Welcome to today’s episode! It’s time to start thinking about the High Point Market again. If you’re wondering why you need to be thinking about it now, you may be surprised to find out that the hotels are already filling up. Also, now is the right time to start mapping out your trip and go to the website at High Point Market to see who the brands are, make your appointments, and get onto the email list so you can be notified of the new product launches, the panels, and the keynote series in the theater, because you really won’t want to miss a thing! Listen in today, to find out more.

On the show today, we have Ashley Grigg, the Director of Marketing and Communications for the High Point Market Authority, Lisa Mende, the founder and principal of Lisa Mende Design, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, and Jeanne Chung, a luxury interior designer and retailer based in Southern California. These three ladies will explain why you need to attend the High Point Market and they will give some great tips for making the most of the experience. They will also discuss the logistics of going to High Point, explain how to make your trip really productive, and share some really useful information about the various tours that are available. You really have to know what to do before you get to High Point, so tune in now, to get all the details.

Show Highlights:

• Why it’s really important for interior designers to invest the time and money in going to High Point Market.
• How half the business is conducted after the market is over.
• The brand cocktail parties are awesome opportunities to meet and connect with important people.
• The way that High Point has really impacted on Jeanne’s business.
• Making great connections at High Point Market.
• How High Point Market stands out from all the rest.
• Having the opportunity to talk to the showroom owners.
• Ways for new designers to establish themselves with the various showrooms.
• Some things to think about when pre-planning your trip to High Point Market.
• Why it’s a good idea to do a tour for your first trip to High Point.
• High Point Market covers 11 500 000 square feet!
• Jeanne talks about her Insider’s Tour, which is geared towards designers seeking to offer customization and one-of-a-kind.
• Ashley talks about all the other tours that are also available for buyers at High Point. The relevant information about all the tours is available on the High Point Market authority website. High Point Market
• Some tips for making sure that you are able to connect with the right people at High Point.
• There is an incredible Market Advisor Team available for you to call to answer any questions you may have prior to arriving at HP. They will also be available during the market.
• Lisa’s great tips and suggestions for getting ready for market.

Bios:

Ashley Grigg is the Director of Marketing and Communications for the High Point Market Authority. High Point Market is the largest home furnishings trade show in the world and Ashley manages many of their projects, including media relations, educational programming, social media, and digital promotions. Ashley has over 13 years of experience in marketing and event management

Lisa Mende is the founder and principal of Lisa Mende Design based in Charlotte, NC which opened in 1998. She has built a reputation as one of the South’s Leading Luxury Designers and her work has been featured in many well-known national shelter and lifestyle magazines. As a designer and tastemaker, Lisa works with Brands and has served as a #Authlux Design Guild Member for House of Rohl for 2018, The Thermador Design Council and the Design Council for DSV Luxury in 2016. Lisa is an Allied Member of ASID and NKBA. She also pens the popular blog “The Design Connector” where she is currently kicking off a new series which will chronicle the renovation of her own home sharing all her favorite kitchen and bath products and as well as the renovation process with her readers.

Jeanne Chung is a luxury interior designer and retailer based in Southern California. In addition to heading up her own interior design firm, Jeanne owns a retail and to the trade showroom in Pasadena, CA which has become a favorite go-to destination for both designers and design enthusiasts who seek a unique and artfully edited selection of new and vintage home furnishings and accessories.  Through her design blog Cozy Stylish Chic, Jeanne has become recognized as an influencer in the industry and frequently collaborates with brands and manufacturers. She is a regular speaker on trade show designer panels and has served as a High Point Market Style Spotter. Jeanne participated in the Pasadena Showcase House of Design in 2017 and in 2018, served on the Board of the ASID Pasadena Chapter.

About the High Point Market:

In October and April each year, the High Point Market attracts more than 75 000 retailers, interior designers, and service providers from more than 100 countries. There are nearly 2000 exhibitor showrooms across 180 buildings, covering twelve million square feet of space.

High Point Market was founded in 1909, in the Piedmont region of North Carolina. It is the world’s longest running home furnishings event and it is the driving force in the home furnishings industry. It is unrivaled in both its size and scope.

High Point Market features more Made in the USA furnishings than any other trade show, as well as a wide variety of imported goods, spanning every style, category, and price point.

Links and resources: 

High Point Market Digital Press Kit

Website: High Point Market

Ashley’s email: ashley@highpointmarket.org

To download the app CamCard: CamCard

Registration opens mid-July, 2019 for the fall market

Fall Market: October 19th-23rd, 2019

When you do go to High Point, please be sure to stop by Kravet’s showroom, located at Market Square, #217 on the 2nd floor.

This show was previously aired as #406.

Welcome! Today, we have Juan Carlos Rodriguez-Artigas on the show with us. Juan Carlos is an accomplished architect and interior designer with extensive experience in high-end hospitality, restaurant, commercial, and residential design. He is currently the design director of the London Studio of the global interior architecture firm, Wilson Associates. Juan Carlos’s position is multi-faceted, and in today’s episode, he discusses his role and responsibilities, as the firm’s design director, where he oversees the day-to-day operations and projects of the London studio. In addition to creating beautiful projects, he has been in charge of the hiring and building of a cohesive and talented team, which he has then had to lead and guide. Also, a large part of his job involves finding, meeting, and creating opportunities for new business for the firm, and he explains that this all starts with relationships and with connecting to people. Tune in now to find out more. 

Wilson Associates is a collection of 10 design firms around the world whose work encompasses interior architectural design, architecture, art consultancy, concept development, branding, and food and beverage design. Their portfolio includes some of the most prestigious hospitality projects in the world. Listen in today, to hear what Juan Carlos has to share.

Show Highlights:

• Juan Carlos shares some of his experiences from the past year while building the London studio.
• The pros and cons of first working for a small firm, and then jumping to a big firm.
• Juan Carlos shares what he was looking for when hiring his team members.
• Starting out with a small team and growing organically.
• When building his team, he was looking for flexibility and team players. That’s his secret to creating a small, winning team.
• Running a small office has involved wearing a number of different hats.
• Juan describes the difference between his last position and his current one, with Wilson Associates.
• Creating a strong foundation with the team he built.
• The kind of skill set that Juan Carlos required his team members to have.
• Why Juan Carlos prefers working in hospitality, rather than in residential.
• Having to take into account what the operations team is telling you when designing for hospitality.
• Juan Carlos describes his superpower and the superpower of Wilson Associates.
• The way that all the offices of Wilson Associates collaborate and support each other.
• Even though Wilson Associates is a global team, each studio has its own identity.
• How Juan Carlos, personally, cultivates a pipeline of hospitality projects.
• The event that Juan Carlos would recommend for everyone to go to.
• The biggest challenge that Juan Carlos has faced, that has also been a great lesson for him.
• Some advice for keeping a pressured team happy and moving.

Bio:

Role & Responsibility:

Juan is an architect and interior designer with an extensive and

holistic international experience in high-end hospitality, restaurant,

commercial and residential design.

Combining strengths in architecture and interior design, Juan worked

eight years as an independent designer and creative consultant on

different high end commercial and residential projects in Spain and

abroad.

He was Designer Director at Rockwell Group Europe, managing a

variety of projects in Asia and the Middle East for some of the most

prestigious hospitality brands.

He currently leads the recently open Wilson associates London office.

In charge of this edition sleep & eat theater.

Juan Carlos says:

“People ignore design that

ignores people”

Education:

College Degree in

Architecture at Universidad

Anahuac Mexico City, Mexico

Interior design degree/

Instituto Europeo di Design

Madrid, Spain

Master degree in project

management & design

Universidad San Pablo Ceu

Madrid, Spain

Links and resources:

Wilson Associates website:  Wilson Associates’

Designer Questionnaire

Basics

• Title: Design Director London Office
• Languages spoken: English / Spanish and a bit of Italian
• Education: College Degree in Architecture/ Universidad Anahuac Mexico City
• Professional accreditations and/or memberships:- Interior design degree/ Istituto Europeo di Design Madrid, Spain –Master degree in project management & design Universidad San Pablo Ceu Madrid, Spain.
• Tenure at Wilson: March 2018
• Quote you live by or your design mantra: “People ignore design that ignores people”

Beyond the Basics:

• What attracted you to Wilson Associates? What do you enjoy most about working here?

I’ve always loved a challenge; opening an office for such as important and reputable firm like Wilson Associates in a city like London has been one of the most exciting and rewarding challenges in my career to date.

• When did you know you wanted to be a designer?

I don’t think we ever really know what we want to be, but we do begin doing things we love, and by finding our passion you realize it is something you want to do and be forever.

• Where do you find your design inspiration? Everything is inspiring if you look and pay attention.
• Do you have any advice for young designers? Is there any piece of advice you were given early in your career that sticks with you?

Don’t be afraid to fail; defend your ideas, but never fall in love with them and always listen to different points-of-views.

• What are some of your career accomplishments? What projects are you most proud of?

Some of my career accomplishments within design come from participating in projects like the recently opened W Suzhou and Hotel Ingles in Madrid, which opened Spring 2018. I have a special affection for high-end residential design, especially a recent penthouse project in Madrid before I entered the hospitality field.

• What is the most rewarding part of the job? The most challenging?

Any project that ends with a shake of hands and smile from a client is an accomplishment. In hospitality, I find the most challenging part of the job is not only working as a designer but as a mediator between a hotel operator and ownership when they have very opposite visions for a project. It is our job to find that common ground and present an end result that pleases all parties.

• What are your hobbies outside of your work? Any guilty pleasures?

I think the best thing you can spend your money on is travel; experiences stay with you forever. I like yoga, meditation and to hit the gym as much as I can. My guilty pleasures include tacos with tons of salsa verde. You can also put poison into strawberries with chocolate and I would never notice!

• What is your favorite restaurant, hotel and overall destination to visit?

My favorite restaurant is a classic Spanish restaurant in Madrid called El Paraguas.

From a designer perspective, The Jane in Antwerp, Belgium is always worth visiting and I most recently visited a small boutique hotel in Paris called Maison Breguet that was just lovely.  My favorite hotel and destination are a hidden place off the coast of Oaxaca, Mexico called Zipolite, but please don’t spread the word! Mallorca in Spain is also always a good idea.

• Which designers and/or artists inspire you?

Luis Barragan, Piet Boon, Carlo Scarpa, Lázaro Rosa Violán

• If you weren’t an interior designer, what would you be?

Definitely an interior designer.

• Topics or aspects of design you’re comfortable discussing with the media or on a panel?

F&B, Changing trends in the hospitality area, hotel room experiences.

• What are some panels, events/conferences, colleges/professional groups and events, blogs/media you would like to participate in? Anything related to interior and hospitality design.

List three lessons, systems or business techniques you learned at previous positions in and out of the industry.

• You need to get the right players on your team. Great ideas come from various minds, so it’s important to recruit the best team members and invest in the growth and empowerment of your team.
• Don’t fall in love with your ideas and always be ready to alter them, especially in hospitality design where revenue plays an important role.
• Remain optimistic while maintaining realistic expectations as to what you are capable of delivering by a specific deadline with the resources you have. Sometimes it’s better to have quality results than quantity. Finally, I would also make sure that what you are able to deliver what is written in the contract.

Name 2-3 challenges in running a design firm?

• One of the main challenges of running a design firm today with all the constant stream of communication and information from the media is creating a space that not only makes a difference but offers some sort of engagement for the user in order to create brand loyalty. How do we as designers create an emotional link between the user and the space? We have to think about what would draw them in and how do we design an area that will become a part of their lives and experiences. There’s a lot of competition out there and you need to question if what are you offering is unique. Design? Customer service? Or both?
• The second biggest challenge one might encounter when running a design firm is ensuring your team is happy and engaged with what they do. You want to pull out their very best work without forgetting the human component; there is nothing worse than a burned-out team and it will ultimately affect deadlines and the bottom line.
• Build an individual identity for your brand. There is always a lot of competition within the field but creating a brand and positive reputation will go a long way.

Do you have a superpower…what makes your firm different?

With 10 global offices in various parts of the world, our designers speak over 30 languages and offer backgrounds and cultures that complement one another. We live and think outside the box, enabling us to design for every kind of client and market. Although each office has its own identity to some degree, we all live under the Wilson Associates umbrella and work as a team. 

Do you have a client onboarding process?

Having been in the business for nearly 50 years, we have a legacy for upholding the highest standard in client customer service. We analyze their needs and offer a wide range of services that make for a tailor-made and unique experience. As we’ve grown, we’ve continued to evolve and reinvent ourselves within the hospitality and F&B industries, while still maintaining that same level of top-notch service.

List the steps critical for successfully running a client project.

• Connect with the client from the very beginning by listening to their needs, making them feel comfortable and heard, and building trust.
• Be honest and upfront about budget
• Set realistic timelines and don’t overpromise if you know you can’t deliver

Have you ever received a piece of advice regarding running a business that was truly valuable?

The best contribution you can make to your client is to be as authentic as possible. Stay grounded and true to who you are. Also remain open to new ideas and sources, gathering as much data collection as possible, not just digital sources like Pinterest. I find looking outside interior design exhibitions and at the real world is the most inspiring. Inspiration does not necessarily come from beauty.

