Trade Tales

Washington, D.C.–based Zoë Feldman on how to hire for aesthetic alignment, the metrics she uses to measure an employee’s progress at the firm, and how a team member with their own style can sometimes save the firm from adopting a formulaic look.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

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Zoë Feldman
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Hema Persad’s experience as an A-list stylist taught her what the one percent is looking for in the design process—and helped her build a firm that’s structured to meet those needs, while also complementing her decisive approach to leadership. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares how managing a team shifted her perspective on business growth, why she’s been a fast adopter of AI tools, and what to expect from celebrity clients.

This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Kohler.

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Hema Persad
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Los Angeles–based Christine Vroom answers a question from a fellow designer with a question about a project pipeline gone wrong. Vroom jumps in with advice on the importance of taking inventory of the hypothetical situations that could impact a design business, why her firm implements a “restart fee” for clients who need to push pause, and how to mentally prepare for the ebb and flow characteristic of a designer’s workload.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

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Christine Vroom
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Hanna Li has created an infrastructure and recruited a team that allows her to thrive as creative director of her firm. From that vantage point, the Los Angeles–based designer is able to think big about topics like sustainability and longevity, and examine what it takes to embed them into the fabric of each project. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares how she’s measuring the carbon footprint of every project, why she produced short films about her firm’s work, and the reason every role she hires for comes with a five-year plan.

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Hanna Li
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors answers a question from a designer who is currently interviewing candidates for her firm’s first full-time position. Oholendt jumps in with advice on how to reveal a candidate’s true ambitions, evaluating skillset through a key question and knowing when to call for backup. 

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Oho Interiors
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Elizabeth Bennett and Mallory Robins found their better business half in each other—one favoring function, and the other taking the lead on form. In this episode, they share why they no longer use a client questionnaire, how they maintain a single brand voice at every touchpoint, and why a willingness to go all-in is their new criteria for incoming projects. 

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Jess Ebert
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

San Antonio, Texas–based designer Alison Giese answers a question from a designer who is interested in tweaking her presentation approach to inspire trust and cultivate hands-off clients. Giese jumps in with advice on the value of providing clients with curated choices, how to hone powers of observation during the intake process and why whole-home presentations help convey continuity—and give designers a chance to build confidence and salesmanship skills.

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Alison Giese
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Jess Ebert received a flood of new clients a few years back—and soon realized that the abundance of work was doing the business more harm than good. As she pared down the pipeline, she brought the firm closer to its ideal clientele—and started to clear the path for her own transition within her firm’s workflow. In this episode, she also shares how she communicates her entire team’s value to clients, the many ways hiring a PR firm is helping her navigate the changing social media landscape and why taking Wednesdays off represents a pivotal moment in her entrepreneurial journey.

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Jess Ebert
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Garrett Leather. 

Oakland, California–based designer Chloe Redmond Warner joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is wondering if stronger systems could lend her firm a greater sense of professionalism. Redmond Warner offers advice on why an unstructured design process might miss out on the value-engineering phase, how to find the sweet spot between client responsiveness and total control, and why issuing a project schedule from the outset can help establish a firm’s sense of authority.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

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Chloe Redmond Warner
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Melissa Oholendt has guided her firm through some major changes in recent years, including opening a second office halfway across the country and the introduction of a new business partner. She explains how every step she’s taken is a building block toward a bigger vision. In this episode, she shares the business partner who helped her firm set its sights higher, the strategy behind identifying an Instagram audience, and how she stays above the emotional fray when it comes to discussing finances with clients.

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Oho Interiors
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Chiacgo-based designer Alex Kaehler joins the show to answer a question from a designer who has stayed busy as a team of one, but wonders what growth might look like for her small firm. Kaehler offers advice on how to grow your firm without increasing your workload, using social media as a lower-lift lead generator and why size doesn’t always equate to success.

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Alex Kaehler
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Dana Bergman Falcione and Erica Vassalotti had a surprising path to partnership. In this episode, they explain how they’ve come together—and how their workflow allows each of them to tackle their own domain within the design work while conveying a shared vision to clients. Elsewhere, they share what it takes to delegate decision-making, how they’ve divided their roles as co-leaders of the firm, and why they’ve avoided becoming the technicians of their business.

This episode is sponsored by Joon Loloi.

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Bergman Vass
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Dan Mazzarini, the founder of New York–based interiors firm Mazzarini & Co., joins the show to answer a question from a designer who wants to start sourcing antique and vintage pieces, but needs guidance navigating the purchasing process. Mazzarini offers advice on how to buy time with vendors while seeking client approval, what it takes to highlight an item’s top selling points, and why putting extra effort into visualization can help clients get on board with the broader vision. 

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Dan Mazzarini
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Bryan and Mike Yates discovered that at the height of their firm’s success, their team’s morale was at its lowest. In this episode, they explain how that realization prompted an internal overhaul, setting in motion a structure that amplifies each employee’s strengths. Elsewhere, they share the low-overhead approach that got their business off the ground, the business consultant that inspired them to transform their firm’s structure, and how they’ve strategically created curriculums that outline pathways to growth for the members of their team.

This episode is sponsored by Joon Loloi.

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Yates Desygn 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

DuVäl Reynolds, the founder of East Coast interior design firm DuVäl Design, joins the show to answer a question from a designer whose steady stream of clients has slowed down dramatically in recent months. Reynolds offers advice on how to spot early indicators for a slowdown in new business, adjusting your messaging to attract ideal clients, and the value of diversifying your firm’s offerings during slow months.

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DuVäl Reynolds
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

Evan Millard’s strategic approach to showhouses catapulted his firm to early success. In the years since, he’s flourished as a solo designer, pursuing new business opportunities and entering what he calls the “adult stage” of his firm’s aesthetic evolution. In this episode, he also shares how being a solo designer offers him room to grow in new directions and the value in being transparent with clients about his firm’s finances.

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Evan Millard
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Victoria Sass joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who is hoping to land her young firm’s first magazine feature. She has a project she’s excited to share with the world—but finding press placement has been a challenge. The Minneapolis-based designer jumps in with advice on different approaches to working with a public relations agency, how digital placement can actually yield longer-term results for your business and why local press contains a wealth of value that’s often overlooked.

LINKS
Victoria Sass
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Zoe Feldman got some surprising advice just as she was starting to feel settled in her business: While she thought she couldn’t afford to hire more employees, she was told that if she wanted to keep delivering a high level of service, she couldn’t afford not to. On this episode of the podcast, she shares why she’s introduced a scaled-down option to her design offerings for clients who just want good advice, the many ways she has built philanthropy into the fabric of her firm, and why she insists that clients don’t really want full transparency.

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Zoe Feldman
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Kevin Isbell joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who reached out with the story of an order gone awry, and is now looking for advice on what it takes to make things right for clients while also holding vendors accountable. The Los Angeles–based designer jumps in with advice on vetting vendors, navigating expensive mistakes, and ensuring that the client’s experience comes first—no matter the cost.

LINKS
Kevin Isbell
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Alvin Wayne spent years juggling a double career in luxury retail and interior design. But when the pandemic happened, he was hit with a realization: it was finally time to wholeheartedly pursue his passion for interiors. Now, he’s committed to crafting a firm that serves him best—between his penchant for shopping retail, his streamlined client vetting process and his growing social media presence, he’s using his exacting attitude to bring his business to new heights.

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Alvin Wayne
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Erin Gates joins the show to answer a question from a designer trying to establish boundaries with clients who requested revisions too late in the design process. Gates offers advice on the importance of documenting client communication to keep all parties accountable, the value of setting expectations early and how charging hourly can protect a firm in cases of revision.

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Erin Gates
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Richard Anuszkiewicz has been a rising star in the kitchen and bath industry since his design school days. He spent the better part of his career working within other design businesses—now, he’s starting a new era at the helm of his own. In this episode, he shares how he is developing professional extracurriculars outside of design, why he wants to be a chameleon for each client’s style, and why he evaluates his career goals every six months. 

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Richard Anuszkiewicz
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Universal and Joon Loloi. 

Ashley Hughes joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is looking to reach the next level of clientele. Hughes, whose firm is based in Dallas, offers advice on the importance of auditing your existing clientele, how to create a rendering that reflects the client you want to attract, and finding the vendors that align with your ideal demographic.

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Ashley Hughes
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Lilse McKenna honed her craft under some of New York’s top design talents before striking out on her own. She learned from the best when it comes to systems and processes, but as the leader of her own firm, she’s also left room for her own creativity to run wild. On this episode, she shares how she honed her firm’s aesthetic and what it takes to find clients who are looking for her creative voice.

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Lilse McKenna
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Universal and Joon Loloi. 

Designers Heather Fujikawa, Jean Stoffer and Grace Start joined host Kaitlin Petersen for a live episode of the show—recorded at the Four Hands showroom in Austin—to hear anonymous designer questions on topics like post-pandemic recruiting tactics, discussing price changes with clients in the era of tariffs, and expanding a firm’s client base to include out-of-state projects. The trio jumped in with advice on modeling your ideal work culture for new team members, staying level-headed in money conversations, and prioritizing communication and organization when working with out-of-state clients.

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House Sprucing
Jean Stoffer Design
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Ariel Okin’s early look at the industry inspired her to structure her business with a clear separation of the creative and operations teams. She also built a media empire, complete with a digital platform, a podcast and in-person events for design enthusiasts. On this episode, she shares how she stays open to new ideas, what it means to be a leader, a new experiment with delegating, and how writing her first book shaped her outlook about the firm’s next decade.

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Ariel Okin
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Renewal by Andersen and Dallas Market Center.

Jenna Chused joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is looking for help when it comes to communicating with clients about tariffs. Chused, whose firm is based in Brooklyn, jumps in with advice on why she’s shifted her sourcing approach to shield her business from price volatility, how tariffs show up on her firm’s invoices and how early budget discussions prevent sticker shock further along in the design process.

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Jenna Chused
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Dan Mazzarini kicked off his career working in retail design before stepping into residential and hospitality work. Today, clients hire his firm for all three—leading to a diverse project mix that keeps his team freshly inspired. On this episode, he shares how he used his firm’s recent rebranding as a team-building opportunity, the one question he uses to kick off every project and how he’s talking to clients about the economics of design in today’s climate.

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Dan Mazzarini
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Renewal by Andersen and Dallas Market Center.

Anissa Zajac joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is looking to scale her business by expanding into new markets. Zajac, whose firm is based in Indianapolis, jumps in with advice on the importance of setting clear expectations with clients from the outset, establishing in-person touchpoints at key moments in the design process, and the remote project management tools that keep all team members on the same page.

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Anissa Zajac
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. 

Heather Fujikawa quickly realized that she wanted her firm to be about more than herself, and built up a team early on so that her budding design business could grow exponentially. The secret, she says, is a work environment specifically designed for each employee to thrive.

LINKS
House Sprucing
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Joon Loloi and Serena & Lily. 

Noz Nozawa joins the show to answer a question from a designer who’s finding it difficult to expand her team. Nozawa, whose firm is based in San Francisco, jumps in with advice on the value of investing in a professional recruiter to find top talent, how to gauge a candidate’s design passion in the interview process and why it’s essential as principal to set the firm’s standards for boundaries and communication.

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Noz Nozawa
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. 

Jean Stoffer and Grace Start’s multigenerational firm always has an eye towards the future. They’ve paved a path to growth by launching new ventures—including a cabinetry business, a home store and a Magnolia network show—all while making sure to protect the creativity that got them here in the first place.

LINKS
Stoffer Home
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Joon Loloi and Serena & Lily. 

Georgia Zikas joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer whose firm is experiencing a slowdown in new business. Zikas, whose firm has offices in Boston and West Hartford, Connecticut, jumps in with advice on why slower periods provide an opportunity to fine-tune processes, tips for curating a network that produces potential clients and the importance of conducting regular assessments on a firm’s financial health. 

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Georgia Zikas
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. 

Lindsay Anyon Brier’s business spans a full-service firm and a home boutique with outposts in San Francisco and Dallas. As she explains, she couldn’t do it without her team—a group guided by a shared set of core values that shape everything from strategic planning to the way they reply to client emails.

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Lindsay Anyon Brier
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and The Shade Store. 

Dwayne Bergmann joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who recently received an offer from the principal of her firm to purchase the business. Naples, Florida–based Bergmann jumps in with advice on how to assess the financial health of a firm that’s on the market, a breakdown of the two most common types of business acquisitions and how a simple pros and cons list can help identify the challenges that lie ahead when it comes to leading a firm.

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Dwayne Bergmann
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. 

Luis Fernandez’s boundless creative energy led him to a career in architecture, fashion, and ultimately, interiors. Now, he’s intent on pushing the limits of his craft with new challenges, like designing in the metaverse and some special side projects that have no client attached to them. Along the way, he is establishing airtight systems to guide his firm’s output even as his inspiration runs wild.

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Luis Fernandez
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and The Shade Store. 

Michael Hilal joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer about how to prioritize project photography after missing out on the opportunity to shoot a great job. San Francisco–based Hilal explains how he knows when it’s time to photograph a project, why he no longer feels the pressure to photograph everything he designs, and how to strategically leverage a firm’s best work to further your business goals.
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Michael Hilal 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. 

Anne McDonald made a big push a few years back to take her firm to the next level—toward bigger projects, more robust budgets, and new opportunities. The process required not only refining her team, but also learning to trust her own abilities. On this episode of the podcast, the Minneapolis, Minnesota–based designer shares why bringing on a CFO has helped her look toward the future, how she is navigating a shift towards smaller projects, and how her team is adjusting to a new pace of work.

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Anne McDonald 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Joon Loloi. 

Jean Liu joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is wondering whether or not to pass along vendor processing fees to clients. The Dallas–based designer jumps in with advice on communicating additional fees to clients in a pre-invoice estimate, the value of using credit cards as a form of consumer protection and preparing for tariff-related fees.

LINKS
Jean Liu
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. 

Dwayne Bergmann’s multifaceted approach to business growth has included everything from repping cabinet lines and cofounding a slab importing company to acquiring another Florida designer’s firm. He shares how, despite his passion for expansion, he now finds himself more in the weeds than ever when it comes to creative work.

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Dwayne Bergmann
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Joon Loloi. 

Brian Paquette joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who wanted to know the best way to protect items in storage for her clients. The Seattle-based designer jumps in with advice on vetting storage partners, how warehouse insurance can result in profitability for both parties, and why the design business is 95 percent execution and logistics. 

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Brian Paquette
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Michelle Gage found herself fast-approaching the point of burnout several years ago. In response, she threw herself into the process of remaking her business—overhauling back-end systems and making high-level hires in order to rekindle the sense of enjoyment that drew her to design in the first place. Elsewhere in this episode, she also shares the book that transformed her approach to leadership, the benefits of hiring a brand manager and how she educates clients on the costs of design.

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Michelle Gage
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Bria Hammel joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer in need of advice as she embarks on an overhaul of her payment processes, especially amid a recent shift to charging flat fees. Minnestoa–based Hammel jumps in with tips on aligning payments with various phases of the design process, why every firm’s first hire should be an accounting position, and the go-to management software that keeps everything in order.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Bria Hammel
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Chloe Redmond Warner realized several years ago that she had reached a breaking point. To get back to herself, she took a four-month sabbatical, with the hopes of returning to her firm as a better designer, and a better leader, too. The result wasn’t exactly what she was expecting, but it gave her the clarity she needed to change the way she worked.

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Chloe Redmond Warner
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Designers Arianne Bellizaire and Cortney Bishop joined host Kaitlin Petersen for a live episode of the show—recorded during Spring High Point Market—to dish out advice on topics including  when to start talking about design costs with prospective clients, what it takes to scale the receiving arm of your business and how to deal with an unreliable contractor. At the end, the designers fielded live questions from the audience on topics ranging from building a design team to discussing photography with reluctant clients.

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Arianne Bellizaire
Cortney Bishop
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

When Meg Lonergan embarked on her design career, it seemed that her biggest hurdle was demonstrating to the rest of the design industry that despite her nontraditional education and early career experiences, she was just as talented and qualified as any other successful firm owner. Then, a near-total firm meltdown during the pandemic led her to a stunning realization: The biggest obstacle standing in the way of her firm’s growth was herself. 

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Meg Lonergan
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Meagan Camp joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer in need of advice on streamlining her procurement process as she takes on a larger project load. The New York designer jumps in with tips on building storage costs into client budgets from the beginning, her vetting process for new receivers and the organizational system that ensures every item gets to the right place.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Meagan Camp
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Alex Kaehler found herself with a rush of new work an opportunity to really scale her business during the pandemic boom—but soon realized that the way the firm was growing didn’t leave her feeling fulfilled. Stressed and stretched thin, she decided to push pause on her business—even if that meant winding down active projects and handing them off to other firms. In the quiet that followed, she was able to finally discover what was missing, and establish a new set of intentions to guide her path forward.

This episode was sponsored by Lutron and Serena & Lily. 

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Alex Kaehler
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Amy Storm joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer in need of advice on working with a contractor who is consistently missing the mark. The Glen Ellyn, Illinois designer jumps in with advice on when to be transparent with clients about jobsite issues, how frequently communicating updates can protect your firm, and red flags that indicate whether or not it’s worth walking away from a contractor relationship.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Amy Storm
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Adam Hunter’s first career on Broadway gave way to a second act in design, where he’s tapping into his talent for selling a vision. With candor, he shines a bright light on the real costs of design at a certain echelon of the industry. He also explains how a shift toward cultivating deeper relationships helped him find the right size for his firm, why landing celebrity clients isn’t always all it’s cracked up to be, and why he’s thinking bigger as he embarks on the next stage of his career.

This episode was sponsored by Lutron and Serena & Lily. 

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Adam Hunter
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Emilie Munroe joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who is wondering how to approach the client vetting process, and wants to know if she should be charging for a consultation before the client signs onto a project. The San Francisco–based designer jumps in with advice on why vetting is a two-way interview, how charging for consultations can cloud your firm’s end goal, and what it means to embrace client rejection.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Emilie Munroe
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Bella Mancini’s firm was flying high for nearly two decades when the pandemic hit, shattering her project pipeline. With a bit of outside help, she embarked on an overhaul of her systems, ultimately building back a business that’s prepared for whatever comes next. On this episode of Trade Tales, she explains how she overhauled her firm’s processes with the help of a business coach, why it’s crucial that clients communicate with every member of her team and how ditching a markup has transformed her business for the better.

This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Crate & Barrel. 

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Bella Mancini 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Kevin Isbell joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who reached out with the story of an order gone awry, and is now looking for advice on what it takes to make things right for clients while also holding vendors accountable. The Los Angeles–based designer jumps in with advice on vetting vendors, navigating expensive mistakes, and ensuring that the client’s experience comes first—no matter the cost.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

LINKS
Kevin Isbell
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Britt and Damian Zunino are a husband-and-wife duo whose creative partnership was a perfect match—bringing together expertise in architecture and design to create spaces where each discipline informs the other. But as the years went on, they realized they couldn’t do it alone—it would take a carefully curated team to produce the kind of results they had always dreamed of.

This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Crate & Barrel. 

LINKS
Studio DB 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Victoria Sass joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who is hoping to land her young firm’s first magazine feature. She has a project she’s excited to share with the world—but finding press placement has been a challenge. The Minneapolis-based designer jumps in with advice on different approaches to working with a public relations agency, how digital placement can actually yield longer-term results for your business and why local press contains a wealth of value that’s often overlooked.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.

LINKS
Victoria Sass
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Pulp Studios was born when Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry bonded over similar aesthetics—despite their very different working styles. On this episode of Trade Tales, they explain what it takes to operate a firm with employees and offices across the country, and how they’ve leveled up their approach to team development over the years.

This episode was sponsored by Surya and The Shade Store.

LINKS
Pulp Studios
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Boston designer Dane Austin joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who knows the basics when it comes to presenting design ideas, and is now looking for advice on how to take her strategy a step further, ultimately selling her vision—and commitment—to her clients. Austin offers advice on bringing a theatrical edge to big-picture design planning, a strategy for physically packaging ideas that invokes the world of luxury shopping, and the value of refining the decision-making process through three levels of presentations. 

Plus: Ask Us Anything is going live! Join host Kaitlin Petersen at High Point Market this month as she sits down with two former guests of the show to workshop designers’ business questions in real time. To RSVP, visit fourhands.com/event-rsvp. 

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.

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Dane Austin
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Isabel Ladd’s lifelong penchant for pattern and color set the stage for a maximalist approach to life and design. But after several busy years, she realized that she was falling out of love with her business—she explains how focusing on her process helped her recapture the spark.

This episode was sponsored by Surya and The Shade Store.

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Isabel Ladd 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

San Francisco Bay Area designer Clara Jung joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who identifies as just that. She’s craving community, collaborators and deeper conversations, but often feels flummoxed in a room full of strangers. Jung offers advice on mentally preparing for large industry events, networking from a place of sincerity, and how introversion can be a superpower when it comes to building relationships with clients.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.

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Clara Jung
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Earlier in her career, Arianne Bellizaire worked hard to build a large firm—only to realize that the pursuit of what she thought success was supposed to look like had taken the joy out of the work. Her biggest pivot point came when she let her old dream go, and started working on a new one: a nimbler team, fresh opportunities, and reclaiming her love of design.

This episode was sponsored by Surya and Regina Andrew. 

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Arianne Bellizaire 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

San Francisco–based designer Regan Baker joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer whose five-person firm is going through some growing pains. She’s already brought on a senior-level hire who can run their own jobs with some creative oversight. Now, she’s wondering how she can get some of the junior employees on her team ready for the same level of responsibility. Baker offers advice on communicating a senior designer’s role to clients, the software she uses to track employee progress without micromanaging and how to delegate duties based on an employee’s strengths.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.

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Regan Baker
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jae Joo’s work is all about taking a step outside of the status quo. But getting there isn’t a destination; it takes constant effort. On this episode, she explains why it’s essential to attract clients who are willing to take creative risks, and how maintaining control of the project’s design and build teams is an essential part of executing her vision.

This episode was sponsored by Surya and Regina Andrew. 

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Jae Joo 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

On the inaugural episode of the Ask Us Anything podcast, New York designer Courtney McLeod answers an anonymous question from a fellow designer who’s been in business for herself for about a year. At this point, she knows what a successful project should look like—but without a clear process in place, she often finds herself searching her notes for the next step. McLeod offers a roadmap for establishing clear internal and external systems built out of your existing workflow.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

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Courtney McLeod
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Caroline Gidiere’s trajectory at the helm of her firm is a masterclass in growing with intention. She explains how she carefully deliberates over which projects to take, and on making sure her rates reflect the type of clients she aspires to work with.

This episode was sponsored by Ethan Allen and The Shade Store. 

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Caroline Gidiere
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Cortney Bishop’s entrepreneurial spirit has driven her to create a one-of-a-kind business, complete with an in-house receiving operation and a creative approach to experiential e-commerce. She explains how each venture has helped her level up not just her firm, but also her own creativity.

This episode was sponsored by Ethan Allen and The Shade Store. 

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Cortney Bishop
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jenna Chused spent the first part of her career helping other entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground, before finally taking a chance on herself. Now that she’s at the helm, she shares why she’s learning to embrace risk in order to achieve growth, and why she's never satisfied in her quest to perfect her presentations to clients.

This episode was sponsored by Ethan Allen and The Shade Store. 

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Jenna Chused 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Modeling, acting, nursing and beauty school—Michel Smith Boyd tried it all before an encounter with an interior designer sealed his fate and sent him back to school to begin the journey toward the rest of his career. While still a design undergrad, he landed his first big gig—a one-night affair designing an extravagant party for a marketing executive. Though the event launched the young designer into a world of affluent clients and fast fame, he’s now revisiting his business practices to retread the basic steps he missed before.

