Shows
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn Nigara317: What Would Lu Do?: Business Bravery: How to Take Action Despite Fear and OverwhelmToday With LuAnn Nigara:
Every entrepreneur faces moments where fear and overwhelm stop you in your tracks. In this powerful episode, LuAnn Nigara dismantles the myth of fearlessness and introduces her proven "Business Bravery" approach developed over 40+ years of entrepreneurship. You'll learn practical strategies to take action despite uncertainty, including the morning intention that transformed LuAnn's business mindset and concrete steps to move beyond paralyzing self-doubt. Featuring real-world examples of business owners who pushed through fear and succeeded anyway, this episode delivers straight-talking advice and an actionable toolkit to break through overwhelm and make progress today. Stop...2025-04-2820 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast1082: What Would Lu Do?: The Big Shift: What’s Changing on A Well-Designed Business® and WhyToday With LuAnn Nigara:After 9 years, 1,400+ episodes, and over 9 million downloads, A Well-Designed Business® is evolving.In this solo episode, LuAnn shares the next chapter of the podcast—and why this shift isn’t a step back, but a powerful step forward. She explains the two types of episodes you’ll hear in the coming months, and the all-new format she’s creating to deliver even more value for seasoned business owners.Whether you’re new to the show or have been with LuAnn since the beginning, this is an...2025-04-2539 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn Nigara316: What Would Lu Do?: How to Qualify Leads Without Disqualifying Your Future RevenueToday With LuAnn Nigara:Hey friends—today we’re getting real about a critical part of running a profitable business: qualifying leads. Because let’s be honest—most of us are either letting go of clients who could have been ideal, or we’re wasting precious time on ones that were never a good fit to begin with.In this episode, I’m sharing three real-world stories from my own business journey that reveal the hidden opportunities in client interactions you might be misjudging. These aren’t hypotheticals—they’re lessons hard-earned from decades of experience, and I...2025-04-2141 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn Nigara314: What Would Lu Do?: How to Attract High-End Window Treatment Clients by Speaking to Their Priorities—Not Their WalletsToday With LuAnn Nigara:Are you stuck speaking price while your dream clients are listening for value? In this episode of A Well-Designed Business, LuAnn gets real about how to elevate your messaging to match the elevated clientele you’re trying to attract. She walks you through the subtle yet powerful mindset and language shifts that can position you as the go-to expert for high-end window treatment projects—without ever having to “sell.”LuAnn dives into:
The one perspective shift that will completely transform how you talk about your services.
Why leading...2025-04-0738 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast1073: On Air Strategy Session: Jessie Surber – Embrace Your Small Market to Set Up Long-Term SuccessToday With Jessie Surber:In this On-Air Strategy Session, I work with Jessie Surber of Jessie Surber Design to tackle the challenge of growing a design business in a small town. Based in Greenville, Ohio (population 12,000), Jessie is passionate about British-inspired interiors but struggles with converting website visitors into inquiries. I provide strategic guidance on whether to fully embrace her niche now or take a more gradual approach while building her client base, particularly considering her young family. This episode offers valuable insights for designers in smaller markets, those balancing business growth with family responsibilities, and anyone...2025-03-251h 09
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Ashley La Fond: How Working With a Professional Organizer Can Transform Your Client ExperienceToday With Ashley La Fond:Are you delivering beautiful spaces that truly work for your clients’ lifestyles? In this episode of A Well-Designed Business, I’m joined by Ashley La Fond, founder of Of Space & Mind, to explore how professional organizers can revolutionize your design process.We dive into the ways Ashley collaborates with designers—like helping clear spaces before a project begins, ensuring every drawer and cabinet works for a client’s unique needs, and even creating a seamless move-in experience. From maximizing function to complementing beauty, Ashley shares how her expertise can enhance your des...2025-01-2456 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastOn Air Strategy Session: Melanie Lybrand: Overcoming the Fear of Raising Your Interior Design RatesToday With Melanie Lybrand:Welcome to a Well-Designed Business! In today’s on-air coaching session, I’m helping my guest, Melanie Lybrand, conquer an ongoing fear of raising her rates–one that’s so strong it keeps creeping back even after she’s committed to changing it.Today, we’re working through the stories she’s been telling herself and making a tangible action plan to get her over the hump that’s holding her back.LuAnn Nigara and Melanie Lybrand's Ah-Ha Moments“Here’s what you do with fear. The next time you come u...2024-12-271h 16
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraWhat Would Lu Do?: Teamwork, Trust, and Leadership: Lessons from Patrick Lencioni and The Five Dysfunctions of a TeamToday With LuAnn Nigara:Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit! Today, I’m diving into the vital elements of building a high-performing team, drawing insights from Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Dysfunctions of a Team. We’ll explore the importance of trust, the role of healthy conflict, accountability, and focusing on collective results. If you’ve ever felt like your team just isn’t “gelling,” this episode is for you! Plus, I’ll share details about my upcoming workshop that will help you kick off the new year with a clear, strategic plan. Let’s transform your team dynamics toge...2024-12-2322 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJennifer Tokatyan: Building a Culture that Drives Business ResultsToday With Jennifer Tokatyan:Today on A Well-Designed Business, I speak with Jennifer Tokatyan, leadership consultant and partner with Eileen B Hahn. With over 20 years of experience, Jennifer shares her proven 7-step framework for building strong company culture that drives team performance and business growth. Don't miss information about her upcoming LuAnn University course, "Build an Exceptional Team that Gets Results," starting January 2025.LuAnn Nigara and Jennifer Tokatyan's Ah-Ha Moments“Culture matters the moment you have another human being you are interacting with because you are now interdependent on them to execute on th...2024-12-201h 07
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastErin Coren and Lina Galvao: Curated Nest: Scaling an Interior Design Business to $5 MillionToday With Erin Coren and Lina Galvao:Today, I am joined by Erin Coren and Lina Galvao, co-owners of the Curated Nest. With Erin as Creative Director and Lina as the Director of Business Development, Curated Nest is a complete partnership. Both ladies bring value to the table, collaborating in what has resulted in a growth of 500k to almost 5 million.Erin and Lina joined forces in 2016 and have continued to grow since then. I’m honored that they said they used this podcast's value and resources as part of their journey. Of course, they, th...2024-07-231h 09
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast1000th Episode! LuAnn Nigara is Interviewed by Jude Charles!Today With LuAnn Nigara:We made it to the 1000th episode of A Well-Design Business, and can I just say...wow?!! What a road it has been!It really is incredible to have 1000 episodes under my belt. I can't express enough how honored I am to have met and interviewed so many wonderful people in this industry, many of whom have become lifelong friends.I also want to express my immense gratitude to JudeCharles for taking the time for this interview and expertly guiding me in sharing my story. Jude has played such...2024-07-121h 33
