Only Girl On The Jobsite

We all make mistakes; I make plenty of them! The entire purpose of this podcast is for designers to learn from the mistakes of others. My guest today is Virginia DesRoches who is here today to talk about some of the rookie mistakes she has made and the lessons she learned from them. Virginia DesRoches and John Foran are the dynamic couple and trailblazing visionaries behind Ironwood Studio, an all...

It's already July 30th and I don't know about all of you but I'm feeling that mid-summer slow down, both the highs and the lows of it. Now is the time when we want to start looking ahead to start planning our fall and winter pipeline projects. So today I want to talk about how to embrace the moment while also preparing for the future if you have a full pipeline of projects and what to do if you do...

If you ever feel a lack of confidence about skills that you definitely have, then today's episode is for you!! Last week's episode ( Ep184 ) was a really important conversation around struggles I know so many designers have about setting boundaries and how they present themselves to contractors, clients, and anyone else in our industry. A lot of this stems from a lack of confidence and feeling ins...

If you want to know how to really master your confidence and build effective, quality relationships with your team members then today's episode is for you!! Jeannie Andresen is here today and we dive into how to start building relationships with a new team member, why these relationships are so important, and how to create boundaries when needed and stand in our own value!  Jeannie Andresen is a f...

Recently, I've been hearing rumors about supply chain issues rearing their ugly heads again, and I was too busy to focus on them at the time and certainly didn't feel it in my day-to-day world. But I came across an article and took the time to do some research on this topic and I want to share the information I found with you and why it is so important for you to continue to lean into your constru...

I am a luxury interior designer, construction expert, and industry educator. That's my sound bite. What is your soundbite? Today, I want to talk about how to develop your own soundbite and why it's so critical to do so. After listening to today's episode, I would love to hear your soundbites! Send me an email at renee@devignierdesign.com or shoot me a dm on social media! We are much stronger toget...

I often say it takes more than a dozen people for any of my projects to be successful, and occasionally someone on that team goes rogue. That can be very disruptive to not only the process and the flow of the project, but potentially to your bottom line. So today, I want to talk about what that can look like, how you can remedy it, and, most importantly, how you can avoid it altogether.   Find the...

I often hear from designers asking for advice on how to price their fees. This isn't because they've never priced out a construction project before for clients. It's more often than not because they aren't getting their numbers right, and they're losing money on projects. So today, I want to talk about how to get your pricing covered to cover your actual price spent on projects - and spoiler alert...

Today, I want to share with you a project I've been working on that had so many teachable moments that I think you will find valuable. This one project has reaffirmed to me the value of my referral network, the ability to pivot when things get turned upside down, the ability to obtain team cohesion, and my personal belief that you don't design for future owners but for the current ones you are wor...

I've talked before about my 'A team,' which I refer to as 'my Todd.' I've also mentioned that he always threatens to retire, to which I always respond, "Well, you can't retire until I retire!" Unfortunately, that likely isn't going to happen as Todd is preparing for retirement. While I am disappointed we won't be working together for much longer, I am looking at this as an exciting opportunity. To...

What's the difference between a hobby and a profession? Well it's as simple as boiling it down to making money. I hear a lot of designers undervaluing their services and having anxiety about marking up procurements on construction projects. So today, we are having a frank discussion on this topic!   After listening to today's episode, I hope it gives you some new insight and inspiration, as well a...

After talking to and hearing from many designers and hearing all of their questions, I started noticing this underlying theme in most of the questions the designers were asking.   I thought it couldn't all boil down to this one similarity, but it did—and that was pain points. Almost every question I read involved a lack of fully understanding the pain point of whoever they were working with.   So,...

Spring is a busy time of year! Today, I want to talk about how to manage these really busy months but also how to prepare for the summer months ahead by leaning in on your systems, getting schedules sorted out, now  for all involved in a project, how to communicate this clearly with your clients and potential clients, and making sure to schedule in some down time for yourself and your family. Find...

Today, I'm covering a topic that has been coming up in conversations I've had with designers lately: the aversion to risks.     I am hearing from designers like you about all of the risks they are trying to avert—financial security, reputation damage, and legal risks—and they are normal and to be expected. But when they get in the way, you miss out on potential opportunities. They can slow down yo...

People think that what we do is 'make pretty spaces.' And that makes sense; what we do is beautiful in the end. But what I've said before, and I'll say again, is that we also affect the quality of the lives of the clients that we serve. By doing these construction projects and dialing in the customization, we not only make things beautiful but we impact the happiness and well being of our clients....

I know you've all heard the saying, "You are the company that you keep." And I want to talk today about how it's not just about when you're growing up. It still applies to my life today, and I want to explain how so that you can see signs of it in your own life because this can be key to your business success.   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/successful-as-the-company-you-...

Technology has improved so much in today's world. Although I'll be the first to tell you that I'm much better on a construction site than on a computer, I still do use it. Today, I want to address the downside of using technology in our business that you may not be aware of! Mentioned in today's episode: Episode 165 with Michelle Lynne:  https://devignierdesign.com/michelle-lynne/   Find the full...

We live in a world where we all want quick fixes and instant gratification whether that's through Amazon Prime 2-day shipping or the latest fad diet, or plug and play formula's in our industry to price our fees. Pricing your projects is critical to getting right and a huge stressor for the designers I talk to. Whether that's in various FB groups, my course, or a Zoom call with one of you, it inevi...

Do you need to add construction management to your firm?  I've heard this question from many designers who have reached out, as well as questions such as: "Will this be something they regret not adding?"  "Will I not get the clients I want if I don't offer this service to them?" Today, I want to talk about how I responded to this question and the reasoning behind it.   Find the full shownotes at:...

When you think of crediting your work, you may be thinking solely about how this impacts you. But we also play a role in that issue. So today I want to share a story that has just hit mainstream media in our industry, and how critical it is to give as well as receive proper credit for our work.   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/giving-receiving-proper-credit    

One of the things I love most about construction management is that it's constantly changing. I know that drives some of you crazy, and I don't blame you! But for me, I think that's how I've stayed in this niche for the last 30 years. Today, I want to share with you two things I've recently learned, and why we need to embrace learning without fear! Find the full shownotes at:   https://devignierde...

I am in contact with a lot of designers, and in our conversations, I started to notice a common trend in traits and issues that I wanted to go over today. I address isolation, skillset concerns, construction phase misunderstandings, and the question of how to price construction projects. I hope today's episode leaves you with more answers than questions! But as always, please feel free to reach ou...

I am so excited to share the conversation I had with my friend Michelle Lynne!    Michelle Lynne began her interior design career after spending more than two decades working in Corporate America. She began in the home staging arena and has since built a successful, award winning, full-service interior design firm, ML Interiors Group, employing talented designers and serving clients across the cou...

So you've secured your next job, and you're really excited to get started! But you also know you're going to be working with an entirely new crew of construction workers. And that's when you get a pit in your stomach as the anxiety builds.  Today, we're talking about why that happens in the first place, how to see it coming, and, better still, how to put those fears of working with a new team of c...

What happens when a client ghosts us or puts a project on pause only to return unexpectedly and yet expects us to drop everything and pick up right where we left off?   This is a topic that we need to get right! So today, we're going to explore how to manage these situations with grace and professionalism.   Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/manage-client-ghosting