Red Barrinuevo didn't build the business he has today by continuing to do what every other home stager was doing.

In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, Red joins me to look back at how Redesign4More grew from a staging business he was running around a full-time office job into one of Canada's most recognizable home staging brands.

We talk about the early decisions that helped build his reputation, including investing in professional photography before he could comfortably afford it, hiring a PR agency when few home stagers were thinking about PR, and becoming the face of his brand even when being visible didn't always feel comfortable.

But Red's story isn't only about becoming more visible.

As the business grew, he also became much clearer about the work he wanted to do, the clients he wanted to serve and what he wanted the company to become. That eventually led him away from parts of the traditional staging model and toward model suites, residential design and a much more defined market position. Your original intro frames this evolution in essentially the same way.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Red got his start in home staging while still working a full-time office job
• Why he invested in professional photography from the beginning
• What led him to invest in PR and how visibility helped build his authority
• Why doing great work and creating a great client experience opened unexpected doors
• Why being the face of your brand matters, even when visibility feels uncomfortable
• How Red identified model suite staging as an opportunity and deliberately repositioned his business around it
• Why raising his prices helped him attract better-fit clients
• How he markets directly to builders and developers instead of waiting for them to find him
• Why Red doesn't rely on social media alone to generate business
• How becoming known for something specific made his marketing clearer and more focused
• How his core values, mission and vision now guide the clients, opportunities and partnerships he says yes to
• What Red believes home stagers misunderstand about building a brand and reputation
• Why building the right business sometimes means moving away from services you no longer want to provide
• What he would do differently if he were starting his staging business again today

• Website: https://redbarrinuevo.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram/com/redbarrinuevo

• Website: https://socialsavvystagers.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialsavvystager

More staging projects. More inventory. More revenue. More team members. Maybe a bigger warehouse.

We tend to talk about growth as though more automatically means you’re building a more successful staging business.

But what happens when your business isn’t actually designed to support that growth?

In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I’m sharing five signs that the business you’ve built might not be prepared for where you’re trying to take it.

I’m also sharing the stories of two staging business owners at very different stages of growth. One had successfully created demand for her premium vacant staging services but ended up approximately $75,000 in debt trying to keep up with it. The other had built a seven-figure staging company with a large team and 10,000-square-foot warehouse, but the costs of running the business had grown faster than her pricing.

Because more revenue doesn’t automatically mean a healthier business.

As your staging company grows, your pricing, services, inventory, capacity, systems, team and business model need to grow and change with it. And sometimes the smartest decision isn’t to add more. It’s to get much more intentional about what actually belongs in the business you’re trying to build.

• Why more demand doesn’t always create a more profitable staging business

• How growth creates new demands on your cash, capacity, inventory, team and systems

• Why adding another service or revenue stream is often a much bigger decision than it appears

• How offering too many disconnected services can dilute your resources and focus

• Why revenue alone doesn’t tell you whether you’ve built a financially healthy business

• What changes as your staging company grows from $100K to $300K, $500K and beyond

• Why demand alone isn’t enough reason to pursue a new opportunity

• The questions to ask before adding another service, market, team member, warehouse or revenue stream

• Why sometimes growing your staging business means doing less, better

At the end of the episode, I’ll also give you one question to help you identify where the biggest gap might be between the business you’ve built today and the one you’re trying to become.

If this episode has you looking differently at the business you’ve built and where you want to take it, this is exactly the kind of work we do inside my coaching programs.

The Six-Figure Stager: For home stagers building toward consistent multiple six figures who want to strengthen their positioning, services, pricing, profitability, marketing, systems and capacity as they grow.

https://socialsavvystagers.com/the-six-figure-stager

The Million Dollar Stager: For established staging business owners who are ready to optimize what they’ve built for greater profitability, capacity and sustainable growth while stepping further into leadership.

https://socialsavvystagers.com/million-dollar-stager

• Website: https://socialsavvystagers.com/

• Instagram: @socialsavvystager and @sixfigurestager

Getting someone to click on your Pinterest ad is only the beginning.

If you’re paying to drive traffic to your website, you need a strategy for turning that traffic into leads and, ultimately, paying clients.

In Part 2 of my conversation with Pinterest marketing expert Annie Russell, we’re breaking down what happens after someone clicks your ad and how all the pieces of your marketing funnel work together to help your Pinterest ads actually generate a return.

We talk about landing pages, lead magnets, email sequences, ad budgets, tracking, and why getting more traffic doesn’t necessarily mean getting more business.

Annie also shares what business owners need to understand about the numbers behind their campaigns and how to think about Pinterest ads as part of a larger lead generation strategy rather than simply paying for clicks.

• What happens after someone clicks your Pinterest ad

• Why your landing page and lead magnet matter to your results

• How email marketing helps turn Pinterest leads into clients

• What to consider when setting your Pinterest advertising budget

• The numbers you need to track to understand whether your ads are working

• Why more website traffic doesn’t necessarily mean more leads or sales

• How the different pieces of your marketing funnel work together

• What it takes to build a Pinterest ad strategy that starts paying for itself

If you missed Part 1, start there. Annie and I talk about what needs to be in place before you spend money on Pinterest ads and the biggest mistake home stagers make when they jump into paid advertising before their marketing foundation is ready.

