Trade Tales

Kevin Isbell joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who reached out with the story of an order gone awry, and is now looking for advice on what it takes to make things right for clients while also holding vendors accountable. The Los Angeles–based designer jumps in with advice on vetting vendors, navigating expensive mistakes, and ensuring that the client’s experience comes fir...

Britt and Damian Zunino are a husband-and-wife duo whose creative partnership was a perfect match—bringing together expertise in architecture and design to create spaces where each discipline informs the other. But as the years went on, they realized they couldn’t do it alone—it would take a carefully curated team to produce the kind of results they had always dreamed of. This episode was sponsore...

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...

Pulp Studios was born when Beth Dotolo and Carolina Gentry bonded over similar aesthetics—despite their very different working styles. On this episode of Trade Tales , they explain what it takes to operate a firm with employees and offices across the country, and how they’ve leveled up their approach to team development over the years. This episode was sponsored by Surya and The Shade Store . LINK...

Boston designer Dane Austin joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who knows the basics when it comes to presenting design ideas, and is now looking for advice on how to take her strategy a step further, ultimately selling her vision—and commitment—to her clients. Austin offers advice on bringing a theatrical edge to big-picture design planning, a strategy for physically packag...

Isabel Ladd’s lifelong penchant for pattern and color set the stage for a maximalist approach to life and design. But after several busy years, she realized that she was falling out of love with her business—she explains how focusing on her process helped her recapture the spark. This episode was sponsored by Surya and The Shade Store . LINKS Isabel Ladd  Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home

San Francisco Bay Area designer Clara Jung joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who identifies as just that. She’s craving community, collaborators and deeper conversations, but often feels flummoxed in a room full of strangers. Jung offers advice on mentally preparing for large industry events, networking from a place of sincerity, and how introversion can be a superpower wh...

Earlier in her career, Arianne Bellizaire worked hard to build a large firm—only to realize that the pursuit of what she thought success was supposed to look like had taken the joy out of the work. Her biggest pivot point came when she let her old dream go, and started working on a new one: a nimbler team, fresh opportunities, and reclaiming her love of design. This episode was sponsored by Surya...

San Francisco–based designer Regan Baker joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer whose five-person firm is going through some growing pains. She’s already brought on a senior-level hire who can run their own jobs with some creative oversight. Now, she’s wondering how she can get some of the junior employees on her team ready for the same level of responsibility. Baker offers adv...

Jae Joo’s work is all about taking a step outside of the status quo. But getting there isn’t a destination; it takes constant effort. On this episode, she explains why it’s essential to attract clients who are willing to take creative risks, and how maintaining control of the project’s design and build teams is an essential part of executing her vision. This episode was sponsored by Surya and Regi...

On the inaugural episode of the Ask Us Anything podcast, New York designer Courtney McLeod answers an anonymous question from a fellow designer who’s been in business for herself for about a year. At this point, she knows what a successful project should look like—but without a clear process in place, she often finds herself searching her notes for the next step. McLeod offers a roadmap for establ...

Caroline Gidiere’s trajectory at the helm of her firm is a masterclass in growing with intention. She explains how she carefully deliberates over which projects to take, and on making sure her rates reflect the type of clients she aspires to work with. This episode was sponsored by Ethan Allen and The Shade Store.  LINKS Caroline Gidiere Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home

Cortney Bishop’s entrepreneurial spirit has driven her to create a one-of-a-kind business, complete with an in-house receiving operation and a creative approach to experiential e-commerce. She explains how each venture has helped her level up not just her firm, but also her own creativity. This episode was sponsored by Ethan Allen and The Shade Store.  LINKS Cortney Bishop Kaitlin Petersen Busines...

Jenna Chused spent the first part of her career helping other entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground, before finally taking a chance on herself. Now that she’s at the helm, she shares why she’s learning to embrace risk in order to achieve growth, and why she's never satisfied in her quest to perfect her presentations to clients. This episode was sponsored by Ethan Allen and The Shade Store. ...

Modeling, acting, nursing and beauty school—Michel Smith Boyd tried it all before an encounter with an interior designer sealed his fate and sent him back to school to begin the journey toward the rest of his career. While still a design undergrad, he landed his first big gig—a one-night affair designing an extravagant party for a marketing executive. Though the event launched the young designer i...

Pure Salt designers Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln were always on the same page when it came to interiors. In building out their portfolio and executing early designs, it was smooth sailing. When it came time to confront the bigger decisions necessary to building their business, they started to hit their first roadblocks—overcoming them would not only make their partnership stronger, but unlock new...

Jenna Gross entered the industry with a specific goal in mind: to offer a design approach centered on a full embrace of color. She shares how, after more than a decade of hard work, she’s entering a new phase as she readies her business to welcome an influx of clients who truly understand her brand. This episode was sponsored by Klafs .   LINKS Jenna Gross Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home

Mandy Cheng launched her creative career in set production before discovering that transforming interiors was a perfect fit. The past few years have been pivotal for her firm, with industry accolades and high-profile clients that have brought growth, but also pushed her to explore what creative expansion will look like in the years ahead. This episode was sponsored by Klafs .   LINKS Mandy Cheng ...

Hannah Oravec’s firm places a special focus on wellness. As she scales her business, she’s navigating how to protect her values while embracing growth—and embarking on the shift in leadership that comes with it. This episode was sponsored by Klafs .   LINKS Hannah Oravec Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home

Jean Liu launched her own firm and proved to herself that she could find success outside of the family business. More than a decade on, she shares why she’s revisiting what it means to be a leader—and charting a path to growth in which bigger isn’t always better. This episode was sponsored by Klafs .   LINKS Jean Liu Kaitlin Petersen Business of Home

Josh Greene took lessons from working for storied retail and residential design firms to launch his own ventures—first with a partner and then alone. He describes how going solo forced him to take a fresh look at his business’s financials—and how his forays into developing product lines have opened the door to a whole new world of creative opportunities. This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew...

Swati Goorha made a splash at the recent Kips Bay showhouse in New York for telling the story of her own growth through design. That approach was more than a one-off: It’s a strategy that underpins many aspects of her firm. She shares how she’s using storytelling for everything from project flow to getting clients on board with a design concept. This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and Room...

Chloe Redmond Warner realized several years ago that she had reached a breaking point. To get back to herself, she took a four-month sabbatical, with the hopes of returning to her firm as a better designer, and a better leader, too. The result wasn’t exactly what she was expecting, but it gave her the clarity she needed to change the way she worked. This episode was sponsored by Universal Furnitur...

Leann Conquer is celebrating her firm’s tenth anniversary with some big wins and industry recognition—but also with a fresh perspective on how to evolve in the years to come. With operational excellence top of mind, she’s focused on refining the firm’s systems while protecting space for creative pursuits. This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and The Shade Store .  LINKS Leann Conquer...

Anissa Zajac pushed the reset button on her firm a few years ago after a crucial employee left her team. The tumultuous period that followed taught her what it takes to build a team that fits her goals—and how to grow as a leader as she grows her business. In this episode, she shares the community-building power of investing in brick-and-mortar, how she’s implemented new systems to make hiring eas...