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Michel Smith Boyd
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Pure Salt designers Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln were always on the same page when it came to interiors. In building out their portfolio and executing early designs, it was smooth sailing. When it came time to confront the bigger decisions necessary to building their business, they started to hit their first roadblocks—overcoming them would not only make their partnership stronger, but unlock new ambitions of taking their firm to the next level.

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Pure Salt 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jenna Gross entered the industry with a specific goal in mind: to offer a design approach centered on a full embrace of color. She shares how, after more than a decade of hard work, she’s entering a new phase as she readies her business to welcome an influx of clients who truly understand her brand.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Jenna Gross
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Mandy Cheng launched her creative career in set production before discovering that transforming interiors was a perfect fit. The past few years have been pivotal for her firm, with industry accolades and high-profile clients that have brought growth, but also pushed her to explore what creative expansion will look like in the years ahead.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Mandy Cheng 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Hannah Oravec’s firm places a special focus on wellness. As she scales her business, she’s navigating how to protect her values while embracing growth—and embarking on the shift in leadership that comes with it.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Hannah Oravec
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jean Liu launched her own firm and proved to herself that she could find success outside of the family business. More than a decade on, she shares why she’s revisiting what it means to be a leader—and charting a path to growth in which bigger isn’t always better.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Jean Liu
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Josh Greene took lessons from working for storied retail and residential design firms to launch his own ventures—first with a partner and then alone. He describes how going solo forced him to take a fresh look at his business’s financials—and how his forays into developing product lines have opened the door to a whole new world of creative opportunities.

This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and Room & Board. 

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Josh Greene
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Swati Goorha made a splash at the recent Kips Bay showhouse in New York for telling the story of her own growth through design. That approach was more than a one-off: It’s a strategy that underpins many aspects of her firm. She shares how she’s using storytelling for everything from project flow to getting clients on board with a design concept.

This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and Room & Board. 

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Swati Goorha
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Chloe Redmond Warner realized several years ago that she had reached a breaking point. To get back to herself, she took a four-month sabbatical, with the hopes of returning to her firm as a better designer, and a better leader, too. The result wasn’t exactly what she was expecting, but it gave her the clarity she needed to change the way she worked.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and The Shade Store. 

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Chloe Redmond Warner
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Leann Conquer is celebrating her firm’s tenth anniversary with some big wins and industry recognition—but also with a fresh perspective on how to evolve in the years to come. With operational excellence top of mind, she’s focused on refining the firm’s systems while protecting space for creative pursuits.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and The Shade Store. 

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Leann Conquer
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Anissa Zajac pushed the reset button on her firm a few years ago after a crucial employee left her team. The tumultuous period that followed taught her what it takes to build a team that fits her goals—and how to grow as a leader as she grows her business. In this episode, she shares the community-building power of investing in brick-and-mortar, how she’s implemented new systems to make hiring easier, and why she’s letting her rates communicate her firm’s value.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Anissa Zajac
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jim Dove discovered a corner of the industry that played to his strengths when he ended up in kitchen design. After several decades building his business in New Jersey, he relocated his firm to Palm Beach, and quickly realized that he would have to sell his vision to win over local clients and colleagues. In the process, he gained a fresh perspective on what it truly takes to make it in a major luxury market. 

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Jim Dove
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Kate Marker turned her firm into a three-part enterprise—complete with an e-commerce shop, vacation rentals and residential design services. In search of a perfect balance, she’s allowing each arm of the business to fuel the others, ultimately charting a path to sustainable growth. 

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Kate Marker
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Katie Monkhouse’s firm was moving along at a rapid pace—taking on new employees, new clients and new real estate before she even had a chance to envision its future. To keep the situation from spinning out of control, she enlisted the help of a business coach and soon came to a realization: in order to move her firm forward, she’d have to look inward first.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Katie Monkhouse
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Courtney McLeod's early encounter with a take-charge client left her project in ruins—and almost derailed her firm’s growth. The story of her rebound is a masterclass in taking steps to secure your clients’ trust before it’s too late. On this episode of the podcast, she shares how her first showhouse experience provided her business with an unexpected lifeline, why she always asks clients to define what a successful project means to them,  and how she’s finding purpose in creating opportunities for the industry’s underrepresented groups. 

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. 

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Courtney McLeod
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Donna Mondi opened a second office in a new city amid the pandemic’s upheaval. As she entered a new phase of growth, she began reckoning with a new era of leadership at her firm—and what it means to chase a professional goal that never stops moving.

This episode was sponsored by Room and Board.

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Donna Mondi
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Christopher Courts and Edel Legaspi are a husband-and-wife team who recently decided to split up—not their marriage, but their design firm. They share what it takes to uncouple after more than a decade of working together, and why they’re embracing a new era that will give each of their voices space to grow.

This episode was sponsored by Room and Board.

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Christopher Courts and Edel Legaspi 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Ali Budd had a shot at  TV stardom—and decided she wanted to bring viewers a side of the industry they hadn’t seen before. As the business she spent years building enters the spotlight, she’s sharing what it took to find her voice—and how she built a team that could carry that vision even further.

This episode was sponsored by  Universal Furniture

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Ali Budd
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

After launching her own image consulting business and scaling a nonprofit from 3 people to a team of 22, Kai Williamson entered the design world with a strong entrepreneurial streak. As she’s found her footing in the industry, she tells us about her innovative approach to refining internal practices that will make her firm more profitable.

This episode was sponsored by  Universal Furniture

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Kai Williamson
Studio7 Design Group
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Brian Paquette launched his career determined to build a brand. That’s not really his dream today—but his story offers the refreshing reassurance that it’s OK for your goals to change. He tells us about closing his store and downsizing his firm—and, more recently, about turning a scary slow period into an opportunity to perfect his systems.

This episode was sponsored by Hudson Valley Lighting Group. 

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Brian Paquette
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Michael Hilal spent his first career in the tech world, working for Google and several startups before making the leap into interiors. Though he left Silicon Valley behind, that tech mindset stayed, shaping everything from his approach to design documentation to how he thinks about client education.

This episode was sponsored by Hudson Valley Lighting Group. 

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Michael Hilal 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Georgia Zikas took her time building a team. When she finally started hiring, she knew exactly what qualities she was looking for. Her story is a lesson in how putting the effort into your company’s culture can attract all the right people—in this case, experienced employees with the skills to take on a higher caliber of clientele.

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and Minted. 

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Georgia Zikas
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Christine Lin kicked off her career with a ten-year stint in the tech world, before using her digital skills to establish a design firm that was easy to find on the internet in an effort to cultivate a following that would outlast her immediate circle of potential clients. As the business grew, she soon found herself at a crossroads: She could keep taking every job that came her way, or she could embrace a new, elevated vision for her firm.

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and Minted. 

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Christine Lin
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Wesley Moon realized early on that he had a gift for understanding a client’s vision, even when the client couldn’t quite articulate it themselves. He shares how what you don’t say to a client is just as important as what you do—and how a change in his personal life prompted him to say goodbye to the hustle that had defined his workload for so long.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture.

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Wesley Moon 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Amy Storm has always embraced change within her firm. From reconsidering the brick and mortar space her team occupied to getting more specific about the types of projects she wants to take on, she’s learned to lean into the hard lessons of entrepreneurship and find beauty in a business that changes with time. In this episode, she shares the story of the business consultant that finally pushed her firm into profitability, along with how she navigated a massive overhaul of her team structure.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture.

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Amy Storm
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Antonio DeLoatch shook up his business two years ago by moving his LA-based firm to the East Coast. The transition brought its fair share of challenges, but it also provided a chance to start over with a refreshed brand and a new vision. In this episode, he shares more about the process of uprooting his firm and starting over in New York, the showhouse that changed everything for his business, and how he earns his clients’ trust with his frank money talk.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture.

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Antonio DeLoatch
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Amy Sklar’s early career was a full-circle journey that took her from design to show business and back again. When she finally landed at the helm of her own firm after starting her career within the strict confines of an architecture firm, she thrived on the ability to instate a supportive work culture and take on projects that place a premium on comfort and functionality. The financial side of things, however, didn’t come quite as easily. In this conversation, she shares the pivot that pushed her to finally bring in revenue, how deliverables define each step of her firm’s process, and why she wants employees to feel like they work with her, not for her.  

