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14 Malene Barnett Success Secret – Build Relationships

Malene Barnett

Rock star designer Malene Barnett created and built her business specializing in handcrafting custom carpets and dabbling in wall design and tile design. She has a background in surface design from F.I.T (Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York. Malene has some great advice to share with us!

Show Notes:

  • Inspiration from experiences behind her work
  • How to get from point A to point B starting out
  • Growth plans
  • E-guide series!

Links Mentioned:

 

You can get all the resources at https://windowworks-nj.com/malene

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13: Jeffrey Brooks – 30+ Successful Years in Interior Design

Jeffrey Brooks

Jeff Brooks has been a designer in business for 30 years! When he was starting out in the design world he did a lot of kitchen design until he decided to open his own design firm in 1986. He does a lot of residential work and has been interested in earth work and environmental design. Jeff has some fantastic advice for designers starting out or even designers who have been doing their thing for any amount of time!  

Show Notes:

  • What is the best use of a space?
  • Hospitality and public spaces
  • Execute a plan!
  • How to let someone know if the designer is within their budget      
  • Where does the inspiration come from?
  • Be kind

“Plan every project by starting with the intended result”. Jeffrey Brooks

 

Links Mentioned:

Jeff’s Website

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12: How to Get Your Interior Design Projects Published with Ren Miller

Ren Miller

 

Today my guest is Ren Miller: editor in chief of Design New Jersey! Ren has a background in design and editorial management. He worked with newspapers and then worked with a jewelry magazine. On 9/11 he caught a bus to get to his home in New Jersey and made the observation that the other people were just trying to get home because home is safe. That was his aha moment when he realized he wanted to work for a magazine that portrayed homes. He applied to Design New Jersey and was fortunate enough to get the job. Ren has worked his way up to where he is now and has been doing a fabulous job as editor in chief! 

Ren Miller shares with us:

  • Why should designers want to put their work in publication?
  • Know the magazine
  • Keep up with the trends
  • White rooms in publication
  • Background
  • How to get accepted
  • The “No’s”

Links Mentioned:

 

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11: Robin LaMonte: Re-Launching Your Interior Design Firm in a New Market

Robin Lamonte

Robin LaMonte is an amazing interior designer who is based in Atlanta. She spent 13 years in New Jersey building her name and then she and her husband made the decision to move to Atlanta. Robin has started her empire from scratch…again. Today’s show is all about re-establishing yourself and your business after a move to a new city or state. But truthfully the strategies we discuss apply if you are beginning your interior design business or even if you need to give a boost to your established firm.

Robin shares with us how she has accomplished this and gives advice for other designers who are starting out in today’s episode!

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10: Denise McGaha – Deadline Driven Design

Denise Mcgaha
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Denise and her team deliver diverse and fashionable designs for those who live on the fast track. Her company specializes in turnkey, concierge-level services—in as little as 90 days! They execute high-end interior design projects with their organization and signature deadline-driven design solutions. Denise honed her business practices, sophisticated methodology, and solid business acumen while working with Neiman-Marcus. You will be impressed with what she accomplishes with her relatively small staff. Join us for more from Denise!

In this episode, you’ll hear the following:

  • Denise’s business is built on a three-tiered philosophy: Delivered in 90 days, Designed in a Day, and Designer Full-Time. Stay tuned to learn more!
  • Denise’s full-service design came first, as she found a niche for people who want things quickly.
  • “Doing the job faster means getting your money faster!”
  • The niche was needed in the industry; Denise asked, “How can we brand it and make it happen?”
  • Her systems are driven by project plans, timelines, and a very scheduled process.
  • There are multiple team members working on multiple projects.
  • Organization and precise communication are essential for the Delivered in 90 Days option!
  • The client has to be ready to make decisions and move fast, just as Denise’s team does.
  • Every decision, order, and email has a deadline attached to it to keep the process moving.
  • This business requires a strong team who are ready to work within the timelines, and requires respect and trust from clients.
  • Surprisingly, Denise accomplishes this with just THREE employees!
  • The initial timeline is 2-4 weeks until presentation is made to the client, and then the team hits the ground running when a contract is secured.
  • Denise operates in other locations outside the Dallas area, but those are more difficult and present greater limitations.
  • Not every client comes to Denise for the 90-day timeline; many come for the design quality.
  • For other designers who question this process, Denise asks, “How much time did you spend and how much did you bill for? What if you compressed the time? How much time is wasted from week to week?”
  • The Designer Full-time option is a complete project, with construction, furnishings, etc. These are large projects that take 1-2 years to complete.
  • Denise implements a screening process for clients so that she can understand their needs and the scope of the project.
  • She gives great advice for accepting clients and knowing which clients are NOT a good fit; it all comes down to chemistry!
  • Designed in a Day gives Denise the opportunity to get out of the office for a day to help a client who wants a quick update with what they already have in place. 
  • Denise runs down the entire process of her Designed in a Day option, which is an unusual niche that fosters a face to face relationship and connection for the future.
  • Denise explains her partnership with Curated Kravet, the sponsor of our podcast. They are one of her favorite vendors, and she explains why!
  • Denise designed vignettes for them with their fabrics and in-stock items. You can view it online!
  • Denise’s advice for designers:
    • Make a plan for all that you do and your processes.
    • See where you can be very, very efficient.
    • Work smarter, not harder.
    • There is no need to fret over decisions.
  • Denise explains her upcoming project Show House in New Orleans, already in the design process!

Resources:

https://www.curatedkravet.com

https://www.denisemcgaha.com

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

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09: Rona Spiegel- Follow Your Inspiration No Matter Where You Are in Your Career

Rona Spiegel

Today on the show we have the talented, go getter Rona Speigel!

Rona started her own business, Lifestyle Designs in 1980. About 4 years ago she started another business, Red-Zebra. Red-Zebra started out as just photography but then grew into something extraordinary!

Rona shares with us in this episode:

  • How Red-Zebra came to be
  • The “sideline”
  • What is ADA?
  • The process of post-production

Links Mentioned:

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08: Barbara Ostrom: Curtain Up! Thirty Years of Spectacular Showhouse Rooms

barbara-ostrom

Today’s guest is the queen of show houses: Barbara Ostrom! Barbara attended New York University and New York school of Interior Design and then went on to get her masters in architectural design from Pratt and received a graduate certificate from Sorbonne in Paris. After working as, a designer’s assistant for 8 years and then working with a company that designs stores she decided to start her own business. When Barbara first started out showhouse rooms were not popular. Since then she has really shown that she knows how to work the showhouse rooms. You can check out some of her fantastic showhouse rooms in her book: “Curtain Up!: Thirty Years of Spectacular Showhouse Rooms”.

Barbara will share in this episode:

  • What is a showhouse?
  • Why are showhouse rooms important to an interior designer?
  • Invent a client when doing a showroom
  • Use colors!
  • Drafts for rooms!
  • Everything is out of pocket!
  • Do a room that people will remember
  • Don’t be afraid to ask!
  • The room that always get clients
  • Her best tips for running a showhouse
  • The process after a showhouse is finished

Links Mentioned in this Episode:

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07: How blogging helps my interior design business with Lisa Dreissig

Lisa Dreissig

  • Today’s guest is the fantastic Lisa Dreissig!

    Lisa went to school at The Fashion Institute of Technology. She then worked for several startups and then moved onto an architecture firm. Working with these firms helped her immensely with the starting of her own business. But before she started her own business she created a blog that she started in 2007 when she was laid off from her job. It turns out that this blog has really opened the horizon to be a great way to have people get to know her and find potential clients. Lisa shares with us today how her blog has helped her business and why it’s a good idea for others to start a blog as well.

    Lisa shares with us in the broadcast:

    • Her inspiration for her blog
    • Platform she uses for her blog
    • How to get through writer’s block
    • Make a personal connection
    • If someone doesn’t like what you post, then don’t work with them
    • Her advice for starting a new blog
    • Her biggest struggle with her blog
    • Recommendations of other blogs to read

    Links mentioned:

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06: Identifying Your Transferrable Skills with Erika Ward

Erika Ward




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On today’s show we have the lovely Erika Ward! Erika started out as an accountant for a design, build company. While still working in corporate settings she started her own firm called “Erika Ward Interiors”. She used her background in financing and her creative side to grow her business and has since then built her business to the greatness that it is now. Erika not only works with individual clients but also works close with retail brands like Home Depot! 

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05: Christina Perry – Is Online Interior Design Right for Your Firm?

Design By Christina Perry (5)

Welcome!

Our guest today is the wonderful and talented interior designer, Christina Perry! Christina started at a young age rearranging furniture and accessories and discovering her passion of what she really likes to do. She attended The University of Missouri State and graduated with a bachelor degree in Science in Interior Designing. She then went on to work in several different jobs that showed her different aspects of the interior design industry. She realized that she was really interested in the creative aspect of the interior design industry and wanted to help people create a space that they will enjoy being in.

Christina will share with us in this broadcast:

  • You should always try to continue to learn and grow
  • Her realization that most everything is done online
  • Why doing everything online is a good thing
  • What tools she uses to help her out
  • Interior design software
  • Her client project website
  • What obstacles or problems has she run into?
  • How she is reaching more clients
  • What marketing efforts she is using to let people know her
  • Studio web ware recommendations
  • Make it a personal experience!
  • Have clear open communication!
  • How did she arrive at a la cart pricing?

Links mentioned: