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48: Power Talk Friday with Fred Berns

Fred Berns 1
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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:

  • What are interior designers doing wrong on their websites?
  • What elements should be on the homepage?
  • “Four seconds and two clicks”
  • Why do you need more than images?
  • How can you make it easier to navigate your website?
  • What should you avoid?
  • Why should you “think links”?

You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at https://www.windowworks-nj.com

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47: Gail Davis: Make Your Life Count

Gail Davis
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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:

  • How long was she in fashion before switching to interior design?
  • Why interior design?
  • How did she “walk” into her internships?
  • What is the biggest difference interning at a younger age vs being older?
  • What sort of questions should you ask yourself when designing a room?
  • Were there certain things that were the same between the two designers?
  • What business practices did she learn?

Resources:

Instagram:  gmdinteriors  https://www.instagram.com/gmdinteriors/?hl=en

FB:   https://www.facebook.com/gmdinteriors/ 

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46: Barbara Viteri: Designerlebrity Comes to the Podcast!

Barbara Viteri

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:

  • What did she do in Viteri Style Management?
  • What exercise can help with hiring?
  • What is Designerlebrity?
  • How did she come to her new career move?
  • Be real! Don’t pretend!

Resources:

https://www.facebook.com/barbaraviteri

https://www.instagram.com/barbaraviteri

https://www.twitter.com ~ @viteristyle

viteri@viteristylemanagement.com

https://www.viteristylemanagement.com

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45: Power Talk Friday’s with Krista Coupar

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 Krista Coupar of Coupar Consulting returns to the show to talk about billing and hourly fee’s. How To Effectively Bill Out Using an Hourly Fee Structure: • Step 1: Understand your existing pipeline • Step 2: Do an analysis of your current client base and your average monthly billing • Step 3: Determine utilization rates for yourself and your team • Step 4: Match up current project initiatives with the hours the team has available to work • Step 5: Evaluate if you need to add to your team     You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at https://www.windowworks-nj.com

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44: How to Host Fabulous Events to Grow Your Interior Design Firm with Michael Mitchell and Tyler Hill

Michael Mitchell And Tyler Hill

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:

  • What was the original plan?
  • What is the one thing that they will always have part of their business?
  • How was charity introduced to them?
  • What should you not go cheap on?
  • What are some ways to let people know when there will be an event?
  • Who are the fabulous staff and what do they do?
  • How did their collection come to life?
  • What are the follow up processes?

Resources:

https://www.mitchellhillinc.com

You can read the full show notes and access all the links and resources at https://www.windowworks-nj.com/mitchellhill

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43: Farrha Hyman- Success Story- How I Re-Designed my 15 Year Old Firm

Farrha Hyman

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:

  • When did she realize she needed help?
  • How did she hear about Kay?
  • Trust the process!
  • How different is it just being in business and running a business well?
  • Why is it important to share some personal information?
  • What two actions have to happen when bringing someone new into the business?
  • What personal struggles did she have with change?
  • How did she use her knowledge from previous hires?
  • Where does she plan to be further down the road with her firm?

You can read the full show notes and access all the resources at https://www.windowworks-nj.com/podcast

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42: Rachel Laxer: Build on Your Experiences, Your Past to Create a Smart, Profitable Business

Rachel Laxer

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:

  • How did Rachel begin working with Kelly Hoppen?
  • How does she predict trends?
  • How does she use her degrees in interior design?
  • What is the key to mixing periods of time?
  • What are the challenges having an interior design business in two “homes”?
  • Use the people you know will do a good job!

Resources:

https://www.rlaxerinteriors.com

https://www.windowworks-nj.com/rachellaxer

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41: Cheryl Janis: Create Clarity for Your Interior Design Firm and Watch Your Profits Grow

Cheryl Janis

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:

  • What kind of specific healthcare spaces does she design for?
  • How did an accident when she was 17 years old impact her life in such a big way?
  • How have her designs affected these businesses?
  • What is a generalist?
  • What was scary about making the leap to specialize?
  • What is evidence based design?
  • What are some things that can help with recovery in design?
  • Why does Cheryl have a newsletter?

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

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40: Meryl Santopietro- How to Re-Invent, Re Vitalize Your Firm, Even After 20 Years

Meryl Santopietro

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:

  • How did she build her business?
  • Why did she move her business to Manhattan?
  • What should you do in an interview?
  • New contacts can equal new referrals
  • When did her daughters join in the business?
  • How did she come to develop products?
  • What are her products used for?
  • What roles do her daughters play in the business?
  • Have a great photographer!

Resources:

Simply Spotless

https://www.merylsantopietro.com

You can read the full show notes and access the resources at https://www.windoworks-nj.com/meryl

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39: Andrew Joseph- Advice From the Principal of an Elite NYC Public Relations Firm

Andrew Joseph

Today on A Well Designed Business we have a treat! We have Andrew Joseph who is the principal of a desi

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:

  • Where did he get his background in public relations?
  • How much information should you include in a pitch?
  • What is the value of a deadline?
  • How do you know which Public Relations firm to hire?
  • What are some things to include in your portfolio?
  • Make sure you have good photography!
  • Why is it important to look at the “landscape”?

Resources:

Vanity Fair Magazine

Allure Magazine

https://www.andrewjosephpr.com

andrew@andrewjospehpr.com

gn 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:

  • Where did he get his background in public relations?
  • How much information should you include in a pitch?
  • What is the value of a deadline?
  • How do you know which Public Relations firm to hire?
  • What are some things to include in your portfolio?
  • Make sure you have good photography!
  • Why is it important to look at the “landscape”?

Resources:

Vanity Fair Magazine

Allure Magazine

https://www.andrewjosephpr.com

andrew@andrewjospehpr.com