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastOn Air Strategy Sessions: Laura Koshel: Solidifying Roles and SOPs when You Want to ScaleToday With Laura Koshel:Today’s Power Talk Friday is another episode of our Live, On-Air Strategy Sessions!I am welcoming Laura Koshel, the owner and principal designer at LK Design, an interior design firm based in Durham, NC.Laura wants to know what she should know about scaling her business and her team. Learn how having wonderful employees is a great beginning but having clarity is among you is the key. Listen in to see what I mean.LuAnn Nigara and Laura Koshel's Ah-Ha Moments:“If you plan on h...2024-06-141h 17
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LoriAnn Kuntz: How to Love (and Understand) Your Interior Design Business Numbers Today With LoriAnn Kuntz Hi, welcome to a Well-Designed Business. It’s Power Talk Friday. Today I am excited to welcome LoriAnn Kuntz, founder of Profit Priority, a bookkeeping and financial management company for creatives. Understanding your numbers matters. But it’s equally as important to understand when and why to outsource your bookkeeping. Hear LoriAnn’s insights on why strategic bookkeping matters—and how you can take control of your numbers. Pick It Apart: [3:18] LoriAnn and LuAnn discuss why knowing your numbers matters—and what it means to “love” those numbers. [7:31] LoriAnn explains why bus...2024-04-2647 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Andrea Liebross: It's Not Big Clients — It's BIG THINKING That Creates Success Today With Andrea Liebross Today on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined by certified business and life coach Andrea Liebross, who is on a mission to help women entrepreneurs discover their inner potential and redefine success. Andrea is also the author of the bestselling book, “She Thinks Big” and host of the podcast, “Time to Level Up.” Today she is teaching us how to get out of the messy middle and move into the extraordinary with BIG THINKING. Tune in to learn Andrea’s 5 keys to becoming a big thinker. It’s all about TRUST! Pick It Apart 2024-03-151h 12
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastMona Nahm: Equitable Design for People and the Planet Today With Mona Nahm Today on A Well-Designed business I am so happy to welcome Mona Nahm to the show. Mona is here sharing her incredible journey and her current work designing affordable housing. Mona truly understands how creating spaces with compassion at their core can empower people and allow them the safety and stability to reclaim their lives. Her glass-half-full spirit will leave you inspired. Listen now. Pick It Apart: [2:27] Mona shares her story of homelessness as a teenager. [12:51] Mona and LuAnn reflect on the value of basic education, obtaining degrees, and...2024-03-121h 24
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast953: Power Talk Friday: Raj Banyopadhyay: Connecting With Your Audience Through Personal Branding Photography Today With Raj Banyopadhyay: Today on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined by trained sex and relationship coach turned personal brand photographer Raj Banyopadhyay, of Series A Photography. We are discussing what personal branding means to him, how similar his process is to yours as an interior designer, and how he helps his clients uncover and embody their stories with powerful photos that help them connect with their audience. Pick It Apart: [8:06] Raj explains his mission as a photographer. [11:06] Raj and LuAnn discuss the nuances of branding and having a personal brand, and...2024-02-021h 19
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJennifer Ma: The Path isn’t Always Straight and That’s OK Today With Jennifer Ma: Today, on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined by Jennifer Ma of Dwell & Oak Interior Design Studio. Before she became an interior designer, Jennifer was a competitive swimmer, a chef, and a nursing student. She also worked in luxury beauty marketing and owned a kickboxing franchise. Jennifer put her heart and soul into each venture, and took away valuable experiences that have helped her business thrive. She believes that with determination, you can pivot your career toward the lifestyle you've always envisioned. Listen now to hear her inspiring story. Pick It Apart: 2024-01-301h 03
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastThe Power Talk Friday Tour: An Unforgettable Day of Insights and Inspiration Today With LuAnn Nigara: Today on A Well-Designed Business, LuAnn announces the return of the Power Talk Friday Tour! She makes some other announcements regarding LuAnn Live, and mentiones some of the dates for the PTF Tour: Dallas on Apr 5, 2024, NJ on Jun 7, 2024, Las Vegas on Aug 2, 2024 and finally, High Point on Oct 25, 2024. What’s new with LuAnn Nigara LuAnn University - Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester! Watch the Docuseries! http://www.luannnigara.com/cob Get The Goodies! For checklists, resources, and ex...2024-01-1615 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraWhat Would Lu Do?: Excellence is a Decision: Mindset and Goal Setting in 2024
Today on Window Treatments for Profit Today we have a What Would Lu Do show about planning ahead for 2024. In this episode, we're talking about the importance of choosing excellence over perfection in business and life. We'll follow some strategies that will help us achieve our goals and create the business we desire. Also, I'll share some examples of how excellence means trying new things, learning from failures, persevering, and making progress. LuAnn Nigara's Ah-Ha Moments “Excellence means we tried new things, even if and when we were scared.” -LuAnn “Choose, simply...2024-01-0112 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: The Top Ten Listened to Episodes of 2023! Today With LuAnn Nigara: Join me on the last show of 2023 to do a quick recap of the best episodes we had this year! From inspiring events like LuAnn Live 2023 to the launch of our docuseries, "The Making of A Well-Designed Business," it has been a journey of growth and connection. 2023 brought valuable lessons, including the importance of self-care. Stay tuned as we recap the top 10 most listened episodes of the year! What’s new with LuAnn Nigara LuAnn University - Registration is now OPEN for the Winter 2024 semester! Watch the Do...2023-12-2920 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastDelyse Berry: The Execution of the Design Project is as Important as the Design Result Today With Delyse Berry: Today, I am joined by Delyse Berry, owner of Upstate Down, an interior design studio and real estate brokerage, with also a home decor store. Delyse uses a process built around a holistic approach which entails a clear formula for clients to understand what they do, their vision , and the best execution process. This framework delivers an incredible experience for clients, a streamline process for them, and has grown their business faster and more effortlessly. Listen in to get the details! Pick It Apart [3:07] How Delyse shares the process with clients...2023-12-2650 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraWhat Would Lu Do?: Seven Strategies for Business Excellence in 2024: Steps 6 and 7
Today on Window Treatments for Profit Today we have a What Would Lu Do show about planning ahead for 2024. Today, LuAnn goes over the last two steps of her Seven Strategies for Business Excellene in 2024. We'll cover various aspects of planning, marketing, customer service, employee training, technology, partnerships, and personal development. LuAnn Nigara's Ah-Ha Moments “It’s not just about expanding your network; it’s about creating synergies, tapping into new markets, and ultimately boosting your bottom line.” -LuAnn “When you join … whatever it is, you need to show up, get involved and...2023-12-2521 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Erin Moore: A Personal Approach to Sales in the Design Industry Today With Erin Moore: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Erin Moore. After more than a decade of experience as a sales leader in the often male-dominated tech, Erin developed a female-focused approach that she wasn't finding in traditional sales books. Now, she passionately teaches women how to sell in an authentic and personal way through her business, A Sales Conversation. Erin is here with actionable steps on how we can open our minds, expand our skill sets, and practice the art of effective selling by navigating through the three modes of selling: transactional, neutral, and...2023-12-221h 18
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastChristine Vroom: An Honest Conversation about Mental Health and the Interior Design Industry Today With Christine Vroom: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Christine Vroom of Christine Vroom Interiors in Los Angeles, California. Christine spaces focus on enhancing mental health, along with physical and spiritual well-being, and that’s by design. Through her own mental health journey, Christine has learned how to better take care of herself, surrounded herself with a supportive team, and translated her own difficult times into compassion and understanding toward her clients. Just as our systems and processes play a role in our business, so does our mental and physical health. Christine has put a lot...2023-12-1957 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraWhat Would Lu Do?: Seven Strategies for Business Excellence in 2024: Steps 1 and 2
Today on Window Treatments for Profit Today we have a What Would Lu Do show about planning ahead for 2024. In today's episode we'll cover the first two steps of our seven-step process to evaluate and improve different aspects of our business. LuAnn Nigara's Ah-Ha Moments “To be on a path to success we have to identify what success is because make no mistake, it is different for every single one of us. Good news, you only have to figure out yours.” -LuAnn “We so often look only at our gaps and take a...2023-12-1133 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraRachel Leuck: The Best Strategies for Selling Luxury Window Treatments
Today With Rachel Leuck: Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit. In today’s episode we welcome Rachel Leuck, a luxury window treatment specialist. We will discuss her philosophy of positioning herself as a luxury service provider in the window treatment market. Rachel also shares her journey from the event planning industry to starting her own business, emphasizing the importance of authenticity, quality over quantity, and effective communication with clients. Rachel Leuck was a nationally recognized event designer who decided to transition into the window treatment world! She has owned Gotcha Covered of Sugar Land for almost 3 years an...2023-11-271h 01
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWhat Would Lu Do: How To Turn Your Aha’s into Action Today With LuAnn Nigara: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. In this episode, we'll talk about how to turn your aha moments into actionable steps that will help you achieve your goals for your business and your life. You will hear some of the amazing insights from Amber De La Garza, a productivity coach who was a guide at LuAnn Live, and how she taught us to get our CRAP together. LuAnn's Ah-Ha Moments: “If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll wind up somewhere else.” -LuAnn “The best version of...2023-11-2137 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraWhat Would Lu Do?: Create a Trade Partner Kit to Build Relationships With Interior Designers
Today on Window Treatments for Profit Today we have a What Would Lu Do show, all about how to initiate industry partnerships with interior designers through an industry partner kit. Much like a media kit, this is a great way to present your brand so that you can capture the attention of your ideal partners and elevate your client experience. We’re walking through what to include, how to deliver, and of course, why it’s important to be ready with systems and processes in place when the phone starts ringing Pick It Apart [0...2023-11-2026 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Christina Frei: Learn How to Market From Your Specific Strengths Today With Christina Frei: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Christina Frei, owner of Innate Marketing Genius, a boutique marketing practice where she helps solo business owners own their voice, market to their strengths, and get the right clients consistently. Christina takes a holistic approach to marketing, and helps us discover how to market from our strengths by identifying our marketing archetype. In this conversation, we dig into what it means to be a Nurturer, Adventure Guide, Door Opener, Steady Presence, and Celebrator, and how this can help you show up better in your business. P...2023-11-101h 04
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraWhat Would Lu Do?: The Top 5 Challenges Experienced by Small Businesses and How to Overcome Them
Today on Window Treatments for Profit Today is a What Would Lu Do episode! Today, I am sharing my tried and true strategies for operating your business and managing it, with intention, at the same time. In this episode, I'll share a guide for small business owners who are looking for solutions for the Top 5 chanllenges many small businesses deal with everyday. We'll talk about financial stability, competition, government, hiring and retaining employees, and technology and digital transformation. LuAnn Nigara's Ah-Ha Moments “Create a compliance calendar that includes all the important da...2023-10-0232 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Fred Berns: The Five Things All Successful People Do Today With Fred Berns: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Fred Berns. Fred has been on the show many times, and I often refer to him when I talk about finding your Fred Berns Only. Knowing your “only” is essential. After working in the interior design industry as a business coach, speaker, and copywriter for 35 years, Fred has spent the past five years traveling the world. He visited 33 countries on four continents, and talked to business owners everywhere he went. Fred has studied the most successful business professionals across many industries around the...2023-09-2950 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKatie Wick: My Path in Interior Design; My Choice to Be an Employee. Today With Katie Wick: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. What would you think if I said that you could be a successful interior designer working as an employee? For some, you may think, nah. For others, you may be thinking tell me more! My guest today, Katie Wick, interior designer at Jkath Design Build + Reinvent is here to debunk the unspoken stigma that if you are an interior designer and you don't own your own business, then you won’t be successful. Listen in to learn all of the perks and benefits to working for an interior design com...2023-08-221h 09
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Janine Aurichio: The Inside Job: 3 Keys to Calm, Clear, and Joyful CreativityToday With Janine Aurichio: Hi, welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On this Power Talk Friday, I am joined by Janine Aurichio, Certified Life Coach, Mental Fitness Coach, Speaker, and Founder of YES2YUM Life Styling. Janine coaches design professionals on The Inside JobTM which creates the mindset and mental fitness needed to run their business with clarity, purpose, and ease. We are discussing something we all have in common, no matter where we come from; inner voices, or what she calls your inner Sage and Saboteur. It’s a battle. And Janine is here to guide us on...2023-07-281h 10
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Janine Aurichio: The Inside Job: 3 Keys to Calm, Clear, and Joyful CreativityToday With Janine Aurichio: Hi, welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On this Power Talk Friday, I am joined by Janine Aurichio, Certified Life Coach, Mental Fitness Coach, Speaker, and Founder of YES2YUM Life Styling. Janine coaches design professionals on The Inside JobTM which creates the mindset and mental fitness needed to run their business with clarity, purpose, and ease. We are discussing something we all have in common, no matter where we come from; inner voices, or what she calls your inner Sage and Saboteur. It’s a battle. And Janine is here to guide us on...2023-07-281h 10
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJillian Lare: An Engineer-Turned-Designer’s Take on TechToday With Jillian Lare: Today on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined once again by Jillian Lare, a trained engineer, experienced college lecturer, and award-winning interior designer. A few years ago, Jillian partnered with her friend and fellow designer to start Morris Lare Interiors in Des Moines, Iowa, and it has been a growing success. Jillian credits a lot of her success and smooth business operations to the technology she implements. She is sharing what is working well in her business, along with suggestions on where to get started integrating technology into your businesses as well. She’s also go...2023-07-251h 10
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastSharon L. Sherman: Decoding Personality Types for Successful Client OutcomesToday With Sharon L. Sherman: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Sharon L. Sherman, founder of Thyme and Place Design. Sharon has been practicing award-winning kitchen and bath design for the past 40 years, is a Past President of the American Society of Interior Designers, New Jersey chapter, and was named 2022 Innovator of the Year by Kitchen Bath Design News magazine. She has worked with every personality out there and is here to discuss personality traits. We delve into the four personality types she categorizes: Fire, Air, Earth, and Water. We talk about their traits, h...2023-07-041h 14
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Stacey Brown Randall: Generate Business Referrals Without AskingToday With Stacey Brown Randall: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Stacey Brown Randall, a business referral whiz who is here to help us understand referral marketing strategies and to share her methods of generating referrals naturally—without manipulating, incentivizing, or even asking. Stacey is the host of the Roadmap to Referrals Podcast and the multiple award-winning author of Generating Business Referrals Without Asking, as well as my co-author in A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts (volume 1). In this episode we talk about systems and strategies, the client experience, and how t...2023-06-091h 02
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraElizabeth Gerdes: The Powerful Impact of Peer Relationships When Building Your Window Treatment Business
Today With Elizabeth Gerdes: Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit, today with Elizabeth Gerdes, owner and operator of Stitch Above the Rest, an award-winning custom drapery workroom in Woodstock, Georgia. After designing and fabricating custom window treatments for residential and commercial clients for almost 20 years, Elizabeth is handing over the needle and thread, hiring employees, and moving out of her basement workspace into a storefront and workroom. Elizabeth is smack in the middle of pivoting her business, and she is here discussing what she is doing, whose advice she is seeking, and how she is making all of those...2023-05-2956 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: Vita Vygovska: The Straight Talk About Unstable FabricsToday With Vita Vygovska: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. It’s Window Treatment Friday, which means I am joined by Vita Vygovska. Vita is the founder of Vitalia Inc. and a regular here on the podcasts. She is an expert in all things window treatments, and today Vita will share her knowledge of unstable fabrics to help us better understand the qualities of these linens, wools, open weaves, and anything viscose. Window treatment professionals can’t guarantee the results when working with these fabrics, so neither should you as the designer. But don’t worry, Vita is...2023-05-0559 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastHilaire Pickett Martin: Lesson From an Interior Design Operations ManagerToday With Hillaire Pickett Martin: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. On today’s episode, I am joined by Hilaire Pickett Martin. Hilaire runs the day-to-day operations at Design Lines, an interior design firm started by her mother, Judy Pickett, in 1979. Hilaire is here to share how she finds operational gaps and implements technological frameworks to support the workflow at Design Lines, with helpful tips and applications you can utilize in your own business. Listen in and learn how to streamline your systems, save time, and maybe even take next Tuesday off. Pick It Apart ...2023-03-281h 11
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraShannon Lopez: The ERC Program - Do NOT Skip This Episode!
Today With Shannon Lopez: You’ve heard of the PPP, but did you know that there’s another government program waiting to give you as much, if not more money back? It’s called the ERC. Today, Shannon Lopez breaks down the program, who it’s for, how you can take advantage of it, and the deadlines you need to know. Pick It Apart [8:55] Shannon breaks down what the ERC is and why it matters. [13:53] LuAnn and Shannon discuss the challenges of running a business at the beginning of the pandemic. [31...2023-03-131h 10
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraVita Vygovska: Market to Interior Designers by Building RelationshipsToday With Vita Vygovska:Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit. As window treatment professionals, partnering with interior designers just makes sense. The one and only Vita Vygovska of Vitalia, Inc, joins me to discuss the benefits of building relationships with interior designers, sharing the steps she uses to initiate, establish, and foster these relationships in her own business and how you can do the same in yours.Pick It Apart[6:51] Vita shares the language and phrases she uses and encourages listeners to swipe her ideas to aid in their businesses.[15:37] Vita...2023-03-061h 16
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Shannon Lopez: The ERC Program - Do NOT Skip This Episode!Today With Shannon Lopez: You’ve heard of the PPP, but did you know that there’s another government program waiting to give you as much, if not more money back? It’s called the ERC. Today, Shannon Lopez breaks down the program, who it’s for, how you can take advantage of it, and the deadlines you need to know. Pick It Apart [8:55] Shannon breaks down what the ERC is and why it matters. [13:53] LuAnn and Shannon discuss the challenges of running a business at the beginning of the pandemic. [31...2023-03-031h 10
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastNicole Salceda: You Don’t Need to Have All the SuperpowersToday With Nicole Salceda: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today I’m joined by Nicole Salceda! Her career in interiors began as a passion for making the polished, functional design more accessible. She is going to share with us how she built the amazing team that is behind her brand, the “not so pretty” things she had to overcome during the first years in business, and how she manages her Instagram account of over 295,000 followers. LuAnn Nigara and Nicole Salceda's Ah-Ha Moments “The error isn’t in investing in your business, the error was in und...2023-02-141h 01
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKellie Burke: If You’re Not Failing, You’re Not RiskingToday With Kellie Burke: Hi, welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Join me this week as I sit down with Kellie Burke, owner of Kellie Burke Interiors. One of Kellie's philosophies when designing a home is that "it should feel like a well-traveled home and not have a matching, store-bought look." Tune in to hear about her journey, the importance of failure, and the ups and downs of having a business. LuAnn Nigara and Kellie Burke's Ah-Ha Moments “The failure comes the lessons.” - LuAnn Nigara “I think we mistakenly see all the be...2023-01-2457 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJohn McClain: Turn Failure into SuccessToday With John McClain: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I am joined for the second time by John McClain. John is an accomplished interior designer, business coach, and author of The Designer Within. In this episode, he shares a bit about his back story with us—from crisis to conquest. John is here to help you understand that you can learn and grow from your mistakes, and success can be born out of failure. John shares his dark night of the soul story with us, but it didn’t end there. He turned that roug...2023-01-171h 18
