825: Power Talk Friday: Cheryl Clendenon: The Design Paradigm – Creating a Strong Framework For Your Interior Design Business
824: Kaitlyn Wolfe: Rapidly Scaling a Successful Design-Build Business
Today With Kaitlyn Wolfe:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today we have on Kaitlyn Wolfe, founder, general contractor, and principal designer at Iconic by Kaitlyn Wolfe, a Scottsdale, Arizona-based design-build firm that Kaitlyn has grown from the ground up.
Kaitlyn gives us a peek behind the curtain, speaking to what the past few years have been like for her business—one that started as a solo side hustle and has quickly grown to an award-winning firm with more than 15 employees. She shares how she strategized on the fly, but also how she has thoughtfully grown her team with intention and implemented organizational systems along the way.
Pick It Apart
[4:30] Kaitlyn shares how she fell in love with construction by working with interior designers, architects, and general contractors, all of which gave her well-rounded knowledge of the industry.
[12:51] Kaitlyn admits that things could have backfired but remained confident in herself.
[25:20] Kaitlyn shares how diversity within the team adds to each project.
[31:30] Kaitlyn explains what she has learned from growing her team.
[38:05] Kaitlyn discusses what open communication with her team looks like.
LuAnn Nigara and Kaitlyn Wolfe’s Ah-Ha Moments
“…having more of the construction knowledge is super important. I think it helps you collaborate with builders more. I think it just helps you be a better designer.” – Kaitlyn Wolfe
“The reason we’re changing so fast, or changing things all the time is because we’re growing.” – Kaitlyn Wolfe
“I feel like I work for my team…Where can they grow? How can I provide opportunities for them? What are their goals and how can I help them get there within this company?” – Kaitlyn Wolfe
More About Kaitlyn Wolfe:
From an early age, I knew interior design was something that I absolutely loved and resonated with. In addition, my father was an electrical engineer so I was always helping with any home improvement project I could get my hands on. I was born in a small town outside of Dallas, Texas where I lived until I was 8 years old. My family picked up and moved us to London, England, where I lived until I was 11. Looking back, I think having exposure to European architecture at such a young age and traveling all over Europe, really shaped me. When we left London, we moved to a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I ended up staying in Pennsylvania until I decided to move to Arizona to pursue my Masters in Business Administration. I gained experience working for an interior designer and an architect, as well as a general contractor. I felt that my skills were really well-rounded and it was time to create something of my own. In 2016, I started Iconic Design+Build (although I started as KaityMac Interiors and re-branded in 2018). I worked on my own for the first few years and gained an assistant in 2019. I now have a team of 16 of us and I’ve really focused on cultivating the best team, the best work culture, and attracting the clients that we really feel aligned with. I pursued interior design and construction because I often noticed there was a lack of communication between the design and the build-on projects I had worked on. Getting my contractor’s license allows us to execute the construction for our clients looking for a remodel or TI buildout and it allows us to communicate better with builders and architects that we partner with for custom home designs. We are a full-service luxury interior design firm as well as a general contractor, with projects ranging from residential to commercial. We design everything from residential remodels and new construction custom homes to boutique retail and hospitality spaces. We specialize in mixing styles such as Scandinavian, vintage, brutalist, industrial, minimalist, and mid-century modern spaces, all with an organic desert feeling. I want to inspire others to follow their passion and to design with intention. I pursued interior design when all odds were against me, but I knew that this was my purpose in life. When it comes to intention, I want people to see there was a reason for every single design detail and element we include in a space. We always focused on functionality for our client’s, at the same time pushing them out of their comfort zones creatively. In my free time, I absolutely love vintage shopping, traveling, and visiting National Parks!
Connect with Kaitlyn Wolfe
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2
Connect with LuAnn Nigara
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Other Shows Mentioned:
#433: Nate Berkus: Introducing His Collection With Kravet
#363: Power Talk Friday: Eileen Hahn: Building An Exceptional Interior Design Team
#589: Power Talk Friday: Eileen Hahn: Scaling From 2 Million to 5 Million
Other Resources Mentioned:
824: Kaitlyn Wolfe: Rapidly Scaling a Successful Design-Build Business
824: Kaitlyn Wolfe: Rapidly Scaling a Successful Design-Build Business
823: Power Talk Friday: Duke Renders: A Case Study For a Successful Business Plan
Today With Fernando Duque:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! Today’s episode is sponsored by Duke Renders. They are a 3D Render studio based in beautiful Tulum, Mexico, and specialize in Interior Design and Architectural photorealistic imaging.
Fernando Duque is here today to talk about how they have built Duke Renders in 2 years to over 100 employees and more than 500 interior design accounts. Make sure to grab your pen and paper!
LuAnn Nigara and Fernando Duque’s Ah-Ha Moments
“We were very clear that we needed to get in place a good management team in order to get where we wanted to go.” – Fernando Duque.
“I think it was Tony Robbins who said that books are 10 or more years of an author’s life compressed for 9.10 bucks.” – Fernando Duque.
“I’ve mentioned Tony Robbins before, I’m a big Tony fan, and I love when he says that the secret of living is giving, I really like that phrase.” – Fernando Duque.
“We are on a mission, we have a very clear mission of making this industry a better industry.” – Fernando Duque.
More About Fernando Duque:
Born in Venezuela, MBA Babson College. Serial Entrepreneur, founded more than 5 companies.
I cofounded Duke Renders with my brother Enrique in March 2020 in the middle of COVID 19, since then it has been a skyrocket growth with more than 100 team members today and no outside investment.
We are a 3D Render studio based in beautiful Tulum, Mexico. We specialize in Interior Design and Architectural photorealistic imaging.
We serve busy Interior Designers with 100% Accurate Photo-Realistic 3D Renderings of their Creative Designs.
We make You and Your Clients feel Proud, Confident and Empowered at Every Single Step of the Design Process.
I live in Tulum with my wife Mina, our newborn daughter Penelope and our doggy Lulu.
Fun Facts:
- I love going to the beach at 5am and do it every day!
- Traveled the world backpacking for 2.5 years
- Loves cooking Moroccan Food for his Moroccan Wife
Connect with Fernando Duque
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2
Connect with LuAnn Nigara
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Other Shows Mentioned:
Other Resources Mentioned:
A Big Thank You to Today’s Sponsor:
Thank you to Duke Renders for sponsoring this show!
823: Power Talk Friday: Duke Renders: A Case Study For a Successful Business Plan
822: Layton Campbell: The Drama of Interior Design: A Former Broadway Performer Sets the Stage for Building a Design Business
Today With Layton Campbell:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I have Layton Campbell of JLayton Interiors on the show. Layton wasn’t always an owner of a successful design firm. He originally started out on Broadway in NYC and performed on cruise ships as a dancer and singer. He always had a passion for stage sets and the interiors of places which grew his desire to do interior design, an interest he already had. Ultimately, he moved back to his native Charlotte, NC and launched his own firm. While scary as it was, there were a lot of lessons Layton learned along the way, and shares with us today.
Pick It Apart
[7:30] Layton and LuAnn discuss how having prior experience in a career, like working for another design firm, will give you transferable skills.
[10:25] Layton goes into best practices of when he worked for another firm.
[22:40] How Layton approached going out onto his own.
[27:00] Layton talks about his How to Guide For Starting a Design Business From the Ground Up.
[34:07] How Layton approached marketing for his design firm.
LuAnn Nigara and Layton Campbell’s Ah-Ha Moments
“Branching out on my own was terrifying because I was comfortable and you’re putting yourself in uncharted territories, but you have to believe in yourself, your background, and the things you have learned and know that they will serve you.” – Layton Campbell
“When you think of marketing, think about the layering of it in various forms. That’s where it’s beneficial.” – Layton Campbell
More About Layton Campbell:
Layton Campbell is a true native Charlottean and proud of it. Many are surprised to learn that he earned a Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and then moved to live in New York City for a little over a decade. While there, he studied his other passion: Interior Design at the prestigious Parsons School of Design.
His design studies beckoned Layton to travel extensively around the world in search of diverse craft and traditions. His professional design aesthetic has been demonstrably shaped by surrounding himself with the rich culture and styles of Russia, Asia, Australia, Europe and The Middle East.
After moving back to Charlotte and working as an Associate Designer, Layton launched JLayton Interiors in 2004. During this time, he also acted as lead buyer, designer and store manager for a popular Charlotte-based luxury gift, decor and furnishing retail boutique called Bella Casa from 2005 to 2011.
Layton’s biggest sense of accomplishment is that he can work within a broad variety of design styles. Thus, his work does not have a routine standard appearance. Each project is an individually inspired expression of originality. His creative philosophy centers on juxtaposing a collection of varying styles for a genuine personalized result for each client. The only thing routine about his approach is that he wants to listen to his client’s needs and desires so that he can match and surpass their expectations.
Connect with Layton Campbell
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
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
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2
Connect with LuAnn Nigara
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Other Shows Mentioned:
#12: How to Get Your Interior Design Projects Published With Ren Miller
#108: Power Talk Friday- Amy Flurry: How to Pitch and Get Press For Your Interior Design Firm
#134: Paula Grace: How Do I Build Trust With My Clients?
#167: Kelsey Grose – Winner of Best New Design Blog at Design Bloggers Conference 2017
#203: Darla Powell – How to Launch an Interior Design Firm
#291: Cheryl Luckett: From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design
#323: Amy Flurry: How to Pitch Press and Build Relationships
#330: Darla Powell: Darla Powell Interiors 18 Months After Opening
#433: Nate Berkus: Introducing His Collection With Kravet
#455: Megan Molten: Planning Creates Success in Your Interior Design Business
#601: Darla Powell: Real Tips to Up Your Social Media Game
#677: Megan Molten: To Succeed, Focus on Your Why
#739: Marianna Zimmerman: It’s Never Too Late to Design Your Life
Other Resources Mentioned:
822: Layton Campbell: The Drama of Interior Design: A Former Broadway Performer Sets the Stage for Building a Design Business
822: Layton Campbell: The Drama of Interior Design: A Former Broadway Performer Sets the Stage for Building a Design Business
821: Power Talk Friday: LuAnn’s 60th Birthday Celebration: 3 Defining Moments
Today on A-Well Designed Business:
Today LuAnn recaps her experience at High Point Market this fall and her top takeaways from the Power Talk Friday Tour 2022.
What’s new with LuAnn Nigara
Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration
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
Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts
Pre-Order Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2
Connect with LuAnn Nigara
LuAnn’s Website
LuAnn’s Blog
Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast
Other Resources Mentioned:
