In this episode of Thrive In Design, host Nicole Lashae Hall breaks down the latest ThinkLab 2026 benchmark report through the lens of a strategist—translating research into real, actionable insights for interior product brands.

Nicole explores the key industry tensions shaping the market today: shrinking workforce, tariff pressures, and rapid AI acceleration. Despite these challenges, specification power is growing—creating a powerful opportunity for brands that are aligned with how designers actually work. This episode emphasizes the importance of moving beyond surface-level marketing into research-backed strategy that drives real specification growth.

Listeners will gain clarity on how designers’ influence is evolving, why being in a specifier’s “top 3–5 brands” is critical, and how generational shifts—especially the rise of Gen Z—are reshaping expectations for digital experiences and brand engagement. Nicole also unpacks how tariffs should be viewed not just as a pricing issue, but as a brand storytelling opportunity to build trust and loyalty.

Finally, the episode dives into AI’s role in the design industry—highlighting why AI readiness is no longer optional and how manufacturers must optimize their digital assets to remain visible in AI-powered discovery tools. This episode is essential for interior product brands looking to stay competitive, relevant, and specification-ready in 2026 and beyond.

00:00 – Introduction To Thrive In Design And Podcast Mission

01:00 – Season Recap And Importance Of Research-Driven Strategy

02:05 – Why Branding Without Research Is A Wasted Investment

03:00 – Nicole’s Strategist Perspective And Industry Experience

05:00 – The Complexity Of Go-To-Market Strategies Across Design Segments

06:15 – Current Industry Landscape: AI, Disruption, And Change

07:14 – ThinkLab 2026 Report Overview And Key Tensions

08:00 – Tariff Pressures And Marketing Budget Challenges

09:00 – AI Acceleration And Shifting Designer Discovery Behavior

10:19 – Market Growth Vs. Disruption: Macro Vs. Micro Trends

12:00 – Specification Power Explained (Why Designers Matter More Than Ever)

13:41 – Workforce Shifts And Rise Of Gen Z Designers

15:00 – Why Brands Must Be In Designers’ Top 3–5 Shortlist

15:21 – “Position To Specify” Framework Explained

17:00 – Digital-First Expectations And Evolving Buyer Behavior

18:38 – Tariffs As A Brand Storytelling Opportunity

21:00 – Building Trust Through Communication And Transparency

23:06 – AI Is No Longer Optional: What The Data Shows

24:27 – Real-World AI Example Transforming Designer Workflows

26:00 – AI Readiness Starts With Data And Asset Quality

27:14 – Preparing For AI-Driven Product Discovery

28:27 – Final Takeaway: Fewer Specifiers, Higher Stakes

29:20 – Introduction To Spec Ready Framework And Closing

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In this episode of Thrive In Design, host Nicole Lashae Hall sits down with Brooke Taylor and Adam Kubryk, co-founders of Vendor Bootcamp, to unpack what it truly takes for hospitality vendors to stand out, get specified, and stay relevant in an increasingly competitive market.

Drawing from decades of combined experience across design, branding, and global sales, Brooke and Adam reveal why most vendors struggle to differentiate—and how shifting from product-first thinking to strategic storytelling can transform your business. They break down the “Brand Story Blueprint,” offering actionable insights on how to align your messaging with what designers, purchasing agents, and owners actually care about.

The conversation dives deep into common industry misconceptions, including why vendors should stop “selling to designers” and instead empower them as an extension of their sales team. You’ll also learn how process, not just product, plays a critical role in brand perception—and why simplifying your messaging (“say less, look better”) can dramatically improve your chances of being specified.

Whether you're new to hospitality or looking to scale your brand presence, this episode delivers practical strategies to help you move from scattered efforts to intentional growth.

Timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Thrive In Design and episode overview

Key Quotes

🔗 Connect with Adam Kubryk and Brooke Taylor

To learn more about Adam Kubryk and Brooke Taylor and their work shaping the future of design and the built environment, connect with them and Vendor Bootcamp:

You can also reach them directly through their email below:

🔗 Connect with Thrive In Design

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

• Website: https://www.thriveindesign.co/

🚀 Go Deeper with Thrive In Design

• Take the SpecReady™ Assessment: https://specready.co/

👋 Connect with Nicole

• Nicole’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleben

In this episode of Thrive In Design, host Nicole Lashae Hall sits down with Amanda Schneider, Founder and President of ThinkLab, to unpack what it really takes to build a purpose-driven product brand in today’s evolving design industry.

Amanda shares the origin story behind ThinkLab and how her journey—from product design to research leadership—revealed a critical gap between manufacturers and designers. Backed by powerful data, she explains why designers hold up to 140x the recommendation power of the average consumer—and why brands can no longer afford to ignore that influence.

The conversation dives deep into the state of the design industry heading into 2026, including the shifting balance between sales and marketing, signs of industry maturity, and the growing awareness of how physical spaces impact human experience. Amanda also explores how hybrid work, generational shifts, and digital transformation are forcing brands to rethink outdated systems and embrace new strategies.

If you're a manufacturer, marketer, or design leader looking to stay relevant, align your teams, and future-proof your brand, this episode delivers both strategic insight and actionable direction.

00:00 Introduction to Thrive In Design & episode overview

01:00 Meet Amanda Schneider & the mission behind ThinkLab

02:29 The origin story: bridging the gap between product brands and designers

04:00 Why designers hold massive influence (40x–140x buying power)

06:00 Evolution of ThinkLab & scaling through acquisition

08:50 Gen Z, the future of work, and redefining workplace expectations

10:30 The 3 biggest industry shifts heading into 2026

11:00 Sales vs. marketing imbalance in a hybrid world

13:30 Industry maturity, consolidation, and market decline signals

15:00 A new opportunity: human awareness of physical space

17:30 Why sales and marketing silos are hurting brands

20:30 The alignment gap: leadership vs. frontline teams

22:30 Why there’s no “quick fix” for industry transformation

25:30 Generational gaps and the future workforce

30:00 Digital-first vs. analog-first thinking across generations

33:00 The importance of soft skills and change management

35:00 Shrinking attention spans and the new rules of communication

37:00 The evolving role of reps in a digital-first world

38:00 Amanda’s new book Work for What’s Next

39:00 Final thoughts: why this is a defining moment for the design industry

To learn more about Amanda Schneider and her work shaping the future of design and the built environment, connect with her and ThinkLab:

You can also reach Amanda directly at [email protected].

👉 Pre-order Amanda’s upcoming book, Work for What’s Next

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

In this episode of Thrive In Design, host Nicole Lashae Hall breaks down a critical misconception holding interior product brands back: confusing a product launch with a true go-to-market strategy. While many brands excel at creating beautiful, innovative products, far fewer understand how to effectively commercialize them for long-term specification success.

Nicole explains why most product failures aren’t due to poor design—but rather a lack of strategic alignment across marketing, sales, and product teams. She highlights how siloed workflows, unclear messaging, and lack of sales enablement lead to missed opportunities, even for high-quality products. Drawing on industry research and real-world experience, she emphasizes that designers often make the majority of their decisions before ever speaking to a sales rep—making early-stage clarity and positioning essential.

You’ll also learn the difference between a “launch moment” and a sustainable go-to-market system. Nicole introduces a practical five-step framework that guides brands from market clarity to conversion, ensuring momentum doesn’t drop off after the initial reveal. This episode is a must-listen for interior product brands ready to move beyond reactive marketing and build a repeatable, strategic path to growth.

00:00 – Introduction to Thrive In Design Podcast

01:00 – The Core Problem: Launch vs. Strategy

02:00 – Industry Insight: Great Products, Weak Commercialization

04:00 – The Danger of Siloed Teams

06:00 – What the Data Says

08:00 – Why Product Launches Lose Momentum

10:00 – Launch vs. Go-To-Market Explained

13:00 – The 5-Step Go-To-Market Framework

16:00 – Sales Enablement Gaps

17:30 – Building Momentum Before Demand

18:00 – Turning Interest into Specification

19:00 – Final Takeaways & Reflection Questions

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Marketing in the built environment is evolving quickly—and interior product brands that want to grow must rethink how they approach storytelling, PR, and go-to-market strategy.

In this episode of the Thrive In Design Podcast, host Nicole Lashae Hall sits down with Susan Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Marketing at UpSpring, to unpack how manufacturers and building product brands can stand out in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Susan shares her journey from studying graphic design at Pratt Institute and working with legendary creative leaders in New York advertising agencies to founding her own marketing firm and eventually joining UpSpring. Along the way, she discovered a key insight: even technical products must connect with people emotionally through compelling brand storytelling.

Together, Nicole and Susan explore the evolving role of PR, marketing, and AI in the design industry—from why thought leadership is becoming essential in the age of large language models to how brands can use integrated strategies to increase visibility, credibility, and specification opportunities.

They also dive into practical tactics for product brands, including how to prepare for trade shows, why paid media is still underutilized in the AEC industry, and how manufacturers can structure their messaging and content so that AI tools and designers can easily evaluate their products.

If you're an interior product manufacturer, marketer, or sales leader looking to grow specifications and build stronger brand authority, this episode is packed with insights you can apply immediately.

00:00 – Introduction to the Thrive In Design Podcast

01:00 – Meet Susan Fernandez

02:40 – Susan’s Journey Into Design and Architecture

05:00 – From Creative Agencies to the Built Environment

07:45 – Why Storytelling Matters in B2B Marketing

10:30 – Moving Beyond Product Features to Brand Seduction

12:00 – What UpSpring Does for AEC and Product Brands

14:00 – Using PR to Enter New Markets

18:30 – Common Misconceptions About PR

22:30 – The Role of AI and Large Language Models in Product Discovery

24:00 – Structuring Product Information for AI and Designers

27:00 – The Core Pillars of an Effective Go-to-Market Strategy

29:00 – Why Paid Advertising Is Still Underused in the Industry

31:30 – The Strategic Role of Trade Shows Today

34:30 – Training Your Booth Team for Success

37:00 – Creative Partnerships and Booth Experiences

39:30 – Measuring Marketing ROI

41:30 – Why Brands Must Be Willing to Experiment

44:00 – Final Advice for Brands in 2026

45:00 – Where to Connect with Susan Fernandez

“Everything you use to communicate—whether it's a poster, a website, or a TV spot—has to tell a story that is seductive.”

“People don’t buy in bullet points. We all buy on emotion.”

“PR isn’t a nice-to-have anymore—it’s a credibility engine.”

“If you want to be in an industry conversation, you have to join it before you have the experience.”

“Authenticity rules. Designers want the real story, not fluff.”

To learn more about Susan Fernandez and her work shaping the future of design and the built environment, connect with her and UpSpring:

You can also reach Susan directly at [email protected]. 

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

Many interior product brands believe they have a visibility problem. But according to Nicole Lashae Hall, the real issue is something deeper: a strategy gap.

In this episode of the Thrive and Design Podcast, Nicole explores how the design industry has quietly but permanently shifted — and why many brands are still operating with outdated sales and marketing assumptions. Designers are discovering products digitally, forming opinions long before meeting a sales rep, and increasingly prioritizing brands that provide education, transparency, and meaningful narratives rather than pure product promotion.

Nicole breaks down how the pandemic accelerated these changes and why hybrid work, digital-first discovery, and generational shifts (especially among Millennial and Gen Z designers) are reshaping how specification decisions happen. Brands that rely only on product visibility, trade shows, or sales-driven messaging risk becoming invisible in a crowded marketplace.

Instead, success now requires alignment between marketing, storytelling, and sales behavior. Nicole shares the most common strategic exposures she sees in interior product brands today — including visibility without positioning, sales messaging without narrative, and activity without clear strategy.

If your brand is investing heavily in marketing but still struggling to win specifications, this episode will help you rethink your approach and build a clearer path forward.

