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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: August, 2021
Aug 31, 2021

Today with Lane McNab:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I’m joined by Lane McNab. Lane runs a successful interior design business, Lane McNab Interiors, but, like so many of you, she found herself wanting to diversify. That desire eventually led to the birth of Guild by LMI, Lane’s furniture line. 

Starting a furniture line, or adding any facet of the business, takes a lot of work. Today, Lane is sharing a spotlight on the challenges she faced and how she overcame them along the way.

Pick it apart:

  • [1:41] Lane shares what drove her to start her line and how her core values guided her in her endeavor. 
  • [20:08] Lane discusses how she navigated production for her line, and how that has changed as the line has started to thrive. 
  • [27:45] Lane details how to balance a commitment to sustainability and high-quality. 
  • [32:02] Lane shares insights into the process of working in showrooms and the lessons she had to learn as she navigated that world. 
  • [48:27] LuAnn and Lane discuss the nitty-gritty details of what financial impact went into the creation of the line.

LuAnn and Lane McNab’s Ah-Ha moments:

“You have to determine along the way where you’re going to make a compromise, because you can’t make everyone happy all the time. So you have to determine what is the foundation of what you’re trying to do, and then that can inform those decisions as you’re trying to make them. There are hundreds of decisions that go into developing something like a furniture line.” -Lane McNab

 

“You know what I love about that, is it’s so typical of any entrepreneur’s journey, but of course to a designer’s journey. I can imagine that if you analyzed the projects you’ve done and the way you priced them twelve years ago, you’d probably say the same thing: ‘in the beginning I wasn’t sure if I was going to get another client or if the phone was ever going to ring again, so I was pricing projects at a lower rate. But I eventually understood that my value was worth more.’” -LuAnn Nigara

 

“Once I know what I’m going to do, and that my risk tolerance is ok with it, I’m just going to do it. I’m not going to hit a wall of ‘oh it’s too hard or too expensive.’ You just get to the next fork in the road and figure out how to make it work.” -Lane McNab

More about Lane McNab:

A Southern transplant, Lane grew up in Tallahassee, FL and completed undergraduate studies at Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. Soon after she moved to the West Coast where she attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. Graduating with advanced degrees in vocal performance, she pursued her music career spending several years as a highly-acclaimed operatic soprano in leading roles throughout the Bay Area.

After years of extensive travel and studies abroad, Lane left opera singing to manage the demands of a growing family. When she returned to  the working world, she focused on her other artistic passion: designing interiors. Before founding Lane McNab Interiors in 2012, she apprenticed with a local design and construction firm as a designer and project manager which gave her an invaluable hands-on experience and a deep knowledge of the design and construction process.  

A continuously curious learner with a passion for beauty, uniqueness, detail, and quality Lane has created a firm with a team of like-minded professionals giving her a devoted clientele and close relationships with vendors and tradespeople throughout the Bay Area. Her designs have been featured in numerous publications and tastemaker sites. When not passionately pursuing design, Lane spends her free time with her three children and husband in their 115 year old house in Berkeley, CA.

Connect with Barry Lantz:

Website

Instagram  

Facebook 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point 

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Kravet: Kravet’s commitment to innovation and their ability to bring in new technology works to make life easier for you as a designer.  Their new website redesign makes finding quality home furnishings even easier for you. With the new redesign, you can quickly access all of your tools, like your account settings, price lists, current and past orders and more. The product has also been enhanced to offer more tailored results to get you what you're looking for quicker. Designers can now also search more specifically by color with Kravet's new advanced color search, which allows you to create the exact custom color you are looking for and get filtered search results that best match your selection. Visit Kravet.com today to see it for yourself! Be sure to use coupon code AWDB10 for 10% off your first order!  

 

Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.

 

Other Shows Mentioned: 

#205 Lane McNab: How Interior Designers and Contractors Work Together

 

#540 Robin Baron: Strategic Thinking on Product Development

 

#73 Kim Kuhteubl: Understand the Value of Your Creativity and How to Find Your True Tribe

 

#670 Power Talk Friday: Susan Inglis: Sustainable Furnishings Council, What You Need to Know.

