Shows
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast1101: NEW SHOW: Rachael Johanson: Build a Design Brand That Commands Prestige and ProfitToday With Rachael Johanson:
Today with Rachael Johanson, luxury brand strategist, we explore transitioning from mid-market to luxury positioning in design. Rachael shares how she's evolved her business to focus on five high-touch Brand Launch Weekend clients annually, helping designers move from 30 projects a year to 10 at double the budget. We discuss the language shifts that separate luxury messaging from mid-market positioning, why "we and you" marketing works against you in the luxury space, and how your headshots might be sabotaging your expert positioning.
Rachael reveals that 80% of designers are "sitting on gold" in their...2025-07-011h 06
The McClain Method59: Building a Design Showroom, Vendor Growth, & Work/Life balance with Sara Lynn Brennan (Part 2)In Episode 59 of the Designer Within Podcast, host John McClain continues his insightful conversation with Sarah Lynn Brennan. They delve deeper into the creation and ongoing success of Sarah's design showroom, 'All Things Home,' located in North Carolina. Sarah shares the unplanned journey of opening her showroom, how strategic partnerships played a vital role in its development, and the innovative business model designed to make luxury design accessible. The discussion also covers practical advice for interior designers looking to build strong brand partnerships, understanding market needs, and creating diversified revenue streams. Tune in...2024-12-1344 minThe McClain Method58: The Power of Processes & The Journey to Design Success with Sara Lynn Brennan (Part 1)In this episode of the 'Designer Within' podcast, John McClain interviews Sara Lynn Brennan, a successful interior designer who transitioned from being a middle and high school science teacher to running her own multi-million dollar design business. Sara shares her early business mistakes and emphasizes the importance of establishing structured processes and having hard conversations with clients. She discusses her journey from DIY projects to handling large-scale renovations, the evolution of identifying luxury clients, and the significance of clear, value-driven client communication. Sara also highlights the pivotal role of social media in maintaining visibility and at...2024-12-0654 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWindow Treatment Friday: Sara Lynn Brennan: How to Sell Window Treatments in Your Full Service Interior Design Projects Today With Sara Lynn Brennan: Today on A Well-Designed Business, I am joined by Sara Lynn Brennan, a successful entrepreneur, CEO, and the Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors. Sara shares her unique philosophy on how she incorporates window treatments into her design projects, and why she considers them to be essential for creating beautiful and functional spaces. LuAnn Nigara and Sara Lynn Brennan's Ah-Ha Moments “The idea behind full-service design is to take care of all the details and ensure that the space is fully completed and functional, so that everyone can enjoy it without fe...2023-10-0652 min
Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraSara Lynn Brennan: Why Window Treatments are a Non-Negotiable in Our Interior Design Process
Today With Sara Lynn Brennan: Welcome to Window Treatments for Profit! In today’s episode we’re joined by Sara Lynn Brennan, CEO, and Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors. Sara has become the first and only full-service interior design firm in Waxhaw, North Carolina, who specializes in Transitional Designs, where she and her design-build team take spaces from Bare Bones to Beautiful by utilizing her exclusive, approachable, and stress-free design process, transforming and renovating homes from start to finish. She will share with us her unique philosophy on window treatments, and explain how...2023-07-2458 min
The Kate ShowTop Systems & Secrets Behind a Wildly Successful Interior Design FirmNo one is an overnight success, yet some people have had their success brewing steadily on the back burner for years before really cranking up the heat and stepping into the spotlight. Interior designer Sara Lynn Brennan is no exception. I might be biased, as my agency has had the honor of working with Sara off and on throughout the years, but I do think she is a stellar example of what you can accomplish when you take ownership of your own success, ignore the naysayers, and let your passion fuel you. Today, I'll be asking Sara in-depth questions regarding...2022-07-1843 min
The Inner EditSara Lynn Brennan: Building "Casual Confidence" and Getting Comfortable in ChaosSara Lynn Brennan is an award winning Entrepreneur, CEO and Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors, the first and only full-service interior design firm in Waxhaw, North Carolina who specializes in Transitional Design. Sara is also recognized as a visionary and innovator in the design industry for her unique and signature design processes and design service packages which have led to an explosive growth for her own business, as well as teaching and coaching opportunities in the industry. Sara is also one of the reasons I have a podcast!! We discuss Sara’s experience with therapy and wh...2022-07-131h 26The Inner EditSara Lynn Brennan: Building "Casual Confidence" and Getting Comfortable in ChaosSara Lynn Brennan is an award winning Entrepreneur, CEO and Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors, the first and only full-service interior design firm in Waxhaw, North Carolina who specializes in Transitional Design. Sara is also recognized as a visionary and innovator in the design industry for her unique and signature design processes and design service packages which have led to an explosive growth for her own business, as well as teaching and coaching opportunities in the industry. Sara is also one of the reasons I have a podcast!! We discuss Sara’s experience with therapy and wh...2022-07-131h 26
Design Biz Survival GuideEp 86 Sara Lynn BrennanToday we welcome Sara Brennan of Sara Lynn Brennan Interior Design based in Waxhaw, North Carolina. In this episode Sara shares how she identified weaknesses in her business early on and instead of ignoring them she tackled them head on and created a renewed seven figure business in just three years. We also discuss Sara’s perspective on trading time for money, how she leverages her extended team of resources and service providers to increase efficiency within her business, and the importance of constantly adding value to your services.2021-11-2144 min