00:00 – Welcome to Thrive and Design

01:14 – The Strategy Gap Most Brands Don’t See

02:25 – How Product Sourcing Has Changed Post-Pandemic

05:18 – The Rise of Digital-First Product Discovery

07:25 – What Research Shows About Designer Decision-Making

10:33 – What Millennial and Gen Z Designers Value Most

12:47 – Why Education Beats Product Promotion

15:10 – What Hasn’t Changed (But Should)

18:20 – The Three Biggest Brand Exposures Today

21:00 – How Brands Can Shift Their Strategy

23:20 – Turning Insights Into Action

“Most product brands think they have a visibility problem. What they actually have is a strategy gap.”

“Designers expect brands to educate, not just sell.”

“Exposure without a narrative creates awareness, but not loyalty.”

“If your growth strategy assumes designers will figure out why you matter, you’re already behind.”

“The future of design doesn’t reward the loudest brands. It rewards the clearest ones.”

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

In season 9, episode 2 of the Thrive In Design Podcast, host Nicole Lashae Hall welcomes Cheryl Durst, Executive Vice President and CEO of the International Interior Design Association (IIDA), for a powerful conversation about expanding the role of interior design beyond aesthetics and into measurable business and human impact.

With more than 30 years in the industry, Cheryl shares her journey from educator and journalist to global design leader — and why she believes design is not passive, but a strategic driver for revenue, equity, belonging, and organizational change. Together, Nicole and Cheryl explore how designers must evolve their language to better communicate ROI, outcomes, and impact to the C-suite and stakeholders across the ecosystem.

The conversation dives into the future of the profession — from IIDA’s Certified Design Futurist program and the difference between forecasting and foresight, to how manufacturers can leverage demographic shifts and cultural signals to design proactively. They also unpack insights from IIDA’s Industry Roundtable on generational intelligence and the power of multi-generational collaboration in shaping the built environment.

Finally, Cheryl shares the mission behind IIDA’s Design Your World program — an initiative introducing underrepresented high school students to interior design as a viable and impactful career path — and why playing the long game is essential for building a more equitable future for the profession.

If you’re a manufacturer, designer, or industry leader looking to align strategy, storytelling, and impact, this episode offers clarity and conviction on where design is headed — and how to lead it forward.

00:00 – “Design is a driver”: Reframing the value of design

“It is not passive. It is a driver for your business goals. It is a driver for equity and belonging. It is a driver for revenue.”

“Design is about what happens on the receiving end.”

“Interior design is an art, a science, and a business.”

“You can’t just let the future happen to you.”

“Design isn’t about things. Design is about people.”

To learn more about Cheryl Durst and her work shaping the future of design and the built environment, connect with her and International Interior Design Association (IIDA):

You can also reach Cheryl directly at [email protected].

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

Welcome to the Thrive in Design Podcast, hosted by Nicole Lashae Hall, founder of Thrive in Design. This podcast is for interior product brands ready to move beyond scattered marketing, outdated sales tactics, and visibility for visibility’s sake—and into clarity, alignment, and real momentum.

In this opening episode of Season 9, Nicole reintroduces the podcast, shares her personal and professional evolution, and clearly defines who this show is for: interior product manufacturers, marketers, and sales leaders navigating change in a post-pandemic, AI-influenced design industry. She explains why many brands feel “stuck” despite doing all the things—and why the real issue is often positioning, not visibility.

Nicole also outlines what makes this season different. Expect deeper conversations around go-to-market strategy, designer–vendor dynamics, brand clarity, and the practical role of AI in sales, product development, and marketing. This season is designed to challenge assumptions, encourage strategic thinking before execution, and help brands become the ones designers actually remember—and specify.

If you’re looking to sharpen your brand story, align sales and marketing, and build systems that scale without constant reinvention, this episode sets the foundation for everything to come.

00:00 – 01:45 | Welcome to the Thrive in Design Podcast + Nicole’s reintroduction

01:46 – 03:30 | What Thrive in Design does and who this podcast is for

03:31 – 05:30 | Why this podcast exists and the impact it’s had so far

05:31 – 07:45 | Why Season 9 is different: clarity, experience, and research

07:46 – 09:45 | Go-to-market strategy, brand storytelling, and what’s changing

09:46 – 11:45 | Designer–vendor dynamics and generational shifts

11:46 – 13:30 | How AI fits into sales, marketing, and product development

13:31 – 15:30 | Visibility vs. positioning: identifying the real problem

15:31 – 17:15 | Why effort does not equal impact

17:16 – 18:55 | Strategy before tactics: websites, messaging, and campaigns

18:56 – 20:45 | What designers actually remember—and why it matters

20:46 – 22:20 | Guests and conversations coming this season

22:21 – End | Spec Ready framework, AI & Design Summit, and what’s next

“Visibility is not the same thing as clarity.”

“Effort does not equal impact. Noise does not equal strategy.”

“If designers can’t retell your value in one sentence, you’re forgettable.”

“Strategy clarifies who you’re for, sharpens what you’re known for, and makes decisions easier for your buyer.”

“Clarity—not noise—is what sells now.”

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

• Nicole’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleben

Season 9 of Thrive In Design is here — and it’s an invitation to rethink how we build our businesses, our careers, and our lives in the design industry.

Hosted by Nicole Lashae Hall, this season continues the conversation around what it truly means to thrive as a designer, creative entrepreneur, or industry leader. In this trailer, Nicole shares what’s ahead for Season 9, including deeper discussions around sustainable growth, aligned leadership, and navigating the evolving realities of creative work without burnout.

Whether you’re an interior designer, architect, engineer, or creative professional craving more clarity, intention, and balance, Season 9 of Thrive and Design is designed to meet you where you are — and help you move forward with purpose.

New episodes are coming soon. Welcome to Season 9.

00:00 – Welcome to Thrive and Design

Follow Thrive In Design for insights on design leadership, business strategy, and growth in the A&D industry:

• Nicole’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicoleben

When you have your own business, you have to do everything—from designing and selling to marketing and growth. But the real power lies in building a brand that goes beyond products or services. It’s about creating spaces and experiences that are meaningful, where people feel connected and inspired. Branding for designers isn’t just about visuals; it’s about telling a story that reflects your values, resonates with your audience, and builds trust over time. When done right, branding helps you stand out in a crowded market, sell with purpose, and grow a business that makes a lasting impact.

In today’s episode, we’re joined by Ericka Saurit, who shares insights on what interior designers truly need today—from brand strategy and product launches to story-driven marketing that fuels growth. We don’t just talk about branding—we dive deep into the different ways to launch a product collection, how to stand out in a saturated market, and what marketing trends designers need to be paying attention to right now, including podcasting.

Ericka Saurit is a brand strategist, educator, and former interior designer with over 25 years of experience shaping culture through design and storytelling. She’s worked with iconic brands like Airbnb, Tag Heuer, and Estée Lauder, and now empowers interior designers, architects, and creatives to grow their businesses through story-driven marketing that connects and converts.

🎧 Tune in now to learn how to refine your message, launch with impact, and future-proof your marketing strategy.

Key Highlights from the Episode:

[00:01] Intro and a bit about your guest, Ericka Saurit

[05:21] Ericka’s background: From interior designer to branding expert 

[08:32] How the interior design industry has evolved over the past 18 months 

[13:30] Aligning your business strategy with marketing goals 

[16:34] Podcasting, storytelling & tools to help you stand out as a designer

[22:30] Revenue streams: What’s working now for design businesses

[25:30] Understanding: Licensing, Private Label, White Label, & Ecommerce 

[34:18] What to consider when setting your marketing goals

[39:40] How to build confidence and boldness through market shifts

[46:23] What’s new at Ericka’s company and how she supports clients 

[47:59] A quick recap and how to partner with Thrive in Design

[55:58] Wrap-up and end of the show

Connect with Ericka Saurit:

🎓 Register for the next Thrive in Design live training:

📘 Get your copy of "The Ultimate Guide to A&D Sales":

📚Enroll in the School of Strategy by Thrive In Design: 

https://www.thriveindesign.co/school