Furniture's Secret Weapon: How Trade Showrooms Empower Designers with Maria Mendoza

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<v Voice Over>This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design.

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<v Voice Over>Curator of interiors, furnishings and lifestyles.

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<v Voice Over>Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, an interior designer and a style enthusiast, along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott, idesign Lab is your ultimate design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and its constant evolution in style and trends.

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<v Voice Over>Idesign Lab provides industry insight, discussing the latest trends, styles and everything in between to better help you style your life, through advice from trendsetters, designers, influencers, innovators, fabricators and manufacturers, as well as personal stories that inspire, motivate and excite.

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<v Voice Over>And join us on this elevated, informative and lively journey into the world of all things design.

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<v Voice Over>Today, on the iDesign Lab podcast, we're joined by Maria Mendoza, a true industry expert with nearly 40 years in interior design.

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<v Voice Over>As a leader at DRC showrooms, south Florida's premier trade exclusive design destination, maria empowers designers with curated access to over 170 top-tier manufacturers.

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<v Voice Over>Her passion for personalized service and deep design expertise has made her a trusted partner in bringing creative visions to life.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Welcome to the iDesign Lab podcast.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Today we are thrilled to welcome Maria Mendoza of DRC Showroom here in South Florida, but who has a wealth of knowledge on the furniture industry design, and you know just a little behind the scenes here how she went from marine biology, was it?

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<v Tiffany Woolley>No, I got it wrong, but you're going to tell us, so welcome.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Thank you, thank you.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, I did have a good morning and thank you for having me here.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I did have an interest.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I thought I was going to be a biomedical engineer.

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<v Maria Mendoza>However, as a kid I was always designing my room and drawing and making all these creative things and obviously never happened because my parents were like but you know, whatever, keep drawing Right.

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<v Maria Mendoza>And then I decided to go for architecture and then focus on interiors because I just thought that that was the most hands-on opportunity.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, architects get to design and do beautiful buildings, but really no hands-on nothing to get a grasp of the interior.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I just thought it was more practical and you could work-wise.

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<v Maria Mendoza>You could do a lot more with interior than just architecture so you became an interior designer first architect well, yeah and it was an interior architect at the time I went to I started it's like its own term in and of itself, which I feel like so many people don't really realize.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>yes, you know, as part of being in the interior design industry and as a professional, you know the interior architecture is just as important as the brick and mortar.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, so I did do architecture and focused on interiors.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It was a program in FIU that was developing.

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<v Maria Mendoza>There was no architecture school.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We were in the engineering school and that's where I started and I loved it because there was a lot of engineering and a lot of architecture and we saw both.

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<v Maria Mendoza>But then you specialized in interior.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>That's amazing.

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<v Maria Mendoza>And I worked through all the years that I was there.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I started really early.

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<v Scott Woolley>Did you start working for a firm or did you go on your own, or no?

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<v Maria Mendoza>working for a firm.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I like I worked for professors, I worked for a firm, I worked for an actually the.

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<v Maria Mendoza>The first jobs were drafting okay, it was all hand by done by hand.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I know I still have to start that way.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, and then, um, then I went into, I did work for a while in a showroom, in a furniture showroom.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It was all custom made and I did have to get creative with the sales part because I was so young and I looked like I was the owner's daughter and you know, with the clients it was like but I would design everything, I would draw everything, I would draw everything, 3d, everything was by hand and then I would partner with my sales team and they would present it to the client and we would split the commission because obviously everything at a young age right.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>So you were kind of on all sides.

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<v Scott Woolley>You were on the sales side.

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<v Scott Woolley>You're on the sales side.

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<v Scott Woolley>You were on the design side.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, you were on the drafting side.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>What a great foundation.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, yes, beautiful I was able to, and I wanted to be able to have the experience before I graduated, so that then I could have a really nice opportunity, you know, work-wise.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So I worked with professors.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Even ADA wasn't a thing back then, no, not at all.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Contract and all of that and I did a lot of.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We worked in a research project for accessibility for buildings and it wasn't the law at that time.

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<v Voice Over>So interesting, so it did became yeah.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So I did do a lot and then moved to.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I went to school here but then got married, went to Venezuela and there I got to do a lot of fun things.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Because we did do—.

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<v Scott Woolley>What do you mean?

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<v Scott Woolley>Fun things.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Well, nightclubs, restaurants, oh really, Wow.

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<v Scott Woolley>So, from an architectural drafting standpoint or from everything no that I started on my own.

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<v Scott Woolley>Really.

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<v Maria Mendoza>When.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I got there, I started working for a firm on my own.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Really, when I got there, I started working for a firm and then, like, right away, we got an opportunity to do this big.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It was a cellular company like cell phones which was starting and it was like, oh my god, this is like you know, like how many phones are they going to sell?

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<v Tiffany Woolley>And you're like, yeah, who's going to use that?

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<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, only wealthy people could do this, and now it's like everybody has a.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean what?

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<v Maria Mendoza>would we do without a cell?

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<v Tiffany Woolley>phone and we'd say it 100 times a day.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, yes, so yeah, that's how we started.

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<v Maria Mendoza>And then we did one like it was a nice-sized project.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It was a building, three stories, you know, with all the.

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<v Scott Woolley>Was this your own business at that point?

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<v Scott Woolley>Yeah, you know, with all the, is this your own business at that?

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<v Maria Mendoza>point yeah, me and a partner and a partner, yes, so we started undertaking yeah, so you're designing the interiors and the exteriors building was done we decided all the interior.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We designed all the interiors, yes, and that was really fun and and you know we did.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I mean we got to be, because they used to tell us in school once you graduate, then you don't have.

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<v Maria Mendoza>You know, you can't really get creative because then there's money and then there's this.

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<v Maria Mendoza>But this was like technology and they were all willing to spend money.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We were blessed to have the opportunity to work with that company, and then did that go on for a long time, or?

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, yes, they, they're still there amazing relationship was nurtured yes, and then we did their their stores, because then they developed stores and you know like it was a lot of.

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<v Maria Mendoza>And from there we got other companies that did other.

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<v Maria Mendoza>There was a biotech company that we did their offices and then we got to do hospitals with them because they were doing it was it was a lot so when you're designing these for the cellular companies and you're doing all the design, your design is done.

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<v Scott Woolley>Were you then following through with the contractors or whoever was?

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<v Maria Mendoza>building it out to make sure that project managers basically what you do and do the selections and sourcing and all of that all of that.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We did all of that, which gave me a really good foundation to understand the business now and to be able to help the designers that we work with in drc did you ever run into situations that were kind of challenging from a?

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<v Scott Woolley>design standpoint every day, every day, every day I basically feel like we're problem solvers yes yes, it's like we're, and people don't see it.

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<v Maria Mendoza>They're like oh, it is fun, but it's like working in a er you're, you're literally hit by and you cross every t?

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<v Maria Mendoza>Dot and dot every I and then you get thrown lemons and you're like okay, what do I do with this?

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<v Scott Woolley>And this is the part that the average person doesn't realize what a designer is bringing to the table the details.

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<v Scott Woolley>The details and working out all the little problems or foreseeing those problems that may come about.

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<v Maria Mendoza>The responsibility that a designer carries because it's an investment.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I mean owners.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Property owners are doing an investment and they rely on the expertise and the professional knowledge that a designer has to put everything together and make it look right, and you're basically it's the unknown.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So many Because you're creating something for some, you know, you don't know what, and definitely the owner doesn't know what they're getting because they can't visualize.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, there's a lot that you could do right now.

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<v Scott Woolley>And most owners, you know, let's say, it's residential, they're designing, they're redecorating their home, whatever it may be.

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<v Scott Woolley>Maybe once every 10 years they're doing that, but then when they're bringing in a designer who's done, like with Tiffany, over 500 homes, I mean there's a lot of All day, every day, yes, yes.

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<v Maria Mendoza>And I do firmly believe that owners should go property owners if it's a home or a condo or a building or a business whatever it is.

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<v Maria Mendoza>You should go to a professional because they have the expertise to guide you through the whole process and you're investing so much that it just doesn't make sense not to do it.

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<v Scott Woolley>So it seems as though you were in Venezuela for quite a number of years.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes.

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<v Scott Woolley>At what point did you come back to the States and to Florida?

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<v Scott Woolley>Because there's a big story, it seems we're going to talk about when you come back to Florida 18 years ago we had to.

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<v Maria Mendoza>my husband was in the poultry business.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Okay, my husband was in the poultry business.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Okay, and he with all that was happening in venezuela, chavez, and all of that, that got taken over.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So, um, we had to come here and start something from scratch.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So we decided to.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It was either his industry or mine and poultry.

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<v Maria Mendoza>I mean you can't compete with Tyson or any of that.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So, it's like, okay, we're on it, fascinating.

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<v Scott Woolley>So he changes his career.

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<v Scott Woolley>Both of you come to Florida.

