The Chaise Lounge Podcast

Betsy Nathan: Collecting Feng Xue

Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Betsy Nathan from Chicago about her business, Pagoda Red. Betsy had been collecting 18th and 19th-century Chinese furniture and putting them in a gallery until recently, where she is now beginning to branch out into African and European art. She and Nick talk about her inspirations and what fuels her interest in art and furniture.

China in the 1990s

Betsy is the youngest in a family of four siblings with a considerable age gap between her and them. Her older siblings traveled around the world as she was growing up and brought back exciting stories about where they had been, which inspired her to do the same when she grew up. Betsy's mother was also a contemporary art dealer who exposed her to the world of art throughout her upbringing. In her adulthood, Betsy worked for a cross-cultural consulting firm in the 1990s that worked with many Chinese clients. This eventually prompted her to live in China for two years to study Mandarin. While studying abroad, she gained a deep interest in Chinese furniture from the 18th and 19th century because of the symbolic meaning tied in with the designs.

The Beginning of Pagoda Red

When she came back to the United States, she had collected a few furniture pieces that a friend of hers thought would be great to exhibit in a gallery. She agreed with the idea and thus the idea for Pagoda Red was seeded. However, this friend “chickened- out” (as Betsy put it) last minute, but rather than give up, Betsy decided to start the business on her own. When Pagoda Red first began, there was a bit of superstition surrounding Feng Xue, but since then the superstition has ebbed, allowing Betsy’s business to prosper.

Pagoda Red Today

Today, Betsy seeks furniture that are unusual examples of traditional or common pieces. She focuses mainly on Chinese furniture that was created for the middle market in the 18th and 19th century as well.Pagoda Red recently loaned a few of its pieces to the Chicago botanic gardens for their 10,000 orchid display. Pagoda Red also offers a trade program for designers intended to extend themselves the way they do in a gallery, online.

To learn more about Pagoda Red, check out www.pagodared.com and go to www.pagodared.com/trade_program to learn more about their trade program.

Upcoming Events

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Margaret McMahon From Temp to Managing Director

Today in the Lounge Nick speaks with Margaret McMahon, the Managing Director for Wimberly Interiors from WATG. Margaret talks about her unusual introduction into the interior design world, what her job at WATG entails, and what she looks for when she hires interns.

Getting to Know Margaret

Margaret McMahon grew up in Douglaston, Queens. Her favorite vacation spot is Ireland. She loves road trips, the people and the bad weather from there. She went to school and attended SUNY Albany and then DIS, Danish International Studies in Copenhagen. Beer, wine, or cocktail? She hasn’t had alcohol in 9 years. She pretends to be drinking with a club soda, cranberry juice, and a lime.

How Margaret Got Her Start

When her father refused to pay for law school, Margaret windsurfed and smoked pot instead. Her mother ended up helping her by telling her to go to Kelly Services, a temp agency, and find a job. Trisha Wilson Associates was hiring for someone to cut matboards. Margaret was hired and ended up helping put together a presentation for the bankers' trust offices in Cairo, Egypt. She also took out the trash and got doughnuts. Margaret earned her two-year certificate in interior design at night while working for Trisha. She says that she learned things in school but in the ends was trained most by her clients. Not to mention Trisha Wilson was an amazing mentor.

WATG

WATG is an international architecture firm. Wimberly Interiors is the interior design firm within WATG. She has been with the firm for seven years. She is the Managing Director at Wimberly Interiors. Starting out, her job was to assess the business and open up a studio in New York. Her first year was tough because no one knew that she was coming into the firm. Today, Margaret's day to day really varies. She helps out the other WATG firms in Singapore or LA if they need help they help and vice versa. She often travels for projects. Margaret looks at proposals, manages staffing, and oversees financial work. There are some days where is she is completely bogged down with admin work that going out to the floor and just looking at the designs helps her unwind. She is very good at critiquing and giving advice on projects. Her job has no set definition because it changes every day.

What Margaret Looks for in an Intern

As an intern, or someone looking to get into the industry, you have to be willing to make it happen. Young people have to remember that this business is a learning process. Margaret doesn’t care where you went to school, what really matters is your work ethic and your outlook on life. They absolutely look at portfolios and resumes when hiring. If you don't’ have the same opportunities as someone going to a private school, if you're going to a public university or community college, you can still get the same opportunities, it just depends on how you author yourself. Even if your portfolio isn’t all that great you can still sell yourself. Margaret and her team will certainly give you a try if you show you are worth it. Even if you are not required to do an internship for credit, Margaret highly recommends getting one to receive experience in the field. If you’re passionate enough about the job you want and you do what it takes, you will be successful.

To learn more visit Wimberly Interiors and follow Margaret on Instagram.

Resources

Benjamin Moore

Porcelanosa

Design Manager

Universal Furniture

Upcoming Events

Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly,

(Click the photos for more information!)

Laura Thurman- Nashville Design with LA Flair

Today in The Lounge, Nick chats with Laura Thurman of Thuman Design Studio. Learn about Laura’s pathway to design, her transition from LA to Nashville, and how she harnesses the power of networking and social media to grow her interior design business.

Pathway to Design

Originally from LA, Laura Thurman moved to Nashville, TN five years ago. As a child, she enjoyed painting, drawing, dancing and re-arranging her bedroom furniture. These interests ultimately lead to her future career as an Interior Designer. After receiving her degree in Interior Architecture from Woodbury University, Laura began freelancing as a graphic designer in LA, before landing a job with a commercial furniture dealer.  While working in commercial sales she learned how form and function plays a crucial role in product selection and how to think both ergonomically and spatially. After working in commercial sales Laura went on to work for local residential interior design firms before venturing out to start her own business.

The Business Today

Before starting her own business, Laura spent six months developing her business cards, website, logo and resource library so she was prepared to go out on her own. Now after three years in business, she feels more established. Today, about  50% of her business is working with builders and developers making new construction product selections and the rest is working with the custom residential client. Her workload typically comes in batches of about 4-5 projects at a time. Laura attributes the power of networking as a key to her success. Laura decided to join a BNI  professional networking group, which she attributes to helping her learn how to present herself to people. She has also found networking success through Linked In, and by simply reaching out. A fellow design colleague introduced her to Universal Furniture whom she collaborated with on a video series focusing on the behind the scene world of designers. Laura recommends using collaborations and partnerships and to think outside of the box to get your idea sponsored in a way that equally benefits both parties.

In addition to networking opportunities, Laura is also very active on Houzz. Houzz has generated some quality leads for her business. To be successful at Houzz, be timely with your response to inquiries. As Houzz may not work for everyone, Thumbtack offers a similar platform. Showing up to industry events has also been a key element to help grow her business. Next up, Laura will be attending the Design Bloggers Conference for the first time. Although a smaller venue than some of the other design shows, The Design Bloggers Conference attendees represent some of the biggest movers and shakers in the industry.

To connect with Laura, visit her Instagram page,  website, or blog for the latest updates.

More from Laura:

Nashville Ivy Designer Gathering with Laura Thurman, Amy Flurry & Kathy Kinton

3 Easy Interior Home Decor Ideas That Won’t Break The Bank

Prep Your Guest Bedroom for the Holidays

Fall Holiday Prep and Checklist

Resources

Benjamin Moore

Porcelanosa

Design Manager

Universal Furniture

Upcoming Events

Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast.

David Phoenix: Daring Self-Starter

Today in The Lounge, Nick interviews David Phoenix, a daring self-starter who shot out on his own with only his ideas and passion to back him. We learn how David went from being jobless in the 1990s to working with millionaires overnight, all without college experience or the internet to guide his way.

Getting to Know David

David was born and raised in New England just west of Boston. He now lives in Los Angeles, California and has been living there since 1984. Watches are his favorite fashion accessory while his favorite vacation spot is Fiji. The room he likes the least in his house is his walk-in pantry/ closet and while he doesn’t drink, he does enjoy Pellegrino with a squeeze of lime.

