Do you want to create videos for social media and grow your business, but you’re not quite sure where to begin? Susan and Paul Kadilak (Kadilak Homes) are here to share all their content creation secrets! They have had incredible success marketing and promoting their design + build firm, growing their business by 60% in one year by developing and implementing a social video strategy. Today they’re discussing how to build and action based strategy to grow business with social video, key details to create social video, and what’s next in the evolution of social video and how to grow in this ever changing landscape.

@KadilakHomes is a design build firm run by Susan & Paul Kadilak in the Greater Boston area. Together they have made it their mission to help their clients turn an ordinary house into a haven that they love coming home to! The Kadilak’s have grown by connecting directly with their audience through their social media channels and are excited to announce that they just launched a brand-new app, “Renovation Rekindle” for their Emmy nominated home renovation show.

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⭐️Can I really get my ideal client from social media marketing? Susan says look at the numbers - everyone is on these social platforms, and you need to go where your clients are. From social media alone, Susan and Paul’s business has grown tremendously. When you’re posting consistently and putting your content out there, your clients are attracted to that. If there is a client out there who isn’t a good fit for you, and they look at your content, they’ll never call you. But if someone’s looking at your content and watching your videos, they’ll usually do it for a while before they call you. They’re often a better fit because they’ve taken the time to prescreen you - they likely have made a decision before they even call you! Based on this, the quality of people reaching out to you will be better than traditional advertising.

⭐️Susan and Paul advise that if you’re not creating video content right now (and you’re hesitant to begin), start small. Instead of jumping in front of a camera, experiment with visuals, pictures, and concepts - you don’t necessarily have to be in the video at first. Take videos of your next project, drawing, job site, or whatever feels right. Eventually, you can start to appear in the videos, beginning with a quick snippet, and working up from there. Susan says she’s the last person who wants to be on video, but realized she wouldn’t get better if she didn’t try. Looking back, Paul says they “weren’t good” when they first started, but to be fair…nobody is! If you’re worried about starting, and find yourself paralyzed by fear of failure, you have to get over it or else you’ll never get started at all. You don’t have to be perfect…you don’t even have to be “good.” At the end of the day, you’re not auditioning for a role; you’re just documenting what you do and connecting with your clients, sharing your authentic self.

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📲CONNECT with Susan & Paul:

Website: https://kadilakhomes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KadilakHomes/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know" by Malcolm Gladwell

"Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success" by Gary Vaynerchuk

Check out "Renovation Rekindle" here: https://kadilakhomes.com/renovation-rekindle/

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Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Today we're discussing YouTube Handles: here's everything you need to know! Gavin is joined by Abby Coots, Social Media Manager at Wingnut Social, to discuss this brand new feature from YouTube - handles! Watch this video to learn everything you need to know about the new YouTube handles before they become available.

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⭐️YouTube is currently in the process of rolling out handles for all YouTube channels, which is going to make it easier to promote your channel within the app and drive traffic to your channel. YouTube says, “Handles are a unique identifier in all YouTube channels are going to have access to this feature. Your unique handle will help people find and interact with your profile and it will be completely specific and unique to your profile.” Currently on YouTube, usernames can be the same. We’ve seen some copycats out there (not specifically with Wingnut thankfully!). On YouTube in general, people can copy usernames. With the new handle feature, it’s just for you. Nobody else can have the same handle as you. It’s really going to help assure your subscribers they’re interacting with the real you.

⭐️This update will be launched and available for everyone by November 14th. If you don’t choose your own handle by then, YouTube is going to choose one for you based off of your current channel name. Don’t freak out! Even if YouTube assigns a handle to you, you can still go back and adjust it afterwards.

⭐️Abby recommends choosing the same YouTube handle that you use on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter because that will increase your likelihood of being found by your followers on other platforms. It will keep things easier and more cohesive. Wingnut encourages that you utilize all the basic platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn - the more places you can post high quality content, the better! But…let’s say you’re having trouble connecting with your ideal client on Instagram. Abby says she thinks of YouTube as a search engine, which she utilizes when she’s searching for a “how to” or “DIY tips.” If you’re someone who specializes in virtual design (Edesign) or you sell a tangible product like a paint guide or a wallpaper guide, YouTube is going to be a great friend of yours in terms of reaching your ideal client who is searching for those DIY projects. For example, your client may be searching for a soothing and relaxing paint color for their bathroom. They would likely go on YouTube to search that, your profile will pop up with your new handle, and ideally you’ll also have some YouTube Shorts for them to watch, using call to actions with links to purchase your paint guide (or whatever else you aim to sell). Ultimately, choosing the same handle as your other platforms will help your current audience to find you across platforms.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

What the heck is human-centered and data driven design, and how can it help you in your interior design business? Chrissy Fehan and Sarah Davis of Pophouse are here to fill us in on the importance of designing space with a human-centered perspective, and how the physical environment can have a positive impact on individuals. They’ll also share how this approach informed the Rock Ventures Headquarters, recently featured and on the cover of Interior Design magazine’s 90th anniversary edition.

