117 - Let's Talk! You're Not Alone. Real Talk on the State of the Design Industry with Carly Nemtean
Send us a text In this heartfelt and unfiltered episode, Laura sits down with Carly Nemtean — Principal Designer of Carriage Lane Design Build and Co-Founder of The Collective Workspace — for a real conversation about what many designers are feeling behind the scenes. From navigating the post-COVID slowdown to dealing with tariff challenges and shifting client expectations, Carly and Laura talk candidly about the emotional and financial realities of running a design business right now. This e...
28 Apr 1h 3min
115 - Let's Talk About Streamlining Success: Designers and Vendors Working Together with Idilia Lucente from Decor Rest Furniture
Send us a text Welcome to today’s episode, where we’re diving into the powerful partnership between interior designers and trusted vendors—and how that collaboration can elevate not just your design vision, but your bottom line. Joining us is Idilia Lucente, Sales Manager at Decor-Rest, a family-run Canadian furniture company known for their commitment to quality, customization, and the kind of customer care that makes doing business feel more like working with family. With over four decades ...
21 Apr 39min
116 -Let’s Talk About Delegating for Growth: When and How to Hire Help in Your Design Business
Send us a text In this episode of The Business of Beautiful Spaces, I sit down with Ronniesha Armstead, founder and CEO of Vetted By Design, to tackle one of the most common questions in the design industry: How do you know when it’s time to hire help? If you’re feeling overwhelmed with admin work, spending more time managing orders than designing, or simply questioning if you need support—this episode is for you. We discuss how outsourcing tasks like accounting, renderings, AutoCAD drawings,...
14 Apr 36min
114- Let's Talk About Setting Key Boundaries every Entrepreneur Should Set to Stay Aligned with their Vision
Send us a text As the visionary founder of Brenda Brix Consulting and AMR Design, Brenda leads an exceptional team, collaborating with ideal clients to transform her long-standing dreams into reality. Despite facing health challenges and experiencing burnout early on, Brenda's transformative journey led her to create a streamlined and repeatable business structure that allows her the time and mental space to pursue her passions. Brenda has launched a furniture line, has projects across ...
7 Apr 35min
112 -Let's Talk About Elevating Beyond the Holidays: How to Use Gifting to Enhance Your Client Experience
Send us a text I’m excited to introduce you to Porsche Williams, the founder of The Prototype, a concierge service that helps interior designers streamline their businesses and elevate their client experience. Porsche specializes in providing unique, done-for-you gifting solutions that seamlessly integrate into a designer’s process—going beyond the expected holiday season to create meaningful touchpoints throughout the client journey. In today’s episode, we’re diving into elevated gifting str...
31 Mar 35min
111 - Let's Talk About the Purchasing Power of Community and How it can Help your Profits with Cathy Tonks
Send us a text In this episode, I sit down with Cathy Tonks, a seasoned interior designer who is transforming the industry with her innovative designer co-op. This collaborative workspace provides designers with shared office space, meeting rooms, and a full showroom featuring access to over 200 vendors. With the collective buying power of over 21 designers and growing, members gain exclusive discounts and vendor relationships that would be difficult to secure independently. Beyond the resour...
24 Mar 38min
110 - Let's Talk about Building a Legacy – How to Create a Lasting Interior Design Business with Margaret Donaldson
Send us a text What does it take to build a design business that stands the test of time? In this episode, I sit down with Margaret Donaldson, a seasoned interior designer with over 30 years of experience, to uncover the key principles behind creating a sustainable, profitable, and long-lasting design firm. We discuss how to evolve with industry trends without losing your brand identity, the importance of client relationships, referrals, and reputation, and the strategies for grow...
17 Mar 46min
109 - Let's Talk about 6 Trends Shaping 2025 with Trends Forecaster Stacy Garcia
Send us a text What’s next in the world of interior design? In this episode, I sit down with Stacy Garcia, a globally recognized trend forecaster, product designer, and industry visionary, to explore the future of design and how interior designers can stay ahead of the curve. Stacy breaks down the 6 key design trends for 2025, sharing insights into the colors, materials, and styles that will define the industry in the coming year. Be sure to follow along on Instagram @thebusinessofbeautifulsp...
10 Mar 43min