The Biggest Mistake Home Stagers Make Before Running Pinterest Ads with Annie Russell

Listen to the episode here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-biggest-mistake-home-stagers-make-before-running/id1862300289?i=1000784098886

If you’re ready to take the next step with Pinterest advertising, Annie’s Leads on Repeat program teaches business owners how to create, launch, and manage their own Pinterest ad campaigns.

You can learn more about Annie and the different ways to work with her here:

• Leads on Repeat: https://www.annierussellmedia.com/leads-on-repeat

• Free Guide: 200+ Pinterest Keywords for Home Stagers: https://annierussellmedia.myflodesk.com/home-stager-pinterest

• Website: https://www.annierussellmedia.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annierussellmedia/

• Website: https://socialsavvystagers.com/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/socialsavvystager/

What actually needs to be in place before you start paying for Pinterest ads?

It’s easy to think that paid advertising is the answer to getting more traffic, leads, and clients for your home staging business.

But ads won’t fix a weak marketing strategy. They amplify the one you already have.

In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I’m joined once again by Pinterest marketing expert Annie Russell for the first of a two-part conversation about Pinterest advertising.

We’re talking about what needs to happen before you invest in ads, from setting up your Pinterest account and tracking properly to creating valuable content, building your email list, and developing a lead magnet people actually want.

Annie also breaks down some of the biggest misconceptions about paid advertising, including why boosting a post isn’t the same as running a strategic ad campaign and why sending more traffic to your website won’t accomplish much if you don’t have the right marketing foundation behind it.

• The biggest misconceptions about Pinterest advertising

• Why boosting a post isn’t the same as running an ad campaign

• What you need in place before investing in Pinterest ads

• Why organic Pinterest and paid advertising work better together

• The role your website and content play in your advertising strategy

• Why growing your email list matters

• What makes a lead magnet worth giving your email address for

• Why your expertise needs to be part of the content you create

This is Part One of my conversation with Annie. In Part Two, we’ll dive into what happens after someone clicks your ad, including landing pages, email sequences, campaign budgets, tracking, and how to build a Pinterest funnel that turns traffic into qualified leads and paying clients.

If you’d like to connect with Annie or learn more about how she helps businesses use Pinterest to generate leads, you can find her here:

• Annie Russell Media (website)

• Leads on Repeat: Learn how to run paid ads the right way

• Free Guide: 200+ Pinterest Keywords for Home Stagers

• Listen to our first conversation about Pinterest marketing for home stagers

• Website: The Social Stager

• Instagram: Social Savvy Stager and Six-Figure Stager

What makes someone trust your business enough to hire you?

For many business owners, marketing is all about visibility. More content. More followers. More platforms.

But what if the real purpose of marketing isn't simply to get noticed?

In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I'm joined by realtor and entrepreneur Lance Nielsen to talk about how successful businesses use marketing to build trust, strengthen relationships, and stay top of mind long before someone is ready to buy.

From creating educational content and embracing AI to using video and staying curious in an ever-changing industry, this conversation is packed with practical insights that home stagers, Realtors, and service-based business owners can apply to their own businesses.

• Why trust is the foundation of effective marketing

• How educational content helps build credibility

• Why video creates stronger relationships with your audience

• The opportunities and challenges AI presents for business owners

• How curiosity fuels innovation and business growth

• Why consistency matters more than chasing trends

• Practical ways to market your business with authenticity

If you'd like to connect with Lance or learn more about his work, you can find him here:

• Visit his Website

• Follow him on Instagram

If you're ready to build a stronger, more profitable home staging business, I'd love to help.

Whether you're looking to clarify your positioning, strengthen your marketing, or design a business that's built for long-term success, my coaching programs are designed to help you grow with confidence.

Learn more about my coaching programs here.

Building a successful staging business isn't about one great marketing strategy or getting lucky with the right client.

It's about making hundreds of decisions that strengthen your business over time.

In this episode, I'm joined by veteran home stager and industry educator Michelle Minch. Michelle shares the story of how she built one of the most respected staging businesses in Southern California, from taking on her very first staging project to growing a thriving business and becoming a mentor to home stagers across North America.

Along the way, we talk about marketing, pricing, referrals, differentiation, community, and why building a successful business requires far more than knowing how to stage a beautiful home.

• How Michelle accidentally discovered home staging and turned it into a thriving business

• The power of referrals and relationship marketing

• Why marketing is about educating and building trust, not just promoting your services

• How to communicate your value so clients understand why you're worth more

• The role pricing plays in positioning your business

• Why competing on price is a race you'll never win

• The importance of finding your own lane instead of trying to compete with every other stager

• Why building relationships with other home stagers can become one of your greatest business assets

Michelle is passionate about helping home stagers build stronger businesses through coaching, education, and community.

You can connect with Michelle here:

• Facebook: Staging Success Center Million Dollar Stager

• Email: [email protected]

If you're ready to stop guessing and start intentionally building a staging business that's profitable, sustainable, and known for something specific, I'd love to invite you to learn more about the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind.

Inside the Mastermind, we focus on the business behind the staging, including positioning, branding, marketing, pricing, systems, leadership, and the strategies that help you build a business designed for long-term success.

Learn more here.

What happens when your staging business starts growing... but you feel like you're holding everything together with sticky notes, memory, and late nights?

In this episode of The Social Stager Podcast, I'm joined by Lori Fischer to talk about one of the least glamorous, yet most important parts of building a successful staging business: systems.

If you've ever felt like you're constantly answering the same questions, reinventing your process with every client, or struggling to step away from your business without everything falling apart, this conversation is for you.

We talk about why systems aren't just about organization. They're about creating consistency, protecting the client experience, and building a business that supports your long-term goals.

• Why so many home stagers wait too long to build systems

• The biggest misconceptions about SOPs and documentation

• How strong systems improve the client experience

• What happens when your business depends on you for every decision

• Simple places to start if your business feels disorganized

• Why operational excellence becomes a competitive advantage as your business grows

Whether you're a solo stager or preparing to hire your first team member, this episode will help you think differently about the role systems play in building a business that's sustainable, scalable, and easier to run.

• Learn more about Harlowe

• Learn more about the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind

• Join The Stager's Circle free community

• Subscribe to The Social Stager Podcast so you never miss an episode

Have you ever noticed that every city seems to have "that" home stager?

The one Realtors always call for luxury vacant staging. The one known for model homes. The one who's built a reputation around something specific.

It might look like luck from the outside.

But it isn't.

In this episode, we're talking about how home stagers intentionally build businesses that attract the clients and projects they actually want. You'll learn why positioning comes before promotion, how your reputation is shaped long before someone contacts you, and why every decision you make is either reinforcing the business you're trying to build or pulling you further away from it.

• Why people are already forming opinions about your business before they ever inquire

• The difference between brand perception, positioning, branding, and brand reputation

• Why attracting the right clients starts long before your marketing

• How to intentionally build a business that's known for something specific

• Why every business decision either strengthens or weakens your positioning

• The mindset shift that separates reactive business owners from intentional business leaders

• Why positioning isn't something you announce. It's something you earn.

After listening, take a few minutes to think about these questions:

• What do you want your business to become known for?

• If you asked ten Realtors in your market today, what would they say your business is known for?

• Does your website, portfolio, pricing, messaging, services, and client experience all reinforce that answer?

• Is every part of your business pointing in the same direction?

If you're ready to stop reacting to your business and start intentionally building it, I'd love to invite you to join the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind.

Inside the mentorship, we focus on the business behind the marketing, including your positioning, branding, offers, pricing, systems, leadership, and the decisions that help you build a sustainable, profitable staging business.

Learn more here.

• The Six-Figure Stager Mastermind

See all business coaching packages here.

Find us on Instagram

Visit our website

Most home stagers believe their business isn't growing because they need better marketing, more services, or another certification.

I don't think that's the problem.

In this episode, Heather explores one of the biggest misconceptions in the home staging industry: the belief that becoming a better home stager naturally leads to building a successful staging business. She shares the patterns she's observed after working with home stagers across North America, why so many talented stagers get stuck competing on price, and the mindset shift that changes everything.

If you've ever wondered why your business isn't growing the way you hoped, this episode is for you.

In this episode:

• Why becoming a better home stager doesn't automatically build a better staging business

• The biggest misconception keeping talented stagers stuck in the early years of business

• Why marketing isn't usually the real problem, and what your coaching conversations should actually focus on instead

• How adding more services can dilute your positioning and make your business harder to grow

• Why the strongest staging businesses become known for one thing before they expand

• The business question every home stager should answer before investing more time, money, or energy into marketing

• The difference between learning how to stage and learning how to build a sustainable six-figure business

• Why your brand is the foundation of your business, and how every decision you make should reinforce what you want to become known for

Resources mentioned:

• The Booked Out Stager Blueprint (Free)

Connect with Heather:

Instagram: @socialsavvystagers

Website: www.socialsavvystagers.com

Your staging certification taught you how to stage. What it didn't teach you is how to build a business that stands out, attracts the right clients, and grows past a certain ceiling. In this episode Heather breaks down the three gaps the staging industry consistently leaves open and why closing them is the difference between a staging business that struggles and one that becomes the obvious choice in its market.

In this episode:

• Why finishing your certification program is just the beginning and not the whole roadmap
• Why so many stagers build their brand before doing the identity work that should inform every decision
• The three gaps keeping stagers stuck: identity and positioning, a real marketing system, and authority and thought leadership
• Why posting consistently without a strategy produces activity but not leads
• The difference between being visible and being known as the authority in your market
• Why your value isn't in the spaces you produce, it's in the knowledge and expertise you bring to every project
• How the Six-Figure Stager Mastermind was built to close these gaps in the right order

Resources mentioned:

• The Booked Out Stager Blueprint (free three-video training)
• Six-Figure Stager Mastermind waitlist

Connect with Heather:

Instagram: @socialsavvystagers
Website: socialsavvystagers.com