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<v Maria Mendoza>He did say business is business, and I could manage that, no matter what Amazing support too.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So yeah, so that was.

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<v Scott Woolley>So did you go into the interior?

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<v Scott Woolley>Did you have an interior design business?

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<v Scott Woolley>No, an architectural.

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<v Maria Mendoza>At that point we took over DRC, which was called something else, and they were to the trade, which was of interest to us Because, being to the trade and working for designers we were able to.

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<v Maria Mendoza>He was able to do his business part and it wasn't me doing project, it was just assisting designers in their process the birth of DRC.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Drc.

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<v Scott Woolley>So you're taking over a business that's existing.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We take over a business that's existing, but we made it to where we really support our designers and we wanted to create a space.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Knowing what I knew what you could bring to the table.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah create a showroom for the designer, that it was their showroom and they could come in and use us as a studio and use it as a work environment where there's fabric samples, rug samples.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We have representation of the lines that we carry.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So we have all the you know century and Holland House Hickory Chair.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We have not large but we have a good representation of every single of the most important lines that we carry.

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<v Scott Woolley>So it seems to me that what you're really helping is I'll say maybe, for lack of better words the younger designer, someone who doesn't have or hasn't been in business for a long time, am I correct?

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<v Scott Woolley>And you're bringing them and giving them a lot of resources, that they have sort of the power of a bigger firm.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We do that for young designers and also for designers that have been there, done that that had their own studio.

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<v Maria Mendoza>And just have a couple projects and don't want to no or more, and don't want to deal with that aspect of it and they want to focus because you could have.

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<v Maria Mendoza>You have your office or you work out of your house and you have two or three or four staff that work with you senior designers or whatever and then we, you know, they come in and use our studio and we do all the purchasing.

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<v Maria Mendoza>They bring their clients, they work out of there, they make all the selections Amazing.

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<v Scott Woolley>We put all the purchasing, they bring their clients, they work out of there, they make all the selections amazing.

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<v Scott Woolley>So you, so the so independent interior designers, come to your facility, your showroom, correct?

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<v Scott Woolley>They have all the selections that you could possibly imagine, yes, and they're able to bring the client in there, I guess, and you have, like, I guess, tables that yes they can set up and it's kind of their and there's a staff that's supporting them?

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, and the purchasing process.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Our staff supports that Customer service once the installation occurs or delivery.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>So you handle all your installations and everything too.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>We handle claims and we handle issues.

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<v Scott Woolley>For the interior designers.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Correct, correct.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>We handle all that, so you're definitely not a furniture store.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>No, no you are to the trade working.

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<v Scott Woolley>You're like a high support.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We're a studio for our designers.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>That's amazing.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We serve as having.

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<v Maria Mendoza>They have their own showroom.

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<v Maria Mendoza>They walk in, they feel right at home.

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<v Maria Mendoza>There's big screens where they could do their presentations for their clients.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We have all the finishes and all the materials, fabrics that they could set up their selections and do an entire presentation, their selections and do an entire presentation and the client could actually sit and touch and see what they're getting.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Not what they're getting, but it's being created.

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<v Scott Woolley>The vision yeah they could see the vision Do you support, like from a creative standpoint for the interior designers or the clients, or is it the interior designers really doing all that work?

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<v Scott Woolley>It's the interior designer doing the work.

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<v Maria Mendoza>They come in, it's their project, their creativity and whatever they want to make out of it.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It's a nice environment because designers come in and there's always a few of them at the same time.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So there's a lot of collaboration and hey, what do you think of this?

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<v Maria Mendoza>And so it's.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>That is wonderful to have as a destination.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It's like being in school again and just having the work.

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<v Maria Mendoza>You know like working with other.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Get the creative juices flowing and inspiration.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, from everybody else.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, so when you originally took over DRC, was it with the same mindset, or is this something that you and your husband implemented when you sat on this journey?

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<v Maria Mendoza>We wanted.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We did have this vision, because knowing what it what it takes to be a designer and what you need and what for support yeah, what support you need and and what you want from your a designer, and what you need and what support you need and what you want from your vendors, and then having to deal with each vendor individually, it takes time and it takes a lot of resources.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>With minimum orders and opening orders and maintaining pricing and everything like that.

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<v Maria Mendoza>So there's no minimum order.

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<v Maria Mendoza>You have access to all the lines without any minimums and we give you all the support, the logistics.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It's one phone call.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, you have to call, but it's just one phone call, one place to follow up and to keep track of everything and if something's discontinued we'll let you know.

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<v Maria Mendoza>We try to find a substitute.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes.

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<v Scott Woolley>Wow, what a resource so does interior designers then have to book in time so they're calling you ahead of time saying can I come in at 9 o'clock on Tuesday with my client.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, if they want to, yes, yes, but they're welcome to walk in any time.

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<v Maria Mendoza>If they want us to any of our team members to help, they're welcome to walk to make an appointment.

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<v Maria Mendoza>If not, you can come in and just work on your own, and we have a lot of those who work on their own and others that make appointments, and you have a Boca showroom and you have Palm Beach showroom.

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<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, Palm Beach has exploded so much for the design industry as a resource as well in our area.

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<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, correct, it's a very nice area, very different.

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<v Maria Mendoza>It's crazy that we're 40 minutes away or an hour away and it's another world.

00:17:42.279 --> 00:17:43.465
<v Tiffany Woolley>The styles are different.

00:17:43.465 --> 00:17:51.394
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, the clientele is different probably the design teams are different right correct it's so interesting.

00:17:51.394 --> 00:18:00.721
<v Tiffany Woolley>So, as this evolved through the years, you know and has maintained, I guess, this platform and you decided to grow with palm beach.

00:18:00.721 --> 00:18:09.564
<v Tiffany Woolley>Are the lines and are the showrooms the same or are they integrating different, like because of the clientele being different?

00:18:09.564 --> 00:18:09.845
<v Tiffany Woolley>The?

00:18:09.924 --> 00:18:12.190
<v Maria Mendoza>lines are the same um.

00:18:12.190 --> 00:18:22.487
<v Maria Mendoza>We do have more of Century Hickory, chair, highland House, mainland Smith um those lines.

00:18:22.507 --> 00:18:27.673
<v Scott Woolley>That's all under the Rockhouse, which is such a cool company itself.

00:18:27.692 --> 00:18:29.596
<v Tiffany Woolley>I feel, like, that's just such a story?

00:18:31.601 --> 00:18:40.355
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, it is, and we do work with companies that give us support, because obviously that's what our clients need.

00:18:40.355 --> 00:18:48.987
<v Maria Mendoza>Like we provide the support for the clients, the clients for the designer, but we need companies that support customer service.

00:18:48.987 --> 00:18:51.496
<v Maria Mendoza>American leather, for example, it's another one.

00:18:51.496 --> 00:18:55.748
<v Maria Mendoza>It's all american made, and that's one of the things we love about those companies too.

00:18:55.748 --> 00:18:57.901
<v Maria Mendoza>Right now, with everything going, on amazing.

00:18:57.901 --> 00:19:01.183
<v Maria Mendoza>We definitely support everything made here.

00:19:01.203 --> 00:19:12.856
<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean, that's the one thing I'm actually somewhat looking forward to is because when I first started in the industry, you know it was much more of a curated furniture.

00:19:12.856 --> 00:19:32.993
<v Tiffany Woolley>You know custom experience and then, as things evolved, it's much more of this instant gratification wanted in stock, wanted a good price, gratification wanted in stock wanted a good like and I feel like you know, we're kind of going back, you know, to that customized process, at least for my clients and I.

00:19:32.993 --> 00:19:37.643
<v Tiffany Woolley>I'm grateful for it because, why not, why not?

00:19:37.762 --> 00:19:51.413
<v Maria Mendoza>and one of the things I, I, we, we say is when you do, when you start the process, start with furniture as well, because you're visualizing everything, the from start to finish you do.

00:19:51.413 --> 00:19:54.041
<v Maria Mendoza>Your floor plan you do, the furniture layout you do.

00:19:54.041 --> 00:19:58.290
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean you select all the materials and everything, but it's all integrated.

00:19:58.290 --> 00:20:03.529
<v Maria Mendoza>So once you have that furniture floor plan, just come in and order the furniture.

00:20:03.569 --> 00:20:15.377
<v Maria Mendoza>That way you could have the instant gratification because while you're doing construction, yep you're waiting, then you're the, the furniture is being manufactured as well, and then everything is received ideally.

00:20:15.377 --> 00:20:37.478
<v Maria Mendoza>Obviously, there's delays and there's issues yeah, what we're there for but you do, you integrate, you know you have your furniture is being built and then your, your project is complete, you get your co, you get all the furniture delivered you get that wow factor, I know and that's part of what we do as designers too is we kind of work backwards with our timeline.

