This is a celebratory episode dear loyal listeners! This is our 100th podcast episode and it’s time to celebrate! It’s certainly a very optimistic number as the podcast prognosis goes:  If you make it to the 7th episode, you can make it to the 45th … and if you make it to the 100th you’ll make it for a while! Our guest for this landmark episode is Scott Kravet, the great grandson of Samuel Kravet, the founder of Kravet Inc. 

Kravet Inc. will be celebrating its centennial anniversary in 2018. Another 100th reason to celebrate! Kravet Inc. was established in 1918 by Samuel Kravet, and it has grown to be  the industry leader in the home furnishings industry — fabrics, furniture, carpets, drapery, trimmings, wall coverings, and others. The family’s commitment to innovation has helped the company transform from a small fabric house to a global leader, representing brands and designers from all over the world. Kravet Inc. owns Kravet, Lee Jofa, Groundworks and GP & J Baker, all high-end fabric houses that specialize in style, luxury and exceptional design.

Scott Kravet, part of the company’s 4th generation, is the Creative Director and Head of Product Development. Having a near encyclopedic knowledge of fabrics, he oversees all aspects of product development for Kravet and its brands. He is an alumnus of Emory University and the Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. Scott manages creative teams in 5 design studios in New York and worldwide. He travels the globe sourcing products from the finest craftsmen and best mills.  

I’m deeply grateful to Kravet Inc. for continuing to sponsor our podcast (since 2015) which by now is followed by professional  groups consisting of over 70,000 and growing! At the minimum, Window Works  get contacted by 5 interior designers daily and they all mention the Well-Designed Business podcast as the source and resource. Thank you, Kravet Inc.!!

Show Notes

• Kravet products are for trade-only.
• All products are available to interior designers only to protect their interests
• Retail sales are for interior designers only
• Kravet designs remain cherished and fashionable for a long time
• Kravet Showrooms are updated with the latest featured designs regularly
• The “for trade only” policy does not seem to be an issue
• All lamps, trays, pillow, textiles, all neatly laid out corporate products on exhibit  
• Honor and respect what your family has accomplished as  a personal, professional, and corporate policy
• It’s not enough to create beautiful anything; you must package and market it smartly.
• Reinventing the business
• Reaching out to the influencers
• Watch out for the Kravet Centennial where they will be honoring all the people who have helped them all these years.
• Check out Episodes 10, 59, 17, 34, and 74 where designers talked about their experience in working with Kravet. Kravet has a culture that supports creativity, collaboration, kindness, and respect to your clients and vendors
• An archive of over 30,000 textile collections is currently on exhibit; check out with ASID for the details.

The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works.

It’s power talk Friday again! I have a treat for all of you today. I found our guest, John Muldoon while I was doing research, and I got jazzed up when I saw what John is doing! We are going to be talking to him about his “business” (a consulting firm) that he has had for twelve years! But we are really going to get into his powerful blog called The Monthly Experiments Project.

Show Notes:

• What is his description of his job and why are there two versions?
• How did he come up with his brand?
• What is his blog The Monthly Experiment about?
• How did he come up with his blog: The Monthly Experiment?
• Why is he doing his blog The Monthly Experiment?
• What happened when John finally found a balance between work and life?
• What did he do to help pick up the business when he started working less?
• How do you get more referrals according to John?
• How can you make your blog or podcast more successful and what is the most important quality a blog can have?
• How can you be more helpful?
• What are the two things that create the value of a blog?
• How do you start a blog and how does John help people with this?
• How do you join his blog challenge and join his free membership group?
• What are some of the “Experiments” he has done on his blog?

The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works

Today on the show I have Carrie Leskowitz! Carrie brings a unique perspective to her work. She is not only an interior designer but she is also a certified Marth Beck life coach. Carrie combines her background in fashion and psychology with twenty years in the interior design industry. She shows her clients how our living space often mirrors our inner space. Her blog: Carrie’s Design Musings, is in its sixth year and has a very loyal following!

Show Notes:

• How did Carrie come to interior design?
• What was her experience at Design Bloggers Conference?
• Why should you go to the Design Bloggers Conference?
• What are the requirements to qualify for the Design Bloggers Conference?
• How often is the Design Bloggers Conference held and where is the conference venue?
• Do you get paid or is there money involved going to the Design Bloggers Conference?
• What were her observations at the Design Bloggers Conference?
• What did Carrie do while at High Point at the Design Bloggers Conference?
• Why did she start her blog: Carrie’s Design Musings?
• What are the nuts and bolts of her business?
• How many employees does she have?
• How does she connect her life coach experience to her interior design business?
• When did she understand her value, and decide to start sending an invoice for her coaching?
• What are some typical triggers that people start to think they are stuck?
• Are there any tips that she would suggest to her clients to help them feel unstuck?
• Are there any cautions that she would say to a new designer getting started?
• Try everything!
• What is something she does herself when she feels overwhelmed?
• Can you retrain yourself on how to react to certain things or situations that bug you?

