Design Biz Survival Guide

Just a few short weeks ago we took the show on the road to sunny Palm Springs to experience the most anticipated week of design and architecture in Southern California - Modernism Week. We set up camp at the premiere showcase house, The Christopher Kennedy Compound, where we caught up with a few of the talented designers behind what has been dubbed the number one "must see" event of Modernism Week...

This is our third and final interview from Las Vegas Market and what better way to wrap up the series than with the talented and energetic Mikel Welch . In this episode Mikel shares his journey from offering up free design services on Craigs List to develop his portfolio to becoming the "go to" designer for the Steve Harvey Show. Mikel's persistence and unapologetic approach to the business of des...

Today we welcome Lindsey Borchard - Owner and principal designer of Lindsey Brooke Design . We caught up with Lindsey in between panel discussions and networking events in Las Vegas to discuss her philosophy and strategies to developing an ever growing design business and an unexpected following of fellow designers who cherish Lindsey's "real world" business advice and "heart felt" dedication to s...

Today we welcome Anna Schweiss - VP of Design and Merchandising for Essentials For Living . You may know Anna from Star International and Orient Express - both of which now fall under the newly developed brand Essentials For Living. The family owned furniture company has been providing stylish quality furnishings to the design trade for forty years. We caught up with Anna in their newly remodeled...

Today we welcome Jesse DeSanti - Creative Director and Owner of JETTE CREATIVE - a Southern California based full service design group specializing in timeless design with an emphasis on architectural integrity. Our conversation today revolves around the "journey"of a design professional. In Jesse's case, the journey from design intern at age 17 to her journey through design school while simultane...

Today we welcome Tony Estrada - principal of tonyontheweb.com , a full service Marketing and Web Design studio specializing in website development for design professionals. In this episode we discuss the importance of a professionally curated website and why all of your digital marketing efforts should connect back to your home on the internet, your website. Tony shares valuable advice on how to b...

Today we welcome Amanda Malson of Common Standard www.commonstandard.com . Amanda shares her design journey with us from her early days at KWID - that's Kelly Wearstler Interior Design - to her days of riding the new wave of social media and online magazines, to her current incarnation as the "go-to" designer for soulful design with a vintage vibe. In this episode we discuss the "why" that drives...

Today we welcome Beth Whitlinger of Beth Whitlinger Interior Design www.bwid.design - an Orange County design firm with an International portfolio. In this episode Beth shares how her obsession with the details, her innovative use of technology, and her love of all things related to the business of design has contributed to the ongoing growth of her business and her demographic reach. Beth refers...

Today we welcome Christopher Kennedy of Christopher Kennedy Interiors www.christopherkennedy.com based out of sunny Palm Springs, California. Dubbed "The Ralph Lauren of the West Coast", Christopher's approach to design exemplifies the modern California Lifestyle. His work has been featured in numerous publications including Traditional Home, Elle Decor, and Architectural Digest. In this episode w...

Today's episode is a re-cap of our trip to High Point Market. Host Rick Campos shares his insight on some of the amazing keynote presentations and panel discussions he attended and his take away from discussions like "The New Business as Usual," Taking Care of Yourself and your Clients," "Design's New Deal" and "Tech Tools: Reviews from the Designers Who Use Them."

Today we welcome Thomas Lavin, founder and owner of Thomas Lavin Showroom. Thomas is an innovative businessman dedicated to the growth of the design trade industry. His flagship showroom in Los Angeles and his recently opened showroom in Orange County both reflect Thomas' commitment to quality, service, and professionalism. Today we talk about "to the trade" and the value of transparency and educa...

Today we welcome Kim Kuhteubl of Me by Design www.mebydesign.com and author of "Branding + Interior Design, Visibility and Business Strategy for Interior Designers". Kim is a producer, writer, and visibility strategist specializing in the shelter industry. In this episode we discuss how to identify and define your voice and intention in this industry and how to insert that effort into your marketi...

Today we welcome Lindye Galloway of Lindye Galloway Interiors www.lindyegalloway.com Relatively new to the interior design scene, Lindye has blazed a trail of eye catching trend setting design that has captured the attention of top shelter publications and over fifty thousand Instagram followers. We talk about the reality of starting a design business and a family simultaneously. We also discuss h...

Today we welcome Wendi Young of Wendi Young Design www.wendiyoung.com With over twenty years in the design business, Wendi, along with her talented design team, has completed hundreds of full scale interior design projects for clients near and far. Wendi has witnessed first hand the transformation of the design industry and has responded both creatively and from a business perspective with accepta...

Today we welcome Raili Clasen of Raili CA Design www.railicadesign.com A self proclaimed "newbie" to the interior design community, Raili shares how she went from surf brand to her newly established rock star interior design status with nothing more than a mail order furniture catalog and her passion to create hip stylish living spaces. Her work has been featured in House Beautiful, Domino, Archit...

Today we welcome Denise Morison of Denise Morrison Interiors dminteriors.net . Denise specializes in new construction residential interior design and has recently added a retail component to her design business called House of Morrison. If you're thinking about adding a new stream of revenue to your design business concept this is the episode for you! We discuss online verses brick & mortar, priva...

Today we welcome Megan Stone of The High Road Design Studio www.highroadstudio.com Megan specializes in the cannabis consumer experience through professional retail design. In this episode we discuss her multi faceted approach to design in this new and rapidly growing retail market. We also touch on the value of establishing a niche in design and sticking to it as well as the importance of being a...

Today we welcome Lisa McDennon of Lisa McDennon Design www.lisamcdennon.com and NUANCE Home Boutique www.nuance-home.com . Both based out of Laguna Beach, CA. In this episode we discuss the synergy between designers, builders, and architects. We talk about how Lisa achieves her signature refined and sophisticated design style and we discuss her recent collaboration with HINKLEY LIGHTING and how it...

Today we welcome Rona Graf of Grace Blu Designs www.graceblu.com . Rona has been in the Interior design community for eleven years and specializes in residential new construction and major re-models. During our conversation we talk about the business of design on every level. From staying ahead of the curve to her approach to qualifying the perfect clients, Rona lets us in on the the things that d...

Today we welcome Valerie Saunders of SERENDIPITE, a residential interior design firm www.serendipitedesigns.com . Valerie has been in the Interior design community for over 20 years and is celebrating her 9 year anniversary as the leader of her very own design firm. Valerie is the consummate "hostess with the mostess" and she uses her gracious hospitality to connect with not only her clients but a...

Today we welcome Naomi Alon Coe of Little Crown Interiors. www.littlecrowninteriors.com Naomi has been in the Interior design community for ten years and has dug her heels firmly into the niche market of Nursery Design. During our conversation we touch on topics such as E-Design, Social Media, and Communal Office Space. Our conversation comes full circle when we discuss paying it forward and Naomi...