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126: Power Talk Friday – Kimberley Seldon- “Win The Flat Fee Game”

Kimberley Seldon

On this power talk Friday I am excited to say that Kimberley Seldon with me again on the show. If you remember she was just on the show about a month ago, and she has her interior design business but she also has Business of Design where she teaches interior designers how to run their businesses more effectively and more profitably. Kimberley’s Business of Design is one of our happy sponsors here!

Show Notes:

  • How long did it take Kimberley to write her third book?
  • When does her third book come out?
  • Does Kimberley like flat fees?
  • What are the steps to turning your business’s business model around?
  • What systems should be in place when you decide to “try”?
  • Should the fees or the client wish list change?
  • Make sure to document!
  • Does a designer have to track everything even though they have a flat fee?
  • Are there projects that have no deficiencies?
  • How should a designer expect to be paid?
  • How can you make yourself sound professional and confident when talking about money?
  • How can you tell when you have a mature pier?
  • What happens when a client misses payments?
  • How many times should you talk or ask about money?
  • How should you deal with a change in a project?
  • How should the client be billed when something does change in a project?
  • When is Kimberley’s newest webinar?
  • Is Kimberley’s Webinar free?

Resources:

Volume One: Have the Professional Life You’ve Always Wanted https://businessofdesign.com/product/business-of-design-volume-1/

Volume Two: Make Every Project Satisfying for Both you and your Client https://businessofdesign.com/product/business-of-design-volume-2/

How to Win the Flat Fee Game https://businessofdesign.com/events/win-the-flat-fee-game/

  Kimberley’s website:

https://www.kimberleyseldon.com

https://www.businessofdesign.com

“Join today and start to turn your business in the right direction. And a reminder Basic membership is free and you’ll receive a free download of Kimberley’s book 10 Profit Drivers for signing up.”     The new book coming 1/31/17  

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125: Nicole Heymer- How To Brand Your Business. Yes, again! Do not miss this one!!!

Nicole Heymer from Curio Electro

On the show today I am so excited to introduce you all to Nicole Heymer! Nicole is the owner of Curio Electro Boutique Web Design Agency that specializes in branding, content strategy and web design and development for interior design firms and other innovative businesses. She has been helping more interior designers bring in more leads and increase their visibility online since 2011! I know we have talked about branding on the show more than a couple times, but this is such an important aspect of your business in this age of social media. I promise there is more to learn about branding.

Show Notes:

  • Why is branding so important for interior designers?
  • How does Nicole divide the ways to look at branding?
  • What are the benefits of having a brand?
  • How can you let people know what you really want or enjoy to design?
  • Can you have too much “language” on your about me page?
  • Give the reasons why!
  • How does a client determine “your worth” and what to pay an interior designer?
  • How should you pick your colors?
  • Why are colors and what they mean so important?
  • How do you figure out your message?
  • What is the bare minimum you can do when starting out?
  • Why is font important?
  • What should be included in your branding guidelines?
  • Is it worth it to hire a photographer if possible?
  • What can you do to let people know you can do what they want, even when you have no projects yet?
  • How can a designer “beef up” their website when starting out?
  • How can a designer use blogging to express their brand?
  • When should and shouldn’t a designer use a blog?
  • What else could be used for good website content?
  • What makes you different?

Resources:

https://www.curioelectro.com

https://curioelectro.com/interior-design-branding

https://curioelectro.com/seo-for-interior-designers-architects  

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124: Michelle Nussbaumer- Owner & Lead Designer of Ceylon et Cie

Michelle Nussbaumer

Today one the show I am talking with Michelle Nussbaumer!

Michelle is an interior designer, textile and furniture designer, an author and owns a beautiful shop: Ceylon et Cie located in the Dallas design district. Michelle’s journey includes a husband and four children and it starts in west Texas. She goes from New York, Rome, Los Angeles and all the way back to Texas. Recently her book for Rizzoli, Wanderlust: Interiors That Bring the World Home was released and it includes thirty years of interior design as well as her travels. Today Michelle and I talk about her career, her opinions on the business and her globetrotting lifestyle.

Show Notes:

  • How does Michelle keep up with everything she has going on?
  • Does Michelle have different teams or organizations for each project?
  • Where did Michelle just sign a licensing agreement?
  • How are her schedules set up and what system(s) does she use?
  • Is her business a family business?
  • How big is her team and who does what?
  • How does she try to make all of her home designs feel?
  • What is Michelle’s business model for designs?
  • What advice would Michelle give to a brand-new designer fresh out of school?
  • What has her experience been with interns?
  • Can a person do a trial run to decide if you want to work at a design firm?
  • How did she decide to write a book?
  • How did she decide what her book, Wanderlust: Interiors That Bring the World Home would be about?
  • How did Michelle find her agent for her book?
  • What is the process like when writing a book?
  • What about her fabric business?
  • Will her fabrics be in showrooms?

Resources:

https://www.ceylonetcie.com

To purchase Michelle’s book:
https://www.rizzoliusa.com/book.php?isbn=9780847848911

Wanderlust: Interiors That Bring the World Home

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123: Power Talk Friday – Marianne Cherico- Announcing a Tele Summit Opportunity – Your Home Staging Business on Fire!

Marianne Cherico

Welcome back to another power talk Friday! I’m happy to let you know I have Marianne Cherico back with me! If you remember episode 75 Marianne and I talked about her philosophy on asking “what would the CEO do?” in order to get yourself organized daily, weekly and yearly.

Just to give you a reminder of who Marianne is and what she does she has owned and operated a successful home staging business since 2005. She also spent 27 years in the real estate business and 17 of those years she was part of a top producing New England real estate team.

Marianne has coached many home stagers all over the country on how to up-level their business by developing both mindset skills and strategy. She helps home stagers own their magnificent and create their life and a business that sets their souls on fire.

Show Notes:

  • What do home stagers, in particular, seem to struggle with?
  • What is the inner and outer game?
  • How is the outer game affected by the inner game?
  • How does she decide how and what a client needs to do to prioritize?
  • What does she suggest clients do to get more business?
  • What is Marianne’s tele summit: your home staging business on fire going to be about?
  • Who are some of the speakers that will be on the tele summit and what are some of the topics will they be discussing?
  • How does it work to be a part of tele summit?
  • Is it free to be a part of tele summit?
  • Who should listen to the tele summit?

Resources:

https://www.windowworks-nj.com 

https://www.coachingbymarianne.com

https://tinyurl.com/stagingsummit-luann

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122: Barclay Butera- Mix Talent + Opportunity + Business Savvy = Epic Interior Design Business

I am happy to tell you all that I have Barclay Butera on the show today! Barclay Butera is the creative force behind the Barclay Butera design firm and the showrooms located in New Port Beach, California, West Hollywood, California, Corona Del Moore, California and Park City Utah. Butera is renowned for his approachable elegance and glamorous coastal chic interiors. His passion for interior design began two decades ago! You will learn today how it has grown into an impressive lifestyle enterprise that in addition to his interior design business he also has licensing with some of the industries most respected partners including Kravet, Bradburn Gallery Home, Eastern Ascents, Highland House Furniture, Left Bank Art and several others. Not to mention he has five coffee table books.

Show Notes:

  • When did Barclay realize that he wanted to be in the interior design business?
  • How old was Barclay when he started his first business?
  • Was Barclay organized enough that his second location was as successful as his first?
  • How many designers does he have working for him?
  • How is the company set up?
  • Is there a management program or does Barclay oversee everything?
  • How does he handle things at corporate if he is not present at the corporate office?
  • Who handles the licensing for his business: Barclay Butera Interior Design?
  • What is it like to work with Kravet?
  • What happens at the different showrooms?
  • How many projects does Barclay Butera Interior Design company do a year?
  • What kind of system does he have to work up the ranks?
  • When does Barclay have time to write five coffee table books?
  • Why did Barclay decide to write a book?
  • What would be his advice be to someone who wanted to accomplish as much in business as he has?
  • What would he say is something that he has seen that prevents a company from running well?

Resources:

https://www.kravet.com

https://www.barclaybutera.com

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121: Charrisse Johnston- The National Chair of ASID & Principal / Interior Design Practice Leader at Steinberg

Charrisse Johnston

Today on the show I am happy to welcome Charrisse Johnston, chair of ASID National! She is also the principal and the firm-wide practice leader of Steinberg Architects. Steinberg Architects has offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose and Shanghai. Charrisse was previously the senior associate and studio operations leader at Gensler where she managed and designed K-12, higher education, and workplace projects. Before that, she was Vice President of corporate planning for Morgan Stanley Dean Witter where she oversaw the companies consolidated financial and strategic planning efforts. Today we talk about all kinds of things including her career path which also includes both behavioral psychology and a successful wedding planning business. We will also talk about how she was introduced to ASID as a student in California. Charrisse is smart, down to earth and an inspiring leader.

Show Notes:

  • Would Charrisse say that entrepreneurs have a better start out with a financial background?
  • What is Charrisse’s niche in Steinberg Architects?
  • How old is the Steinberg Architects business?
  • How does design work for an “after the fact” work?
  • Has Steinberg started a trend for architectural firms to start offering architectural design as well interior design?
  • What is evidence-based design?
  • Where can you find more information on evidence-based designs?
  • Why did the position names change?
  • How successful was Charrisse’s student chapter when she was president?
  • How did she gain her position as chair of ASID national?
  • What are some programs and benefits that ASID National has to offer for new designers and for seasoned designers?
  • How is ASID National using health and wellness in design?
  • How is ASID helping designers with designs for people who have to leave their home and move to an assisted living home?
  • What new events are coming out in 2017 at ASID National?
  • What are some government issues that ASID is trying to work on?

Resources:

https://www.steinbergarchitects.com 

https://www.gensler.com 

https://www.informedesign.org 

https://www.asid.org

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120: Christmas Encore: A Special Visit with the Sr. Director of Merchandising for CuratedKravet.com

Will Hunt Lewis

Guess what? This is our six month anniversary! I have two very special shows for you this week. The first show we are going to meet one of the masterminds behind the fabulous curatedkravet.com platform. Curatedkravet.com is celebrating a few milestones of its own. This spring marked the one year anniversary of the hugely successful curatedkravet.com!

Our special guest today is Will Hunt Lewis, Senior Director of Merchandising of curatedkravet.com! In this position, he oversees all business done with merchandising and product development for all product category. Today Will Hunt and I are going to talk all curatedkravet.com from quality, delivering times, to the designers that curate the rooms.

Show Notes:

  • How long has Will Hunt been with Kravet?
  • What were the vision/goals for curatedkravet.com?
  • What are some of the best features of curatedkravet.com?
  • What kind of products are on the website?
  • How are the products sourced?
  • What does he love best about the website?
  • How is customer service handled?
  • How are designers found for the website?
  • What is a “magalog”?

Resources: https://www.curatedkravet.com Code for 10% off: ckpodcast https://www.facebook.com/windowworksnj

 

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119: Christmas Encore: Sarah Daniele – Co-Founder & CEO of Mydoma Studio

Sarah Daniele

On the show today you are going to meet Sarah Daniele! Sarah was recommended to me by a previous guest and my friend, Rachel Moriarty. So, who is Sarah Daniele? She is a very smart, take- the- bull- by- the- horns type person, interior designer and also happens to be the co-founder and CEO of Mydoma Studio!  Sarah has a degree in interior design, has worked for others and then eventually started her own business, Mydoma Studio. Her business focuses on residential renovations, add-ons, kitchen, and bath. Today she is going to share with us a little about her career.

Show Notes:

  • When did Sarah start her new software?
  • What were her guidelines for her new software system?
  • Was her software originally for other designers?
  • When did she decide to let other designers use her program?
  • What changes were made to her software program to fit other designers?
  • How did she know that other designers would need a different program than herself?
  • How did she build her beta team to test the new product?
  • Is Mydoma Studio an accounting software?
  • Where did the name Mydoma Studio come from?
  • How did she decide the “look” of her website?
  • What is the usability of Mydoma  Studio?
  • What is Mydoma Studio and what can it help designers do with clients?
  • What is the process to sign up for Sarah’s program on Mydoma Studio?
  • What is a product catalog builder?
  • What does it mean when the product catalog builder is global?
  • How does a designer get the client on board using Mydoma Studio?
  • Would the client still have access to their studio after the project is finished?
  • How are the invoices incorporated in the program?
  • Is there a way for the designer to view the project like they are the client?
  • What is the targeted audience for Mydoma Studio?
  • How are the fees decided?

For the rest of the show notes, please visit our resource center: Window Works 

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118: Christmas Encore: Anna Brockway- Co-Founder & President of Chairish

Anna Brockway

Have you heard of Chairish yet? If you haven’t yet I am so happy to introduce you to this brand and Anna Brockway: one of the founders of this brand! Listen in to Anna’s story of how she started her company only three and a half years ago and it already has 150000 items available on the site

Show Notes:

  • What is Chairish?
  • Why did she start the business?
  • What is the Chairish pink book?
  • Is it a business or a feature?
  • Research the market!
  • What kind of special features does the Chairish site have?

For the rest of the show notes, please visit our Resource Center— Window Works

 

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117: Power Talk Friday: Deborah Rosenberg- Cruelty Free Design Certification is Here!

Deborah Rosenberg

Deborah Rosenberg is here with us today on Power Talk Friday. If you remember Deborah was first on the show on episode 82. Deborah is the founder of an ultra-luxury design firm, Dimare Design and https://www.certifiedcrueltyfree.net. She is a leader in cruelty-free and wellness healthy design. During episode 82 she talks about her passion for animal’s rights and how she has skewed her interior design firm to stand firmly behind this passion of hers to be cruelty-free. Deborah believes that luxury design should look good, feel good and do good. 

Deborah has also been on TLC as a featured designer; she has appeared on the Today Show; she writes articles and lectures on humane and wellness design. If you haven’t listened to episode 82 you need to go back and listen to it because you will get full details of how she runs her business and her great business principles. She mentioned in that episode that she was working on a certification program for interior designers, if you have a passion to bring this to your business as well. The course is launching!

You can read the full show notes at https://www.windowworks-nj.com/deborah-rosenburg