Creative Genius Podcast Gail Doby & Erin Weir

Even in the best of times, running an interior design business presents many challenges. You can view them as obstacles, or you can view them as opportunities that drive you toward new possibilities. If you fret about the negative, you can cloud your mind with anxiety or worse. If you maintain a more positive, even optimistic, attitude, you can tap into your problem-solving skills to explore new, perhaps also better, options.







In this episode, Gail talks with Cindy Aplanalp Ruzicka, principal designer with Chairma Design Group in Houston, Texas. Having begun practicing interior design in mid-life working for another firm, Cindy started Chairma Design Group ten years ago. Today, it is a highly successful, thriving, multi-award-winning firm, specializing in exceptional residential interiors “for the sweet spot of life.”







Acknowledging the many challenges Cindy has encountered during her interior design career, Gail asked her what she considered the keys to success in running a great interior design business. Cindy said:









Be open to possibility.







Have a sincere understanding of your financials.







Know your ideal client profile.







Embrace the “perfectly imperfect.”







Nurture your team.









“What will drive you crazy in design are all the things that are out of your control,” Cindy said.







Many years ago, she recounted, a contractor gave her some advice that she has held fast to ever since: “This or something better.” Rather than focus on how things could get worse, assume that they can only improve. Something you are not aware of or expecting can turn up and change everything. “The universe is always conspiring for our good,” she said.







Cindy noted that when you develop a level of detachment from yourself and the situation, solutions begin to present themselves. You can tap into your deeper self. “When you get out of the way and don’t resist,” she said, “you have no idea what the flow state does.”







Gail and Cindy talked at length about some recent challenges and changes in Cindy’s life. To get the full story and her lessons learned, listen to the entire podcast.







If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s10e4-shownotes







Mentioned in This Podcast







For more information about Cindy and Chairma Design Group, go to the firm’s website at www.chairma.com.







Cindy said her favorite book is Change Your Mind Change Your Destiny: The eight habits of success that will help you create better relationships, more health, more wealth, and more happiness by Dr. Jay LaGuardia. It is available from online booksellers in various formats.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QU90GoR36c&pp=ygUXcGVhcmwgY29sbGVjdGl2ZSBwb2Rhc3Q%3D









Episode Transcript







Note: Transcript is created automatically and may contain errors.







Cindy, I am so excited to talk to you today. We have known each other for years now. Can't even remember how many years, but it's been a wonderful time that we've gotten to know each other. And I think of you as a friend at this point, and it's just been so fun to watch your progression over time. And I'd love to just start with, how did you find me in the first place, and how did we end up working together?







So the way I found you, Gail, is when Southern Living Magazine used to have like designer network and you were one of the speakers and I want to say it was in someplace in the South and you spoke and I waited a very long time to talk ...

No matter how creative or talented you are, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding. At the end of the day it’s what you deliver to the client that matters, not what’s on the design board. Turning inspiration into reality involves a lot of steps and orchestrated execution. Ensuring all that goes smoothly and according to plan is the role of the project manager. Whether that’s an individual or the function of some individual, they are critical to the success of your business.







In this episode, Gail talks with Sarah Kimball, project manager with Brighton Studios in Staten Island, New York. Brighton Studios is an interdisciplinary studio focused on creating window displays, scenery, and creative visual merchandising for luxury brands, boutiques, museums, and exhibitions.







In discussing her role, Sarah stated that design firms need a combination of someone who is a visionary and someone (or someones) who can execute the plan to achieve that vision. The project manager serves as a bridge between the two. She does the planning and prep work to ensure that the team is “set up for success” before delegating specific tasks and goals. “I love starting new projects,” she said.







Sarah described some of the characteristics of a good project manager and a not-so-good project manager. In essence, they need to be solution-oriented and see each part of the plan through to completion. They also need to be able to communicate well and get along well with the rest of the team.







A challenge for the project manager is keeping the rest of the team on task. “You have to understand your team,” she said, to know what motivates them, how much information to give them, and how they like to work. It’s also important to set achievable goals for them (by day, by week, by project) and to prioritize the most important tasks. She’s found that explaining why a particular task is important or why it has to be finished at a certain time helps them stay focused.







Gail asked Sarah what the keys are to effective project management. Sarah said:









Creating a clear plan from the start







Creating an environment of clear, transparent information and communication







Anticipation, thinking ahead to what needs to be done when and why







Taking ownership of the project schedule







Checking in with the team on progress and any issues they may be dealing with









Gail also offered her insights on the importance of good project management. Listen to the podcast to hear their entire conversation.







If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, view the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s10e3-shownotes







Mentioned in This Podcast







For more information about Sarah and Brighton Studios, visit the firm’s website at brightonstudiosllc.com.







Gail recommended the book Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business by Gino Wickman and Mark C. Winters. It is available from online booksellers in various formats.







Sarah stated that the project management software she uses is Asana. She also mentioned Monday, and Close, which is a CRM software that includes project management components. For contracting, Sarah said she uses Smartsheets.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6BgX2_dL7U









Episode Transcript







Note: Transcript is created automatically and may contain errors.







Well, welcome, Sarah. I'm so excited to have you here. We have known each other for a few years now.

With 13 blocks of home furnishings, over 2,000 studios and showrooms, and a calendar full of events and educational sessions, High Point Market can feel overwhelming to first-time attendees. Don’t let the magnitude intimidate you. With a few pointers from an expert, you can customize your High Point experience to get the most from this one-of-a-kind industry showcase.







In this episode, Gail talks with Tammy Covington Nagem, chief executive officer, High Point Market Authority in High Point, North Carolina. Tammy has been with the organization for 22 years, first as director of operations, then as chief operating officer. She assumed the role of CEO last year when the previous CEO retired.







Tammy said that one of her main areas of focus as the new CEO is the importance of the guest experience. She not only wants to attract new attendees, she also wants to ensure that all other attendees come away feeling that their visit was worth their time and money so that they will come back again.







At the heart of the Market experience is the connection between the people and the product. Home furnishings, she said, are something best experienced in person. “We are here to connect the buyer and the seller,” she said. Part of that connection is providing the seller the opportunity to tell the story behind the product, which is a crucial component of its value.







In recent years, interior designers have become a more essential customer at Market. “Consumers are understanding the value a designer brings,” said Tammy. That translates to value for the manufacturer or vendor. Designers have an opportunity to discover products that they otherwise might not find elsewhere. It can set them apart from the competition who don’t attend.







Gail asked Tammy what her advice was for designers who are thinking of attending Market for the first time. She said,









Register early. First-time attendees must go through a qualifying process to be able to register. Once registered, you will receive a series of emails that will walk you through all the steps you need to plan and prepare for your visit.







Use the Market’s concierge service to book your hotel accommodations. Their highly knowledgeable staff will help you get the best booking for your needs. Don't fear the lack of hotel rooms on other websites - those have simply been reserved for you already!







Sign up for a half-day tour to get an overview of Market and helpful tips from a seasoned attendee.







Leave time for discovery. Don’t over-schedule yourself the first time out. Allowing yourself time to explore can lead to some incredible finds.









On the practical side, Tammy urged attendees to bring a different pair of comfortable shoes for each day they will be on site. She also described how to set up the Market app to help navigate onsite and keep track of sessions and events. For more helpful tips from Tammy and Gail, listen to the entire podcast.







If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, see the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s10e2-shownotes







Mentioned in This Podcast







For more information about the High Point Market Authority, visit the organization’s webpage at www.highpointmarket.org/hpma.







For more information about High Point Market, how to register, and planning your visit, go to the Market’s website at www.highpointmarket.org.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-RuUnwC0VPs









Episode Transcript







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Tammy,

Every entrepreneur and small business owner needs help now and then. Peer groups can be a great source of information and support. Books, blogs and podcasts can provide new approaches, strategies and valuable lessons learned. Sometimes, though, your best option is to seek out an expert who can work with you one-on-one to identify the source of the problem and create a plan to move forward.







In this episode, Gail talks with Brian Kerlin, founder and chief executive officer of Optitude, a business consulting firm based in Denver, Colorado. The firm primarily focuses on assisting professional services companies that are entering their second stage of business development and looking to grow their revenues, profits and client pool.







Gail asked Brian, from the perspective of a small business owner, when is the right time to hire a consultant. Brian said that it's when you recognize that you have a problem. Maybe your business isn’t growing because it's not generating sufficient revenue. Or maybe you’re having difficulty attracting and retaining new clients. Whatever the issue, you want to look for an experienced individual who has that specific expertise and a proven track record of helping other business owners.







Businesses go through different stages of growth, Brian explained. What may have made the entrepreneur or owner successful at one stage may not guarantee continued success at a later stage, when the challenges and needed skills change. Owners need to be constant learners, he said. They need to acknowledge what they don’t know and seek out the information and insights that are required to grow the business at each stage of its development.







Working with a consultant is a commitment of time and money. Gail asked Brian for his advice on how to get the best results from working with a consultant. Brian said his firm performs what they call a “collaborative diagnosis.” They work closely with the owner to understand what is the current situation with the business. When they have identified the issues that need to be addressed, they then establish a scope of work for how they will be resolved. The scope of work includes checkpoints and milestones, to ensure the plan stays on track and meets its goals.







Whatever the situation, Brian said, it’s best to learn by doing rather than searching for the perfect solution. His firm has found that one of the factors that make great companies have better results is that leaders are willing to act and go quickly while making mistakes, but keep moving forward. In other words, you miss 100% of the shots you don't take.







For more on those and other insights, listen to the entire podcast.







If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, read the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s10e1-shownotes







Mentioned in This Podcast







For more information about Brian and his firm, go to his company website at www.optitude.co.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNkFN9NJUNM









Episode Transcript







Note: Transcript is created automatically and may contain errors.







Brian, welcome to our podcast. so excited to have you on today and I get the pleasure of also talking to your wife as well. Hey, thank you, Gail. I appreciate it. Yeah, honored to be here as a guest. And if you are going to listen or watch this, please make sure you watch my wife Anika's first. She's the most important person in this whole, this whole relationship. So good.







All right, so let's talk about your business because you have been in the consulting space for how long? We started our company in 2018. So simple math about six years and then prior to t...

Whether you’re a sole practitioner or running a large interior design firm, technology can help it operate more smoothly, efficiently and reliably. From managing projects to finances to human resources, technology can standardize policies and procedures, speed up access to information and documentation, and ensure proper compliance with laws and regulations. No matter if you are a tech newbie, a tech pro or a technophobe, you can find products and services to suit your abilities and the needs of your firm.







In this episode, Gail welcomes back to the podcast Klaus Baer, chief operations officer, WRJ Design in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Klaus is a huge proponent of using technology to improve business operations, having seen it benefit WRJ Design over the years. He currently employs 14 different IT systems in the 25-person firm. Some of which he has used for more than 15 years and some he has adopted more recently.







In his experience, Klaus said, technology helps the business to run more smoothly and easily for everyone. In addition, the technology can provide you with tracking capabilities, easy-to-access files and documentation, and reports and visuals to help better understand what’s going on in your business from the macro to the micro level. “Once you get the data in, it’s amazing how you can slice and dice it,” he said.







Gail asked Klaus which of the systems he uses he would most recommend to other design businesses. He highlighted six:









Asana - for team and task management







Ignite - for cloud-based storage of files







Trainual - for onboarding and training employees, documenting HR policies and procedures







LastPass - for managing and organizing passwords







Keap - customer management (CRM)







BambooHR - for HR management









Klaus also mentioned an online program, Lucidchart, that he uses to convert data into diagrams and charts. He finds the visual information more accessible and revealing.







All of these technologies have a cost and a learning curve, of course. Klaus recommended a gradual evolution in technology adoption. What does your firm most need now? Pick something that works best for you. To get the most value, he suggested, “Think about things you can scale,” with good customer support and active community forums.







For more details about each of these technologies, listen to the entire podcast.







If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, read the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s9e10-shownotes







Mentioned in This Podcast







To learn more about Klaus and WRJ Design, go the firm’s website at www.wrjdesign.com.







You’ll find our previous podcast with Klaus, on what highly affluent clients really want, on our website or wherever you get your podcasts.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khmVLL_jixc

Who are you designing for, yourself or your clients? Of course, you have a desire and an obligation to deliver the best design outcome for your clients. But they can choose from any number of designers. Rather than try to morph to accommodate the tastes of each individual client, be your authentic self and find the clients who want what you have to offer.







In this episode, Gail talks with Kati Curtis, founder and principal designer, Kati Curtis Design in New York, New York. Regarded as one of NYC’s top designers, Kati and her team of six do both residential and commercial projects. Kati is an active member of a number of interior design-related organizations and has volunteered her talents for the Kips Bay Show House and for DIFFA’s Dining by Design fundraiser.







Kati said she is driven by a desire to develop a unique style and vision. “I want what nobody else can have,” she said. For her, design is about being who you are authentically. “When a client says, 'I want what you have to offer', that’s when we have the most successful projects.”







Looking back on her career up to this point, the one thing Kati said she would have done differently would have been to tout her own style more in the beginning and to not have been reluctant to push it as much as possible. Her advice to designers just starting their businesses is, “Find your own voice and scream it as loud as you can as early as can.”







Kati comes from a built environment background. And although she loves what she does, she acknowledges that interior design is hard work. “I say to people, we make at least 450 decisions a day.” Projects can take a long time to complete, and along the way the clients and others involved can begin to run out of steam and lose focus. Part of her job, as she sees it, is to remind them, her team, and even herself sometimes of the goal, which is the amazing finished project. Her mantra? “Remember the magic.”







Several years ago, Kati’s husband, Simon, who has a background in tech, joined the firm as chief operating officer. She talked about the adjustments that both of them had to make. The arrangement has been working well so far. Still, Kati cautioned anyone considering going into business with their spouse. “Think very hard before you work with your spouse. It can be the greatest thing and the hardest thing at the same time.”







Kati also spoke on her experience doing the Kips Bay Show House, what she has learned about running a business, and what inspires her as a designer. For all that and more, listen to the entire podcast.







If you're listening on your favorite podcast platform, read the full shownotes here: https://thepearlcollective.com/s9e9-shownotes







Mentioned in This Podcast







To learn more about Kati and work, go to the firm’s website at www.katicurtisdesign.com.









https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EORJG0x7Ojg