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1173: Bri Ussery: The Relationship Between Order and Meaning

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Today With Bri Ussery:

Today with Bri Ussery, we’re talking about a topic most of us think we’ve mastered but probably haven’t: communication as operational infrastructure. Bri, a strategist and fractional COO for interior design firms, explains why even the most well-built systems fall apart without clear, intentional language supporting them. From weekly update emails to onboarding decks to meeting notes, she shows how the words you use either reinforce your authority and stabilize your projects or quietly create ambiguity, scope creep, and timeline wobble.

If you’ve ever said, “But it was in the contract,” or felt frustrated that clients aren’t responding the way you expected, this episode is for you. Bri walks us through her four pillars, how language signals expertise, how communication sets the pace, why documentation holds the truth, and how structure shapes client behavior. This conversation will challenge you to look at your processes through a new lens and strengthen the thread that runs through every client interaction.

More About Bri Ussery:

Bri Ussery is a strategist and fractional COO who works alongside interior design principals to build the operational architecture that sustains exceptional creative work.

Her work focuses on strengthening the clarity, structure, and rhythm beneath a studio—how projects move, how decisions are made, how communication flows, and how the business measures its own health—so that vision can be executed with consistency, integrity, and financial steadiness.

Bri began her career in design and understands the pace, pressure, and precision required to run a studio with a full slate of projects and a team to lead. She also saw how quickly strong work can fracture when the structure behind it isn’t steady : when timelines stretch, expectations drift, and studios are forced to reinvent the wheel with every project.

She believes that the caliber of the work is magnified by the architecture that holds it and that good structure doesn’t constrain creativity, it protects it.

Ah Ha Moments with Bri Ussery:

“Clarity is kindness.” – Bri

“Documentation holds the truth.” – Bri

“There is a difference between being warm and being vague.” – LuAnn

Connect with Bri Ussery:

Website

Architecture of Communication Deck

Instagram

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

The Power Talk Friday Tour

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 Resources Mentioned:

This podcast supports the Savvy Giving Design Coalition. Learn more about it here!

AWDB #717 Susan Wintersteen: Interior design firm standards in a nonprofit passion project

AWDB #164: Susan Wintersteen- Savvy Giving by Design

Architecture of Communication Deck

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB #986: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: Boundaries and Expectations are a Few of My Favorite Things

AWDB #831: Flashback Friday: Nate Berkus: The Importance of Creating An Exceptional Client Experience

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1172: BEST OF: Jessica Matteson: The Client Experience Is #1 in Design

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Today with Jessica Matteson:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Jessica Matteson started her business with lots of experience but little time and money to invest in getting Jessica Matteson Landscape Architecture off the ground. Jessica shares her journey from starting with just $35 in advertising postcards to running a successful luxury landscape architecture business.

Pick it apart:

[14:28] Jessica shares her onboarding process in detail

[18:12] Jessica gives a tip on how to handle a client introducing new wants in the middle of a project

[22:78] Jessica shares how she broadens the scope of projects to include additional products

[26:20] Jessica shares how she used to do her discovery process and the benefits of conducting it with her new method

[34:28] Jessica tells the story about how she invented her one-day service concept

[41:20] Jessica shares her simple marketing strategy she’s used since day one

[52:30] Jessica tells about her early years and the mantra that got her through

LuAnn and Jessica Matteson’s Ah-Ha moments:

“I’ve stopped converting people. I just look for people who are open to the message.” – Jessica Matteson

“Just do one thing. Don’t ever let yourself do nothing. Because the difference between something and nothing is everything.” – Jessica Matteson

“Just get ready for when the opportunity is fully available.” – Jessica Matteson

“You can’t work out hard enough in one day to achieve the body you want.” -LuAnn (paraphrasing Jessica’s statement)


More About Jessica Matteson:
Jessica Matteson is a landscape architect that believes in the great joys of life. She works with residential and select commercial clients to design landscapes and distinctive outdoor experiences. Using her signature discovery process, she identifies the special magic of each property and combines it with each clients’ unique identity to create something one-of-a-kind and exceptional. By harnessing the nuances of light, sound, air movement, and perspective, as well as the subconscious psychology of plantings and materials, she tells an original story of a place and its inhabitants.

