Trade Tales

Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors answers a question from a designer who is currently interviewing candidates for her firm’s first full-time position. Oholendt jumps in with advice on how to reveal a candidate’s true ambitions, evaluating skillset through a key question and knowing when to call for backup.  LINKS Oho Interiors Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home

Ali Budd had a shot at  TV stardom—and decided she wanted to bring viewers a side of the industry they hadn’t seen before. As the business she spent years building enters the spotlight, she’s sharing what it took to find her voice—and how she built a team that could carry that vision even further. This episode was sponsored by Kohler and Vanguard Furniture .  LINKS Ali Budd Kaitlin Petersen Busine...

In this episode, New York and Rhode Island-based interior designer Blair Moore answers a question from a designer whose firm is facing a sudden rush of shipping problems. Moore jumps in with advice on reckoning with a decline in shipping quality, how thorough channels of communication can help catch issues before they arise, and—when all else fails—establishing your own in-house receiving operatio...

Angela Harris’s firm marks a bit of a departure from the typical Trade Tales guest, with a portfolio that spans master planned communities, model homes, commercial, hospitality, and everything in between. And yet, the lessons she’s picked up along the way—on executing her vision, firm leadership, and a rigorous approach to wellness—are valuable for designers in every corner of the industry. On thi...

In this episode, Philadelphia-based interior designer Lucy O’Brien of Tartan & Toile answers a question from a designer who recently had to compromise her creative vision after coming up against an order minimum. O’Brien jumps in with advice on finding a second life for extra material, the value in troubleshooting with sales reps, and being transparent with clients about unexpected fees during the...

Rayana Schmitz balanced several different early career paths—from fitness trainer to firefighter—before landing on interior design. Today, she’s leading her firm with the wisdom to know when to trust her gut and when to rely on outside experts. On this episode, she shares the showhouse experience that pushed her creative boundaries, how a fractional CFO saved her firm’s finances and why she mainta...

In this episode, Seattle-based interior designer Lauren Caron answers a question from a designer who wants to expand her business beyond her home city without sacrificing her firm’s standards. Caron jumps in with advice on billing clients for travel time, how she maximizes site visits before the transition to remote work, and the value in an exhaustive scope of work document. This episode was spon...

Audrey Scheck’s 20-person firm is a well-oiled machine—complete with a carefully structured leadership team and a top-down approach that sets the tone for every employee. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares her growth mindset as she expanded her team, how a bandwidth tracker helps the firm determine whether it's time to take on new business, and the questions that help clients step outside their...

Washington, D.C.–based Zoë Feldman on how to hire for aesthetic alignment, the metrics she uses to measure an employee’s progress at the firm, and how a team member with their own style can sometimes save the firm from adopting a formulaic look. This episode was sponsored by Four Hands . LINKS Zoë Feldman Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home  

Hema Persad’s experience as an A-list stylist taught her what the one percent is looking for in the design process—and helped her build a firm that’s structured to meet those needs, while also complementing her decisive approach to leadership. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares how managing a team shifted her perspective on business growth, why she’s been a fast adopter of AI tools, and what to...

Los Angeles–based Christine Vroom answers a question from a fellow designer with a question about a project pipeline gone wrong. Vroom jumps in with advice on the importance of taking inventory of the hypothetical situations that could impact a design business, why her firm implements a “restart fee” for clients who need to push pause, and how to mentally prepare for the ebb and flow characteristi...

Hanna Li has created an infrastructure and recruited a team that allows her to thrive as creative director of her firm. From that vantage point, the Los Angeles–based designer is able to think big about topics like sustainability and longevity, and examine what it takes to embed them into the fabric of each project. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares how she’s measuring the carbon footprint of e...

Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors answers a question from a designer who is currently interviewing candidates for her firm’s first full-time position. Oholendt jumps in with advice on how to reveal a candidate’s true ambitions, evaluating skillset through a key question and knowing when to call for backup.  LINKS Oho Interiors Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home Th...

Elizabeth Bennett and Mallory Robins found their better business half in each other—one favoring function, and the other taking the lead on form. In this episode, they share why they no longer use a client questionnaire, how they maintain a single brand voice at every touchpoint, and why a willingness to go all-in is their new criteria for incoming projects.  LINKS Jess Ebert Kaitlin Petersen Busi...

San Antonio, Texas–based designer Alison Giese answers a question from a designer who is interested in tweaking her presentation approach to inspire trust and cultivate hands-off clients. Giese jumps in with advice on the value of providing clients with curated choices, how to hone powers of observation during the intake process and why whole-home presentations help convey continuity—and give desi...

Jess Ebert received a flood of new clients a few years back—and soon realized that the abundance of work was doing the business more harm than good. As she pared down the pipeline, she brought the firm closer to its ideal clientele—and started to clear the path for her own transition within her firm’s workflow. In this episode, she also shares how she communicates her entire team’s value to client...

Oakland, California–based designer Chloe Redmond Warner joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is wondering if stronger systems could lend her firm a greater sense of professionalism. Redmond Warner offers advice on why an unstructured design process might miss out on the value-engineering phase, how to find the sweet spot between client responsiveness and total control, and why i...

Melissa Oholendt has guided her firm through some major changes in recent years, including opening a second office halfway across the country and the introduction of a new business partner. She explains how every step she’s taken is a building block toward a bigger vision. In this episode, she shares the business partner who helped her firm set its sights higher, the strategy behind identifying an...

Chiacgo-based designer Alex Kaehler joins the show to answer a question from a designer who has stayed busy as a team of one, but wonders what growth might look like for her small firm. Kaehler offers advice on how to grow your firm without increasing your workload, using social media as a lower-lift lead generator and why size doesn’t always equate to success. LINKS Alex Kaehler Kaitlin Petersen...

Dana Bergman Falcione and Erica Vassalotti had a surprising path to partnership. In this episode, they explain how they’ve come together—and how their workflow allows each of them to tackle their own domain within the design work while conveying a shared vision to clients. Elsewhere, they share what it takes to delegate decision-making, how they’ve divided their roles as co-leaders of the firm, an...

Dan Mazzarini, the founder of New York–based interiors firm Mazzarini & Co., joins the show to answer a question from a designer who wants to start sourcing antique and vintage pieces, but needs guidance navigating the purchasing process. Mazzarini offers advice on how to buy time with vendors while seeking client approval, what it takes to highlight an item’s top selling points, and why putting e...

Bryan and Mike Yates discovered that at the height of their firm’s success, their team’s morale was at its lowest. In this episode, they explain how that realization prompted an internal overhaul, setting in motion a structure that amplifies each employee’s strengths. Elsewhere, they share the low-overhead approach that got their business off the ground, the business consultant that inspired them...

DuVäl Reynolds, the founder of East Coast interior design firm DuVäl Design, joins the show to answer a question from a designer whose steady stream of clients has slowed down dramatically in recent months. Reynolds offers advice on how to spot early indicators for a slowdown in new business, adjusting your messaging to attract ideal clients, and the value of diversifying your firm’s offerings dur...

Evan Millard’s strategic approach to showhouses catapulted his firm to early success. In the years since, he’s flourished as a solo designer, pursuing new business opportunities and entering what he calls the “adult stage” of his firm’s aesthetic evolution. In this episode, he also shares how being a solo designer offers him room to grow in new directions and the value in being transparent with cl...

Victoria Sass joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who is hoping to land her young firm’s first magazine feature. She has a project she’s excited to share with the world—but finding press placement has been a challenge. The Minneapolis-based designer jumps in with advice on different approaches to working with a public relations agency, how digital placement can actually yiel...