Diane Gardner is a tax coach and the author of Why Didn't My CPA Tell Me That? and Stop Overpaying Your Taxes. You are going to be blown away today by the information Diane shares. She saves her clients thousands of dollars in taxes with every consultation. Many times we look backward in dealing with our taxes, and a tax coach looks at the future and plans it exactly how you want to be.
In this episode you will learn:
Resources:
Today we are going to talk about going to market with Deb Barrett! She specializes in a niche for attending the different furniture and accessory markets: High Point and different markets around the world. Now she is specializing in bringing groups to these markets so that they have the best experience at market as opposed to walking in circles and not knowing where to go. Today we are very lucky because high point is about two and a half months away! This is a great time to listen to Deb with her expertise and knowledge on how to make the best of attending markets in general but we are going to be talking about High Point because it’s coming up soon.
Show Notes:
For more details on this episode, please go to: http://windowworks-nj.com
LuAnn Nigara is an award winning window treatment authority, author, and host of the 5 star-rated podcast, A Well-Designed Business, which serves the design industry as an overall business dynamo.
Based in Livingston, New Jersey, LuAnn got her start in 1982 when she, her husband, and cousin, purchased a franchise of the Florida based, full service window treatment company, Window Works. With LuAnn at the helm of sales, they quickly expanded from New Jersey to serving the entire metro area from Philadelphia, to the Hamptons to Connecticut and became the leading showroom in gross sales of the more than 120 stores Window Works stores around the country.
“I have always been fascinated by sales and the components of a sale,” explains LuAnn, who brings an unmatched passion and expertise to the business of window design. “At ten years old my Aunt gave me the book, The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino and I quickly looked for every book like it. That was the beginning of what became my obsession with the art and skill of the sale.”
Soon after running Window Works leading franchise, LuAnn thought of something no one else had: Why not work directly with interior designers? “Back then I thumbed through the phonebook,” laughs LuAnn who recalls cold calling designers and asking them to partner with her. Today, she counts Sussan Lari Architects, Alexandra Angle Interiors in Los Angeles, Anyon Designs (San Francisco), House of Funk in NJ, Pembrooke & Ives and Charles Pavarini as clients.
After more than thirty years of designing, creating and installing window treatments for the most discerning clients, LuAnn is now recognized as a leading voice in the business of design. In addition to speaking at the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID-NJ) and the world-renown Hunter Douglas conference, she is regularly called on by Design NJ as a resource. She’s been featured in Design NJ and appeared on House Smarts TV. In 2012, LuAnn authored the e-book, 10 Things to Know About Window Treatments and was featured in Big Bold Business Women of NJ.
In the summer of 2015, LuAnn was searching for radio shows that spoke of her interest in the business of design--and found nothing. That was her “Ah Ha! Moment” and she decided to start a podcast. Today, she hosts a weekly 60-minute podcast ‘A Well-Designed Business.’ The twice weekly Internet show features in depth conversations with industry professionals on just about every subject on the business of interior design, from “Branding for Designers” “How to Get PR,” and How to Structure your Fees.
LuAnn lives in New Jersey with her husband. After more than three decades in business, she has no plans to stop any time soon.
Learn more about Luann and her work here:
Connect with her on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/windowworksnj
Welcome back to another Power Talk Friday! I’m happy to let you know that we have David Duncan Livingston with us today! He is a professional photographer from the San Francisco Bay area. He has worked in over 40 states and 4 provinces! His particular skill, in addition to his photography, is that he works with interior designers as a producer, art director, and stylist when doing professional photography for you and your projects. He really works with you to get to the story that you are trying to produce with each project. I have to tell you that once you look at his website you will see that he does exactly what he says he does. For this power talk Friday David and I have to decided to talk about Houzz and we are going to pick his brain on how each of us can maximize our Houzz platform.
Show Notes:
Learn more at: http://windowworks-nj.com/david
Today we have a treat because Veronica Solomon is a rock star powerhouse woman in interior design. I came across Veronica and I thought she is a smart lady, she has some great things to share and always seems to have good advice. Then I browsed her website. I had to be picked up off the floor.
Once I was off the floor I probably spent as much time on her website as I have on other designers’ in the past 8 or 9 months that I have been interviewing. She has so much information and it's put out there so organized, clear, and user-friendly; and talks to the consumer. Today she is going to share with us how and why she decided to organize her website.
