A Well-designed Business® | Interior Design | Designers | Business |interior Design Success

Today With Jessica Duce, Jane Dagmi and Ericka Saurit: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Ericka Saurit, Jessica Duce, and Jane Dagmi, the masterminds behind the Vacation Rental Design Summit, happening this spring at High Point Market. According to my guests today, Vacation Rental Design is much more than beautiful spaces—it’s a scroll-stopping, memory-making, profit-building business model. And they want to teach you all about it. We’re discussing what Vacation Rental Design is (and isn’t), what kind of designer it’s best suited for, along with the content and what to expect at this year’s summit, because the more educated and better prepared you are as a designer in this niche, the more value you’ll bring to vacation rental owners and property managers, who will want to use your services again and again. Jessica Duce, Jane Dagmi and Ericka Saurit's Ah-Ha Moments  “Vacation rental design is not staging, it's not residential design, it is unique…It has a lot of layers. But it also has, in my op

Today With Morgan Molitor: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Hi, welcome to a Well Designed Business. My guest today, Morgan Molitor, was introduced to me by Brad Leavitt, a friend of the show and Power Talk Friday expert. Morgan and Brad, along with Nick Shiffer, founded the Contractor Coalition Summit, a conference for the construction industry. Morgan is also the co-founder of construction2style, a full-service design-build firm, alongside her husband Jamie. And, as if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, Morgan also runs a media company for designers and construction firms, and a separate nonprofit, along with creating online education workshops. Oh, and did I mention she has three young kids? If that sounds essentially impossible to you, you aren’t alone. Today, Morgan breaks down how she manages to keep everything running smoothly and all the lessons she has learned along the way. Morgan Molitor's Ah-Ha Moment “You have to take one thing at a time and be present in the moment. Okay, I'm in business m

Today With Courtney Pisarik: On this Power Talk Friday we’re joined by a friend of mine, Courtney Pisarik. If you have ever used a PR or had contact with one, then Courtney’s name might ring a bell, as she co-founded Ink PR Group following her successful starting career in the world of celebrity and entertainment PR, where she worked with A-list Hollywood talents and organizations. Her ability to help individuals and brands reach major milestones is deeply rooted in her industry relationships and ability to positively influence any situation. Today she’ll be joining me to talk about what are those things you need to consider if you’re looking to hire a PR rep, starting with the most important question, the “why” of it. Courtney Pisarik's Ah-Ha Moments “You should not worry about the competition, you should appreciate the expertise.” - Courtney Pisarik More About Courtney Pisarik Courtney Pisarik co-founded Ink PR Group following her successful starting career in the world of celebrity and entertainment PR, wh

Today With Susan Lizan-Immerman: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, I am joined by Susan Lizan-Immerman, founder and CEO of MDesign Home Decor, 25+ year veteran businesswoman, and all-around #smartlady. Susan started her business journey in the garment industry when it was very much a man’s world—but she didn’t let that stop her. Through valuable relationships and connections, as well as a real CEO mindset, that we should all aspire to, Susan grew multiple thriving businesses and created a longstanding career. I am so excited to share with you my guest today, Susan Lizan-Immerman. Susan is a true seasoned veteran businesswoman. Today, she’s sharing how she did it, and how you can cultivate that CEO mindset and create a successful interior design business. LuAnn Nigara and Susan Lizan-Immerman's Ah-Ha Moments “It took telling myself, how do I feel comfortable being uncomfortable? As soon as I start feeling uncomfortable, I have to submerge myself in that in order to feel comfortable.” -Susan “You have

Today With LuAnn Nigara: Join me on the last show of 2023 to do a quick recap of the best episodes we had this year! From inspiring events like LuAnn Live 2023 to the launch of our docuseries, "The Making of A Well-Designed Business," it has been a journey of growth and connection. 2023 brought valuable lessons, including the importance of self-care. Stay tuned as we recap the top 10 most listened episodes of the year! What’s new with LuAnn Nigara LuAnn University - Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester! Watch the Docuseries! http://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 F

Today With Delyse Berry: Today, I am joined by Delyse Berry, owner of Upstate Down, an interior design studio and real estate brokerage, with also a home decor store. Delyse uses a process built around a holistic approach which entails a clear formula for clients to understand what they do, their vision , and the best execution process. This framework delivers an incredible experience for clients, a streamline process for them, and has grown their business faster and more effortlessly. Listen in to get the details! LuAnn Nigara and Delyse Berry's Ah-Ha Moments  “The execution process is as important as the end result.” - Delyse Berry  “I think the industry needs to look at the way in which it is executed. If a client isn’t happy about something, we need to look at how we contribute and deliver the news to them.” - Delyse Berry “Laying out as much up front as you can during your initial conversation with a client is very important.” - Delyse Berry “A beautiful outcome can’t come from a crappy process.” - LuAnn