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Amy Sklar
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Following a first career in law, Clara Jung became accustomed to a cutthroat, high pressure work environment. When she left her life as an attorney for a shot at interior design, she decided to do things a little differently. Now, at the helm of Banner Day Interiors, she’s crafting a work culture focused on employee growth and support, while also figuring out how to structure a firm that can run on its own—even if that means sometimes taking herself out of the equation.

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Clara Jung
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Marieanne Khoury-Vogt spent much of her career absorbed in one big, constantly-unfolding project. As town architect of Alys Beach, Florida, she’s helped create a community where essential needs are within reach and the aesthetics are in alignment. In recent years, she’s also branched out into new projects and services, embarking on an era of exploration and reinvention. In this episode, she shares her experiences developing a town that sustains its residents over a lifetime; why she’s not afraid to get stuck on the small details, and how she strengthens relationships within her firm, her community and the industry at large. 

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.

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Marieanne Khoury-Vogt
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Caren Rideau found that specializing allowed her imagination and expertise to reach new heights. The real challenges came when she turned her attention toward professional growth—for her own business, and for the next generation of designers. In this episode, she shares why using social media to attract clients and employees, the benefits of being a kitchen specialist in an industry filled with full service designers, and how combining design with her other passions has allowed an entirely new brand to emerge. 

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.

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Caren Rideau 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Early in his career, Matthew Tenzin embarked on a spiritual transformation that led him to a rather unlikely early role—as a Buddhist monk. He took the principles he learned with him when he transitioned to a career in design, eventually launching a second arm of his business that blends holistic practices, healthy materials and an approach to interiors that goes far beyond the limits of a home’s four walls.

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.

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Matthew Tenzin
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Blair Moore set out to create designs that last—and found that the industry wasn’t quite ready for her. Her response was to build a firm that forged its own path to quality design: by operating its own warehouse, crafting a line of furnishings and training the next generation so the legacy will live on.

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living.

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Blair Moore
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

When Amy Kartheiser launched a charity project several years ago, her goal was to process pain and foster connection through design. As the initiative unfolded, she watched that objective quickly transform into something much bigger, becoming an essential piece of her business and bringing a new sense of meaning to the firm’s work along the way.

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living and Moore & Giles.

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Amy Kartheiser
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Leslie Murchie Cascino operates as a team of one—but looking at her collaborative design process, you’d never know it. On this episode of the podcast, she explains what being a one-woman show means for her as a mother, and how she avoids getting caught up in other peoples’ definitions of success.

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living and Moore & Giles.

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Leslie Murchie Cascino
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Zoe Feldman got some surprising advice just as she was starting to feel settled in her business: While she thought she couldn’t afford to hire more employees, she was told that if she wanted to keep delivering a high level of service, she couldn’t afford not to. On this episode of the podcast, she shares why she’s introduced a scaled-down option to her design offerings for clients who just want good advice, the many ways she has built philanthropy into the fabric of her firm, and why she insists that clients don’t really want full transparency.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and High Point Market.

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Zoe Feldman
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Courtney McLeod's early encounter with a take-charge client left her project in ruins—and almost derailed her firm’s growth. The story of her rebound is a masterclass in taking steps to secure your clients’ trust before it’s too late. On this episode of the podcast, she shares how her first showhouse experience provided her business with an unexpected lifeline, why she always asks clients to define what a successful project means to them,  and how she’s finding purpose in creating opportunities for the industry’s underrepresented groups. 

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and High Point Market.

LINKS
Courtney McLeod
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Miranda Cullen felt like she cracked the code to no longer leaving money on the table when she created a new business model that could make a profit on time billing alone, which meant that her firm wouldn’t have to turn away inquiries for small jobs. Then, she realized the concept had that potential to expand far beyond her firm. On this episode of the podcast, she shares how separating from her business partner has taught her to trust her intuition, why she’s looking to franchise her firm’s unique micro-design concept, and why she’s already envisioning her company’s exit strategy.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Maison et Objet.  

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Miranda Cullen
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

At a certain point in his firm's journey, Dane Austin decided to abandon the pressure for perfection and instead tell clients the truth about the design process—the good, the bad and the ugly. By restructuring his business around a radically transparent approach, he’s transformed the design process for his clients, his employees and finally, himself. 

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Maison et Objet.  

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Dane Austin 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Regan Baker has a unique claim to fame: she’s hired three of her former clients as employees. On this episode of the podcast, she explains why they all wanted to work for her once their projects wrapped, and how they each brought invaluable insights from other industries that turbocharged the business’s growth. She also shared what it feels like to step away from the work you love in order to expand your team, and which roles to hire first if you want to get growth right.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Maison et Objet.  

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Regan Baker
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

For years, Kevin Isbell was the right-hand man for top interior designers from coast to coast. Eventually, it came time to take what he’d learned and embark on a new journey at the helm of his own firm—a sink-or-swim moment that revealed just how daunting the route to design leader can be. In this episode, he shares how he found his footing as design principal and enlisted a support system to help him stay afloat.

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Kevin Isbell
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

When Noz Nozawa left her 9-to-5 marketing job to start her design business, she took a major gamble with her career. It was in that precarious state that the San Francisco designer grabbed hold of what she could control, namely by tightening her purse strings. The firm’s slow, incremental growth worked to a point—until suddenly, Nozawa switched gears. In this episode of the podcast, she tells host Kaitlin Petersen about abandoning that scarcity-focused mindset, investing in her team’s wellbeing, and envisioning a future in which the industry starts to disclose its pricing.

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Noz Nozawa
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

In the earliest days of Bria Hammel’s design business, landing a partnership with a construction firm offered her what every fresh designer dreams of: the chance to build a business with the certainty of a steady stream of projects coming down the pipeline. Of course, the firm eventually reached a point where letting go of that safety net was the only way to vet and choose a more specific clientele—and in doing so, craft an identity for the business that would take it to the next level.

This episode was sponsored by The Savannah College of Art and Design. 

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Bria Hammel
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Katie Vance kicked off the current phase of her career a decade ago, as the sole interior designer at an architecture firm. Since then, a lot has changed—largely thanks to Vance’s efforts to oversee the practice’s transformation into a thriving design-build studio. In this episode, she explains how that shift fostered an affinity for risk-taking that carries through to this day.

This episode was sponsored by The Savannah College of Art and Design. 

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Ahmad AbouZanat
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Ahmad AbouZanat’s early design gigs took him from Beirut to Houston and back again, before he finally settled in New York to launch his own firm. When a series of setbacks knocked his business off track, he almost folded the venture. Instead, he decided to double time his operational efforts and find new ways to put his firm on the map.

This episode was sponsored by The Savannah College of Art and Design. 

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Ahmad AbouZanat
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Kelly Collier-Clark scaled up her business quickly, tackling full service projects, e-design, real estate services and podcasting in short order, all while juggling a full-time job. Then the pace began to pick up—and suddenly, her business began to feel like a many-headed monster. As she reckoned with how to move forward, she realized she would have to reconsider the reason she launched her business in the first place in order to find meaningful growth.

This episode was sponsored by The Savannah College of Art and Design. 

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Kelly Collier-Clark
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Katie Monkhouse’s firm was moving along at a rapid pace—taking on new employees, new clients and new real estate before she even had a chance to envision its future. To keep the situation from spinning out of control, she enlisted the help of a business coach and soon came to a realization: in order to move her firm forward, she’d have to look inward first.

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

LINKS
Katie Monkhouse
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Christine Vroom embarked on her design career at the ripe age of 16, and stuck with it through job detours and personal struggles alike. After recovering from a mental health crisis, she took on her biggest challenge yet: building a healthier design process—without sacrificing her firm’s upward climb.

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

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Christine Vroom
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Byron Risdon has always known how to rise to the occasion—whether it was landing his first design job with no prior experience, or launching his business in a week’s time to take on his first solo project. Now, as he grows his firm, he’s letting go of the guilt that comes with no longer working overtime, and is instead learning to embrace the art of slowing down.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Savannah College of Art and Design.

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Byron Risdon
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

When Sarah Goesling entered the design industry, she was intent on learning it all: from plumbing to project management, no aspect of the job was too challenging to take on. After launching her own firm in 2019, she maintained the same ethos. In this episode, she shares why she’s unwilling to settle into a comfortable routine with her business, how she’s creating a company culture that fosters growth and development, and why she recently realized a longtime dream by tapping her sister to launch a brand development and trend forecasting agency within the firm. 

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Savannah College of Art and Design.

LINKS
Sarah Goesling
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Pure Salt designers Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln were always on the same page when it came to interiors. In building out their portfolio and executing early designs, it was smooth sailing. When it came time to confront the bigger decisions necessary to building their business, they started to hit their first roadblocks—overcoming them would not only make their partnership stronger, but unlock new ambitions of taking their firm to the next level.

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Savannah College of Art and Design. 

LINKS
Pure Salt 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jenny Wolf spent nearly a decade at her dream job before realizing her true passion was for design—so, she decided to go back to square one and start a new career. Then, years after launching her own firm, she felt the calling to pivot once again. This time, she would have to get strategic about structuring her existing business in order to make way for something new.

This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 

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Jenny Wolf
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Even though Eva Bradley and Alicia Cheung Lichtenstein grew up halfway across the world (hailing from Switzerland and California, respectively) their first encounters within the walls of a lauded San Francisco design firm made it clear that they were destined to be working partners. After departing to start their own business, their two-person design process proved to be seamless. They’d fallen into a perfect rhythm—and yet, it was completely at odds with their ultimate goals of growing the business with the addition of new team members, all with their own working styles and responsibilities. As they soon discovered, disentangling from each other would be the best path to scaling up.

This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 

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Studio Heimat
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Nina Magon entered the interior design industry with an instinct for the business side of things—whether it was employing her design school professors to pitch in on projects for her just-launched firm, or later using her rooky status on a design TV show to scale up her portfolio. As her firm enters the next phase, she’s focused on finding ways to shape up her team and her business’s back-end to provide the ideal luxury experience to clients.

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Nina Magon
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Erin Gates has a special talent for identifying untapped potential: She started her own firm geared toward young professionals in Boston in 2007, finding great success among an underserved clientele; she was also an early design blogger, part of a shift that would transform the design industry (and send her own career skyrocketing). In this episode, the Wellesley, Massachusetts–based designer explains how she stayed authentic amid pressure to bend, how she finds team members that support her vision, and why she’s so excited about the new hire keeping her firm’s operations in check. 

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Erin Gates
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Rachel Halvorson started her firm in the wake of the recession, and found sudden success with celebrity clients and magazine covers all in the first years of her business. As she’d come to find out, establishing boundaries would be the only way to keep her fast-growing project pipeline from spilling over into all-out chaos.

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club.

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Rachel Halvorson
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Delia Kenza rose quickly through the world of design when a chance encounter landed her home in the pages of a magazine. While her business benefited from the structure of design platform Homepolish in its early years, going out on her own would mean establishing systems to help her firm keep up with the rising popularity—and making sure those same processes would anchor her firm for the long haul.

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club.

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Delia Kenza
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

When Meg Lonergan embarked on her design career, it seemed that her biggest hurdle was demonstrating to the rest of the design industry that despite her nontraditional education and early career experiences, she was just as talented and qualified as any other successful firm owner. Then, a near-total firm meltdown during the pandemic led her to a stunning realization: The biggest obstacle standing in the way of her firm’s growth was herself. 

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club and The Shade Store

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Meg Lonergan
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

After launching Foley & Cox in 2002, Michael Cox and his partner Mary Foley led the business through every high and low the industry had in store—including a recession, periods of rapid growth and multiple generations of clients—and refined their processes bit by bit with each new challenge and achievement. Now, the firm has fixed its focus on an even greater goal: finding new ways to nurture the next generation of design talent.

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club and The Shade Store

LINKS
Foley & Cox
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Shaun Crha’s career kicked off with a steady rise into the high-stakes world of banking. When the stress of the job nearly pushed him to a breaking point in his health, however, he decided to instead pursue a calling that aligned more closely with his values, and soon combined his business acumen with a long-overlooked creative spark to start his own design business. Just when the firm hit its peak, however, a family emergency brought everything crashing down around Crha once again. It was then that the designer reached another realization: It was time to rethink everything, starting with the inner workings of his business. 

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Sean Crha
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Atlanta Market and Currey & Company.

Lucy O’Brien has never been afraid to go after what she wants—before she’d even booked her first clients, she showed up to High Point Market entirely on her own to learn from the industry’s best before embarking on a career in design. Which is why, during the first few years of her firm’s existence, she decided to transform her business’s operations with the goal of only taking on ideal clients and projects. In this conversation, she shares why she’s so straightforward with clients about her cost structure, the test she uses to identify her employees’ instincts, and why she’s looking for inspiration outside of social media. 

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Lucy O'Brien
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Atlanta Market and Currey & Company.

Amy Sklar’s early career was a full-circle journey that took her from design to show business and back again. When she finally landed at the helm of her own firm after starting her career within the strict confines of an architecture firm, she thrived on the ability to instate a supportive work culture and take on projects that place a premium on comfort and functionality. The financial side of things, however, didn’t come quite as easily. In this conversation, she shares the pivot that pushed her to finally bring in revenue, how deliverables define each step of her firm’s process, and why she wants employees to feel like they work with her, not for her.  

LINKS
Amy Sklar
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Gabby.

Like many designers, Ashley Ross left a successful corporate career in order to pursue her dreams of design—a history she’s shared with her dedicated online following. What those followers didn’t know, however, is that her previous chapter didn’t end as early as she’d initially let on. In this conversation, she explains why staying aligned with her original commitment to authenticity meant dismantling the idea of what an ideal design career should look like.

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Ashley Ross
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

As an expat born and raised in Kuwait, Rydhima Brar’s career was defined in large part by visa restrictions for more than a decade. Working in marketing and business strategy roles, she kept changing industries—from banking and finance to gaming and beauty—hoping that a new category would ignite her passion for the work, but each role left her unfulfilled. After a series of major life changes finally afforded her the freedom to explore new paths, she soon found herself embarking on a journey to bring her clients’ stories to life through their homes. 

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Rydhima Brar
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

Nina Magon entered the interior design industry with an instinct for the business side of things—whether it was employing her design school professors to pitch in on projects for her just-launched firm, or later using her rooky status on a design TV show to scale up her portfolio. As her firm enters the next phase, she’s focused on finding ways to shape up her team and her business’s back-end to provide the ideal luxury experience to clients.

LINKS
Nina Magon
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

Following a first career in law, Clara Jung became accustomed to a cutthroat, high pressure work environment. When she left her life as an attorney for a shot at interior design, she decided to do things a little differently. Now, at the helm of Banner Day Interiors, she’s crafting a work culture focused on employee growth and support, while also figuring out how to structure a firm that can run on its own—even if that means sometimes taking herself out of the equation.

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Clara Jung
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

Lauren Caron’s visual merchandising career kicked off with a long-term plan for climbing the corporate ladder at elite department store Bergdorf’s. Thanks to a lot of hard work, however, her dream came a little sooner than she expected—and turned out to be a little bit of a nightmare as well. Burnt out and in desperate need of a creative career that would give her control over the boundaries between life and work, she soon left her job to start a design business of her own. In this episode, she shares the strategies she put in place to protect her energy as she grows her firm—including the formula that helps her choose which projects to take on, why a “less is more” approach improved her portfolio, and how a recent rebrand brought her closer to her ideal clients. 

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Lauren Caron
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living and Savannah College of Art and Design.

Gala Magriñá’s early career years taught her to think about design as it applied to a wide variety of spaces. As a visual merchandiser by day and a set designer by night, she created spaces for store windows, showrooms and retail shops as well as music videos and film sets. Her experience soon spawned the creation of a do-it-all agency—one that Magrina has since whittled down into a holistic interior design firm, geared toward getting to the bottom of how spaces can positively impact the health and wellness of those inhabiting them.

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Gala Magriñá
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Jaipur Living and Savannah College of Art and Design.

For years, Kevin Isbell was the right-hand man for top interior designers from coast to coast. Eventually, it came time to take what he’d learned and embark on a new journey at the helm of his own firm—a sink-or-swim moment that revealed just how daunting the route to design leader can be. In this episode, he shares how he found his footing as design principal and enlisted a support system to help him stay afloat.

LINKS
Kevin Isbell
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Moore & Giles and Gabby.

Alvin Wayne spent years juggling a double career in luxury retail and interior design. But when the pandemic happened, he was hit with a realization: it was finally time to wholeheartedly pursue his passion for interiors. Now, he’s committed to crafting a firm that serves him best—between his penchant for shopping retail, his streamlined client vetting process and his growing social media presence, he’s using his exacting attitude to bring his business to new heights.

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Alvin Wayne
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Moore & Giles and Gabby.

When searching for a potential career, Tina Ramchandani set off in search of an “aha” moment—and she finally found it in the stunning interiors of an opulent hotel. The realization sent her on a path through design school, positions at both commercial and residential firms, and finally at the helm of her own firm, where she’s helping clients channel their own instincts to create emotionally-connected interiors.

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Tina Ramchandani
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by The Container Store and The Shade Store.

Interior design was basically the family business for Meagan Camp, whose mother, grandparents and even great-grandparents all worked as design professionals. Though she worked as a stylist for nearly a decade, Camp couldn’t escape the pull of creating enduring spaces and eventually started a firm of her own. From there, she committed to doing things her own way—from quitting social media to redefining the luxury experience for her clients.

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Meagan Camp
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by The Container Store and The Shade Store.

When DuVäl Reynolds realized interior design was the career path for him, he went all-in—working a full time day job, attending design school at night and starting a fledgling firm along the way. The real work began when he started developing the finer points of his firm—including the clients he worked best with, an ideal support staff, and the side projects that put his personal aesthetic to the test.

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DuVäl Reynolds
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by SideDoor.

Virginia Toledo always knew she was fated for a career in interiors. Jessica Geller, meanwhile, took a more winding road into the industry. When the two crossed paths, it was the start of a winning partnership—and despite taking significant hits during the recession and the pandemic, their design business bounced back stronger each time. Now, the duo is navigating a new period of significant growth, and realizing the importance of owning the role of business owner.

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Toledo Geller
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store.

After a decade in the  fashion industry left her feeling unfulfilled, Linda Hayslett was looking for a new way to channel her creativity. When she finally switched gears to pursue interior design, she made it her mission to take control of her career. In this episode, she shares why overseeing projects from construction to completion has been a top priority, and how she’s getting intentional about her firm’s growth to ensure that the business can withstand any economic turbulence.

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Linda Hayslett
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal and SideDoor.

Erin Gates has a special talent for identifying untapped potential: She started her own firm geared toward young professionals in Boston in 2007, finding great success among an underserved clientele; she was also an early design blogger, part of a shift that would transform the design industry (and send her own career skyrocketing). In this episode, the Wellesley, Massachusetts–based designer explains how she stayed authentic amid pressure to bend, how she finds team members that support her vision, and why she’s so excited about the new hire keeping her firm’s operations in check. 

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Erin Gates
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal and SideDoor.

When Nicole White left her first career in journalism to go all-in on design, she ran straight into a scenario even more frightening than hurricane-chasing and crime reporting—starting a small business at the beginning of the recession. She took whatever odd jobs she could get as she recovered financially from the risk, before taking the leap a second time. Nearly a decade later, she’s sharing a few lessons from the other side, including the balance between brand-building and daily operations, how a good accountant can clear the way for great design, and why owning up to your mistakes can strengthen your client relationships—and your firm’s integrity.

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Nicole White
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal and SideDoor.

Following first careers in different industries, Christina Samatas and Renee DiSanto joined forces to found their firm, Park & Oak, with a flexibility that could work with their schedules as busy parents. After posting a few early project photos on then-budding social media site Instagram, the client inquiries started flooding in—and almost overnight, the Glen Ellyn, Illinois–based duo found themselves faced with the challenges of newfound success. Since then, they’ve used each experience to refine their process and create a better design experience for their clients, employees and themselves—all on their own terms.

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Park & Oak
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Philadelphia-based interior designer Nile Johnson scored a dream client, one so good that she recommended him to all her friends. One in particular reached out to Johnson for a project, and he took it despite knowing the chemistry wasn't quite right. The project got off to an awkward start and never improved—but after the dust settled, Johnson revamped his firm, drawing on lessons he'd learned. Today, he's rebuilt his process in a way that allows him to be creative while letting the client feel in control of the process. It's a story about learning what to let go of, and what to hold on to.

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Nile Johnson
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

After rising through the ranks at an established design firm, Emilie Munroe felt the pull to start a firm of her own. But instead of rushing out the door with a new brand, the San Francisco–designer made space for her own aesthetic—and her firm—to develop over time. Along the way, she’s discovered that giving clients options makes for a more meaningful design process, and has developed a clear-eyed view on building a team that can support the firm’s growth.

LINKS
Emilie Munroe
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Rasheeda Gray was successfully climbing the corporate ladder when she realized she needed to make a change to find her passion and purpose. She went back to school for interior design, founded her business, began connecting with her first clients—and even made her first hire a year before exiting her day job. On this episode of the podcast, she shares what it takes to execute a major career pivot, from setting up the business and leaning into the role of entrepreneur, to doing the "mindset work" needed to successfully make the shift.

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Rasheeda Gray
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

From building a team to navigating the industry’s supply chain challenges, Ramey Caulkins draws on lessons learned from her early career in sales at Ann Sacks. Today, the Denver–based designer is meeting the moment by building a supportive framework for her latest hires and tapping vendor relationships to find new solutions.

This episode is sponsored by Gaggenau and Sidedoor. 

LINKS
Ramey Caulkins
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

During his first career as a tax lawyer, Dan Rak didn’t have much bandwidth to dip his toes into interior design. Instead, he focused on the one space he had unlimited access to: —his own house. Soon enough, Rak was moonlighting as a house flipper and quickly realizing that it was time to go all-in on his design hobby. Now firmly established, he’s focused on taking his business to the next level by building his team thoughtfully and fine-tuning his process to provide clients with a top-notch design experience from start to finish.  

This episode is sponsored by Gaggenau and Sidedoor.

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Dan Rak
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Modeling, acting, nursing and beauty school—Michel Smith Boyd tried it all before an encounter with an interior designer sealed his fate and sent him back to school to begin the journey toward the rest of his career. While still a design undergrad, he landed his first big gig—a one-night affair designing an extravagant party for a marketing executive. Though the event launched the young designer into a world of affluent clients and fast fame, he’s now revisiting his business practices to retread the basic steps he missed before.

This episode is sponsored by Saltwolf and Gaggenau

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Michel Smith Boyd
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Katie Hodges’s first big client felt like a dream come true—a gorgeous luxury home, flexible clients and a project that ultimately landed a glossy feature in a major magazine. The same structure, it turned out, was a nightmare with one of her next clients. Though the experience was bad enough to make the Los Angeles designer consider quitting, she instead took a long hard look at her contract and fee structure—a process that transformed the way she now runs her firm.

This episode is sponsored by Saltwolf and Gaggenau

LINKS
Katie Hodges
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

During her first career in marketing, Keisha Gilchrist slogged through a series of bad jobs. Between unlivable wages and male-dominated workplaces, the experiences gave her the fuel she needed to take the dive into design—now, as a real estate broker, design principal and general contractor, she’s finally in the driver’s seat on all fronts. The Washington, D.C.–based designer shares her journey as a woman working in construction, the client exercise she uses to manage sticker shock, and why she’s building in a cushion for the “what-if’s.”

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Chelsea House

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Keisha Gilchrist
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Peggy Haddad had every intention of hiring an interior designer to transform her own home—until she made a few calls and realized just how expensive full-service design can be. She launched her e-design business in 2019 with the idea that good design could be for everyone, but the Denver-based designer struggled at first to make the business model work. Then she discovered a suite of tech tools that changed everything. She explains how she found a new way to monetize product sales, why she’s constantly reminding herself to let go, and how she built a portfolio without ever setting foot in a client’s home. 