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraJill Ballew: Her System for Chasing Post Installation Issues
Today With Jill Ballew: You know I love a systems driven conversation. That’s what we’re covering today with Jill Ballew, owner of High Country Drapery Design. I’ve known Jill throughout the years through IWCE and Vita (her business bestie). She is here today to share just one area of her system for what she does when there is a problem in a project. Even I had a major AHA moment. Enjoy! Pick It Apart [5:10] Jill explains her process for when there is a problem in a project. [15:55] Jill gets m...2023-01-1654 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJoshua Smith: Sell the Experiences, Not the CommodityToday With Joshua Smith: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I am joined by Joshua Smith, of Joshua Smith Inc. Joshua draws on decades of experience transforming functional spaces into inspiring environments that engage the senses and nourish the soul. By cultivating the connections between mind, body, spirit, and space, he helps his clients elevate their experience each day. Join us for a great conversation about the power of meditation, the importance of being connected to your passion, and his amazing working philosophy! LuAnn Nigara and Joshua Smith's Ah-Ha Moments “It's th...2023-01-101h 03
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJean Stoffer: Work in Harmony Through Every Season of LifeToday With Jean Stoffer: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today we are joined by the one and only Jean Stoffer. Jean is an award-winning independent designer, star of The Established Home on the Magnolia Network, and author of the newly released book Establishing Home. In our conversation, Jean offers a glimpse into her journey, showing us the joys of intertwining work and family, the benefits of an unhurried attitude, and the blessings each season of life has to offer. Pick It Apart [6:01] Jean discusses “being in the trenches” as she built her business from...2023-01-031h 09
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastSusie Novak: Mastering Your Success With A MastermindToday With Susie Novak: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today I am speaking with Susie Novak, owner of Susie Novak Interiors on a variety of topics. One being what it’s like being a part of a mastermind group. Spoiler alert: it’s fantastic to be a part of a mastermind. And hey, why not start your own? Susie has a good size design team too, so we also talk team tips, sustainability and networking. Pick It Apart [1:50] Susie shares with us how she formed her mastermind group. [11:20] How accountability plays a rol...2022-12-201h 00
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastAnne Gillyard: Capitalizing on Your “You” to Grow Your Interior Design BusinessToday With Anne Gillyard: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I am joined by Anne Gillyard, co-owner of grOH! Playrooms, a luxury educational design firm. Anne had humongous growth in her business after doing some self-reflection and making an investment in her business. After listening to A Well Designed Business, she learned about Rachael Bozsik and Darla Powell and decided to work with them. She shares what she has learned and how much her business has grown in just one year of making moves. Pick It Apart [18:04] The time Anne had her business...2022-11-291h 01
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastClaire Ownby: How to Efficiently Run a Large Luxury Interior Design FirmToday With Claire Ownby: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. My guest today, Claire Ownby of Ownby Design, makes running a large, successful firm look easy. But it only appears that way because she has worked so hard to create flawless systems and processes that keep everything running smoothly. She’s sharing how she does it, and how she stays true to herself in her business in the process. Pick It Apart [1:07] Claire shares how she has worked to perfect her systems. [7:05] Claire gives insight into how she manages to produce high-quality wo...2022-11-2257 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast826: Tanya Smith-Shiflett: Finding Success & Switching Careers with ConfidenceToday With Tanya Smith-Shiflett: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m joined by Tanya Smith-Shiflett of Unique Kitchen & Bath Designs. Tanya has grown her design firm exponentially over five years, expanding to multiple showrooms, engaging in luxury collaborations, and working with high-end designers. Find out how she built her business and what’s next on the horizon for her. Pick It Apart [1:45] Tanya shares the story of how she transitioned from medical sales to kitchen and bath design [7:12] Tanya discusses her expansion and her showrooms [18:10] Tanya breaks down how...2022-11-1559 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn's 60th Birthday Celebration: 3 Defining MomentsToday on A-Well Designed Business: Today LuAnn recaps her experience at High Point Market this fall and her top takeaways from the Power Talk Friday Tour 2022. What’s new with LuAnn Nigara Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration luannuniversity.com http://www.luannnigara.com/cob Get The Goodies! For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here. To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999! Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here: B...2022-10-2839 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Ebony Looney: Attract Clients Through Your Interior Design Business WebsiteToday With Ebony Looney: Hi, welcome to A Well-Designed Business. It’s Power Talk Friday and today we are having a conversation about your website. Constructing, revamping, or anything you have to do with your business website can be pretty intimidating. Ebony Looney, web designer, creative director, and owner of Make Me Over Eb is here to tell us how to optimize our website in search, common website mistakes, what to hire out for, what we must include, and more that will give you more confidence and clarity in building your website. Pick It...2022-10-2158 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraBerek Awend: Staying Nimble In Your Window Treatment Business
Today With Berek Awend: Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit. Today, I’m joined by Berek Awend, CEO of American Drapery Systems in Minnesota. Berek is at the helm of the e-commerce side of the company, responsible for marketing, fulfillment, and sourcing. He’s sharing how he has perfected the art of finding opportunity and seizing it to grow his business, attract clients, and expand his offerings. Pick It Apart [14:33] Berek shares the importance of staying nimble in your business approach. [21:37] LuAnn and Berek discuss how to notice and seize opportunities to g...2022-10-1040 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastThe Complete Ladder of Services from LuAnn Nigara Inc Today on A Well-Designed Business Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, LuAnn lists all the different services and products she offers through the LuAnn Nigara Inc platform for you to enjoy! What’s new with LuAnn Nigara Power Talk Friday Tour at High Point Exciting Windows! Build a Better Business Registration luannuniversity.com http://www.luannnigara.com/cob Get The Goodies! For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here. To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word...2022-09-2039 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastRebecca Hay: The Power of the ProcessToday With Rebecca Hay: Today on A Well-Designed Business I am joined by Rebecca Hay, CEO of Rebecca Hay Designs. Through her podcast Resilient by Design and her course Power of Process, Rebecca is tapping into her experience with running her own business. She is sharing how she has learned to have a clear, organized, and thorough process of services resulting in success in every design project. Of course, it wasn’t always ‘success’ with Rebecca’s business. She had some eye-opening experiences, including what she calls a “lemon job” which, along with A Well-Designed Business and...2022-09-061h 01
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraPeggy Morgans: How Do I Get My Business Ready to Sell?
