Enter the World of Construction & Exceed Expectations
Operations 201: Project Workflow for Construction-Based Design
In this 5-week course, Jenny teaches the essentials—from how to put together a finish schedule to how to tag your elevations using the finish schedule to how to price these kinds of projects. Investing in this course will make your business more profitable for years to come.
5-Week Course
Buy Any 5-Week Course, Get LuAnn’s Workshops for Free!
Buy any 5-week course by August 18th and get an invite to...
Purpose by Design: Create Your Mission, Vision, and Value Statements
You’ve heard her say it’s essential—now let’s do it together, step by step. (No more going it alone!)
Profitable by Design: Sales Strategies for Designers & Window Treatment Pros
Win more clients, boost your profits, and sell with confidence—no hard selling required.
When you register for this or any 5-week course, we'll send you an email with details.
Owning the Jobsite: Confidence, Documentation, and Designer Impact
Operations 201 instructor Jenny Slingerland shares how her course equips designers to step onto any jobsite with confidence. She covers common documentation mistakes, the power of a complete design book, and how students have transformed their client relationships and business outcomes after applying what they’ve learned.
Imagine This…
By the end of this course, you will:
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Break Into Design-Build
Learn how to land design-build jobs with builders and clients—even if you’re just starting out in this area of design. -
Understand the Build Team
Get clear on the roles and responsibilities of each team member from day one, so you can collaborate with confidence. -
Exceed Builder Expectations
Know exactly what builders need from a designer—and how to deliver more than they expect, every time. -
Create a Spec Book That Stands Out
Build your own professional specification book to document selections clearly—and become an indispensable asset to the team. -
Expand Your Project Portfolio
Add custom new builds, spec homes, and remodels to your portfolio and attract the kind of work you really want to do.
Establish yourself as a true full-service designer who can take a project from start to finish.
Learn how to provide the builder with the documentation they need and to impress them with your level of organization and attention to detail. Learn how to make yourself an invaluable member of the build team and someone they refer their clients to time and time again.
from 2:00pm - 3:15pm EST
A very impactful course that has great detail and information.”
I wanted my firm to take on more build opportunities and Jenny has helped me do that.”
It is obvious that she is knowledgeable and an amazing business woman.”
Meet Jenny Slingerland
Jenny is the Owner and Principal Designer of Black Ink Interiors, an award-winning luxury residential design firm based in Scottsdale, AZ. Prior to founding Black Ink Interiors, Jenny was an in-house designer for custom home builders in Utah and Nevada. These valuable years helped develop her love for working with architects, builders, and clients and deepened her understanding of the vital role an interior designer plays in delivering amazing homes from the ground up.
$200M
In Completed
Design Projects
20+
Years Navigating
Construction Projects
Jenny's Superpowers
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Specialization in Design-Build
Jenny has managed and designed custom new builds and large-scale renovations totaling over $200 million. -
Over Two Decades of Navigating Construction Projects
Her deep experience means she teaches from hard-earned lessons—not just theory. -
Known for Her Organized, Builder-Loved Process
Jenny’s signature finish schedules and spec books make her a favorite among top GCs and trade partners. -
Published in WSJ, Better Homes & Gardens & More
Her work is regularly featured in top national outlets for both beauty and process.
There’s something uniquely satisfying about designing a project from the ground up.
But the design-build world has its own rules and requirements—and entering the construction realm can feel overwhelming and intimidating. Jenny knows because she was once there. Learn from the mistakes she's made, so you don’t have to make them.
5 Clear Steps to See Your Designs Come to Life During Construction
Design Presentation & Selections
Define the roles of the architect, builder, and designer, build relationships with trades, and create a compelling design presentation that sets the tone for the entire project.
Mon. September 8th at 2pm EST
Finish Schedule Selections
Learn to select the right exterior materials, windows, doors, plumbing, appliances, lighting, flooring cabinetry and more.
Tues. September 16th at 2pm EST
Creating a Finish Schedule
Map your selections into a working finish schedule, prep for elevations, and avoid the common (and costly) oversights that derail installs.
Tues. September 23rd at 2pm EST
Clarification Through Elevations
Understand which walls should be elevated for the builder, which measurements should be included, and the most important details to keep in mind.
Tues. September 30th at 2pm EST
Getting to the Finish Line
Navigate the handoff to the builder, own your role in problem-solving, and manage tough conversations with professionalism and confidence.
Tues. October 7th at 2pm EST
What were your biggest, business-changing a-ha moments? How are you taking action? Join LuAnn in picking up insights from every course and every department!
Wed. October 29th at 12:00pm EST
What’s Included?
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FREE RECORDED CLASSES FOR 90 DAYS: Can’t make one of the classes? No problem! Recordings will be available the next day—just log in to your account to access them. If you’d like unlimited access, you can purchase Lifetime Recording Access for $75 when you register—or at any time during your 90-day window.
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LIVE VIDEO COACHING CALLS WITH 5 SPECIFIC TOPICS: 5 weeks of 1 hour and 15 minute live zoom video coaching with 1 hour of your instructor teaching and 15 minutes of live Q&A.
