Business Building Blocks for Interior Designers: Podcasts for Success

The BEST Residential Interior Design Podcasts - Episode 243

We’ve got SEVEN next-level interior design business podcasts episodes today from hosts Terri Taylor, Darla Powell, Michele Williams, LuAnn Nigara, Laura Thornton, Dennis Scully and Rebecca Ward.

Today’s podcast guests include Danielle Hendon, Abigail Wideman, Robert Stilin and Anna Popov.

If you’re looking to make your interior design business even better than it is today, I guarantee that you will find something in today’s podcasts that will help you level up. Enjoy.

  • Interior Design Business - Terri Taylor - 5 Money Leaks - 29 min

  • Profit is a Choice - Michele Williams - Using Debt Strategically in Your Business - 38 min

  • Designed by Wingnut Social - Darla Powell - Mini News: Don’t Believe These Social Media Myths! - 12 min

  • Window Treatments for Profit - LuAnn Nigara - What Would Lu Do?: Navigating Business Downturns with Wisdom - 49 min

  • The Business of Beautiful Spaces - Laura Thornton - Let's Talk About Business Review and Planning for 2024. - 29 min

  • Business of Home Podcast - Dennis Scully - Robert Stilin means business - 54 min

  • Design Curious - Rebecca Ward - The Secret of Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality in Design With Anna Popov - 26 min


Interior Design Business - Terri Taylor - 5 Money Leaks - 29 min

Is your business leaking money?

There are a few common mistakes host Terri Taylor sees designers making that are causing them to lose money without even realizing they’re doing it. If you can learn how to avoid these mistakes, you’ll also learn how to avoid losing money. In this episode of the Interior Design Business podcast, Terri’s sharing five potential money leaks in your design business. 

Tune in to find out if you’re making any of these mistakes and what to do about it. The good news is that all of the leaks are fixable, so if you’re doing any of these things right now, it’s not too late to stop and start saving yourself money. 

Topics covered in this episode include:

  • How to stay out of trouble with your budget 

  • The problem with giving quotes on the fly 

  • Why you shouldn’t use retail vendors 


Profit is a Choice - Michele Williams - Using Debt Strategically in Your Business - 38 min

In today’s episode, host Michele Williams is joined is Danielle Hendon. She is the owner of Four Corners CFO. Danielle loves to take big business ideas and break them down to support small businesses to reach that next goal, to grow and scale, or to just wrap their arms around their business. We're going to have a really great conversation today focusing on debt, such as good debt versus bad debt.

Topics Mentioned:

  • Debt

  • Intentionality

  • Understanding your financials 

Key Thoughts:

  • Honestly, the difference between good and bad debt is the intention behind it. If you're going into debt, because you didn't do something, and it's a last resort, it's generally not the best type of debt to have. Danielle 11:37 

  • It's the fixing of the process because that's part of that intentionality, I teach an aim with intent methodology. It starts off by having a solid foundation and then creating intention, intentional budgets, intentional KPIs, and intentional spending patterns. Michele 15:28 

  • Every business, we've all got to start somewhere, and I tell people all the time that debt is such a loaded word, and it carries such a burden to us mentally, and money in general. Cash makes or breaks a business. Danielle 20:06 

  • It's really being aware of what's happening. Otherwise, everything is reactionary as opposed to being proactive with our money. Michele 34:53 


Designed by Wingnut Social - Darla Powell - Mini News: Don’t Believe These Social Media Myths! - 12 min

Do you believe in these social media myths? Well, that can be holding you back in building your business online. Wingut Social’s Assistant Director, Abigail Wideman, is here to share some truth about some popular social media myths.


Window Treatments for Profit - LuAnn Nigara - What Would Lu Do?: Navigating Business Downturns with Wisdom - 49 min

Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Today, host LuAnn Nigara is sharing her tried and true strategies for operating your business and managing it, with intention, at the same time.


The Business of Beautiful Spaces - Laura Thornton - Let's Talk About Business Review and Planning for 2024. - 29 min

In today’s episode, host Laura Thornton discusses why a year-end financial review is essential for interior designers. It's not just about crunching numbers; it's about understanding the financial health of your business and preparing for the year ahead.

Laura walks us through the steps involved in reviewing your income and expenses. We'll discuss how to track your revenue, analyze your costs, and identify areas where you can make improvements.

And we will touch on the following ideas for your planning review for the new year:

Year-End Financial Review:

  • Setting Goals for 2024

  • Trend Forecasting for the New Year

  • Marketing Strategies for the New Year

  • Navigating Tax Season

  • Networking and Collaboration Opportunities

  • Time Management and Productivity

  • Branding and Personalization

  • Client Relationship Building

  • Technology and Software Trends

  • Personal and Professional Development

  • Work Life Balance


Business of Home Podcast - Dennis Scully - Robert Stilin means business - 54 min

The son of an entrepreneur, Robert Stilin was raised to go into business—as a boy, he read the Wall Street Journal and dreamed of a career in private equity. But when he moved to Palm Beach as a young man, he found himself drawn instead to design, opening a shop and taking on local projects. Decades later, Robert is one of the industry’s most celebrated talents, regularly featuring on Elle Decor’s A-List and the AD100.

On this episode of the podcast, he speaks with host Dennis Scully about how he gets around the problem of clients not wanting their homes photographed, how he made art a crucial part of his business, and why a small firm is perfect for high-end projects.


Design Curious - Rebecca Ward - The Secret of Balancing Aesthetics and Functionality in Design With Anna Popov - 26 min

Function plays a critical role in the creative field, where aesthetics should complement comfort and usability. Understanding your client's needs and habits to create spaces that support their purpose and lifestyles will set you apart and earn you acclaim and success.

No one knows this better than today's guest, Anna Popov, who is not easily influenced by the crowd or by trends but instead prioritizes creating functional spaces that resonate with the occupants.

She is just a wealth of knowledge, someone host Rebecca Ward greatly admires.

Whether you are an aspiring designer or you've been running your design firm for a few years already, you are going to learn from Anna the secret behind designing spaces that not only look beautiful but also serve their purpose flawlessly. 

Why you’ve got to check out today’s episode:

  • Discover a unique and organic approach to design that prioritizes functionality

  • Learn the importance of maintaining high standards in design, the value of accountability, and the need to create spaces that support and elevate the well-being of the occupants

  • Recognize the importance of both aesthetics and function when designing spaces for your clients


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