Aug 27, 2021

Today with Desi Creswell:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business.  Desi Creswell, interior design coach and mindset guru shares the common signs of overwhelm and what can be done to combat the overwork that quietly sneaks into our lives when we take our eyes off our work/life vision and start telling ourselves all sorts of stories about why we must stack our day so high it starts to spill over.

Pick it apart:

[9:51] Desi covers the first few signs of overwhelm: buffering, daydreaming about quitting, and not being excited about your wins.

 

[16:26] Desi walks through the final signs of overwhelm: not feeling creative and not having fun anymore.

 

[27:05] Desi addresses how we can prevent overwhelm.

 

[43:01] Desi offers approaches to saying no to a project.

 

[51:19] Desi shares how working on our mindset allows us to process through negative emotions.

LuAnn and Desi Creswell's Ah-Ha moments:

“We’re overworking because we’re trying to get somewhere, but that ends up slowing us down - and might result in us quitting the dream instead of getting us there faster.” - Desi Cresswell

 

“Confidence is being able to have your own back through any emotion and knowing you can handle it.” - Desi Cresswell

More About Desi Creswell:

Desi is a Certified Life & Business Coach for interior designers who are exhausted from the hamster wheel and want to get out of the hustle. As a former interior designer who found another way, Desi understands how it feels to be trapped in the constant spin of busy work. 

Through her intimate group program and private coaching, she coaches designers through mindset tools and practical strategies so that they can make the time to build meaningful progress toward their business and life goals. 

Connect with Desi Creswell:

Website

Instagram 

Facebook

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Revel Woods: your source for premium hardwood and resilient flooring. Using the Revel Woods selector tool, you’ll be able to find curated suggestions for your project catered to your client’s home. When you sign up for a free professional membership, you’ll get access to exclusive discounts and referral benefits. Visit revelwoods.com to get started.

Other Shows Mentioned: 

#475 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: How to Create More Time

 

#557 Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: Develop Your CEO Mindset

Aug 24, 2021

Today with Barry Lantz:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. In his twenties, Barry Lantz worked retail before starting his own full-service interior design business. Then, instead of retiring, he switched gears to begin a successful encore career in art. Learn what advice this seasoned pro has for young designers and the words his mother told him that he’ll never forget.

Pick it apart:

[7:09] Barry talks about his first job before starting his own business.

 

[11:15] Barry shares his story about pitching to Kravet.

 

[17:41] Barry talks about his unique approach to client presentations.

 

[26:35] Barry shares advice for designers.

 

[30:36] Barry talks about the need for designers to have confidence.

LuAnn and Barry Lantz’s Ah-Ha moments:

“For me, selling is the rush. I just love to sell!” - Barry Lantz

 

“Two of the biggest words for success are selling and presentation.” - Barry Lantz


“I never think anything. I’ve never said that to a client.” - Barry Lantz

More about Barry Lantz:

Known nationally for his sense of style and interior design talent, Barry Lantz embarked on a professional artistic career in 2010. After painting several pieces for an event and selling them unexpectedly, he began to paint on canvas as a layer to his design business. His art has become an important component of his successful design profession.

Barry of A Lantz Design has designed interior and exterior spaces for more than thirty years. His signature interiors have been published in local and national publications. Barry’s work is admired, respected and enjoyed in over thirteen states in the United States. His style and talent have also been featured on HGTV. Barry continues to provide interior and exterior design services to his clients everywhere. 

The long lasting relationship he has with clients is what motivated him to begin his expression on canvas. With the use of color, scale, form and balance the interior spaces he creates become works of art.

By applying his forward design approach to canvas, Barry’s art comes alive with movement, mood, color, scale and proportion. Inspiration comes from shapes, light, texture, color and earthly ingredients. 

His new found love for painting has become a passion. “Having placed several hundred pieces since 2010 is overwhelming and very flattering,” he shares. Barry paints in his design studio in Carmel, Indiana.  His studio features work in all sizes and colors and you can see a painting in progress. 

Commissions are welcome for the most discriminating buyers and collectors.

Connect with Barry Lantz:

Website

Instagram

Barry Lantz Interiors

Kravet: Barry Lantz Canvas to Cloth

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point 

luannuniversity.com

Inside Voice, Outside Voice Monthly Virtual Events

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Kravet: To see what’s new at Kravet, go to Kravet.com and use coupon code AWDB10 for 10% off.

