38 episodes
Damn Good Interior Designer Cheryl Kees Clendenon and Liz Lapan
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- Arts
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5.0 • 3 Ratings
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Join Cheryl Kees Clendenon and Liz Lapan, the dynamic duo behind the visionary and integrator balancing all the moving parts of a full service interior design firm in their no-nonsense and thought-provoking podcast, the Damn Good Designer.
Each episode is full of damn good truths and real talk as they share invaluable insights on how to run and build a successful business while challenging the norms, the industry, each other and YOU. Emphasizing a business-savvy approach, Cheryl and Liz take you on a roller coaster of discovery, considering success from a different lens, breaking free from groupthink, and encouraging you to embrace your own authentic designer self. There is not much they will not say “out loud”.
In this podcast, you'll find no room for conformity as they shatter the mold of one-size-fits-all business practices. Cheryl's fearless attitude showcases a refusal to follow the conventional wisdom, ask “why” repeatedly and reject what no longer makes sense in today’s world.
If you're seeking a dose of inspiration, a splash of unconventional wisdom, and a refreshing perspective on the entrepreneurial world, the Damn Good Designer is your go-to podcast. Tune in and let Cheryl and Liz, along with their expert guests in the fields of designers, architects, landscapers, and other creative professionals, guide you toward building a remarkable business that defies norms and sets you on a path to unparalleled success."Get ready to challenge the ordinary and embrace the extraordinary!
About the hosts:
Cheryl Kees Clendenon-
2021 KBB Person of the year
2022 Design Studio winner Dallas Arts Awards
2021 Changemaker Design Hounds
200 or so years ago a child came roaring into the world feet first ready to show up and argue a cause. Just because. Her mother still maintains the story is- she was screaming-“why”- from the minute she landed wrong side up and slapped the doctor for disturbing her afternoon nap
And to this day does not give “it” a rest except when she is sleeping. Which is where you will find her only between the hours of 2am and 7:30am. A belligerent non-smoker (in case you were wondering) and a frequent challenger of anything that resembles “normal” or desired by the masses, Cheryl is a natural born contrarian who talks faster than 2x speed on a podcast
She gravitates towards wanting to help clients and designers who are the square pegs in a world of round holes, lose earrings impossibly frequently, fall off of platform shoes and are unapologetically saucy. Relaxing is not in the skill set. Life begins and ends with family.
Her sacred words are: Why, Percipient, Whizbang and Profit.
But please do not say the words: Package, Blocks, Red Flag, Overwhelm or Picked. Hives break out and it gets ugly.
Liz Lapan
VP of Everything, Interior Designer,
Work Wife, Team Cook, Unicorns
People ask, when did you KNOW you had found your ideal work wife- Cheryl will reply ” When she drew me 8 different cacti on her 3rd day because I said -find me a damn cactus”
The woman who has never been through an airport without being extended an invitation to stop and play show and tell with the contents of her backpack, can single handedly plow snow with a rake and rescue her boss in a snowstorm in Arizona.–yes, I said Arizona–after sleeping all night in a tuna can of a rental car.
An accomplished designer in her own right with an amazing sense of color and pattern, Liz can wear the designer hat in the morning, the project manager hat at noon and return to the office being the ultimate manager of all the things. Client’s love her, Subs respect her and the team adores the woman who gets “it” done-whatever “it” may be.
RESOURCES:
www.damngooddesigner.com
https://www.theinteriordesignparadigm.com/
Want to be a guest? Apply here: https://forms.clickup.com/8404193/f/80f71-613517/PFK3QDSALZ30VONMTP
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Never Stop Learning with Special Guest Diane Bianchini - Ep 38
It is never too late to start over. This week we have a wonderful special guest from New York! I have known and coached Diane Bianchini of Dream Interiors NY for a number of year and she is here to talk with us this week about her path to becoming a designer with a background in Aeronautical engineering--talk about weathering the seasons of change (see what I did there?!) We discuss the importance of resilience and adaptability throughout her careers and how her varied experiences have enriched her approach to design.
My team and I have loved our continued relationship with Diane and she shares her initial apprehension about adopting a flat-fee structure for her services but discovered it was a win win for both her and her clients by allowing for better planning and profitability, demonstrating that taking calculated risks can lead to positive outcomes.
It is ALWAYS important to never stop learning, embrace change, and stay bold. These are the keys to sustained success in the design industry.
RESOURCE LINKS:The Design Paradigm is a 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.
The Interior Design Paradigm - Website
Damn Good Designer - Website
Business coaching for interior designers with honest, real-deal guidance from Cheryl.
Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
Led by interior Design Business coach, Cheryl Clendenon, please join the free Facebook group Small Business Think Big --for designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need. -
(TRAILER ONLY!) Are you keeping your client in the dark? Ep 37
Cheryl is going solo this week while Liz takes a well-deserved little vacation. This week in our private podcast we discuss managing client expectations and making sure you are not keeping them in the dark--you need them to trust the process! There is a level of professionalism that comes with the importance of managing clients' expectations during their project. Setting clear expectations with clients from the beginning, communicating clearly, defining project timelines, and always guiding the client through the process will manage the client's needs and manage the potential risks in the project. By creating a plan and forecasting future steps in advance this also helps to avoid surprises and disappointments and a crucial aspect of running a successful interior design firm.
Make a one time purchase to listen now! Click HEREClick here to listen to our EXCLUSIVE podcast.
3 ways to join us on this journey. No need to wait. There is a price point for everyone!
RESOURCE LINKS:The Design Paradigm is a 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.
The Interior Design Paradigm - Website
Damn Good Designer - Website
Business coaching for interior designers with honest, real-deal guidance from Cheryl.
Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
Led by interior Design Business coach, Cheryl Clendenon, please join the free Facebook group Small Business Think Big --for designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need. -
Finding your people: When is it time to hire? Ep 36
Are you hiring too late? What I have found is that most designers do not hire soon enough! Hiring a team challenges and helps elevate your business to a level where sustainable growth and scalability are achievable. When we look to hire we are looking to cater to some bonus projects and also the way that our current team is developing in terms upward mobility for other team members. This is where we need the extra support to help push that along. Learn our top tips in determining when to know it is the right time to hire for YOUR business and WHY the right time may be now!
RESOURCE LINKS:The Design Paradigm is a 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.
The Interior Design Paradigm - Website
Damn Good Designer - Website
Business coaching for interior designers with honest, real-deal guidance from Cheryl.
Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
Led by interior Design Business coach, Cheryl Clendenon, please join the free Facebook group Small Business Think Big --for designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need. -
Weathering the Seasons of Change Ep 35
Are you facing new challenges or going through a season of change? We are--yes we are in the trenches with you, really! Weathering the seasons of change is unpredictable and it is in these moments where we find out how resilient and adaptable we are. If you are not not prepared, then one of these events such as maternity leave, death in the family or a career change can disrupt your business to a point you cannot recover.
How are you going to be prepared and how can you tackle this when these seasons fall into your lap? Listen for our five tips that we are doing and how, if prepared, it can propel many small business owners to greater growth upon emerging.
RESOURCE LINKS:The Design Paradigm is a 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.
The Interior Design Paradigm - Website
Damn Good Designer - Website
Business coaching for interior designers with honest, real-deal guidance from Cheryl.
Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
Led by interior Design Business coach, Cheryl Clendenon, please join the free Facebook group Small Business Think Big --for designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need. -
(TRAILER ONLY!) Where do your priorities lie? Ep 34
Prioritizing, managing the alligators closest to the boat, and effective communication are critical to managing your business and your team (if you have one!). When you are redesigning a home for a remodel and NOT starting from scratch--we can't simply start over completely but must work within constraints, similar to how we must manage our time. Understanding the value of our time can lead to better decision-making and business efficiency. We all have the same 24 hours in a day--we must be utilizing them in a way that benefits us AND our clients!
Make a one time purchase to listen now! Click HEREClick here to listen to our EXCLUSIVE podcast.
3 ways to join us on this journey. No need to wait. There is a price point for everyone!
RESOURCE LINKS:The Design Paradigm is a 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.
The Interior Design Paradigm - Website
Damn Good Designer - Website
Business coaching for interior designers with honest, real-deal guidance from Cheryl.
Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
Led by interior Design Business coach, Cheryl Clendenon, please join the free Facebook group Small Business Think Big --for designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need. -
How are you protecting yourself? with special guest Attorney, Wendy Estela - Ep 33
The legal aspects of a business are super important to me as a business owner. We will always face project delays, especially in the last couple years, and we must be thinking about how we can protect ourselves. In my world, clients have to recognize the delays in executing are unrelated to our performance and we must get new bids/pricing or get the job up and running again after potential delays, and most importantly keep the client on the books despite pricing increases or the workload capacity being impacted.
This week we are chatting with Attorney at Law, Wendy Estela who has an interest in working with Interior Designers with 25 years of in-house law firm experience. Wendy holds a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Minors in Communications and International Studies from Boston College. She speaks Spanish. She received her law degree and LL.M. in Environmental Law from Pace University School of Law in New York and an LL.M. in Insurance Law from University of Connecticut School of Law.
She partners with small and medium-sized businesses, many of which are owned by minorities, women, and veterans and has worked with A list designers. AD 100 designers and just the regular folks like the rest of us too! Wendy is a frequent speaker on a range of topics, including contract negotiations and issues impacting the interior design industry.
Join us as we chat with Wendy about how to protect our businesses!
Want to hear more podcasts that are too juicy for public ears?
Click here to sign up for our private podcast!
RESOURCE LINKS:The Design Paradigm is a 12 month comprehensive and powerful business coaching program for creative entrepreneurs who are serious about running a profitable business and being the expert in the room. It is the only coaching program to combine individual attention & accountability with live group workshops, honest video presentations and customized attention to your needs.
The Interior Design Paradigm - Website
Damn Good Designer - Website
Business coaching for interior designers with honest, real-deal guidance from Cheryl.
Small Business - Think Big - Facebook
Led by interior Design Business coach, Cheryl Clendenon, please join the free Facebook group Small Business Think Big --for designers who need honest talk and a place to work on the business, marketing and promotion small business owners need.
Customer Reviews
Damn Good!
Cheryl and Liz present their business philosophies and win-win models in a straightforward (and always entertaining and inspirational!) manner. Looking forward to many more episodes! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Dynamic Duo - Cheryl and Liz
I listen to podcasts all day long, and Cheryl and Liz are natural-born speakers. They have a way of captivating their audience and keeping them interested throughout the whole episode. Their personalities complement each other perfectly.
What I really appreciate is how they seamlessly blend entertainment with insightful information. They truly make learning the ins and outs of business enjoyable!
Real truths, actionable advice for running a profitable interior design business.
One of the better podcasts for actionable, sensible, real-truth interior design business info. Cheryl and Liz offer real-life in-the-trenches business insights on how to run a profitable design business, how to market and how to make it a win-win for both designer and client. A must listen. You won't have to speed it up either Cheryl's passion and rapid-fire cadence will keep your ear buds pushed into your ears so you don't miss a second of all the goodies. Well done!
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