Sarah has over 17 years of experience working in business intelligence. She has performed extensive research in workplace strategy and has been instrumental in developing the strategy that informs the design for many Pophouse projects. Chrissy leads an interiors and industrial design team and oversees all brand strategy. Prior to her current role, Chrissy was an industrial designer and created numerous pieces of furniture, lighting, reception desks and outdoor spaces.

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⭐️Chrissy and Sarah pride themselves on doing unconventional strategic and human-centered design. They use different types of evidence obtained from clients via interviews, surveys, and observations to understand how clients need to function in space. This combined with external research is used to drive their design. They believe spaces can positively impact people - how they interact, how they engage with each other. The space needs to be beautiful and aesthetically thoughtful, but if people can’t function in this space, it misses the mark. Chrissy and Sarah work to bring beauty and function together.

⭐️Pophouse thrives on a particular set of systems and processes that can be catered to different clients. The process usually begins with data collection, including client surveys and observation. Pophouse has also created mock settings for clients to utilize, and led focus groups. Talking to their clients in this manner helps gather feedback, which the clients are very willing to give because they care about the space they’re sitting in. To learn more about the teams they design for, Chrissy and Sarah gather information such as org charts, cultural documents, mission statements, core values, and more. They pair these internal findings with external discovery like benchmarking, research, and academic work. All of this information serves as the foundation for the design project and ultimately acts as a North Star to follow for the duration of the project.

⭐️Chrissy says that niching down their business has helped Pophouse in many ways. It has allowed them to bring on the proper team members that they need, and to grow their business. They are better able to see their future goals and pivot them around their clients’ needs. It’s helped them laser focus more - they aren’t stretched between many different types of design. Niching down has also helped Pophouse more thoughtfully select their clients and make sure their cultures align. Sarah explains that, even when niching down their business, there is still lots of diversity within the commercial office design space. Whether they’re designing a commercial office for a tech team, a marketing team, or a sales team, they all look totally different as the needs for each team vary. Chrissy explains that the scale of projects differs as well. Sometimes they take projects where they help a smaller client’s brand be visualized through their space.

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📲CONNECT with Chrissy & Sarah:

Website: https://pophouse.design

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pophousedesign/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

“Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" by Brené Brown

"Identity Designed: The Definitive Guide to Visual Branding" by David Airey

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Has YouTube finally caught up to TikTok and Instagram? Find out in this video! Darla is joined by Gavin, an SEO Manager at Wingnut Social, to discuss 3 interesting updates from Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. The battle of the social platforms rages on!

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Should my brand style be the same as my design aesthetic? How can I go beyond aesthetics and form an emotional attachment with my audience? And what really is a brand besides just logos and fonts? Brand designer and strategist Katie Saunders is here to answer all of these questions and more.

Brand designer and strategist Katie Saunders combines artistic talent with marketing strategy to create effective brands and websites for interior designers and other creative businesses. Using a collaborative approach, Katie provides her clients with strategy and implementation, creating custom branding that's authentic to their story and speaks to their ideal clients. Katie lives, works, cooks and plays a mean game of backyard basketball with her husband and two daughters in North Carolina.

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📲CONNECT with Katie:

Website: https://www.popandgrey.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/popandgrey/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned: “Atomic Habits” by James Clear

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Has Instagram gone too far this time with its latest and greatest features, and are you about to lose thousands of followers? Darla is joined by Emily Lisi, the Head Creative Wingnut at Wingnut Social, to discuss a new Instagram feature in the works that will allow you to Message or share your favorite posts directly with your followers.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Curating art is one of the most fun, exciting, and difficult aspects of putting together an interior design project for your clients. Today's guest, Liz Lidgett is an art advisor, collector, and gallery owner - and she is going to help us through the process!