If you are going to High Point this fall, Oct 2021, please be sure to stop into to Kravet. Their showroom is one of the most beautiful ones there. You can see the Canvas to Cloth Collection, meet the Kravet team and let them know how much you appreciate their support in helping me bring this podcast to you. 

If you will be in High Point, I hope you are planning to come the LuAnn and Friends Meet and Greet party sponsored by Revel Woods Pandora's Manor. This is a free event but you do need to RSVP. Please go RSVP here!

Aug 20, 2021

Today with Lisa Princic:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. We talk a lot about niching on the show. But today we’re talking about a different aspect of getting clear on what you do—your value proposition. Don’t let the marketing jargon fool you: your value proposition is something you already have, whether you’ve defined it or not. Today, business strategist Lisa Princic is sharing her insights on what a value proposition is, why it matters, and how to gain clarity around yours. 

Pick it apart:

  • [0:53] Lisa highlights what a value proposition is and how it helps you think about your business like a business. 
  • [5:15] Lisa shares her story of entrepreneurship and how she realized that she needed to define her value proposition.
  • [11:12] LuAnn and Lisa discuss the emotional transformation designers offer their clients and how they can distinguish that from others. 
  • [23:48] LuAnn and Lisa talk about why it’s worth taking the time to get clear on your messaging.
  • [31:05] Lisa discusses why targeting your message at the clients most ready to buy makes more sense than trying to attract everyone.

LuAnn and Lisa Princic’s Ah-Ha moments:

“This is what I find interesting about service-based businesses. We start a little bit casually. We say “I want to do this thing” and we don’t really think about it like a business. But could you imagine a business that is planning to have huge growth or is asking for a lot of venture capitalist funding before they get started—they have to prove themselves before they go to market. They’re figuring out their value proposition before they’re setting up shop. They have to know that it’s getting traction, they have to do their market research, and they have to get clear on why it’s going to be successful. We don’t do that.” -Lisa Princic

 

“Whether or not you call it out on your website “I am the interior design that does sustainable design” for example, if you have enough blog posts and information out there, the people that are searching that will find you, and if they love your portfolio and all the other things fall into place, then they already know you can do that because of the writing, but whether your website has you niched all the way down is irrelevant at that point.” -LuAnn Nigara

 

“Trust is created through words more than it is through photos. It’s letting them know what you do. You can be ultra nurturing, you can be leading edge...these are all really subtle things that we can write down...You’re going to better suit different clients based on your personality.” -Lisa Princic

More About Lisa Princic:

Lisa Princic is a trained business strategist and the host of the Scaling Deep Podcast. Lisa's clients turn to her for help with business growth when they are worn out from chasing the next mass marketing trick, but know they need to go beyond word of mouth. She is a results-oriented, deep thinker who has an innate instinct for “seeing” the value of a business and turning that into a pipeline of ideal clients. A staunch believer in business simplicity and intention, Lisa helps her clients accomplish their goals by focusing on what to do AND what to ignore.

Connect with Lisa Princic:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Podcast

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Revel Woods: your source for premium hardwood and resilient flooring. Using the Revel Woods selector tool, you’ll be able to find curated suggestions for your project catered to your client’s home. When you sign up for a free professional membership, you’ll get access to exclusive discounts and referral benefits. Visit revelwoods.com to get started.

Other Shows Mentioned: 

#651 Power Talk Friday: Rachael Bozsik: Gaining Credibility in Interior Design

 

#174 Power Talk Friday- Fred Berns- Own Your “Only” Word & Tips to Discover Yours

 

#256 Nancy Ganzekaufer- A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients

 

#214 Rachel Moriarty: How FaceBook Live Can Be A Game Changer For Your Interior Design Business

Aug 17, 2021

Today with Kate Rasmussen:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, we’re talking about how to take on new projects—specifically projects that you don’t have experience or expertise in. It can seem almost impossible to break into new avenues in your business. But with the right strategy in place, you can find and land new projects, even without the specific expertise in that area. I’m joined by Kate Rasmussen of Wade Weissmann Architecture, who has quite a bit of experience doing just that!

