A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Today with Sandra Funk:

Every business owner is one bad month away from finding out what their business is actually built on. This year, Sandra Funk found out.

Her mom got sick. Two surgeries down, more to go. Her daughters started needing her in a different way. And in the middle of all of it, Sandra learned her own thyroid had been failing her for years, dismissed as just getting older. It was, in her words, everything happening at once, with no gap in between to catch her breath.

This isn't a business episode. It's Sandra and me talking the way we'd talk if you pulled up a chair at our table at Market, about what it actually looks like to run a company through a season you didn't choose and can't control.

Here's what I want you to listen for. Sandra pulled back. She stepped away from High Point, from Design Zips, from being the one out front all the time. But she never stepped away from the Interior Design Standard. It kept running, because none of it lived only in her head. The design agreement, the project timeline, the fee calculator, all of it was already written down, built years earlier out of her own hard season, the one she calls her dark night of the soul in an Atlanta airport. [LINK: episode 520]

That's the throughline of this conversation. The season will come, for all of us. The question this episode asks is whether your business is something you have to hold up personally, or something that can hold itself up while you take care of what actually matters.

If you want the two other stories I bring into this conversation, go back to [LINK: episode 1043] with Kristin Bartone, and [LINK: episode 1010], the Overheard episode with Robin Burrill and Antonio Deloatch, both circling the same idea from a different angle.

Sandra, I love you. And to the rest of you, come listen to this one. It might be the permission you didn't know you needed.

More About Sandra Funk:

Sandra Funk is the founder and CEO of the boutique interior design firm, House of Funk. After 20 years as a luxury designer, Sandra is now a business strategist deeply rooted in empowering and educating design entrepreneurs. With her turnkey approach, she welcomes designers into her inner circle, sharing her proven process for a balanced, joy-filled and wildly profitable design firm.

Connect with Sandra Funk:

Website

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

Boardroom for Creatives

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠e: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast

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 02: The Importance of Systems for a Profitable Interior Design Business With Sandra Funk Levy

Episode 145: Sandra Funk of House of Funk: Why and How She Re-Branded her 10 Year old Firm

Episode 520: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: The Interior Design Standard is Here!

Episode 585: Sandra Funk: Helping Designers Improve Their Business Systems

Episode 660: Sandra Funk: Level Up Your Business Through Mentorship, Coaching, and Classes. Sponsored Show: “Interior Design Standard”

Episode 753: Sandra Funk: How to Grow a Thriving Luxury Interior Design Business

Episode 801: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: How Mistakes and Obstacles Led to Growth & Transformation

Episode 845: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: Stop Apologizing and Start Communicating

Episode 895: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: The Millionaire Mindset for Interior Designers

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

Episode 1010: Overheard: Developing Resilience in Interior Design Business Leadership with Antonio Deloatch Jr, Sandra Funk and Robin Burrill

Episode 1068: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: How “Sleeping in Your Guest Room” Can Make You RICH

Episode 1043: Kristin Bartone: Pivoting Your Interior Design Business When Life Throws You Curveballs

Episode 1010: Overheard: Developing Resilience in Interior Design Business Leadership with Antonio Deloatch Jr, Sandra Funk and Robin Burrill

Episode 1118: Sponsored Show: Jamie Gasparovic: Why I Invested in the Interior Design Standard

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

Somewhere on a coaching call this week, a designer told LuAnn the same An interior designer was arrested a few weeks ago. Grand theft, diversion of construction funds, a client out $67,500 and no kitchen to show for it. That part isn't in question. What happened next is.

An industry publication covered the story, and somewhere between reporting the crime and quoting the outrage in the comments, the conversation shifted. It stopped being about catching a criminal and started being about whether the rest of us need to hand our clients the keys to our bank accounts to prove we're not her.

LuAnn read that piece and got genuinely fired up, in the best way. In this solo episode, she pulls the article apart, piece by piece. What it actually said versus what it implied. Why the fix being proposed wouldn't have stopped the crime it claims to solve. What real vetting looks like, the kind that has nothing to do with your pricing and everything to do with your credibility. And why "transparency" has quietly been redefined into something it was never supposed to mean.

