I know professional development isn't anything new, yet for some reason, I feel like it's lacking in the world of creatives.

So today I want to talk all about professional development and why it isn't a term often used with creatives like us, yet is really the key to success.

Be sure to head over to my website >>>https://devignierdesign.com/

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/success-in-professional-development

Today I am so excited to share with you the conversation I had with Tobi Fairley.

Tobi is an award-winning interior designer and business consultant with over two decades of experience helping high-achieving, creative professionals take their companies and lives to the next level. When she's not running her luxury interior design firm and her consulting practice for artistic business owners, she leads an online membership community for ambitious professionals, hosts the Design You podcast, and is launching her new Home Decor and Apparel eCommerce venture, Fairley Fancy, in June 2023, a collaboration with her daughter. Fairley has been featured on television and in top-shelf publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, Real Simple, Better Homes and Gardens, The Huffington Post, Southern Living, and on the covers of House Beautiful and Traditional Home.

Tobi has not only been a mentor and coach to me, but she has also become a dear friend that I continue to learn on for advice and encouragement. So it is truly an honor to have her on this podcast, which she inspired me to create and to share her wealth of knowledge with all the designers listening today.

In today's episode, Tobi shares how she accidentally built her 15-year consulting business, created new businesses, the knowledge, wisdom, and confidence she has gained along the way, and how she has helped so many other people do the same.

Find out more about Tobi by visiting her websites at: https://tobifairley.com, https://fairleyfancy.com & https://tobifairley.com/designyou2022

Be sure to head over to my website >>>https://devignierdesign.com/

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/tobi-fairley

When people hear that I manage construction, they automatically think of the basics - floor plans, finishes, and actual building materials. But what they aren't thinking about, and what is really the key to my success, is building the relationships on those job sites that bring the success we are all searching for.

So today, I want to talk about the 3 key relationships that are necessary in order to have the success we are all searching for.

Be sure to head over to my website >>>https://devignierdesign.com/

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/3-relationships-to-build

If you've been listening to me for any amount of time, then you know I believe construction management is a niche inside the interior design industry, and today I want to talk about how you can niche down even further inside of construction management.

Be sure to head over to my website >>>https://devignierdesign.com/

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/expert-specialty-niche

Today's episode is a treat where you can listen to the conversation I had with Catherine Marrano. Catherine and I first met when she joined my first course, The Interior Designer's Guide to Construction Management. Once we got to know each other, we realized we were both seasoned designers who loved to run construction projects for our clients. Catherine has over 20 years of experience but started her career as an event planner creating experiences and spaces - the likes of Planet Hollywood. But when she worked for an interior designer, her life was changed forever. She worked full-time at a design firm during the day while continuing her education in interior design at night. And in 2003, she founded her own firm Catherine Marrano Interiors.

These experiences and education, along with international travel and studies abroad, have helped her to understand different client perspectives and develop a creative eye for design. Over the years, Catherine has developed a specialty niche in kitchens and baths and offers a bespoke private labeled cabinet line that she created.

It's a really exciting time to hear the designers in our course share how their experience is coming through in so many different ways. Today's conversation is no exception. You will hear us talk about how her career evolved, how she started private labeling a cabinet line, and so much more! I'm excited for you to learn through our conversation today!

You can find out more about Catherine by visiting her website at: https://catherinemarrano.com

Be sure to head over to my website >>>https://devignierdesign.com/

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/catherine-marrano

If you've been curious, skeptical, or maybe avoiding AI altogether, today's episode is for you!

In this ever-changing world in which we live, it is quite understandable and normal to be fearful of technological advances such as AI (Artificial intelligence) and to worry about how it will impact our industry and how it will affect your day-to-day business. And so today, I want to talk about what industry experts are saying about it, how to position yourself to avoid any pitfalls and harness its power to put you on a greater, stronger footing than you are today!

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/ai-future-interior-design

Even seasoned designers have stories of having to build and rebuild their confidence in this industry, and today, I want to share with you my story. All the things we discussed in last week's Episode 121: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/pricing-projects-rebecca-hay came down to confidence, whether that's pricing your projects that shows your worth, whether that's taking on new projects that you think might be a stretch or hiring people. All of it boils down to having the confidence to know it will work. You may not know how it will work, but it will work.

I mentioned how my confidence was severely broken midway through my career and I thought it was valuable to share with all of you listening because so often we see seasoned designers like Rebecca and I as always having had confidence. And that couldn't be further from the truth!

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/how-i-rebuilt-confidence

I am so excited for you to hear this conversation with fellow designer Rebecca Hay, CEO of Rebecca Hay Designs, host of the Resilient by Design podcast, international speaker and business coach. She's the creator of the revolutionary online course, Power of Process, helping time-strapped and frustrated Interior Designers eliminate the chaos of running a business so they can achieve focus and clarity. She helps designers build confidence and streamline their business, taking them from chaos to coordinated. Her methods and experience prove that anyone can up-level their business & make more money without working around the clock. Rebecca believes in collaboration over competition and given the right tools, anyone can be successful.

In today's episode, we cover it all! From interior design to pricing, to confidence building, and even AI. You will no doubt learn something from today's episode. It's like listening to two seasoned designers chatting about the industry that we love!

You can find out more about Rebecca, her offer mentioned in the show as well as her podcast at:

rebeccahay.com/podcast/

rebeccahay.com/revenue/

https://rebeccahay.com/pricing/

Find the full show notes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/rebecca-hay

We are a few weeks into the Group Coaching VIP Calls for my course, Renovation Management for Interior Designers, and I've had a question come up more than once, so I wanted to share it with all of you today.

A designer shared with me that she was working on a project and she had written the contract in two phases. One was the design and development phase, and the other was the renovation management phase.

And her client chose only to hire her for the design and development phase. And while she went to great lengths explaining the value an interior designer can bring to managing these projects, her client felt they could manage their project on their own.

I'm sure this has happened to you as well! Find out how to avoid this in today's episode, other critical jobsite questions that were asked, and how these Group VIP calls benefit not JUST the designers asking the questions!

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/designers-questions-answered

Renovation or construction management is a niche inside the interior design industry. Inside that niche, there are specialties. In particular, kitchens and baths. Today, I want to take a deeper dive into how to create a custom bath for your clients.

If this is something you already specialize in and want to elevate this skill or would like niche down into kitchen and bathroom renovations, this episode is for you!

Find the full shownotes at: https://devignierdesign.com/podcast/elevate-clients-bathroom-design