Interior Design Business Podcasts - Episode 246

Today’s collection of the world’s best interior design business podcasts consists of six episodes from three of my favorite hosts Rhiannon Lee, Michael Boodro, Tobi Fairley, LuAnn Nigara, Kate Bendewald and Rebecca Hay.

Today’s podcast guests include Rebecca Hessel Cohen - LoveShackFancy, April Gargiulo - Vintner’s Daughter, Charlotte Lucas - Charlotte Lucas Interior Design, Anna Brockway - Chairish, Liz Toombs - PDR Interiors, Vita Vygovska and Jacinthe Koddo - Koddo & Co.

So much good advice for improving your interior design business.

• Designing Success - Rhiannon Lee - Chat's that Convert, The webinar excerpt - 30 min

• The Chairish Podcast - Michael Boodro - Four Female Founders & What They've Learned in a Decade of Success - 57 min

• The Design You Podcast - Tobi Fairley - How Niching Down Builds Business Resilience with Liz Toombs - 28 min

• Window Treatments for Profit - LuAnn Nigara - Vita’s Tip in 10 with Vita Vygovska: Cost vs. Value: What To Choose - 13 min

• Designer’s Oasis - Kate Bendewald - How to Style an Interior Photoshoot for Magazines - 39 min

• Resilient by Design - Rebecca Hay - Why its important to be open about finances with Jacinthe Koddo - 50 min

Designing Success - Rhiannon Lee - Chat's that Convert, The webinar excerpt - 30 min

In this special episode, host Rhiannon Lee is sharing excerpts from her recent webinar, "Chat's that Convert," specially designed for solo interior designers. She delves into a few ways to level up discovery calls, transforming these initial conversations into signed contracts.

This episode is packed with real-life examples, role-plays, and actionable tips. Whether you're struggling with confidence or just working on your conversions, these insights are here to make your discovery calls more effective and less overwhelming. 

The Chairish Podcast - Michael Boodro - Four Female Founders & What They've Learned in a Decade of Success - 57 min

To celebrate the 100th episode of the Chairish podcast, host Michael Boodro reached out to four women who founded enterprises that have succeeded for a full decade. At a time when most new businesses fail, these women launched companies in highly competitive fields—fashion, beauty, interior design, and online sales—and not only survived but continue to thrive.

When Rebecca Hessel Cohen founded her fashion line LoveShackFancy, she was told her feminine and flirtatious aesthetic would never sell. April Gargiulo of Vintner’s Daughter upended the skincare business with a single product. Charlotte Lucas pursued her love of interior design despite setbacks and self-doubt. And Anna Brockway, co-founder and president of Chairish, was told by bankers and venture capitalists that her curated approach to an online marketplace would never succeed.

Here they discuss how they managed to simultaneously grow their families and build their businesses, reveal the sexism they faced and the challenges they overcame, and tell how their passions helped them to persevere, even as the business world continued to change around them.

The Design You Podcast - Tobi Fairley - How Niching Down Builds Business Resilience with Liz Toombs - 28 min

As creatives, many of us are afraid of niching down. We worry it will limit our options or turn potential clients away. Host Tobi Fairley’s guest this week believes the opposite is true. Liz Toombs has found an amazing design niche that has allowed her business to thrive even during tough economic times: sorority house design. 

If you’re afraid that niching down will negatively impact your bottom line, Liz is here to explain how a niched-down business can be the most resilient in a shifting industry. We’re discussing why anything can be a niche in the interior design industry, and how sorority house design has given Liz a constant source of business since the 2008 recession. 

Window Treatments for Profit - LuAnn Nigara - Vita’s Tip in 10 with Vita Vygovska: Cost vs. Value: What To Choose - 13 min

In today’s episode of Window Treatments for Profit, LuAnn University instructor Vita Vygovska talks about the concept of cost versus value, and how recognizing the value of your time can help you make more money in your business.

Vita's Ah-Ha Moments:

• “The value you receive often far outweighs the cost.” -Vita

• “What I’m truly buying is the value of my time.” -Vita

• “Think about the value you’ll gain, the time saved, and the potential for growth.” -Vita

Designer’s Oasis - Kate Bendewald - How to Style an Interior Photoshoot for Magazines - 39 min

Spending time styling and preparing for a photo shoot with a professional photographer is key. Finding a photographer who can capture interior photos from different angles to bring a room to life is such an important part of curating a great interior design portfolio.

In today's episode, host Kate Bendewald shares all of her best tips and advice for styling an interior photoshoot for magazines and publications.

Here’s a glance at this episode…

• Kate shares how to plan and execute a successful interior design photo shoot including tips on styling, preparation, and real-life elements.

• Kate discusses the importance of working with a professional photographer who can execute well-staged interior photos from different angles. She also share why it's best to work with a natural light photographer for interior design photography. 

• Kate shares her best tips for creating a shot list and planning the styling for a photo shoot, including prioritizing spaces and considering lighting throughout the day.

• Kate shares advice on styling a room with layered objects, mixing textures, and adding life and interest through lifestyle accessories. 

• Kate shares how to incorporate botanicals to add depth and interest without breaking the bank.

• Kate shares how to treat interior photography as an investment in your business that is worth the time and attention.

Resilient by Design - Rebecca Hay - Why its important to be open about finances with Jacinthe Koddo - 50 min

In today’s episode, host Rebecca Hay speaks with Jacinthe Koddo, a Fractional CFO and Financial Literacy Educator about her mission to help demystify the financial world for creative entrepreneurs. Jacinthe shares her career path (from interior designer to financial guru!), the mistakes she's learned from and the one thing she wants business owners to stop doing to gain control and understanding of their finances. She discusses the differences between management accounting vs financial accounting, some tips and advice for interior designers specifically and the "aha" moment that helped shape her financial perspective.