Oh the Places He Would Go

In his mid-teens, David had a mentor who would take him through furniture stores where he would take home the magazines they had out and trace over the pictures. After high school, he attended design school for a single day before deciding the environment was not for him. He then worked numerous jobs at showrooms, fabric stores and the like; anything that gave him experience in the design field. After being let-go from one of his jobs and being unemployed for a month, David decided he would start his own design firm. Shortly after making this decision, he ran into Maria Shriver who liked his concepts and character. She then gave him a job the following day.

Where He is Now

Today, David has six-to-seven staff members on his team. They mostly work ground-up construction, though do not hesitate to take on remodeling jobs or both simultaneously. He has done work all around the United States from the West to East Coast, though would love to do a house, hotel, or resort in Hawaii as well. When hiring staff, he looks primarily for characters who are highly organized, self-starters, and those who readily take on work. He ensures that his staff is open to making connections with him and their co-workers so as to limit the potential for internal conflicts. David highly prefers applicants with experience to show alongside their skill sets.

David’s business has grown from a walk-in closet to an office space in Los Angeles without a marketing team to  advertise his brand. He has managed to maintain a steady flow of work via word-of-mouth and recommendations from clients. David claims that the biggest struggle of his job is working amicably with the clients, which he likens to marriage counseling. He also designs showcase homes which are enormous time and financial investments, but worth it for the client to see the designer physically linked to the spaces he creates. When figuring out how to price himself, he asked others in the field how they priced themselves and based his assessment off what he learned.

David launched his first line of furniture with Hickory Chair last year.

Learn more about David Phoenix at www.davidphoenix.com

Also be sure to check out www.hickorychair.com to keep up to date on when David’s furniture line launches.

Upcoming Events

Modernism Week – Feb 15 – 25

Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Anna Kenoff - Morpholio Apps

Today in the Lounge Nick speaks with Anna Kenoff, co-founder of Morpholio, all the way from New York. Anna and Nick discuss how Morpholio began, how it launched four different apps and, the costs and benefits of using Morpholio professionally.

Getting to Know Anna

Anna grew up in Charlotte, North Carolina. She stayed there until she went to architecture school in Virginia. That’s when she made her way up to New York and practiced architecture for ten years while also obtaining her masters from Colombia.

What is Morpholio?

In New York, Anna worked on a lot of medium-scale commercial projects. When the iPad came out, she had an idea. If she was going to have such a powerful device in her hands, she wanted to be able to utilize it to show off her work. That is when Anna and her three partners, friends from grad school, created Morpholio Design Portfolio App. Additionally, they designed a feature to able to draw on top of your work, which eventually became its own standalone app called, Morpholio Trace. 

They felt that because they had launched the perfect app for architects, they also wanted to create the perfect app for designers. Morpholio Board, started with the foundation of being digital mood board, which is an inspiration board for projects, but it now offers so much more to interior designers. The features for this app include a massive library of products; Ava (Automated Visual Assembly), which takes your board and lets you export spreadsheets which keep links, data, notes, and images; and augmented reality (AR) color capture, which takes the colors around you and finds samples for the colors using its RGB color number. You can even look up complementary colors for any color you choose. Lastly, Anna and her team have also created an app called, Morpholio Journal, which is a simple sketchbook. With the launch of AR, it created an opportunity for the design industry. Additional to her partners the small Morpholio team has four part-time staff.

Cost and Benefits of Morpholio

Right now, Morpholio is available for $11.99 a year or $3.99 a month. It comes with a free week trial and there is an option for an extended trial. The free trial doesn’t include all the features so purchasing the pro app would be to your benefit. Morpholio Trace is $20.00 a year. Morpholio Journal is $3.99 a year. Morpholio Portfolio is free. These apps are available for the iPhone but, the iPad is where you really get to see the app in its full capacity. You are able to send clients jpegs or files for the boards you create for them. Morpholio apps are unique because people in the industry created them so they know what tools you need to make your design work. They have also been working really closely with Apple. Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, used images of Morpholio Trace in his annual keynote.

Branding for Morpholio

Morpholio branded their apps by reaching out to well-known vendors in design such as Knoll, Herman Miller, Kravet, and Porcelanosa. This gave vendors a new place to launch their products. They are also looking to branch out to work with big companies as well as up-and-coming designers and vendors, so don’t be afraid to reach out. Architects and designers are finding morpholio through their Instagram page and they reach out to clients at events ,such as ICFF and Porcelanosa lunch and learns, which is a way to earn credits for different licensing.

To learn more about Morpholio visit www.morpholioapps.com and follow them on Instagram at @morpholioboard. You can get notifications for the lunch and learns if you have the app downloaded. They do also send weekly emails to keep up everything Morpholio.

Resources

Benjamin Moore

Porcelanosa

Design Manager

Universal Furniture

Upcoming Events

Greg Durrer: Global Brand Leader Delta Hotels by Marriott

Today in the Lounge we've got a BIG episode! Lee Rotenberg cofounder of IvyMark reached out after hearing our last breaking news, special edition episode: Houzz purchases Ivy. Tune in to see how this controversial conversation went! Next Nick checks in with Lindsay Paoli, COO of Design Manager, to get her take on the situation and some of the topics brought up by Lee. Later, Nick chats with Greg Durrer, Global Brand Leader of Delta Hotels by Marriott live from the media lounge at BDNY. Learn about the history of Delta Hotels, designing for their typical guest, and their forecasted growth path.

Brand Beginnings

The Delta Hotels brand started in 1962 in British Columbia, Canada. Acquired by Marriott in 2015, Delta Hotels has grown to become part of the upscale tier of the global brand. From a series of focus groups, quantitative and qualitative data, Delta has determined that their typical guest values the ability to maintain the same routine as if they were at home and had access to food options for their dietary restrictions. Targeting the frequent traveler, the Delta Hotel brand focuses on consistency and accessibility. These ideals have been folded into their brand positioning along with other experiential elements such as a great night's sleep, comfortable workspace, and a great shower experience.

Designing for Delta Hotels

Delta Hotels is the fastest full-service brand within Marriott and is forecasted to have over 40 hotels opening in the next 18-24 months. For designers interested in working Delta Hotel property, the best way to get started is to align yourself with one of the established design firms already contracted to work with Delta. For individual designers, Delta is looking for both established and up and coming designers to join their team.

Delta encourages prospective candidates to take initiative and reach out to introduce yourself to the team. Contact the brand leader or established point of contact within the global design group to start the conversation. Designers that have done hospitality work for larger firms before starting their own individual company are encouraged to apply. Being a designer for Delta Hotels means working within their standard design guidelines and core pillars of guest room size, bathroom experience, functionality, and efficiency.

To learn more:

Visit www.deltahotels.marriott.com

Chaise Lounge Updates

Save the date: Nick will be doing a LIVE panel at High Point Market April 14th 3-5pm on a very relevant topic ;) Don't miss it!!!!!

Resources

Benjamin Moore

Porcelanosa

Design Manager

Universal Furniture

Upcoming Events

Modernism Week – Feb 15 – 25

Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

SPECIAL EDITION: Houzz Purchases Ivy

On this episode of The Lounge, Nick chats with Frank Leyon, Director of Global Sales of Oly Studio; Rachel Waldron, Owner of Waldron Designs; Julia Malloy, Owner of Bold Summit; Steven Avitable of Theodore Alexander; and Shawn Hughes of Steelyard about breaking industry news: Houzz purchases Ivy. Tune in and enjoy.

Upcoming Events

Modernism Week – Feb 15 – 25

Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

Today in The Lounge, Nick talks with Dan Rak of Dan Rak Design, about his journey from tax law to interior design. Dan talks about his career, what he’s learned, and what he looks forward to as his business grows.  

