Claim OwnershipTrade Tales
Subscribed: 20Played: 619
Subscribe
Description
Business of Home's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen talks to interior designers about nurturing creativity, finding a firm’s financial footing, setting goals and discovering their own version of success as a result.
82 Episodes
Reverse
Michael Hilal spent his first career in the tech world, working for Google and several startups before making the leap into interiors. Though he left Silicon Valley behind, that tech mindset stayed, shaping everything from his approach to design documentation to how he thinks about client education.This episode was sponsored by Hudson Valley Lighting Group. LINKSMichael Hilal Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Georgia Zikas took her time building a team. When she finally started hiring, she knew exactly what qualities she was looking for. Her story is a lesson in how putting the effort into your company’s culture can attract all the right people—in this case, experienced employees with the skills to take on a higher caliber of clientele.This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and Minted. LINKSGeorgia ZikasKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Christine Lin kicked off her career with a ten-year stint in the tech world, before using her digital skills to establish a design firm that was easy to find on the internet in an effort to cultivate a following that would outlast her immediate circle of potential clients. As the business grew, she soon found herself at a crossroads: She could keep taking every job that came her way, or she could embrace a new, elevated vision for her firm.This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and Minted. LINKSChristine LinKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Wesley Moon realized early on that he had a gift for understanding a client’s vision, even when the client couldn’t quite articulate it themselves. He shares how what you don’t say to a client is just as important as what you do—and how a change in his personal life prompted him to say goodbye to the hustle that had defined his workload for so long.This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture.LINKSWesley Moon Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Amy Storm has always embraced change within her firm. From reconsidering the brick and mortar space her team occupied to getting more specific about the types of projects she wants to take on, she’s learned to lean into the hard lessons of entrepreneurship and find beauty in a business that changes with time. In this episode, she shares the story of the business consultant that finally pushed her firm into profitability, along with how she navigated a massive overhaul of her team structure.This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture.LINKSAmy StormKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Antonio DeLoatch shook up his business two years ago by moving his LA-based firm to the East Coast. The transition brought its fair share of challenges, but it also provided a chance to start over with a refreshed brand and a new vision. In this episode, he shares more about the process of uprooting his firm and starting over in New York, the showhouse that changed everything for his business, and how he earns his clients’ trust with his frank money talk.This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture.LINKSAntonio DeLoatchKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Amy Sklar’s early career was a full-circle journey that took her from design to show business and back again. When she finally landed at the helm of her own firm after starting her career within the strict confines of an architecture firm, she thrived on the ability to instate a supportive work culture and take on projects that place a premium on comfort and functionality. The financial side of things, however, didn’t come quite as easily. In this conversation, she shares the pivot that pushed her to finally bring in revenue, how deliverables define each step of her firm’s process, and why she wants employees to feel like they work with her, not for her. LINKSAmy SklarKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Following a first career in law, Clara Jung became accustomed to a cutthroat, high pressure work environment. When she left her life as an attorney for a shot at interior design, she decided to do things a little differently. Now, at the helm of Banner Day Interiors, she’s crafting a work culture focused on employee growth and support, while also figuring out how to structure a firm that can run on its own—even if that means sometimes taking herself out of the equation.LINKSClara JungKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Marieanne Khoury-Vogt spent much of her career absorbed in one big, constantly-unfolding project. As town architect of Alys Beach, Florida, she’s helped create a community where essential needs are within reach and the aesthetics are in alignment. In recent years, she’s also branched out into new projects and services, embarking on an era of exploration and reinvention. In this episode, she shares her experiences developing a town that sustains its residents over a lifetime; why she’s not afraid to get stuck on the small details, and how she strengthens relationships within her firm, her community and the industry at large. This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.LINKSMarieanne Khoury-VogtKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Caren Rideau found that specializing allowed her imagination and expertise to reach new heights. The real challenges came when she turned her attention toward professional growth—for her own business, and for the next generation of designers. In this episode, she shares why using social media to attract clients and employees, the benefits of being a kitchen specialist in an industry filled with full service