00:20:37.538 --> 00:21:00.261
<v Tiffany Woolley>So I try to explain to clients like, just because not every little piece is selected I know you want a full number to so you're comfortable diving all in, but you really need to because there are so many details along the way you really need to check off this big chunk so that you can get things moving, so that we can have that reveal at the end.

00:21:00.261 --> 00:21:05.574
<v Tiffany Woolley>Correct, so it's such a niche, a niche part of our industry.

00:21:05.574 --> 00:21:10.791
<v Tiffany Woolley>Do you go to markets and do you select pieces for your showrooms?

00:21:10.791 --> 00:21:13.247
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, so you do curate yourself?

00:21:13.488 --> 00:21:32.471
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, we do go to market, we do bring our team members to market in order for them also to be knowledgeable of what we're selling and what we're offering to our clients because they need to know oh, does this sit well, does this not?

00:21:32.471 --> 00:21:35.084
<v Maria Mendoza>And then to select the pieces again.

00:21:35.084 --> 00:21:39.111
<v Maria Mendoza>We have a representation, but it's not the whole showroom.

00:21:41.480 --> 00:21:57.334
<v Maria Mendoza>So we have to select the pieces that represent that line that the client could sit and could have a feel of quality and comfort but then make it, design it to and create it to their own, to each space individually.

00:21:58.340 --> 00:22:07.174
<v Scott Woolley>So the showroom basically has just lots of samples and fabrics and wallpaper and does it have, you know, tiles and things like that?

00:22:07.214 --> 00:22:11.267
<v Maria Mendoza>you have samples, yeah no, not tiles, because we do.

00:22:11.267 --> 00:22:22.972
<v Maria Mendoza>We are focused on furnishings so it's furniture lighting accessories, rugs, rugs wallpaper.

00:22:22.972 --> 00:22:32.721
<v Maria Mendoza>Oh, so you do wallpaper Wallpaper window treatment, like all the fabrics for window treatments, for upholstery and, obviously, the fabrics and the finishes of the manufacturers.

00:22:33.411 --> 00:22:36.876
<v Tiffany Woolley>So when do you decide to bring on a new line?

00:22:36.876 --> 00:22:38.259
<v Tiffany Woolley>What makes like?

00:22:39.241 --> 00:22:48.840
<v Scott Woolley>Well, even more important than that, because I've noticed on your website you list and you have so many great vendors I mean manufacturers that you, you, evidently you know.

00:22:50.211 --> 00:22:52.057
<v Tiffany Woolley>Built a long relationship Correct.

00:22:52.609 --> 00:23:05.980
<v Scott Woolley>So if a designer comes in with a client and the client or the designer say, well, we want to buy this from this XYZ company that you haven't dealt with, Will you do that or is that something that you frown away from?

00:23:05.980 --> 00:23:06.451
<v Scott Woolley>No?

00:23:06.490 --> 00:23:16.604
<v Maria Mendoza>we will definitely look into it However we have dealt in the past with some vendors that we've had to just say.

00:23:17.105 --> 00:23:20.009
<v Scott Woolley>I can't work with that because they don't stand behind their product.

00:23:20.009 --> 00:23:21.115
<v Scott Woolley>Yeah, we understand that.

00:23:21.809 --> 00:23:30.144
<v Maria Mendoza>So if you don't stand behind, we end up paying for everything because at the end of the day, we're not going to let our designers hanging.

00:23:31.451 --> 00:23:33.536
<v Scott Woolley>So will you use Wayfair?

00:23:33.536 --> 00:23:34.679
<v Scott Woolley>No.

00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:35.240
<v Tiffany Woolley>Right.

00:23:35.821 --> 00:23:35.981
<v Maria Mendoza>No.

00:23:35.981 --> 00:23:37.846
<v Maria Mendoza>We don't either, yeah.

00:23:38.930 --> 00:23:55.698
<v Scott Woolley>No, because I think that's another thing I don't think people realize is that, okay, you're getting stuff inexpensive, but we've had some clients that they really want it because someone or whatever, for whatever reason, and we buy it from them and it comes like disastrously broken and damaged.

00:23:55.798 --> 00:23:56.780
<v Tiffany Woolley>Three different times.

00:23:56.780 --> 00:24:00.461
<v Tiffany Woolley>There's time and money associated to that too.

00:24:01.351 --> 00:24:12.714
<v Maria Mendoza>I appreciate that industry and I appreciate their business and it caters to a certain clientele which I'm, you know, great for them.

00:24:12.714 --> 00:24:17.824
<v Maria Mendoza>But it's not what we encourage and we really support.

00:24:18.532 --> 00:24:23.395
<v Scott Woolley>You're about quality and good quality service to the consumer and American made.

00:24:23.852 --> 00:24:24.595
<v Maria Mendoza>I love that.

00:24:24.595 --> 00:24:36.893
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, and we really support that, that it's all made here and it's made by our people and we try to promote that as much as possible, because obviously we can't make everything.

00:24:36.893 --> 00:24:43.334
<v Maria Mendoza>You know, there's parts that are imported, but but and it wouldn't make sense, it would be, you know.

00:24:43.734 --> 00:24:53.579
<v Tiffany Woolley>No, but these american-made partners have such great integrated relationships and ownership stakes, even if things are made overseas.

00:24:53.579 --> 00:24:59.637
<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean, I feel like yes the quality control is still a level above what you're getting.

00:24:59.657 --> 00:25:16.772
<v Maria Mendoza>Correct, and then random and you still have factories and workers that are there, that are you know taken care of properly and and support us because, again, we want our clients to be supported and if there's an issue, okay here, we'll work with you.

00:25:17.836 --> 00:25:19.759
<v Tiffany Woolley>Do you offer CAD services?

00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:27.614
<v Tiffany Woolley>We do not usually really primarily focused on furniture and the soft goods.

00:25:27.934 --> 00:25:29.957
<v Maria Mendoza>We do work with designers.

00:25:29.957 --> 00:25:39.047
<v Maria Mendoza>They come in with a floor plan and we help them source the furniture and select the pieces.

00:25:39.970 --> 00:25:40.330
<v Scott Woolley>They have a vision.

00:25:40.330 --> 00:25:45.289
<v Scott Woolley>Oh, so you're actually helping interior designers in sourcing for their clients?

00:25:45.309 --> 00:25:57.616
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, that's a great resource for If they're doing commercial and they're doing lobbies, and okay, what's better, what's good, what's trending, and we help them.

00:25:57.616 --> 00:26:04.516
<v Maria Mendoza>And what's going to be durable, what's not, we do help them with the pieces.

00:26:04.516 --> 00:26:05.479
<v Maria Mendoza>And what's the budget?

00:26:05.479 --> 00:26:14.343
<v Maria Mendoza>Right, because we have different, obviously different manufacturers, different budgets, different scales, so we help them in that sense too.

00:26:14.343 --> 00:26:22.413
<v Maria Mendoza>Okay, this is what you have, okay, put you know, invest here and maybe not there, yes, so you just said something that's interesting what's the budget?

00:26:22.433 --> 00:26:53.588
<v Scott Woolley>it's something that we've talked a lot about with people on this podcast is that most people don't want to tell or say what their budget may or may not be, and we try to talk about the encouragement that people should talk to their interior designer of what their budget is, because then the interior designer or the firm, or even your firm, can really go to town and make a much greater presentation working within the restraints of the budget.

00:26:53.848 --> 00:26:55.630
<v Maria Mendoza>Correct and everybody has a budget, everybody.

00:26:55.830 --> 00:27:05.942
<v Scott Woolley>Well, people, I think I always say to Tiffany I think it's because people don't want to say because you're going to spend every single dollar plus ten more than what my budget is yes, but that's not the way.

00:27:05.962 --> 00:27:07.069
<v Maria Mendoza>Good dollar plus ten more than what my budget is yes.

00:27:07.390 --> 00:27:11.080
<v Scott Woolley>But that's not the way good interior designers don't work.

00:27:11.080 --> 00:27:20.309
<v Scott Woolley>That way they work and think, okay, we're going to redo your room or your house within your budget and it's going to be absolutely beautiful, beautiful yes.

00:27:20.309 --> 00:27:26.963
<v Scott Woolley>And then, based on your tastes and your budget, the elevation of what that location or that room can look like.

00:27:28.829 --> 00:27:29.391
<v Maria Mendoza>I do agree with that.

00:27:29.391 --> 00:27:36.050
<v Maria Mendoza>It's it's just making the best out of that budget and that's what you know, that in our case, that's what we do too.

00:27:36.050 --> 00:27:43.531
<v Maria Mendoza>We, if you have x amount of dollars for furniture and furnishings they love this sofa but can't afford it.

00:27:43.531 --> 00:27:57.420
<v Maria Mendoza>Well, we'll make it work, because maybe you get the sofa which we are going to be living in and you save on the rug or on the side tables, which are not going to be what's the word you use all the time Value engineer.

00:27:58.329 --> 00:27:59.935
<v Scott Woolley>To make it work for the clients.

00:28:00.136 --> 00:28:00.858
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, correct.

00:28:01.771 --> 00:28:05.181
<v Scott Woolley>So they're super excited and thrilled when it's all done.

00:28:05.520 --> 00:28:10.811
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, and that's also something that I tend to visualize.

00:28:10.811 --> 00:28:19.996
<v Maria Mendoza>I try to focus on wow, it's going to be even better, Like our goal is to make it better than what they could envision.

00:28:19.996 --> 00:28:23.550
<v Maria Mendoza>Obviously the designer can visualize it, but maybe the end user can't.

00:28:23.550 --> 00:28:29.603
<v Maria Mendoza>But, oh my God, this is going to be so much better than this was, so much better than what I could even imagine.

00:28:29.844 --> 00:28:42.358
<v Tiffany Woolley>I know and I feel like your team also provides that extra confidence probably to a client and an end user, because sometimes it's just the designer and they don't want to be so.

00:28:42.358 --> 00:28:43.181
<v Tiffany Woolley>You know, you never know.

00:28:43.181 --> 00:28:50.962
<v Tiffany Woolley>People's personalities are different, but a team like you, all together, offers another level of confidence for an end user.

00:28:50.962 --> 00:29:02.019
<v Tiffany Woolley>So, being a designer, do you ever still do any of your own projects, or do you just primarily stay?

00:29:02.140 --> 00:29:03.041
<v Maria Mendoza>on the sales side.

00:29:03.041 --> 00:29:07.589
<v Maria Mendoza>I stay on working because we do work a lot with a designer and in their projects.

00:29:07.609 --> 00:29:08.734
<v Tiffany Woolley>So you're getting your fix.

00:29:09.190 --> 00:29:09.771
<v Maria Mendoza>I'm getting.

00:29:09.771 --> 00:29:13.840
<v Maria Mendoza>I see new projects every day.

00:29:13.840 --> 00:29:15.891
<v Maria Mendoza>Oh, wow, and we do.

00:29:15.891 --> 00:29:24.740
<v Maria Mendoza>We have the opportunity because when we start with some clients come the first time, they might be working on one or two projects.

00:29:24.740 --> 00:29:41.542
<v Maria Mendoza>They might be working on one or two projects and then, once they realize what they can do with us, they start getting more projects because, okay, now I don't have to turn down this ex-client because now I have support here that can help me grow my business.

00:29:41.670 --> 00:29:49.356
<v Maria Mendoza>So we definitely promote that and assist our clients, our designers, to keep going.

00:29:49.356 --> 00:30:05.596
<v Maria Mendoza>Just get those projects, we'll help you and we'll, you know, uh, help you through, because there's a lot of time and a lot of work put into the purchasing part so much, and the follow-up, and the follow-up is huge and you're handling all of that for.

00:30:05.596 --> 00:30:07.520
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, we are.

00:30:07.931 --> 00:30:12.321
<v Scott Woolley>You're handling the part that interior designers really don't want to do.

00:30:12.470 --> 00:30:15.559
<v Tiffany Woolley>They want to be doing all the beautiful and just creating.

00:30:16.109 --> 00:30:18.098
<v Scott Woolley>Don't want to have to be later on in the back room.

00:30:18.098 --> 00:30:20.410
<v Scott Woolley>I call it doing all the paperwork.

00:30:20.750 --> 00:30:25.339
<v Maria Mendoza>Doing all the paperwork and it's just one phone call because okay, where is this?

00:30:25.339 --> 00:30:29.676
<v Maria Mendoza>Or if it's a full project or several full projects.

00:30:29.696 --> 00:30:30.638
<v Tiffany Woolley>You're calling us.

00:30:33.990 --> 00:30:55.584
<v Maria Mendoza>And we provide you with status of status reports of all the pieces for every project and it just frees you from that time and once the project is done, installed, and then there's issues because there's always issues, unfortunately we help that process too Navigate that yes, with the vendor.

00:30:55.584 --> 00:31:15.903
<v Maria Mendoza>So we contact the vendor, we contact the receiver, the delivery, we do what needs to be done to get it solved or assist to get it solved, and then the designer could go on to the next project and not worry about what this is all costing.

00:31:16.570 --> 00:31:21.461
<v Tiffany Woolley>Do you warehouse your orders yourself or do you send them to?

00:31:22.211 --> 00:31:24.519
<v Maria Mendoza>We work with the designer's receivers?

00:31:24.950 --> 00:31:27.239
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, because every designer has their own.

00:31:27.239 --> 00:31:27.992
<v Tiffany Woolley>Okay, so that?

00:31:28.032 --> 00:31:36.673
<v Maria Mendoza>makes perfect sense, and we do also have designers that are working in projects in New York or Massachusetts Right.

00:31:36.854 --> 00:31:39.892
<v Tiffany Woolley>So the receivers are wherever Do you find it?

00:31:39.952 --> 00:31:44.692
<v Scott Woolley>hard to get designers to come in, or how do you?

00:31:44.692 --> 00:31:51.323
<v Scott Woolley>Acquire or find, or just you know it's new design is coming in.

00:31:51.583 --> 00:31:58.779
<v Maria Mendoza>We do have um instagram and all that part that our daughter, um, oh, that's cool.

00:31:58.779 --> 00:32:17.211
<v Maria Mendoza>And during covid she kind of, you know, we asked her to help us with that amazing and then she, she, you know one thing she started like helping us because she was not working at the time because of covid, and so she started with, oh, let's do instagram.

00:32:17.211 --> 00:32:24.601
<v Maria Mendoza>She then fixed our website, then redid our library, then our you know, our system.

00:32:24.601 --> 00:32:26.663
<v Maria Mendoza>So it's a true family operation.

00:32:26.663 --> 00:32:28.746
<v Maria Mendoza>So now she's like full on.

00:32:28.746 --> 00:32:34.182
<v Maria Mendoza>She even did our system, our administrative system, which I have no clue of.

00:32:35.512 --> 00:32:37.118
<v Voice Over>You trust it's good, yeah, no.

00:32:38.592 --> 00:32:40.097
<v Maria Mendoza>We used to use QuickBooks.

00:32:40.097 --> 00:32:49.925
<v Maria Mendoza>So now we have a designated program that she worked and developed and developed for us how impressive.

00:32:49.925 --> 00:32:52.298
<v Maria Mendoza>So she's full on with us.

00:32:53.973 --> 00:32:54.857
<v Tiffany Woolley>And that's fun too.

00:32:54.857 --> 00:32:56.079
<v Tiffany Woolley>What a blessing as a parent too.

00:32:56.079 --> 00:32:58.297
<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean, it's a full circle.

00:32:58.750 --> 00:33:07.961
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, it's definitely that also made us want to, because at one point we thought we have three daughters, so do we oh really.

00:33:07.961 --> 00:33:09.785
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, oh my God, that's great.

00:33:09.785 --> 00:33:18.596
<v Maria Mendoza>And we thought, okay, no one's interested in this, Because they, literally, when we got here, they were working, they were in the showroom all day.

00:33:18.596 --> 00:33:26.261
<v Maria Mendoza>Clients knew them, they were, you know, it was just the three of them basically lived there.

00:33:26.390 --> 00:33:30.601
<v Voice Over>They would work all summers you know, it was just the three of them basically lived there.

00:33:30.601 --> 00:33:31.262
<v Voice Over>They would work all summers.

00:33:31.282 --> 00:33:32.405
<v Tiffany Woolley>You know, fixing, I love that Fixing.

00:33:32.405 --> 00:33:33.127
<v Tiffany Woolley>Organizing, yes, yes, Maintaining.

00:33:34.631 --> 00:33:36.515
<v Maria Mendoza>And so we were like I guess they didn't.

00:33:36.515 --> 00:33:39.461
<v Maria Mendoza>At one point they were like I want nothing to do with this, but I know.

00:33:39.501 --> 00:33:39.722
<v Voice Over>Yeah.

00:33:41.512 --> 00:33:48.211
<v Maria Mendoza>So now, when she just said, okay, yes, I'm all in, we were like, okay, so now we could.

00:33:48.211 --> 00:33:52.978
<v Maria Mendoza>And that's when we you know Palm Beach came along and we said, well, we could actually expand.

00:33:53.038 --> 00:33:54.976
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, that's so special.

00:33:55.096 --> 00:34:03.061
<v Scott Woolley>Yes, so do you do any kind of like continuing education or like bringing vendors in to show off like showcases.

00:34:04.471 --> 00:34:09.742
<v Maria Mendoza>So we do have events that we do like aftermarket events.

00:34:11.271 --> 00:34:12.728
<v Scott Woolley>What do you mean by aftermarket events?

00:34:12.829 --> 00:34:15.541
<v Maria Mendoza>So, market in High Point it's a big.

00:34:15.563 --> 00:34:16.246
<v Tiffany Woolley>Twice a year.

00:34:16.429 --> 00:34:20.818
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, it's twice a year and not every designer goes there.

00:34:20.818 --> 00:34:25.262
<v Maria Mendoza>So, we have some that just don't want to go, don't want to be bothered, don't have the time.

00:34:25.262 --> 00:34:27.994
<v Maria Mendoza>I just don't want to go, don't want to be bothered, don't have the time.

00:34:27.994 --> 00:34:46.440
<v Maria Mendoza>So we bring the reps in the vendors and they bring all their new introductions and we just have a and they're able designers are able to interact with each representative of each company and they just give you know they Overview.

00:34:47.130 --> 00:34:48.353
<v Maria Mendoza>And it's not um.

00:34:48.353 --> 00:34:54.942
<v Maria Mendoza>They could visit, we do, stations and in there because we have vignettes of every vendor.

00:34:54.942 --> 00:35:05.099
<v Maria Mendoza>So we they each are in their specific space and they show everything that's new and the introductions, fabrics, whatever it is.

00:35:05.099 --> 00:35:06.722
<v Maria Mendoza>So that's um.

00:35:06.722 --> 00:35:22.362
<v Maria Mendoza>And sometimes we do have um special events just designated to some, like we're having one with american leather, we're having another with rock house farms, rock out, yeah, with all their companies right.

00:35:23.063 --> 00:35:25.875
<v Tiffany Woolley>So it kind of keeps things fresh, like correct yeah.

00:35:25.894 --> 00:35:28.420
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, and designers update it.

00:35:28.420 --> 00:35:29.523
<v Maria Mendoza>You know with everything.

00:35:29.829 --> 00:35:31.094
<v Tiffany Woolley>I know, because it really is.

00:35:31.094 --> 00:35:55.422
<v Tiffany Woolley>You know, I always say, like going to market kind of sells itself, like when you really do start to appreciate there is a quality difference, as we keep mentioning, to American-made and just to that level of quality that you're investing in and it's such a blessing to have a showroom and a resource like you that you can go and actually bring that information to a client too.

00:35:55.449 --> 00:35:58.972
<v Scott Woolley>But with trends and styles changing every year, are you having to?

00:35:59.414 --> 00:36:00.838
<v Tiffany Woolley>switch things out and change things.

00:36:02.552 --> 00:36:03.836
<v Scott Woolley>How do you stay on top of that?

00:36:04.592 --> 00:36:08.521
<v Maria Mendoza>Well, we see what things that are new.

00:36:08.521 --> 00:36:13.262
<v Maria Mendoza>Our showrooms are very, I would say, neutral.

00:36:13.262 --> 00:36:22.684
<v Maria Mendoza>It's like a blank, a white canvas, and we pick pieces that are very, that you could customize.

00:36:22.684 --> 00:36:44.938
<v Maria Mendoza>So colors are neutral and then the designer comes in and gets creative with whatever they want to use, because you could have the same sofa with different arm, different, I know, and made in so many different ways that we just, okay, give you the blank so the client could sit and try it and then you create it however you want.

00:36:45.619 --> 00:36:54.322
<v Maria Mendoza>But, that being said, we there's still new frames new, so once we see something's not doing so well, or there's something new that could be better.

00:36:54.322 --> 00:36:59.358
<v Maria Mendoza>We just sell it off the floor and and so you're set up for.

00:37:00.541 --> 00:37:08.550
<v Scott Woolley>I use the word sophisticated because that I always think that on how tiffany does, like on COM, so custom-made things Everything probably.

00:37:08.550 --> 00:37:12.878
<v Scott Woolley>So you're doing a sofa and you're set up for a client to come in.

00:37:12.878 --> 00:37:19.288
<v Scott Woolley>Where you're making a change to the sofa, you're making the legs a different color or a different stain, correct.

00:37:19.288 --> 00:37:30.418
<v Scott Woolley>You're doing two different fabrics, you're adding trim, because that's a lot of detail and a lot of detail to follow up to get it made Correct and you're handling all that aspect, all that aspect.

00:37:31.179 --> 00:37:34.257
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, it's a lot, of it's fun.

00:37:34.992 --> 00:37:39.782
<v Scott Woolley>It's a big plus for a designer and it's incredible for customers coming in.

00:37:40.170 --> 00:37:41.155
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, they do.

00:37:41.155 --> 00:37:50.596
<v Maria Mendoza>And it's a nice, I mean we're very casual, so it's also a nice for when clients come in.

00:37:50.596 --> 00:37:57.574
<v Maria Mendoza>You make the customers, yes they, they feel like right at home, they, you know we have lounge seating where they could sit and see all the presentation and they're just like.

00:37:57.574 --> 00:38:12.942
<v Maria Mendoza>And then we have our, our mascot, bailey people love her, but yeah, she's part of the family too, yeah it's so special, so it's very yeah, it's a working showroom and something very easy, user-friendly.

00:38:12.942 --> 00:38:13.322
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes.

00:38:14.170 --> 00:38:17.780
<v Tiffany Woolley>So do you go back and forth every day or every week?

00:38:17.780 --> 00:38:21.559
<v Tiffany Woolley>How does your schedule now or your team schedule work?

00:38:21.559 --> 00:38:22.300
<v Tiffany Woolley>With the growth.

00:38:23.690 --> 00:38:29.902
<v Maria Mendoza>Well, we have, I do go, we do go back and forth, not every day.

00:38:29.902 --> 00:38:35.643
<v Maria Mendoza>We have a great team in Palm Beach and a great team in Boca.

00:38:35.643 --> 00:38:44.463
<v Maria Mendoza>So I do, depending on whatever you know where the client, where I'm needed, that's where I'm at.

00:38:44.543 --> 00:38:45.525
<v Tiffany Woolley>That's so cool.

00:38:45.650 --> 00:38:48.552
<v Maria Mendoza>But it is very flexible and we actually live in the middle.

00:38:48.711 --> 00:39:00.085
<v Scott Woolley>So that works out good, so that works out very well is there like one big challenge that you find or you think that designers have or are coming across and it's the.

00:39:00.427 --> 00:39:09.405
<v Maria Mendoza>It's very, very challenge right now that the industry it's just I don't know what has happened.

00:39:09.405 --> 00:39:27.809
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, again, there's some companies that are really reliable and take pride of what they do, but there's others that don't, and that's the challenge, because I mean as much as we take pride of what we do, if you're working with a company, Manufacturer yeah the manufacturers.

00:39:27.809 --> 00:39:40.240
<v Maria Mendoza>We can't control that right and things take time, and what you said before about instant gratification clients and users are now used to oh but, I ordered this and I have it tomorrow.

00:39:40.722 --> 00:39:42.090
<v Maria Mendoza>Why is this taking so long?

00:39:42.090 --> 00:39:56.250
<v Maria Mendoza>Right because it's a process and everything's custom made and everything's worth it is to wait for, exactly, and, and one of the things I do, um, going back to what you said, some things that are worth it.

00:39:56.250 --> 00:40:02.467
<v Maria Mendoza>Um, to me, some people say, oh, but I don't care, I'm not gonna live as long as the furniture, or?

00:40:03.831 --> 00:40:06.217
<v Maria Mendoza>but you want your furniture to look new.

00:40:06.217 --> 00:40:08.501
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, even if it's for three years.

00:40:08.501 --> 00:40:10.855
<v Maria Mendoza>You want it to look new for the three years.

00:40:10.855 --> 00:40:16.233
<v Maria Mendoza>You don't want some buy something and then in three months the thing is falling apart.

00:40:16.233 --> 00:40:20.106
<v Maria Mendoza>If you can, I mean if you're investing, because then you invest it.

00:40:20.106 --> 00:40:22.331
<v Maria Mendoza>X amount, and now it's.

00:40:22.331 --> 00:40:24.454
<v Maria Mendoza>It looks awful to me.

00:40:24.454 --> 00:40:32.786
<v Maria Mendoza>You just threw away X amount rather than pay a little more and just get something really worth it.

00:40:32.786 --> 00:40:36.440
<v Maria Mendoza>You're going to love every minute that you see it, it's true.

00:40:37.711 --> 00:40:43.282
<v Scott Woolley>It's very true, we're very particular in the vendors and manufacturers that we deal with.

00:40:44.371 --> 00:40:46.300
<v Maria Mendoza>I'm sure you see it also that we deal with.

00:40:46.300 --> 00:40:47.304
<v Maria Mendoza>I'm sure you see it also.

00:40:47.304 --> 00:40:49.717
<v Maria Mendoza>There's a lot of mistakes happening and a lot of you know.

00:40:49.717 --> 00:40:57.315
<v Maria Mendoza>You get a delivery and the manufacturer sends it to somewhere else it's not supposed to go.

00:40:57.315 --> 00:40:58.590
<v Maria Mendoza>The quality control.

00:40:58.630 --> 00:41:09.219
<v Scott Woolley>Well, the quality control is and unfortunately it's the stuff that's coming from overseas that people think well, I'm getting a bargain here and you're not at the end of the day and you're not.

