Trade Tales

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 packaging ideas that invokes the world of luxury shopping, and the value of refining the decision-making process through three levels of presentations. 

LINKS
Dane Austin
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 Kohler and Vanguard Furniture. 

LINKS
Mandy Cheng 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

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
Business of Home

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 operation.

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.

LINKS
Blair Moore
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home