The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works 

Our guest today on the show is Linda Holt! Linda was recommended to me by a listener of the podcast! Thank you, Marie! She suggested Linda because she admires her work and she loves the interesting bit that she comes from a twenty-year career in photography and she specializes in modeling and celebrity head shots. Linda has worked with more than 3000 celebrities, actors and models as one of Boston’s top headshot photographer. So today she is going to talk to us about why she made the switch from photography to interior design.

Show Notes:

• What degree did she earn first in college?
• Why didn’t Linda get a degree in interior design when she went to college?
• What niche made her so successful in photography?
• How did she arrive at her systems that she used in her photography business?
• Why is it important to pay attention to personal details and remember them with clients?
• How does she use Pinterest and Pinterest Boards for her business?
• How does she bill for her work and what are the factors that determine the way she bills?
• Does she talk to her clients up front about money or as she goes?
• What are the “two hours”?
• Why did she start her blog Linda Holt Interiors?
• How often does she blog and how “big” is her blog?
• How does she write and how does she figure out what to write about?
• Does she read other blogs or listen to other podcasts?
• What happened to her when she was at the Design Bloggers Conference?
• How does she help designers use their iPhones to take better pictures?
• What did Linda win at the Design Bloggers Conference?
• What sort of things did she learn from the Design Bloggers Conference?

The rest of the show notes are in our resource center: Window Works.

Our guest on today’s show is Debi Pinelli and the way we got connected is such a funny story! I have a very dear friend named Rachel who is the cousin of Debi’s husband! A few months ago, we had Tim Templeton on a power talk Friday show and he was talking to us about influencers and connectors that you will have in your circle of influencers. Rachel is that connector!

Today we are going to talk about Debi’s business, A&J Interiors. She came to interior design through her specialty in designing her own window treatments. Debi has been designing and fabricating window treatments for over 20 years! She is the president of the New Jersey chapter of Window Coverings Association of America.

Show Notes:

• How did she decide to make her window treatments into a business?
• How important is it to have good rapport with your vendor?
• What are some things that she did when she started to become successful?
• What are some ways you can reach out to others for help in running a business?
• Who does she have on her staff?
• Write procedures down!
• Why are bookkeepers so important to running a successful business?
• Where does she go to get inspiration for designs?
• Is Highpoint worth going to?
• Make sure you look at your numbers!
• What are some ways to look at advertising?
• Why did she join Window Coverings Association of America?
• What is “Windows to Success”?
• What does the New Jersey chapter of Window Coverings Association of America do?
• Does the New Jersey chapter just talk about window coverings?
• How often should an evaluation be done?
• Why did she decide to charge a flat fee for her services?
• Listen to your gut!
• How many chapters are in the Window Coverings Association of America?

You will find the rest of the show notes  at our resource center:  Window Works.

On the show today I’m happy to have Karen McKenna: the principal of KMCK Designs in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Karen has been in the interior design industry for over 21 years. In addition to running her own firm, she is the principal interior designer for Classic Interiors, a retail showroom in Idaho Falls also. Karen studied interior design and architecture and earned a bachelor’s degree at the University of Idaho. She has extensive experience in both commercial and residential interior design. Karen also acts as a buyer and a merchandise coordinator for Classic Interiors. The way Karen has positioned her firm and aligned it with the retail store Classic Interiors is rather unique. I’m going to let Karen explain it to you. Let’s see what you think!

Show Notes:

• How did Karen come to work with KMCK Designs and Classic Interiors?
• Who are Mark Collard and Mike Jensen and what is their relationship to Karen?
• How does her relationship with the designer’s work?
• What is her payoff?
• What is the process for the quotation of products for a project?
• How does the bidding process work with the team she works with at KMCK Designs?
• Has she ever come across the relationship like she has with KMCK Designs anywhere else?
• How does the market experience happen?
• Why is loyalty to vendors so important?
• What sort of markets are they involved in?
• Are they using markets in Europe?
• What systems does she use to keep everything organized?
• Make sure to have documentation on what everyone is doing and has been said on every project!
• How do you maintain a good relationship with vendors?
• Is this process something that someone new to the business should start with or should this be done by someone who has been in the business for a while?

The rest of the show notes is in our resource center:  Window Works