00:41:09.259 --> 00:41:16.362
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, you're paying for something that you're not going to be happy with at the end.

00:41:16.382 --> 00:41:21.230
<v Tiffany Woolley>No, and as we were just touching a minute too, it is an industry.

00:41:21.431 --> 00:41:36.922
<v Tiffany Woolley>I feel like that there is still so much growth and untapped opportunity, but there is still so much growth and untapped opportunity and in some of my research for the podcast and in general, like they were even saying, it's actually an industry where AI would not be able to have its hands so much.

00:41:36.922 --> 00:41:46.130
<v Tiffany Woolley>I mean it's still like a hands-on, it's a sales operation, even in the 3D.

00:41:46.130 --> 00:41:54.190
<v Tiffany Woolley>You know they're not on the field, you know AI cannot be in the meeting with your contractor and you know there's still so much untapped growth in this.

00:41:54.429 --> 00:41:55.833
<v Scott Woolley>We've tried the AI thing.

00:41:55.974 --> 00:41:56.735
<v Tiffany Woolley>Industry.

00:41:57.297 --> 00:41:58.039
<v Scott Woolley>Just to see.

00:41:58.039 --> 00:42:03.143
<v Scott Woolley>It's an experiment, I mean for drawing and for visualizing.

00:42:03.182 --> 00:42:04.168
<v Maria Mendoza>I think it's great.

00:42:04.268 --> 00:42:04.530
<v Tiffany Woolley>Right.

00:42:04.769 --> 00:42:08.980
<v Maria Mendoza>And the more you could visualize and the more you could offer to your client.

00:42:08.980 --> 00:42:10.744
<v Maria Mendoza>That's amazing.

00:42:10.744 --> 00:42:23.521
<v Maria Mendoza>But the reason we exist is because the fabric, the touch and the colors it's not even, and that's why you order a CFA because, the dialogue could be different.

00:42:23.521 --> 00:42:27.561
<v Maria Mendoza>Imagine a screen versus a print.

00:42:27.561 --> 00:42:33.501
<v Maria Mendoza>You can't really pick a finish or a fabric without seeing the actual item.

00:42:33.742 --> 00:42:38.119
<v Tiffany Woolley>I know Speaking of like in your career with RDC.

00:42:38.119 --> 00:42:42.900
<v Tiffany Woolley>I'm saying RDC, that's because my daughter all she talks about is RDC D-R-C.

00:42:42.900 --> 00:42:48.293
<v Tiffany Woolley>She wants to go to RDC, RDC, Anyway, has there been anything?

00:42:48.293 --> 00:42:52.701
<v Tiffany Woolley>That's been totally crazy and you're just like I don't see this happening.

00:42:52.701 --> 00:42:58.878
<v Tiffany Woolley>But okay, it's what you want and you just are there to support, but like something that's just so off.

00:42:59.833 --> 00:43:00.702
<v Scott Woolley>A client request.

00:43:00.809 --> 00:43:01.835
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, a client request.

00:43:01.835 --> 00:43:02.974
<v Tiffany Woolley>That's just so crazy.

00:43:02.974 --> 00:43:05.757
<v Tiffany Woolley>Like you know just things that are like.

00:43:05.757 --> 00:43:09.451
<v Tiffany Woolley>So a designer comes up with like just something.

00:43:09.530 --> 00:43:12.096
<v Maria Mendoza>So oh no, actually.

00:43:12.096 --> 00:43:15.641
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, does we come up with crazy things all the time?

00:43:15.641 --> 00:43:20.739
<v Maria Mendoza>So really nothing, nothing's like, really nothing's like super surprising?

00:43:20.739 --> 00:43:23.286
<v Maria Mendoza>No, no, we have.

00:43:23.286 --> 00:43:26.215
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, it's just different perspectives.

00:43:26.295 --> 00:43:29.317
<v Tiffany Woolley>I guess, guess or taste Beauty in the eye of the beholder.

00:43:29.317 --> 00:43:31.489
<v Tiffany Woolley>I say that at least twice a day.

00:43:31.730 --> 00:43:32.811
<v Maria Mendoza>Because they do.

00:43:32.811 --> 00:43:42.278
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, we do have clients that come in and then put together like a sofa or a sectional and you're like, that looks odd.

00:43:43.431 --> 00:43:50.302
<v Scott Woolley>We've had some things Clients have asked Tiffany to and they leave, we're like what?

00:43:51.251 --> 00:44:03.224
<v Maria Mendoza>what yes, yes there are things like that, but I I can't name one or two, because I guess we got them all day right that it's like oh, really did, did they just say that?

00:44:04.168 --> 00:44:04.949
<v Scott Woolley>we've had somewhere.

00:44:04.949 --> 00:44:26.016
<v Scott Woolley>We just can't forget them because it's like, oh my god, yeah, that's good, no so for a new interior designer, someone who's starting out, who's fairly new, because you deal and talk to and see so many that come through your, your showroom, what would be the first or number one piece of advice that you would give someone new and starting out?

00:44:27.077 --> 00:44:29.219
<v Maria Mendoza>To do their.

00:44:29.219 --> 00:44:35.106
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean to just know that you're never going to know everything.

00:44:35.106 --> 00:44:37.295
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, and find out.

00:44:37.295 --> 00:44:43.579
<v Maria Mendoza>For me, the key is to know where to find the information, because we can't know everything.

00:44:43.579 --> 00:45:02.969
<v Maria Mendoza>So, just if you're doing a floor plan or you're sourcing furniture or your materials or you're creating whatever it is that you're doing or designing, just know where to find information and once you figure that, once you figure your sources, I think that's key.

00:45:03.030 --> 00:45:10.643
<v Scott Woolley>But that's where your company comes in to so much help for every young and new interior designer.

00:45:10.643 --> 00:45:12.353
<v Scott Woolley>Yes, because you know all the sources.

00:45:12.353 --> 00:45:22.016
<v Scott Woolley>You have all the sources and you can help, inspire and provide that resource that's going to inspire that new interior designer with ideas.

00:45:22.077 --> 00:45:34.387
<v Maria Mendoza>You could provide the sources for furniture and for furnishings, but for materials for tile, just look for the good source.

00:45:34.811 --> 00:45:35.775
<v Tiffany Woolley>Industry partners.

00:45:37.090 --> 00:45:42.443
<v Maria Mendoza>Know where to find the information and your sources, and that's key.

00:45:43.612 --> 00:45:47.722
<v Scott Woolley>So you don't have like earlier you said you don't have tile samples- no.

00:45:47.722 --> 00:45:55.635
<v Scott Woolley>Do you recommend for those kind of vendors to people we do have?

00:45:55.635 --> 00:45:56.797
<v Scott Woolley>Yes, that.

00:45:57.398 --> 00:46:00.103
<v Maria Mendoza>I had experience with and good experience with.

00:46:00.103 --> 00:46:03.909
<v Maria Mendoza>If they ask me, if not, I won't volunteer If not?

00:46:03.909 --> 00:46:04.851
<v Maria Mendoza>I won't volunteer.

00:46:04.851 --> 00:46:08.532
<v Maria Mendoza>If they ask, I'll say hey, I would.

00:46:08.532 --> 00:46:16.117
<v Maria Mendoza>You know this flooring company, I think you know we had, we had, I had great experience with them.

00:46:16.117 --> 00:46:33.659
<v Maria Mendoza>I can't say, but I do, there's some, there's a few cabinets company work yeah, window treatment, workrooms that you're upholsterers that you're like okay, these are weak, they're reliable.

00:46:33.659 --> 00:46:35.793
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, we've had good experience with them.

00:46:36.164 --> 00:46:47.753
<v Scott Woolley>Don't kill me if you don't Right right, are there other companies I hate to use the word competitors that do this similar to what you're doing, offering the service that you provide?

00:46:48.626 --> 00:47:03.755
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, there are other companies that provide the services for designers, but they're also retail, yeah, so they do both, that's so that retail they're pushing something on the people, because it's probably so like anti that part, not that I don't believe.

00:47:03.795 --> 00:47:08.610
<v Tiffany Woolley>It has its reasons and has its support and oh, it does have its reasons, you.

00:47:09.070 --> 00:47:26.391
<v Tiffany Woolley>But as a designer, I just don't believe that you can be one thing to all people and that's what I feel like a furniture store tries to do and I'm all about which is kind of like the service you provide.

00:47:26.391 --> 00:47:30.036
<v Tiffany Woolley>I'm all about not decorating in isolation.

00:47:30.036 --> 00:47:40.646
<v Tiffany Woolley>Like you know, you really do need that one person that can help you navigate, which and it is the designer or your design team but that you're not just picking out.

00:47:40.646 --> 00:47:46.568
<v Tiffany Woolley>Okay, we're gonna go here today and do furniture and then next week I'm gonna go pick out my kitchen and next week we're gonna go do floor.

