Welcome once again to the Chaise Lounge Podcast. It has been a great honor to speak to so many talented and passionate designers over the course of the show. To close out our 30th Season, Nick May sits down with interior designer and marketing specialist Pamela Durkin.

Pam's design career began with the usual wide variety of clients and projects. Over the years, her favorite types of projects became increasingly more common. Not wanting to let go of this momentum, Pam set out to study marketing strategies in the world of design. She found that many designers do not pay enough attention to their own marketing; some do not take full advantage of digital tools, and others struggle to decline unfulfilling projects. Today, with 30 years of design experience, Pamela assists other designers in elevating their business through effective marketing tactics. It's not just about making more money. It's about improving your clientele and making your job more blissful.

You can check out Pamela's portfolio and marketing services on her website, pamela-durkin.com. Also, be sure to follow her on instagram @pameladurkin

We all talk about how design is a luxury service, and how we're going to take great care of our clients. But how do you show somebody that before you've been hired? How do you say 'I'm going to take great care of you'?

Pamela Durkin

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Hello! Welcome once again to the Chaise Lounge! This week, Nick May sits down with Alex Alonso, a designer and proud leader of a studio in Miami, Florida!

Throughout his life, Alex has experimented with many different interests. He initially pursued engineering, then switched to Spanish Literature. Starting from his senior year, Alex worked and developed in the entertainment industry. One of his friends invited him to start a small studio together, a venture that wouldn't last long. Feeling that their dynamic could not work with them apart, Alex closed that studio and started his own from scratch. He worked heavily on establishing the identity of his solo studio, building up a strong portfolio, and refining his branding.

Alex emphasizes that Mr. Alex Tate is not a firm - cold, impersonal, even intimidating - but a studio; an active working and learning environment. He wants to take the client on a journey to learn and explore together, and believes in being knowledgeable rather than putting up an image. For this reason, Alex chose not to name the studio after himself. He acknowledges that he works with a team, and that they are an important part of the experience.

Be sure to check out Mr. Alex Tate's website mralextate.com, and follow the team on Instagram @mralextate

I took a whole year... to make sure that when I launched, I knew exactly how I would feel more comfortable engaging with clients and contractors. It was a year of learning, putting my head down the path of not just designing beautiful things, but [also] business. Because at the end of the day, it's a business.

Alex Alonso

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome once again to the Chaise Lounge Podcast! This week, Nick May sits down with Julien Legeard, a residential and hospitality designer with a powerhouse team in Miami.

Julien was born and raised in France. He studied business in university to extend his range of possibilities for a successful career. His interest in the field diminished, but he discovered a passion for craftsmanship, a fascination with people who strive to be exceptional, and an interest in architecture and design. Much to our surprise, Julien did not receive formal education in architecture or design. He educated himself working for several companies in high-end residential projects, learning the ins and outs of structural design from raw experience. After years of developing skills, Julien started his own firm, Legeard Studio, and works in residential and hospitality.

Legeard Studio's team of talented designers from all over the world provide a richness to the experience for clients. To Julien, the most exciting thing of the job is understanding a client's vision and making it a reality. He is proud and thankful of his team for their accomplishments, and hopes to take the public on a journey to discover beauty.

You can find Legeard Studio's work on their site, legeardstudio.com, and follow Julien on Instagram @legeardstudio

The success of a good design-architectural studio is to have every-day people that are happy to work for you. And once you have that, it's easier to do those difficult projects

Julien Legeard

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High Point Market – October 22-26, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome back to the Chaise Lounge Podcast! This week, Nick May chats with a designer, but not an interior designer. Fernando Alvarez and his family own an upholstery business that has existed since the 1960's: Le Jeune Upholstery.

Fernando's parents, Consuelo and Osmundo immigrated to Miami from Cuba. They opened a furniture upholstery business, working from sunrise to sunset for several years. As the business grew, they opened a second location, followed by a third one a decade later. Today, Le Jeune is operated by Fernando and his brothers Alex and Gerry. Each brother takes charge of a separate division of the company - sales, marketing, and design - and incorporates order and passion, following the steps of Consuelo and Osmundo.