Today with Peggy Morgans: Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit! Window treatment pro, Peggy Morgans shares the experts she hired and work she did to prepare her business for a sale. Previously doing 90% of the work herself, Peggy set a goal of taking herself out of the business and broke the action items into a checklist of just three simple to-dos to achieve her goal. The Breakdown: [13:07] Peg shares how she felt about the process documentation when work is so custom [22:54] Peggy details how she hired out some of her marketing ...2022-07-111h 05
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast777: Power Talk Friday: Desi Creswell: Leading from Your Future Self Today with Desi Creswell: Welcome to A Well Designed Business. If you’re anything like me, you have a neverending to-do list. There’s always something else to get done, another box to check, another urgent task to complete. But when we get bogged down in those tasks, it becomes impossible to work on the business. So how do we motivate ourselves to take a step back and work on the higher level needs? Interior Design Coach Desi Creswell shares her framework for getting big tasks done, even if it feels like you’ll never be able to. Learn more ab...2022-05-271h 20
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Michelle Feeney, Founder of Floral Street. To Succeed, Identify a Gap in the MarketplaceToday with Michelle Feeney: Welcome to A Well Designed Business. On this Power Talk Friday I am talking to Michelle Feeney, founder of Floral Street. Floral Street is a modern British fragrance that is both sustainable and eco-friendly. You’re probably wondering why I had Michelle on. Well despite her not being in interior design ,Michelle has provided me with a couple of aha moments that I want to bring to my listeners. She is an intelligent and accomplished business person and I can’t wait for you to hear about her experience to the top...2022-05-0649 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Leah Neaderthal: Sales Techniques for IntrovertsToday with Leah Neaderthal: Welcome to A Well Designed Business. As you probably know, I am as extroverted as they come—a trait which I believe plays into my sales success. But extroversion isn’t necessary to be a good salesperson. In fact, my guest today, Leah Neaderthal, would say that introverts possess several qualities that make them natural sales superstars—if they know how to tap into them and use them. She’s sharing how to do just that, teaching introverts how to sell with strength and confidence. Pick it apart: [2:00] L...2022-04-291h 03
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Monica Froese: Weaving Digital Products into Your Interior Design BusinessToday with Monica Froese: Welcome to A Well Designed Business. Over the last few years, more and more designers have started finding ways to build passive income streams into their businesses, through e-design options, curated shoppable lists, and more. Today, we’re talking more about this idea—how you can create digital products to help solve problems for your clients, attract new ones, and add an income stream to your business. Pick it apart: [1:28] Monica shares her journey, from corporate marketer to mom blogger to digital product aficionado. [19:15] Monica gives...2022-04-2253 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: Pricing Window Treatments: How to Ballpark the Numbers on the FlyToday with Vita Vygovska Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today is Window Treatment Friday, and we are debuting part 2 of our Pricing Window Treatment Series. Vita is back with some great tools that she has learned to use when pricing a window treatment to a consumer. Vita and I understand the challenges with pricing, that it isn’t cutthroat and that there are so many variables that go into a window treatment. Tune in to learn the general pricing guidelines for a designer, and also how you can uplevel your conversations with your client by kno...2022-04-0157 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJessica Harling: The 7 Step Sales Process for Interior Designers and Window Treatment ProfessionalsToday with Jessica Harling: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, we’re talking about my favorite thing—sales. And I can think of nobody better to help me talk through sales than my colleague, Jessica Harling. She is walking us through the proven 7-Step Sales Process from Exciting Windows—the same process that she covers in her course at LuAnn University. You’re going to get a high-level look at every step along the way, its purpose, and how it folds into a successful sale. Pick it apart: [10:50] LuAnn and Jessica dive into the inquiry call and how...2022-03-291h 20
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPeggy Morgans: How Do I Get My Business Ready to Sell?Today with Peggy Morgans Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Window treatment pro, Peggy Morgans shares the experts she hired and the work she did to prepare her business for a sale. Previously doing 90% of the work herself, Peggy set a goal of taking herself out of the business and broke the action items into a checklist of just three simple to-dos to achieve her goal. Pick it apart: [13:07] Peg shares how she felt about the process documentation when work is so custom [22:54] Peggy details how she hired out some of her marketing 2022-02-221h 08
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: Pricing Window Treatments: Understanding Margin vs. MarkupToday with Vita Vygovska Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today’s WTF—Window Treatment Friday—is part 1 of a new three-part series on pricing window treatments. We’re breaking down margin vs. markup, how to do each, and why you need to know. You’re going to get the math and the formulas you need, but we’re also diving into what the numbers mean, so you can price window treatments with confidence and knowledge. Pick It Apart: [5:59] Vita and LuAnn reflect on why you as a designer need to understand the numbers behind the formulas...2022-02-1856 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastFlash Back Friday: Cheryl Janis : Defining and Owning Your NicheOn Today’s Flashback Friday Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On today’s Flashback episode, we revisit episode 41 with Cheryl Janis. After an accident left her searching for help in the world of natural medicine, Cheryl realized that there was a powerful niche waiting for her—designing for boutique visionaries in the holistic health world. Niching opened up a world of possibility for her, and brought more joy to her business than she had experienced in her 19 years of design. Pick it apart: [5:45] Cheryl shares her story of how a frightening accident and a difficult recovery led to her nic...2021-11-1354 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Jude Charles: The Power of Dramatic Demonstration in Your Business VideosToday with Jude Charles: We’re welcoming Jude Charles back to the show! Jude Charles, the video brand strategist, is back and this time, he’s walking us through how to take that special, differentiating moment and express it through a three-part documentary-style video series he calls “dramatic demonstration”. Pick it apart: [8:09] Jude recaps the why behind his storytelling framework [14:20] Jude gives an example of how he did a storytelling video for an interior design client [18:09] Jude reviews the three-part documentary video series for LuAnn’s podcast...2021-11-0554 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: Scaling for Growth with a Digital Project Management SystemToday with Vita Vygovska Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Ever wonder how Vita Vygovska of Vitalia Inc. Window Treatments & Awnings has been able to scale her business and maintain a family life at the same time? Her passion for spreadsheets has helped her design and build a digitized Project Management system that streamlined her business process and serves as her center of truth. Listen now as she outlines the 10 must-have elements that every Project Management System needs. Pick It Apart: [18:35] Vita explains show a PMS gives you the options and checklists to make s...2021-10-011h 07
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKate Rasmussen: Breaking into New Interior Design ProjectsToday with Kate Rasmussen: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, we’re talking about how to take on new projects—specifically projects that you don’t have experience or expertise in. It can seem almost impossible to break into new avenues in your business. But with the right strategy in place, you can find and land new projects, even without the specific expertise in that area. I’m joined by Kate Rasmussen of Wade Weissmann Architecture, who has quite a bit of experience doing just that! Pick it apart: [1:16] Kate talks about putting together pricing...2021-08-171h 09
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn University, Even When You’re Slammed. June 2021Today on A Well-Designed Business Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. It's Power Talk Friday! Business for 90% of us is absolutely bonkers right now, isn’t it? Why is it when we are busy, we so easily throw aside the time to work on our business? Today, I want to talk about the importance of working on your business always, not just when it’s convenient. On today's show, I am letting the LuAnn University instructors tell you about their amazing courses, and why now, more than ever, it is critical that we focus on our businesses. LuAnn University Summer...2021-06-2547 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn University: What You Need to Know!Today on A Well-Designed Business® Welcome to a Well-Designed Business®. Today, I am telling you all about LuAnn University. We are getting ready to launch our Summer Session of courses on July 6th, 2021, and I can't wait for you to learn more about our extraordinary instructors and our growing list of value-packed courses! LuAnn University Summer 2021: 5 Departments offering 8 courses for targetted instruction for profit and growth: Process Leads to Profit Department How to Build Systems Into Your Services, taught by Sara Lynn Brennan Design-Build 201, taught by Kathleen Anderson Profit is in the Numbers Department Project Profitability 101, tau...2021-06-0414 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastApril Jensen: How to Establish Client Expectations for Successful Projects Today with April Jensen Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. April Jensen of St. Louis-based ADJ Interiors was in business for 25 years before she created an onboarding doc for her high-end interior design business. April and LuAnn walk step-by-step through her onboarding doc as April lets us in on how it has helped her handle client expectations and sticky situations. Pick it apart: [16:13] April shares her response to a client who is unsure of their budget [22:44] Why mutual respect with clients is necessary for a successful project [27:40] April advises how to r...2021-04-061h 01
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastAymee Kuhlman and Molly Kidd: Building a Friendship and An Interior Design Partnership Today with Aymee Kuhlman and Molly Kidd: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. Aymee and Molly of Light and Dwell, an Oregon based full service and virtual design firm were friends before they were business partners. They’re sharing what they’ve learned about themselves, about each other, and about how to mesh opposites together to grow a business from nothing to something amazing in just five short years. Pick it apart: [24:55] LuAnn recaps the tactics Aymee and Molly used to get their first clients [30:09] Aymee and Molly share how they figured out how to work togeth...2021-03-021h 05
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: Scaling to Your First Million Dollar Year Today with Vita Vygovska Welcome to a Well-Designed Business®. On today’s WTF— Window Treatment Friday, Vita and I are talking about scaling to your first million-dollar year. As most of you probably know, scaling is not an easy task. It takes hard work and lots of blood, sweat, and tears. But when you can learn from someone who has already done it, it cuts the time and effort down and makes scaling attainable far before you thought it was possible. Today, Vita shares with us her five core pillars for scaling your business and how her course in LuAnn...2021-02-261h 15
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKat Anderson: Design Build and Bookkeeping Classes for Interior DesignersToday with Kathleen Anderson: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. Kat Anderson of Material Design, an interior design business specializing in design-build projects, shares her experience as a recently-graduated interior design student struggling to find her way in the design world. You’ll hear Kat tell how she succeeded by growing her skillset in more than just design. Kat also walks through the classes she teaches at LuAnn University. Pick it apart: [12:45] Kat shares why having a good understanding of your bookkeeping also helps with job costing [17:40] Kat explains why her class ben...2021-02-231h 11
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastThom Sweeney: Sage Advice About Salesmanship And The Upside of Failure in Interior DesignToday with Thom Sweeney: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. Thom Sweeney’s unconventional path to interior design started after a 30-year career in advertising. Thom shares what brought him to design and how he lost his design business before rising again to build something even greater. He also has great advice on salesmanship and how to build meaningful relationships with clients. Pick it apart: [22:45] Thom and LuAnn discuss the importance of design that matches the client’s expectations [34:18] Thom and LuAnn both shares their respective experiences navigating a failing business [43:20] LuAnn suggest how to de...2021-02-1653 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday Ep. 13: On-Air Coaching with VitaToday with Vita Vygovska For Window Treatment Friday, LuAnn and Vita conduct a live coaching session around a big issue that so many businesses encounter when they scale—clients wanting you on their project, not your staff. Listen to see how LuAnn advises Vita and prepares her to eliminate her problem with confidence and some carefully chosen words. LuAnn and Vita's Aha-Moments “Having the combination of a virtual hug and a little bit of a whip is very unique.” - Vita Vygovska “If you only get comfort, then you don’t learn how t...2021-01-2954 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastIs LuAnn Live Worth It?Today on A Well-Designed Business®: Have you been wondering if LuAnn Live 2021 is worth it? Well, on today’s episode I am going to address your concerns and tell you exactly why it’s worth it! What's new with LuAnn Nigara Luannlive.com www.luannnigara.com/cob Get The Goodies! For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here. To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999! Purchase LuA...2020-12-2222 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastCelebrating the 600th Episode, LuAnn is Interviewed!Welcome to the 600th episode of A Well-Designed Business! In this milestone conversation, LuAnn is the guest today! Deb Mitchell and Betty Marton are two writers and #smartladies who are talking to LuAnn today about the 599 episodes she has under her belt. LuAnn shares how much her life has changed since she aired her first episode back in February of 2016, how appreciative she is for her guests and listeners who have played such a big part in making this podcast a success, and how grateful she is that you invite her into your lives and your businesses...2020-10-091h 24
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Amber de la Garza, LuAnn is in the “Productivity” Hot SeatWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! LuAnn has a very special episode for you today. Amber De La Garza is back with her on the show. Amber De La Garza is The Productivity Specialist. She is also one of the co-authors of LuAnn’s third book coming out this fall, which is A Well Designed Business: The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2. This episode is a little bit different than most, because today LuAnn and Amber are going to be talking about the work that they have accomplished, the internal stories and b...2020-08-141h 13
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWhat Would Lu Do: How Do I Prepare My Solo Interior Design Business for Maternity Leave?Welcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s time for another episode of “What Would Lu Do?” where you ask the questions and LuAnn helps out with the answers. Today’s question comes from Griffin Dorner, who is pregnant and due in October. Furthermore, she is the only one in her business so she’s looking for tips on how to prepare for maternity leave. Listen in as LuAnn digs into the details, susses out the situation, and lays out her reasoning on the resolutions. If you are not working with a coach or perhaps yo...2020-07-1624 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWhat Would Lu Do? LuAnn Answers Listener QuestionsWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s time for another episode of “What Would Lu Do?” where you ask the questions and LuAnn helps out with the answers. Today’s questions come from listener Christina, who struggles with expanding her prospects beyond client referrals. Christina is asking for tips on finding a space where she won’t be competing with architecture firms with in-house designers, and would like LuAnn’s opinion on the best social media platform. Listen in as LuAnn digs into the details, susses out the situation, and lays out her reasoning on the resoluti...2020-05-0716 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWhat Would Lu Do? LuAnn Answers Listener QuestionsWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s time for another episode of “What Would Lu Do?” where you ask the questions and LuAnn helps out with the answers. Today’s questions come from listener Samantha, who would like some suggestions on how to find income when your projects have been put on hold during this COVID-19 event, the top ten recommended processes and systems to be putting in place, and the best practices for social media presence when you have no active projects. Listen in as LuAnn digs into the details, susses out the situation, and lays...2020-04-3023 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastLuAnn Nigara: Thoughts on Leading Your Business Through the Covid-19 CrisisWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! Did you miss the amazing “19 Hours” free virtual business summit that ran the week of April 6th through April 9th, 2020? If so, LuAnn will be filling you in on the industry’s answer to the COVID-19 crisis that contains all of the incredible presentations and panel discussions that was originally planned for High Point Market Spring 2020. Today’s show is a replay of the solo presentation that LuAnn did on Thursday, April 9th, on “How to Lead Your Business Through the COVID-19 Crisis”. She has some perspective here that is sure to interest you...2020-04-2351 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn Notices 3 Traits of Smart Business OwnersWelcome to this episode of Power Talk Friday! Today, LuAnn shares her findings on coaching a diverse group of entrepreneurs. As it turns out, they have several tangible things in common that she was so impressed by that she decided to dedicate a podcast to complimenting these special people and laying out for you what she has discovered in their time together. As she relates, this has been an ‘A-ha!’ moment for her, and she hopes it will be for her listeners, as well. If you don’t already see yourself in these descriptions, perhaps it’s time tha...2020-02-1423 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Let’s be Profitable in 2020!Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today, LuAnn will be talking to us about the kinds of problems and obstacles that stand in the way of designers with the running of their design firms. Although everyone is unique, there are still certain themes that play out, and problems that we all tend to share, as entrepreneurs. Listen in today, to learn what you can do to overcome the challenges that we, as designers, all face in our businesses. LuAnn has put a lot of thought into the best way to address these things in a precise way that...2019-12-1336 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastDesign Biz Live: What We Learned at LuAnn Nigara Live, It’s About the ConversationWelcome another episode of Power Talk Friday and Design Biz Live, with Judith Neary and Corey Klassen. It's been several months since the last episode of the Design Biz Live series and today's show is really going to be fun, especially if you were one of the 200 people attending LuAnn Nigara Live, It's About The Conversation, last March, where Corey and Judith were both guest designer panelists. Tune in to today's episode of Design Biz Live, to find out why everyone really needs a Vin man! Judith and Corey are usually the ones to come up with...2019-07-231h 04
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: A New Series featuring Vita Vygovska and LuAnn NigaraWelcome to the first episode of Window Treatment Friday! For some time now, designers have been reaching out to LuAnn and asking her to share some of her window treatment expertise, because the window treatment business is a pretty complicated area of business for many designers. So about once a month, LuAnn and Vita Vygovska will be producing an episode of Window Treatment Friday, where they will explain how designers can increase their bottom line by incorporating custom window treatments into their projects. In each episode, they will break down and unravel the intricacies of an aspect of the...2019-07-1935 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn Nigara: Should I Be Worried? The 26 Episodes You Should Not MissWelcome to another solo Power Talk Friday! We hope you're ready for a really out-of-the-box episode today! This morning, as on most weekday mornings, LuAnn was reading the Dear Abby column. She's often thought about it and wondered why she reads it because it's such a crazy, mindless column. People write in with very real and heartbreaking problems and yet they are willing to wait for months to get an answer. That really boggles LuAnn's mind! So, this morning, she was talking out loud and ranting about it, in the very same way she did at the LuAnn Nigara...2019-05-3147 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn Nigara: Your Client Is Wrong, Now What?Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today, we're talking about what to do when you know the client is wrong. For the health and success of your business, it's really critical that you know how to handle conflicts successfully. In episode #430, we talked about what to do when you are wrong. In today's episode, you will learn what to do when you do everything right but the client doesn't like it. Listen in, to get LuAnn's expert advice. Do you want to be right or do you want to get what you want? Over the years, this little...2019-05-2441 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: LuAnn Nigara: You Made A Mistake. Now What?Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today, we're talking about when things go wrong and how to fix them. If you'd like your business to be really successful, with loyal, long-term clients who keep coming back year after year, you have to differentiate yourself from the rest. There are two kinds of situations where you can make this happen if you're willing to conduct yourself in the way that LuAnn advises and if you're willing to spend the time perfecting the necessary skills to do so. Listen in today, to learn what LuAnn has to teach you about what to...2019-05-1729 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Pep Talk from LuAnn: Turn Inspiration into ActionWelcome to another episode of Power Talk Friday. Today, we're having a solo show because LuAnn has some things to share about her event, LuAnn Nigara Live, which was held in New Jersey a month ago. She would also like to talk about some of the things you can do to take action in your business, in order to do better and become more profitable. Luann's event was a really special experience and an outstanding success! Almost 200 designers, speakers, panelists, sponsors, as well as LuAnn's team, attended the event and for two-and-a-half days, the room was filled with an e...2019-05-1039 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast405: Power Talk Friday: The Who’s Who of LuAnn Nigara LiveWelcome to another episode of Power Talk Friday! Today we're going tease you by sharing all the details that are coming together for LuAnn Nigara Live, It's About the Conversation. In today's episode, you will hear about LuAnn's co-authors, the awesome emcees for the event, the incredible line-up of sponsors of the show, and also the designer panelists who will be there with us for the entire weekend, for you to meet, talk to and connect with. Tune in now for all the details! LuAnn will be leading the rock star team of experts in twelve live...2019-02-2222 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast400: Celebrating 3 Years & 400 Episodes!: LuAnn NigaraBig Day, Big Show, lots of news!! 400 hundred shows! I’d like to say I never believed this day would come but the truth is I did believe it. And more than that, I planned for it, I set goals around it, I tracked the milestones and the steps needed to reach it. Am I bragging? No, no, I am not. I am hoping to teach and inspire you by example. Just like you, I love what I do and as much as I love it and could do it for free for the fun an...2019-02-0548 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast355: Power Talk Friday: LuAnn Nigara: Crush The 4th Quarter Of 2018Are you ready to crush the last quarter of 2018? And are you really ready to make this the very best quarter of this year? Well, if you're the rare designer who is deciding to act, rather than to stay with the status quo, and to do, rather than wish, today's show is just for you! We have two very specific opportunities for you, and two different ways that we're making it possible for you to be the best you can be. Listen in now to find out how to take your game to the next level. The...2018-08-3122 minA Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast200: LuAnn Nigara: Excellence is a Decision- Keynote from IWCE 2017Today's show is taken from LuAnn's presentation that she gave at the I.W.C.E. LuAnn starts her presentation by explaining the mix that goes into creating a really successful business. She points out that you are actually your own magic pill and that you really do have the ability when it comes down to making decisions. All that you need is to have confidence in yourself and to know that you have a good business and that you're a good business leader. Then, you have to identify the obstacles and make a plan, rather than...2017-07-0557 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast78: Power Talk Friday: Vince & LuAnn Nigara - Work with the people you love and care for as they will also care for your businessIf you’re planning to set up a family business, this podcast will give you valuable insights to help make your business a phenomenal success. LuAnn presents the one big factor that has contributed to the success of the family business, Window Works. It’s the vital role played by her husband Vince. He’s the so-called “Systems Nazi” in the company and his role-- accounting, finance, and systems administration—keeps the business organized, efficient, and effective. The role of the family members is to provide a strong, effective teamwork. Everyone’s commitment (including their extended family of employees) is strong. The p...2016-09-2348 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast52: Turning the Tables - An Interview with LuAnnLuAnn Nigara is an award winning window treatment authority, author, and host of the 5 star-rated podcast, A Well-Designed Business, which serves the design industry as an overall business dynamo. Based in Livingston, New Jersey, LuAnn got her start in 1982 when she, her husband, and cousin, purchased a franchise of the Florida based, full service window treatment company, Window Works. With LuAnn at the helm of sales, they quickly expanded from New Jersey to serving the entire metro area from Philadelphia, to the Hamptons to Connecticut and became the leading showroom in gross sales of the more than 120...2016-07-2533 min