Trade Tales

Latest Episodes:

Nicole White on having the grace to grow Mar 02, 2022

Show notes

When Nicole White left her first career in journalism to go all-in on design, she ran straight into a scenario even more frightening than hurricane-chasing and crime reporting—starting a small business at the beginning of the recession. She took whatever odd jobs she could get as she recovered financially from the risk, before taking the leap a second time. Nearly a decade later, she’s sharing a few lessons from the other side, including the balance between brand-building and daily operations, how a good accountant can clear the way for great design, and why owning up to your mistakes can strengthen your client relationships—and your firm’s integrity.

LINKS
Nicole White
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Universal and SideDoor.

Refine and repeat: Park & Oak on navigating early-career obstacles [Rebroadcast] Feb 16, 2022

Show notes

Following first careers in different industries, Christina Samatas and Renee DiSanto joined forces to found their firm, Park & Oak, with a flexibility that could work with their schedules as busy parents. After posting a few early project photos on then-budding social media site Instagram, the client inquiries started flooding in—and almost overnight, the Glen Ellyn, Illinois–based duo found themselves faced with the challenges of newfound success. Since then, they’ve used each experience to refine their process and create a better design experience for their clients, employees and themselves—all on their own terms.

LINKS
Park & Oak
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Nile Johnson on making space for creativity [Rebroadcast] Feb 02, 2022

Show notes

Philadelphia-based interior designer Nile Johnson scored a dream client, one so good that she recommended him to all her friends. One in particular reached out to Johnson for a project, and he took it despite knowing the chemistry wasn't quite right. The project got off to an awkward start and never improved—but after the dust settled, Johnson revamped his firm, drawing on lessons he'd learned. Today, he's rebuilt his process in a way that allows him to be creative while letting the client feel in control of the process. It's a story about learning what to let go of, and what to hold on to.

Links
Nile Johnson
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

How Emilie Munroe shows clients that she won’t let them fail Jan 19, 2022

Show notes

After rising through the ranks at an established design firm, Emilie Munroe felt the pull to start a firm of her own. But instead of rushing out the door with a new brand, the San Francisco–designer made space for her own aesthetic—and her firm—to develop over time. Along the way, she’s discovered that giving clients options makes for a more meaningful design process, and has developed a clear-eyed view on building a team that can support the firm’s growth.

LINKS
Emilie Munroe
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Rasheeda Gray switched to design mid-career. You can too Jan 05, 2022

Show notes

Rasheeda Gray was successfully climbing the corporate ladder when she realized she needed to make a change to find her passion and purpose. She went back to school for interior design, founded her business, began connecting with her first clients—and even made her first hire a year before exiting her day job. On this episode of the podcast, she shares what it takes to execute a major career pivot, from setting up the business and leaning into the role of entrepreneur, to doing the "mindset work" needed to successfully make the shift.

LINKS
Rasheeda Gray
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Ramey Caulkins on bypassing supply chain hurdles Dec 22, 2021

Show notes

From building a team to navigating the industry’s supply chain challenges, Ramey Caulkins draws on lessons learned from her early career in sales at Ann Sacks. Today, the Denver–based designer is meeting the moment by building a supportive framework for her latest hires and tapping vendor relationships to find new solutions.

This episode is sponsored by Gaggenau and Sidedoor.

LINKS
Ramey Caulkins
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Dan Rak on getting the money talk right Dec 08, 2021

Show notes

During his first career as a tax lawyer, Dan Rak didn’t have much bandwidth to dip his toes into interior design. Instead, he focused on the one space he had unlimited access to: —his own house. Soon enough, Rak was moonlighting as a house flipper and quickly realizing that it was time to go all-in on his design hobby. Now firmly established, he’s focused on taking his business to the next level by building his team thoughtfully and fine-tuning his process to provide clients with a top-notch design experience from start to finish.

This episode is sponsored by Gaggenau and Sidedoor.

LINKS
Dan Rak
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Michel Smith Boyd on why a flat fee lets him focus on creativity Nov 24, 2021

Show notes

Modeling, acting, nursing and beauty school—Michel Smith Boyd tried it all before an encounter with an interior designer sealed his fate and sent him back to school to begin the journey toward the rest of his career. While still a design undergrad, he landed his first big gig—a one-night affair designing an extravagant party for a marketing executive. Though the event launched the young designer into a world of affluent clients and fast fame, he’s now revisiting his business practices to retread the basic steps he missed before.

This episode is sponsored by Saltwolf and Gaggenau

LINKS
Michel Smith Boyd
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

How a better contract made Katie Hodges a better designer Nov 10, 2021

Show notes

Katie Hodges’s first big client felt like a dream come true—a gorgeous luxury home, flexible clients and a project that ultimately landed a glossy feature in a major magazine. The same structure, it turned out, was a nightmare with one of her next clients. Though the experience was bad enough to make the Los Angeles designer consider quitting, she instead took a long hard look at her contract and fee structure—a process that transformed the way she now runs her firm.

This episode is sponsored by Saltwolf and Gaggenau

LINKS
Katie Hodges
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

Design, real estate and contracting—Keisha Gilchrist's triple threat Oct 27, 2021

Show notes

During her first career in marketing, Keisha Gilchrist slogged through a series of bad jobs. Between unlivable wages and male-dominated workplaces, the experiences gave her the fuel she needed to take the dive into design—now, as a real estate broker, design principal and general contractor, she’s finally in the driver’s seat on all fronts. The Washington, D.C.–based designer shares her journey as a woman working in construction, the client exercise she uses to manage sticker shock, and why she’s building in a cushion for the “what-if’s.”

This episode is sponsored by Universal Furniture and Chelsea House

LINKS
Keisha Gilchrist
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home