Trade Tales

Business of Home, Kaitlin Petersen

Business of Home's editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen talks to interior designers about nurturing creativity, finding a firm’s financial footing, setting goals and discovering their own version of success as a result.

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179 episodes
Updated Wednesday

Episodes179

Newest first

Erica McLain on bridging the gap between science and design
Erica McLain on the “design potential report” she prepares for prospective clients, her firm’s unique B2B offering, and the toolkit she is developing to analyze a home’s impact on clients.
Wednesday · 58 min
Ask Us Anything: Dane Austin on taking design presentations to the next level [Rebroadcast]
Dane Austin 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.
July 22 · 47 min
Why Mandy Cheng won't delegate her firm's finances [Rebroadcast]
Mandy Cheng on why she’s not delegating the firm’s finances, the best methods for decoding a client’s taste, and the client education document that’s transformed the way she vets potential new projects.
July 15 · 59 min
Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires [Rebroadcast]
Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors on how to reveal a candidate’s true ambitions, evaluating skillset through a key question, and knowing when to call for backup.
July 8 · 40 min
Why Ali Budd wants to do design TV differently [Rebroadcast]
Ali Budd on how she sets her firm apart in the competition for clients, what it takes to create a safe space for employees and finding the sweet spot where she can play a role in every project.
July 1 · 53 min
Ask Us Anything: Blair Moore on protecting your firm from shipping issues
New York and Rhode Island-based interior designer Blair Moore 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.
June 24 · 29 min
How Angela Harris put wellness front and center in her business
Angela Harris on what it takes to fully inhabit the role of design visionary, how overhauling her firm’s infrastructure helped the team claw back creative time, why she’s pursuing a PhD centered on the concept of design as an ethical imperative.
June 17 · 59 min
Ask Us Anything: Lucy O’Brien on designing around order minimums
Philadelphia-based interior designer Lucy O’Brien of Tartan & Toile 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 procurement process.
June 10 · 24 min
Rayana Schmitz on tapping outside experts to transform her firm
Rayana Schmitz on the showhouse experience that pushed her creative boundaries, how a fractional CFO saved her firm’s finances and why she maintains strict hours of communication with clients.
June 3 · 48 min
Ask Us Anything: Lauren Caron’s process-driven approach to far-away projects
Seattle-based interior designer Lauren Caron 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.
May 27 · 51 min
How Audrey Scheck established her firm’s C-suite
Audrey Scheck on 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 comfort zone.
May 20 · 1 hr 4 min
Ask Us Anything: Zoë Feldman on how to measure an employee’s design skills
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.
May 13 · 37 min
How Hema Persad built ‘the smallest, most efficient’ team
Los Angeles–based designer Hema Persad on how managing a team shifted her perspective on business growth, why she’s been a fast adopter of AI tools, and what to expect from celebrity clients.
May 6 · 57 min
Ask Us Anything: Christine Vroom on how to pivot when your pipeline falls apart
Los Angeles–based Christine Vroom 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 characteristic of a designer’s workload.
April 29 · 38 min
Why Hanna Li’s design proposals include a sustainability fee
Los Angeles–based designer Hanna Li on how she’s measuring the carbon footprint of every project, why she produced short films about her firm’s work, and the reason every role she hires for comes with a five-year plan.
April 22 · 53 min
Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires
Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors on how to reveal a candidate’s true ambitions, evaluating skillset through a key question, and knowing when to call for backup.
April 15 · 34 min
Kobel & Co.’s radical take on the client questionnaire
Elizabeth Bennett and Mallory Robins of Kansas City, Missouri–based firm Kobel & Co. 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.
April 8 · 1 hr 17 min
Ask Us Anything: Alison Giese on how to streamline your design presentation
San Antonio, Texas–based designer Alison Giese 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 designers a chance to build confidence and salesmanship skills.
April 1 · 42 min
Jess Ebert on why delegation is the key to longevity
Jess Ebert on how she communicates her entire team’s value to clients, the many ways hiring a PR firm is helping her navigate the changing social media landscape and why taking Wednesdays off represents a pivotal moment in her entrepreneurial journey.
March 25 · 47 min
Ask Us Anything: Chloe Redmond Warner on establishing processes that fit your firm
Oakland, California–based designer Chloe Redmond Warner 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 issuing a project schedule from the outset can help establish a firm’s sense of authority.
March 18 · 34 min

Trade Tales

Erica McLain on bridging the gap between science and design

Ask Us Anything: Dane Austin on taking design presentations to the next level [Rebroadcast]

Why Mandy Cheng won't delegate her firm's finances [Rebroadcast]

Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires [Rebroadcast]

Why Ali Budd wants to do design TV differently [Rebroadcast]

Ask Us Anything: Blair Moore on protecting your firm from shipping issues

How Angela Harris put wellness front and center in her business

Ask Us Anything: Lucy O’Brien on designing around order minimums

Rayana Schmitz on tapping outside experts to transform her firm

Ask Us Anything: Lauren Caron’s process-driven approach to far-away projects

How Audrey Scheck established her firm’s C-suite

Ask Us Anything: Zoë Feldman on how to measure an employee’s design skills

How Hema Persad built ‘the smallest, most efficient’ team

Ask Us Anything: Christine Vroom on how to pivot when your pipeline falls apart

Why Hanna Li’s design proposals include a sustainability fee

Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview questions for new hires

Kobel & Co.’s radical take on the client questionnaire

Ask Us Anything: Alison Giese on how to streamline your design presentation

Jess Ebert on why delegation is the key to longevity

Ask Us Anything: Chloe Redmond Warner on establishing processes that fit your firm