Business of Design® | Grow a Profitable Interior Design Business with Kimberley Seldon
Episodes
EP 072 | Collaboration Rather Than Competition
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
At Business of Design we believe that working together as collaborators is a better way to get ahead as an individuals. Listen in to this conversation...
EP 071 | Power Your Reno
30 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Interior design professionals carry enormous risk and liability doing their jobs day in and day out. Nowhere is that more evident than when it comes t...
EP 070 | More Mistakes - Part 1
23 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
More mistakes? Yup. We’ve all made them. In this episode, and subsequently in EP 077, we are going to hear from two Business of Design members on mi...
EP 069 | Confidence And How To Get It - Part 2
16 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us are conditioned to think that confidence comes from accomplishments—succeeding at work, finding a partner, getting fit, making money, or ...
EP 068 | Our Policy Is...
09 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What’s your policy? For most of us, the policies or rules we rely on are those which serve to protect us from an unpleasant circumstance, such as no...
EP 067 | It's What's Inside That Counts
02 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all know that good looks matter. But outside appearances never tell the whole story. With many items—sofas, chairs, pillows, bedding—what’s i...
EP 066 | Confidence And How To Get It - Part 1
25 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A lack of confidence can undermine any effort to be truly successful. Although most of us recognize we aren’t as confident as we’d like to be, we ...
EP 065 | Be Brave
18 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Bravery is a job requirement. Surrounding yourself with trades and suppliers who make you look good is part of a successful strategy. It’s also impo...
EP 064 | An Inside Job - Part 2
11 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Don’t think for a moment that your salary or income is the “extra” or it’s not as important as that of your higher earning spouse or partner. ...
EP 063 | Workout Your Business
04 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you’re listening in to the BOD podcast each week, you’re already motivated to get your business in shape. But if you want to transform your bus...
EP 062 | Two Systems Freaks Geek Out
28 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What is the secret sauce to running a mature, profitable, award-winning design firm? Systems! There’s no getting around it. Kimberley and LuAnn Niga...
EP 061 | Stay Busy, Stay Stuck
22 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Making a decision to be excellent isn’t enough. To excel, you must take action to change the day to day issues that aren’t working in your busines...
EP 060 | It's an Inside Job - Part 1
16 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
As entrepreneurs in the world of design, we all stand to gain so much by working together and lifting one another up. Value and worth are an inside jo...
EP 059 | LA BOD Meet up
09 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Take a road trip to Los Angeles with Business of Design. On this podcast you’ll listen in to the question and answer portion of our BOD LA Meet up. ...
EP 058 | Incremental Growth
30 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Layered, methodical growth is the most effective way to increase and enhance your business. Building your A team, finding efficiencies, learning to de...
EP 057 | Talent Is Not Enough
23 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Schooling offers only a small percentage of what is needed to succeed in business. The rest is on the job training. And talent, does not equal success...
EP 056 | Round Table at High Point
18 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Business of Design and 30 of its awesome members travelled to North Carolina for High Point Market this week (April 2018). More than 100 designers sat...
EP 055 | Shrinking Product Margins
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Manufacturers must compete if they want to stay in business. It’s their imperative. We all know they are now selling directly to consumers. There’...
EP 054 | Eco-Marketing
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode we learn: - what is eco-marketing - five steps to grow your social media following - widening your base means reaching out to peers y...
EP 053 | Success is a Moving Target
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Ever felt sure you’d made it, only to find yourself wondering how to pay the rent a few months later? Or, were so busy you couldn’t breathe and th...
EP 052 | Blank Walls Are Scary
19 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A space isn’t finished until it’s ready to photograph, right? But photography can’t happen if you are looking at a room full of gorgeous furnitu...
EP 051 | Don't Shop Me
12 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In today’s web savvy world, there is no way to prevent clients from shopping you. Or is there? With this helpful guide, you’ll be able to avoid th...
EP 050 | Fewer Better
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Strategic planning can take your business to a sweet spot where the fewest possible number of clients leads to the greatest number of benefits. Design...
EP 049 | Better At LinkedIn
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Are you taking advantage of everything LinkedIn has to offer? Susan Kates shares her tips for strengthening your LinkedIn profile. In this episode we...
EP 048 | Independence In Marketing
19 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Independent interior design firms can create robust marketing plans that speak to the passion, talent and business acumen clients are looking to hire....
EP 047 | If it's free, you are the product
13 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Industry disruption, mysterious mergers and what does it mean for you, the design professional? No, the sky is not falling, but it may be time to piv...
EP 046 | Increasing Visibility
05 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We see you. Hiding there in plain sight. Step out in front of the spotlight says designer Rachel Moriarty. She’s got tips to immediately improve you...
EP 045 | STEP 11 The Client Reveal
29 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After months of hard work everything is on the line with the client reveal. How to set this moment up for success is Kimberley’s topic today. In th...
EP 044 | Avenues Of Learning
22 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all learn differently. Most of us need multiple points of reference to really learn something and absorb it on a core level. Interior designer Le...
EP 043 | Designing Outside The Box
15 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve been relying on the same style, the same tried and true suppliers, and not taking the occasional creative risk, you may be missing out on ...
EP 042 | Onsite during STEP 10 - Live
08 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Things get a little hectic during STEP 10. Listen in as Kimberley interviews her own trades during a typical installation process. In this episode ...
EP 041 | 5 Apps You Need Now
03 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone needs that person in your life who tells you about the latest app or technology you should try. Kimberley’s go to resource for what’s nex...
EP 040 | Closing The Sale - Repeat
27 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We're ending this year off with a listener favorite. If you are eager to turn potential clients into paid ones, then you’ll love hearing what Aysun ...
EP 039 | Top 10 Flat Fee Questions
19 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Kimberley has been teaching the strategies you find here for more than 13 years. In this episode, Cheryl Horne, BOD’s Director of Operations asks Ki...
EP 038 | Live Coaching Call with Kimberley Seldon
13 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you’ve ever considered coaching, listen in as design professional and Business of Design member Enza Ricco grooms her procedures for flat fees an...
EP 037 | How To Be An Opinion-ista
05 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Having an opinion, owning that opinion and then standing behind it are all part of a skill set the interior design professional needs. In this episod...
EP 036 | The Side Hustle
29 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Brittany Chinaglia has an amazing website and online business known as The Vintage Rug Shop. Listen in to hear how this closet interior design pro is ...
EP 035 | Why Smart Entrepreneurs Do Dumb Things With Money - Part 2
22 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why do smart entrepreneurs do dumb things with money? And more importantly, what can we do right now to make a positive and lasting change in our fina...
EP 034 | The Show House
15 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It’s an honor to be chosen as a designer for a prestigious show house or a charity auction house project. Still, before you say yes, weigh the pros ...
EP 033 | Managing Client Expectations
07 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Failing to manage the client’s expectations is a sure-fired way to destroy project harmony. In this one-on-one podcast with Kimberley, she reviews t...
EP 032 | Profit Through Margins, Not Markups
01 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Markup. It’s such a dirty word, and yet we need the income that comes from that revenue stream. In this podcast, we’ll share how we maximize our m...
EP 031 | Why Smart Entrepreneurs Do Dumb Things With Money - Part 1
25 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Why do smart entrepreneurs do dumb things with money? And more importantly, what can we do right now to make a positive and lasting change in our fina...
EP 030 | Why Be The Boss
18 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Too many go into business with an idealized or romantic view of what it’s going to be like to “be the boss”. If you’ve been talking about th...
EP 029 | Media - Use It To Build Your Brand And Enhance Your Message
11 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
To publish the great design work you do, or to build your brand as an industry expert, you need to use the media—and the media may need to use you. ...
EP 028 | You are a brand. Whether you like it or not - Part 2
04 Oct 2017
Contributed by Lukas
“Taking yourself seriously has power. It says you are playing a longer game.” Bruce Philp, author Consumer Republic. If you’re consulting under...
EP 027 | Act, Deflect, Ignore
25 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode Kimberley looks at how to identify and, more importantly, manage various types of client situations and archetypes of behaviour. In ...
EP 026 | Upselling Ahead
18 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us are not terribly comfortably asking clients for money, let alone asking them for more money when we think of some new product or idea that ...
EP 025 | Is It Time To Re-Brand?
12 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Every 5-10 years it’s important to reevaluate your brand and see if it’s still relevant. Kimberley shares her personal experience with rebranding ...
EP 024 | Mistakes, I've made a few
07 Sep 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you are a design professional and you are managing projects on behalf of clients, you are going to deal with mistakes—lots of them. Since it’s ...
EP 023 | You are a brand. Whether you like it or not - Part 1
29 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
“People don’t buy our product. They buy the belief that we can create and deliver the product. They buy our brand.” Bruce Philp, author Consumer...
EP 022 | Closing the Sale - Part 2
21 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Back by popular demand, Aysun Kuck shares her experience servicing Kimberley’s clients and closing consultation sales. This episode is a continuatio...
EP 021 | 12 Steps to a Custom Pillow and Why your Job's so Doggone Difficult
13 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
It’s not you. The work we do as professional designers is hard, it’s complex, it’s challenging, and there are multiple points in the process whe...
EP 020 | What you can Learn from Renovating for Yourself
07 Aug 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We all agree it’s hard to renovate or decorate our own spaces. But, have you ever taken time to consider what you learn when you do have the luxury ...
EP 019 | Successful Vendor Relationships
31 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We can’t do our jobs without the cooperation, hard work and talent of a variety of vendors and suppliers. These professionals make or break our repu...
EP 018 | Project Horror Stories
24 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
No matter how talented you are, how dedicated you’ve been to the project, or how thoroughly you’ve managed clients and trades, mistakes can and wi...
EP 017 | The Whole Home Approach
17 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, most of us approach our projects thinking about interior spaces. But, it’s worth considering exterior spaces too. It’s a great way to provid...
EP 016 | Do Over
08 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Scougall is transitioning from the finance industry into interior design. Adam shares his insights as a business owner before introducing Busines...
EP 015 | Why I love Scope Creep
03 Jul 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Every designer who’s worked on a flat fee basis has experienced the monster that is scope creep. Although the vast majority of freelancers consider ...
EP 014 | Closing the Sale - Part 1
26 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you are eager to turn potential clients into paid ones, then you’ll love hearing what Aysun Kuck has to say about the process. This episode is a ...
EP 013 | Managing Clients
12 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you are looking for advice on how to change your clients, you won’t find it here. As the professionals, it’s our job to manage the clients and ...
EP 012 | Tracking your Hours
04 Jun 2017
Contributed by Lukas
You love getting paid without a hassle from your clients, but you hate logging hours. You have a real dilemma. It’s time to resolve this once and fo...
EP 011 | Private Label Branding
29 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Private label branding increases your street cred within the industry, but most importantly in your clients’ eyes. Instead of introducing your clien...
EP 010 | Hitting the Wall
22 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
We’ve all been there. Everything is great…we are feeling like we’re at the top of our game. And then, wham. A series of errors occur, a couple o...
EP 009 | Stuff you Think you Know
16 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Just because you’ve been doing it that way for years doesn’t make it the best way. Don’t surrender to so-so, when amazing is just around the cor...
EP 008 | Navigating the Home Decor Media Market
08 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Talent isn’t enough to get you noticed. You’ve got to work at making your own breaks too. Especially if you want the wide-exposure gained through ...
EP 007 | Downsizing
01 May 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Working with seniors and the elderly can be a rewarding way to build a niche, but to do this work successfully, the design professional requires a dis...
EP 006 | 3 Lousy Methods for Calculating Flat Fees
24 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Terrible, awful, bad and inferior. These are the adjectives that best describe the three most popular methods for calculating flat fee proposals. Yes,...
EP 005 | Inside the Drawing Package
17 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
As interior design professionals, most of us have big ideas, and frequently we can visualize those concepts long before they are realized. However, cl...
EP 004 | Styling Matters with Gillian Gillies
10 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Accessorizing and styling your design project is not a frivolous pursuit, nor is it an optional extra. Rather, styling is a key component of the finis...
EP 003 | Kimberley's 10 Best Business Practices
03 Apr 2017
Contributed by Lukas
For too long, many of us have acted as if the purpose of our life is to fuel our business, when in fact, it’s just the opposite. Your business shoul...
EP 002 | Handling Difficult Clients like a 90's Action Hero
27 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Want to handle difficult clients and challenging situations with total authority? Well then, channel your inner 90’s action star (think Steven Segal...
EP 001 | The Consultation with Veronica Solomon
19 Mar 2017
Contributed by Lukas
If you don’t get the consultation right, the project will never get off the ground. How to own the process—from first phone call, to onsite perfor...