Welcome to another solo Power Talk Friday! We hope you’re ready for a really out-of-the-box episode today! This morning, as on most weekday mornings, LuAnn was reading the Dear Abby column. She’s often thought about it and wondered why she reads it because it’s such a crazy, mindless column. People write in with very real and heartbreaking problems and yet they are willing to wait for months to get an answer. That really boggles LuAnn’s mind! So, this morning, she was talking out loud and ranting about it, in the very same way she did at the LuAnn Nigara Live event last month when she got really upset about designers not charging their worth. Then she had an idea! Tune in now, to find out what she came up with.

Sometimes, in our businesses, when we know that things aren’t quite right, we pretend that it’s just not that big of a deal. So we avoid having the hard conversation or doing the hard thing. Today, LuAnn has come up with some of the top things she has found that we, as business owners, tend to convince ourselves are okay when they really are not. She has listed all the shows that go with these difficulties, so listen in today, to find out which action to take to correct each these problems.

Show Highlights:

• LuAnn reads this morning’s Dear Abby column.
• People tend to forget that they have a choice.
• LuAnn has no idea what it costs to run her business and she has no idea of the minimum billable hours that she must log each week. Should she be worried? Listen to Alinda Morris’ episode #429.
• Month after month I let my bookkeeper do everything, with no accountability, with no oversight on my part. Should I be worried? Listen to Andrea Schumacher’s lesson in episode #86.
• I don’t know how to talk to my CPA. Should I be worried? Listen to Peter Lang in episode #349.
• I really want to be an interior designer but I can’t get out of my day job. Should I be worried? If you want a plan to get out and do what you’re meant to do, listen to Cheryl Luckett of Dwell by Cheryl in episodes #291 and #397.
• I’m not really making any money in my design firm, but it’s only been a few years in business. Should I be worried? Listen to Kimberley Kay in episode #234, Cat French in episode #376, and Alyce Lopez, in episode #382.
• I don’t know anything about home staging but I’m a designer so should I be worried? Listen to Shauna Lynn Simon in episode # 84. Also, Taylor will be back at the end of the summer. They don’t talk much about home staging but if you missed her first show, listen to episode #106.
• Everybody says I should be doing video for my business but I hate it. Should I be worried? Listen to Arianne Bellizaire, in episode #20, talk about how she uses video in her firm and then listen to Claire Jefford teach you how to do it in episode #237.
• I don’t know my gross sales for 2018? I don’t know how to figure it out. Should I be worried? Listen to the shows with Michele Williams #180 #395. And her own podcast: Profit is a Choice.
• I run a business but I don’t take a salary, should I be worried? Listen to Kimberley Merlitti’s episode on what you really are earning with your hourly fee, in episode #361.
• I don’t have an email list. Should I be worried? Listen to Kae Whitakers show, episodes #’s 259 and #274.
• I know in my gut I need to re-brand and I want to but I’m afraid? Should I be worried? Listen to Kristen Thomas, episode #314 and Sandra Funk #145.
• I have a big dream for my business but I’m not sure it’ll work, so I do nothing. Should I be worried? Listen to Lori Weitzner’s episode #308 and Caitlyn Waite’s episode #284.
• I have an employee that I know is not a good fit but I’m afraid to have the hard conversation? Should I be worried? Listen to episode #101 with Joni Vanderslice, episode #364 with Janelle Photopoulos, and Eileen Hahn, episode #363.
• I’m a horrible salesperson. Should I be worried? Listen to Madeleine MacRae #315 and last Friday solo’s show #432

Previous episodes mentioned in this show:

Alinda Morris #429

Andrea Schumacher #86

Peter Lang #349

Cheryl Luckett of Dwell by Cheryl # 291 and #397

Kimberley Kay #234

Cat French #376

Alyce Lopez #382

Shauna Lynn Simon #84

Taylor #106

Arianne Bellizaire #20

Claire Jefford #237

Michele Williams # 180 and # 395. Her Podcast, Profit is a Choice Listen Notes: Profit Is A Choice Michele Williams

Kimberley Merlitti #361

Kae Whitaker #259 and 274

Kristen Thomas #314

Sandra Funk #145

Lori Weitzner #308

Caitlyn Waite #284

Joni Vanderslice #101

Janelle Photopoulos #364

Eileen Hahn #363

Madeleine MacRae #315

Last Friday’s Solo Show #432

Links:

LuAnn’s sales course: Sales For Creatives  

LuAnn’s new book: LuAnn Nigara: Book2