Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn Nigara

299: Amanda Smith: Lessons on the Power of Systems, Boundaries, and Collaboration


Listen Later

Today With Amanda Smith:

Hi, welcome to Window Treatments for Profit! In this episode, we’re sitting down with Amanda Smith, a leader in the window treatment industry and co-founder of Seamless Workroom. From her start as a teacher to becoming a sought-after partner for interior designers, Amanda’s story is a testament to the power of systems, efficiency, and a commitment to quality.

More About Amanda Smith

Like many others in this business, I did not start out as a fabricator of window treatments. I attended college at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte earning a bachelor’s degree in Middle Grades Education. After teaching English and Social Studies for seven years, I attended graduate school earning a master’s degree in library science at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and worked as a high school media specialist for three years until my twin boys were born in 1998. At which time I became a stay-at-home Mom.

When my boys turned three, I knew I wanted to work but did not want to return to teaching full time. While visiting a friend one afternoon, I noticed she had new window treatments in her family room. It was an “ah ha” moment. I thought, “If I can make cocktail dresses, I can surely learn to make window treatments!” I come from a family that sews. My mother, an accomplished sewer and quilter, taught me the art at age 12. My father owned a successful auto upholstery business for 25 years. Both of my grandmothers and all of my aunts sewed. With my family’s support, I set up a small workroom in an extra bedroom and completed my first job in July 2001.

What started out as a small, retail business has grown into a full-service to the trade workroom offering fabrication of panels, valances, roman shades, bedding and decorative accessories as well as several lines of fabrics, hardware, shutters, blinds, roller shades, solar shades, and natural woven shades for those associated with the interior design industry.

In July 2017 I, along with Rose Mary LeBlanc, launched a second business. Seamless Workroom is a workroom management system which helps to improve efficiency and productivity within the workroom for fabricators and designers in the industry.

Connect with Amanda Smith

Sew Unordinary

Website

Instagram

Facebook

LinkedIn

Seamless Workroom

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Email

Cheryl Luckett’s Instagram!

A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:

This episode is sponsored by Exciting Windows!

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

The Power Talk Friday Tour

Watch the Docuseries!

http://www.luannnigara.com/cob

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

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

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

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

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

Connect with LuAnn Nigara

LuAnn’s Website

LuAnn’s Blog

Power Talk Friday

Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast

Other Resources:

This podcast supports the Savvy Giving Design Coalition. Learn more about it here!

AWDB #717 Susan Wintersteen: Interior design firm standards in a nonprofit passion project

AWDB #164: Susan Wintersteen- Savvy Giving by Design

Cheryl Luckett’s Instagram!

Sign up for LuAnn University!

Other Shows:

AWDB #397: Power Talk Friday: Where Are They Now?: Cheryl Luckett: Dwell By Cheryl

AWDB #291: Cheryl Luckett – From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn NigaraBy LuAnn Nigara

  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5
  • 5

5

26 ratings


More shows like Window Treatments for Profit with LuAnn Nigara

View all
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast by LuAnn Nigara

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

766 Listeners

The GaryVee Audio Experience by Gary Vaynerchuk

The GaryVee Audio Experience

16,819 Listeners

The Amy Porterfield Show by Amy Porterfield

The Amy Porterfield Show

4,580 Listeners

The School of Greatness by Lewis Howes

The School of Greatness

21,247 Listeners

The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business by Jenna Kutcher

The Goal Digger Podcast | Top Business and Marketing Podcast for Creatives, Entrepreneurs, and Women in Business

12,060 Listeners

Sew Much More by Ceil DiGuglielmo

Sew Much More

78 Listeners

Business of Home Podcast by Business of Home, Dennis Scully

Business of Home Podcast

434 Listeners

Profit Is A Choice by Michele Williams | Business Coach | Podcaster |Speaker

Profit Is A Choice

55 Listeners

The Sew Much More Podcast: 30 Minutes With Workroom Tech by Ceil DiGuglielmo and Susan Woodcock: Custom Workrooms

The Sew Much More Podcast: 30 Minutes With Workroom Tech

38 Listeners

Dear Alice | Interior Design by Alice Lane

Dear Alice | Interior Design

1,501 Listeners

Marketing Panes by Window Treatment Marketing Pros

Marketing Panes

1 Listeners

Trade Tales by Business of Home, Kaitlin Petersen

Trade Tales

73 Listeners

Good Inside with Dr. Becky by Dr. Becky Kennedy

Good Inside with Dr. Becky

4,538 Listeners

Working Hard with Grace Beverley by Grace Beverley

Working Hard with Grace Beverley

206 Listeners

The Interior Collective by IDCO Studio

The Interior Collective

286 Listeners