If you've ever had a client ask to see your net cost and felt your stomach drop, this episode hands you the words. Not to defend yourself. To simply say no.

Have a Question for WWLD?

Head to: ⁠luannigara.com/WWLD⁠

Submit your question and it might be featured in an upcoming episode.

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:

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

Today with Liz Lidgett:

Art is one of the most overlooked ways designers can elevate a project and expand their own margin, and most designers are sourcing it the hard way.

In this episode, LuAnn sits down with Liz Lidgett, gallerist, art advisor, and author, to talk about what actually happens on the business side of a gallery, and how designers can work with one the smart way. Liz breaks down how trade programs are structured, what questions to ask before you trust a gallery with a client's project, and the hidden costs that can quietly eat into a client's budget if you don't ask about them upfront.

This conversation reframes art sourcing from a task you dread to a part of the business you can actually profit from, as long as you understand the math and let the expert do the sourcing.

What you'll learn:

How gallery trade programs are typically structured, and why the discount should come from the gallery's side, not a markup on the client's price

The exact questions to ask before you send a gallery your first project, references, national versus local reach, artist roster and aesthetic fit

The hidden costs in art sourcing that catch designers off guard, framing, installation, shipping

Why a 15 to 20 percent commission changes how much of your own time should go into sourcing

How to let a gallery's expertise work for you instead of spending hours playing curator yourself

More About Liz Lidgett:

Liz Lidgett is an art advisor, author and gallery owner. As founder of Liz Lidgett Gallery and Design, she works with people to find the perfect piece of art for their style, space, and budget. Representing over 75 artists from around the world, she has a passion for making the art world accessible. Her book, Art for Everyone, will be published by Simon Element (Simon and Schuester) on April 21, 2026. Liz has also been a contributor for many national publications, working with brands like Better Homes and Gardens, Martha Stewart, and Apartment Therapy. She lives in Des Moines, IA, with her husband, Nick Renkoski, their children, Rocky and Effie, and their ever-expanding art collection.

Connect with Liz Lidgett:

Website

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

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 Resources Mentioned:

Liz’s Book: Art For Everyone

Other Shows Mentioned:

Episode 1182: Sponsored Show: Studio Kasa, How to Source Art That Elevates Your Projects and Increases Your Profit

Today with Kathleen Reynolds & Lauren Vallario:

Being a great interior designer and being a great CEO are not the same skill set, and Kathleen Reynolds and Lauren Vallario both learned that the hard way. Kathleen has run Kathleen Reynolds Interiors in Greenville, South Carolina for eighteen years. Lauren has run Lauren Vallario Designs in Stamford, Connecticut for over ten. Both built real, busy firms. Neither one had actually learned how to run a business until they got coaching.

Kathleen carried a bad feeling about one client for nine months, calling it "the client that will not be named" in her own office, before a single five-minute phone call resolved what nine months of worry never could. Lauren was pricing every flat fee project based on nothing, her words, until a simple tool gave her what she calls confidence on paper. Nine months later, she landed the biggest design fee of her career.

Both women are actual clients of business coach Nancy Quinn, and what they share in this conversation is their own experience, not a pitch for her program.

This episode is about the specific moment every designer eventually hits, when the talent that built the business isn't the same thing that runs it, and what it actually takes to close that gap.

More About Kathleen Reynolds & Lauren Vallario:

Kathleen Reynolds is the founder of Kathleen Reynolds Interiors, a full-service interior design firm based in Greenville, South Carolina, now celebrating 18 years in business, handling everything from furnishings and styling to large-scale construction projects. Her team of four takes an organized, personality-driven approach to each client's home. Their motto: your home, uniquely yours. Kathleen opened her own studio in 2008 to bring an organized, streamlined approach to a process that can otherwise feel overwhelming, and that mission hasn't changed since. As a mom of four herself, she knows what it takes to manage a lot of moving pieces at once, which is exactly the energy she brings to every client's project.

Lauren Vallario:

The most rewarding part of the job for Lauren is knowing her clients live better and love their homes! Lauren steps in as the calm, friendly, knowledgeable, and collaborative Interior Designer ready to take the overwhelm of the design process off your plate entirely as she creates liveable luxury.

With a systematic and creative approach (she’s got a spreadsheet for just about everything!), Lauren will help bring your vision into reality while handling all the details. Her clients love being a part of the process as the design comes together with floor plans, elevations, 3D renderings, mood boards, and flawless execution.

Based in Stamford, CT, Lauren Vallario Designs was established in 2013 and provides Bathroom and Kitchen Design to clients located in New York and Connecticut.

Connect with Kathleen Reynolds & Lauren Vallario and Nancy Quinn:

Kathleen’s Website: kathleenreynoldsinteriors.com

Kathleen’s Instagram: @kathleenreynoldsinteriors

Lauren’s Website: https://laurenvallariodesigns.com/

Lauren’s Instagram: @laurenvallario.designs

Lauren’s Docuseries:

Episode 1



Episode 2



Episode 3

Nancy Quinn on Boardroom for Creatives: https://boardroomforcreatives.com/board-member/nancy-quinn/

Profit Insiders Academy: https://profitinsiderscoaching.com/profit-insiders-academy/

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 Resources Mentioned:

This podcast supports the Savvy Giving Design Coalition. Learn more about it here!

AWDB #717 Susan Wintersteen: Interior design firm standards in a nonprofit passion project

AWDB #164: Susan Wintersteen- Savvy Giving by Design

Nancy Quinn on Boardroom for Creatives

Other Shows Mentioned:

Episode 15 Nancy Ganzekaufer- Niche is Rich

Episode 159 Power Talk Friday – Nancy Ganzekaufer – How To Get Confident & Clear on What You Offer

Episode 256 Nancy Ganzekaufer- A Powerful Strategy to Attract More Clients

Episode 389Power Talk Friday: Nancy Ganzekaufer: The Interior Design Profit Formula

Episode 783Power Talk Friday: Nancy Ganzekaufer: Profit Insiders for Interior Designers

Episode 841Power Talk Friday: Nancy Ganzekaufer: Profit Insiders For Interior Designers Group Coaching + Mastermind

Episode 869Power Talk Friday: Nancy Ganzekaufer: Profit Insiders – How Interior Designers Can Price Themselves Right

Episode 935Power Talk Friday: Nancy Ganzekaufer: Profit Insiders Academy: Marketing Lessons From Taylor Swift’s Playbook

Episode 37Lesley Myrick – Strategies I Used to Build My Business

Episode 584Lesley Myrick: Building a Business From the Ground Up, Again

Episode 766Lesley Myrick: Offering Interior Design Without Procurement

Episode 972Power Talk Friday: Lesley Myrick: Profit Insiders: How Interior Designers Can Leverage Local Marketing

Today with Megan Reilly:

Today with Megan Reilly, co-founder and owner of WestEdge Design Fair, LuAnn dives into why designers at every level should stop treating trade shows as shopping trips and start using them as real business development tools. Megan has spent her career on every side of the industry event world, from the Merchandise Mart to Marketing Director of NeoCon and the Architectural Digest Home Design Show, to launching her own show on the West Coast in 2013, and she and LuAnn get into how to build relationships with brands that actually go somewhere, the roles beyond "attendee" most designers don't realize they can ask for, and a story about a show-floor connection that turned into an entirely new industry organization. Whether you're brand new to the business or twenty years in, this conversation will change how you show up at your next event.

More About Megan Reilly:

Megan Reilly is the co-founder and owner of WestEdge Design Fair.

Having produced some of the most important events within the design industry, including the Architectural Digest Design Show and NeoCon, Megan relocated to the West Coast from New York City to launch WestEdge Design Fair in 2013.

She has extensive experience in brand activations, event management, marketing, programming, project management and public relations. She also covers design and travel for VENÜ Magazine.

Ah Ha Moments with Megan Reilly:

“Reach gets you seen, but a room gets you remembered." - Megan

"What's your gap right now? And maybe don't just attend a trade show or a conference and hope it comes into your path, but see how you can manufacture getting that information during that visit, right?" - LuAnn

Connect with Megan Reilly:

Website

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

Episode 1116: NEW SHOW: Juliana Ewer: How Networking and Volunteerism Can be the Biggest Return on Investment for your Business and Your Heart