To-The-Trade with Interior Design Community

Designer and UA Designs founder Sarah Brohm joins Laurie Laizure on the To-The-Trade for real talk on process, pricing, and growth. Sarah’s nursing background shaped her bias for systems and client care, which shows up in selection trackers, job site codes, and contractor-first communication that keeps clients out of the weeds. The firm averages about 15 whole homes per year, aiming to have the de...

On this episode of the To-The-Trade interior design podcast, host Laurie Laizure and co-host Nile Johnson welcome SEO pioneer Ross Dunn for real talk on how search is shifting for the trade. Ross explains why he prefers “answer engine optimization,” and how AI overviews assemble responses by fanning out to multiple queries, which reshapes how content should be planned. Designers should build topic...

This episode of the To-The-Trade highlights designer Dara Segbefia, principal of The Zen Experience , whose holistic interiors focus on mental health and wellbeing. Her specialty, transforming teacher lounges and school spaces, began with a project connected to her daughter, Zen, and a principal client. It expanded after teachers said they finally felt seen and respected in a space designed for th...

In this To-The-Trade podcast conversation, designer and former corporate marketer Rasheeda Gray explains how she transformed a light-bulb staging moment into a successful studio, Gray Space Interiors. Her home sold in three hours, transforming a long-time hobby into a clear pathway forward in 2016. Rasheeda spent three years building the firm at night while maintaining her day job, then exited cor...

On this episode of the To-The-Trade   podcast, Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson sit down with Philadelphia-area independent rep and company owner, Jason Levy , who grew up in the trade through a Kravet family franchise and now blends residential and commercial support for designers. He positions himself as a solutionist, a rep who turns twenty conversations into one, sourcing options fast, handling...

Beth Dotolo and Carolina V. Gentry of Pulp Design Studios explain how they manage a firm across Dallas and Seattle, sharing goals, standardized processes, and similar revenue profiles. Their rule of thumb for hiring is straightforward: when leadership spends too much time on high-value design work, they hire or reassign to ensure the right people handle the right tasks. They prioritize investing i...

Filmmaker Jude Charles joins the To-The-Trade podcast to explain how docuseries content helps designers sell the real value of their work. Instead of chasing a viral post, he urges designers to create a human, long-form story that shows process, judgment, and personality, so clients start with trust. His journey began with a three-part series for a Pompano Beach designer who needed more than portf...

Design pros, this is your playbook for integrating technology into the experience and the business of interior design. Katye McGregor Bennett explains why the integrator, your behind-the-walls systems partner, belongs at the table before drywall. That early involvement lets lighting, audio, networking, and security serve the design vision, and it keeps you out of tech support. Pair with a proper s...

Laurie Laizure , Nile Johnson , and Phyllis Harbinger get practical about the business of interior design. Phyllis outlines her transparent purchasing model, where clients pay vendors directly, while her team manages the logistics. She charges a 35 percent cost-plus purchase management fee over net on everything. Her contract states she is not responsible for vendor malfeasance or damages, and if...

Host Laurie Laizure sits down with Lee Hershberg, founder of Design Edge , a traveling, invite-only trade event created exclusively for interior designers. Drawing on decades of experience with KBIS, High Point, and Las Vegas Market, Lee designed the event to close the gap between manufacturers and the many designers who can’t attend large markets. Design Edge is intentionally smaller and more foc...

Episode 44 of To-The-Trade features Ariene Bethea of Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio in a lively chat with Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson . Known for her fearless use of color, love of vintage, and warm personality, Ariene shares her winding journey from HR to interior design. She recalls the pivotal moment when redesigning her boss’s office revealed her passion for the trade, explaining why rigi...

Julie Sellers of @ellevatedoutcomes joins Laurie Laizure on the To-The-Trade podcast to talk about what really holds designers back from growing and how to fix it. From solopreneurs to firms with 25 employees, Julie shares why so many creatives become the bottleneck in their own business and what it takes to scale sustainably. With a team of high-level strategists—including CFOs, COOs, and legal e...

In this episode of the To-The-Trade podcast, Laurie Laizure chats with Jenny Warner , founder of J Thomas Designs, about her evolution from a hands-on childhood in construction to leading a profitable interior design firm with confidence and clarity. Jenny shares the pivotal moment she realized she was undervaluing her time, and how that realization helped shift her mindset around billing and prof...

In this episode of To-The-Trade , Laurie and Nile are joined by Jenna Gaidusek , founder of eDesign Tribe and eDesign U, for a conversation about digital entrepreneurship in interior design. Jenna shares how her military lifestyle inspired her to build a location-independent design career and how she shifted from traditional interior design to creating a virtual design empire. Jenna explains how s...

Rebecca Plumb and Shaun Crha of the Hot Young Designers Club join To-The-Trade to share how a chance meeting turned into a podcast that now supports a broad audience of interior designers. What started as a friendship and support system became a business during the pandemic, and they’ve navigated everything from burnout to business structures together. They reveal how their podcast grew from casua...

Interior designer and HGTV alum Justin Q. Williams joins Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson to discuss launching his design firm at 18, the power of social media, and building a personal brand. He shares insights into managing projects while filming on national TV, developing product lines, and fostering authentic relationships within the design community. Justin also discusses the impact of mentorsh...

Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson talk with Shelly Hudson , founder of Hudson Home , about her journey from corporate design to running her own studio. Shelly shares lessons in managing client expectations, pricing with confidence, and creating deeply personal spaces. She also discusses mental wellness, the significance of community, and finding balance in a purpose-driven design business.

Laurie Laizure interviews interior designer Nikki Levy , who shares her bold career pivot from fashion retail to interior design and discusses how she built a thriving firm with a team of nine. Nikki opens up about the lessons she has learned in pricing, setting boundaries, establishing structure, and preserving her passion while scaling a business. Her advice for fellow designers emphasizes authe...

Laurie Laizure interviews Marie Cloud of Indigo Pruitt Design Studio, exploring how she creates deeply personalized spaces rooted in emotional and sensory experiences. Marie discusses her use of neuroaesthetic principles to enhance wellness through intentional design, from detailed client interactions to sensory-focused project reveals. She shares candid reflections on managing the growth of her f...

In this insightful episode of " To-The-Trade ," host Laurie Laizure and co-host Nile Johnson sit down with interior designer and neuroaesthetics expert Eryn Oruncak . Eryn delves into how neuroaesthetics, the science of how environments affect the brain and nervous system, can profoundly transform living spaces to improve mental health, emotional well-being, productivity, and overall happiness. Dr...

Host Laurie Laizure and co-host Nile Johnson welcome Laura Umansky, founder of Laura U Design Collective , to discuss her path to becoming a renowned interior designer. Laura reveals how her Texas upbringing and early career experiences shaped her distinctive style and strong business sense. She shares practical insights into successfully managing both domestic and international projects, highligh...

Host Laurie Laizure and co-host Nile Johnson discuss social media and digital marketing for interior designers with expert Emanuela Schneider . They address the challenges designers encounter in marketing, effective strategies for content creation, and the necessity of adapting to changes like the rise of ChatGPT over traditional search engines. Emanuela shares practical tips for crafting engaging...

Designer and entrepreneur Scott Meacham Wood joins Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson to talk about his new Somerset House collection of wallpaper and textiles. From his Ralph Lauren days to launching his line, Scott shares how storytelling, texture, and visual emotion guide his design philosophy. He reflects on his early blogging experiences, the importance of community, and the delicate balance bet...

Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson talk with Laura Thornton , a seasoned interior designer who transitioned from a potential law career into design, influenced by her family’s construction background. Laura emphasizes the challenges and strategies of staying profitable during uncertain economic times, focusing on financial acumen, thoughtful outsourcing, and clear client communication. She also provi...

Laurie Laizure interviews architect and Mattoboard founder Guy Ailion, who discusses how digital sampling can solve interior designers’ biggest headaches: outdated libraries, sample waste, and slow sourcing. Mattoboard lets designers create realistic 3D material boards that replicate the tactile studio experience, without the waste. They talk about the platform’s upcoming collaboration features, v...