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
Know the ShowHello, Dolly!Put on your Sunday clothes and polish up those silver trays, because IN THE SPOTLIGHT is diving into Hello, Dolly! Join Michael and Anika as they talk about the show's surprisingly ancient inspirations and complex road to Broadway - including which parts of the score might not actually be composed by the great Jerry Herman. Come for the insights into one of Broadway's greatest shows, stay for how often we confuse the names Ernestina and Ermengarde. Press play - it only takes a moment! HELLO, DOLLY! Book by Michael Stewart | Music & Lyrics by Jerry Herman | Ba...2021-06-091h 23
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 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 PodcastPower Talk Friday: Christopher Wallace: Leverage Industry Partners to Improve Your Client ExperienceWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! Today’s guest is Chris Wallace, co-founder, and President of InnerView, a marketing consulting firm that helps companies align their brand and product stories with their customer-facing teams. Chris truly believes in providing value to your clients by meeting their needs and making their lives better, and getting all of your industry partners on board with that idea, or finding partners that already are. Listen in to hear what Chris has to say about leveraging those industry partnerships to do that, so that the customer expe...2020-10-301h 11
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastProject Management with Specific Deliverables and DeadlinesWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! Sara Brennan rejoins the show today and she’s going to be sharing how she is managing the recent influx of new clients as she scales her business, how very critical organization is to the process, and a breakdown of the services she offers. We’ll also be touching on her upcoming Process Leads to Profit course, so please join us for some great takeaway ideas to streamline your own business and to learn more about how you can really drill down into what Sara calls “the Four P’s of design: Processes, Partnerships, Packages...2020-10-291h 22
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPhoebe Oldrey: How a Niche Can Give New Life to Your BusinessWelcome to a Well-Designed Business! Today’s guest is Phoebe Oldrey. Phoebe is the founder of Smartstyle Interiors based in the UK. Oftentimes, designers feel like they can’t niche down, thinking that will close the door on all the other possibilities out there. When Phoebe reached the point in her career where she felt the desperate drive to do something different with design, she came to realize that design wasn’t just about aesthetics or creating beautiful spaces, but that it opens opportunities to create holistic, life-altering spaces for clients. So, Phoebe did the next practical thing...2020-10-271h 06
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Betty Marton: The Story Behind The Story: Writing For Your Business And Your LifeWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! There are so many of us who struggle with communicating who we are and what we do, especially on our websites. Betty Marton, founder of In Your Own Words, is back with us on the show to discuss how important it is in sharing your story to show your humanity, your journey, and your vulnerability. Betty is a lover of stories, conversation, and talking to people and hearing about their lives. She has her own separate business as a writer, copywriter, and storyteller whose passion is helping pe...2020-10-231h 00
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWhat Would Lu Do: The All Important, Project AutopsyWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s time for another riveting episode of “What Would Lu Do?”! LuAnn received a request from a window treatment professional to review the “autopsy” process that LuAnn’s team does at Window Works, so this episode is dedicated to covering the review of a project once it’s completed. Whether you are a photographer, web developer, architect, or blogger, it is essential for each and every business owner to review their projects for profitability, deficiencies, processes, and client satisfaction. LuAnn discusses this process mostly from the perspective of a window treatme...2020-10-2240 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastCarissa Miller: The Real-Life Work Behind an Instagram SensationWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today’s guest, Carissa Miller of CC and Mike, shares how a “completely unexpected opportunity” turned into a leap of faith for her and her husband, Mike. Carissa’s journey is so much more than that happy accident, though, as you’re going to hear. Listen in to this inspiring conversation around how an Instagram post that went viral launched her into a rapidly growing business that she never saw coming, as well as how she and her husband navigated the unique challenges that come with running a business with your spouse. CC and Mik...2020-10-201h 23
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 PodcastWhat Would Lu Do: Should I Spend My Inheritance?Welcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s time for another riveting episode of “What Would Lu Do?”, where you ask the difficult questions and LuAnn gives the expert answers you’ve been wanting. Today’s dilemma comes from an anonymous listener who has been a faithful listener of the podcast since she started her business in 2014. At that time, she took the least expensive options in setting up her business and hasn’t invested since. She received an inheritance right before COVID hit, so this designer is looking for words of wisdom on whether it’s better to hold on to...2020-10-0838 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Mary Pat Wallace:Designers, The Time Is Now to Grow Your BusinessWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! Today’s guest is Mary Pat Wallace, the founder of Chicago Luxury Beds, and today’s focus is the luxury client! Mary Pat shares important perspectives about the surprising opportunities you have today in the midst of the pandemic, and not just how we can deal with it and accommodate it, but how we can truly serve our clients in a bigger and better way. She also shares her insights on how she’s managed to maintain an excellent client experience and continue to be a strong leader fo...2020-10-021h 05