Jessica’s work is influenced by travel to more than 20 countries to study all genre of landscapes and wild places. She has a Masters of Landscape Architecture and a Bachelor of science in horticulture, both from Cornell University. Before opening MLA, she worked for highly respected firms in both the south and northeast as well as an organic design-build company in New York State.

Connect with Jessica Matteson:

Website

Instagram

LinkedIn

Pinterest

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

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

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

Power Talk Friday

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

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1171: Jenna Gaidusek: AI Ethics for Interior Designers: Protecting Your Clients and Brand

Jenna Gaidusek 2025

Today With Jenna Gaidusek:

AI is not going anywhere.

But how you use it inside your design firm? That’s a leadership decision.

In this follow-up conversation with Jenna Gaidusek, we move beyond what AI can do and dig into what it should do inside your business.

Because here’s the thing:

Ignoring AI is not leadership.But using it without standards? That’s not leadership either.

In this episode, we talk about:

  • What is absolutely off-limits when using AI

  • Why uploading other people’s intellectual property is a hard no

  • How to protect client financial and project data

  • Why “Chat said so” is not a strategy

  • How to create internal SOPs and guardrails for your team

AI is a tool. It is not exercising judgment for you. It is not leading your business for you.

If you are the principal of your firm, you are responsible for how this technology is used.

This episode will help you think like a CEO in the age of AI and put boundaries in place before problems arise.

Because systems create freedom. And standards protect integrity.

More About Jenna Gaidusek:

Meet Jenna Gaidusek, a visionary entrepreneur, interior designer, and

one of the most trusted voices in the world of design technology. As

the founder of AI for Interior Designers , Jenna has dedicated her

career to helping creative professionals navigate the fast-changing

landscape of artificial intelligence with confidence, clarity, and a

healthy dose of curiosity.

Jenna’s approach is refreshingly practical and deeply human. She

understands that, for many designers, AI can seem intimidating or

out of reach. That’s why she’s made it her mission to break down

complex concepts into real-world strategies that anyone can

understand and apply—no tech background required. Through her

on-demand learning platform, The DAIly, as well as live workshops, in-

person events, and personalized advisory, Jenna empowers designers

to use AI not just as a buzzword, but as a genuine tool for creativity,

efficiency, and business growth.

A longtime advocate for ethical technology, Jenna partners with

leading industry groups and publications to ensure that AI is used

responsibly and transparently in the design world. Her insights are

grounded in real experience: before becoming a tech educator, Jenna

built a thriving design firm and launched platforms like eDesign Tribe

and eDesign U, both acquired by Mydoma Studio in 2022.

Connect with Jenna Gaidusek:

Website

Instagram 

Youtube

LinkedIn

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

The Power Talk Friday Tour

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 EP.618: Jenna Gaidusek: How to Build an Online Business in Interior Design

AWDB EP.911: Power Talk Friday: Jenna Gaidusek: Introducing Virtual Assistant Certification by Mydoma Studio

AWDB EP. 1110: Jenna Gaidusek: Mastering AI Tools for a Streamlined Design Business

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1170: BEST OF: Meryl Santopietro: How to Re-Invent, Re Vitalize Your Firm, Even After 20 Years

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Today with Meryl Santopietro:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m thrilled to 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.

More About Meryl Santopietro:

SANTOPIETRO INTERIORS is a family design firm based in New York City and Rhode Island, that is highly sought after for their diverse, expertly executed style, careful attention to detail and unparalleled project management expertise on the grandest scale. This A.S.I.D. (American Society of Interior Designers) Award winning design firm specializes in residential and commercial interior design servicing the most prominent figures in the worlds of media, fashion and finance. 
The varied backgrounds and expertise of the firm’s members provide clients with an unprecedented, comprehensive approach to design and careful attention to detail. Meryl, the founder and creative director, brings to the team a fine arts background with degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and Rhode Island School of Design and more than 30 years experience spearheading all levels of design projects. 
Alessandra, senior designer, has an apparel design degree from Rhode Island School of Design and experience working for some of the most notable fashion houses, including Ralph Lauren. 
Joy, director of marketing and development, brings a legal background with a law degree from Suffolk University and concentration in Intellectual Property law. 
Together, their ability to listen to their clients and transform spaces into oasis, tailored to each individual and their lifestyle is what makes them so unique and so beloved by their clients. 