Today With Erin Moore: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Erin Moore. After more than a decade of experience as a sales leader in the often male-dominated tech, Erin developed a female-focused approach that she wasn't finding in traditional sales books. Now, she passionately teaches women how to sell in an authentic and personal way through her business, A Sales Conversation. Erin is here with actionable steps on how we can open our minds, expand our skill sets, and practice the art of effective selling by navigating through the three modes of selling: transactional, neutral, and emotive. LuAnn Nigara and Erin Moore's Ah-Ha Moments  “Don't lose that person that's compassionate and passionate and wants to help and so please, but just expand and then open your mind that there are skill sets that you can learn and one of them is sales. So you can still be you, but you actually have skills.” – LuAnn Nigara “I want to let every woman know your whole self is also clear, direct, firm sets boundaries, s

Today With Christine Vroom: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Christine Vroom of Christine Vroom Interiors in Los Angeles, California. Christine spaces focus on enhancing mental health, along with physical and spiritual well-being, and that’s by design. Through her own mental health journey, Christine has learned how to better take care of herself, surrounded herself with a supportive team, and translated her own difficult times into compassion and understanding toward her clients. Just as our systems and processes play a role in our business, so does our mental and physical health. Christine has put a lot of time, thought, and effort into finding the best ways to care for herself in order to show up better as a business owner. But it’s a journey. Today, she is sharing her story and some of the wisdom she has learned along the way. LuAnn Nigara and Christine Vroom's Ah-Ha Moments  “We do have to have that level of perfectionism [in the interior design industry]. But the question is, how do we t

Today With Amy Flurry: Join us on this episode as we welcome Amy Flurry back to the show. Amy operates a boutique communications and brand development firm in Athens, Georgia. Along with her team and advisor, they partner with companies in the home furnishings industry to develop and implement focused communication plans, expand marketing strategies to connect to the interior design trade and apply trend direction to product development. In today’s episode she’ll be telling us all about Aloka Homes, a company that re energizes vintage quilts, made of layers of saris that were hand-stitched in India 60-80 years ago. Prepare to be inspired by the artistry and story behind these remarkable pieces!  More About Amy Flurry Amy Flurry operates a boutique communications and brand development firm in Athens, Georgia. Along with her team and advisor, they partner with companies in the home furnishings industry to develop and implement focused communication plans, expand marketing strategies to connect to the interior d

Today With Bessie Seeley: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Many designers start their businesses on the side, from home, or wherever we can squeeze in our work. And as they grow, most of them pivot to a studio as soon as possible. After all, that’s how you connect with clients and get taken seriously…right? But what if I told you that where you work from doesn’t matter nearly as much as you think it does. What if I told you that you could run a thriving business right from your kitchen table? I’ve seen several business owners do just that over the years, and my guest today, Bessie Seeley, founder of Kardinia Interior Design, is the same way. Bessie began her career at home, but even as she grew, even as she thrived, even as she hired, she remained working from her kitchen table for the first four years in her business. And as she grew her business, she did so very deliberately. She knew that she wanted to open a studio eventually. But she was strategic about the decisions she made on that path and what sh

Today With Sonja Capasso: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today we’re welcoming Sonja Capasso of Capasso & Co to the show. I met Sonja a few months ago and I couldn’t wait to finally sit down with her and learn more about her journey. More About Sonja Capasso I worked for a local design firm from 2015 - 2017, and after graduating, I immediately opened my own design business and started working part time as a rendering and drafting professional. It soon became obvious to me that this is my true passion and calling, so I changed my specialty from an interior designer to a drafting and rendering artist. Over the course of my design career, I also flipped and remodeled multiple houses, designed commercial interiors, and gained great on the job and first hand knowledge and experience, which has helped me create better contract documents. During my years in school, I also obtained a Florida Realtor License and a Broker’s license (which I let pass since we moved out of state), and I also became accredited with

Today With Heather Vitti Pruett: My guest today is a great example of taking control and choosing her own path. Heather Vitti Pruett, owner of Vitti Interiors is here to share her successes of using connections to help her business, being recognized for heart-centered projects, and her experience taking a client to small claims court. No matter what is going on in life, we always have the option to choose a different path. Heather is an active member of the American Society of Interior Design (ASID). And we are also getting into all of the value of joining a professional organization. LuAnn Nigara and Heather Vitti Pruett's Ah-Ha Moments “When you treat your interior design as a business instead of a hobby, that is when it will be a business.” - Heather Vitti Pruett “We all have the option to choose a different path.” - LuAnn Nigara More About Heather Vitti Pruett A passion for Interior Design was derived from a love of designing and hand-crafting clothing at an early age. Heather developed a talent for worki

Today With Nancy Ganzekaufer: Today’s Power Talk Friday is sponsored by Nancy Ganzekaufer’s Profit Insiders Academy Group Coaching Program which kicks off in January 2024. Nancy joins us once again to discuss how designers can approach marketing the way Taylor Swift does. Let’s face it fan or not, she is a marketing genius. This #smartlady continues to upgrade the Profit Insiders Academy with new additions including The Key- the Designer’s Ultimate Pricing Tool and NancyGPT which gives you NEXT LEVEL search capabilities. Listen in to learn how to apply to The Profit Insiders Academy and have a chance to win an additional one-on-one with Lesley. LuAnn Nigara and Nancy Ganzekaufer's Ah-Ha Moments “This year’s LuAnn Live was focused on health and wealth. This is hugely important to me. Marketing smartly is an important part of that, so you’re not running yourself ragged.” - Nancy Ganzekaufer “Share authentically and learn to apply stories. People can relate to and follow along with stories.” - Nancy Ganzekaufer

Today With Eddie Maestri: In today’s episode we’ll be touching on a topic I love, project autopsies. My guest today, Eddie Maestri, has also found these autopsies to help not only improve his overall business, but also the relationship with his team members. Eddie Maestri started designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and officially founded Maestri Studio in 2008. Certified by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), he is a registered architect in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Nevada. Eddie delivers custom architecture and interiors tailored to his client’s style and needs. Each project influenced by the grand, yet approachable architecture of his hometown, the clean lines and patterns of mid-century design, and his exposure to far away places through his love of travel. More About Eddie Maestri Eddie Maestri, AIA, a native of New Orleans, Louisiana, started designing homes in Dallas in 2004 and officially founded Maestri Studio in 2008. Certified by the National Council of

Today With Leslie Carothers: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. You’ve probably heard about new technology developing—AI, chatGPT, the metaverse—all the things. But are you jumping on the bandwagon? Today Leslie Carothers of Savour Partnership, a digital marketing firm for interior designers, is here to talk about how metaverse applications and AI are changing the future of the world, business in general, and our industry. LuAnn Nigara and Leslie Carothers' Ah-Ha Moments “There is nothing that will replace the soul that you bring to a project, there is nothing that will replace the execution ability that you bring to a project. There's nothing that will ever replace the problem-solving ability that you bring to a project. And there's nothing that will ever replace the therapeutic aspect, as many of you know, that you bring to a project for your clients. You are irreplaceable as designers. So you never have to worry about AI replacing, in my opinion, ever, your jobs.” -Leslie More About Leslie Carothers Name

Today With LuAnn Nigara:  Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. In this episode, we'll talk about how to turn your aha moments into actionable steps that will help you achieve your goals for your business and your life. You will hear some of the amazing insights from Amber De La Garza, a productivity coach who was a guide at LuAnn Live, and how she taught us to get our CRAP together. LuAnn's Ah-Ha Moments: “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll wind up somewhere else.” -LuAnn “The best version of your well designed business is only achievable through a well designed life. They are intertwined, without question.” -LuAnn What’s new with LuAnn Nigara Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration luannuniversity.com http://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! Pur

Today With Matthew Finlin: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. If you’re a long-time listener of the show, you already know that I was a salesperson basically from birth. Selling is a part of my nature. But for most designers, that doesn’t seem to be the case. Why is that? Why do some of us gravitate toward selling while it sends others into a panic? My guest today, Matthew Finlin, CEO of The Human Potential Academy, believes he knows—and he’s shedding light on why this happens and what designers can do to bring more assertiveness into the process and close with confidence and compassion. LuAnn Nigara and Matthew Finlin's Ah-Ha Moments “Compassionate closing is all about recognizing that if you have a product or service that you truly believe is going to benefit this person and change their life positively.” -Matthew “I don't care how wealthy you are wants to overpay. That's the truth. But what I know from all the interviews I've done is that 99% of designers are going to deliver their heart and soul into th

Today With April Gandy: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by April Gandy, owner and Principal Designer of Allure Designs. With six successful years in the design industry and an appearance on HGTV, April could teach us a lot! But today she wanted the focus to be on what you, and your client, can expect both mentally and financially when working on a renovation project. This is an episode that will give you simple AHA moments. Any episode where my guest wants to help with the process with our clients, is a win. April Gandy's Ah-Ha Moments “Understanding what you are doing before you do it is going to help you keep your time lines and budgets in check, but also your client in check,” - April Gandy “The more information that you give them from the start, the more you ensure them that you know what you are doing and they’ll trust you,” - April Gandy. More About April Gandy After graduating from St. Francis de Sales High School, I went on to college at Northern Illinois University and became the first

Today With Christina Frei: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Christina Frei, owner of Innate Marketing Genius, a boutique marketing practice where she helps solo business owners own their voice, market to their strengths, and get the right clients consistently. Christina takes a holistic approach to marketing, and helps us discover how to market from our strengths by identifying our marketing archetype. In this conversation, we dig into what it means to be a Nurturer, Adventure Guide, Door Opener, Steady Presence, and Celebrator, and how this can help you show up better in your business. LuAnn Nigara & Christina Frei's Ah-Ha Moments  “What I noticed is that when people operate from that deep ‘why’—that fulfilling, helping other humans kind of thing, then it's magnetic.” – Christina Frei “So much starts with being self-aware… If you have self-awareness, you can show up in your blog posts, in your marketing, in your consultations, and in your design” – LuAnn Nigara More About Christina Frei Chris

Today With LuAnn Nigara:  Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today is a solo show and we'll be talking about charging. We'll go over the three common beliefs that hold us back from achieving our full potential: that our clients only want the biggest discount, that we deliver a shoppable product, and that we are competing with everyone else. What’s new with LuAnn Nigara Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration luannuniversity.com http://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