Today, we have the second show in our sponsored content series by Cruelty Free Design. Deborah Rosenberg, of DiMare Design and the founder and creator of Cruelty Free Design, has sponsored three shows. The first show was episode #212, where we spoke in depth about Cruelty Free Design and the program that she has developed. Today’s show is going to feature the marketing and the resources that you get, when going through the Cruelty Free Course. The third show will be airing in a few weeks and that will be an interview with a Designer who has completed the course. If all this is new information for you, if you haven’t heard any of these shows before, LuAnn suggests that you start off by listening to episode #82, where we first met Deborah Rosenberg, a really smart lady who runs a great business, and there she discussed her Design Firm, DiMare Design in Miami. Then, in episode #117, we discussed her certified Cruelty Free Course in more depth and about how it was getting ready to launch. LuAnn really hopes that you’re enjoying this series and that it’s something that’s making you think. If animal rights, veganism and Cruelty Free is a passion of yours, all the better, because it certainly is a very profitable avenue to consider, from a marketing standpoint. Listen in now, to find out more.

In today’s show, we are going to talk about the second set of information, which is important for you, as Interior Designers in this emerging field. Here’s the thing about Deborah- if you go back and listen to the other episodes with her, you’ll see and hear her commitment for yourself.  She’s the creator of a fully accredited, online educational course, geared for students, designers, retailers, manufacturers and companies, in the Design and Textile Industry. The course, Certified Cruelty Free, educates businesses and consumers about Cruelty Free alternatives and provides them with vegan resources. Deborah donates a portion of all the proceeds from both companies, towards saving the lives of animals, killed for their skins, in the industry. This is really a mission of love, for Deborah. Listen in as we talk about the resources that are available to you, as Interior Designers and also about how you, as a Designer, would approach the marketing of these products. (Remember, that if you actually take the course, you will get access to the full ‘bible’ of resources.)

Show highlights:

• Deborah gives a quick description of what Vegan Design is all about.
• Deborah discusses some of the fabulous alternatives that can be used, instead of wool, silk or animal skins. The faux alternatives are durable and well priced.
• Even Bentley, (the car) who were known for their leather interiors, are coming up with a vegan car as an alternative, because their consumers are now demanding vegan interiors.
• Banana silk looks and feels exactly like silk. It even has that sheen.
• Kravet have a huge amount of faux leathers as well as tons of other resources and fabrics which are vegan.
• Deborah’s company is reaching out to many manufacturers, to have their badge put on the fabrics which are acceptable as vegan alternatives.
• According to research, one in three Australians are willing to pay more for socially responsible products.
• Deborah’s company now has it’s own line, called Arthur Avenue, which has completely vegan custom upholstery pieces.
• There are also vegan alternatives available for the less expensive lines.
• There is a company in New York, called Aurora Lampshades, who do vegan lighting alternatives.
• A lot of paint contains a mineral which comes from cows. Vegan paints are available, however they are a little difficult to apply.
• How a Designer can go about approaching clients about this subject.
• Faux leather actually performs better than real leather, when they are placed side by side.
• Vegan alternatives are most conducive to someone who has allergies, or even to children with autism.
• There is a huge network of support available for Designers doing the Cruelty Free Course.
• Deborah offers some great tips for marketing vegan options. The key is really to surround yourself with like minded people.
• Vegan Design is not only about the animals. About ninety percent of the people working in tanneries in India die before the age of fifty, due to the disgraceful environments that they work in.
• The world is changing really fast. Over half of all Americans won’t buy a product that they believe to be unethical.
• Creating a peaceful space that has no blood, or tragedy in it.

Deborah explains all about her Cruelty Free Course. Go to https://www.certifiedcrueltyfree.net to get the details, or to sign up. The course is usually $350, however if you put in the promo code  LuAnn, you will get 20% off, so you will only pay $280. After doing the course, you will be added to Deborah’s database.

Today’s show is a special one. It’s a sponsored show- sponsored by Cruelty Free Designs, which is the brain child and love project of Deborah Rosenberg, of DiMare Designs in Miami, Florida. Deborah has been on the show before, on episodes #82 and #117 and now she’s sponsoring three shows, to tell you- her colleagues, all about Cruelty Free Design. Listen in to find out more.

These three shows will cover firstly what it really means to be Cruelty Free Design, then the resources which are available for Cruelty Free Design and then there will also be a special episode with a Designer who has taken Deborah’s course. LuAnn really hopes that you will enjoy this little series! Listen in now, to the first episode, with Deborah Rosenberg, where we’re going to take a little time to give the back story of why this is so personal to Deborah- why she has transitioned to making her whole business cruelty free and why this really is such an important thing for you to think about.

• Show highlights:
• Deborah has developed a Certification Course in Cruelty Free Design and she explains how this came to be an undertaking for herself and her Firm to develop and also why it’s so important to her.
• The really cruel and inhumane ways that animals are treated, within the corporate industry, being viewed as commodities, rather than sentient creatures. It’s really hard to believe what human beings are actually capable of doing to animals!
• There really is no such thing as responsible wool, or responsible fur.
• Does it really cost too much to be compassionate?
• This cruelty mostly happens in countries where there are no regulations.
• The really awful conditions for humans in tanneries.
• 56% of Americans stop buying from sources that they view as unethical.
• The importance of getting educated about all this, as a Designer.
• Going vegan and the environment- these things are all connected.
• Sixteen million people in the US are now vegan- many of these people have become aware of the cruelty in these industries through watching videos.
• The different ways that you could approach this, as a Designer.
• Animal fur, or leather can cause problems for children with autism, or for people with allergies.
• Deborah’s Certification Course In Cruelty Free Design has now become accredited.

websites: https://www.certifiedcrueltyfree.net https://www.dimaredesign.com

Today’s guest on the show is Carly Waters, the Principal of Carly Waters Style. Carly has really loved design ever since she was a little girl. As the daughter of an attorney, however, she followed in her Dad’s footsteps and became an attorney too. Listen in to find out how she ultimately managed to change that and follow her heart and her dreams.

