Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design Business

Latest Episodes:

How Mindset is the Difference Between Success and Failure (with Michael Unbroken) Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

Mindset is the difference between success and failure in life and business. Trauma coach Michael Unbroken is here to discuss overcoming your trauma, how your trauma impacts you as a business owner, and the importance of investing in mentorship (and yourself).

From homeless to hero, with an ACE Score of TEN, Michael Unbroken found his way from stuck, hurt, and broken to being THE HERO of his own story. Today, Michael has coached thousands of Trauma Warriors around the world to learn to love themselves, get unstuck and to BE UNBROKEN. Michael is the author of the best-selling book Think Unbroken and is a coach, mentor, and educator for adult survivors of child abuse.

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📲CONNECT with Michael:

Website: https://www.thinkunbrokenacademy.com

Instagram: @MichaelUnbroken

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

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

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

“Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha” by Tara Brach

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

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

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How eDesigners Can Win Prizes (with Jenna Gaidusek) - Bonus Episode 282 Sep 12, 2022

Show notes

Do you want to win some prizes with your sick eDesign skills? Jenna Gaidusek (Mydoma/Edesign Tribe) is in the studio today to discuss Mydoma's Designer Virtual Home Tour Contest. Interior designers can enter for a chance to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes, including a trip to HPMKT Spring 2023! You can enter the contest here.

Jenna is an interior designer that has worked remotely since 2016 in her business Jenna Gaidusek Designs. She is also the founder of the eDesign Tribe community on Facebook as well as eDesign u and the eDesign Platform- recently acquired by Mydoma studio. Jenna is now the director of education and community for Mydoma studio bringing design professionals together and providing educational tools and resources to help them expand their business in a way that works best for their lifestyle.

***

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social:

[0:00] - Jenna Gaidusek is here - again?!

[1:49] - The origin story of eDesign Tribe

[3:39] - Jenna's one stop shop for project management, eDesign, and education

[6:23] - Electronic design is becoming the new normal

[8:26] - The Designer Virtual Home Tour Contest (powered by Mydoma)

[11:12] - The benefits of electronic design and visualizers

[11:57] - How to enter the contest for a chance to win thousands of dollars worth of prizes

[12:56] - Free learning opportunities with Mydoma

[14:37] - The What Up Wingnut Round!

[16:03] - Get a free trial with Mydoma and enter the contest

***

📲CONNECT with Jenna Gaidusek:

Website: https://www.mydomastudio.com/vhometour/

Jenna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenna.gaidusek/

Mydoma's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mydoma/

eDesign Tribe Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/eDesignTribe/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

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

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Ubersuggest: https://app.neilpatel.com/en/ubersuggest/

Enter The Designer Virtual Home Tour Contest: www.mydomastudio.com/vhometour

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

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

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Why Interior Designers Need Systems and Processes - Episode 281 Sep 07, 2022

Show notes

You want to deliver an exceptional experience for your clients, right? So, what has to happen on the back end to make it happen? Systems and processes. You need to craft standard operating procedures. When you’re familiar with your foundational processes you’ll make informed decisions for the rest of your company.

You’ll be able to walk your client through your process (including how long the project will take). When you have standardized systems and processes in place so that you can do this, it will help you build relationships and trust with your clients.

Katie McFarlan is the owner of Dakota Design Company, where she helps her clients refine, streamline, and simplify business processes and systems so they can grow in a sustainable way. She shares how she builds systems and processes in this episode of Wingnut Social!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:12] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinar!
[1:58] Mini News Sesh: Instagram’s pinned comments
[4:35] Katie McFarlan and Dakota Design Co.
[6:21] Why you need systems and processes
[7:59] The depth and scope of systems and processes
[10:33] How to develop systems and processes
[16:02] What happens when you break your rules
[19:03] Here’s where you should get started
[22:58] Why SOPs are important for solopreneurs, too
[25:39] The importance of project management software
[30:31] Scale your business with software—or a team
[32:00] The What Up Wingnut Round!
[36:24] Blooper Reel!

Connect with Katie McFarlan

Dakota Design Co.
Connect on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

The depth and scope of systems and processes

Creativity and design are part of the process—but a small part of what a business owner has to do every day. So Katie talks about the client-facing steps of the process as well as the back-end side of what happens in each phase (for the designer, designer’s team, and clients).

Systems and processes can help you scale your business properly. Once you document your processes, you can identify opportunities to make each phase of your process better. You can see where you need to be more efficient, where you can delegate, and more.

Here’s where you should get started

Katie believes that developing systems and processes comes down to how you work and what services you deliver. You can structure services a million different ways but it HAS to work for you.

Once you choose a structure for your services, then focus on industry best practices for screening leads, onboarding clients, and delivering results (design discovery, how you design, presentations, etc.).

If you’re spinning your wheels and getting overwhelmed, write everything down:

What does your inquiry phase look like? What happens step-by-step? Do you send an email? Do they book a call?
What is your onboarding process? What do you do for a new client? What do you need from them? What can they expect from you? How long does this phase take?
What does the design phase look like? How do you go from concept to final design? Do you offer order management? Project management? Construction management?
How do you install? What is the offboarding process? Do you ask them for a review?

Every designer and what they offer is different. But the way you deliver services can fall into these categories. Writing everything out helps you map out the process and how long it will take so you can inform your clients.

After you map out your phases, look at where there’s confusion, pushback, and overwhelm. Identify where the challenges are. That’s where something needs to change.

Katie believes that every designer needs project management software. Tune in to this episode to hear what she recommends to keep your business on track!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
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Goal-Setting Strategies for Interior Designers - Episode 280 Aug 31, 2022

Show notes

Andrea Liebross has started three successful businesses and ultimately became a certified business and life coach. Her goal is to help bold and ambitious women create their own custom secret sauce for success by combining mindset and systems. In this episode of Wingnut Social, Andrea helps nail down some goal-setting strategies for interior designers. Don’t miss it!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:07] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinars and Wingnut Academy
[2:07] Mini News Sesh: Pinterest releases a new collage app
[6:37] Learn more about Andrea Liebross and her business
[9:09] Shiny object syndrome: Why you need to focus on your wheelhouse
[13:28] What is the importance of goal-setting in your business?
[22:02] How Andrea helps clients remain consistent to reach their goals
[26:38] How do you know when you can pay attention to a shiny object?
[30:36] Why Andrea likes to layer in risky goal-setting
[33:24] Why making confident decisions will 10x your results
[36:06] The What Up Wingnut Round!
[40:10] Blooper Reel!

Connect with Andrea

Andrea Liebross Coaching
Take the quiz on Andrea’s website
Andrea’s podcast: Time to Level Up
Follow Andrea on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less

Shiny object syndrome: Why you need to focus on your wheelhouse

Andrea has a client that’s an interior designer. They’ve been working together for 18 months and her business has doubled. This client loves a brand of exercise clothes sold directly to customers and asked Andrea if she thought it was okay if she got her foot in the door with network marketing.

She thought it would be fun and exciting. But what about her business? Isn’t that fun and exciting? So Andrea asked her, “What if we just stick with that?” People are looking for fun, exciting, new, and adventurous. That is the trap of shiny object syndrome.

Andrea helped her focus on the three-year vision for her business. Then they got even more granular and focused on what she needed to do this quarter. However, Andrea believes that your goals need an element of shiny object syndrome built into them. Why? To give you the excitement you’re craving. Listen to find out what that could look like.

Goal-setting strategies for interior designers

You need to set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound, AND exciting and risky (the SMART-ER framework). If you believe in those goals, they can ground you. They can also prevent you from constantly stumbling over roadblocks. Goals are your priorities that are written down so that you can plan from and schedule your time around.

How specific should you be with goal setting? Andrea believes that goals should be broken down quarterly, monthly, weekly, and daily. Start with what you’re doing today. Andrea is a believer in the “Big Three.”

What are the three things that you’re going to do today that get you a step closer to your goals? The key is that they need to be things you have some resistance to. It may be reaching out to a client, closing a deal, or sourcing something that’s been impossible to find.

Those three things must align with your ultimate revenue goal and impact your bottom line. The goals are your north star. The big three ground you every day. Then you can plan out your week with a weekly big three. What do you want to happen that won’t happen automatically?

