Modeling, acting, nursing and beauty school—Michel Smith Boyd tried it all before an encounter with an interior designer sealed his fate and sent him back to school to begin the journey toward the rest of his career. While still a design undergrad, he landed his first big gig—a one-night affair designing an extravagant party for a marketing executive. Though the event launched the young designer into a world of affluent clients and fast fame, he’s now revisiting his business practices to retread the basic steps he missed before.

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Michel Smith Boyd
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Pure Salt designers Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln were always on the same page when it came to interiors. In building out their portfolio and executing early designs, it was smooth sailing. When it came time to confront the bigger decisions necessary to building their business, they started to hit their first roadblocks—overcoming them would not only make their partnership stronger, but unlock new ambitions of taking their firm to the next level.

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Pure Salt 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jenna Gross entered the industry with a specific goal in mind: to offer a design approach centered on a full embrace of color. She shares how, after more than a decade of hard work, she’s entering a new phase as she readies her business to welcome an influx of clients who truly understand her brand.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Jenna Gross
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Mandy Cheng launched her creative career in set production before discovering that transforming interiors was a perfect fit. The past few years have been pivotal for her firm, with industry accolades and high-profile clients that have brought growth, but also pushed her to explore what creative expansion will look like in the years ahead.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Mandy Cheng 
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Hannah Oravec’s firm places a special focus on wellness. As she scales her business, she’s navigating how to protect her values while embracing growth—and embarking on the shift in leadership that comes with it.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Hannah Oravec
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Jean Liu launched her own firm and proved to herself that she could find success outside of the family business. More than a decade on, she shares why she’s revisiting what it means to be a leader—and charting a path to growth in which bigger isn’t always better.

This episode was sponsored by Klafs.  

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Jean Liu
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Josh Greene took lessons from working for storied retail and residential design firms to launch his own ventures—first with a partner and then alone. He describes how going solo forced him to take a fresh look at his business’s financials—and how his forays into developing product lines have opened the door to a whole new world of creative opportunities.

This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and Room & Board. 

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Josh Greene
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Swati Goorha made a splash at the recent Kips Bay showhouse in New York for telling the story of her own growth through design. That approach was more than a one-off: It’s a strategy that underpins many aspects of her firm. She shares how she’s using storytelling for everything from project flow to getting clients on board with a design concept.

This episode was sponsored by Regina Andrew and Room & Board. 

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Swati Goorha
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Chloe Redmond Warner realized several years ago that she had reached a breaking point. To get back to herself, she took a four-month sabbatical, with the hopes of returning to her firm as a better designer, and a better leader, too. The result wasn’t exactly what she was expecting, but it gave her the clarity she needed to change the way she worked.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and The Shade Store. 

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Chloe Redmond Warner
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Leann Conquer is celebrating her firm’s tenth anniversary with some big wins and industry recognition—but also with a fresh perspective on how to evolve in the years to come. With operational excellence top of mind, she’s focused on refining the firm’s systems while protecting space for creative pursuits.

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and The Shade Store. 

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Leann Conquer
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home