A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

AI can hallucinate. It can give you information that is flat-out wrong. But what happens when AI gives you a really good answer?

In this What Would Lu Do episode, LuAnn Nigara explores a more subtle risk of using AI in your interior design business: getting an accurate, intelligent, well-researched answer to a question that wasn't the right question to begin with.

Through examples from her own work with AI, including a lesson involving designer Megan Moulton, a real Chairman of the Board client evaluating a significant marketing investment, and an AI-generated answer about interior design profitability, LuAnn shows where experience and business judgment still matter.

You'll hear why more information isn't the same as more experience, how AI can move from observation to diagnosis without enough evidence, and why a mathematically attractive ROI doesn't necessarily make an investment a smart business decision.

LuAnn also explains what to do when you don't yet have the experience to recognize what you're missing, including when it makes sense to borrow the expertise of someone who does.

AI can research, organize, compare, analyze, and help you move faster. But somebody still has to sit in the CEO chair.

That somebody is you.

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:

⁠⁠⁠RSVP to the 10th Birthday Party for A Well-Designed Business Podcast in HPMKT⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠Boardroom for Creatives⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

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

Other Shows Mentioned
Episode 455: Megan Molten: Another Side Hustle Success Story

Episode 677: Megan Molten: To Succeed, Focus on Your Why

Episode 1230: What Would Lu Do?: Are You Disqualifying Leads Too Soon?

Today with Kate O’Hara:

Today with Kate O'Hara, we're digging into something every designer feels but doesn't always name: the client experience gap. Kate spent years running a luxury design firm, which means she's had a front-row seat to what actually keeps high-end clients coming back, and what quietly sends them somewhere else next time. In this conversation, we’re talking about the space between the experience you think you're delivering and the one your client is actually having.

We’re discussing how expectations get set (or don't), what happens when you assume you know what a client means instead of asking, and why the most generous thing you do in month one can become the very thing that costs you a client down the road. Kate also shares a couple of real stories from her own firm, including one dream project that didn't end the way anyone hoped. If you've ever wondered why gorgeous design doesn't always translate into repeat business and referrals, this episode is going to give you a lot to think about.

LuAnn and Kate's Aha Moments:

"As great as your design is, as award-winning and nationally published as it might be, what actually runs your business is the experience that you deliver." — Kate O'Hara

"Anything that you do early for your client is, to the client, that's normal. That is now your services. And the second you tell them that wasn't part of our services, you're not granting them anything special, you're taking something away." — Kate O'Hara

"It's what we say, whether it's in personal relationships or business relationships — we teach people how to treat us. We teach them by the things we say and we do, and the things we allow and the things we don't allow, how they're gonna treat us." — LuAnn Nigara

More About Kate O’Hara:

Kate O'Hara is the founder of Lake House Group, an advisory practice that helps founder-led and second-generation businesses navigate growth, operational blind spots, and transitions. She previously served as the second-generation CEO and Creative Director of O'Hara Interiors before intentionally closing the prominent design firm to focus on advisory work and co-owning the Design Influencers Conference. [⁠1⁠,⁠ 2⁠,⁠ 3⁠]

Connect with Kate O’Hara:

⁠O'Hara Interiors Website⁠

⁠O'Hara Interiors Instagram⁠

⁠Lake House Group Website ⁠

⁠Design Influencers Conference Website⁠

⁠Design Influencers Instagram⁠

⁠Fay + Belle Website⁠

⁠Fay + Belle Instagram⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠Boardroom for Creatives⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

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

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

Other Shows Mentioned:

⁠Episode 1030⁠⁠: Ceo Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Insights and Strategies on Successful Scaling

⁠⁠Episode 1042⁠⁠: Ceo Conversations with Kate O’Hara: End-of-Year Business Strategies for Designers: Pipeline, Productivity, and Press

⁠⁠Episode 1148: ⁠⁠Ceo Conversations with Kate O’Hara: A Framework for Understanding Luxury Interior Design Clients

⁠⁠Episode 1157⁠⁠: Ceo Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Marketing to the Three Tiers of Luxury Clients and How to Attract Each One⁠⁠

Episode 1188⁠⁠: Ceo Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Scaling Your Design Firm Part 1: The Three Paths Forward⁠⁠

Episode 1202: ⁠⁠Ceo Conversations with Kate O’Hara:Is Your Next Idea a Revenue Driver or a PR Play? Part 2

Episode 1219: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Stop Defending Your Pricing to Your Clients

Episode 986: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: Boundaries and Expectations are a Few of My Favorite Things

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

Qualifying leads is good business. But the qualification strategy that makes sense when your interior design firm is booked several months out may not make sense when your pipeline has room or your sales skills still need strengthening.

In this What Would Lu Do episode, LuAnn challenges you to look at whether your qualification process reflects the business you actually have today. Because there is an important difference between knowing a prospect isn't right for your firm and assuming they aren't based on limited information.

Using lessons from more than 40 years of selling at Window Works, LuAnn explains why “not qualified in” is not the same as “qualified out,” and why an imperfect answer on an inquiry form may deserve another question before you make the decision.

You'll also hear LuAnn's distinction between sales practice and sales scrimmages. You can practice your questions, explain your services, and rehearse saying your fees. But a live prospect doesn't know your script. That's where you learn to listen, respond in real time, explain your value, talk about money, and confidently recognize when the answer really is no.

LuAnn also shares a practical 90-day assignment to help strengthen your discovery-call skills and asks one important question to consider the next time you're tempted to immediately disqualify an inquiry:

Do I actually know that yet?

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:

⁠⁠RSVP to the 10th Birthday Party for A Well-Designed Business Podcast in HPMKT⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Boardroom for Creatives⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

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

Other Shows Mentioned

#316 WTFP What Would Lu Do?: How to Qualify Leads Without Disqualifying Your Future Revenue

Episode 1229: MBA: The Discovery Call: Listen, Learn, Then Lead

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

You already have questions you ask on a discovery call. But do you know what you’re actually trying to learn from the answers?

In this MBA episode of A Well-Designed Business, LuAnn Nigara goes into the archives to pull together sales lessons from Matt Cobb, Leah Neaderthal, Tracee Murphy, and Nikki Rausch. Together, their advice reveals a more strategic way for interior designers to think about the discovery call.

A great discovery call isn’t simply a get-to-know-you conversation or a checklist of questions about scope, budget, and timeline. It’s an opportunity to learn how a prospective client makes decisions, what they truly value, what problem they are trying to solve, and what their answers are telling you about how to lead the sales conversation.

LuAnn breaks down how to ask questions with intention, listen beyond the surface answer, capture the client’s own words, and use what you learn to make stronger recommendations. She also explains why listening matters all the way through the sale, including recognizing when a client is ready to move forward and when a prospect may not be the right fit.

The goal isn’t to convince every prospect to hire you. It’s to understand the person in front of you well enough to determine whether there is a win-win and, when there is, confidently lead them toward the right next step.

Listen. Learn. Then lead.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

Why every discovery question should have a purpose.

How to listen for what a prospective client means, not only what they say.

How to identify the “nuggets” that reveal what the client truly values.

How to use the client’s own words when presenting your design recommendations.

How to recognize buying signals without selling past the close.

Why the information you gather should determine what you do next in the sales process.

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:

⁠RSVP to the 10th Birthday Party for A Well-Designed Business Podcast in HPMKT⁠

⁠⁠Boardroom for Creatives⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

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

Other Shows Mentioned
Episode 318: What Would Lu Do?: Exactly What to Ask on a Discovery Call: Sales Questions That Actually Work

Episode 769: Power Talk Friday: Leah Neaderthal: Sales Techniques for Introverts

Episode 1081: Tracee Murphy: The Psychology of Luxury Sales in Interior Design

Episode 508: Power Talk Friday: Nikki Rausch: The Sales Maven

Today with Kelly Finley:

Kelly Finley built the firm you're told to want. Nine people. Two offices, one in California and one in Georgia. Major projects, press, a team that could run circles without her in the room. From the outside, she'd made it.

Then her husband's job moved the family to Georgia, and the model that got her there started costing her more than it gave back. The distance between offices. The team changes that came with distance. The quality control that got harder to hold onto from three time zones away. Kelly had to sit with a question a lot of designers avoid asking once they've already built something big: is this actually what I want, or is it just what I built?

Her answer wasn't dramatic. It was a decision, made in stages, to bring the firm back down to a lean, senior team, and to know her numbers well enough to trust the decision. She talks about what it costs to keep a firm open every month, why she used AI to reshape a six figure role instead of hiring someone new to do the same job the same old way

She also talks about Joy Street Initiative, the nonprofit she runs alongside her design firm, renovating spaces in women's and children's shelters with the same care she'd bring to a client's living room. This year marks 15 years in business, and she's launching a campaign called 15 Spaces to raise $150,000 for that work. To learn more about that go to joystreetinitiative.com

This is a conversation about what happens when you've already proven you can build the big version, and you decide better matters more than bigger. Listen in and hear how she's doing it.

More About Kelly Finley:

Kelly Finley is the founder of Joy Street Design, a nationally-acclaimed interior design firm, and Joy Street Initiative, a nonprofit transforming spaces for women and children in crisis. She also co-hosts Hustle Adjacent, a podcast about designing the life you actually want to live. Known for bold color, joyful spaces, and an unapologetic approach to living well, Kelly doesn’t just design beautiful rooms. She’s proof that you can build a life of purpose, success, and pleasure without compromise.

Connect with Kelly Finley:

Website

Joy Street Initiative

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

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:

RSVP to the 10th Birthday Party for A Well-Designed Business Podcast in HPMKT

⁠Boardroom for Creatives⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠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.

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

Other Shows Mentioned:

Episode 1144: BEST OF: Marianna Zimmerman: It’s Never Too Late to Design Your Life

Episode 1203: Madelaine Mayer: The Interior Designer Who Spent 20 Years as an Architect Before Choosing Joy