Why is it so important to write it down? What’s the best way to track your goals? Listen to hear Andrea’s thoughts.

How Andrea helps clients remain consistent to reach their goals

Action and inaction are driven by how we feel. You might feel stressed or anxious. Writing down a list of tasks may be the last thing you want to do. You have so many things to do that you just want to get going. What do you want to happen? How do you want to feel at the end of the day? What do you want to have accomplished?

Everyone wants everything on their list checked off. If you write things down at the beginning of the day and decide what to work on, you’ll get more done. You have to focus on the endgame to take the initial action.

Are you doing the things on your list that have the most impact? Do they align with where you want to be? Your brain likes the hit of dopamine when you knock out the easy things. When you do that, your brain thinks you’re being productive when you’re not.

Why aren’t you writing down what you should be doing? Andrea shares 3 common reasons. Listen to find out what they are!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
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How to Apply the Profit First Mindset with Mike Michalowicz - Episode 279 Aug 24, 2022

Show notes

This isn’t the first time Darla’s talked about Mike Michalowicz’s Profit First formula (and how interior designers can apply it in their business). But this IS the first time she’s had a conversation with the man himself!

If you don’t know who he is, Mike Michalowicz is the author of The Pumpkin Plan, Clockwork, Fix This Next, Get Different, and a Wingnut favorite—Profit First. In this episode of Wingnut Social, he shares how you can flip the script and turn your business into a money-making machine.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[0:45] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinars + Wingnut Academy Updates
[1:32] Mini News Sesh: LinkedIn is testing link stickers
[3:26] Learn more about Mike Michalowicz
[5:16] The story behind the first cover of Profit First
[9:10] Why entrepreneurs struggle to make a profit
[11:21] The pay yourself first principle applied to business
[13:55] What happens if your business is carrying debt?
[16:12] The optimal number to contribute to profit
[18:00] Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
[20:45] Using tacking to make quarterly adjustments
[25:06] How service-based industries should grow
[28:10] Why you should work with a Profit First coach
[30:13] The What Up Wingnut Round!

Connect with Mike Michalowicz

Check out Mike’s Website
Clockwork, Revised and Expanded

Resources & People Mentioned

Younger Next Year
Profit First for Interior Designers
Creating a Sustainable Design Business through Profit First
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

Why entrepreneurs struggle to make a profit

Cyril Northcote Parkinson studied human behavior. His thesis was that as supply increases in availability, consumption increases. If Mike is given one chocolate chip cookie, he’ll eat it. If 20+ chocolate chip cookies are placed in front of him, he’ll likely eat more than one because the supply has changed. The same is true for money. When there’s more available, there’s more to spend.

It becomes a trap. Many businesses make tens of millions of dollars but are still struggling to get by because the more they make, the more they spend. They see money in the bank account and go, “Finally, I can do X, Y, Z.” Parkinson also points out that if you constrain supply, you can force frugality. You also become more innovative. You find ways to stretch it. When you have one cookie to eat, you savor it. When there’s less money available to spend, you’re more selective with how you spend it.

The pay yourself first principle applied to business

If you take a portion of your income and put it toward savings, you will have a future of savings. Why not apply that to business? The first thing you do is allocate money to profit. With Profit First, the equation is sales minus profit equals expenses. Money comes in, you take profit, and then you know what’s truly left available for expenses.

Profit isn’t an event or eventuality. Profit is a habit. When money comes in, take a portion and allocate it toward profit. You use the profit to pay yourself first. You preallocate money to its intended use. It’s a mindset shift. When you see what money’s intended use is before you spend it, you work within the confines of that.

How do you operate if your business has debt? Listen to hear Mike’s thoughts!

Using tacking to make quarterly adjustments

What is your five or ten-year vision? What can you do in the next 90 days to best get there? Tacking is a strategy that’s used by sailors. The boat has a desired destination. But you can’t go in a straight line to get there because you have to take advantage of the winds. So sailboats zigzag to capture the wind to get to their destinations.

Businesses are the same. You don’t beeline straight to the end goal. Obstacles, like the economy, will present challenges. So take things one quarter at a time. What are the biggest movements you can make in your business to get to your end goal?

You also have to get into a quarterly rhythm of distributions. The only way you can grow is with fiscal discipline. The #1 rule of publicly-traded companies is to distribute profit to shareholders every quarter. They do that to maintain engagement and award risk-takers. Your business needs to follow the same pattern. It keeps you emotionally engaged in your business.

Why shouldn’t you re-invest your profit? Why should you work with a Profit First coach? Listen to learn why!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Business Tips for New Interior Designers - Episode 278 Aug 17, 2022

Show notes

Meredith founded the “House of Huck” in 2020 as a passion project. She gave herself an ultimatum: If she wasn’t successful in three years, she’d go back to the corporate world. But in one year, she transformed her business into a full-time career.

She’s leveraged her unique background in corporate sales—and some genius social media marketing tactics—to build a thriving business. In this episode of Wingnut Social, Meredith shares some business tips for new interior designers that you just can’t miss!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:16] Wingnut Webinar: Let’s Get Real About Reels
[2:56] Mini News Sesh: Native scheduling on Instagram
[5:06] Learn all about Meredith Huck and the House of Huck
[11:08] Marketing House of Huck on social media
[18:03] When Meredith sought out an interior design coach
[20:43] How Meredith handles pricing and fees
[23:22] Why Meredith doesn’t want to grow and scale a team
[28:13] Business tips for new interior designers
[35:55] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[41:10] Blooper Reel!

Connect with Meredith Huck

House of Huck
Connect on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

Wingnut Webinar Aug 25, 2022 11:00 AM: Let’s Get Real About Reels
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Dakota Design Co.
The Brownstone Boys
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

Why House of Huck grew quickly

95% of Meredith’s clients have come from social media. How does she leverage various platforms to gain visibility?

Meredith got in front of the camera. It allowed people to learn about herself and her life. She also embraced a unique social media marketing strategy: Throwing a scavenger hunt.

Meredith chose 5 local businesses, bought gift cards, and hid them around town. You had to follow her on social media and answer a riddle to find the gift card(s). Once someone found one, they had to tag her in a post.

She gained followers, gave back to her community, and it even led to a request for a design consultation.

Why Meredith doesn’t want to grow and scale a team

Meredith is struggling with a great problem to have: Getting too many requests for her design services. She’s learning how to take discovery calls, explaining how her process works, and scheduling out (sometimes weeks or months).

She sets the expectation that it may be weeks before she can connect back to work on their project. But then she communicates via email, notes in the mail, etc. She’ll have those clients work on creating a Pinterest board to fill in the gap during those weeks.

Meredith is busier than ever, but she isn’t interested in growing and scaling a team right now. She loves what she does and chooses to outsource when necessary. She works with a virtual assistant and outsources renderings and sourcing tasks.

Business tips for new interior designers

What has Meredith learned from her first couple of years as a new interior designer?

Tip #1: It’s not just about charging a design fee. Whenever you can, open up wholesale accounts and purchase furnishings directly from them. A large portion of Meredith’s revenue has come from the margin she makes on furnishings.

Tip #2: Trust your gut. Meredith agreed to do some design work for a couple despite seeing numerous red flags. Meredith requires her clients to request revisions within one week of her design presentation. After her design presentation, this client asked for more than a week to decide. Two months later, they asked her for a refund of her design fees.

Tip #3: Don’t take every job that comes your way. Only work with people who appreciate what you’re doing for them.

Meredith shares more tips, tricks, and business strategies in this episode of Wingnut Social. Check it out!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
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The Interior Designer’s Guide to the Remote Hiring Process - Episode 277 Aug 10, 2022

Show notes

How do you navigate the remote hiring process for your interior design business? What should you include in the interview process? How do you retain a remote team once you hire them? Anna Shcherbyna joins Darla in this episode of Wingnut Social to tackle these questions head-on.

