Shows
2 cent/sqftDesign NightmaresIt's Friday the 13th and all around the design community there were stories to be told. This episode is our first anonymous episode. We had the chance to sit down with multiple people from around the industry and let them share one of their horror stories that has happen. Some of these are encounters, some of these are malfunctions, and some are just good old fashion "I can't believe that happen".Let us know your thoughts and if we should do more. Happy Friday the 13th.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!P...
2023-10-1357 min2 cent/sqftDesigners behind Healthcare DesignWhat a great episode. We caught up with Mary Porter, an Associate Principal at HLG Studio here in Atlanta. She specializes in Healthcare design and we get a chance to talk with her about the differences she sees between the Healthcare design and other segments in the design community. We talk through some of the more technical aspects of the job that she has encountered, along with some more memorable ones.We posted up at HLG Studio and we appreciate their hospitality on a Friday. Make sure to check out their work and make sure to leave us...
2023-09-051h 162 cent/sqftBranded Environments...and a little bit moreIn this episode, we are sharing some time with Christy Cain, Vice President and Principal at Atlanta’s ASD|Sky. Christy has a noteworthy design pedigree, and a particular passion for Branded Environments. She illuminates the meaning of this phrase, and we enjoy a lively discussion around the value and the costs of a holistic design. Thanks to CFC Group for hosting our chat this week at their lovely showroom! Their showroom is located off of Chattahoochee Ave. They represent some great lines and it would be work reaching out to your local rep to get into the showro...
2023-08-271h 082 cent/sqftRisk and RewardWe are back from hiatus and kicking off the second half of our season with Dana Anderson, founder of Planning Interiors. Dana and her team recently celebrated the company’s ten year anniversary. On this episode, we spend time talking about what it took to get to this point, as well as taking a peek out onto the horizon. It’s an interesting conversation about the hazards, as well as the rewards, of striking out on your own. Thanks to Planning Interiors for hosting our chat this week!You can join us Fridays on Instagram to get our...
2023-08-201h 052 cent/sqftNeoCon Recap - The Guys VersionThis episode is a little twist on the normal. It's summertime and we are everywhere so this week Cas is going it alone with Jason Diaz, Design Director at Vickers Design Group. We give our thoughts on NeoCon 2023. Jason tells us what it was like to be a judge and we talk candidly about the experiences we had this year between NeoCon and Design Days. We also go into some of the products and showrooms that we were impressed with, what we felt the trends were and our overall thoughts of the show. This one is a fun conversation. T...
2023-07-021h 092 cent/sqftThe Three C'sWe often think of diamonds when we think of “The Four C’s.” This week, we are talking about “The Three C’s,” and the conversation is with an absolute gem in our community! Stephanie Kirkpatrick, Niles Bolton’s Director of Interior Design, sits down to chat with us about her career in general, as well as what qualities a firm needs to be successful. In addition to having risen through the ranks of the design industry to the Director level, she has also spent time on the client side, acting as the VP of Facilities and Real Estate for a private uni...
2023-05-151h 192 cent/sqftWhere do we begin“Where Shall We Begin?” In this episode we sit down with Sarah Holliday and discuss exactly that…what happens just after the client says “go.” This includes what design project manager’s role and what the design team can expect. Much of our conversation centers on programming and visioning, and why it’s critically important to the success of the project to get those meetings right. Sarah, an NCIDQ certified Interior Designer, has 15 years of design and project management experience, which gives her a solid foundation and first-hand understanding of the specific pain points both designers and end users face e...
2023-04-301h 162 cent/sqftStaying CreativeIn this episode, we are talking with Jason Diaz, Design Director at Vickers Design Group, about creativity. What does it really mean, and how do you foster it? This one is a fun conversation that rambles across an incredibly complex topic; we dive into some science behind creativity, as well as some of our own personal practices. Thanks to Vickers Design Group for allowing us to take over your conference room!You can join us Fridays on Instagram to get our 2cents worth live, or you can tune in via your favorite platform on Monday morning for you...
2023-04-231h 122 cent/sqftPositive ReinforcementOur new episode this week is centered on positive reinforcement. A huge component of being in this industry is accepting negative feedback and using it as a tool to refine the project. But sometimes, that’s a lot to take, right? We talk about the importance of balancing negative input with positive. It turns out, praise has its own Golden Ratio. Hint: it’s not Phi. Tune in to find out what it is!Materials we referenced in the cast: https://hbr.org/2013/03/the-ideal-praise-to-criticismhttps://www.gottman.com/blog/the-magic-re...
2023-04-1657 min2 cent/sqftPatnering with a GCThis week, we got the chance to sit down with Jennie Rusciano to talk about what it’s like to be a (GC) General Contractor. Jennie is a Project Executive at Atlanta-based commercial interior General Contractor, CA South. Prior to joining CA South, Jennie practiced as an interior designer, then project manager. Her well-rounded industry background gives her a unique perspective on the construction side that we think you’ll enjoy hearing. We talk about the job and responsibilities of a GC and also the best practices for partnership between Designers and GC’s. Also in the conversati...
2023-04-021h 322 cent/sqftCreating your Own OpportunityCara McIntire is an Interior Designer and SCAD Alumni with a background in Workplace Design, she has worked at several design firms in Atlanta before making the move to ShawContract as the lead Interior Design Specialist for their new StudioOne Department. She was able to work with key stakeholders within Shaw to build a new department and service at Shaw with the main goal of helping designers get time back in their workday. This is an episode that explores what it's like to build your own opportunity. Cara talks us through how this happened. The highs and t...
2023-03-191h 212 cent/sqftGAIDP - What is Interior Design and what it means to be registeredCaitlin Matonak is a Project Manager at May Architecture. She is a Registered Interior Designer and SCAD alumna with an immense passion for Healthcare Design. She is also the 2022-2023 GAIPD President. This week, we sat down with Caitlin to get some insight on the steps to becoming registered as an interior designer and why it's important. We also heard from her about her work as the 2022-2023 GAIDP President. This organization is meaningful to Interior Designers in Georgia, because they watch for legislation that could impact a designer’s professional status. This is an episode that will...
2023-03-051h 122 cent/sqftCrafting your CrewAshton McFarlane is an Associate Project Manager at CBRE here in the Atlanta area. She is a graduate of the UGA Interior Design program and spent 4 years at Hendrick before she made the switch to CBRE. She has worked on several projects, including the recently completed Novelis HQ project, managing them through a successful design and construction process. I can tell you from personal experience that she is a wonderful person to partner with.We got a chance to talk about the importance of finding your people, or "crafting your crew" as we are calling it. Being a...
2023-02-261h 092 cent/sqftPitching for the JobBrian Parker is a Principal over the Interiors group at Cooper Carry here in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been in the industry for 20 plus years, so he has some great stories and insight to share. Some of the notable projects he has worked on include the Porsche Experience Center out in Los Angeles, Encore & The Interlock, and Coca-Cola TEC Research Tower. Pitching is a skill that we would encourage everyone to hone. It doesn't matter if you're right out of school or 25 years into the industry, you can always learn something. One of the biggest things that I to...
2023-02-121h 042 cent/sqftThoughts on Design with Amanda MillerAmanda Miller is a top notch Interior Designer that has been practicing for a little over 10 years here in the Atlanta area. She has some great projects under her belt that include the Atlanta Regional Commission Office and Humble Pie. She is also a registered interior designer and is certified for WELL AP. All in all, she's a busy girl.Looking at design is a big topic, so, we wanted to break it down in manageable chunks. We start our conversation with Amanda Miller, and get sense of how she starts a project. Its important to know t...
2023-02-051h 042 cent/sqftWork Life BalanceHappy New Year! We are kicking off our second season with a discussion around a New Years resolution that a lot of professionals struggle with - Work/Life Balance. We will look at what it means and how it affects us, ways that it changes, and some tips on how to make sure your balance is right for you. Episode Support: We want to thank Main Solutions in Atlanta for letting us use their lovely space, and encourage you to schedule a visit. You can also check out their wonderful product lines - Carnegie ; Davis ; Divisi...