designers, and how combining design with her other passions has allowed an entirely new brand to emerge. This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.LINKSCaren Rideau Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Early in his career, Matthew Tenzin embarked on a spiritual transformation that led him to a rather unlikely early role—as a Buddhist monk. He took the principles he learned with him when he transitioned to a career in design, eventually launching a second arm of his business that blends holistic practices, healthy materials and an approach to interiors that goes far beyond the limits of a home’s four walls.This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.LINKSMatthew TenzinKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Blair Moore set out to create designs that last—and found that the industry wasn’t quite ready for her. Her response was to build a firm that forged its own path to quality design: by operating its own warehouse, crafting a line of furnishings and training the next generation so the legacy will live on.This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.LINKSBlair MooreKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
When Amy Kartheiser launched a charity project several years ago, her goal was to process pain and foster connection through design. As the initiative unfolded, she watched that objective quickly transform into something much bigger, becoming an essential piece of her business and bringing a new sense of meaning to the firm’s work along the way.This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living and Moore & Giles.LINKSAmy KartheiserKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Leslie Murchie Cascino operates as a team of one—but looking at her collaborative design process, you’d never know it. On this episode of the podcast, she explains what being a one-woman show means for her as a mother, and how she avoids getting caught up in other peoples’ definitions of success.This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living and Moore & Giles.LINKSLeslie Murchie CascinoKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Zoe Feldman got some surprising advice just as she was starting to feel settled in her business: While she thought she couldn’t afford to hire more employees, she was told that if she wanted to keep delivering a high level of service, she couldn’t afford not to. On this episode of the podcast, she shares why she’s introduced a scaled-down option to her design offerings for clients who just want good advice, the many ways she has built philanthropy into the fabric of her firm, and why she insists that clients don’t really want full transparency.This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and High Point Market.LINKSZoe FeldmanKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Courtney McLeod's early encounter with a take-charge client left her project in ruins—and almost derailed her firm’s growth. The story of her rebound is a masterclass in taking steps to secure your clients’ trust before it’s too late. On this episode of the podcast, she shares how her first showhouse experience provided her business with an unexpected lifeline, why she always asks clients to define what a successful project means to them, and how she’s finding purpose in creating opportunities for the industry’s underrepresented groups. This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and High Point Market.LINKSCourtney McLeodKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Miranda Cullen felt like she cracked the code to no longer leaving money on the table when she created a new business model that could make a profit on time billing alone, which meant that her firm wouldn’t have to turn away inquiries for small jobs. Then, she realized the concept had that potential to expand far beyond her firm. On this episode of the podcast, she shares how separating from her business partner has taught her to trust her intuition, why she’s looking to franchise her firm’s unique micro-design concept, and why she’s already envisioning her company’s exit strategy.This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Maison et Objet. LINKSMiranda CullenKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
At a certain point in his firm's journey, Dane Austin decided to abandon the pressure for perfection and instead tell clients the truth about the design process—the good, the bad and the ugly. By restructuring his business around a radically transparent approach, he’s transformed the design process for his clients, his employees and finally, himself. This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Maison et Objet. LINKSDane Austin Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Regan Baker has a unique claim to fame: she’s hired three of her former clients as employees. On this episode of the podcast, she explains why they all wanted to work for her once their projects wrapped, and how they each brought invaluable insights from other industries that turbocharged the business’s growth. She also shared what it feels like to step away from the work you love in order to expand your team, and which roles to hire first if you want to get growth right.This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Maison et Objet. LINKSRegan BakerKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
For years, Kevin Isbell was the right-hand man for top interior designers from coast to coast. Eventually, it came time to take what he’d learned and embark on a new journey at the helm of his own firm—a sink-or-swim moment that revealed just how daunting the route to design leader can be. In this episode, he shares how he found his footing as design principal and enlisted a support system to help him stay afloat.LINKSKevin IsbellKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home
Comments
Download from Google Play
Download from App Store
United States