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PRIVATE CONVERSATION BOARDS FOR EVERYONE IN THE COURSE: Sometimes we need to try something or think about it further...and then we look for clarification. This group is for collaboration, victories and trouble-shooting. Your instructor, LuAnn, and your peers will deepen your understanding of the content.
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OPTION TO CREATE YOUR OWN SPEC BOOK: Step-by-step instructions with the details that matter and—if you attend and complete the work—you will have created your own custom specification book by the end of the course!
What Students are Saying
“I got so much out of this course! It was so timely for me being a new designer, and taking on my first big remodel project, to walk through my role as the designer and the expectations that the builder has on me. The examples were priceless for me... I feel like I am now set up for success. All the tidbits of knowledge from Jenny were so incredibly helpful.”
“I'm so thankful to Jenny for so generously sharing her expertise with us. She's on top of it, kind, professional, knows her stuff, and is a great instructor. I love that I came away with a seriously actionable process that drives real results. Well worth the investment. ”
Ready to Be the Not-So-Secret Weapon On Every Construction Project?
5-Week Course
Register NOW
Operations 201
Operations 201
Register now for Early Bird Pricing! The price goes up to $2195 on August 30th.
Buy Any 5-Week Course, Get LuAnn’s Workshops for Free!
Buy any 5-week course by August 18th and get an invite to...
Purpose by Design: Create Your Mission, Vision, and Value Statements
You’ve heard her say it’s essential—now let’s do it together, step by step. (No more going it alone!)
Profitable by Design: Sales Strategies for Designers & Window Treatment Pros
Win more clients, boost your profits, and sell with confidence—no hard selling required.
When you register for this or any 5-week course, we'll send you an email with details.
FAQs
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We meet each week via livestream. Expect an email with instructions a few days before your class begins.
Each meeting is one hour and fifteen minutes of live coaching with a combination of dynamic teaching (expect tons of real-world examples!) and live Q&A.No problem! Recordings of each class will be available the next day, so you won’t miss a thing. However, keep in mind that your access to these recordings is free for 90 days after your last class. After that, access will be removed unless you purchase Lifetime Recording Access for $75, which ensures your recordings never expire. You can add this option when you register or later if you need more time.
And don’t forget about the Conversation Boards! Your instructor will be there each week for extra Q&A and to help you deepen your understanding. So even if you’re in a different time zone, you can still sign up and get the full value out of this course.Your instructor will be checking in on your Conversation Board at least a few times a week to answer any questions that you post. You will also be able to interact with your classmates, continue discussions from your sessions, and share wins as you put your new-found skills into practice.Our first meeting is a Monday at 2:00pm ET. Beginning the following week, we meet on Tuesdays for four weeks at 2:00pm ET.No! We’ve created a full business education with multiple tracks—but you get to decide where to start. Register for any course or intensive in any track. -
We want you to feel confident when you enroll in a LuAnn University course. Our policy is designed to be fair to both students and instructors:
If you cancel before the course begins: You’ll receive a refund of your tuition, minus transaction fees.
If you request a refund after the course begins: Refund requests may be made within the first two weeks of the course. We’ll review your request and work with you to find the best solution. To be eligible, you must have completed the pre-course Q&A form, which helps ensure your goals and expectations align with the course content.Once the 90-day access period ends, your recordings will no longer be available—unless you’ve purchased Lifetime Recording Access. You can add Lifetime Recording Access to your cart when you register—this means your recordings never expire. If you decide later, don’t worry! We’ll remind you when your 90-day window is about to close, giving you another chance to keep them for life.Yes! To receive CEUs, you will need to attend all live sessions. Each week, please enter your name and IDCEC unique identification learner number in the Zoom chat to confirm your participation. At the conclusion of the final session, we will provide a QR code issued by the IDCEC—this code is necessary to claim your six CEU credits. Note that CEUs are awarded only after completing the full course, not for individual sessions.No. You will not be given a finished spec book. A finished spec book represents the intellectual property of the designer that has created it. Instead, you will be taken through a detailed, step-by-step process to create your own spec book. You can use a current project to create one in real time OR create an example of a project to show builders.
You will be taught what belongs in a spec book, the order of the information, and which templates are required to create the book. If you are either attending the classes or watching the recordings, and you do the homework, then you will have created your own spec book by the end of the 5-week course. (If you can't do this, you can watch the recordings at your own pace and create your own spec book at your leisure!)
Throughout the class, Jenny also shares the best practices on how to set yourself, the builder, and your client up for success—based on her years of experience and the dozens of 'design for construction' projects she has completed.
“I wanted my firm to take on more build opportunities and Jenny has helped me do that. I know how to show and communicate my value to both the builder and the client, which is allowing for bigger projects and better profits!”
“A very impactful course that has great detail and information to feel confident moving forward with any design build project. I appreciate all I learned, and all of the real life examples she provided!”
“It is obvious that she is knowledgeable and an amazing business woman. She gives me hope that, with the right systems and planning, I can get to her level of excellence.”