Fernando puts his engineering experience to use when designing furniture. He is very technical when approaching his craft. He draws sketches of the furniture and patterns, takes scale and proportions into consideration, asks his clients about colors, where the piece will be placed in their home - and that's before he actually builds the piece. Everything the brothers do is done in-house, hand-made from start to finish. From chairs to sofas to footrests, Le Jeune exemplifies the art and science of designing and making furniture.

Check out Fernando's work on their website lejeuneupholstery.com, and be sure to follow them on Instagram @le_jeune_upholstery

[Our parents'] work ethic is the most important thing that was instilled in us. Work hard, be serious.. the service part is very big. We're there for the customer.

Fernando Alvarez

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High Point Market – October 22 – 26, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome! In this week's Chaise Lounge, Nick May sits down with a returning guest: interior designer Kate Lester!

In her previous appearance, Kate walked us through her story of how she worked to become an interior designer and business woman.  A few years have passed since then, and despite the odds, she has not slowed down one bit. Covid caused many of her employees to leave; staff turnover remained unbearably high for a while. Kate picked herself up by the bootstraps and pushed on. Once the dust settled, she rebuilt her team and established procedures to put the business back on track. Kate Lester Interiors now has, not one, but two retail locations. She also opened an online shop, and even an online education platform called Home Skool! In case that is not enough, Kate will make her first visit to Market, where she will present the world with an exciting announcement!

Do not miss out! Be sure to follow Kate on Instagram @klinteriors, and check out her stunning portfolio on her website katelesterinteriors.com

It was really eye-opening for me to remember [to have] procedures and roles and handbooks... so that when you have to re-staff in a hurry, you have some outlines and guides in place.

Kate Lester

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High Point Market – October 22 – 26, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Hello, and welcome to the Chaise Lounge! Today we have a double-feature episode for your. This week Nick May sits down with Todd Raymond, a young residential designer on the rise. Furthermore, Nick catches up with our dear friend Gail Doby.

Todd's interest in design began in his childhood, when his grandmother gifted him an AD magazine. Growing up, he faced many obstacles that prevented him from studying architecture, as well as other endeavors that caught his interest. After many years of distractions, Todd returned to college go pursue a career in architecture. He went on to work on several design firms and participate in ambitious projects. This experience gave him the confidence to open his own firm, Studio Todd Raymond.

Todd is big on networking to market himself. He will seize any opportunity to form a connection that can lead to a successful path. One of his focus points is the customer experience, as great service allows for loyal clients. To help in making that experience flow, Todd makes sure to be transparent about his prices and the client's budget; he is not afraid of discussing the money side of business. As he says, even the multi-billionaire customer has an amount they're willing to spend.

Be sure to follow Todd on Instagram @studiotoddraymond, and check his developing portfolio at studiotoddraymond.com

Gail Doby, CEO of Gail Doby Coaching & Consulting, returns with a call-to-action. Some of the biggest hurdles for designers, especially after Covid, are setting fees, salaries, and competing for talent. To address these issues, Gail invites you to participate in her 2022 Interior Designers Survey on Fees, Salaries and Competing for Talent. 

We want people to understand us aesthetically, [and] recognize and recommend us because we are hospitality-driven firm. We want to make sure that the client experience is really top-notch.

Todd Raymond

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High Point Market – October 22 – 26, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome back to the Chaise Lounge! This week, Nick May chats with Elizabeth Gill from Elizabeth Gill Interiors in New York!

Elizabeth attended George Washington University to study International Business, then later acquired a Master's Degree in Interior Design and Architecture. After graduating, she worked at a traditional design firm in DC, where she learned a few aspects of the trade that seldom are taught in school. A few more years passed before Elizabeth took a risk and started her own company in 2018.

One of Elizabeth's inspirations to keep going is people. She always yearned to meet new people every day, form meaningful connections with strangers, and seeks out memorable experiences with others. She is a goal-oriented visionary, always thinking big-picture. Elizabeth determines her success by the variety of markets she gets to work in, and all the people that accompany in her journey.

Connect with Elizabeth by following her on Instagram @fromtherugup, and check out her work on her website www.elizabethgillinteriors.com

You have to have a village of support, and not be too proud or afraid to ask for help.