Connect with Meryl Santopietro:

⁠Website⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠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.


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

⁠Power Talk Friday⁠

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

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1169: What Would Lu Do?: Now That It Works, Lead It

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Today With LuAnn Nigara:

A Well-Designed Business 10-Year Anniversary Series, Part 5

What happens when your business finally works?

The referrals are steady.The revenue is consistent.The team exists.

For many entrepreneurs, this is where survival ends.

But it’s also where drift can begin.

In Part 5 of the 10-Year Anniversary Series, LuAnn shares the leadership shift that happens after stability. Through a pivotal story from her early years at Window Works and a transparent look at her recent recalibration of the podcast itself, she unpacks what it really means to lead what you’ve built.

This episode is about:

• Recognizing where your real value lives• Avoiding drift when things feel comfortable• Recalibrating your business to serve both your mission and your life• Designing the next decade intentionally

If your business works… this episode is your mirror.

Because once it works, your job changes.

Now you must lead it.

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

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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

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1168: Christa O’Leary: How Psychology Transforms Client Communication and Satisfaction

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Today With Christa O’Leary:

Today with Christa O’Leary, we explore how her background in psychology and marriage and family therapy completely transformed the way she approaches design. Christa shows us that great design isn’t just about aesthetics, it’s about creating environments that support wellness, help clients thrive, and make them feel how they want to feel when they walk through the door.

Ever feel like your design work would be even better if you truly understood the people you’re designing for, not just their style preferences, but how they really live, what they struggle with, and how they want to feel in their spaces? Christa talks about learning to speak your client’s language (not designer language), assessing spaces in ways design school never taught, and why understanding personality types can be your greatest tool for client communication.

Your design work can go deeper. It can change lives.

More About Christa O’Leary:

Founder and CEO of Home in Harmony Designs, Christa O’ Leary leads a distinguished design firm renowned for crafting exquisite interiors that elevate both aesthetic beauty and the well-being of her clients. With a rare combination of expertise— holding dual degrees in psychology and human development— O’Leary’ s foundation in marriage and family therapy uniquely informs her philosophy of “Design Inspired Living,” where interiors not only reflect personal style but also foster emotional and physical wellness.

A celebrated figure in the world of interior design, O’ Leary has been recognized as one of the Top 50 Design Firms by Designer’s Today magazine and hailed as the “One to Watch” by Modern Luxury Magazine. Her insights and innovative approach have positioned her as a thought leader in the industry. She has shared her expertise as a keynote speaker at the prestigious High Point Market and participated as a Market Pro, further solidifying her influence in the design community. Additionally, she has been a featured speaker on the Traditional Home panel at HPMKT, offering her unique perspective on creating spaces that nurture and inspire. A celebrated author and advocate for sustainable living, Christa’ s work has captured the attention of national media, with appearances on CBS, NBC, and The Hallmark Channel. As a sought-after motivational speaker, she has inspired audiences worldwide, appearing on renowned radio shows and podcasts. Her signature designs, regularly featured in prestigious publications such as Modern Luxury, Designer’s Today, New England Home, Luxury Interiors, and by the acclaimed international fabric house Kravet, encourage a life of elegance, harmony, and vitality. Most recently, O’Leary’s work was highlighted in the 2025 Hamptons Cottages & Gardens showhouse with her spectacular dining room space that was an overwhelming Instagram favorite.

Through her visionary leadership at Home in Harmony Designs, Christa continues to push the boundaries of traditional interior design, blending her deep understanding of aesthetics and human psychology to create spaces that are not only beautiful but also deeply enriching those who inhabit them.

Connect with Christa O’Leary:

Website

Instagram 

Facebook 

Book: Home in Harmony: Designing an Inspired Life

Clutter Clearing Challenge

Other Resources Mentioned:

This podcast supports the Savvy Giving Design Coalition. Learn more about it here!

AWDB #717 Susan Wintersteen: Interior design firm standards in a nonprofit passion project

AWDB #164: Susan Wintersteen- Savvy Giving by Design

Other Shows Mentioned:

#892: Sharon L. Sherman: Decoding Personality Types for Successful Client Outcomes

#1081: Tracee Murphy: The Psychology of Luxury Sales in Interior Design

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1167: What Would Lu Do?: When Your Business Starts Working… Now What?

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Today With LuAnn Nigara:

When your business starts working, everything changes.

In Part Four of the 10-Year Birthday Series, LuAnn shares the shift that happens when success creates complexity — and why growth without structure leads to burnout.

What began as one microphone and one clear promise eventually became something bigger. More responsibility. More demand. More opportunity. And with that came a critical realization:

You don’t scale by saying yes to everything.You scale by designing intentionally.

In this episode, LuAnn walks through how A Well-Designed Business evolved from a podcast into a thoughtfully built ecosystem — including Power Talk Friday, LuAnn University, Chairman of the Board, and the newly emerging Boardroom for Creatives.

But this isn’t about the programs.

It’s about the pattern.

If you’ve moved from one-room projects to full homes…If you’ve tested new services and refined your offers…If you’ve felt the pressure of success and wondered how to protect your standards…

This episode will help you see your own business more clearly.

Because building the house is one level.

Designing it on purpose is another.

And leading what you’ve built into the next decade?

That’s where we’re headed next.

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

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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

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1166: BEST OF: Marie Flanigan: Leveraging Relationships and Making Decisions in Interior Design

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Today with Marie Flanigan:

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m thrilled to have Marie Flanigan back on the show. Marie has more than a decade of experience as a thriving designer, one whose list of accolades goes on for days. In today’s episode, Marie is answering questions from listeners about how to make big decisions in your business— how to attract the clients and projects you truly desire, how to strategically market, how to handle client expectations, and more!

LuAnn and Marie Flanigan’s Ah-Ha moments:

“I think it’s so important to just live out doing the best you can— be the best at whatever you’re doing in the moment. That’s what builds the relationships, that’s what provides the contacts, that’s what gives you the 10,000 hours to become the expert and really grow into the area you want to be in.” -Marie Flanigan

“You do want to turn away the business that sucks the energy out of you or that takes too much of your time away, because when the right projects come along you need to be open for that.” -Marie Flanigan

“Gut instinct is very important, but you should also go on data.” -Marie Flanigan

“It isn’t just about putting an ad in a newspaper— it’s all the little things that you do across your business.” -LuAnn Nigara

More About Marie Flanigan:

Originally trained as an architect, Marie Flanigan seamlessly unites structure with style, unlocking a unique level of depth through her mutual consideration of an interior and its framework. For more than a decade, Marie has crafted well-articulated spaces that expertly reflect the stories of those who dwell and work within. Her trademark signature of innovative simplicity is evident through the sophisticated use of color, texture, and light. Marie’s projects span the country, from luxury residences to high-end commercial showrooms, each one exhibiting her firm’s commitment to exceptional design and extraordinary service.

Marie’s work and expertise have been featured by premier publications including Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, Vogue, House Beautiful, Southern Living, Domino, Traditional Home, Elegant Homes, Southern Home, and Luxe Magazine. She regularly shares her design and lifestyle advice with TV audiences, including her role on HGTV’s internationally broadcast series, Property Brothers: Brother vs. Brother.

In addition to Marie’s design work, she has now launched collections with some of the industry’s top manufacturers including Visual Comfort and Aria Stone. Her debut book, The Beauty of Home, is now available for purchase.

Connect with Marie Flanigan:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

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

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

Power Talk Friday

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


Other Shows Mentioned:

#89 Marie Flanigan – How Marketing Strategies Helped Her Grow Her Firm

#50 Veronica Solomon – Powerful Marketing for your Interior Design Firm- Website to Fan Engagement on Facebook

#06 Identifying Your Transferrable Skills with Erika Ward

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1165: Megan Dahle: A Four-Part Framework for Making Sense of Your Business Numbers

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Today With Megan Dahle:

If your books are clean but your decisions still feel heavy, this episode is for you.

