Today With Erin Moore:

Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Erin Moore. After more than a decade of experience as a sales leader in the often male-dominated tech, Erin developed a female-focused approach that she wasn’t finding in traditional sales books. Now, she passionately teaches women how to sell in an authentic and personal way through her business, A Sales Conversation. Erin is here with actionable steps on how we can open our minds, expand our skill sets, and practice the art of effective selling by navigating through the three modes of selling: transactional, neutral, and emotive.

Pick It Apart

[1:38] LuAnn asks Erin about her philosophy on sales.

[10:42] Erin talks about the importance of being able to pivot between sales modes based on the conversation.

[15:18] Erin defines relational, transactional, and neutral as sales mode terms. 

[20:51] LuAnn and Erin discuss how to move forward with this mindset and the importance of being in community with others and taking care of ourselves.

[28:48] Erin speaks to the importance of building skills, getting coached, and practicing.

[37:23] Erin shares how knowing and owning your strengths is directly related to your pricing and value.

[42:17] LuAnn and Erin discuss the practice of deregulating the nervous system.

LuAnn Nigara and Erin Moore’s Ah-Ha Moments

 “Don’t lose that person that’s compassionate and passionate and wants to help and so please, but just expand and then open your mind that there are skill sets that you can learn and one of them is sales. So you can still be you, but you actually have skills.” – LuAnn Nigara   “I want to let every woman know your whole self is also clear, direct, firm sets boundaries, says no.” – Erin Moore   “The difference between somebody who’s skilled and somebody who isn’t skilled in relationship to sales is you know how to pivot in and out of those three things of transaction of neutral, and emotive.” – Erin Moore   “When we’re inside the bottle, we can’t see the label.” – Erin Moore   “It’s not one size fits all, it’s helping and trying to identify where our strengths are. And then, to [Erin’s] point, expanding to include the other skill sets.” – LuAnn Nigara   “Perfect practice makes great play.” – LuAnn Nigara

More About Erin Moore

Erin Moore has been a sales leader in the tech industry for over a decade. She has acted as a powerful force for the companies she has worked for such as Marquam and Centerspan, bringing a strategic mindset and technical skillset to directing their sales teams. While working in this male-dominated field, she began to develop a female-focused sales mindset approach that she wasn’t finding in traditional sales books. Now, Erin is passionate about teaching women how to sell in an authentic and personal way. Company: A Sales Conversation.

Connect with Erin Moore

Website

LinkedIn

Instagram

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned: AWDB #760: Jessica Harling: The 7 Step Sales Process for Interior Designers and Window Treatment Professionals

AWDB #881: Power Talk Friday: Katie McDonald: Self-Care is Key to a Thriving, Well-Designed Business

AWDB #913: Power Talk Friday: Terri Taylor: The Importance of Money Mindset in Charging Your Worth

Today With Christine Vroom:

Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Christine Vroom of Christine Vroom Interiors in Los Angeles, California. Christine spaces focus on enhancing mental health, along with physical and spiritual well-being, and that’s by design. Through her own mental health journey, Christine has learned how to better take care of herself, surrounded herself with a supportive team, and translated her own difficult times into compassion and understanding toward her clients.  Just as our systems and processes play a role in our business, so does our mental and physical health. Christine has put a lot of time, thought, and effort into finding the best ways to care for herself in order to show up better as a business owner. But it’s a journey. Today, she is sharing her story and some of the wisdom she has learned along the way.

Pick It Apart

[2:34] Christine and LuAnn discuss the importance of open, honest conversations about mental health, especially as it pertains to the interior design industry.

[5:18] Christine expands on the pressure of perfectionism in this industry and shares her strategies on how to take care of ourselves and our mental health within those expectations.

[10:10] Christine tells the story of her struggle to recover from an eating disorder—which is actually an anxiety disorder. 

[19:06] LuAnn asks Christine what triggers her now and how she puts safeguards up to protect her mental health.

[26:12] Christine speaks about evolving with her mental health and why she considers it a blessing in disguise.

[39:21] Christine and LuAnn chat about how taking care of our own mental health can give us more compassion toward others and how that can especially serve us in our businesses.

LuAnn Nigara and Christine Vroom’s Ah-Ha Moments

 “We do have to have that level of perfectionism [in the interior design industry]. But the question is, how do we take care of ourselves?” – Christine Vroom   “We’re beyond that. We’re beyond the ruminating. We’re beyond the mental obsessions. We’re beyond really caring if somebody thinks that you didn’t do what you know you did. We gotta let it go.” – Christine Vroom   “I don’t need to ride on your roller coaster.” – Christine Vroom   “When you’re evolved, and you do know yourself well enough to know that you have anxiety or ‘fill in the blank’ then the tactic now is to actively protect your own psyche through that roller coaster ride.” – LuAnn Nigara   “If we picked out our best, best, best trait, it is also our Achilles heel.” – LuAnn Nigara

More About Christine Vroom

Christine Vroom Interiors is a full service interior and exterior design firm in Los Angeles, California, founded by senior designer Christine Vroom. Bringing together her love of timeless design with a fashion-forward attention to detail, Christine has made an impression on homeowners, developers, architects, and business owners alike. Guided by the philosophy of ‘beauty meets function,’ Christine creates liveable luxury through inviting, well designed spaces that directly enhance mental health, physical and spiritual well-being.

Connect with Christine Vroom

Website 

Instagram

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB #881: Power Talk Friday: Katie McDonald: Self-Care is Key to a Thriving, Well-Designed Business

AWDB #899: Power Talk Friday: Janine Aurichio: The Inside Job: 3 Keys to Calm, Clear, and Joyful Creativity

TIE #180: Jude Charles: Breaking the Silence: Overcoming Burnout and Embracing Wellness

Today With Amy Flurry:

Join us on this episode as we welcome Amy Flurry back to the show. Amy operates a boutique communications and brand development firm in Athens, Georgia. Along with her team and advisor, they partner with companies in the home furnishings industry to develop and implement focused communication plans, expand marketing strategies to connect to the interior design trade and apply trend direction to product development.  In today’s episode she’ll be telling us all about Aloka Homes, a company that re energizes vintage quilts, made of layers of saris that were hand-stitched in India 60-80 years ago. Prepare to be inspired by the artistry and story behind these remarkable pieces! 

More About Amy Flurry

Amy Flurry operates a boutique communications and brand development firm in Athens, Georgia. Along with her team and advisor, they partner with companies in the home furnishings industry to develop and implement focused communication plans, expand marketing strategies to connect to the interior design trade and apply trend direction to product development.

Amy has two decades of editorial experience, producing features and writing for top print and online publications. In 2011 Amy authored Recipe for Press (Pitch Your Story and Create a Buzz,) and is a nationally recognized speaker on the subject of DIY PR. Recipe for Press (Designer Edition) is her newest book with the tools interior designers need to take advantage of the press opportunities available to creative professionals. The book took shape after two years as creative director of the first-of-its kind project management app for interior design professionals.

Amy is co-founder of Paper-Cut-Project, a company that conceives highly crafted installations for fashion houses including Hermes, Kate Spade, Valentino, Christies and the Victoria & Albert Museum. She is also principal in aloka, a home accessories company with an emphasis on limited-supply vintage pillows and throws thoughtfully styled for today’s living.

Connect with Amy Flurry

Aloka Home

Website

Get the books!

Recipe For Press’ Instagram

Aloka Home’s Instagram

Post Press Kit

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB 323 Amy Flurry: How to Pitch Press and Build Relationships

AWDB 108 Power Talk Friday- Amy Flurry-How To Pitch and Get Press For Your Interior Design Firm

AWDB 21 Stacy Garcia- A Thoughtful Conversation with a Design Visionary

AWDB 47 Gail Davis: Make Your Life Count

AWDB 100 Scott Kravet – Celebrating our 100th Episode!

AWDB 757 Power Talk Friday: Nitesh Chaudhary: Jaipur Living: The Manchaha Initiative

Today With Bessie Seeley:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Many designers start their businesses on the side, from home, or wherever we can squeeze in our work. And as they grow, most of them pivot to a studio as soon as possible. After all, that’s how you connect with clients and get taken seriously…right? But what if I told you that where you work from doesn’t matter nearly as much as you think it does. What if I told you that you could run a thriving business right from your kitchen table? I’ve seen several business owners do just that over the years, and my guest today, Bessie Seeley, founder of Kardinia Interior Design, is the same way. Bessie began her career at home, but even as she grew, even as she thrived, even as she hired, she remained working from her kitchen table for the first four years in her business. And as she grew her business, she did so very deliberately. She knew that she wanted to open a studio eventually. But she was strategic about the decisions she made on that path and what she prioritized first. Today, she’s sharing her insights into how she built her business with clarity and strategy.

Pick It Apart

[2:01] Bessie shares her story of how she started, and grew, her business from her kitchen table.

[8:47] LuAnn and Bessie discuss the strategic side of growing your business and making decisions like opening a studio or leaving your job.

[10:23] Bessie talks about her company culture and workplace flexibility.

[24:15] Bessie and LuAnn unpack what goes into finding and building a team that functions as a well-oiled machine (without being micromanaged).

LuAnn Nigara and Bessie Seeley’s Ah-Ha Moments

“There are so many capable designers out there, but it’s not just about creating beautiful functional designs. That’s a huge part of it. And that’s why clients come to us—our general aesthetic that people are drawn to. But for me, it’s really about that other thing, which is that I want every client to feel listened to and cared for.” -Bessie

“That is the huge lesson of what you’re talking about and how you have six women that sit around you, and everybody is just in concert together. Because you have identified what is the most important thing for you in the building of your team. And you don’t deviate from it.” -LuAnn

More About Bessie Seeley

Bessie Seeley is the founder and Principal Designer at Kardinia Interior Design, a full service boutique interior design firm based in Winter Park, FL. Kardinia Interior Design’s design style can be described as timeless, curated, and bespoke, and our aesthetic seeks to balance beauty with functionality. Our collective interest and passion for creating beautiful spaces, our streamlined design process, and the white glove service and experience we offer to each and every one of our clients makes Kardinia Interior Design the coveted and creative boutique design studio it has grown to be. Bessie launched this business alongside a corporate finance career in 2018, and today, Kardinia Interior Design is a team of 6 and designs homes nationwide. Bessie lives in Orlando with her husband Jason and son Harrison.

Connect with Bessie Seeley

Website

Website

Instagram 

Instagram

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

#786 Meredith Huck: From Corporate to Interior Design Business: 3 Insights to Succeed

#291 Cheryl Luckett – From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design

Today With Sonja Capasso:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today we’re welcoming Sonja Capasso of Capasso & Co to the show. I met Sonja a few months ago and I couldn’t wait to finally sit down with her and learn more about her journey.

More About Sonja Capasso

My interior design passion started a long time ago! I have a memory of living in our little apartment in Lake Bled, Slovenia, where I shared a room with my older sister. I was an antsy child and got bored quickly – which led me to rearrange our tiny room numerous times. I am not sure how I managed to pull apart our bunk beds at that young age, move the shelves, closets, and desks – but I kept doing it and each time I found a new layout that suited me at that time.

Those were my interior design beginnings, however, I didn’t pursue a career in design until I was 35 and decided to enroll to PBSC in Florida, where I earned an AS in Interior Design Technology where I graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2016.

I worked for a local design firm from 2015 – 2017, and after graduating, I immediately opened my own design business and started working part time as a rendering and drafting professional. It soon became obvious to me that this is my true passion and calling, so I changed my specialty from an interior designer to a drafting and rendering artist.

Over the course of my design career, I also flipped and remodeled multiple houses, designed commercial interiors, and gained great on the job and first hand knowledge and experience, which has helped me create better contract documents.

During my years in school, I also obtained a Florida Realtor License and a Broker’s license (which I let pass since we moved out of state), and I also became accredited with LEED AP ID+C since I have a passion for all things organic, natural, and sustainable.

After we moved from Florida to CT, I participated in a Designer of the year contest on HGTV, where I made it through the first cut. While I didn’t make it further, this was a huge accomplishment for me, and you can now find my interior design business listed on HGTV.com. While in school, I also submitted my student designs to our local South Florida ASID chapter, where I won the first prize two years in a row.

Since I switched my specialty to drafting and renderings, I have worked with over 100 interior designers, most of which are repeat clients. I thoroughly enjoy my work and I am so happy to be able to have independence, be my own boss, and run my business from home.

Connect with Sonja Capasso

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB 918 Lorna Gross: Unlock Your Potential: Reimagine and Reinvent Yourself, Over and Over

AWDB 784 Kelly Fridline: An Alternative Path—From Architecture to Coaching in Interior Design

AWDB 807 Power Talk Friday: Claire Jefford: Interior Design Boss Academy. Why Trust & Experience Matter in Creating a Profitable Business

AWDB 485 Power Talk Friday: Claire Jefford: Rock the Consult

AWDB 325 Claire Jefford: Create Valuable Content to Sell Through Your Website

AWDB 237 Claire Jefford- How To Get More Clients With Video Content

Other Resources Mentioned:

Badass Habits by Jen Sincero

Today With Heather Vitti Pruett:

My guest today is a great example of taking control and choosing her own path. Heather Vitti Pruett, owner of Vitti Interiors is here to share her successes of using connections to help her business, being recognized for heart-centered projects, and her experience taking a client to small claims court. No matter what is going on in life, we always have the option to choose a different path.

Heather is an active member of the American Society of Interior Design (ASID). And we are also getting into all of the value of joining a professional organization.

Pick It Apart

[1:47] Heather shares her first experience taking a client to small claims court and how she won!

[16:43] Heather shares her positive experience with the ASID chapter in San Diego.

[25:58] Heather did a design remodel at her daughter’s school which was estimated to be 200K, and how she did it for 60K.

[37:42] As a show listener, Heather shares lessons she has learned.

[38:35] The thing that Heather continuously tells new students at ASID to do.

[43:53] Referral benefits to joining organizations like ASID.

LuAnn Nigara and Heather Vitti Pruett’s Ah-Ha Moments

“When you treat your interior design as a business instead of a hobby, that is when it will be a business.” – Heather Vitti Pruett

“With networking, you never know who is going to refer you. I’ve gotten calls from out of the blue. Tell everyone what you do.” – Heather Vitti Pruett 

“Join organizations like ASID, WCAA, and IDS not only for education but for referral opportunities.” – LuAnn Nigara

“We all have the option to choose a different path.” – LuAnn Nigara

More About Heather Vitti Pruett

A passion for Interior Design was derived from a love of designing and hand crafting clothing at an early age. Heather developed a talent for working with texture, color, and textiles that translated into a style and unique eye for beautifying interior spaces.

After moving cross-country from the East Coast, Heather advanced her passion by attending the Design Institute of San Diego, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Interior Design.

Since earning her degree, Heather has worked on a myriad of projects ranging from high-end residential, commercial business, retail, senior living, and several types of military workspaces. In addition, she has been raising her spunky and exuberant daughter and plays drums in an all-female rock band.

Heather is an active member in the American Society of Interior Design (ASID).

An ever-ambitious working mom, she volunteers for city/beach cleanups and will assist troop leaders for events in her daughter’s Girl Scout Troop. In the summer of 2022, she volunteered her time and skills to redesign her daughter’s school library. See project details in the “Projects” tab and see the “Press” tab to read an Alumni Spotlight article on the library, published by her college, Design Institute of San Diego.

Heather is also in the interview process of becoming a mentor with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.

Connect with Heather Vitti Pruett

Website

Instagram 

Facebook 

LinkedIn

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB #32: Robin Baron – The President of ASID NY Metro Chapter Talks with us about PR and Brand Development

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

AWDB #742: Power Talk Friday: Renee Gurganus: Why You Should Join the WCAA

AWDB #851: Power Talk Friday: Alexis Varbero: Making Connections that Matter

Today With Eddie Maestri:

In today’s episode we’ll be touching on a topic I love, project autopsies. My guest today, Eddie Maestri, has also found these autopsies to help not only improve his overall business, but also the relationship with his team members. Eddie Maestri started designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and officially founded Maestri Studio in 2008. Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), he is a registered architect in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nevada.  Eddie delivers custom architecture and interiors tailored to his client’s style and needs. Each project influenced by the grand, yet approachable architecture of his hometown, the clean lines and patterns of mid-century design, and his exposure to far away places through his love of travel.

More About Eddie Maestri

Eddie Maestri, AIA, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, started designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and officially founded Maestri Studio in 2008. Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), he is a registered architect in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nevada. Eddie holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design and a Master of Architecture from Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, with a Health Systems & Design certificate. In addition, he spent a semester in Italy, focusing on architectural and urban studies and expanding his talents and love of freehand drawing, art, and interior design.

Eddie delivers custom architecture and interiors tailored to his client’s style and needs. Each project influenced by the grand, yet approachable architecture of his hometown, the clean lines and patterns of mid-century design, and his exposure to far away places through his love of travel. Eddie guides the firm’s team throughout the process of every project while encouraging a collaborative design studio with independent and innovative thinking.

Eddie’s work has been featured on several AIA and neighborhood home tours throughout the Dallas area and in numerous local and national publications such as DHome, Luxe Interiors + Design, Architectural Digest, The Wall Street Journal, and Domino. He prides himself on his passion for design, attention to detail, and building strong client relationships.

Connect with Eddie Maestri

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Blog

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn University – Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester!

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB 604 – What Would Lu Do: The All Important, Project Autopsy

AWDB 101 – Joni Vanderslice – Principal of J. Banks Design – Resort is Home & Home is Resort- another firm that reinforces niching as a path to success

Other Resources Mentioned:

How the Industry Has Changed: Actionable Tips to Adapt, Grow, and Profit – Free Webinar!

Eileen Hahn

Today With Leslie Carothers:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. You’ve probably heard about new technology developing—AI, chatGPT, the metaverse—all the things. But are you jumping on the bandwagon? Today Leslie Carothers of Savour Partnership, a digital marketing firm for interior designers, is here to talk about how metaverse applications and AI are changing the future of the world, business in general, and our industry.

Pick It Apart

[2:30] Leslie unpacks all things metaverse and how they’re being used.

[11:20] Leslie discusses how big brands are using metaverse activations.

[46:54] Leslie and LuAnn talk about AI and its implications for designers.

[0:09] Leslie discusses the ethical implications of AI.

[10:05] Leslie shares a product design project she completed with AI assistance.

LuAnn Nigara and Leslie Carothers’ Ah-Ha Moments

“There is nothing that will replace the soul that you bring to a project, there is nothing that will replace the execution ability that you bring to a project. There’s nothing that will ever replace the problem-solving ability that you bring to a project. And there’s nothing that will ever replace the therapeutic aspect, as many of you know, that you bring to a project for your clients. You are irreplaceable as designers. So you never have to worry about AI replacing, in my opinion, ever, your jobs.” -Leslie

More About Leslie Carothers

Named by Home Furnishing News Magazine as one of the Top 40 Most Inspiring Women In Home, Ms. Carothers has a long history of innovating within the digital marketing space. 

Her innovations have included: implementing the USA’s first ever furniture product development initiative in the virtual world of Second Life, implementing the USA’s first ever multi-brand influencer marketing program on behalf of her past client, Cargill’s BiOH Polyols division, and acting as co-principal in the world’s first virtual designer showhouse to include augmented reality.

Other innovations include being the first agency to offer shoppable digital magazine creation on behalf of brands within the home furnishings and interior design industry and being the first to work with a major publisher, Meredith Corporation’s Better Homes and Garden Magazine, to bring together a group of influencers with a group of journalists, during the implementation of BHG’s first Stylemakers program. 

Most recently, she is the founding advisory partner and an investor in the world’s first international search engine platform, Ethos Design Collective, that allows consumers to search for vetted luxury designers to hire. 

Ms. Carothers was also an early user of Facebook Groups and now runs the popular Facebook Group, #DesignWealth, for interior designers who are interested in all aspects of designing passive income into their websites. 

In her spare time, she is a long time volunteer board member of the Bienenstock Furniture Library and also writes a popular lifestyle blog, Design Happy Living, where brands like Thibaut have collaborated with her to reach new consumer/designer audiences.

Connect with Leslie Carothers

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Facebook

Blog

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

Watch the Docuseries!

luannuniversity.com

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast