Today With Lauren Li:

Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Many designers dream of getting a book deal, but aren’t sure where to start. 

My guest today is interior designer and author Lauren Li, sharing her journey from blog posts to book deals. Lauren, the founding director of Melbourne-based interior design studio Sisällä, has recently published two books with Thames & Hudson: "The New French Look" and "Beachside Modern." 

Lauren emphasizes the importance of putting your expertise out into the world and reveals how becoming an author can elevate your design business and attract high-quality clients. She shares insights into how consistent content creation can lead to unexpected opportunities and the realities of the book writing and publishing process, along with strategies for developing an authentic writing voice. Of course, we discuss the business side of publishing, too, including contracts and image rights. Whether you're harboring dreams of writing your own design book or simply looking to expand your professional reach, Lauren's experience offers valuable lessons for designers at all stages of their careers.

LuAnn Nigara and Lauren Li's Ah-Ha Moments

“You don't really make a lot of money from books. It's more of a marketing thing.” - Lauren Li

“I like to write like I'm speaking to someone — like talking to a friend. So that sets me apart.” Lauren Li

“Be prepared to be lucky.” - LuAnn Nigara

“A lot of people are serious people with serious knowledge. But putting that serious information on a pen to paper is a whole different animal.” - LuAnn Nigara

More About Lauren Li

With an innate ability for translating the client’s personality into an interior space, Lauren skillfully applies texture and color to create atmospheric spaces. No two projects are the same.

Lauren Li is the founding director of the interior design studio, Sisällä, based in Melbourne, Australia. She has more than 20 years of experience across the residential, retail, and commercial sectors, and holds a Bachelor of Design, Interior Design (Honors) from Swinburne, and a Diploma of Arts, Interior Design & Decoration from RMIT.

Lauren founded sisällä in 2012 with a passion to create beautifully rich spaces reflective of her clients’ context, lifestyles, and individual desires. The studio’s name sisällä, meaning ‘inside’ in Finnish, is both a tribute to Lauren’s ancestors and her fondness for Scandinavian inspired interiors merging beauty with functionality.

Connect with Lauren Li

Website

Instagram 

Book: The New French Look on Amazon

Book: Beachside Modern on Amazon

The Design Society: workshops, courses and mentoring for interior designers

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Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action

Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts

Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

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Other Resources Mentioned:

Join us for our free Pre CEO Conference Zoom open house!

Go to mydomastudio.com/awelldesignedbusiness and get 20% off your first three months!

Other Shows Mentioned:

AWDB #381: Power Talk Friday: Julie Broad: Write a Book to Market Your Interior Design Business

AWDB #840: Jean Stoffer: Work in Harmony Through Every Season of Life

AWDB #844: John McClain: Turn Failure into Success

AWDB #862: AphroChic: Celebrating the Legacy of the Black Family Home