Anna Shcherbyna has over 10 years of experience in international operations and recruitment. She is the CEO of Remotivate, a recruitment agency that helps remote-friendly companies hire top remote management and leadership via a done-for-you service. Don’t miss her expert insight!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:24] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinar Announcement
[2:25] Subscribe to Designed by Wingnut Social on YouTube!
[2:52] Mini News Sesh: How to Boost Instagram Reels
[6:55] Learn all about Anna Shcherbyna
[8:30] How the pandemic accelerated remote hiring
[12:03] The best places to hire remote employees
[14:00] What to look for in a remote candidate
[16:41] How to screen candidates remotely
[22:27] The advantages of hiring internationally
[26:49] How remote hiring can apply to designers
[28:43] How to nail the remote hiring process
[32:32] Ways you can retain your remote employees
[34:48] The What Up Wingnut! Round

Connect with Anna Shcherbyna

Remotivate
Book a demo call with Anna!
Connect by email at Anna@LetsRemotivated.com
Connect with Anna on LinkedIn

Resources & People Mentioned

August 24th at 11 am: Wingnut Webinar on Instagram Reels
VideoAsk
Remote
CliftonStrengths (formerly StrengthsFinder)
The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

Why hire a remote workforce?

As of early 2022, 50% of applicants on LinkedIn have been for remote jobs, but only 20% of the jobs posted are actually remote. The #1 reason why candidates are applying for new jobs is because they’re being forced back into the office. Why are employers still resistant to remote work?

Anna points out that when people work remotely, productivity goes up, flexibility goes up, happiness goes up, and morale goes up. But the one thing that you do lose out on is that quickness of communication.

How to screen candidates remotely

Anna recommends that you screen for soft skills. It isn’t just about experience anymore. You can’t just look at someone’s resume and LinkedIn profile and determine if someone is a good fit. You need to look for a hunger to learn, time and effort, independence and drive, and someone who is self-motivated.

Obviously, you still want to screen candidates to make sure they’re a good fit for the position you’re hiring for. To do this, Anna loves using VideoAsk. You can see if a candidate is comfortable on camera and better assess their passion and interest in the role.

Anna also recommends using some personality tests (DiSC and Clifton Strengths, which was formerly StrengthsFinder). CliftonStrengths asks direct questions, such as what you enjoy—and what you don’t—and how you act in different scenarios. It’s harder for you to answer questions from the lens of what you think the potential employer wants.

Lastly, she always recommends a test project that is actionable and strategically related to the position being hired for. Give them an actual scenario you’re facing within your business and ask them how they’d resolve it. What steps would they take? Have them create a strategic plan.

What are the advantages of hiring a remote employee internationally? Anna shares a few factors you might not have considered!

How to nail the remote hiring process

Step #1: Start with a questionnaire that tackles what a candidate has experience in, the tools they’ve used, industries they’ve worked in, and more. It’s about covering the logistics. Doing this can eliminate 70% of the people applying.

Step #2: Ask the remaining 30% to record a short video where they present themselves and answer a couple of questions that you’ve provided.

Step #3: Set up a conversation with the potential team member, interact with them, and conduct an interview.

Step #4: Give them a test project to complete. This will allow you to more fully understand what their skills are, how they communicate, and what their experience is. Plus, you get to see them live in action.

Step #5: Finally, complete reference checks. Ask them to prepare some previous clients or employers that they’ve worked with for at least 6 months, within five years, and no longer than five years ago. It needs to be with a supervisor who can speak to their character and growth.

If you set up the remote hiring process correctly, it creates a seamless experience for you and the new hire.

How do you retain remote employees? How can you set them up for success? Listen to the whole episode to hear Anna’s thoughts!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
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How Maria Killam Grew to 100k+ Instagram Followers - Episode 276 Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

Maria Killam is a decorator, stylist, speaker, educator, and true color expert in interior and exterior design. She’s also the creator of the Killam Color System™, a proven system for choosing color that anyone can learn.

Maria has always shared her work on her blog and has thousands of readers. But her Instagram never took off—until recently. Maria leveraged a popular Instagram trend and grew to 100k+ Instagram followers in mere weeks. Learn how she did it in this episode of Wingnut Social!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:48] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinar + YouTube
[2:50] Mini News Sesh: Instagram Feed Videos = Reels
[6:43] Learn more about Maria Killam and her business
[12:44] The basics of the Killam color system
[18:00] The importance of understanding color
[24:44] How Maria’s eDesign business stands out
[29:13] How Maria feels about white interiors (and trending colors)
[31:51] Maria’s marketing strategy on Instagram
[38:36] What Maria would say to someone who wants a trendy space
[40:30] Maria’s What Up Wingnut Round!
[46:29] Blooper Reel!

Connect with Maria Killam

Maria’s Website
Maria’s course: Colour Made Easy™
Follow Maria on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

The evolution of Maria’s business

Maria Killam launched her career while working in a paint store. She took a color course and learned how to accurately describe colors. As she helped clients choose the right colors for their homes, she started painting out large color samples and used them over and over again.

She saw that beiges always had the same undertones: pink-beige, green-beige, yellow-beige, etc. The undertones expanded from there. Her goal is to help her clients understand undertones so their design choices are complementary and timeless.

Maria created a color wheel tool to help people identify the undertones in their spaces to choose the right neutrals. Now Maria offers online courses and eDesign to help both designers and homeowners create timeless spaces.

Keep listening to learn how understanding color and undertones influences every design choice you’ll make.

Maria’s Strategy to gain 100k+ Instagram followers

Maria has spent a lot of time on Instagram. Why? Because people judge you as a marketer, designer, and businessperson based on your number of Instagram followers. They’re either impressed—or not.

One day, Maria was watching an influencer who did a “10 ways to do something…” video series that they split into 10 parts. It was a light-bulb moment for Maria. So she launched her own 10-part series: “10 Finishes that Immediately Date Your New Build.” Her Instagram following grew by 100,000 followers in a matter of weeks.

Instagram is trying to be like TikTok. It’s ALL about video. It worked for Maria because her no-nonsense personality was fully expressed in these videos. Before, she followed different random trends. Secondly, you build trust faster when they watch a video. If you’re not on video, you’re going to be behind. So how do you get started?

Start sharing videos on your stories. They’re only 15 seconds and get you comfortable in front of the camera. Maria felt extremely awkward in her first videos. But you have to go through that awkward phase to become a rockstar on video. Maria has attracted a whole new audience. Learn how you can do the same in this episode of Wingnut Social!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
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How Lisa Gilmore Built a Multi-Million-Dollar Interior Design Firm - Episode 275 Jul 27, 2022

Show notes

Lisa Gilmore watched HGTV late at night when her mother thought she was sleeping. As she watched Candace Olson from “Divine Design” put these incredible designs together, she realized she could do the same thing. She went to design school right out of high school.

When she started her business, she focused on networking. Her goal? When anyone heard the word “interior design” she wanted them to immediately think “Lisa Gilmore.” 11 years later, she’s been featured in Forbes, Business of Home, Coveteur, Better Homes & Gardens, and more.

Lisa is recognized for her bold use of color, functionality, and “liveable glamour.” She’s built a multi-million-dollar interior design firm from the ground up. But her journey wasn’t without setbacks. Listen to this episode of Wingnut Social to learn what she did to build a thriving multi-million-dollar interior design firm.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:20] Housekeeping: Check out this month’s webinar!
[2:05] Mini News Sesh: YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok for video?
[6:07] Learn all about the extraordinary Lisa Gilmore
[10:25] How Lisa became an interior designer
[15:34] Is it important to work with an established interior designer?
[17:27] Becoming a multi-million-dollar interior design firm in 10 years
[22:22] The changes Lisa made to her pricing structure to achieve growth
[26:00] What percentage of Lisa’s business is furnishings and accessories?
[28:34] What Lisa learned from hitting financial rock bottom
[33:45] How to prepare your interior design business for a recession
[38:00] Don’t be afraid to get uncomfortable to grow to the next level
[39:25] Lisa experiences the What Up Wingnut Round!
[42:52] The Wacky Wingnut Blooper Reel!

Connect with Lisa Gilmore

Lisa Gilmore Design
Follow Lisa on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

What Lisa learned from hitting financial rock bottom

Lisa grew up in a blue-collar family in a small town in Florida. She had what she needed, but she didn’t have a lot. Her family never talked about money. So when she started her business, she avoided conversations about money. But she notes that passion only gets you so far. She couldn’t ignore it anymore.

She was going through a divorce, trying to stand on her own two feet, but she couldn’t. She went to Africa on a sort of “Eat, Pray, Love” sabbatical. It was the experience of a lifetime. But a lack of confidence coupled with poor financial management culminated in the perfect storm. Lisa logged into her bank account and realized it was empty. That was the moment she realized she needed to get her life together.