2023-01-2354 min2 cent/sqftSeason 1 Last Thoughts - Cas and TaraIn our last episode of this season, we tackle some of the areas of stress that we've encountered in the contract interiors industry. We also talk a bit about what we each do to try to reenergize ourselves, which leads to a great conversation about NeoCon -- what it is, and why it is at once exhausting and thrilling! With Neocon just around the corner, it's a great way to get a little taste of what the show is like if you haven't been!We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and fo...
2022-05-0548 min2 cent/sqftTrey Champion - Invest in your self and Invest in othersTrey Champion has had not one but two careers in the creative field. Starting out in the preforming arts arena and then transitioning to the construction and design field, and it was defiantly different going back to school the second time, but we will let him fill you in. Trey has made his way through the design field as a designer in two different firms where he was able to to learn the ropes and had some great mentors, that helped him along the way. Once he realized that for him the process needed to changes he shifted into r...
2022-04-211h 432 cent/sqftRonnie Belizaire, Part 2 - What's your Wordle?Ronnie Belizaire has had an amazing career thus far that has took her from the conventional path of I need to be a doctor, to the more creative path as she discovered Interior Design. Ronnie has had the opportunity to and drive to help those in need by offering her services up as an Interior Designer when she helped in the Haiti relief effort, and the stories she has from that experience are humbling and would forever hold a special place in her heart. Ronnie was able to take her career to different levels by being practical and t...
2022-04-061h 152 cent/sqftRonnie Belizaire, Part 1 - Logical vs CreativeRonnie Belizaire has had an amazing career thus far that has took her from the conventional path of I need to be a doctor, to the more creative path as she discovered Interior Design. Ronnie has had the opportunity to and drive to help those in need by offering her services up as an Interior Designer when she helped in the Haiti relief effort, and the stories she has from that experience are humbling and would forever hold a special place in her heart. Ronnie was able to take her career to different levels by being practical and t...
2022-03-301h 042 cent/sqftMeredith Campbell - The "GIF" of Knowledge #I finished NetflixMeredith Campbell has been on both sides of the design coin and realized early on that life in the design firm wasn't for her. She has such great insight and wonderful stories, it's no wonder she is now working on the research side of design. She talks about some of the things that she and her colleagues at ThinkLab are working on, it not just color trends. They really get into the meat of what this industry is. It's about the how's, and the why's, and the how we can make this better. Oh and did I mention...
2022-03-161h 122 cent/sqftNaheed Jahid-RahmanNaheed's career is filled with hidden gem's, from her time at Kimberly-Clark, to the 13 years she spent on the interiors team at Turner/Warner Media. She talks about what it's like to interface directly with the clients she is working for, how it can be great, and also some of the struggles. We also dive into her time on the IIDA Georgia board and how going above and beyond can help your career...especially if you are just starting out. We hope you enjoy Naheed's 2 cents.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the...
2022-03-021h 162 cent/sqftOlivia Hutchison - People SkillsOlivia Hutchison is a project manager at Colliers International here in Atlanta. She knew at an early age that she wanted to do something in the design field from her time as a kid with a bunch of Lincoln Logs. She has had an interesting path from school to residential design, commercial, Facilities, and now Project management. Her journey has allowed her to have some great knowledge that has served her well in her career. She has some great take aways that we hope you will enjoy as much as we did. Here is Olivia Hutchison's 2 cents.W...
2022-02-161h 192 cent/sqftPatricia Buckner - Nobody wants a stale donutWe sat down with Patricia Buckner to find out how she found her way into the interior design industry after being a shoe model and a marketing director for a shoe company. We talk a lot about what it means to be a rep in the industry, and what some of those pitfalls might be for someone brand new into that side of the design industry. She also tells us how she became known as the munchkin rep here is Atlanta.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on...
2022-02-021h 102 cent/sqftNicole Lankford - Your own corner officeNicole Lankford has been a staple of positivity in her role at J and J Flooring. She has had an interesting path from design to sales and in our conversation she pulls back a little more of the curtain and gives some insight into what rep life is like. She gave us her secret on how to get the corner office.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2022-01-191h 152 cent/sqftCas and Tara - A little about your hostsWe are taking a break from our usual pattern and closing out the year with a conversation just between us. We wanted to share a bit more about our own backgrounds, what aspects of our design educations have stayed with us, and the importance of network. We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-12-1640 min2 cent/sqftBryanna Mercer - Maybe firm life isn't for meIn this episode, Bryanna Mercer joins us to share the pathway that led her to SCAD and then to KI. Hers is an interesting story because she has had her entire professional experience at one place, and has used the time to help create a position within KI that suits her skills perfectly. She discusses her early realization that she was interested in the vendor role, and how she launched from SCAD to KI. It's a great story that proves the importance of just showing up...sometimes mercilessly early.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!...
2021-12-081h 202 cent/sqftCatherine LaValley - The Easy Road is actually the Hard RoadIn this episode, we have a very “rubber meets the road” kind of conversation with Catherine LaValley. She takes us on a deep dive into the details of contract furniture as she shares the arc of her career. We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-11-111h 212 cent/sqftMichelle Mielke - Logistics + Facilities = Great DesignMichelle Mielke takes us along her career path, which includes some unexpected moments on the way to becoming a designer specializing in Senior Care. Join us for insight on this interesting corner of the design world, and see how it all came together for her. We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-11-101h 022 cent/sqftNujhat Jahid-Alam - Maybe more designers should go for those jobsIn This Episode...Nujhat Alam takes us on her journey, which starts as a designer at a full scope design firm, and lands as an Occupancy Planner for CBRE. She talks about the differences from small firm life to large firm life and why the challenge of Occupancy planning became more of a call for her.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-10-271h 072 cent/sqftWesley Edmonds - Desperately seeking CD'sIn This Episode...Wesley Edmonds chats with us about her evolution from full scope design into furniture sales, ultimately landing the widely renowned OFS Brands. We also spend some time discussing the potential hazards around acronyms in our industry; watch out for those CD's!We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-10-131h 432 cent/sqftChecking all the Boxes - Christina SchmittChristina Schmitt chats with us about her path to becoming an interior design educator at The Art Institute of Atlanta. Her story highlights her overlapping scientific and artistic interests, and is very much a tale about having the right boxes checked off for success.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-09-151h 132 cent/sqftCereal City Design - Carson SweetCarson Sweet is a rising star at a full scope interior design firm in Atlanta. In this episode, she shares her insights into her life as a design professional, as well as her experience with involvement in industry organizations. She has done a tremendous amount of volunteer work with IIDA, and has a lot to say about the value of her experience there. We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and...
2021-09-0145 min2 cent/sqftErin Soeters - The Invisible DetailsErin Soeters offers a great comparative on her experience at a furniture dealership versus a full-scope design firm. Our conversation highlights many of the invisible details that designers address in their projects. We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-08-061h 052 cent/sqftEvery Day is Different - Nicolette PizzoferratoNicolette Pizzoferrato, who is an Account Executive with Tarkett, talks about her entry into the Atlanta design market. She shares some great stories about migrating from the fashion industry to the interiors industry, and talks about her new-found flooring love. Come spend some time with us and her as she takes us from flooring base to first base. What?! Don't worry...she'll explain.We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design...
2021-08-0457 min2 cent/sqftAlison Tankovich - The three year ruleAllison is a degreed interior designer who practiced in both retail and corporate design before moving into client representation as a Project Manager. Her design background coupled with her creative spirit makes her an absolute “knockout” in this role. We hope you got your 2 cents worth!Please click the link and follow us on Instagram and Facebook. We look forward to building a community of professionals across all facets of interior design and construction.
2021-08-041h 34
2 cent/sqftTennessee in the ATL - Ashley MileAshley Mile is a Commercial Furniture Sales Rep to the A&D (architecture and design) community in Atlanta. Her conscientious nature combined with her extensive knowledge of interiors have earned her a stellar reputation in the market. But, as much of a savvy businesswoman as Ashley is, it's the addition of her effervescent personality that infuses her dealings with an equal balance of work and fun. Join us as Ashley shares the twists and turns that brought her from small town Tennessee to Atlanta as a designer, and then explains why she made the jump into sales. Lin...
2021-07-021h 31