Pick it apart:

    • [1:16] Kate talks about putting together pricing and proposals when jumping into brand new types of projects.
    • [9:50] LuAnn and Kate discuss how to successfully manage new projects without having the systems and processes in place. 
    • [18:07] LuAnn and Kate talk about the importance of designing with your client’s budget in mind. 
    • [32:25] Kate shares how to find growth opportunities for your firm. 
    • [45:55] Kate gives her insight on how to develop relationships with architects.

LuAnn and Amy Lynn Allard’s Ah-Ha moments:

“When you’re breaking into a new market, you’re probably not going to hit the same profitability margin, but you also don’t want it to hit the bottom line too hard, especially when it’s a much larger project.” -Kate Rasmussen

 

“We analyze at the end of a project what went well, what didn’t go well, from design to schedule to communication, and then at the heart of it, profitability.” -Kate Rasmussen

 

“It does attest to the power of relationships, that it’s not a transaction, it’s a conversation, it’s a friendship, it’s a relationship. You’re not necessarily calling them to ask them to show you or teach you or help you propose this. You’re calling on a colleague that you know has done a project of similar style or scale and you’re picking their brain about that project— what were the pitfalls, the challenges, what did you not know before you started.” -LuAnn Nigara

Connect with Kate Rasmussen:

Website 

Instagram  

Facebook  

Pinterest

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

The Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point

LuAnn Nigara and Friends Meet and Greet at High Point 

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness.  

Kirsch: Kirsch is your source for custom drapery hardware and window coverings. With a history of innovation and extensive industry knowledge, Kirsch can set you up with what you need for your next project. Visit kirsch.com to learn more.

Aug 13, 2021

On Today’s Flashback Friday

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business! Flashback Friday is back and we dug up another favorite from the podcast archives. 

Christine Lin of San Francisco’s Form and Field walks through how she went from working for a designer part-time to starting her own thriving business. A podcast listener, Christine implemented much of what she heard, but she also experienced some bumps along the way. Listen in to learn what tripped her up and what she’s doing so it doesn’t happen again.

Pick it apart:

  • [6:33] Christine talks about how she got her business systems set up


    [15:50] Christine tells how she works with friends who are also clients 


    [23:03] Christine talk about mistakes she made with hiring 


    [29:20] Christine shares her experience with hiring and managing a bookkeeper


    [39:41] Christine tells how she got fired from one of her projects


    [46:34] LuAnn asks Christine what went wrong when charging a flat fee


    [58:10] Christine shares the mantra that has helped makes her business better

LuAnn and Christine's Ah-Ha moments:

“I had an employee handbook before I even hired anyone.” -Christine Lin

 

“I knew I could go farther and faster on my own.” -Christine Lin

 

“It wasn’t about what’s leftover, that’s what I’m going to pay myself. It was, this is my goal, and I’m going to do whatever it takes to hit it.” -Christine Lin


“What can you do differently to produce a better result.” -Christine Lin

 

Connect with Christine Lin

Website 

Instagram

Pinterest

 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

insidevoiceoutsidevoice.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Revel Woods. Please go to revelwoods.com to learn how you can add wood flooring to your product offerings. I know you make money on design fees-- but to generate real revenue you have to be selling product too, and why not wood flooring? Revel Woods has their design trade program so well thought out that it makes it easy for you to get into this, experience or not.

Aug 10, 2021

Today with Amy Lynn Allard:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Looking for advice on systems to turbo-charge your business? Amy Lynn Allard of Boston’s Amy Lynn Interiors learned to thrive using well-crafted, meticulous systems. She is big on time blocking, but that’s not all. Amy walks through two of her most powerful systems, the team agenda and an invaluable spreadsheet she uses to create a multiple-project timeline.

Pick it apart:

  • [17:53] Amy explains her approach to adding specs to elevations.


    [25:47] Amy walks through how she creates her agenda.


    [42:14] Amy explains her Monday morning overview meeting.


    [45:22] Amy shares how she creates a schedule for new client work.


    [46:42] LuAnn recaps Amy’s new client schedule creation process.


    [53:52] Amy shares about her business coach.

LuAnn and Amy Lynn Allard’s Ah-Ha moments:

“Hire and fire off your core values.” - Amy Lynn Allard

Connect with Amy Lynn Allard:

Website

Instagram 

Pinterest 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Mydoma: Mydoma is the designer toolkit. Not only does it offer a workflow software to keep your projects organized from beginning to end, but it also offers a valuable, thriving designer community. Mydoma is created by designers, for designers, so you know that it can truly offer everything you need to stay organized and free up your time. You can get 20% off your first three months by signing up at mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness. 

 

Revel Woods is a designer-focused supplier of premium hardwood and resilient flooring. Through their Pro Account Program, designers become flooring experts and are empowered to advise clients on the flooring that works best for their lifestyle. Learn more by going to RevelWoods.com.

 

IDS: The Interior Design Society (IDS) is one of the country's largest design organizations dedicated to serving the residential interior design industry. We're a group of like-minded professionals interested in broadening their network, professional development, and continued education. IDS offers its members a place to belong within a supportive and welcoming design community through local chapters nationwide, and our Virtual Chapter!

Aug 6, 2021

Today with Fiona Mostyn:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Many designers know that a blog can be a valuable marketing tool. But are you using your blog to its fullest potential? Or are you making the mistake that many designers make of not beginning with your goal in mind? 

Today, I’m joined by Fiona Mostyn of My Deco Marketing, a blog service for interior designers. Fiona is sharing her insight into how you can leverage your blog to grow your business and help it thrive.

Pick it apart:

  • [2:30] Fiona shares why beginning your blog with your goal in mind is vital to its success.
  • [10:18] LuAnn and Fiona discuss how to prioritize your purpose within your blog posts. 
  • [22:34] Fiona talks about repurposing your blog content to help grow your social media presence. 
  • [28:40] Fiona gives the latest advice on blogging best practices.
  • [38:09] LuAnn and Fiona discuss the importance of SEO and how big of a process it is.

LuAnn and Fiona Mostyn’s Ah-Ha moments:

“If you want to elevate your business to get the clients that you want, you need to think about who that person is and then start speaking to them in their language, which is what your blog allows you to do. So I really think that niching is the key to a successful business.” -Fiona Mostyn

 

“Niche down so much that you’re not only the best option for your people, you’re the only option.” -Fiona Mostyn

 

“I’ve said often on the show, back in the day when we started our company and there was no internet that when you wanted to advertise, you called someone and you paid them and you gave them money and they developed an ad for you and put it in a magazine. And now, we’re expected to be designers and window treatment professionals and podcasters and also marketing people.” -LuAnn Nigara

More About Fiona Mostyn:

Fiona runs My Deco Marketing, a specialist marketing service that helps interior designers and home decor brands with smarter marketing to become more visible online.

Fiona has written hundreds of blogs for designers and home decor brands. Fiona also provides CPD marketing webinars and content for the UK's leading associations for interior designers including The British Institute of Interior Designers, The Home Staging Association UK & Ireland and The Decorcafe Network for Creative Businesses.

In January 2021 Fiona published 365+ Blog post ideas for interior designers.

Connect with Fiona Mostyn:

Instagram

Website 

Membership

Ebook

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

Kravet is always working to make finding quality home furnishings even easier for you. With their latest website redesign, you can quickly access all of your tools, like your account settings, price lists, current and past orders and more. The product has also been enhanced to offer more tailored results to get you what you're looking for quicker. Designers can now also search more specifically by color with Kravet's new advanced color search, which allows you to create the exact custom color you are looking for and get filtered search results that best match your selection. Visit Kravet.com today to see it for yourself! Be sure to use coupon code AWDB10 for 10% off your first order!

 

 

Other Shows Mentioned: 

 

 

# 364 Janelle Photopoulos: Leading, Not Simply Running, Your Interior Design Firm

 

#635 Beth Diana Smith: Refining Process in Your Interior Design Business

 

#214 Rachel Moriarty: How FaceBook Live Can Be A Game Changer For Your Interior Design Business

Aug 3, 2021

Today on A Well-Designed Business:

Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Today’s listener question comes to us from a designer whose vendor left them high and dry. Join me today and I break down this listener's dilemma from start to finish. 

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

luannuniversity.com

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Inside Voice, Outside Voice

Windowworksnj.com

Shop38east.com

Comfortex.com

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

 

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