Becoming a multi-million-dollar interior design firm in 10 years

A close friend introduced Lisa to Profit First, which quickly changed her mindset about money. It took Lisa 3–4 months to recover from rock bottom. Thankfully, she’s never had a shortage of clients, so she was able to put her nose to the grindstone and implement Profit First quickly. It was a painful process. But she dug them out of debt and started saving money.

Her experience forced her to look at her business as what it could be. It needed to be her livelihood. She had to get uncomfortable with money and learn to understand profit margins. And once she focused on a Profit First mentality, her confidence grew as a female leader and business owner.

She was no longer intimidated. She sat in front of her wealthy clients with confidence and knew she could provide what they needed and make a great living.

The changes Lisa made to her pricing structure to achieve growth

Lisa raised her hourly rate to $275 an hour and now requires a higher retainer up front so clients have skin in the game. They need to be invested. She can say without hesitation that it turned her business around. She emphasizes that if you allow yourself to face your fears, you can turn your financial mistakes around quickly.

Lisa shares more about her incredible interior design firm and her path to success and financial freedom in this episode. Don’t miss it!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

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PODCAST FAST TRACK
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Why Interior Designers Need Ongoing SEO to Remain Competitive - Episode 274 Jul 20, 2022

Show notes

Why is SEO so critical for your brand’s online presence?

How does it help you compete with other interior designers? Why is ongoing SEO the key to keeping your interior design business ranking on Google?

The biggest piece of misinformation that we hear about SEO is that it’s a “one-and-done” service that’s complete when your website is created. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Ongoing SEO, when done correctly, is your key to remaining competitive. Gavin—Wingnut’s resident SEO guru—covers this important topic in this episode of Wingnut Social!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:25] Wingnut Webinar 7/28 at 11 am EST: SEO 101
[2:50] Subscribe to Wingnut Social on YouTube!
[3:40] Mini News Sesh: Instagram Reel update
[7:42] Learn all about our SEO guru Gavin
[8:45] SEO isn’t “set it and forget it”
[13:30] Google’s algorithm and SEO
[17:42] The importance of recency and activity
[21:54] Tools and resources to leverage for SEO
[24:10] Ongoing SEO is the key to your business’s success

Resources & People Mentioned

Wingnut Webinar: 7/28 at 11 am EST: SEO 101
Wingnut Academy: Instagram for Interior Designers
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
Wingnut Social is on YouTube!

How ongoing SEO can boost your business

When your website is created and SEO-optimized, you can’t just set it and forget it. You can’t just run ads and call it good. Why? 80% of people searching on Google ignore paid ads. Secondly, most people won’t go past the first page of search results. So your business needs to be ranked in the top 10 search results.

How do you achieve that? You have to track and measure the impact of your work and adjust your SEO continuously. You can make adjustments as you go to make sure your pages stay on the first page of Google’s search results.

Your competition’s SEO tactics are constantly changing. If you’re ranking for a keyword and it falls from #2 to #10, you need to make some adjustments or you’ll lose traffic. If your competition is ranking for keywords that you used to rank for, changes need to be made.

That’s why a robust and ongoing SEO strategy can mean the difference between being flooded with clients—or being irrelevant.

Your clients have questions—make sure you provide the answers

When it comes to blogging, people think they need to produce a chunk of new content once a month and they’re okay. Gavin points out that blogging is a great strategy and you need to do it. However, you have to keep in mind that Google is trying to connect people who have questions with the answers they’re looking for.

5–10 years ago, people would stuff keywords into a blog and rank for it. Google is now an intelligent platform that can’t be fooled. If you’re keyword stuffing, your content won’t rank. When you write content, focus on answering questions that your ideal client is searching for.

What questions are they asking? How do YOU provide the best answer and share value? The keywords and phrases you use reflect your ability to understand your customer. If you have a great idea of what your customers are looking for and provide them value, you’ll see a bump in SEO.

What tools can you use to help you write SEO-optimized content? How does Google’s algorithm play a role in your success? Listen to the whole episode to learn more about ongoing SEO’s impact on your bottom line.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your digital marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

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PODCAST FAST TRACK
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