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Chelsea House

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Peggy Haddad
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

A career in design was the only route Stephanie Sabbe ever considered. In this episode, the Nashville designer gets candid about how the unexpected challenges she’s faced along the way—navigating everything from her social media presence to her firm’s structure—have paved the way for greater authenticity and a stronger brand.

This episode is sponsored by Gabby and Currey & Company.

LINKS

Stephanie Sabbe

Kaitlin Petersen

Business of Home

With an early knack for aesthetics, Traci Zeller seemed destined for design from a young age. Instead, she took a substantial detour, finding success in accounting, law and business consulting before pursuing her passion for interiors professionally. Now, as her firm grows, the North Carolina designer explains how she invested her early profits back into her business, why she’s always finding new ways to improve client communications, and how she plans to strike a balance between the big-picture vision and staying involved as her firm grows.

This episode is sponsored by Gabby and Currey & Company. 

LINKS

Traci Zeller

Kaitlin Petersen

Business of Home

After turning a house-flipping side hustle into a budding design practice, Sean Leffers started to grow his team—and reconsider his definition of leadership. By letting go of some responsibilities and empowering his team to master their own skills, the Los Angeles–based designer has created an environment based on autonomy and mutual respect. He explains how he stepped out of the scarcity mindset and developed solid processes, and why he’s designing for a world he wants to see.

This episode is sponsored by Buildlane and Chelsea House

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Sean Leffers
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

After leaving a job with tons of creative freedom to start her own firm in 2018, Eneia White had one speed: busy. The New York–based designer was saying yes to everything, but barely making ends meet. When the pandemic forced her to push pause, she finally had a moment to evaluate what was working in her business, find ways to compensate for what wasn’t going right, and lay the groundwork for landing bigger, better projects. The result? A new design package to offer clients, a new employee—even a new office. And best of all, a luxury clientele that is willing to pay her what she’s worth for an experience that feels like it’s worth it.

This episode is sponsored by Buildlane and  Chelsea House

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Eneia White
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Heidi Caillier didn’t take the traditional route into the home industry. Instead, she pursued careers in public health, as a scuba diving instructor, and running a coffee shop before her nascent design blog helped her realize that actually creating the designs was her passion. Now the principal of her own firm, the Seattle designer is cultivating ever-better projects and looking to grow—though not necessarily in size. She explains why not all press is good press, how a “yes” person can learn to say no, and where she draws the line when small projects become a big hassle.

This podcast is sponsored by Buildlane and  Gabby Home

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Heidi Caillier
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Alison Giese has never followed a conventional design career path—she did medical sales and studied law before her husband’s career took the couple to Brazil and she fell in love with design. It's no surprise, then, that the growth of her firm hasn’t followed traditional lines either. On this episode of Trade Tales, Giese shares with host Kaitlin Petersen how she manages a staff of remote employees to scale up and down as the need arises, how she turned an Instagram hobby into a revenue stream, and why she embraces virtual services.

This podcast is sponsored by Buildlane and  Gabby Home

LINKS
Alison Giese
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Everick Brown is no stranger to reinvention. His career began in the retail sphere, working for several luxury labels before a round of executive layoffs prompted a pivot. From there, Brown launched his own home accessories store, which enjoyed runaway success until the market crash. Finally, Everick Brown Design was born, bolstered from the start by the operational support and marketing expertise of Brown’s wife and business partner Lisa Walker-Brown. In this episode of the podcast, the couple tells host Kaitlin Petersen about enlisting the help of a business coach to hone their brand and better understand how to attract new clients.

This episode is sponsored by Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams and Universal Furniture.

Following first careers in different industries, Christina Samatas and Renee DiSanto joined forces to found their firm, Park & Oak, with a flexibility that could work with their schedules as busy parents. After posting a few early project photos on then-budding social media site Instagram, the client inquiries started flooding in—and almost overnight, the Glen Ellyn, Illinois–based duo found themselves faced with the challenges of newfound success. Since then, they’ve used each experience to refine their process and create a better design experience for their clients, employees and themselves—all on their own terms.

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Mitchell Gold Bob Williams

LINKS
Park & Oak
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
 

When Noz Nozawa left her 9-to-5 marketing job to start her design business, she took a major gamble with her career. It was in that precarious state that the San Francisco designer grabbed hold of what she could control, namely by tightening her purse strings. The firm’s slow, incremental growth worked to a point—until suddenly, Nozawa switched gears. In this episode of the podcast, she tells host Kaitlin Petersen about abandoning that scarcity-focused mindset, investing in her team’s wellbeing, and envisioning a future in which the industry starts to disclose its pricing.

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company

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Noz Nozawa
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Victoria Sass had a bustling career as a commercial designer—a job she liked, but didn’t love. After the birth of her second daughter, the Minneapolis-based designer took a critical look at what the next 40 years might hold and realized she wanted more. More, as it turned out, was a residential firm, Prospect Refuge, focused only on projects that fulfilled her. In this episode, Sass tells host Kaitlin Petersen about how she found her ideal clients, the connection between anthropology and interior design, and how she uses the power of storytelling to make decorating more than just shopping.

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company

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Victoria Sass/Prospect Refuge Studio
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Max Humphrey’s first career didn’t exactly lend itself to well-designed spaces. As a musician in a touring band, Humphrey spent most of his time traveling the country, crashing on couches and staying in dingy motels. When he finally settled down in his first solo apartment in Los Angeles, the bare walls staring back at him led to a creative firestorm—soon he was decorating. Since launching his own firm five years ago in Portland, Oregon, the designer has run his business with an unconventional playbook: No growth. No bad jobs. No compromises. It’s a story of taking a creativity-first approach—and writing your own definition of success.

This episode is sponsored by The Shade Store and SideDoor.

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Max Humphrey
Modern Americana
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Just as San Francisco–based designer Eche Martinez was putting the finishing touches on a small pool house project, he began to hear about the client’s master plan for redeveloping her 10,000-square-foot home. Before he had a chance to pitch himself for the job, he realized that he’d actually spent the past six months designing doing just that. The hands-on client who was obsessed with options put Martinez’s pragmatic approach to the test, but taught him to adjust his process to meet his clients where they are—and even let them come along to pick out slabs at the stone yard. It’s a story of finding value in the human factor.

This episode is sponsored by  The Shade Store and SideDoor.

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Eche Martinez
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

It took designing her own home in earnest to make Irvington, New Jersey–based interior designer Beth Diana Smith realize that, despite working her way up in the finance world, she was destined for a creative career. But that strong business foundation has shaped the way she built her firm, from the processes and order that help her thrive to the way she’s able to translate industry terminology for her clients. It’s a story about finding your creative voice and defining your creative process.

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and SideDoor.

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Beth Diana Smith
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

For years, Menlo Park, California–based interior designer Amanda Teal did what many designers do—she charged an hourly rate for her services, plus a markup for the products she procured. Eventually, a growing firm and a loss of passion for her day-to-day role in it led Teal to reevaluate her whole business and outline new parameters for the kind of work the firm would take on. It’s a story about growing a firm on your own terms, and how a fresh start can be the best thing for a business.

This episode was sponsored by The Shade Store and SideDoor.  

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Amanda Teal
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Philadelphia-based interior designer Nile Johnson scored a dream client, one so good that she recommended him to all her friends. One in particular reached out to Johnson for a project, and he took it despite knowing the chemistry wasn't quite right. The project got off to an awkward start and never improved—but after the dust settled, Johnson revamped his firm, drawing on lessons he'd learned. Today, he's rebuilt his process in a way that allows him to be creative while letting the client feel in control of the process. It's a story about learning what to let go of, and what to hold on to.

This episode is sponsored by The Shade Store and SideDoor

Links
Nile Johnson
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Business of Home, the interior design industry's daily news source of record, is launching a new podcast. Hosted by BOH's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen, the biweekly show will feature interviews with interior designers  about nurturing creativity, finding a firm’s financial footing, setting goals—and setting boundaries, too. Every other week, Kaitlin will be back with a new guest who has a great story about trying something new, taking a risk, and discovering their own version of success as a result.

Links
Business of Home
Kaitlin Petersen