Show Notes:
Read the entire show notes and access resources at: http://windowworks-nj.com/veronica/
On the show today we have James Swan! James is the host of the podcast Million Dollar Decorator. This is in addition to his illustrious career as an interior designer. Being the host of this podcast and speaking with James about being guests on each other’s podcasts I really started doing research on him. I am very impressed at what a high level accomplished interior designer he is. Let’s be honest there are interior designers who make it big in their hometown and have a good 25 to 30-year career. But then you have interior designers that do things in a high level way and that is James! And this is what we are going to talk about today.
Show Notes:
To learn more about James Swan, please visit http://windowworks-nj.com/james
Welcome back to Power talk Friday! I am pleased to have Fred Berns back with us! If you remember he was on the show a couple of months ago and he discussed how to create a killer bio. I am aware that you all love his show so much that Fred and I have been talking about him coming back on the show. So he is here today! If you have not heard his episode you should go back and listen to it! It has a lot of terrific information in it. If you did miss his show Fred is a coach who trains professional designers worldwide on how to promote themselves and how to more effectively and dramatically increase their sales. I have to say what he says he is going to do he is going to do. Today he is going to tell us the keys to a killer website.
Show Notes:
You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at www.windowworks-nj.com
Gail Davis has a very interesting past that would be very helpful to her colleagues. Interior design is her second career. Her first career was in fashion. When you hear her story about her career in fashion, I think everyone will understand why she went into interior design!
Show Notes:
Resources:
Instagram: gmdinteriors https://www.instagram.com/gmdinteriors/?hl=en
Welcome back everybody! Barbara Viteri has such an interesting trail leading to where she is today with her Designerlebrity™
Barbara had a very successful business called Viteri Style Management where she was a consultant for interior designers. But Barbara is pivoting her career now. She is going to share with us about how she got to where she is now.
Show Notes:
Resources:
www.facebook.com/barbaraviteri
www.instagram.com/barbaraviteri
www.twitter.com ~ @viteristyle
viteri@viteristylemanagement.com
Today on the show we have Michael Mitchell and Tyler Hill! They have their own design firm in Charleston, South Carolina. They also deal with fine arts, have a retail store and deal with gallery events. Putting on an event is one thing but putting on 10 to 12 events a year successfully is quite another thing. They put on an event at least once a month usually. Michael and Tyler are going to share with us they came upon the idea of putting on events.
Show Notes:
Resources:
You can read the full show notes and access all the links and resources at www.windowworks-nj.com/mitchellhill
Today we have Farrha Hyman on the show! You may be thinking where have I heard that name before? Farrha is the designer that Kae Whitaker mentioned in her interview from a previous episode! She is going to share with us her story and what can happen to your design firm when you reach out and get help and expertise from someone who knows more than you do.
Show Notes:
You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at www.windowworks-nj.com/podcast
On our show today we have Rachel Laxer! Rachel runs a pretty big firm that is based out of London and New York City. She is a member of the British Institute of Design, and ASID here in the states. She graduated from Washington State with a BA in Political Science and History and from NYU with an MBA in Finance and International Business! She has been featured in Ireland’s Home, Interiors and Living magazine, participated in the Holiday House in New York City, Westchester House in New York and Design on a Dime. Rachel came to interior design in a rather unusual way. She is going to tell that story on the show today!
Show Notes:
Resources:
Our guest, Cheryl Janis has been an interior designer for more than 19 years! She has a background in full service interior design for residential design, restaurant design, office design, the whole she bang. But in the last 2 to 6 years she has thought about a direction change for her business. Cheryl has decided to specialize in independent healthcare physicians that are visionaries and embrace the whole health philosophy. She is going to share with us why and how she has come to only specialize in this specific nitch.
Show Notes:
You can read the full show notes at www.windowworks-nj.com/cheryl
Today on the show we have Meryl Santopietro! She is going to be sharing with us about her career and her decision to move her business to Manhattan. Meryl’s business was based in Rhode Island until she moved her business to Manhattan. She also has the pleasure of working with her two daughters every day.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Simply Spotless
You can read the full show notes and access the resources at www.windoworks-nj.com/meryl
Today on A Well Designed Business we have a treat! We have Andrew Joseph who is the principal of a design boutique public relations firm in New York city! This is a big time firm and he has clients from all over and his reach is worldwide. He is going to share with us his tips on how to hire, take advantage of and understand what a PR firm can and cannot do for you.
Here's a bit about Andrew:
Prior to founding Andrew Joseph PR in 2012, Andrew worked for another shelter specific firm advancing his knowledge of public relations and forming a strong network of contacts in the design industry. Andrew’s PR expertise crossed lifestyle categories while working on beauty and fashion brands at RED PR from 2001 to 2005. Before his career in PR, Andrew acquired his journalism skills while employed at Vanity Fair and Allure magazines. That editorial experience facilitates Andrew Joseph PR to have a unique understanding about the media, creative branding strategies, and a deep, successful clientele.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Vanity Fair Magazine
Allure Magazine
Today on the show I’m excited to have Patrick Cain! He is a custom furniture designer based out of Los Angeles. He specializes in furniture made from wood, metal and concrete. The designs are gorgeous! He is going to share with us a little about the pieces and how he got his business started.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Leslie Myrick is an interior stylist and has not only built her business from the ground up once but three times! She has been in Canada, California and now Texas! She has very specific ways how she has built her business in such a short amount of time that really stand out. She has a blog and YouTube videos and has really created a good body of work in a short amount of time. We are going to talk about how you can be doing business in the same place you have been for the last twenty years and approach it like you just moved there.
Show Notes:
Resources:
www.mebydesigns.com – Get your business coach here!
The Big Leap- Gay, PhD Hendricks
Susan is founder and principal of award-winning Sweet Peas Design, which she launched 13 years ago in the Chicago suburb of Libertyville as a one-woman firm. Today Sweet Peas Design is a full-service studio with a staff of six in downtown Libertyville and a branch office in Chicago. She and her team work with a broad-based clientele of entrepreneurs, corporate executives and professionals.Susan is an experienced speaker, whether on interior design issues or the business of design. She is a popular speaker on design at libraries on the North Shore of Chicago. Susan has been featured on NBC/LXTV’s “George to the Rescue” and “Open House,” and she appeared on CLTV’s “Bring It Home” program. Her work has been published in numerous national and local magazines and newspapers, including Modern Luxury Interiors Chicago, Kitchen + Bath Makeovers, Trends Kitchens, Trends Bathrooms, Color Made Easy, Crain’s Chicago Business and Chicago Sun-Times’ magazine, Splash.Today on the show we have Susan Brunstrum! She has a big firm in Chicago and a signature line called LivableLuxe with a tagline that says “the little black dress of interior design.” She is a business woman, she is a woman who knows what she wants, knows how to do business and knows how to present herself. Her firm has won several designer awards but today we are going to focus on the financial part of business.
Show Notes:
- The two project fee basis systems
- The six phases of projects
- How do you utilize the project fee?
- If you don’t charge for your initial consultation you should!
- Three things to assess on a client when you first meet them
- What are the red flags when assessing a client?
- The difference between advertising and public relations
- Be patient!
Resources:
www.sweetpeas-
inspired.com - Sweet Peas Design
Today on A Well Designed Business we have Jerri Eskow! She is a full-service interior designer and has been in business for more than 20 years! After becoming friends on Instagram I went to her website and did a little research. Sometimes when I have guests on the show I already know what their special skills, talents or lessons are. But with Jerri Eskow I was just so impressed with her as a whole. She is going to talk about her techniques she has used to be a successful interior designer for over 20 years.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Irongateinteriors- Instagram
Irongateinteriors- Facebook
On today’s show, we have Mary Fisher who is a passionate designer of many trades. She is a textile designer, the author of 6 books, a jewelry designer, artist and photographer! Mary had some terrible news in 1992 that she had been diagnosed with HIV. Since then her passion to help others has skyrocketed. Her collection “100 Good Deeds” is a perfect of example that she does just that: Helps others.
Show Notes:
Resources:
Kravet Inc. – kravet.com
Mary Fisher CARE Fund:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
Arlene Angard is a New York City Interior Designer. She manages a full service interior architecture and design firm that specializes in luxury residential and new age commercial. She has been an Art Curator and table top connoisseur most of her life. She has curated global art exhibits, participated in art culture panels and collected fine art from around the world. She recently launched a colorful collection of area rugs inspired by her extensive travels abroad.
She tries to learn as much as she can about her clients' lifestyle and her design decisions are made within this context. Her work has been featured in prestigious magazines such as Elle Decor, The New York Times, Traditional Home Magazine, New York Spaces Magazine, Luxe Interior + Design Magazine, Ocean Drive Magazine, EL UNIVERSAL, 1stdibs Introspective Magazine, NYC Cottage & Gardens and numerous other design and art publications.
Arlene’s Art Gallery: 15 East 71st Street & Madison Ave, New York, NY 10021
E-mail: arlene@arleneangard.com
Arlene’s website: http://arleneangard.com
Robin Baron, interior designer and lifestyle expert creates homes that are uniquely fabulous , yet captures her clients’ individual personalities . She brings a striking sense of style to everything she does.
You can read the full show notes at www.windowworks-nj.com/robinbaron
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.
RESOURCES
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: