The Business of Antiques

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with Zack Taylor, president and co-owner of Wesley Hall, the high-end, 100% North-Carolina-made upholstery house known for its hand-detailed craftsmanship and signature color-changing lacquered doors at High Point Market. Toma and Zack trace his path from English-lit major and textile...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with longtime friend, interior designer, and textile visionary Tamara Stephenson of Root Cellar Design. They discuss Tamara's journey from interior design to creating her own classically inspired textile line. The conversation delves into the resurgence of vintage appreciation among y...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, turns the tables on one of the home furnishings industry's most respected voices, Cindy Hodnett, Executive Editor at Bridge Tower Media and the powerhouse behind Furniture Today , Designers Today , and Home Accents Today . Toma and Cindy explore Cindy's fascinating career journey from consumer...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with Lynn Byrne, a design writer, OG blogger, social media consultant, and author of the Substack newsletter Emerald City, to explore the untapped digital marketing opportunity for antique dealers, why consistency on Instagram is the single most important factor for growth, how the ri...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with longtime friend and industry icon Olga Granda, a property and art advisor, licensed auctioneer, realtor, and antique dealer based in Miami's historic Coconut Grove neighborhood. Olga shares her remarkable journey from growing up on international buying trips with her antique-deal...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with legendary Hungarian antique dealer and entrepreneur Gábor Újvári, the man who single-handedly launched 1stDibs across Europe and founded the curated fine art and antiques platform ArtOrigo. Gábor shares his remarkable journey from selling antiques at Lake Balaton as a nine-year-o...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with Carrie Eves and Anne of Tortoise and Hare Vintage, a beloved antique and vintage shop with two locations in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Carrie and Anne share the story of how a 20-year friendship born on the football sidelines turned into a thriving antique business, how they built a...

Insurance is one of the most overlooked and most critical topics in the antiques business. In this episode, host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with Steven Becker of The Becker Agency, a specialist in fine art, antiques, and collectibles insurance, to break down everything antique dealers, collectors, and interior designers need to know about properly protecting th...

In this season 6 premiere, Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, returns from a two-month sabbatical spanning Oklahoma and Vietnam to discuss the critical connection between nervous system health and business profitability. After ending 2025 early and choosing to start 2026 with the Chinese New Year, Toma reveals why antique dealers aren't struggling due to lack of discipline or cl...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , Toma, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with interior designer, blogger, and pioneering podcaster Linda Merrill, the force behind the influential design podcast The Skirted Roundtable . From her early days blogging as “Surroundings” to becoming a trusted voice in the interior design community, Linda shares how a simple desire for self-promot...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with luxury marketing expert Dawn Moore of Moore About to tackle the question every antique dealer and interior designer is asking: How do I market my business when I have no time and no budget? Dawn draws on 40+ years of experience with high-luxury brands like Harry Winston, Mikimoto...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, continues her conversation with long-time friend and industry insider Derrick Ricketts, diving deep into what really works in antique retail, merchandising, and sales. Drawing on decades of experience in showrooms, design centers, and hospitality, Derrick shares practical advice on building a concep...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , Toma, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, shares a behind-the-scenes conversation with one of the interior design industry’s true unsung heroes: Derek Ricketts, Director of Sales, Hospitality at Palecek. From their chance meeting at High Point Market to an impulsive trip to Buenos Aires that involved polo ponies, countesses, and Austrian-steel fortunes,...

Host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, sits down with interior design legend Mitzi Beach to unpack Life-Sizing —Mitzi’s niche approach to designing purposeful, wellness-driven homes for clients 50, 60, and 70+. Drawing on thirty-five years serving high-end clientele, Mitzi reveals the “forgotten middle” of the market and why cookie-cutter plans fail this 87-million-strong demog...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , host Toma Clark Haines is joined by Tara Connaghan, Donegal fiddle player, tour guide, and podcast host of In Tune With Tradition , who shares her journey from construction to auctions, from antique rings and fur coats to violins (including Collin-Mezin and that unforgettable Lupo). Together they explore overcoming imposter syndrome, choosing your nich...

In this episode host Toma Clark Haines CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co sits down with internationally published Canadian interior designer Jonathan Legate for an intimate conversation about design, business, and the emotional energy of antiques. From his seaside home in Nova Scotia to luxury projects around the world, Jonathan shares how antiques infuse his interiors with warmth, history, and so...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques, Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co welcomes Mark Lukas, Owner of Maison Palm Beach, to talk about the dynamics of the antique world and the need for dealers to adapt to evolving consumer preferences. Mark shares his journey from the fashion industry to the establishment of his gallery, Maison Palm Beach and the transformative question...

In this inspiring episode of The Business of Antiques, host Toma Clark Haines, CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co sits down with Linda Holt, professional photographer turned interior designer and founder of Linda Holt Creative. Together, they explore the power of authenticity in business, Linda’s journey of reinvention from a 25-year photography career to teaching smartphone photography, and action...

CEO of The Antiques Diva & Co, Toma Clark Haines sits down with vintage and fine jewelry curator–designer Naz Kretlow, founder of 3 Graces of Gold, for a luminous conversation about turning a lifelong obsession into a purpose-driven antiques business. From childhood treasure hunts and stamp collections to designing heirloom-quality gold bands, Naz shares how collecting became curation and then...

In this episode of The Business of Antiques , Toma welcomes Brian Hart Hoffman—President and Chief Creative Officer of Hoffman Media, and Editor-in-Chief of Bake from Scratch magazine—to talk about the intersection between creativity and entrepreneurship. Toma and Brian explore his remarkable journey from traveling the world as a flight attendant to leading a globally recognized baking brand. Infl...

In this episode of the Business of Antiques, Toma welcomes the owner of Debbe Daley Designs, Debe Daley, to talk about the necessity for profitability and innovative marketing strategies in the contemporary marketplace. The conversation dives into the intricacies of recession-proofing one’s business and highlights the critical principle that profitability starts at the acquisition phase rather the...

In this episode of the Business of Antiques, Toma welcomes the owner of Collect for the Home, Deke Rogers, to talk about how passion and profitability can work in the world of antiques. Both Toma and Deke are strong proponents if you are not making money in your antiques business it is just a hobby then. The talk then turns to strategies necessary to recession-proof your business including develop...

In this episode of the Business of Antiques, Chelsea On Green’s Showroom Manager, Rejeana, joins Toma to talk about the intricate dynamics of transforming a passion for antiques into a lucrative enterprise. Both Rejeana and Toma underscore the importance that without profit it is essentially a hobby. The chat delves into essential strategies for recession-proofing an antiques business including th...

 In this episode of the Business of Antiques, Stacey Tiveron, CEO of Ronati joins us to talk about the intersection between technology and the antiques industry. The episode emphasizes that in an era characterized by rapid technological advancement, it is imperative for antique dealers to adapt and modernize their practices in order to remain competitive and profitable. Stacey talks about the...

In this episode of the Business of Antiques, Gail McLeod jumps on the podcast with Toma to introduce a dear friend and star in the British antiques trade, Ingrid Neilson. Ingrid is the owner of the Antiques Dealers Fair Limited and shares her history with antiques. During the episode the three experts discuss the evolution of antique dealing, emphasizing how the landscape has shifted to accommodat...