Holiday Pros | Mastering The Business of Christmas for Interior Designers, Lighting Professionals, and Holiday Decor Business

Lindsay Sutherland
  • 5.0 (2)
  • Entrepreneurship

Think Christmas decorating is a December hustle? Think again. Holiday Pros: Master The Business of Christmas is the podcast for professional holiday decorators and designers who are ready to build a real, year-round business — not just a seasonal side gig. Hosted by Heather Lundervold, founder of Christmas Design Institute and a 25-year luxury holiday design veteran, and Lindsay Sutherland, business systems strategist and co-founder of Biz in a Box Solutions, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to run a profitable, scalable holiday decorating business. Every episode, Heather and Lindsay bring you real talk — no fluff, no gatekeeping. Whether you're thinking about starting your first decorating business or you're a seasoned pro ready to scale, you'll get the strategies, systems, and honest conversations that move the needle. Topics include: pricing and deposits, building and managing your team, client acquisition, contracts, CRMs, networking, inventory, off-season planning, and so much more. This isn't just a podcast. It's your year-round business mentor — showing up every week so you're ready when December arrives.

  1. Sep 22

    Ep 22: The Power of Ribbon — How It Makes or Breaks a Luxury Tree

    What separates a shopping-mall tree from a luxury tree? Often, it's one thing: ribbon. This week Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold step away from the business side for a design conversation. Heather explains why ribbon is part of every tree she designs, and why the kind of ribbon you choose matters just as much. In this episode: Why ribbon instantly elevates a design — and why so many commercial trees skip itWholesale vs. retail ribbon, and why the difference showsLuxury details: velvet, wired edges, metallic backings, crystals and pearlsWhat designer-grade ribbon really costsWhy you should layer at least two ribbons — and often three or fourLearning new bow techniques from social media creators (yes, even after 26 years)Why bow-making takes practice, and the moment it finally clicks Coming up: a closer look at ribbon types, textures and wired vs. unwired — with visuals. The Christmas Design Institute was founded by Heather Lundervold to help you become an interior Holiday Designer. Choose Your Path: Path 1: Become a certified decorator and join the designer-for-hire program Path 2: Launch your own Christmas Business. Explore both at ChristmasDesignInstitute.com Christmas Callers was founded to solve one problem - Helping Holiday Professionals land commercial contracts. We pull lists, enrich data, and baby sit leads all to help you be in the right place at the right time. Book your consultation with us now at ChristmasCallers.com

  2. Sep 15

    Ep. 21 Your Marketing Funnel — How Clients Actually Find a Holiday Decorator

    Need clients this season? Start with what pays fastest. Then build what pays forever. Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold lay out every way clients find a holiday decorator — from quick wins you can set up this week to the long-game strategies that fill your calendar for years. In this episode: Setting up your Google Business listing so you show up in every city you serveRoadside signs: the plain, no-logo marketing tool installers swear byLocal Facebook groups, Nextdoor and geo-targeted Facebook adsHow Heather's Facebook group grew by thousands of members in a month — with no adsWhy posting consistently feeds AI search, even with few followersReferral partners: interior designers, lighting installers, luxury realtors, home builders, florists and property managersHoliday staging as a realtor closing giftWelcome mailers to new homeowners in your target neighborhoodsWhy commercial "no"s can turn into "yes" months later The takeaway: it all starts with one action. Pick up the phone. Christmas Callers was founded to solve one problem - Helping Holiday Professionals land commercial contracts. We pull lists, enrich data, and baby sit leads all to help you be in the right place at the right time. Book your consultation with us now at ChristmasCallers.com The Christmas Design Institute was founded by Heather Lundervold to help you become an interior Holiday Designer. Choose Your Path: Path 1: Become a certified decorator and join the designer-for-hire program Path 2: Launch your own Christmas Business. Explore both at ChristmasDesignInstitute.com

  3. Sep 8

    Ep 20 — Is It Too Late to Make Money This Season?

    Short answer: no. Long answer: listen in. It's the question Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold hear more than any other this time of year. Whether you're a new designer or a lighting installer eyeing commercial work, the season isn't closed — but you have to move. In this episode: Why there's still room for a profitable first season — even with just 5 to 10 small jobsWhy a website is nice to have, not a must (Heather's run 26 years on referrals, no website)The free Google Business listing every holiday business needsLast-minute clients: why the "we'll do it ourselves" crowd often calls in DecemberStrategic partnerships with lighting installers and interior designersHow consistent calling built name recognition across a whole region for one installerScouting this season's commercial decor to build next year's pipelineWhy you should never be the cheapest on the block Christmas Callers was founded to solve one problem - Helping Holiday Professionals land commercial contracts. We pull lists, enrich data, and baby sit leads all to help you be in the right place at the right time. Book your consultation with us now at ChristmasCallers.com The Christmas Design Institute was founded by Heather Lundervold to help you become an interior Holiday Designer. Choose Your Path: Path 1: Become a certified decorator and join the designer-for-hire program Path 2: Launch your own Christmas Business. Explore both at ChristmasDesignInstitute.com

  4. Sep 5

    Ep 19: Training Your Team to Your Standard — Without Babysitting Every Job

    Nothing's happening… then everything's happening. Suddenly you have jobs, and you need a team you can trust in clients' homes without you. Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold dig into how to train a holiday design team so they represent your brand, hit your quality bar and finish on time — even when you're not there. In this episode: Why big installs need two people (and the ladder-and-basket system that speeds them up)Hiring pre-trained designers through the Designer For Hire programThe short, three-page guide every new team member should getWhy you should hire in bulk and over-hire for the seasonOne mandatory training meeting instead of training people one at a timeSetting clear job parameters: photos, timelines and a three-hour minimumPay tiers from installer to master designer to crew leaderOver-communicating the "obvious" — like "I don't know, but I'll find out"Protecting client privacy in high-profile homesWhy a team manual changes your company culture

  5. Sep 1

    Ep 18 — Where to Find Seasonal Helpers — What To Look For

    You landed the jobs. Now who's going to help you install them? You can't keep a full team on payroll year-round in a seasonal business. So where do you find skilled holiday designers when you need them — and how do you know they're any good? Holiday Heather Lundervold shares the hiring problem that led her to start the Christmas Design Institute, and Lindsay Sutherland learns why "just hire someone and show them what to do" doesn't work in luxury decor. In this episode: Why finding qualified designers is the number one barrier to scalingThe Designer For Hire program, a matchmaking service inside the Professional Association of Holiday DesignersUsing Facebook Marketplace and Indeed — and what to expect when you doThe one interview question that tells you if someone has real experienceWhy Heather asks for videos and a portfolio before she hiresHow internships turn college design students into your future teamWhy on-the-job training costs you time, money and credibility Plus: Lindsay recaps Clipicon and The Huge in Orlando, and Heather shares what's coming up — including Christmas Expo in Las Vegas.

  6. Aug 25

    Ep. 17 Scaling Your Holiday Design Business: People, Process, Profit

    You can't scale alone. But hire the wrong people, and you'll pay for it all season. Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold dig into the question every growing Christmas business hits: when is it time to bring in help — and how do you do it without getting burned? Heather shares 26 years of lessons learned the hard way, from hiring friends out of desperation to building a crew that runs jobs without her. Lindsay brings the systems side, from org charts to over-interviewing. In this episode: Why you should run your first season yourself before you delegateBuilding an org chart — even when it's your name in every boxWhen to work a tree solo, and when it isn't safe (hint: 12-foot trees)The two-person ladder trick that nearly doubles your speedWhy a three-hour minimum stops efficiency from cutting your payThe auto-reply that filters out applicants who aren't seriousOver-hire, over-interview, and keep an on-call crew for last-minute jobsWhy you never train on the client's dime The Christmas Design Institute was founded by Heather Lundervold to help you become an interior Holiday Designer. Choose Your Path: Path 1: Become a certified decorator and join the designer-for-hire program Path 2: Launch your own Christmas Business. Explore both at ChristmasDesignInstitute.com Christmas Callers was founded to solve one problem - Helping Holiday Professionals land commercial contracts. We pull lists, enrich data, and baby sit leads all to help you be in the right place at the right time. Book your consultation with us now at ChristmasCallers.com

  7. Aug 18

    Ep. 16 Juggling Multiple Installs Without Losing Your Mind

    Five installs feels easy. Fifty feels like a freight train. One referral turns into a whole neighborhood. One restaurant turns into the whole chain. Suddenly your phone, your notebook and your memory are the only things running your business — and they're about to break. Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold pull back the curtain on the logistics of a busy Christmas season. Heather shares how she runs 100+ clients a year, why she takes deposits in January, and how she matches designers to jobs once the calendar is full. In this episode: The 15-client mark where your brain stops keeping upWhy chasing a deposit through Zelle, Venmo and Square costs you time and credibilityDitching cash and checks for digital payments and ACHHow a shared CRM ends the "did they pay yet?" text threads with your assistantLetting clients choose their install date as part of a luxury experiencePairing designers with jobs by scope and skill levelWhat it takes to build a sellable business at 500 jobs a year Plus: Christmas Callers is hiring US-based callers, and Heather's design team and Designer For Hire program are looking for talent. The Christmas Design Institute was founded by Heather Lundervold to help you become an interior Holiday Designer. Choose Your Path: Path 1: Become a certified decorator and join the designer-for-hire program Path 2: Launch your own Christmas Business. Explore both at ChristmasDesignInstitute.com Christmas Callers was founded to solve one problem - Helping Holiday Professionals land commercial contracts. We pull lists, enrich data, and baby sit leads all to help you be in the right place at the right time. Book your consultation with us now at ChristmasCallers.com

  8. Aug 14

    Ep 15: The Fortune's in the Follow-Up — Automating Without Losing the Magic

    You did the consult. You loved the space. They said, "Let me think about it." Then… nothing. Sound familiar? Fresh back from Christmas Expo in Dallas, Lindsay Sutherland and Holiday Heather Lundervold dig into one of the biggest profit leaks in any Christmas business: follow-up. Because a lead who "wants to think about it" isn't a no — they're just busy, and they'll forget you faster than you think. In this episode: Why Christmas is a relationship business, and why nurturing beats closing fastThe one question to ask at every consult so you never feel pushy following upHow automations can chase invoices, remind clients and nudge cold leads while you designThe handwritten-note habit that makes you unforgettable (keep stamps in your truck)Business-card tricks, memorable nicknames and leave-behinds that actually get keptWhy the "seven touches" rule is now closer to twelve"Some will, some won't, some will later" — playing the long game with seasonal clients Plus: big news about HoliCon, running alongside Transworld in St. Louis, February 25–28 — now with Halloween decor on the menu too. The Christmas Design Institute was founded by Heather Lundervold to help you become an interior Holiday Designer. Choose Your Path: Path 1: Become a certified decorator and join the designer-for-hire program Path 2: Launch your own Christmas Business. Explore both at ChristmasDesignInstitute.com Christmas Callers was founded to solve one problem - Helping Holiday Professionals land commercial contracts. We pull lists, enrich data, and baby sit leads all to help you be in the right place at the right time. Book your consultation with us now at ChristmasCallers.com

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
2 Ratings

About

Think Christmas decorating is a December hustle? Think again. Holiday Pros: Master The Business of Christmas is the podcast for professional holiday decorators and designers who are ready to build a real, year-round business — not just a seasonal side gig. Hosted by Heather Lundervold, founder of Christmas Design Institute and a 25-year luxury holiday design veteran, and Lindsay Sutherland, business systems strategist and co-founder of Biz in a Box Solutions, this show pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to run a profitable, scalable holiday decorating business. Every episode, Heather and Lindsay bring you real talk — no fluff, no gatekeeping. Whether you're thinking about starting your first decorating business or you're a seasoned pro ready to scale, you'll get the strategies, systems, and honest conversations that move the needle. Topics include: pricing and deposits, building and managing your team, client acquisition, contracts, CRMs, networking, inventory, off-season planning, and so much more. This isn't just a podcast. It's your year-round business mentor — showing up every week so you're ready when December arrives.

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