00:47:46.568 --> 00:47:59.514
<v Tiffany Woolley>Like it really needs to be a cohesive experience and I do think that sometimes when you go the retail route, you think you can do your like.

00:47:59.514 --> 00:48:01.719
<v Tiffany Woolley>Then it just adds to more retail routes.

00:48:01.719 --> 00:48:11.518
<v Tiffany Woolley>Correct Versus this customized experience that I pride myself on and obviously your business truly represents.

00:48:11.724 --> 00:48:15.135
<v Maria Mendoza>And we do provide wholesale pricing for our designers.

00:48:15.135 --> 00:48:30.795
<v Maria Mendoza>We don't want to give that to the end user and because we want the designer to be able to make, to me it's a win-win for all of us, because you're able to make your fees.

00:48:30.795 --> 00:48:37.534
<v Maria Mendoza>The end user is getting a discount and we're getting business.

00:48:37.534 --> 00:48:47.916
<v Maria Mendoza>So obviously when you sell retail, the margins are much higher and that's why those companies do both do retail and design.

00:48:47.916 --> 00:48:57.994
<v Maria Mendoza>But for us, we want to be exclusive to designers because we want our designers to come in and feel that a they're protected and they're.

00:48:58.617 --> 00:49:04.885
<v Maria Mendoza>We've had end users that come in oh, I'm not working with a designer anymore and I'm like I'm sorry, but we can't, so what?

00:49:04.925 --> 00:49:05.726
<v Tiffany Woolley>does that look like?

00:49:05.726 --> 00:49:06.128
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah?

00:49:06.128 --> 00:49:08.952
<v Tiffany Woolley>When do people just come in trying to peruse?

00:49:08.952 --> 00:49:10.856
<v Tiffany Woolley>Do you ever recommend designers?

00:49:11.175 --> 00:49:29.483
<v Maria Mendoza>If we, I mean we do, we try to stay away from that because we have so many that I could recommend most of them Right and we, you know, we try to stay away from that, but if they're really, we usually just we don't.

00:49:29.784 --> 00:49:33.835
<v Scott Woolley>Right, your website doesn't list designers either.

00:49:33.976 --> 00:49:37.692
<v Maria Mendoza>No, we do tell them just try to.

00:49:37.692 --> 00:49:41.427
<v Maria Mendoza>If you're not working with her anymore or with him, just go.

00:49:41.427 --> 00:49:43.954
<v Maria Mendoza>You know, try to find another one and come back.

00:49:43.954 --> 00:50:01.905
<v Maria Mendoza>And sometimes we do have end users that refer, that bring their designer because they were referred by their friend, that they bought everything through us and so the end user was great and they had a great time and they loved us and whatever.

00:50:01.905 --> 00:50:07.998
<v Maria Mendoza>So they tell their friend, their friend brings the designer and the designer now buys all of it here.

00:50:08.625 --> 00:50:24.552
<v Tiffany Woolley>So do you see, with, like you know, florida being, you know, a great place of growth right now, are you seeing more interior designers from other areas working in this location now, like an influx of New York designers?

00:50:24.652 --> 00:50:35.798
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, absolutely, we get that every day, Every once or or I don't know, we do get at least three, three new designers every day.

00:50:35.798 --> 00:50:42.538
<v Maria Mendoza>That have wild and that are now working from here and that had projects and now they're just staying here.

00:50:42.538 --> 00:50:48.012
<v Maria Mendoza>Move permit yes, that's so wild in both stores.

00:50:48.012 --> 00:50:50.436
<v Maria Mendoza>Wow, boca, and we have.

00:50:50.436 --> 00:50:54.543
<v Maria Mendoza>We get a lot more in Boca of those new that just moved Okay.

00:50:54.543 --> 00:50:56.393
<v Maria Mendoza>But, also in Palm Beach.

00:50:57.445 --> 00:50:58.289
<v Tiffany Woolley>So interesting.

00:50:58.309 --> 00:50:59.112
<v Maria Mendoza>It is, it is.

00:50:59.233 --> 00:51:08.949
<v Tiffany Woolley>Really, the industry has just so much growth and opportunity and I feel so grateful that we're here in South Florida, yes, yes, because we do have a lot of.

00:51:09.630 --> 00:51:11.757
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, you see all the construction that's going.

00:51:12.065 --> 00:51:19.085
<v Tiffany Woolley>I know West Palm is just exploding, Even around here, like Boca all the GL homes, lenar, it's true.

00:51:20.547 --> 00:51:22.733
<v Maria Mendoza>Everywhere, even Miami.

00:51:23.034 --> 00:51:23.376
<v Tiffany Woolley>I know.

00:51:23.485 --> 00:51:25.994
<v Maria Mendoza>I still don't know how they fit those cranes there.

00:51:26.425 --> 00:51:29.222
<v Tiffany Woolley>Every time I see a crane, I'm like where are you building anything?

00:51:29.222 --> 00:51:29.625
<v Tiffany Woolley>Else here.

00:51:29.625 --> 00:51:33.094
<v Tiffany Woolley>I know it's so crazy the infrastructure that it takes.

00:51:33.094 --> 00:51:34.096
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yes, yes.

00:51:34.096 --> 00:51:38.155
<v Tiffany Woolley>So what excites you about the industry right now?

00:51:39.585 --> 00:51:52.253
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, I just love the relationship that we create with our clients going to work and being able to, and that's something that I guess you don't get in a retail store because you're dealing with somebody new every time.

00:51:52.253 --> 00:51:58.967
<v Maria Mendoza>Here you're getting it's repeat customers all the time, so you get to really connect.

00:51:58.967 --> 00:52:13.318
<v Maria Mendoza>I mean, yeah, it's like you connect, you bond, you, you listen to, we share the, the, the experiences with their clients and you, the good and the not so good, right.

00:52:13.318 --> 00:52:24.014
<v Maria Mendoza>So that's really like fun to get to go to work and have and see people and it's like you know you're socializing every day.

00:52:24.014 --> 00:52:26.190
<v Maria Mendoza>I know it is a very social industry.

00:52:26.190 --> 00:52:27.954
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, and it's fun, I agree.

00:52:27.974 --> 00:52:28.876
<v Tiffany Woolley>And we make it fun.

00:52:28.876 --> 00:52:30.389
<v Tiffany Woolley>We really make it fun.

00:52:30.389 --> 00:52:31.735
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, that's wonderful.

00:52:31.735 --> 00:52:33.210
<v Tiffany Woolley>Well, I look forward to it.

00:52:33.746 --> 00:52:40.318
<v Scott Woolley>So we like to kind of wrap up the podcast each week by asking some fun kind of questions.

00:52:40.318 --> 00:52:45.931
<v Scott Woolley>So I'm going to ask you a question Is there a particular style or even era?

00:52:45.931 --> 00:52:50.500
<v Scott Woolley>In time that you love.

00:52:51.344 --> 00:52:51.786
<v Maria Mendoza>This one.

00:52:51.786 --> 00:53:01.173
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, I love that, this one because now everything is, everything is good, every, I feel like everything is is.

00:53:01.173 --> 00:53:04.166
<v Maria Mendoza>There's a word I'm trying to find that I can't find.

00:53:04.668 --> 00:53:11.786
<v Maria Mendoza>Everything is is in style yeah like even for hair yes, like you could wear it curly, you could wear it straight, you could wear it straight.

00:53:11.786 --> 00:53:13.755
<v Maria Mendoza>You could wear white, you could wear purple.

00:53:13.755 --> 00:53:21.472
<v Maria Mendoza>Everything is in right and I feel like now we've learned to appreciate styles and be open to everybody's.

00:53:21.472 --> 00:53:31.938
<v Maria Mendoza>It's encouraged yes, yes uh, you know, there's new interpretations of classic of of mid-century.

00:53:32.304 --> 00:53:34.211
<v Tiffany Woolley>Mid-century is such a little treasure.

00:53:34.271 --> 00:53:44.597
<v Maria Mendoza>now again, yes, and even because at one point it was minimalistic and so that's like it was very cold and very yes sterile.

00:53:44.597 --> 00:53:46.853
<v Maria Mendoza>Now everything is okay.

00:53:46.853 --> 00:53:51.152
<v Maria Mendoza>Being colorful is good, being neutral is good.

00:53:51.152 --> 00:53:51.791
<v Maria Mendoza>Being organic is good.

00:53:51.791 --> 00:53:52.824
<v Maria Mendoza>Being neutral is good, being organic is good.

00:53:52.824 --> 00:53:56.914
<v Maria Mendoza>There's so many different forms of design.

00:53:56.914 --> 00:54:05.733
<v Maria Mendoza>That's why I love it, and to me, always the next project, and now I live my client's project.

00:54:05.733 --> 00:54:07.309
<v Maria Mendoza>So, every designer.

00:54:07.309 --> 00:54:08.614
<v Maria Mendoza>You know like I'm all on.