Dan’s Career Journey

Dan grew up in Detroit, Michigan. His education led him to tax law. To feed his need for creativity, Dan bought a house, lived in it while he renovated it and then sold it. Soon, clients from his tax firm and others heard about his talent and asked him redesign spaces in their homes. This is when he noticed something was amiss. Dan loved the process of creating spaces for people and found fulfillment - something tax law wasn’t providing. He left the law profession and went into Interior Design full-time by opening his own firm.

Growing a Design Firm

Dan openly talks with Nick about how he had to learn about the world of design from vendors, asking lots of questions and reading everything he could about design. He did not get a degree in the field; however, his skills from the law profession around organization and project management help to sell people on his designs. Dan discusses the challenges of managing his own business with 5 employees, some full-time and some part-time. He also talks about the marketing strategies he uses through a publicist, social media manager, his website and even through Houzz. Dan indicates that his firm typically manages about 5 projects at a time so he can give them all the attention they deserve and the quality stays high.

He discusses further the challenges he faces of learning to let go of tasks and trusting others to manage his business. He gives advice on how he is able to make sure his design style aligns with his clients’ wishes and how showing projects to clients, building relationships with them, and gaining their trust helps build his client base.

Dan’s Future Plans

As his business grows, Dan chats with Nick about his future plans to expand his firm to include boutique-type commercial spaces, a retail store, and possibly a furniture line. Dan counsels others looking to switch careers to ponder this thought - “Do what you would do if you were not afraid.”

Learn more about Dan Rak at: www.danrakdesign.com @danrakdesign on Instagram

Chaise Lounge Updates

The Student Lounge is up and running! Visit us to hear podcast episodes produced for students, by students.

Our Events Page

Resources

See what our sponsors can do for you.

Upcoming Markets

Modernism Week Feb 15 – 25

Design Bloggers Conference March 4 – 6

BD West April 4 – 5

High Point Market  April 14 – 18

More About Our Sponsors

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!

Phyllis Harbinger: Starting a Business

Today in The Lounge, Nick meets with Phyllis Harbinger to discuss what it takes to start a new business. They remark on the boon that easy access to the internet provides for start-up business owners, the funds and resources one needs to secure before striking out on his or her own, and what potential business owner must be capable of to attain success.

No Fun Without Funds

Phyllis strongly suggests that new business owners save up at least six months’ worth of money before trying to go out on their own. This is because the cost of starting a new business is high. The new business owner must be able to pay for the space they use to host their business, procure extra phone lines, hire staff, pay for medical insurance, business taxes, etc. A savings fund will not only allow you to pay for your necessities more readily, but it will also help cover any additional costs that arise unexpectedly.

Much of the money you gain should go toward marketing as well. Phyllis notes that building your brand goes hand in hand with building your business.

Must-Have Moxy

To be a successful business owner, Phyllis claims, you must be able to fulfill every role a business performs. This includes sales, which she and Nick agree is integral to starting a new business. Nick advises those wary of becoming their own salesman, to be more concerned with being authentic than making the biggest sale possible. For that is the best way to earn a client’s trust and loyalty.

Phyllis adds that if you do not have the motivation or skill set to be a business owner, there is no shame in being an employee. She says that if you are not sure you have what it takes, spend the time identifying your strengths and weaknesses before moving forward.

Tools of the Trade

Nick and Phyllis strongly advise that anyone looking to begin their business procure a lawyer very early on. A lawyer will not only ensure that you have the right documents when starting out, but he or she will also look out for your interests and keep them protected. Nick recommends interviewing lawyers as well as accountants to make sure one will suit your needs before hiring them.

Another aid Phyllis and Nick agree potential business owners should look at is tech support. Phyllis notes that there are many options available when hiring a person for such a role that does not require a separate department for them. Look around for freelancers, Geek Squad, current employees, etc.

Phyllis highly recommends that anyone who owns a design firm or is considering starting one should use Design Manager to help them with their affairs. Check the Phyllis Harbinger Instagram or send an email to [email protected] for a discount code on your first year of using Design Manager.

