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Kendall Wilkinson: #Seasoned Designer Sharing Experience and Wisdom

Episode 531 of A Well-Designed Business®
531: Kendall Wilkinson: #Seasoned Designer Sharing Experience and Wisdom

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! On today’s show, LuAnn is joined by industry-icon, Kendall Wilkinson. They’ll be chatting about Kendall’s perspective on her experience in growing an esteemed and successful firm. They discuss budgets to clients to discovery-call practices to Kendall’s experience in the 2008 recession where she had to use guerilla-style marketing strategies to build a pipeline.

Whether you are already a Kendall Wilkinson fan or this is the first time learning about her, you are going to love this conversation. Kendall is a #smartlady who runs a major enterprise which includes her famous San Francisco design firm, her textile collections for Fabricut, as well as being a sought-after speaker for industry events all over the nation.

Kendall’s work has been on the pages of Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, House Beautiful, Traditional Home, and Wall Street Journal, to name a few. Along with participating in numerous showcases over the years including the San Francisco Decorator Showcase, Elle Decor Showhouse, and LUXE Magazine’s Maison de Luxe Showhouse, Kendall has also she served on the prestigious Board of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art.

Show Highlights:

  • Kendall has been in business for 27 years and employs a staff of 30.
  • Kendall believes that a combination of creative excellence and business acumen are responsible for her success.
  • It’s important to mentor once you have the experience in.
  • Kendall explains her business structure: She has four teams of principals who have their own firms. Within each team is a senior designer, a design associate, a design assistant, and a project manager. They each run 3-5 projects. Kendall also has a back office, which includes the expediters, controllers, accountants, and administrators.
  • This structure has allowed her to be more creative because of the confidence she in her principals and their abilities.
  • LuAnn and Kendall discuss clients, budgets, variables, and the non-negotiables.
  • Kendall shares how she came through the 2008 recession without having to lay off any employees.

Resources:

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Podcast – Please SUBSCRIBE, Rate & Review!

Purchase LuAnn’s Book!

LuAnn’sBlog

Power Talk Friday

LIVE CLASS with Sara Lynn Brennan, Starting Wednesday, April 22!

If you need help with your processes, in getting your business systemized so you can scale, you can hire, you can finally be confident in your projects, Process Leads to Profits is back! To find out all about this live class, taught over 6 consecutive weeks starting April 22, go to Process Leads To Profits.

Connect with Kendall!

Kendall’s Website

Kendall’s LinkedIn

Kendall’s Twitter  – @KWilkinsonSF

Kendall Wilkinson Design’sInstagram – @KendallWilkinsonDesign

Kendall Wilkinson Design’sFacebook

Kendall Wilkinson Design’s LinkedIn

Kendall Wilkinson Design’sPinterest

DesignClass: Interior Design With Kendall Wilkinson

Be sure to check out Kendall’s textile line atFabricut!

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What Level is Your Design Business?