My guest today, Megan Dahle, is a fractional CFO for creative business owners, and she has a unique way of helping entrepreneurs understand what their numbers are actually telling them without shame, overwhelm, or judgment.

In this conversation, Megan shares her four-part framework for looking at your business numbers in a way that supports better decisions, calmer leadership, and long-term sustainability. We talk about the difference between historical information and future insight, why operational expenses are often misunderstood, and how clarity in how money comes in and moves through your business directly impacts your confidence as a decision-maker.

This is not an accounting lesson. It’s a conversation about understanding patterns, recognizing direction, and leading your business with intention instead of fear.

If you’ve ever thought, “I should feel better about my business than I do,” this episode will help you understand why and what to pay attention to next.

More About Megan Dahle:

As someone who has seen the intimate ups and downs inside hundreds of small businesses, including her own, Megan Dahle (pronounced “Dolly”) has an uncanny ability to spot the invisible habits, processes, and fears that make running a business harder than it needs to be.

From a young age, Megan could “see” numbers inf the form of shapes and colors. Today, she uses that gift to translate confusing spreadsheets and financial statements into visual, intuitive tools that help creative business owners understand what their resources are actually buying, where growth is possible, and what kind of work truly lights them up.

Megan doesn’t tell people what to do. Instead, she helps them uncover their own path by illuminating what’s been unseen and getting brutally but lovingly honest about their relationship with their business.

With a Master’s degree in accounting and 23 years of experience, Megan has spent the last nine years helping creative founders realize just how smart and capable they already are.

When she’s not working, you’ll likely find her wandering through gardens, playing at the bridge club, or curled up on the couch with a good book.

Connect with Megan Dahle:

Website

Instagram

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

Watch the Docuseries!

https://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Register FREE for Prereqs for Success:

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 Resources Mentioned:

This podcast supports the Savvy Giving Design Coalition. Learn more about it here!

AWDB #717 Susan Wintersteen: Interior design firm standards in a nonprofit passion project

AWDB #164: Susan Wintersteen- Savvy Giving by Design

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1164: What Would Lu Do?: When Responsibility Became Stewardship

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Today With LuAnn Nigara:

In Part Three of the A Well-Designed Business 10-Year Birthday Series, LuAnn moves the story forward into the phase almost no one prepares you for.

The moment when hustle stops being the solution.

Not because the work disappears.
But because the work changes.

By this point, the podcast no longer depended on LuAnn doing everything herself.
It depended on something else entirely.

Stewardship.

In this episode, LuAnn shares what happens when stepping out of the weeds doesn’t mean stepping away, but stepping into a different level of responsibility. A level she had lived through before while growing Window Works, and one she recognized just in time this time around.

You’ll hear how the work shifted from execution to bigger thinking, and why growth at this stage demands more discernment, not more effort.

LuAnn walks through:

  • What replaces doing when you stop doing everything
  • Why long-term alignment matters more than enthusiasm
  • How LuAnn University evolved from great courses into a true business school for creatives
  • Why speaking engagements, partnerships, and opportunities must earn their yes
  • How responsibility expands when you’re accountable to communities, not just yourself
  • The difference between visibility and values
  • Why some of the hardest no’s look great on paper
  • And how leadership without ego creates stronger outcomes for everyone involved

This is also the season where decisions began running through a future lens.
Five years. Ten years. Twenty years.

Will this still matter?
Will I still be proud of it?
And what happens when I’m no longer here to run it?

This episode is about the quiet shift from building something exciting to protecting something meaningful.

From growth to guardianship.
From proving to preserving.

If you’ve ever felt the weight of success get heavier instead of lighter, this episode will help you understand why.

And why that weight is not a problem to solve, but a responsibility to lead.

In the next episode, LuAnn will share what came next.
The structures.
The systems.
And the decisions that allowed the business to grow without losing its soul.

Connect with LuAnn Nigara:

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What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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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