Hot Young Designers Club | Interior Design Business Podcast

On today's show we're connecting with Kim Kuhteubl, the author of Branding + Interior Design. But when we say connect, we mean our minds were blown! We went deeper than just branding; we talked about developing our self-worth and defining our value for our clients. If we don't show up as our true selves, we won't attract our dream clients.

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Kim talks about leading with creativity in our work

How she believes that creatives are poised to change the way the world operates

How our spreadsheets won't save us

We should design our businesses to be a true reflection of who we are

We both left with reminders that we want to be creatives first.

We sometimes feel so compelled to sell ourselves as organized business professionals that we lose the magic of design.

We have to stop measuring ourselves against what someone else's success looks like in our industry

Kim encouraged designers to be authentically themselves.

She also loves attending conferences that aren't immediately related to your industry, she was inspired by the California Women's Conference.

She has become obsessed with Ruggable.

She couldn't decide between living on the set of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel or the set of Friends.

Find Kim on mebydesign.com or on Instagram

Her new program Designer Smart Cuts starts May 26, 2021

On this week's episode we welcome business strategist and coach Michelle Williams. Michele helps business owners gain clarity, confidence, and control so they can reclaim their time and to be passionate about their work. Don't miss her thought provoking ideas on money management and business mindset.

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Fake birkencrocks

Rebecca and Shaun's minds were blown during Michele's interview

Shaun's obsessed with the Merge Dragons! app

Rebecca recommended the Bardot Brushes for Procreate so Shaun could sketch more without pen and paper

We need less screen time and more reading like Brian's Paquette and DISC Interiors' new books

What designers have spaces that live in your head rent free?

Are friends and family experiencing quarantine postpartum? Rebecca talks about how hard it's been to meet with friends spontaneously.

Rebecca is loving her Birkenstock knock-offs she's calling- birkencrocks

Our guest today is Michele Williams, you can check out her website here, follow her on Instagram, or check out her podcast Profit Is A Choice.

Michele talks about how she turned her negative profit business into a sustainable living early into her business ownership journey

She shared how she felt like everyone in the design industry were hiding something from her, but they were just as lost as she was.

It's not just enough to be getting paid and have clients who love your work - we've got to develop smart money management strategies.

Are you going to be in hobby or are you going to be in business?

Try introducing yourself as an owner of a design firm instead of a designer

Build barriers and protections between yourself and your business

Challenge yourself to write down your business mission, vision, values, and policies to identify what your company stands for

Take "I" and "me" out of the equation to make things less personal

Michele compared strategic plans to tactical plans for business - sometimes you can make plans in advance as part of your business strategy, but in the moment with your clients and projects you may have to do something different as a tactical strategy.

Remember that our role is not to be an adversary with our clients or to go against their goals.

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves what the clients ideal solution is to a problem and compare it to our own ideal solution and work towards both of them together.

We start talking about the book, Profit First, and how to build a business model around it

The first thing we need to do is develop a framework and mindset around money management

Michele offered great ways to manage our money by separating the cost of goods from our operating income

We also talk about applying the profit first philosophy to our time, because time is also a currency.

Profit is about providing sustainability for our businesses, it's not just about having money.

We discuss selling the right product or service to the right person at the right price and managing the heck out of it.

The emotional aspect of money can get in the way of making it wisely

This week episode is all about the never ending battle between design influencers and designers. Just kidding! But the Hotties are talking about how the two business models differ and their experiences on both sides. It take a lot to do them successfully and running two businesses isn't as glamorous as it sounds.

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Stuff they mentioned:

Is Rebecca going to do the ORC again?

She might be getting to use a bold wallpaper by Milton & King and designer Tiff Manuell

If you hadn't heard, there's a huge lumber shortage and it's increasing the cost of projects exponentially.

Shaun got to go to his first dinner party since February 2020 pre-covid.

He shares more about how LGBT people create safe spaces to be authentically themselves.

This episode was recorded when we were together during Las Vegas Market in April 2021.

The blurred line between design influencers and designers can make it challenging for someone outside of the design industry to understand why they're each different

Feedback from our 2021 Listener Feedback Survey suggested a number of designer influencers for potential interview

We talk about what we're looking for in a guest episode and interview

We focus on the value a designer can offer to all of our listeners when we consider them for an episode

The main difference in the business model of design influencers is selling product - either through wholesale designer-exclusive vendors or via retail goods.

It's possible to be a design tastemaker without monetizing it to become an influencer

Amber Interiors and Studio McGee have been examples for many designers.

Amber Lewis recently partnered with Portola Paints on work for her own home, and launched her own line with Anthropologie

Ginny MacDonald talked about her partnership with Lulu & Georgia when we interviewed her for Episode 6

We talk about developing a strategy to build a following and understanding the "why" a follower base can help you depending on your business growth goals

Not all designers want a boutique or a shop

Designer led e-commerce platforms like Kathy Kuo Home or Burke Decor sell a lot of products from wholesale designer sources

Your own home can be a great place to experiment with your design style and push your creative limits

Consider using blogging as a method to build trust with potential clients and build your audience

More content on Pinterest and increasing your SEO performance can increase traffic to help clients find you

There aren't as many influencers who are actively working interior designers

We can learn a lot from influencers about marketing strategies, how they build their audiences, and how they present themselves authentically

As designers we need to get out of our own heads and put ourselves out there on social media to develop relationships with our future clients

We are our own most powerful marketing tool

How to connect ideas and be a storyteller

Consider using the STAR interview method when you're interacting on social media: Situation, Task, Action, Result.

Do followers appreciate the clarity of influencers since they don't often get that from designers?

Get permission from your clients to share projects on social media by putting it in your contract

Rebecca started asking clients if they wanted to be tagged in her social media.

We've definitely learned from influencers that we need to level up our photography game as designers

Brand consistency has helped influencers create a professional appearance that designers can adopt to increase credibility

On this week's episode we're taking you on a journey to Las Vegas Market with our favorite showrooms, trends, and tips. We even got to catch up with a few guest Hotties to share their thoughts from Spring 2021's Market.

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

The food and coffee situation at Las Vegas Market was rough

Rebecca is stoked that her website got fixed, she uses the Elementor plug-in for Wordpress

They're both stoked that Handmaid's Tale is back for Season 4

Shaun's potential client is really disappointed at the design options her home builder is offering

We caught up with Alexis Garrett of Alexis Garrett Design.

Alexis liked seeing caning, rope, and rattan

She loved Kim Salmela's collection for Norwalk Furniture, linens from Pom Pom At Home, and unique offerings from Kiss That Frog

Shaun picked up on a Golden Girls aesthetic that he didn't necessarily love

We spent some quality time with Maegan Blau of Blue Copper Design

Maegan highlighted rope furniture, modern lighting, and relaxed upholstery

We all visited the Sunset West outdoor furniture showroom and want to up our game

Rebecca loved seeing new ideas for leather details

Shaun is calling it - boucle is done

They both noticed traditional finishes like alabaster and crystal in lighting

Rebecca is all here for 70s lighting trends

Finally we got a cameo appearance from Ashley Ausland from Ausland Interior to hear her thoughts

Ashley loved seeing curved upholstery, fluting details, and tambour.

Seeing rounded shapes may be a reaction to the harshness of the last few years.

It reminded Rebecca of Ingrid Lee's book, Joyful

We both drew inspiration from the details inside the Vegas hotels

And we both enjoyed our stay at The Hotel Nomad

There was a bit of a roaring 20's influence in materials and shapes

The Hudson Valley Lighting showroom never disappoints

Shaun talks about how he wants to level up his outdoor furnishing game

They both shared how they're making plans to bring more accessory purchasing into their business

Rebecca's market pick was Mercana

Shaun's market pick was Classic Home

This week Shaun and Rebecca are sharing their dream projects in another installment of You Wish, Bitch! They're manifesting their crazy big ideas and some more realistic dream projects to niche their businesses. Turns out that they both have globetrotting design fantasies! If you don't put it out there, how will someone know you want it?

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Shaun's been trying to snag a tile by Paul Bommer and keeps missing his Etsy sales.

Heidi Caillier Design used Paul Bommer's tiles for this kitchen project

Shaun's been using the IKEA Symfonisk speaker outside to pair with his existing Sonos indoor system

Rebecca's Camp Goldenbear project is getting so cool

Don't ever get stuck in the Suez Canal, because it'll cost you $1 BILLION DOLLARS!

Listen back to our first You Wish, Bitch episode #27 about dream kitchens

We recorded this episode while staying at The Hotel Nomad for Las Vegas Market

Shaun talks about niching his business into Spanish Revival style homes

Rebecca chats about the type of clientele and project she really wants to work with

Shaun's dream big is working on a Riad in Marrakech, Morocco after his trip in 2019

The El Fenn and L'Hotel Marrakech are both beautiful and inspiring resorts

Rebecca wants to pretend to recreate Stay Here in her design business

Set your dream big goals: Who do you want to call you for their next project? What's the project? What does it look like? How does it reward you? What's the look and feel?

It's time for our next Process Party, Hotties! We've talked about how important furniture sales are to generating revenue, and the first thing you need to do is learn the differences in quality and value. This week we help you get an introductory course. Because you've got to educate yourself before you can educate your clients!

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Rebecca's been frustrated by reinventing her remodeling proposals in Dubsado

Shaun apparently undersold Poldark to Rebecca and now she's hooked

Check out Rebecca's Instagram highlights for her Lake Tahoe project

Is Poldark better than Downton Abbey?

Shaun wasn't a fan of the Stranger Things Drive Into Experience

If you're looking for a great Summery or brunch vibe, listen to the Spotify playlist by Palihouse

Check out Palisociety online for design inspiration too

Avoiding throwing around words like high-end and low-end until we've developed a spectrum of products we're referencing

Noir is a trade vendor who discloses a lot of material variation and embraces imperfection

Find out how the products you're specifying are made

A textile design course can really help you learn a lot about fabrics

Shaun learned a lot during his internship from Kathryn Ireland and her textile line

Understanding how wood is cut to understand pricing and quality

Learning the difference between partial overlay, full overlay, and inset cabinetry

Cabinetry can be value engineered

Rebecca and Shaun debate talking to a cabinet maker or a cabinet showroom to learn more

We talk about different upholstery qualities like fillers, pattern matches, and solid wood frames

Shade alert: Restoration Hardware sofas aren't always worth their price

Expensive doesn't always mean quality

Your job is to educate clients on what quality furnishings look like and how they're made

Eneia White talked about matching your client's inspiration with their budget in her Episode 38

Homeowners go into sticker shock on window treatments

Don't try to come for us saying your store bought window treatments are just as good as custom treatments

As designers we need to remove our money mindset from our client's money mindset

Price is only a factor in the absence of value, sell your clients on value that sets your proposed products apart

Don't be afraid to be humble and admit what you don't know

This week Rebecca + Shaun are diving into mentor relationships. They dish on what makes a good mentor, and most importantly what makes a good mentee. And it's not just asking "Can I pick your brain?" Guiding others can be a great way to invest in the design community.

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Rebecca started watching Poldark on Amazon Prime

We're psyched to be announcing the winners of 3 HYDC t-shirts after the 2021 Listener Survey over on our Instagram stories

Support our diverse community of past guests and show them some love

We've loved helping from you Hotties during our new Coaching Sessions

Are you going to see us at Las Vegas Market? April 10-14, 2021

Shaun got to hit some LA showrooms like Nickey Kehoe's Shop , Harbinger, and Claremont

Rebecca's still growing and learning from Episode 40: Outsourcing

We discussed informal and formal mentorship relationships

Proper etiquette for starting and maintaining mentor relationships

It's the 1st birthday of the HYDC! This week Rebecca and Shaun are celebrating by taking you back to their beginnings and how they started their businesses. They share their education paths, what they invested to launch, and how they got their first projects.

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Rebecca's project was shared on Bobby Berk's Instagram

Hear more of our origin stories in past episodes like

Episode 1: Meet The Hot Young Designers

Episode 14: Hot Old Husbands Club

Shaun interned with Kathryn M Ireland in Santa Monica

Which business model is right for you? Check out Episode 35: Unf*ck Your Biz with Braden Drake

We learned a lot from Luann Nigara's A Well Designed Business Podcast and Kimberly Seldon's Business of Design Podcast

Completing the One Room Challenge helped us create great spaces to share with clients in our portfolio

Veronica Solomon's Facebook Group

Rebecca's school reference book Professional Practice For Interior Designers

This week we're taking your real life questions on topics like how to handle contractors and what to do when clients take credit for your work. There's even a not-so-hot kitchen counter dilemma. We opened the hotlines for all of your design agonies in this WWHYDD? episode.

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Stuff they mentioned:

Rebecca's reading The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah

Book your Private Coaching Session with us!

This week the Hot Young Designers are sharing how they outsource tasks in their business and home life. If you've been feeling overwhelmed, it's probably time to delegate tasks. And growing your business doesn't just mean hiring permanent employees - it's time to stop that "I can do it all myself" life!

Questions/comments? Email us at [email protected]

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Follow Shaun

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Stuff they mentioned:

House of Hipsters Open Letter To Pinterest

Design Influencers Conference

Shaun's Le Labo Santal 33 cologne is a highlight of his day

Rebecca's reading It Didn't Start With You about inherited family trauma

Shaun recommended the My Favorite Murder podcast

Cecily's favorite ferret TikTok

They both use meal kits like Sun Basket, Blue Apron, Marley Spoon, Hello Fresh to save time and simplify their home lives

We loved Eneia White Interior's episode when she talked about hiring