Elizabeth Gill

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High Point Market – October 22 - 26, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome back to the Chaise Lounge! This week, Nick May sits down with Anna Smith, owner of Anna Bode located right here in Denver Colorado!

Anna grew up in New Hampshire. She found an interest in historic preservation, although science and chemistry were not her strong suits. She then moved to studying history of decorative arts in London, focusing on historic homes and the history of interior design. Eventually she worked for an interior design studio in New York, and later moved Colorado to open her own.

Because of her background in historic preservation, Anna often works on older homes, specifically residential renovations; the idea of restoring a piece of architecture to its former glory is exciting to her. She also highlights how her team puts a strong emphasis on sustainability and reducing material waste, hoping to influence the industry in a significant way.

Running a design business is not just about being a good designer. Of course there's the business side of thing, and Anna shares how she learned to manage her studio through a variety of methods. Some of them include listening to podcasts and taking notes, networking with creatives, and even starting a mastermind group to explore ideas with other designers.

If you'd like to learn more about Anna, be sure to follow her on Instagram @annabode and check out her website annabode.com!

In terms of what success looks like, my goal with Anna Bode - since we've transitioned into this focus on sustainability - is to feel like we're operating in a different way than design has in the past, and that we're making an influence on the industry.

Anna Smith

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 Coast to Coast Design is back baby! Give it a listen to learn about just how many ways there are to run a design business.

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High Point Market – April 2 – 6, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome! In this week's Chaise Lounge, Nick May sits down with Nicole Salceda, interior designer and owner of Eye For Pretty in Danville, California!

Nicole attended St. Mary's to earn a teaching degree. She later got married and the couple purchased a house, which she would decorate and re-decorate. Visitors would ask her if she was an interior designer. She played around with the thought and did design work for friends and family while teaching part-time. After becoming popular on Instagram, Nicole decided to drop her teaching career and officially become an interior designer. She opened her studio Eye For Pretty on the bay area of Danville, and her team is comprised of hard-working moms.

Nick and Nicole discuss the business and operations side of running a design firm - or any kind of business. They go into hiring the right people, being flexible with our employees, and building a strong team. Nicole reminds us to keep ourselves in check; establish what kind of business we want to have and who we want to work with. We need the courage to decline projects we can't tackle, even if they are our dream projects. Additionally, she lets us know that design does not have to be ultra-formal, and that it's okay to add some personality for flavor.

You can connect with Nicole through her Instagram @eyeforpretty and her website www.eyeforpretty.com. You can also check out her retail store at eyeforprettyathome.com. If you want to have a chuckle, check out @eye4petty, a parody account ran by Nicole's husband!

I know at this point in my career that hiring a strong team is really the secret to a lot of my success.

Nicole Salceda

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Chaise Lounge Updates

 Coast to Coast Design is back baby! Give it a listen to learn about just how many ways there are to run a design business.

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High Point Market – April 2 – 6, 2022

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If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Welcome back to the Chaise Lounge podcast! It is now 2022 and to start the new year motivated, Nick May sits down with global Digital Director at Architectural Digest David Kaufman!David has been featured in the show a few times before. For those who missed out, he worked as editor for the New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, and other giants in the world of journalism. As his current title suggests, he is in charge of translating AD's print content to digital platforms.Aside from reminding us about the new AD100 list, David introduces us to Architectural Digest's first ever Works Of Wonder (WOW) List, which features a curated selection by their international editors of the best projects in the world. Furthermore, AD's editors are also working to slowly make the AD experience more visual and less verbal, removing the need for the extra translation work and incorporate the universal language of images and icons.If you’d like to learn more about David, you can follow him on Instagram @kaufmandavidnyc

This year... there's a company-wide effort for all of the brands with international presences to try to integrate global content and global operations.

David Kaufman

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Chaise Lounge Updates

 Coast to Coast Design is back baby! Give it a listen to learn about just how many ways there are to run a design business. 

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Upcoming Markets

High Point Market – April 2 – 6, 2022

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Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes, Spotify or your favorite podcasting app! We'd love it if you post a review, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. Also, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. With that said, keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!