A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Today with Sarah Magness

Welcome to today’s episode! We’re really glad to have Sarah Magness, of Magness Design, with us today. Eight years ago, Sarah hatched as a ‘baby designer’ and launched right into the luxury market.

Today she talks to us about the real-life experience she gained during this time, before opening her own firm. She also talks about the “New Heights” program at Marymount that she came to spearhead through her involvement with the Institute of Classical Architecture and Art. And today we also have an excellent conversation with Sarah about the best way to talk budget with clients. This is often a really tricky area of business, so listen in to get Sarah’s very straightforward and clear advice.

Magness Design began in 2010 with a focus on residential design. It is located in New York City and its current focus is on the preservation of historic properties, by saving them and making them livable. Their major projects are in New York City, the Hudson Valley area, and on Long Island.

Sarah received her undergraduate degree in Architecture from the University of Texas at Austin and her graduate degree in Interior Design from Pratt Institute. She is a House Beautiful “Next Wave” designer and she’s also been featured in Architectural Digest for a very large townhouse project that she saved and renovated. Listen in to find out more.

Show highlights: Working for three or four different design firms is a great way to learn the business aspect of running your own design business.

The different people that Sarah first worked for, to gain real-life experience.

The type of apprenticeship that architecture undergraduates are required to do.

Sarah’s recommendations for getting to work for the best firms, after graduating from school.

New York has a really supportive and talented design community.

Budget is always an issue with clients.

How Sarah approaches budget conversations with her clients.

How to estimate a budget for your client on the spot.

The importance of having really clear communication with your clients.

It is often the clients’ choices that cause a project to go over budget.

Giving the client an itemized list with the cost of each item on it.

How to talk to your client about going over the budget for certain items.

When and how to discuss fees with a high-end client.

The language to use in order to get the best response from clients when dealing with multi-faceted projects.

Sarah discusses the passion-projects that she’s involved with.

Sarah has created a twelve-minute documentary called The

Town Home, about a seven-story

1911 New York townhouse renovation project that she did.

Other episodes mentioned on the show:

Andrew Suvalsky #28 Christie Leu # 182 Dr. Ellen Fisher #71

Links: Website Instagram Facebook Twitter

Reference: Click the ICAA organization link find your local chapter.

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

In Part Two of the A Well-Designed Business® 10-Year Birthday Series, LuAnn picks up where the story left off last week.

The decision to start the podcast had been made.The show had launched.And then something else happened.

It started working.

In this episode, LuAnn shares what it actually looks like when consistency turns into responsibility, and when momentum begins to apply real pressure. Not the kind of pressure that comes from chaos or hustle, but the kind that forces you to grow up as a business owner.

You’ll hear the behind-the-scenes truth about:


Carrying fixed commitments alongside unpredictable work


Why “hard” doesn’t automatically mean “wrong”


The difference between being busy and being purposeful


When standards stop being optional and start protecting trust


Why boundaries must come before systems


And what changes when your work begins to carry weight beyond you

This is the unglamorous middle. The part most people don’t talk about. And the part where many businesses quietly break.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure of growth and wondered if you’re doing it right, this episode will give you clarity, perspective, and a steadier way forward.

Connect with LuAnn Nigara:

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠⁠⁠Blog⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Power Talk Friday⁠⁠⁠⁠

Like Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Tweet Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Follow Us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Listen Here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast⁠⁠⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠⁠⁠⁠

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free ⁠⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠⁠.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠⁠

Audiobook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠⁠

Book 2: ⁠⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts⁠⁠⁠⁠

Book 3: ⁠⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2

Today with Kae Whitaker

Welcome to another episode of A Well-Designed Business. Everyone can start doing their happy dance today because we have Kae Whitaker on the show! After doing her really great series all about Facebook, LuAnn was considering doing another series, about landing pages, click funnels, email responders etc. She was out there, in Podcast Land, listening and looking out for the right person to have on the show- someone who could really relate to you, as Designers, as well as having all the necessary know-how, when out of the blue, she got a notification that Kae Whitaker was going live on Instagram. She went on over to have a look and there was Kae, talking about click funnels and email sequences… It was like hitting the jackpot for LuAnn because she knows that Kae really talks our language, so listen in to find out what Kae has to share with you today, about Email Marketing.

Today Kae is here to talk about Sales Funnels. What they are, why we need to know about them and how we can apply them to our individual interior design firms. Kae answers the questions: What kind of content should be in an email sequence and how often should I send a potential client an email?

 Kay is the Owner and the CEO  of Kae Whitaker Solutions and she has more than ten years of experience in Retail Sales and Marketing Development. Now, her focus is on helping Small Businesses to stay competitive in their market and helping them to reach and surpass their revenue goals. She has worked with some of the largest national retailers and she now leverages her expertise in Retail Sales and Marketing Development to create her Premium Coaching Programs, that really help Small Business owners to tune in to what matters most in their Marketing efforts, by streamlining their processes and maximizing on their clientele. Kae’s highest achievements come from helping others to reach their goals and she really loves having the opportunity to help people to take their brand to the next level. So, listen in now, to find out how to tune in to what really matters most for your business.

Show highlights:

Kae explains what a Sales Funnel

Why Sales Funnels are really important for Designers.

The major difference in the number of conversions, and also the ability to predict revenue, that Kae has experienced in her firm, since starting with Email Marketing.


Where to start, with developing your Email Marketing.

Thinking about what you could offer for free, in return for an email address.

You’re really not interrupting anyone, with Email Marketing, because they only opt-in if they’re interested.

Why video works so well, as an opt-in.

What to do, right after getting your first opt-in.

How to build a great, trusting relationship, through your emails.

The whole point behind Email Marketing.

What the content of the sequence of emails, following the opt-in, should include.

The right time to schedule a chat with someone.

Working with an Automated Email Responder. (Like Acuity Scheduling)

Not stopping after the first ‘no’ can really set you apart from other Designers.

If you can muster up the courage to get in front of a camera, do it! The video really converts well!

Some alternative ideas, if you don’t want to appear on camera.

All about what’s to be expected from Kae’s soon to be launched Email Marketing Bootcamp. It will be live on Tuesdays at 8 pm (Central Standard Time) and it will be recorded, so you can still catch it if you miss the live broadcast.

The importance of spending the time to learn something new.

Kae will be back on the show soon, to talk about the more technical side of Email Marketing.

Kae's website:

https://kaewhitaker.com

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

Ten years ago, A Well-Designed Business® didn’t exist.
There were no downloads. No sponsors. No audience.

There was just a decision.

In this first episode of a four-part anniversary series, LuAnn takes you behind the scenes to the moment before the podcast, before the brand, before this became a business. She walks you through what her life and work actually looked like in 2015, running a successful, $2M business that depended almost entirely on two people. Herself and Vin.

This episode is not about the launch.
It’s about the choice that came before it.

LuAnn shares the reality of being profitable but restless, successful but paying attention, and why the most important decisions in business are usually the ones no one applauds, likes, or even sees.

If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s finished success and assumed the path was obvious or inevitable, this episode will reset that thinking.

Because here’s the thing.
Every business has a moment where everything changes.
And it always starts with a decision.

Connect with LuAnn Nigara:

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠⁠Blog⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Power Talk Friday⁠⁠⁠

Like Us: ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | Tweet Us: ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | Follow Us: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | Listen Here: ⁠⁠⁠Podcast⁠⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠⁠⁠

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: ⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠

Audiobook: ⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠

Book 2: ⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts⁠⁠⁠

Book 3: ⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2⁠

Today With Katy Cassaw, Kat Benson, Heather Peterson and Jillian Richey:

In this Overheard episode of A Well-Designed Business, I sit down with four powerhouse designers — Heather Peterson, Jillian Richey Echevarria, and Katy Cassaw and Kat Benson of Nest Interiors — to talk about what it really means to step into the CEO seat.

Each of these women has worked with business coach Desi Creswell to move from creative chaos to confident leadership. Together, we dig into the mindset shifts that make it possible to run a business with clarity — letting go of control, delegating effectively, setting boundaries, and learning to trust your team.

Whether you’re a solo designer trying to get out of overwhelm or leading a growing team, this episode is a masterclass in how to think like a CEO, and why that shift changes everything.

More About Katy Cassaw, Kat Benson, Heather Peterson and Jillian Richey:

Katy Cassaw and Kat Benson:

Nest Interiors, co-founded by Katy Cassaw and Kat Benson, is a full-service interior design firm devoted to transforming vision into reality. With a focus on residential design, our expertise spans new construction, remodeling, consulting, and product installation. Guided by more than 20 years of combined experience, we craft timeless interiors that balance style and functionality. Each project is an expression of our clients’ unique story, brought to life through a refined mix of design influences—bold, sophisticated, and enduringly livable.

Heather Peterson:

Heather is the mix master and principal designer behind the layered interiors at Heather Peterson Design. Through a collaborative approach, HPD translates clients’ individual tastes and lifestyles into homes that are effortlessly stylish, functional, and truly personal to them. A Columbia University-trained curator and former design magazine photo editor, Heather uses her trained eye and sense of story to create balanced, thoughtful, and distinctive spaces. At Heather Peterson Design, the work encompasses a variety of styles which reflect a wide-ranging passion in interior design.  The team loves the challenge of blending all the things homeowners love, want, and value into a cohesive design.

Jillian Richey:

Jillian Richey Echevarria is the Principal Designer and CEO of Jillian Richey Design, a luxury interior design firm based in Hinsdale, Illinois, and Crown Point, Indiana. Known for her ability to create timeless, highly detailed homes, Jillian partners with clients, builders, and vendors to bring architectural visions to life—from custom cabinetry and millwork to full-scale furnishings and curated accessories.

With nearly two decades of experience in the design industry, Jillian has grown her boutique studio into a thriving business, balancing high-end residential projects with a newly launched lifestyle venture: Jilly’s Boutique Café, a Parisian garden-inspired café and retail space that seamlessly merges her love of design, hospitality, and community.

Jillian is passionate about the evolution of the designer’s role—from overextended creative to confident CEO. She shares candidly about the systems, leadership, and mindset shifts that allowed her to scale her business, raise her design fees, and empower her team. Guided by principles from Who Not How, 10x Is Easier Than 2x, and The Gap and the Gain, Jillian has embraced delegation, profitability, and sustainable growth while keeping her creative spirit at the center of her work.

When she’s not leading design projects or building her café brand, Jillian is a wife, mom of two, and believer that design should be both beautiful and deeply livable.

Other Shows Mentioned:

Overheard Collection

Desi Creswell Episodes

AWDB #222: Power Talk Friday: Lee Cockerell- Customer Service the Disney Way

AWDB #445: Tori Alexander: Her Production List Increases Efficiency and Profits