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKarin Bohn: Mastery of the 80% Business Provides Freedom For The 20% CreativeWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! We’re super excited to have Karin Bohn join us on the show today. Karin Bohn is the founder and creative director of the award-winning House of Bohn design studio. She established the interior design firm in 2009 and has made her mark in many industries including luxury residential, multi-family, restaurants, and retail. Karin stars on Netflix’s Restaurants on the Edge in which she travels with a team of experts to provide design, marketing, and culinary consultation to establishments in some of the most beautiful locations in the world. Wit...2020-09-291h 23
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKendall Wilkinson: #Seasoned Designer Sharing Experience and WisdomWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! On today’s show, LuAnn is joined by industry-icon, Kendall Wilkinson. They’ll be chatting about Kendall’s perspective on her experience in growing an esteemed and successful firm. They discuss budgets to clients to discovery-call practices to Kendall’s experience in the 2008 recession where she had to use guerilla-style marketing strategies to build a pipeline. Whether you are already a Kendall Wilkinson fan or this is the first time learning about her, you are going to love this conversation. Kendall is a #smartlady who runs a major enterprise which includes her famous S...2020-04-211h 06
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Nancy Lane: What I Learned from Process Leads to Profits CourseWelcome to a Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! Nancy Lane, CEO of Nancy Lane Interiors in Houston, Texas, joins LuAnn today and you’ll be learning all about the Process Leads to Profits course that Nancy took last winter and the tangible benefits she has received from it. You’ll also hear how Nancy utilized Mydoma Studio to define her services for her prospective clients and how she now invoices and receives payments for her services through Mydoma Studio. Join LuAnn and Nancy in this engaging and informational conversation, and to learn more about...2020-04-171h 10
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastWhat Would Lu Do: Listener QuestionsWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s time for an episode of “What Would Lu Do?” where you ask the questions and LuAnn helps out with the answers. Today’s question comes from listener Jane, who would like to know how to handle a client who is refusing to pay a bill. Listen in as LuAnn digs into the details, susses out the situation, and lays out her reasoning on the resolution. If you have a burning issue that you need some insight on, please send your question to LuAnn Nigara! Show Hig...2020-04-1613 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastKrista Watterworth Alterman: Leaders Lead and Leaders SucceedWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! LuAnn gets to chat with Krista Watterworth Alterman, CEO of Krista Home in Palm Beach, Florida, about company mission and vision, how important it is to lift others up, and very timely advice on how to face fear. Krista leads her company with purpose and clarity. She is the kind of CEO that has taken the time to figure these things out for herself and as you listen, you will hear how it guides every decision she makes, from client interaction to creating, training and leading her team. You don’t want to...2020-04-1459 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Sara Lynn Brennan: Showing Up is Not EnoughWelcome to A Well-Designed Business, it’s Power Talk Friday! Sara Lynn Brennan joins LuAnn to chat about faith or fear. Earlier this year, Sara wrote a blogpost titled, “Are You Operating Your Design Business Out of Faith or Fear?” and in the midst of the current pandemic, it seems like a great time to re-visit her reflections. Although her original intent had nothing to do with the Corona Virus, there are lessons in the article that are certainly timely and applicable to our current situation. Sara is an entrepreneur, CEO, and Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Br...2020-04-031h 02
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastJaclyn Marie: Build an Authentic Instagram FollowingWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! In this episode, LuAnn chats with Jaclyn Lankiewicz, the woman behind the Instagram handle, Jaclynmari_. She is the principle of Jaclyn Marie Interiors based in Long Island, NY. Her journey into interior design, like many, has not been a direct line. Basically, Jaclyn created an Instagram page that was getting so much attention that it prompted person after person to ask her if she would design their space. As you will hear today, her response was, “I finally said to myself, ok, let me do this”. Jaclyn created an I...2020-03-031h 00
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastPower Talk Friday: Sara Lynn Brennan: Investing in Your SuccessWelcome to A Well-Designed Business! In this episode, LuAnn recounts the way that Sara Lynn Brennan, from Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors, went from being a stranger to her, to someone she treasures as a friend, all in less than two years. As an entrepreneur, Sara stands out as one of the most unusual LuAnn has met during her entire business career and her podcast journey. You may have noticed lots of collaboration with Sara over the last few months, and wondered why. There’s a lesson to be learned here, and LuAnn is ea...2020-02-2858 min
Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design BusinessHow to Get Published in AD Pro—Straight from Editor Katy OlsonHow does an interior designer get a project published in AD Pro? What are they looking for? Publishing is competitive and it’s important to set yourself apart from the hundreds of emails editors receive daily. So how do you get chosen? Find out from today’s guest, Katy Olson.