Liz Lidgett is an art advisor, collector, and gallery owner based in Des Moines, Iowa. Liz is on a mission to change the way people feel about and experience buying art. She wants you to know that you don't have to be a millionaire to buy original artwork. She represents over 50% women and BIPOC artists in her gallery, and uses social media to market gallery art in a post-pandemic world. The gallery has an international reach, and Liz has been featured everywhere from Forbes to Martha Stewart.

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📲CONNECT with Liz:

Website: https://lizlidgett.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizlidgettgallery/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

“Joyful” by Ingrid Fetell Lee

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Can you repost someone else's pictures and videos on Instagram? Darla is joined by Abby Coots, Social Media Manager at Wingnut Social, to discuss Instagram's upcoming repost feature that will allow you to share content from other accounts, similar to a retweet.

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⭐️Instagram is testing a repost feature. What does this mean?

Have you ever wanted to repost someone else's Instagram pictures or videos? You probably had to download an app (like Repost: For Instagram), search for the content again, and then when you finally posted it, there was a huge watermark on the picture. Well, this may no longer be a necessary process, as Instagram is currently testing a repost feature that will function similarly to retweets on Twitter!

⭐️Why should I care about Instagram's new repost feature? What are the pros and cons?

For interior designers, this feature can be extremely helpful for your social media presence! Allowing others to share your content with the proper tags and crediting can lead to more brand awareness. What if you don't love the idea of your content being shared? Abby explains that, if and when this feature is released, it will be built into the app, so you won't be able to opt out or deny others from reposting your content. Another possible issue is whether or not the high amount of reposting will be flooding users' Instagram feeds.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Today we're talking about building community through interior design - spoiler: it's great for your bottom line. Interior designers Maryline Damour and Jennifer Salvemini share some tips on finding your community, building connections, and keeping an open mind when it comes to your career path and growth.

Maryline Damour is a founding partner and principal interior designer of Damour Drake. Her work has been featured in magazines including House Beautiful, Architectural Digest and Elle Decor and on PBS and The Drew Barrymore Show. Maryline is also the founder of the Kingston Design Showhouse, an annual showcase that celebrates Hudson Valley design and connects the design/build industry in the region.

As a student of anthropology and philosophy, Jennifer Salvemini's academics evolved into a passion for aesthetic expression in all areas of culture. She developed an intense appreciation for deep sensory experiences and finds great satisfaction in fostering meaningful experiences for others. Jennifer's professional life straddles careers in hospitality and fashion spanning over 15 years in New York City. She began her interior design practice 5 years ago and has been creating happily in the Catskills ever since.

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⭐️What does “building community through interior design” even mean?

Today we’re discussing building community through design. What does that mean? As interior designers and entrepreneurs, we often find ourselves living in “business bubbles,” feeling isolated and that we’re constantly reinventing the wheel when starting our businesses. Jennifer explains the goal of community-building is to connect people to each other - makers to makers, builders to makers, designers to makers, designers to builders - to bridge all of these networks and create larger infrastructure, so we can support the individual work of one another while simultaneously creating opportunities for collaboration. When we work together, more interesting products get created. More projects emerge. There are more solutions to problems. And of course…it’s more fun! Plus, collaborating with other creatives and artists can have a positive impact on your local economy.

⭐️How can I build my community and connections without a show house?

Jennifer finds that using Instagram to connect with other locals, whether it be restaurants or building communities or artists, has been wildly successful. What about growing your Instagram? Marilyne says the way to get a million followers is via targeting. If you target the people who are interested, they will amplify the message to others who are interested. Marilyne’s audience has grown by appealing to other creators. By targeting, you can grow your social platform in a way that matters to you and can ultimately feed your business.

⭐️Is it weird to have another interior designer in my community?

It’s important to stay connected with your fellow designers. Marilyne thinks that competition is only a thing if you make it a thing. There are more opportunities when you collaborate, and the market is so diverse in need that your clientele is likely different from that of your collaborators.

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📲CONNECT with Marilyne:

Website: https://kingstondesignconnection.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingston.design.connection/

📲CONNECT with Jennifer:

Website: https://www.jenniferlsalvemini.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jls.lifestyle/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Marilyne's previous episode: https://youtu.be/gEes3uhw7gU

"The Bone People" by Keri Hulme

"Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins

"A Natural History of the Senses" by Diane Ackerman

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Are you ready to trade in your iPhone for the brand new iPhone 14 Pro? Listen to this first! Darla is joined by Gavin, an SEO Manager at Wingnut Social, to break down the features of the brand new iPhone 14 Pro, and determine whether or not this is a worthwhile upgrade.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube