Welcome to Power Talk Friday! Today's show is about working with a professional Virtual Assistant, who works specifically in the field of interior design. Sarah Durnez is the founder of Loft Design in Walla Walla Washington, and she joins us today. For Sarah, it really doesn't matter where she is, or where you are for that matter because she works remotely to help designers, like you, with their design businesses. She's worked with designers all over the US and she's only ever met one of them once, in the flesh. Sarah's specialty is providing designers with drawings and renderings. Most of her clients have been with her since she started her business, which really says a lot about Sarah and her work, right? Listen in today, to find out more about Sarah and the high-quality Virtual Design Assistant services that she gives her clients.

Sarah graduated from MIU with a BFA in Interior Design. At school, she gravitated to honing her rendering skills and creating the best presentations. Competing to showcase design boards during Miami's Art Basil each year, really drove home the importance that the way that a project is presented is just as important as the design of the project. Sarah has been working remotely with designers for over six years, providing them with detailed construction documents, renderings, and presentation materials to sell their designs. With Sarah handling the technical side of a project, her designers have more time to focus on other aspects of design, grow their business, and be out of the office to spend more time with their families. Tune in for more!

Show highlights:

• We all strive to be organized in the way we run our business.
• Sarah started out by just winging it.
• Sarah explains how she keeps her clients on their toes with their projects.
• The kind of service and support that Sarah provides for her clients.
• The quality of Sarah's SketchUp renderings is really remarkable.
• Sarah discusses the information she requires from designers in order to provide them with high-quality renderings.
• The kind of responsibility that Sarah takes on.
• Why some people call Sarah 'The killer of dreams'.
• How designers really benefit from Sarah's expertise.
• Sarah will always provide a solution for every issue that she points out.
• The way that small design firms really benefit from hiring Sarah.
• Listen to your tradespeople. They really know what they are talking about.
• Use your own talents for what you're really good at and hiring out for the rest.
• The excitement that comes with the renderings.
• When and why designers lean towards watercolor drawings.
• Taking the time to work through the specific process of your trade.
• About Sarah's training for designers on SketchUp and Podium.
• The design industry is a very personal one and hiring a Virtual Assistant is really like having someone on your side.

Links:

Press Kit

Password: tacos

Loft Design

Website: Loft Design

Instagram: SarahatLoftDesign

Facebook: SarahatLoftDesign

Pinterest: SarahatLoftDesign

Mydoma Studio

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Darla Powell #330

Elizabeth Scruggs #305

Revelwoods #329

Mydoma Studio #91 and #171

Madeleine MacRae #283 and #315

Episodes that go with this one:

On VA’s

#375 Bonnie Fahy

#149 My Design Assistant

#346 Do Not Let Us Design For You