• How to tell if it's really worth investing in a talented stylist for a photo shoot, or not.
• What Raquel has learned from previous episodes of the podcast.
• Why you really have to be ready, to work nationally.
• The different specialties and skill sets of photographers.
• Some things to look out for when taking photos with your iPhone.
• Some tips for working with a photographer.
• Some tips for designers, when thinking about hiring a photographer for a project.

Previous episodes mentioned on the show.

Charlotte #138

Ashley Hotham Cox #321

Amy Flurry #108 and #323

Links:

Website - Raquel Langworthy

Instagram - Raquel Langworthy Photography

Facebook - Raquel Langworthy Photography

Welcome to today's episode! We have Laurel Bern, of Laurel Bern Interiors on the show with us today.

Laurel Bern is an award-winning New York Interior Designer, blogger, brand ambassador and speaker. Her design work has been featured in national as well as Westchester County shelter magazines. She is known for a having a young-traditional aesthetic and is one to buck many of the current trends unless they happen to be classic favorites.
However, after 21 years as the principle designer in her firm Laurel Bern Interiors, she has turned her focus to blogging as a full-time occupation. Her award-winning blog, Laurel Home has drawn a large following – and by large- I mean with page views in the multiple hundreds of thousands every month- due to her candid style of writing, useful information and warm community of readers. You can see for yourself right on her website, laurelberninteriors.com she earns over $33,000 per month from her blog.

Laurel's Rolodex is a comprehensive shopping guide for home furnishings with links to the vendor/manufacturers and features a list of some 180 designer-friendly vendors for interior designers. No professional confidences are divulged. Laurel's goal is to help you make your home more beautiful, personal and a really comfortable place in which to live.  You will want to savor every moment of today’s show, so join us today to discover more about Laurel ’s incredible, entrepreneurial journey.

Show highlights:

• How to blog effectively, in order to attract your ideal client.
• Steps you should take right from the start in order to create a successful blog.
• Your blog needs to live on a really well-built website.
• What your 'about' page is truly all about.
• The nuts and bolts of creating a successful website.
• Why you need to have a navigation menu on every page of your website.
• Selecting the most appropriate font for your website.
• How to avoid overwhelming your readers.
• How to use primary keywords
• People want a lot of knowledge, but they also want to be entertained.
• Figuring out your special secret sauce, and your own, unique voice.
• Your content has to be rich with relevant information.
• The importance of having your blog posts indexed.
• Some things that will help you to create magic in your blog.
• You can even take your own photos with your phone.
• Some tips to enhance your photos.
• Awesome ideas for free gifts for your readers of your blog.
• Why Laurel loves using Wordpress.com.
• Selecting information to place in your sidebar.
• Ways to keep your readers on your website for as long as possible.
• Learn about the $250 000 that Laurel left on the table for five years of her blogging career.
• Why you should get yourself onto an advertising network.
• The importance of blogging consistently.
• Ways to encourage people to take your surveys.
• Laurel has written a document called Six-figure Income Blogger, and it's really simple and full of the strategies that she's used, and lessons that she learned the hard way. Go to her website laurelberninteriors.com to get your copy for $199. It's in the first link in the main menu on the left-hand side.

Previous episodes mentioned on this show.

Claire Jefford #325

Linda Holt #97

Carla Aston #242

Stephan Spence #238

Recommendations:

For really awesome geek help, go to Eileen Lonergan

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We are really happy to introduce you to Esther (Pinky) Kiss today. Pinky is the founder of Born To Influence, a boutique publicity firm that specializes in helping experts and personal brands to get more publicity, leads, and sales. We will be talking to Pinky about how to get your ducks in a row, and understanding what you need to do, in order to be properly prepared for the marketing and PR process, and to gain credibility as an expert in your field. Today's show is geared for the interior designer who is in their own market, with a successful business, who would like to access PR and media opportunities specifically to create more business for their firm. Listen in to find out what she has to share on the show today.

Pinky has worked on campaigns in a variety of industries, including software as a service, mobile apps, and digital information. She also has a podcast called Born To Influence, The Marketing Show, where although she does not air new interviews at this point, there is still a library available, on iTunes, containing tons of information. Pinky has also been involved in bringing several book launches to national bestseller and New York Times status. Listen in to find out more!

Show highlights:

• The importance of having certain foundations in place, in order to be seen as an expert in your field.
• Why you need to be really clear about your goals.
• What you need to do to cover all the necessary bases, in order to get more clients.
• Positioning yourself to gain more credibility through publicity.
• The steps involved in creating an awesome bio to suit your specific needs.
• An example of a bio containing really compelling information.
• Creating a bio that will really earn you credibility
• The next step towards getting some publicity, once you have your bio and website locked down.
• How to really set yourself apart from the rest.
• Learning to understand the problems that your potential clients would be facing, and to think the way that your potential clients would be thinking.
• Creating your Intentional Media Message Content.
• Creating different pitches to suit different situations.
• Connecting your expertise to what the media is already interested in.
• Choosing the right talking points to suit specific media situations.
• Ways to connect with the right people in the right spaces.
• Why you should get some local TV experience before attempting to get onto national TV.
• Examining your underlying skill sets.
• Looking at big, current news items and connecting to that, to get publicity.
• All about Pinky's online study course, Publicity Empire.
• The right time to hire a publicist.
• Pinky has a free giveaway of her Media Positioning Checklist. Go to borntoinfluence.com/checklist to get it!

Links:

For the free training segment of Pinky's Publicity Empire online study course go to www.borntoinfluence.com/free-publicity-training

Previous episodes mentioned on this show:

Amy Flurry episodes #108 and #323

Pulp Design Studio episodes #176 and #310

Christy Leu episode #182

Ren Miller episode #12

Welcome to today's episode. We have Judith Taylor, of Judith Taylor Designs, with us on the show and today we talk to her about navigating the murky waters of working with friends and family. She also talks about the new furniture line that she is launching and her multi-generational heritage of furniture design and manufacture. In addition to studying interior design, Judith also studied at Toronto School of Art, she has a bachelor's degree in psychology and business administration and a past career in IT. These added areas of understanding have provided her with the unique ability to combine practicality, psychology, and aesthetics into her interior design projects. Listen in today to get her really spot-on advice and tips for working with family and friends in a way that won't drive you crazy!        

Judith is the founder and principal designer of her award-winning firm which specializes in residential design. She did her formal training in interior design in Toronto, where she received high honors for her work, which is inspired by broadly reaching disciplines. Judith started her career in IT, where she honed her skills in project management and developed a deep understanding of the process and an orientation to details. Today she lives in Toronto's Beaches neighborhood with her family. Listen in to find out more!

Show highlights:

• All designers have a friend that they don't want to say 'no' to, or that they wish they hadn't said 'yes' to.
• What to do when you're approached by someone at a dinner party and they ask for some free advice about interior design.
• How to gently lead friends to the front door of your business.
• Using the right language to make it very clear that you are dealing with a business transaction.
• Sometimes there could be a fair payoff from working with friends or family.
• Establishing firm boundaries can be really tricky with friends.
• How a small favor can quickly snowball.
• Giving yourself a chance to reflect on the reality of the workload of a personal favor.
• Dealing with friends and family members who push your boundaries.
• Being clear about what you will and won't do.
• Explaining to friends and family the amount of work that goes into what you do.
• Handling discounts appropriately with friends and family.
• Why you have to be willing to have the hard conversation with friends and family.
• About the soon-to-be-launched furniture line that Judith has developed.

Links:

     Judith's furniture line can be found at Silver 4 Home

     Blog "Point of View": Judith Taylor Designs

     Instagram

     Pinterest: Judith Taylor Designs

     Facebook: Judith Taylor Designs

     Houzz: Judith Taylor Designs

To find out more about LuAnn's in-person coaching seminar on 28 July in Las Vegas go to Luann Nigara

Previous episodes mentioned on this show:

Lee Cockerell #222