Carly graduated from UC Hastings in 2010 and started out in what would be a career in Family Law, at an esteemed Law Firm in San Francisco. Her heart really wasn’t in it though, so when she went on maternity leave while pregnant with her son, she rediscovered her love for interiors. She designed their apartment in San Francisco and got it featured on Apartment Therapy. This was when she started taking on some Design clients, on the side. After going back to practicing Family Law, however, she realized pretty quickly that it was time for her to leave the law behind. So, when they moved to LA for a job opportunity for her husband, Carly decided that this was the right time for her to strike out on her own, so she started Carly Waters Style in 2014. Here’s the thing- in these three short years, Carly has been featured in My Domain, People, Rue, Simply Spaced, Apartment Therapy and Martha Stewart. Listen in now, to find out how Carly managed to achieve all of this, in such a short period of time.

Show highlights:

• Carly explains how she managed to achieve all that she has, only three years after opening her firm. She really went about it in an intentional way and hired a Coach, Annie Little, who specifically helps attorneys to leave the law. She also spent a full six months making preparations and getting her ducks in a row.
• Carly really made use of her friends and connections to get ahead in her business.
• Carly started out initially with organizing clients.
• After about six months, she decided to take things further and started working with a Realtor and found a house to renovate. This was the house that she used for her portfolio and it was also shot for her My Domain feature.
• Carly realized that she can’t do everything, so she hires people who are experts and she oversees them. She helped a friend with her office, in exchange for putting all her drawings onto CAD.
• What really stood out for Carly, from her first big project was that you should not try to ‘band aid’ the problems in the house, because it will eventually end up costing you a whole lot more.
• It’s really important to have your plans and drawings ready, before bringing the contractors in. You will always have problems to solve, however it really does help to be prepared.
• Carly has really learned to see her worth and understand her value, over time.
• Carly has really made full use mentors and her network of friends and connections, to help her to learn out about the aspects of the business that she needed to understand.
• How Carly managed to be published in so many publications in such a short period of time. She used her contacts and knew that she really had to have professional photographs, amongst other things.
• Carly explains about her hourly rate and about her minimum fee of $5000, both of which she’s stated on her website.
• You really need to surround yourself with people that really support you and elevate you.

Links:

Carly’s website: https://www.carlywatersstyle.com

The guest for today’s Power Talk Friday is Yian Quach.  Yian, who is originally from Seattle, Washington, has been designing websites since 2015 and he helps professionals in the Design Industry to cure their web site pain so that they can grow their businesses. There is a particular mention, on his website, that LuAnn found quite interesting- in addition to his role as Website Doctor, Yian really loves educating and his original career was as an English Teacher!  Listen in as Yian explains all about his real genius ways with websites.

Yian’s clients have been published in a number of top shelf magazines, including Architectural Digest, Lux, Hudson Mod and Editor At Large. The thing about Yian is that he has a rare combination of skills in the areas of Website  Design, Copywriting and Coding and he’s also familiar with all the nuances of the Interior Design Industry. He regularly attends Industry Trade Shows, so you may even know him. In the past year, he’s been at High Point Spring Market, Brooklyn Designs, ICFF (where he and LuAnn did a Facebook Live for Curated Kravet), The D and D Building Spring Market and later this month, he’ll be at Las Vegas Furniture Market. Listen in now, to learn about the really actionable ways that Yian works to help people to cure their website pains.

Show highlights:

• The kinds of website pains that Yian cures.
• Yian explains the details of his Criteria List of twelve items, which he uses to evaluate websites.

1. Does the website feel clean and easy to use?
2. Does the website feel complete and up to date?
3. Does the website feel thoughtfully written and succinct?
4. Does the website feel fresh?
5. Does the website feel guided?
6. Does the website feel beautiful?
7. Does the website feel personal enough?
8. Does the website feel cohesive?
9. Does the website/designer feel endorsed?
10. Does the website/designer feel credible and authoritative?
11. Does the website feel actionable?
12. Does the website feel polished?

• Yian tests his very simple Grading System (A+ to E) that he uses to evaluate websites, on his own website.
• Consider hiring a wedding photographer to get a really great video for your website.
• Yian helps LuAnn to evaluate her website, using his Criteria List.
• Yian points out some missed opportunities on LuAnn’s website.
• The impact of having website photos that fill the whole screen.
• The cohesiveness of the voice on websites is something that is often overlooked.
• Yian points out where LuAnn’s website could be more actionable.
• Yian assists LuAnn with ways to tweak the logo and header on her website.
• Yian encourages you to take advantage of his Website Review.
• Yian’s Free Giveaway- Yian will be giving away five free Website Reviews to the first five professionals in the Design Industry, to contact him at housedigitaldesign.com/a-well-designed-business and articulate their particular web site pain, within one week of this podcast being aired.

Yian will be covering the Las Vegas Furniture Market, later this month, on the Tastefully Inspired Facebook Page, with lots of live videos. Like the page and ensure that you get the notifications when it goes live.

website: https://housedigitaldesign.com