Trade Tales

Latest Episodes:

Why leveling up means longevity for Delia Kenza Dec 07, 2022

Show notes

Delia Kenza rose quickly through the world of design when a chance encounter landed her home in the pages of a magazine. While her business benefited from the structure of design platform Homepolish in its early years, going out on her own would mean establishing systems to help her firm keep up with the rising popularity—and making sure those same processes would anchor her firm for the long haul.

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club.

LINKS
Delia Kenza
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

The pandemic almost shut down Meg Lonergan’s business—here’s how she revived it Nov 23, 2022

Show notes

When Meg Lonergan embarked on her design career, it seemed that her biggest hurdle was demonstrating to the rest of the design industry that despite her nontraditional education and early career experiences, she was just as talented and qualified as any other successful firm owner. Then, a near-total firm meltdown during the pandemic led her to a stunning realization: The biggest obstacle standing in the way of her firm’s growth was herself.

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club and The Shade Store

LINKS
Meg Lonergan
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Two decades in, Michael Cox's firm is still a work in progress. He likes it that way Nov 09, 2022

Show notes

After launching Foley & Cox in 2002, Michael Cox and his partner Mary Foley led the business through every high and low the industry had in store—including a recession, periods of rapid growth and multiple generations of clients—and refined their processes bit by bit with each new challenge and achievement. Now, the firm has fixed its focus on an even greater goal: finding new ways to nurture the next generation of design talent.

This episode is sponsored by Daniel House Club and The Shade Store

LINKS
Foley & Cox
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

How Shaun Crha found his boundaries Oct 26, 2022

Show notes

Shaun Crha’s career kicked off with a steady rise into the high-stakes world of banking. When the stress of the job nearly pushed him to a breaking point in his health, however, he decided to instead pursue a calling that aligned more closely with his values, and soon combined his business acumen with a long-overlooked creative spark to start his own design business. Just when the firm hit its peak, however, a family emergency brought everything crashing down around Crha once again. It was then that the designer reached another realization: It was time to rethink everything, starting with the inner workings of his business.

LINKS
Sean Crha
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Atlanta Market and Currey & Company.

How overcoming imposter syndrome transformed Lucy O’Brien’s business Oct 12, 2022

Show notes

Lucy O’Brien has never been afraid to go after what she wants—before she’d even booked her first clients, she showed up to High Point Market entirely on her own to learn from the industry’s best before embarking on a career in design. Which is why, during the first few years of her firm’s existence, she decided to transform her business’s operations with the goal of only taking on ideal clients and projects. In this conversation, she shares why she’s so straightforward with clients about her cost structure, the test she uses to identify her employees’ instincts, and why she’s looking for inspiration outside of social media.

LINKS
Lucy O'Brien
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Atlanta Market and Currey & Company.

How Amy Sklar overcame the fear of charging for her services Sep 28, 2022

Show notes

Amy Sklar’s early career was a full-circle journey that took her from design to show business and back again. When she finally landed at the helm of her own firm after starting her career within the strict confines of an architecture firm, she thrived on the ability to instate a supportive work culture and take on projects that place a premium on comfort and functionality. The financial side of things, however, didn’t come quite as easily. In this conversation, she shares the pivot that pushed her to finally bring in revenue, how deliverables define each step of her firm’s process, and why she wants employees to feel like they work with her, not for her.

LINKS
Amy Sklar
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Gabby.

Authenticity is everything. Just ask Ashley Ross Sep 14, 2022

Show notes

Like many designers, Ashley Ross left a successful corporate career in order to pursue her dreams of design—a history she’s shared with her dedicated online following. What those followers didn’t know, however, is that her previous chapter didn’t end as early as she’d initially let on. In this conversation, she explains why staying aligned with her original commitment to authenticity meant dismantling the idea of what an ideal design career should look like.

LINKS
Ashley Ross
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

Why Rydhima Brar always asks clients 'the cocktail question' Aug 31, 2022

Show notes

As an expat born and raised in Kuwait, Rydhima Brar’s career was defined in large part by visa restrictions for more than a decade. Working in marketing and business strategy roles, she kept changing industries—from banking and finance to gaming and beauty—hoping that a new category would ignite her passion for the work, but each role left her unfulfilled. After a series of major life changes finally afforded her the freedom to explore new paths, she soon found herself embarking on a journey to bring her clients’ stories to life through their homes.

LINKS
Rydhima Brar
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

Nina Magon on letting go to grow Aug 17, 2022

Show notes

Nina Magon entered the interior design industry with an instinct for the business side of things—whether it was employing her design school professors to pitch in on projects for her just-launched firm, or later using her rooky status on a design TV show to scale up her portfolio. As her firm enters the next phase, she’s focused on finding ways to shape up her team and her business’s back-end to provide the ideal luxury experience to clients.

LINKS
Nina Magon
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.

Why Clara Jung is cultivating personal freedom and employee growth Aug 03, 2022

Show notes

Following a first career in law, Clara Jung became accustomed to a cutthroat, high pressure work environment. When she left her life as an attorney for a shot at interior design, she decided to do things a little differently. Now, at the helm of Banner Day Interiors, she’s crafting a work culture focused on employee growth and support, while also figuring out how to structure a firm that can run on its own—even if that means sometimes taking herself out of the equation.

LINKS
Clara Jung
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal Furniture and Currey & Company.