LuAnn Nigara

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

In today's world being a talented interior designer isn't enough to ensure that you have a profitable and successful business. Design school curricula doesn't always equip you with the business skills to have your interior design business be everything you imagined it would be! A Well-Designed Business® is here to fill in the gaps and give you real live business skills from some of the top interior designers. Your host, LuAnn Nigara shares her 40 years of success in the interior design industry, and she finds the most successful guests to share their interior design business best practices. Th...

Author

LuAnn Nigara

Category

Business

Podcast website

luannnigara.com

Latest episode

Jul 10, 2026

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Episodes

684: Power Talk Friday: Ethan Beute of BombBomb: Using Video to Share Your Amazing Self 09.07.2021

  Today with Ethan Beute: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Ethan Beute, Chief Evangelist at BombBomb shares how a simple video tool can be used to differentiate yourself and showcase the best sales asset you have - yourself! Learn the framework for creating a video response to web inquiries and walk with Ethan as he shares how you can use video in the place of email and text. Pick it apart: [1...

683: Jessica Matteson: The Client Experience Is #1 in Design 06.07.2021

Today with Jessica Matteson: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Jessica Matteson started her business with lots of experience but little time and money to invest in getting Jessica Matteson Landscape Architecture off the ground. Jessica shares her journey from starting with just $35 in advertising postcards to running a successful luxury landscape architecture business. Pick it apart: 14:28 Jess...

682: Flashback Friday: Laura & Cliff Muller: Four Point Design Build Firm 02.07.2021

On Today’s Flashback Friday Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today we’re taking you back in time for another Flashback Friday, where we revisit some of our can’t-miss episodes from our archives.  Today’s flashback episode is Episode 441: Laura & Cliff Muller: Four Point Design Build Firm.  Laura and Cliff have extensive experience in the design build industry. They know what it takes to create...

681: Paul Dashevsky: A Proven Process for Vetting Contractors 29.06.2021

Today with Paul Dashevsky: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Joining me today is Paul Dashevsky. Paul along with Jon Grishpul, are the co-founders of GreatBuildz. Between the two, they have decades of experience in the real estate and construction industries. They’ve seen enough renovation nightmares that they decided it was enough, and they knew there had to be a better way. Today, Great Build...

680: Power Talk Friday: LuAnn University, Even When You’re Slammed. June 2021 25.06.2021

Today 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 Un...

679: John Robert Wiltgen:Hard Conversation, Marketing and Luxury Clients 22.06.2021

Today with John Robert Wiltgen:   Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. My guest today is John Wiltgen. John has, for the most part, retired, from his 40+ year career as the principal of John Robert Wiltgen Design Inc., based in the Chicago area. John and I touch on many topics today, (I mean, after such a long and successful career, there s a lot of ground to cover!) We start by talking about how...

678: Power Talk Friday: Katie McFarlan: The Client Experience Starts with Processes 18.06.2021

 Today with Katie McFarlan: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. The client experience is something we all think about. How do we elevate the experience for our clients so that they feel like we truly care about them without making ourselves crazy by bending over backwards for each client? The answer just might lie in your processes. Today, I’m joined by Katie...

677: Megan Molten: To Succeed, Focus on Your Why 15.06.2021

Today with Megan Molten: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Megan Molten is back on the show today! Megan is the principal Megan Molten and interior design firm located and Charleston NC. Megan and I discuss how she achieved huge successes so quickly. For outsiders looking into her business, Megan made it look easy! But, in today's episode, we take a peek behind the curtain at the dedication, sa...

676: Window Treatment Friday: Navigating the craziness of post-covid era in 2021 11.06.2021

Today with Vita Vygovska Welcome to Window Treatment Friday!  As business owners, the pandemic was scary, to say the least! Every single day was unpredictable and a new scenario we have never faced before. Now, over a year later, we are starting to see the world open up and see a light at the end of the tunnel. Today, LuAnn and Vita discuss how to navigate the future and the post covid world. More...

675: Mark Lavender: Standing By Your Interior Design Process 08.06.2021

Today with Mark Lavender: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. In his 25 years working in institutional medical design, Mark Lavender learned a few things about sticking to processes, creating estimates, and getting over the fear of asking for payment. In business for himself for the past six years, Mark is an open book - he shares the details of his markup, when to think twice about signing a cli...

674: Power Talk Friday: LuAnn University: What You Need to Know! 04.06.2021

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 target...

673: What Would Lu Do? Marketing for Client Acquisition: Where do you start? 01.06.2021

Today on A Well-Designed Business: Today is a What Would Lu Do episode where I answer listener questions, and….you guessed it, tell you what I would do! Today’s listener question comes to us from a designer struggling with marketing for client acquisition. So where do you start? I will tell you during today's episode! What’s new with LuAnn Nigara luannuniversity.com http://www.luannnigara.com/cob...

672: Flash Back Friday: Tiffannie White, ​The Nappy Bohemian: Your “Only” and Lessons From a New Interior Design Business 28.05.2021

Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I am introducing a new kind of episode to the show! Welcome to Flash Back Friday, where I revisit old episodes of the podcast. After so many successful years of interviews, there was a need, for both new listeners and long-time listeners alike, to revisit the archives. For new listeners, it is an opportunity to be introduced to older shows they missed, a...

671: Kate Bendewald: High End Commercial Design to Motherhood and Entrepreneurship. 25.05.2021

Today with Kate Bendewald: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Sometimes, we start our own business because we always knew that’s what we were meant for. We want to be our own bosses, have flexibility in our work, and take charge of our lives. Other times, we’re pushed into it due to changes in our circumstances. For my guest today, Kate Bendewald, the second category is true. After she had her f...

670: Power Talk Friday: Susan Inglis: Sustainable Furnishings Council, What You Need to Know. 21.05.2021

Today with Susan Inglis: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. When you hear the phrase “sustainable furnishings,” what comes to mind? Is it something you already know about, something you are bringing forth to your clients on a regular basis? Is it something you vaguely know about but aren’t sure of all the ins and outs? Or is it something that isn’t quite on your radar yet? No matter which catego...

669: Kelly Collier: Managing Expectations Through Clear Messaging 18.05.2021

Today with Kelly Collier: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m joined by a guest who knows all about balance in her business—Kelly Collier of Plot Twist Design in Philadelphia. Like many designers, Kelly started her business on the side, while working a full-time corporate career. Two years later, her business has grown and thrived to a full-service design business. But she’s also maint...

668: Power Talk Friday: Marlo Thomas: Leading with Conviction and Preparing for Success 14.05.2021

Today with Marlo Thomas: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Marlo Thomas of the hit show, That Girl, shares the story of how her father’s diligence shaped her path to success and how her mother’s graciousness inspired her own product line with Williams Sonoma. She also shares her moment of self-doubt on her way to wild success in show business and how to lead with conviction so you can make a di...

667: Mark Weaver: Tips for Elevating Your Interior Design Career 11.05.2021

Today with Mark Weaver: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Mark Weaver, an industry veteran launched his full-service LA-based design firm, Mark Weaver & Associates over thirty years ago. He’s a design expert, travel lover, and also a lecturer in the business of design at UCLA. Learn what his design students are so eager to learn and how he’s used travel to elevate his palette and create connect...

666: Power Talk Friday: What Would Lu Do? When Your Client Goes Off the Rails 07.05.2021

  Today on A Well-Designed Business®: Today is a What Would Lu Do Show where I bring you listener questions, and....you guessed it, tell you what I would do! Today's listener question comes to us from a designer who is in a difficult spot with a client. It just goes to show, no matter how long you have been in business, there are always those projects that teach us a thing or two about ourselves,...

665: Cathy Maready: Listen and Observe Your Client to Unlock Your Interior Design Inspiration 04.05.2021

Today with Cathy Maready: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Cathy Maready shares a special piece of relationship-building wisdom she’s gained from running her North Carolina interior design business called Elephant Ears, since 1990. She also has a clever way to take the ick-factor out of your budget conversation with clients. She’s stacked several key skills to produce a successful business and...

664: Power Talk Friday: Michael Schneider: Virtual Matchmaker for the Interior Design Industry 30.04.2021

Today with Michael Schneider Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Michael Schneider founded BDNY and now he’s in the business of connecting interior designers and suppliers in a whole new way with Next Virtual Meetings. Using the speed dating concept, Michael offers designers an easy way to source new products and build vendor relationships right from your living room. Pick it apart: [8:03] Michae...

663: Andrea Hysmith: Structure and Flexibility, Keys to Reaching Goals in Your Interior Design Business 27.04.2021

Today with Andrea Hysmith: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. Goal-setting isn’t always easy. Sometimes, we write a list of goals and never take any steps to get there. Other times, we become so obsessed with the goals that we develop tunnel vision and fail to see when we need to adapt. All too often, unexpected situations derail our goals entirely.  My guest today, Andrea Hysmith, has found th...

662: Power Talk Friday: Terri Taylor: Stepping Into Profitable Kitchen Remodels. Sponsored Show: Interior Design Business Academy 23.04.2021

Today with Terri Taylor: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. Terri Taylor of Interior Design Business Academy is back on the show to share her design business expertise and help you step into your space, confidently manage your projects, and pick up all the opportunities for profit. She’s also reviewing her truly golden Letter of Agreement that will change the way you approach your remodeling pr...

661: Lucy Harris: 5 Steps to Launching Your Interior Design Business 20.04.2021

  Today with Lucy Harris: Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. This week, I’m joined by New York City designer Lucy Harris. Lucy shares her top five “musts” for new interior design firms. This nine-year high-end design firm veteran has learned a thing or two about the non-negotiables when starting out on your own. Learn what Lucy did to get to where she is today! Pick it apart: [13:25] Lucy expla...

660: Sandra Funk: Level Up Your Business Through Mentorship, Coaching, and Classes. Sponsored Show: "Interior Design Standard" 19.04.2021

 Today's Show Sponsored by the "Interior Design Standard."  Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On today's sponsored show, Sandra Funk is here to share all the details of her upcoming course, the "Interior Design Standard". I’m so excited to share Sandra Funk’s business program, the "Interior Design Standard", with you because I know it will be the best investment for your business. Enroll here:...

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