00:54:08.713 --> 00:54:23.146
<v Maria Mendoza>I know it must be so fulfilling to see so many so many beautiful things come together so frequently and so many professionals do such great things and then they share the and I appreciate when they share the the, they're like so excited because they send me pictures.

00:54:23.146 --> 00:54:24.452
<v Maria Mendoza>Look how everything came out.

00:54:24.773 --> 00:54:29.369
<v Scott Woolley>And I'm like oh my god do you ever go to some of the projects just to see how they came out?

00:54:29.369 --> 00:54:30.253
<v Scott Woolley>I have I have.

00:54:30.514 --> 00:54:32.460
<v Maria Mendoza>I have Some clients are like please help.

00:54:33.666 --> 00:54:35.451
<v Voice Over>And then I go which.

00:54:35.510 --> 00:54:36.853
<v Maria Mendoza>I shouldn't, but I do.

00:54:37.195 --> 00:54:38.657
<v Tiffany Woolley>I love that I love it.

00:54:39.527 --> 00:54:44.396
<v Maria Mendoza>I do love to see, and for me it's very rewarding because we partner.

00:54:44.396 --> 00:54:47.074
<v Maria Mendoza>We basically partner with our designers.

00:54:48.005 --> 00:54:48.746
<v Scott Woolley>But you also.

00:54:48.746 --> 00:54:53.476
<v Scott Woolley>What I'm gathering is you're very respectful of every designer, so you're not.

00:54:53.817 --> 00:54:56.567
<v Tiffany Woolley>Good boundaries, absolutely yes, so designers.

00:54:56.746 --> 00:55:00.637
<v Scott Woolley>When they go to your showroom and they're working with clients, they feel comfortable.

00:55:00.637 --> 00:55:06.056
<v Scott Woolley>They feel and I use the word safe that, okay, another designer is going to come in and take my client away.

00:55:06.056 --> 00:55:10.936
<v Scott Woolley>It sounds like it's an environment that's really structured and organized really well.

00:55:10.936 --> 00:55:12.809
<v Scott Woolley>It supports, it's all about them like it's an environment that's really structured and organized really well.

00:55:12.809 --> 00:55:12.887
<v Scott Woolley>It supports.

00:55:12.887 --> 00:55:13.728
<v Scott Woolley>It's about it's all about them.

00:55:13.827 --> 00:55:16.432
<v Maria Mendoza>Like my goal is to make them look good.

00:55:16.432 --> 00:55:23.313
<v Maria Mendoza>You know it's like to to enhance their, their, why they were and I tell that sometimes with the end user.

00:55:23.353 --> 00:55:29.072
<v Tiffany Woolley>I'm like trust your professional I know, and they sometimes need to hear that that's why you that.

00:55:29.112 --> 00:55:31.858
<v Maria Mendoza>That's why you hired her or him.

00:55:31.858 --> 00:55:46.318
<v Maria Mendoza>It's like just trust them and it's just very rewarding to see all of that and to see how they you know everything that they do, because there's so much potential and it's just a lot of fun, thank God.

00:55:46.545 --> 00:55:47.789
<v Tiffany Woolley>So another fun.

00:55:48.070 --> 00:55:48.791
<v Scott Woolley>I want to ask one.

00:55:48.791 --> 00:55:49.313
<v Scott Woolley>You want to ask it.

00:55:49.313 --> 00:55:50.195
<v Scott Woolley>I want to ask one.

00:55:52.965 --> 00:56:05.331
<v Tiffany Woolley>So, as another mom of three girls and this is one of our other fun questions as far as travel, is there a hotel that you just are in awe of, like the whole design experience, or so?

00:56:05.471 --> 00:56:06.090
<v Maria Mendoza>there was.

00:56:06.090 --> 00:56:07.472
<v Maria Mendoza>There's been a few.

00:56:07.472 --> 00:56:11.556
<v Maria Mendoza>There was one in um portugal.

00:56:11.556 --> 00:56:22.679
<v Maria Mendoza>Oh, it's a marriott that I'm so bad with names, I can't remember the thing, but it it there, the it remind me of.

00:56:22.820 --> 00:56:31.175
<v Maria Mendoza>There's a designer actually from maitland smith okay, remember his name either, but he's a great designer and it was the same style.

00:56:31.175 --> 00:56:49.393
<v Maria Mendoza>It's very it's so it's so hard to do color and to do style and to do it was inspired like in in it's almost an emperor and Wow in patio.

00:56:49.393 --> 00:56:57.201
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, yes, but updated and colorful and had some African inspiration too.

00:56:57.201 --> 00:57:01.494
<v Maria Mendoza>And it's so hard to do that and to make it look right.

00:57:01.713 --> 00:57:03.318
<v Tiffany Woolley>And to right so that was one.

00:57:03.445 --> 00:57:13.313
<v Maria Mendoza>There's another one in Prague, also very Art Nouveau, oh, and that's one of my favorites, and it but so well done.

00:57:13.313 --> 00:57:14.034
<v Maria Mendoza>Tasteful.

00:57:14.094 --> 00:57:14.456
<v Voice Over>Yes.

00:57:14.784 --> 00:57:18.949
<v Maria Mendoza>And very elegant, sophisticated, Like those two are.

00:57:18.949 --> 00:57:20.755
<v Maria Mendoza>Don't ask me what I ate.

00:57:21.358 --> 00:57:21.679
<v Tiffany Woolley>That's how I am.

00:57:21.679 --> 00:57:25.172
<v Tiffany Woolley>I'm visual too, but I could tell you what it looks.

00:57:25.172 --> 00:57:29.356
<v Tiffany Woolley>It's the experience, it is the experience.

00:57:29.744 --> 00:57:33.853
<v Scott Woolley>Was there one piece of furniture or accessory that you like?

00:57:34.675 --> 00:57:36.398
<v Tiffany Woolley>Your go-to your favorite.

00:57:37.806 --> 00:57:54.755
<v Maria Mendoza>A piece of furniture or accessory Is there one that's like that you experience and see so much when I was little I loved marimekko, so that was my thing, and then I grew up and now it's I don't know.

00:57:54.755 --> 00:57:56.137
<v Maria Mendoza>I like American Leather.

00:57:56.157 --> 00:57:56.539
<v Scott Woolley>What is that?

00:57:56.539 --> 00:57:57.951
<v Scott Woolley>I'm not familiar with what that is.

00:58:00.289 --> 00:58:01.954
<v Maria Mendoza>It's a brand of.

00:58:01.954 --> 00:58:06.771
<v Maria Mendoza>They now have wallpaper again, but it was they designed.

00:58:06.771 --> 00:58:11.210
<v Maria Mendoza>I think it was more for kids Little or like more yeah.

00:58:11.230 --> 00:58:12.253
<v Tiffany Woolley>Like childish.

00:58:12.753 --> 00:58:26.864
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, yes, but it was very artsy, very pop, colorful, like colorful Kids, yes, kids things, and I was obsessed with it, but, yeah, never had anything from them and then the other.

00:58:26.965 --> 00:58:28.170
<v Scott Woolley>I don't know like half the stuff.

00:58:28.170 --> 00:58:40.994
<v Scott Woolley>I say that because Tiffany and I we watch movies, we're watching the movie and I'm watching the movie and Tiffany's like that's a Jeffrey Michaels wallpaper and that's a Scalamanda wallpaper and I'm like you'll get the wallpaper that's an Archerius light fixture.

00:58:40.994 --> 00:58:46.867
<v Scott Woolley>Tom Cruise is running through a scene and you're like picking at like telling me all the, that's a Kelly Worth light fixture.

00:58:46.867 --> 00:58:48.989
<v Scott Woolley>Yeah, that that's a Kelly Worth light fixture.

00:58:49.090 --> 00:58:50.891
<v Maria Mendoza>Yeah, I'm like that's what I do.

00:58:50.891 --> 00:58:56.757
<v Maria Mendoza>We go to hotels and the girls make fun of me because I'm like checking the furniture and looking at everything.

00:58:56.757 --> 00:58:57.858
<v Maria Mendoza>And that's what we do.

00:58:57.858 --> 00:59:00.380
<v Maria Mendoza>We are creatures of our habits.

00:59:00.460 --> 00:59:01.360
<v Tiffany Woolley>I love that.

00:59:01.360 --> 00:59:10.253
<v Tiffany Woolley>Yeah, exactly Well thank you so much for joining us today and I look forward to visiting you very soon.

00:59:10.425 --> 00:59:11.771
<v Maria Mendoza>Yes, please, please.

00:59:11.771 --> 00:59:12.909
<v Maria Mendoza>Thank you for having me.

00:59:13.065 --> 00:59:24.184
<v Voice Over>Thank you for tuning in to iDesign iDesign Labs podcast is an SW Group production in association with the Five Star and TW Interiors.

00:59:24.184 --> 00:59:30.356
<v Voice Over>To learn more about iDesign Lab or TW Interiors, please visit twinteriorscom.