Learn more about Phyllis Harbinger at www.harbingerdesignconsulting.com or visit them on Instagram @dcistudio.

Upcoming Events

Las Vegas Market – Jan 28 – Feb 1

Modernism Week – Feb 15 – 25

Design Bloggers Conference – March 4 – 6

BD West – April 4 – 5

High Point Market – April 14 – 18

HD Expo – May 2 – 4

ICFF – May 20 – 23

NeoCon – June 11 – 13

Wrap Up

If you would like to hear more episodes, please visit us on iTunes or on our website at TheChaiseLoungePodcast.com. Lastly, find The Chaise Lounge on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter or post a review on iTunes, you may even hear your review read live on our next podcast. With that said keep dreaming big, and keep designing a great design business. See ya!

(Click on the photos to see more!)

Nadia Geller: From TV to Industry

Today in The Lounge, Nick speaks with Nadia Geller of Nadia Geller Designs out of Burbank California. Nick and Nadia discuss how she got into interior design at a young age, how she was cast in the show While You Were Out, what her business is like today, and about her experience on another show, The Job Interview.

Getting to Know Nadia

Nadia’s favorite place to visit is Zihuatanejo, Guerrero, México where she’s been vacationing for the past six years. She has two kids, eight and ten years old. Nadia says that the last thing she wants to do when she gets home from work, is work, on her home. At the age of twenty-four, she lost everything she had to a flood. She is now less attached to belongings but in case of a fire, Nadia would grab her art collection and photos. If she couldn’t be an interior designer, she would be a painter and a part-time bartender, or she would just be a mom to her kids. At age 5 Nadia’s mom took her to buy wallpaper where she fell in love with interior design. Her mother had picked out a pink wallpaper that Nadia didn’t like so, she flipped through the entire book and came out with a brown, blue, and, yellow combo wallpaper that they used instead. Nadia drew houses and floor plans from second grade on. Growing up in Schaumburg, Illinois Nadia originally went to school to be an artist and later switched to graphic design.

How Nadia Got Started in Interior Design

When she finished school, Nadia was a satellite coordinator for a subcontractor for tv shows shot in Chicago, such as Oprah, the Jenny Jones Show, and Jerry Springer. She later transferred and became a studio manager in New York City because her goal was to go to school there. Nadia never did end up going back to school, instead, NYC gave her the interior design hard knocks. Nadia got into all of her top schools but was already working three jobs just to make rent. Her friends encouraged her to not go back to school so she bought the books she would have read there and went out to find a job in the field. She got her start at ABC Carpets and Home as a Visual Manager, responsible for the 60,000 square feet of furniture in the showroom.

Two months after she got married, Nadia got a call from a casting director for a new show called, While You Were Out. She auditioned, got the role and was on the show for seven years. With a $1,500 budget to redo a space, she worked with local retailers and had to make the most of everything. She had a phenomenal experience, made money, and got to travel the country with a great cast. The hardest part of the show was watching herself fail miserably on some projects. There were a lot of experiments and risks because it was a TV show. In between filming, Nadia decided to start her business. A friend’s mom wanted her to work on model homes for her. She created a proposal, got the job, and started her business from there. Nadia started out by designing model homes but now does multi-family homes, condos, and hotels too.

The Business Today

Nadia runs her business with twelve people, working on projects in Hawaii, Los Angeles, San Diego, Phoenix, San Francisco, and Denver. She first started out by hiring student designers and paying them minimum wage. Then she hired independent contractors, more experienced designers, and full-time employees. In the beginning, the hardest part was wearing all the various hats and figuring out how to manage and pay everyone. Now, she has a financial person and a bookkeeper. Nadia hired employees based on what she was spending too much time doing herself. She knew she could serve her company better if she was just the creative head. She keeps her fingerprint on everything by constructing the creative concepts and visions for each project. Nadia trusts her team completely and they all work together well because they are in sync.