Steven Cooper is the CEO of Cooper Pacific Kitchens, the experts in the field of kitchen design, kitchen remodeling, interior design, engineering, and installation. Through innovation and premium design, Steven’s team always aims to bring each client’s unique vision and sense of expression to life.
They provide homeowners with functional kitchen spaces that are stunning expressions of their individual tastes.
Cooper Pacific Kitchens was founded in 1986 by Neil and Shirley Cooper, Steven’s parents.
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Graduation is coming up! So I thought we would do a week of podcasts giving advice and tips to the new graduates coming into the design business. One of my employees: Kim is our special guest today. She has been out of school for 9 years now and has been working at “Window Works” for 8 years. She is going to share some of her personal experiences from school to job.
Kim shares with us:
This is Shannon Leddy’s second time on the show! We are so happy to have her back! She is going to share some tips on how students can be more effective before and after graduation.
Shannon shares with us:
Andrew Suvalsky has been in the interior design business for 11 and a half years! He worked for icon designer Benjamin Noriega Ortiz for a time and then established his own business: Andrew Suvalsky Designs. Andrew has a very interesting story about how he got started in his business and some great tips for running your own business that he learned along the way.
Andrew shares with us:
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Marlaina Teich has been in business for ten plus years with her business Marlaina Teich Designs. She did not start out in interior design. She started out in fashion and then had a family and while she was home taking care of family she decided to go back to school for interior design. It turns out going to school and starting her own business in interior design was a great choice. Marlaina has some great advice on how to avoid the blurry lines between an interior designer and client(s).
Marlaina shares with us:
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Kae Whitaker and her husband/business partner have a unique business called Kae Whitaker Solutions. Kae is a personal branding and business development coach who specializes in creative business. She will teach you specific strategies to build your business to success. Remember “just because you are a master at design does not mean you are a master at business.”
Kae shares with us:
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On the show today, we have Peter Fasano who sells hand-silk screen, hand painted fabrics and wall coverings. Peter’s story is special because he discovered his business by accident. He had gotten out of the Army and started painting, and that’s where he discovered the potential for a successful business. Peter has done just that: made a super successful and environmentally friendly business, I might add!
Peter shares with us:
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I am so excited about our guest today on the show. Krista Coupar has a unique business that includes business coaching, PR, marketing, staffing, design support and management. Wow! She can work virtually or in person. If you can FedEx, you can work. You have got to listen to this episode! It will blow your mind!
Krista shares with us:
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Rio Hamilton is a marketing and business development strategist who is based in Manhattan for interior design industry. He has had the privilege to work at NIEDERMAIER and be an apprentice to Judy Niedermaier as director of sales and marketing. He also has a wonderful blog. If you have not read it, you should!
Rio shares with us:
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http://www.riohamilton.com/2015/09/the-profile-all-about-alexa.html
http://design-bloggers-conference.com
Fred Berns is a Denver based coach for interior designers. He teaches interior designers how to be successful at copywriting and Bios. His motto is “Your most important sale is a personal sale.” You wouldn’t believe how many ways you can use your bio. Fred has some very in depth information and tips on how to beef up that bio, so that it really sells you.
Fred shares with us:
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Our guest today is our first guest who specializes in hospitality! Stacy Garcia has three different businesses in three different markets! Talk about talent! Stacy has a degree from Syracuse University in Surface Pattern Design. She started her first business in 1999 called Lebatex Inc. and she named it after her great grandmother. So sweet! Stacy is going to share some great advice on the differences between trends and fads and how to use it to your advantage.
Stacy shares with us:
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Today on the show we are going to talk to Arianne Bellizaire! Arianne is not only a successful business owner of Arianne Bellizaire Interiors, she is a blogger, public speaker and an author of a Kindle Amazon top seller! She has been featured in several magazines. What really makes Arianne’s website so special are her videos. The story behind her passion for using videos in her work is very touching.
Arianne shares with us:
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Get her book “How To Get Moved In & Totally Unpacked: In 30 Days Or Less”
Check out this video of Arianne that we mentioned in the show
Welcome back! Today we are going to be talking to a fabulous designer who is always up for a new adventure: Susan Jamieson. Susan has been an interior designer for 25 years and has been featured in several magazines and tv shows. Her newest projects include her own paint line called Bridget Beari paints that has about 200 different colors and custom wallpaper designs. Stay tuned to hear her tips and upcoming projects and events!
Susan shares with us:
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Today on the show we have a brilliant and when I say brilliant I really mean it, brilliant business woman: Vanessa DeLeon. Vanessa has starred on several television shows on some big television networks such as NBC, Bravo, HGTV and DIY Network. She has also been in several magazines such as TIME, Cosmopolitan etc. and on top of that she is a spokesperson! Wow! Talk about impressive resume! Please stay tuned to hear all of her great advice and her shared experiences.
Vanessa shares with us:
Elizabeth Lamont is a self-made entrepreneur, interior designer and the owner of her store “Room at the Beach”, which has been named a top store in LA Magazine to name a few of her accomplishments. She has been in business since 1990! Elizabeth shares with us her tips and advice on how to be successful and stay successful. You don’t want to miss out on this episode!
Elizabeth shares with us:
Check out the full show notes at www.windowworks-nj.com/elizabeth
Charles founded Pavarini Design nearly 30 years ago and it is a full-scale New York based Interior Design Firm that specializes in Architectural Interior Design, Custom Furniture Design and Lighting Design.
Charles has sat on the Designer’s Lighting Forum of New York, board of directors for twenty-eight years.
And his talent has earned 21 awards for excellence in design over his career. The list includes the most prestigious of lighting awards, the coveted Lumen Award. In addition he has received the Interior Design Magazine Best of Year Award for Architectural Lighting, an Award of Merit from the Illuminating Engineering Society for Lighting, a 2014 International Property Award for the Americas, an ASID Design Specialty Award, a CODA Works Award for a Public Art Installation,a Circle of Excellence Award and now lets add- to the list an award for Best in Show Architectural Digest Design.
You can see the full show notes at www.windowworks-nj.com/charles
Today on the show we have Nancy Ganzekaufer! Nancy is an art and accessories consultant. She is the founder and owner of her business Expressive Living. Before her business she worked in banking all the way to vice president! After this she was a stay at home mom and then became a personal trainer. While trying to figure out what to do next she got a phone call from her mother one day that would change career plans. Her mother wanted to get rid of her art work. Nancy started having home art parties and this is how her business in art and accessories all began.
Nancy shares with us:
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Rock star designer Malene Barnett created and built her business specializing in handcrafting custom carpets and dabbling in wall design and tile design. She has a background in surface design from F.I.T (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. Malene has some great advice to share with us!
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You can get all the resources at http://windowworks-nj.com/malene
Jeff Brooks has been a designer in business for 30 years! When he was starting out in the design world he did a lot of kitchen design until he decided to open his own design firm in 1986. He does a lot of residential work and has been interested in earth work and environmental design. Jeff has some fantastic advice for designers starting out or even designers who have been doing their thing for any amount of time!
Show Notes:
“Plan every project by starting with the intended result”. Jeffrey Brooks
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Today my guest is Ren Miller: editor in chief of Design New Jersey! Ren has a background in design and editorial management. He worked with newspapers and then worked with a jewelry magazine. On 9/11 he caught a bus to get to his home in New Jersey and made the observation that the other people were just trying to get home because home is safe. That was his aha moment when he realized he wanted to work for a magazine that portrayed homes. He applied to Design New Jersey and was fortunate enough to get the job. Ren has worked his way up to where he is now and has been doing a fabulous job as editor in chief!
Ren Miller shares with us:
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Robin LaMonte is an amazing interior designer who is based in Atlanta. She spent 13 years in New Jersey building her name and then she and her husband made the decision to move to Atlanta. Robin has started her empire from scratch…again. Today’s show is all about re-establishing yourself and your business after a move to a new city or state. But truthfully the strategies we discuss apply if you are beginning your interior design business or even if you need to give a boost to your established firm.
Robin shares with us how she has accomplished this and gives advice for other designers who are starting out in today's episode!
Denise and her team deliver diverse and fashionable designs for those who live on the fast track. Her company specializes in turnkey, concierge-level services---in as little as 90 days! They execute high-end interior design projects with their organization and signature deadline-driven design solutions. Denise honed her business practices, sophisticated methodology, and solid business acumen while working with Neiman-Marcus. You will be impressed with what she accomplishes with her relatively small staff. Join us for more from Denise!
In this episode, you’ll hear the following:
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Today on the show we have the talented, go getter Rona Speigel! Rona started her own business, Lifestyle Designs in 1980. About 4 years ago she started another business, Red-Zebra. Red- Zebra started out as just photography but then grew into something extraordinary!
Rona shares with us in this episode:
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Today’s guest is the queen of show houses: Barbara Ostrom! Barbara attended New York University and New York school of Interior Design and then went on to get her masters in architectural design from Pratt and received a graduate certificate from Sorbonne in Paris. After working as, a designer’s assistant for 8 years and then working with a company that designs stores she decided to start her own business. When Barbara first started out showhouse rooms were not popular. Since then she has really shown that she knows how to work the showhouse rooms. You can check out some of her fantastic showhouse rooms in her book: “Curtain Up!: Thirty Years of Spectacular Showhouse Rooms”.
To read the full show notes click here.
Today’s guest is the fantastic Lisa Dreissig! Lisa went to school at The Fashion Institute of Technology. She then worked for several startups and then moved onto an architecture firm. Working with these firms helped her immensely with the starting of her own business. But before she started her own business she created a blog that she started in 2007 when she was laid off from her job. It turns out that this blog has really opened the horizon to be a great way to have people get to know her and find potential clients. Lisa shares with us today how her blog has helped her business and why it’s a good idea for others to start a blog as well.
Lisa shares with us in the broadcast:
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