Trade Tales

Latest Episodes:

Richard Anuszkiewicz on launching a new creative studio Dec 17, 2025

Show notes

Richard Anuszkiewicz has been a rising star in the kitchen and bath industry since his design school days. He spent the better part of his career working within other design businesses—now, he’s starting a new era at the helm of his own. In this episode, he shares how he is developing professional extracurriculars outside of design, why he wants to be a chameleon for each client’s style, and why he evaluates his career goals every six months.
LINKS
Richard Anuszkiewicz
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Universal and Joon Loloi.

Ask Us Anything: Ashley Hughes on how to level up your clientele Dec 10, 2025

Show notes

Ashley Hughes joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is looking to reach the next level of clientele. Hughes, whose firm is based in Dallas, offers advice on the importance of auditing your existing clientele, how to create a rendering that reflects the client you want to attract, and finding the vendors that align with your ideal demographic.
LINKS
Ashley Hughes
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Lilse McKenna on building client confidence Dec 03, 2025

Show notes

Lilse McKenna honed her craft under some of New York’s top design talents before striking out on her own. She learned from the best when it comes to systems and processes, but as the leader of her own firm, she’s also left room for her own creativity to run wild. On this episode, she shares how she honed her firm’s aesthetic and what it takes to find clients who are looking for her creative voice.
LINKS
Lilse McKenna
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Universal and Joon Loloi.

Ask Us Anything: Live with Heather Fujikawa, Jean Stoffer and Grace Start Nov 26, 2025

Show notes

Designers Heather Fujikawa, Jean Stoffer and Grace Start joined host Kaitlin Petersen for a live episode of the show—recorded at the Four Hands showroom in Austin—to hear anonymous designer questions on topics like post-pandemic recruiting tactics, discussing price changes with clients in the era of tariffs, and expanding a firm’s client base to include out-of-state projects. The trio jumped in with advice on modeling your ideal work culture for new team members, staying level-headed in money conversations, and prioritizing communication and organization when working with out-of-state clients.

LINKS
House Sprucing
Jean Stoffer Design
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Why Ariel Okin believes all clients deserve ‘unfailing optimism’ Nov 19, 2025

Show notes

Ariel Okin’s early look at the industry inspired her to structure her business with a clear separation of the creative and operations teams. She also built a media empire, complete with a digital platform, a podcast and in-person events for design enthusiasts. On this episode, she shares how she stays open to new ideas, what it means to be a leader, a new experiment with delegating, and how writing her first book shaped her outlook about the firm’s next decade.
LINKS
Ariel Okin
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Renewal by Andersen and Dallas Market Center.

Ask Us Anything: Jenna Chused on rising prices in the tariff era Nov 12, 2025

Show notes

Jenna Chused joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is looking for help when it comes to communicating with clients about tariffs. Chused, whose firm is based in Brooklyn, jumps in with advice on why she’s shifted her sourcing approach to shield her business from price volatility, how tariffs show up on her firm’s invoices and how early budget discussions prevent sticker shock further along in the design process.
LINKS
Jenna Chused
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

How Dan Mazzarini built a firm that benefits from a diverse project mix Nov 05, 2025

Show notes

Dan Mazzarini kicked off his career working in retail design before stepping into residential and hospitality work. Today, clients hire his firm for all three—leading to a diverse project mix that keeps his team freshly inspired. On this episode, he shares how he used his firm’s recent rebranding as a team-building opportunity, the one question he uses to kick off every project and how he’s talking to clients about the economics of design in today’s climate.

LINKS
Dan Mazzarini
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Renewal by Andersen and Dallas Market Center.

Ask Us Anything: Anissa Zajac on getting out-of-state jobs right Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

Anissa Zajac joins the show to answer a question from a designer who is looking to scale her business by expanding into new markets. Zajac, whose firm is based in Indianapolis, jumps in with advice on the importance of setting clear expectations with clients from the outset, establishing in-person touchpoints at key moments in the design process, and the remote project management tools that keep all team members on the same page.
LINKS
Anissa Zajac
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.

Heather Fujikawa on always putting the business first Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

Heather Fujikawa quickly realized that she wanted her firm to be about more than herself, and built up a team early on so that her budding design business could grow exponentially. The secret, she says, is a work environment specifically designed for each employee to thrive.
LINKS
House Sprucing
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home
This episode was sponsored by Joon Loloi and Serena & Lily.

Ask Us Anything: Noz Nozawa on how to find the best talent Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

Noz Nozawa joins the show to answer a question from a designer who’s finding it difficult to expand her team. Nozawa, whose firm is based in San Francisco, jumps in with advice on the value of investing in a professional recruiter to find top talent, how to gauge a candidate’s design passion in the interview process and why it’s essential as principal to set the firm’s standards for boundaries and communication.
LINKS
Noz Nozawa
Kaitlin Petersen
Business of Home

This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton.