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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

In today's world being a talented interior designer isn't enough to ensure that you have a profitable and successful interior design business. Design school doesn't always teach you the critical business skills to be sure your interior design business be everything you imagined it would be! A Well Designed Business is here to fill in the gaps and give you real live business skills from some of the top interior designers. Your host, LuAnn Nigara shares her 35 years of success in the interior design industry, and she finds the most successful guests to share their interior design business best practices.
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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
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Now displaying: 2020
Jan 21, 2020

Welcome! Today, we have Lisa Haude, of Paradigm Design Group, joining us! Lisa built her firm from ground zero to a firm with gross revenues exceeding fifty-million dollars. And she showed her relentless commitment by doing that the old-fashioned way, by calling on her contacts week after week. In today's episode, Lisa talks to us about how she runs her business, and she explains how all her success can be attributed to her commitment to delivering an exceptional project, regardless of the situation. Tune in today, to find out how planning to exceed your clients' expectations in every aspect of a project will always bring about a successful result.  

As the lead designer and founder of Paradigm Design Group for the last fifteen years, Lisa Haude is an expert in livable luxury. She has built Paradigm Design Group into a hospitality design powerhouse. With projects ranging from The Roosevelt Waldorf Astoria in New Orleans to the award-winning Portland Marriott Downtown, to boutique hotels and numerous Hilton hotels across the United States, Lisa prides herself on her design versatility. Be sure to listen in today, to find out more about Lisa, and her work ethic, and her successful design firm.

Show Highlights:

  • Lisa spent time working at high-end hospitality firms, for architectural design firms, and in the hotel and hospitality industry, on the inside, on their design teams, before opening her firm. She talks to us about how this great learning experience informs the way she runs her firm.
  • Lisa gives us some insight into the way her firm looks.
  • Taking care of the details and all the moving pieces on multiple-million dollar projects.
  • The way that Lisa's whole team collaborates to bring about an awesome project.
  • Dealing with the documentation.
  • Talking about accountability.
  • The whole team is detail-oriented.
  • Open discussions are vital for growing and improving.
  • Taking responsibility, as a leader, for whatever happens with a project.
  • Sometimes it's hard to find your humor when you're in the trenches.
  • Some advice for landing and keep long-term hospitality accounts.
  • Owning up if you mess up is very important.
  • People like to do business with people who have similar ideals and values.
  • Lisa has an amazing village of co-workers.
  • How Lisa created her opportunities and made things happen when she started her firm.
  • Lisa offers some awesome advice.
  • Thinking outside the box to make things happen.
  • The background and skills that Lisa looks for when hiring a junior designer.

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Meryl Santopietro #40

Mikel Welch #297

Corey Damen Jenkins #127

Claire Jefford #237

Vanessa DeLeon #18

Links:

Website: Paradigm Design

Facebook: Paradigm Design Group

Instagram: Paradigm Design Group

The 4th Birthday Party for the podcast will be at Kravet's new workshop center at 200 Lexington New York on March 19, 2020, at 5.30 pm. Use this link to RSVP -  Event Brite

 

Jan 17, 2020

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today, we have one of our early guests back on the show. Diane Gardener, known as The Tax Coach (Episode #54) is back with us to talk about the specific niche of seven-figure interior design firms. Although LuAnn has done a lot of shows about getting a design business off the ground, she realized that she's done way fewer shows about what to do when you are in the seven-figure bracket. And there are very specific challenges that come with this area. When moving into the seven-figure bracket, business owners frequently experience higher expenses, cash flow problems, and higher taxes. So be sure to listen in today even if you're still a #babydesigner because LuAnn fully intends for you to become a seven-figure interior designer someday.

Diane Gardner is a Certified Tax Coach, a Quilly award recipient, and a best-selling author whose expert planning approach has saved her clients over three-million dollars in taxes. Her expertise lies in the area of tax planning. And her goal is to make sure that successful entrepreneurs across the United States are paying the least amount of income tax that they can legally pay. She aims to save taxes, one business at a time, through the use of pro-active tax planning. Diane has been featured on popular podcasts such as CEO Warrior, For the Love of Money, Listen Money Matters, Investing in The U.S, Cashflow Ninja, SharkPrenuer, Wealth Formula and Profit Boss. Tune in today, to learn about what you need in your seven-figure business to mitigate risk, increase your profits, and legally decrease your taxes.

Show Highlights:

  • Diane is a certified Profit First coach.
  • Planning ahead to pay less tax when moving into the seven-figure tax bracket.
  • Increased income often means increased expenses.
  • Becoming an active partner with your CPA or Business Coach.
  • The tax planning strategies that seven-figure businesses need to implement to keep more money
  • A great way to incentivize your people and lessen your tax load.
  • It takes a different set of skills to run a bigger business.
  • How to increase your cash flow to leverage growth from multi-six-figures to seven-figures.
  • Diane explains how a tax coach can be your ultimate advocate and partner in growth.
  • Doing an entity analysis for your business.
  • An amazing strategy for saving money by investing in your own insurance company.

Other guests mentioned in this show:

Michele Williams #180, #395 

Peter Lang # 349, #464 

Diane Gardner was on the show before in episode #54

Links:

Diane's website: Tax Coach 4 You

Diane's offer: Planning guide for the new tax law vs old tax law.

Diane’s Facebook handles:      
@taxcoach4you
@AdeptBusinessServices  

 

 

 

Jan 14, 2020

Welcome to the epic 500th episode of A Well-Designed Business! So far, it's been a wild ride, and we've fully enjoyed every minute of it! Even LuAnn, the consummate positive thinker, ever-optimistic dreamer, and earnest believer in the truth, could not foresee all the joy she has experienced, and the delightful connections she has made, because of this podcast! Join us today, for this truly memorable episode!

Recently, LuAnn has been spending time reflecting on all the pleasure that this podcast has brought her. She's been thinking about all the people she's met, the invaluable relationships she's formed, the opportunities she's been given, and the ones she has helped to create through this podcast. She has also taken the time to break down the various business strategies she's used in running this platform. In today's episode, she shares the five things that she learned behind the scenes, from doing this show. Be sure to tune in today, to hear about the 5 Keys that LuAnn believes were essential for her to have in place, to allow for her calling to happen.

Show Highlights:

  • LuAnn talks about the 5 essential keys to success.
  • Talking about passion.
  • How LuAnn realized that she needed to do a podcast.
  • Looking for something to light her up, back in 2013.
  • Lessons learned from golf lessons, surfing lessons, and 46-mile bike rides.
  • Never looking back, only ahead for what was to come.
  • LuAnn shares her true passion.
  • Even the hard days have been an absolute joy for LuAnn.
  • Creating a business plan with cold, hard facts.
  • Making clear decisions, based on facts and up-front agreements.
  • Clarity creates calm and purpose because when you have a plan, you are more likely to get to where you want to be.
  • Having an unrelenting, single-minded, and focused commitment to getting things done.
  • Every business is always a work in progress.
  • What you need, to be successful.
  • Commitment is showing up on schedule, being prepared to do what you said you would do, and doing the work.
  • What it takes, to run a village.
  • LuAnn has been blessed by the most amazing village of the brands who believe in this show.
  • It has been through the village of guests, sponsors, co-authors, and listeners that LuAnn has grown, and learned so much, in the last four years.
  • Some valuable lessons were learned from doing LuAnn Live.
  • Paying other people to deal with the details and fill in the gaps.
  • Having the support of our amazingly gifted podcast village.
  • The sad loss of a dear friend, Liza Jones.
  • Treasuring the support of all her co-authors.
  • Make someone's day, and decide to be excellent!

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Nicole Heymer #125, #317, and #466

Taylor Spellman #106, #390, and #467

Michele Williams #137, #180, #395, and #424

Sarah Daniele #91, #119, and #177

Jenny and Greg Madden #332

Corey Damon Jenkins #388

Eileen Hahn #363

Wendy Glaister #386

Links:

LuAnn Nigara

My Doma Studio

Kravet

Article

Kirsch

Revel Woods

 

Jan 10, 2020

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! We have Shauna Lynn Simon with us today. She is an award-winning home staging industry expert and business strategist, and she's also one of the co-authors of LuAnn's second book, A Well-Designed Business, The Power Talk Friday Experts. Shauna Lynn is seriously committed to helping aspiring entrepreneurs achieve success in their businesses. In today's episode, she explains how to become unforgettable to your clients. She shares several ways to make yourself memorable so that you're always the first person that your clients think of when they need an interior design or a window treatment service. Be sure to listen in, to find out what this exceptional businesswoman has to share with you today. You're really going to love her!

Shauna Lynn Simon is dedicated to creating educational content that builds successful relationships between like-minded professionals. She partners with CEOs, executives, and solo-preneurs to grow their brands. Shauna Lynn has built a thriving home staging and design business. She has designed a comprehensive and systematic program for teaching the technical and the business side of the home staging world. She also offers core and continuing education for home staging professionals through Styled, Listed, and Sold (SLS) Academy. Tune in now, for more!

Show Highlights:

  • Making yourself stand out uniquely.
  • It's all about understanding who you are and owning it.
  • Shauna Lynn's company has been branded with the color pink.
  • You need to know who you are and what you represent.
  • People often forget the names of people they have worked with before.
  • You need to find something to make yourself memorable.
  • Owning every part of your image.
  • You have to be one in a million.
  • Figuring out what makes you the best.
  • What fires up your passion?
  • Finding your purpose by looking at what makes you happy.
  • Positioning yourself well in the marketplace.
  • Give people a reason to remember you.
  • Figure out your "thing" is and steer yourself in that direction.
  • Everything you do should reflect your business in some way.
  • Creating an effective About You page.

Bio:

Shauna Lynn Simon is an award-winning home staging industry expert and business strategist, committed to guiding aspiring entrepreneurs to achieve success in their business. After building a thriving home staging and design business, she founded Styled, Listed, and Sold (SLS) Academy, a comprehensive and systematic program providing core and continuing education training for home staging professionals.

Analyst turned home stager, Shauna Lynn combines creativity with logic and problem solving to achieve incredible results. Dedicated to creating educational content that builds successful relationships, Shauna Lynn partners with CEOs, executives and solo-preneurs in the creative field to grow their personal and professional brands, providing real-world insights and actionable tips for conquering their business dreams.

Links:

Website: Beyond The Stage Homes

Facebook: Beyond The Stage Homes

YouTube Channel

Pinterest: BTSHomes

Exciting Windows

IWCE

PowerHouse Smart Luxury Conference - phs20.com

Goodies

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Shauna Lynn Simon # 76, #84, and #102

Moniomi Design #193

Dane Austin #457

Nicole Heymer #125, #317, and #466

 

 

Jan 7, 2020

Welcome! Today, we have Claire Staszak back on the show with us. Claire, who was previously in episode #166, is the principal of the Chicago-based firm, Centered by Design. Claire is a kind and genuine lady, and LuAnn has always had a very soft spot for her. In today's episode, she explains how to create excellent, top-quality content for social media. She and LuAnn also talk about how they met at the Design Influencer's Conference in 2017, and they discuss how Claire's blog, Centered by Design, was honored with an award for Best Design Writing. Be sure to listen in, to hear what Claire has to share about creating quality content for social media.

Centered By Design, is known for its holistic design process, which combines Claire's passion for wellness with her well-trained eye for interiors.

Claire studied interior design at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and she holds a Certificate of Kitchen and Bath Design from Harper College.  

She is also a certified yoga instructor with more than 500 hours of training.

Claire's work has been featured by The Chicago Tribune, Modern Luxury, HGTV, Domino, Architectural Digest online and more. Tune in now, to find out more.

Show Highlights:

  • Claire will be speaking at The Powerhouse Smart Luxury Conference that LuAnn will be headlining, in February, in Chicago.
  • Why The Powerhouse Smart Luxury Conference is unique and well worth attending.
  • Claire talks about winning the Best Design Writing Award at the Design Influencer's Conference, in 2017.
  • The Design Influencer's Conference was a turning point for Claire. It boosted her and gave her a lot of confidence.
  • Claire has a degree in journalism so writing comes very naturally to her.
  • Helping as many people as possible, as effectively as possible.
  • Claire came to the Design Influencer's Conference, in 2017, asking whether or not she should continue writing her blog.
  • Claire shares her biggest takeaway from her experience of winning the Best Design Writing Award.
  • Claire has created a workbook, called Authentically You, for interior designers and creatives looking to create content for their websites and social media.
  • Claire has a social media following of 18 000 people, and she gets more than a million views a month on Pinterest. She shares some tips and strategies.
  • Creating opportunities for brand ambassadorship.
  • Claire's best apps for pre-planning and creating content.
  • Growing your #following on Instagram.
  • You attract the right kind of clients when you're authentic on social media.
  • Claire has an awesome giveaway for you today!

Links:

Claire's online shop pages:

Centered By Design

Centered By Design

Claire's Instagram and Pinterest:

Instagram: Claire Staszak

Pinterest: Claire Staszak

Claire's blog

Claire's giveaway - Social Media Prompts for Seasonal & Evergreen Content Goodies

Process Leads To Profits

Profit With Window Treatments

What Would Lu Do

LuAnn and Claire will be speaking at the Power House Smart Luxury Conference this February 5, 2020

For tickets

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Claire’s 1st episode #166

Kelsey Grose- The Farmer’s Daughter #167 - Winner of Best New Design Blog 2017 by Design Influencers Conference

Shea McGee - episode #’s: 236, 270 - Keynote Speaker 2017 at Design Influencers Conference

Amber Lewis – episode #’s: 168, 184 - Keynote Speaker 2017 at Design Influencers Conference

Wendy Cohen: #483 - Organizer of the 2020 Power House Smart Luxury Conference

 

 

 

Jan 3, 2020

Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today, we have a business strategist, Kim Dawson, joining us. Kim enjoys working with business owners, helping them earn more and grow their businesses into successful enterprises. Her superpower is helping the owners of service-based businesses work out their ideal pricing formula. In other words, she guides them through a process of figuring out how much they should be charging, either per hour or for an entire project, to be profitable. Kim's advice is to always start with the numbers so that you can plan and strategize to accomplish your goals, rather than wishing for them to happen. Be sure to listen in today, to find out what she has to share.

Kim is a lifelong entrepreneur. She has started many businesses of her own, including a local health and fitness studio, and she has also co-founded a software setup. Kim's experience lies both in locally-focused, service-oriented businesses, and in online product-based businesses. Tune in now, to find out how to set and track your yearly financial goals, and make more profit from your business.

Show Highlights:

  • Kim works with many different industries.
  • Running a business is not for everybody.
  • Owning a business does not mean that you know how to run one.
  • Making a plan to earn your money.
  • Getting your priorities in order.
  • Looking at your numbers.
  • Kim shares a formula for working out how much money you need to bring in each year.
  • You need to know your market.
  • Evaluating the whole situation before deciding to take something on helps you stay on target.
  • Kim advises charging a flat fee, rather than an hourly fee.
  • Working out your hourly rate.
  • Finding the right market for the rate you're charging.
  • Using a strategic plan to get where you want to go.
  • Tracking your time makes your billing easier.
  • Kim used to have The Sassy Strategist Podcast.

The shows to go with this show:

Krista Coupar #60

Kim Merlitti #361 and #442

Alinda Morris #429

Cheryl Clendenon #482

Michele Williams #395

Kae Whitaker #114

Links:

Kim Dawson

LuAnn Nigara

Profit With Window Treatments

Kirsch

My Doma Studio

Kravet

Well Designed Article

IWCE Vision

 

 

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