Katy is the Editor for AD Pro, a subscription-only digital resource for design-industry professionals. Previously, she was the Executive Editor at Business of Home. Her work has been featured in New York Magazine, Daily Mail, Hampton’s Magazine—and much more.
AD Pro started out as a sect...2020-01-2934 min
Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design BusinessThe High Points of High Point MarketHigh Point Market needs to be an event every designer has marked on their calendar! The market is the largest home furnishings industry trade show in the world. With over 10 million square feet of space and thousands of vendors, it is THEeventfor Designers.
The fall market just wrapped up and Darla and Natalie are here to chat about what they learned. The networking and other practical applications they took away are covered in this minisode of Wingnut Social—Don’t miss it!
What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social
[0:35] High Point Market...2019-10-2810 min
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business PodcastSara Lynn Brennan: Package Your Design Services for Profit and ClarityWelcome! Today, Sara Lynn Brennan joins us on the show. Sara is an entrepreneur, CEO, and Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors. Eighteen months ago, Sara contacted LuAnn, telling her that she wanted to go to High Point Market, but she wasn't sure what to do or where to go. So LuAnn arranged to meet her there, and Sara spent two days with LuAnn and Sara Daniele, the CEO of Mydoma Studio, going from event to event, hanging out, talking, and allowing Sara to get to know some significant and influential people in the design industry. Since...2019-09-101h 11Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design BusinessHow Choosing An Interior Design Niche Could Maximize Your Mojo, with Jen ObermeierYou may be aware that some designers choose an interior design niche, but have you ever considered doing the same in your business? There are many reasons (fears) NOT to niche down, but are they valid?
This episode is a conversation with Jen Obermeier, a professional organizer who has learned how fulfilling and profitable it can be to drill down into a niche that enables you to do the specific kind of work you love, and to work with the exact type of people who fit you. Sound too good to be true? Then you’ll have to...2019-08-2835 minDesigned by Wingnut Social | Interior Design BusinessHow to Market Your Interior Design Business with Packages featuring Mydoma Studio’s Stacy McKennaThere’s an old saying in business: If you don’t have a system for it, it doesn’t get done. Or we just made that up. Regardless, Mydoma Studio’s Stacy McKenna is on the show today, talking about how automation can help your bottom line.
Stacy McKenna is an account executive with Mydoma Studio, a project management suite made by interior designers for interior designers. She has 12 years experience as both a design consultant and a furniture store owner. She has firsthand experience growing a business, and loves to work with designers on helping them systemat...2019-08-1438 minDesigned by Wingnut Social | Interior Design BusinessHow Interior Designers Can Get Featured in Magazines with Sara Lynn BrennanGetting published in magazines can be huge for an interior designer’s business? So how has one designer, who’s only been in the biz 18 months, been published so much? Find out on today’s episode!
Sara Lynn Brennan is an award-winning entrepreneur, CEO and Principal Interior Designer at Sara Lynn Brennan Interiors, the first and only full-service interior design firm in Waxhaw, North Carolina who specializes in transitional design. She and her design-build team take spaces from bare bones to beautiful by utilizing her exclusive, approachable and stress-free design process, transforming and renovating homes from start to fin...2019-07-3143 min