Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Design for the Creative Mind podcast! I'm your host, Michelle Lind, and today I'm thrilled to have Jessica Harling with me. Jessica is a passionate ringleader and dynamic problem solver, known for her work with Behind the Design.

We dive into the concept of personal branding, discussing the phrases Jessica uses to summarize her personal brand. Have you considered the phrases that describe you in a heartbeat? It's an interesting perspective that we explore.

The podcast takes a fun turn as we recount how Michelle and Jessica first met at Luann Live in Orlando. Despite a rescheduled podcast interview, their chance encounter was a delightful surprise, emphasizing the small, interconnected nature of the interior design world.

Jessica introduces her company, Behind the Design, which focuses on building dream teams in three key ways: finding top talent, providing training for comfort in roles, and developing processes for long-term success. The discussion delves into recruiting beyond designers, encompassing various roles within the interior design business, from admin positions to project managers.

Jessica shares her journey into the industry, stemming from her family's window covering business in Chicago. As a fourth-generation member, she was involved in operations and developed a passion for paving the path behind her, ensuring others wouldn't face the same struggles.

The conversation turns to the generational gap in the design industry, where Jessica noticed a divide between traditional knowledge and modern tools. This realization fueled her mission to bridge the gap, leading her to consult and eventually establish Behind the Design.

We explore the direct impact of Jessica's work, emphasizing the importance of bringing fresh perspectives into the industry. The discussion touches on the value of diverse skill sets and the need to innovate by incorporating different viewpoints.

We discuss the challenges faced by business owners in the interior design industry, focusing on finding, training, and retaining talent. Jessica's insights shed light on the holistic approach she takes, addressing both people and processes to drive business growth.

Join us for this engaging episode as we explore the world of interior design, talent acquisition, and business growth with Jessica Harling from Behind the Design. Thank you for tuning in to the Design for the Creative Mind podcast!

Connect with Jessica: 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BehindtheDesign/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gobehindthedesign/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/behindthedesign

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

In this episode I talk with Nikki Roush. She is the CEO of SalesMaven  and she has the unique ability to transform the misunderstood process of selling  with 25 plus years of selling experience.

Entrepreneurs and small business owners now hire Nikki to show them how to sell successfully and authentically.  Nikki has written three books. They're all available on Amazon, and she has a podcast called Sales Maven. 

Nikki shares her origin story and explains how she ventured into teaching people the art of selling. We talk about the stereotypes surrounding sales, especially for women, and the challenges individuals face when it comes to doing sales. 

She shares her strategies for engaging conversations on social media, including how to talk with people rather than at them, and the simplicity behind developing genuine relationships on platforms like Instagram.

In this episode we also dive into what steps should be included in a proven sales process and Nikki shares her process, "The Selling Staircase," revealing the steps to qualify, quote, and close high-end clients. Get your pen and paper ready as she emphasizes the importance of a multi-conversation sales approach and the art of redirecting thoughts.

Connect with Nikki:

Grab a free gift for being a loyal podcast listener here: https://yoursalesmaven.com/mastering/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yoursalesmaven

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/your_sales_maven/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolerausch/

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

In this episode I talk with Jeffrey Madoff, a multi-talented creative with a diverse career spanning fashion design, film production, producing, and teaching. Madoff has worked with prestigious clients like Ralph Lauren, Tiffany, Victoria's Secret, and more. He's also an adjunct professor at Parsons School of Design and an Amazon best-selling author of "Creative Careers, Making a Living with Your Ideas."

Madoff is the author of Creative Careers: Making a Living with Your Ideas. His book dispels the myth that artists can’t be good business people and good business people can’t be creative. He breaks down other myths about creativity so that readers can overcome obstacles and reach their full potential. Drawing on Jeff’s decades of experience and the experience of over 50 industry experts, Creative Careers takes you down a practical path that will lead to success in any field.

Madoff shares insights into his background, including growing up in Akron, Ohio, and his early experiences working in his parents' retail stores. Despite a broad education in philosophy and psychology, he found these disciplines foundational to his creative endeavors.

In this conversation  into the intersection of creativity and business acumen. Madoff emphasizes the importance of breaking free from binary thinking, where creativity and business are perceived as mutually exclusive. He believes that everything one does informs everything else, emphasizing the interconnectedness of experiences.

We explore the idea that creativity is not limited to specific fields but is a common thread across diverse pursuits. They discuss the importance of asking the right questions, understanding budgets, and grasping various aspects of business in creative professions.

Connect with Jeffrey: 

Website:  ACreativeCareer.com,  MadoffProductions.com

LinkedIn: in/B-Jeffrey-Madoff

Instagram @ACreativecareer

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

In this episode I talk  with Masha Koyen, a messaging strategist and website copywriter for interior designers about the importance of strategic copy and messaging in the visually-driven world of interior design.

Masha talks about the need for designers to blend their visuals on their websites  with great copy that connects to their audience and tells them a story. Your website has to work double duty, and copy is the bridge that connects your brand with the audience.

In the interior design industry it can be challenging to stand out, but your personal story is what sets you apart. Being authentic, telling your journey, and revealing the genuine you make the audience more likely to remember and connect with your brand.

We also dive into how to weave your story into your website copy, and Masha dives deeper into her process for how she helps clients create website copy that tells their brand story, speaks to their audience, and helps them get those potential clients to take the next step and engage with their brand. 

Thank you for listening to this episode! I hope it inspires you to be more authentic, share your story, and hire a copywriter for your website if you need help! 

Meet our guest Masha Koyen: 

Masha Koyen is a seasoned messaging strategist and copywriter, bringing over 14 years of

corporate marketing experience to the table. She's worked with big guns like Deloitte, KPMG,

Open Text, and Pearson before launching her own boutique copywriting agency, Content

Vertical.

Today, Masha specializes in messaging strategy and website copywriting for the interior design

industry. Her secret sauce? A data-driven approach using her signature REVEAL framework.

She dives deep into the audience's psyche, creating engaging narratives that resonate with their

core needs and desires.

With Masha, you're not just getting words on a page - you're getting a strategic narrative that

captures attention and doesn't let go. Expect powerful, engaging web copy that not only tells a

story, but drives action.

Connect with Masha: 

Website: https://www.contentvertical.com/

Grab a free mini messaging audit here: https://www.contentvertical.com/miniaudit/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masha.copywriter/

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

In this episode I talk to Jamie Van Cuyk, the owner and lead strategist of Growing Your Team. She helps women, small business owners become confident leaders who hire correctly every single time. It's a big promise, but Jamie backs it up and shares with us in this episode the keys to getting it right. 

In our conversation Jamie shares with us the 4 things to look out for in your business to know that it is time to hire, and we chat about common pitfalls you should avoid when trying to hire in your interior design business. We also dive into what to look for in your ideal candidate, how to ask the right questions in an interview, and how critical the onboarding process is to your new hire’s success and your business success. 

As a business owner, hiring is one of the most important things you will do in your business and when you don’t get it right, it can be such a source of stress and losing time, money, and energy. This is not something that you should take lightly and it will always be important to continue to hone your skills when it comes to hiring or outsourcing it. 

Thank you for tuning into this episode, I hope I encouraged you to take the hiring process seriously and you learned valuable tools to help you build your dream interior design business team

Meet our guest Jamie:

Jamie Van Cuyk, the owner and lead strategist of Growing Your Team, helps women small business owners become confident leaders who hire right every single time. Drawing from over 15 years of leadership experience, Jamie teaches her clients how to master the art of hiring. By learning the dynamics of each company and their specific needs, she helps them find their perfect-fit, long-lasting team members and avoid the hiring and firing cycle. On a personal side, Jamie lives in St Petersburg, FL, with her husband and two daughters, is a hobby winemaker, loves to travel, and enjoys exercise that takes her feet off the ground, including rock climbing and aerial dance.

Connect with Jamie here: 

WEBSITE: Growing Your Team https://growingyourteam.com/

CONTACT INFO: jamie@growingyourteam.com

Facebook -https://www.facebook.com/GrowingYourTeam

Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/growingyourteam/

LinkedIn -https://www.linkedin.com/in/jamievancuyk/

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text BESTIE to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

In this episode I’m diving into a topic that's close to my heart - leadership. Whether you're leading a team or going solo, leadership is the key to unlocking freedom in your interior design business, and how you are as a leader is crucial to your team and business success. 

I share my journey, starting from managing tables in a restaurant at 23 to running my own interior design business. Leadership became essential when I realized I couldn't do it all alone.I had to learn the delicate balance of setting high standards for your team while recognizing and celebrating milestones along the way. It's not just about the destination; the journey matters too.

Whether you have one team member or ten, treat them as collaborators. It's not about hierarchy; it's about working together towards a common goal. Leading a team requires clear communication, accountability and understanding that everyone thinks differently. Be open to learning from your team while teaching them, creating a reciprocal environment where iron sharpens iron.

Being a leader isn't about being perfect; it's about inspiring greatness in those around you. As an entrepreneur, you already have greatness within you. Step into that role and share it with others.

Thank you for tuning into this episode, I hope I encouraged you to step fully into the leader you need to be for your team and that you’ve got some great tips to take with you and start implementing right away. 

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text UPDATES to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production

In this episode, we dive into the heart of client education, specifically in the context of project financials and client sourcing.  We've all seen those design forums filled with pricing struggles and client shopping stories. Today, let's break down the myth and find a solution.

The truth of the matter is—clients aren't jerks; they're often just uninformed. Time to shift your perspective from frustration to education. Once you learn how to weave client education into your conversations and even into your contracts, you will find that your clients will respect how you run your business and will be less likely to “shop you” or ask for discounts. 

Educate your clients on the behind-the-scenes work. There is so much more that goes into designing a room than they know, they don’t understand what it takes to pull a design together but you do, it’s your job to communicate that and the value that you bring. 

You're not just creating spaces; you're crafting experiences, you are turning houses into homes. You have to believe in the value that you bring to the project beyond a dollar per hour. Your skills and creativity are unparalleled – don't undersell them. 

Take a moment after this episode and list out the intricate steps involved in designing a single room. Recognize the value in your process—it's a journey, not just a result. Remember, you're not just designing spaces; you're curating an environment. Embrace the process, communicate your value, and watch how smooth your client experience will be. . 

Thank you for tuning into this episode, I hope I encouraged you to be more bold in your client education and the value you bring to the project. 

To register for the Rolling In The Dough workshop referenced in this episode visit: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/workshop

Podcast Website and Resources:

Get more info about our year-long mentorship and coaching program: https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/business-bakery  

Text UPDATES to 855-784-8299 for business tips, encouragement, and all our DFCM updates.

SIMPLIFY YOUR MARKETING, SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE. Sidemark is an all-new, all-in-one software that organizes sales, marketing, and business services all in one convenient location. Join mysidemark.com to help grow your interior design business.

Stay in touch with Michelle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designedforthecreativemind/ 

Join our Free Facebook Community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/idbizlaunchpad 

Get clarity on your next best step today! https://www.designedforthecreativemind.com/reviewguide

Have ideas or suggestions or want to be considered as a guest on the show? Contact me! https://www.DesignedForTheCreativeMind.com/contact

A Podcast Launch Bestie production