Home Stagers and Designers on Fire

In this podcast episode I talk with Kevin Htain of Identity Home Staging. Kevin is not only a top LA Home Stager, he has also had a 10 year career on HGTV's hit show "Flip or Flop" as well as other HGTV shows.

Listen in and learn:

• how Kevin landed the job on "Flip or Flop"
• how Stagers get paid for doing work on HGTV
• what it is really like working for HGTV
• how Kevin keeps his pricing model simple
• why Kevin offers different staging packages, targetting different segments of the market
• what I love about Kevin's website and how it helps him market effectively

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire, I talk with Shauna Lynn Simon, a multi award winning Stager and Designer, owner of SLS Academy and coach for busy female entrepreneurs.

You will learn:

• how Shauna Lynn went from corporate to creating multiple businesses
• why stress management should be a daily habit for busy entrepreneurs
• how Shauna Lynn puts habits into her life that cause her to be happier and more resilient
• Shauna Lynn's advice on marketing and dialing in your messaging
• How to "not" compete on price
• What Shauna recommends is the fastest way to grow your Home Staging Business

In this episode I interview Shawn Varwig, the dynamic CEO of Home Staging Northwest and Real Estate Broker for Heritage Home Team Real Estate.

You will learn:

• What Shawn's role is in both his Real Estate Business and Home Staging Business and how his team supports him
• Shawn's advice on how to win business from Real Estate Agents
• How Shawn offers 3 different staging packages in order to make it easier for Agents to "sell" his services to their Sellers
• Shawn's super smart networking strategy to stay top of mind with local Real Estate Agents
• Why Shawn is grateful for the latest NAR settlement and how he thinks it will benefit Real Estate Agents and Home Stagers

In this podcast episode I talk with Red Barrinuevo, a successful Home Stager and Designer in the Toronto area. We discuss the challenges Red faced when transitioning from a banking career to owning Redisigne4more.

You will learn:

• how Red built his business while working full time in banking 
• how Red prepared for the transition of being an employee to being self employed both financially and emotionally
• how Red overcame obstacles (like not having a car) while growing his business
• how Red grew his business organically for the first 7 years
• what helped Red take calculated risks while growing his business
• how Red followed his "gut" in order to know when to leave his banking job

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Rod Basconcillo of R&R Financial. Rod walks us through the process of financing your Home Staging inventory.

You wil llearn:

• the difference between bootstrapping vs. putting inventory on credit cards vs. financing inventory
• what Rod's company will finance and what it will not finance
• the turn around time for financing
• what Rod 's company looks for in candidates for financing

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Michelle Minch of Moving Mountains Designs in LA. 

You will learn:

• What it takes to be a million dollar stager
• What prompted Michelle to stop renting furniture and own her own inventory instead
• How owning her own inventory impacted Michelle's business model and profitability
• What numbers to look at to make sure you are being profitable
• The 3 types of potential staging clients and the 1 type Michelle spends most of her marketing dollars on
• Why competing with low priced srtagers is a "race to the bottom"

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire, I talk with Ellen Mann of Chrysalis Creative Home Staging. Ellen left a lucrative 30 year job in corporate to pursue a Home Staging Business.

You will learn:

• how Ellen handled the emotional challenges of being laid off and building a staging company from scratch
• what Ellen told herself at the beginning of her staging business in order to "keep her head in the game"
• what commitment Ellen made every day in order to move her business forward
• how Ellen built her Social Media strategy in order to enlist her Ideal Clients
• 2 things Ellen took from corporate that helped her in her staging business
• how to network and build community in order to win referral business
• what advice Ellen would give to a new Home Stager

In this podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I am sharing tons of information from the RESACON Convcention in Vegas., I have attended many conventions since starting my staging business in 2005 and I always come home with a different way of looking at things, great business tips and lots of wonderful memories. This year was no exception! 

In this episode you will learn:

• how to fill your client pipellne with quality customers
• "go to" trade and retail sources
• what biophilic and fractal design is
• how to easily add design to your menu
• what data you should know for marketing and profitability
• how to pack your truck for a stage in order to save time
• favorite software programs
• and so much more!

In this podcast episode I interview Steve Denny, a partner at Innovative Business Advisors and coauthor of the book You Don't Know What You Don't Know. 

This book details the steps you need to take to build a successful staging company that will net top dollar when you go to sell.

In this episode you will learn:

• how to get top dollar for your Home Staging Business
• what business advisors look for when deciding on the value of a staging company
• the difference between a Buyer who wants to own a job and one who wants to own a company
• what "owner freedom" means and how it impacts the value of your company
• 3 different "Buyer personas" and which is easier to sell to and finance
• why financing a Staging company may be easier than you think
• what 2 numbers you should be looking at every day
• how SCORE can help you with your business
• what Steve does as a Business Advisor for staging companies and how he is compensated

What does success mean to you?

Are you looking to build a 7 figure business with a team?

Or are you happy keeping things small and simple and making enough money to travel and do the things that tug at your heart?

Success means different things to different people and it is so important that you create your business and life on your terms, not by what others are doing.

In this episode I explore what success is and how you can create your vision of success-your way.

I also give you some "straight talk" on what it takes to build a successful Home Staging Company.