Staging Sips

Renewal Pricing Is Where Profit Can Be Maximized Some numbers in a staging project feel more defined than others. The initial staging fee is usually built with care. It reflects scope, inventory, labor, and experience. It has structure behind it. Renewal pricing tends to sit in a different category. The number is there, but the reasoning behind it is not always as clearly outlined. It can be influenced by instinct, habit, or what feels reasonable in the moment. In this episode, we continue the vacant staging pricing series by focusing on how to approach that number with more precision. This is a closer look at how renewal pricing can be grounded in the ongoing value of your inventory and its role inside your business. Because even when nothing new is being installed, your assets are still actively allocated. They continue to influence capacity, availability, and what your business can generate next. The opportunity is in understanding how to translate that into a number that is intentional, consistent, and financially sound. We walk through: The difference between "what makes this profitable" vs. "what makes this powerful" Why standard renewal math often lands at the bare minimum How to shift your thinking from monthly pricing to total asset value The 8–12% renewal model that creates stronger margins, flexibility, and cash flow How renewals can quietly become one of the most impactful drivers of your bottom line This episode also addresses the internal tension many owners feel when raising prices. Because pricing is never just numbers. It's belief, identity, and decision-making. When you anchor your pricing in clean math, you create stability and confidence that ripple through your entire business. Renewals are not an afterthought. They are a strategic lever. And when used well, they fund your growth, your team, and your ability to actually enjoy the business you've built. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why most renewal pricing models leave money on the table The difference between baseline profitability vs. strategic pricing How to use the 8–12% inventory-based renewal model The real role renewals play in cash flow and business stability How to think like a CEO when pricing—beyond fear, competition, or guesswork  

What happens when a stager with a tech background gets tired of duct-taping together Trello, QuickBooks, and a CRM that wasn't built for her? She builds something better. In this episode, I sit down with Kate, co-founder of Hutch — a purpose-built project management and inventory platform designed specifically for home stagers. Kate shares her journey from SaaS startup life to staging side hustler to software founder, and walks us through exactly what Hutch does, why the staging industry has been underserved for so long, and how better data can finally help stagers price their services for what they're actually worth. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: How Kate went from staging side hustler to software co-founder Why so many stagers are stitching together tools that were never built for them and what that's costing them What Hutch does as an all in one staging business tailored platform Why your average inventory investment per stage might be the most important number you're not tracking RESOURCES: Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome Hutch Staging Website: hutchstaging.com Hutch Staging on Instagram: @hutchstaging If you want to learn how to market and grow your staging business, enrollment is open for Rethink You Accelerate. This is a year-long mentorship program, where I help you and other staging business owners plan, grow, flow, and thrive with the results that you've always wanted. The doors are open and I would love to see you in the classroom! ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible.

Last time, we talked about overhead allocation—the cost of just turning the lights on in your business. Today we're continuing with the other two pieces that make up the three checks every staging project needs to write for you: the people check and the furniture check. The people check covers what it actually costs to deliver the service. Your team's time, movers, truck rentals, fuel, all the admin work from the first client call to the moment that last throw pillow is back on the shelf. The furniture check is about inventory recovery. You're putting thousands of dollars of inventory into every house, and that inventory needs to earn its money back over time. When you add these together with your overhead allocation, you get your pricing floor—what you need to charge before you ever add profit. Understanding these numbers is what separates staging businesses that grow and thrive from ones that work themselves into the ground. Let's now walk through the real numbers so you can calculate your own pricing floor.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: How to calculate your people and furniture check What inventory recovery means and why every piece of furniture needs to earn its money back How to calculate your true floor pricing before adding profit How to stair-step pricing increases without scaring yourself   RESOURCES: Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to market and grow your staging business, enrollment is open for Rethink You Accelerate. This is a year-long mentorship program, where I help you and other staging business owners plan, grow, flow, and thrive with the results that you've always wanted. The doors are open and I would love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible.

If you've ever posted in a Facebook group asking what other stagers are charging, first of all — no shame. We've all done it. But you probably walked away more confused than when you started, because pricing a vacant staging business is genuinely complicated and a comment section just can't hold that conversation. This is an expensive business model to run, and if the pricing isn't right, it can really hurt you. It does not matter whether you're brand new or you've been in business for years. In this episode, I'm kicking off a three-part series on pricing your vacant staging service, and I'm starting with the pillar that I know trips most of us up: overhead allocation per project. It's the piece of the pricing puzzle that took me the longest to understand, and once I did, everything started to make a lot more sense. I'll walk you through what it is, how to calculate it, and what the real numbers look like for a staging business that is built to last. Listen in! My goal is that you walk away with clarity on at least this one piece of your pricing.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why pricing for vacant staging is genuinely complex  and why that's not a reflection of your skill. What the three pillars of pricing are and their importance. Why you should be pricing for the business you want and not the one you have right now. How your contract term length (30, 60, or 90 days) directly impacts how much overhead each project must carry.   RESOURCES: Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to market and grow your staging business, enrollment is open for Rethink You Accelerate. This is a year-long mentorship program, where I help you and other staging business owners plan, grow, flow, and thrive with the results that you've always wanted. The doors are open and I would love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible.

Running a staging business means dealing with all kinds of client requests. Some reasonable, some feeling like they are meant to test your boundaries. "Can you install tomorrow?" "I'll give you a lot of business, so can you give me a better price?" "We don't like the art—can you come change it before photos?" If requests like these stress you out or leave you feeling devalued, you're not alone. But here's the thing: most of these aren't actually boundary violations. They're just questions from people who don't fully understand how staging works or who skimmed your 20-page client agreement. In this episode, I'm talking about how grounded communication can better help you respond to client requests from a place of emotional neutrality instead of frustration or fear. I also walk you through the four key components of communicating your policies effectively, plus share a FREE plug-and-chug communication template that you can use right in your own business!   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The three critical components of grounded communication  How to separate your personal identity from your business identity so client requests don't feel like personal attacks Why deciding your communication plans ahead of time keeps you out of emotional reactivity When to create exceptions to your policies using client filters and when to hold firm   RESOURCES: Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome Download your copy of the Communication Plan Template  If you want to learn how to market and grow your staging business, enrollment is open for Rethink You Accelerate. This is a year-long mentorship program, where I help you and other staging business owners plan, grow, flow, and thrive with the results that you've always wanted. The doors are open and I would love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible.

Over the past couple of weeks, I've been sharing some things in my business that were genuinely challenging. The systems that stretched me, the decisions that felt uncomfortable, the seasons that required me to shift my thinking. I've talked about what was hard and the mindset shifts that came from it. But what I realized I haven't really talked about is how I got to those mindset shifts in the first place. The truth is, those shifts didn't come from thinking harder or powering through or honestly even journaling. They came from my decision to invest in my own education and business coaching. More specifically, from a mindset shift I had to make about what coaching is actually for. When I first stepped into the world of business coaching, I thought I was going to get all the answers. I thought they would tell me exactly what to do, what the right next move was, what the perfect strategy was. And while that happened, it didn't happen the way I expected. I had to recalibrate my thinking because what coaching did best wasn't hand me answers—it was to help me make better decisions for my business and give me access. And why are both crucial for growth as a staging business owner? This episode unpacks that.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why free resources expand awareness but don't always sharpen decisions How high-level CEOs measure ROI on coaching investments Why access to higher-level thinking matters more than having all the answers How to extract gold from any coaching container, even if you miss every call   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome   If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

There's a business season that doesn't get talked about enough; the one where growth stops feeling exciting and starts feeling heavy. It's a different phase from when you are the only person and you are tired from being overwhelmed. Here, you're no longer doing everything yourself. What you have running are systems, training, and leadership, but these feel harder than any work you have ever done. This episode is grounded in what that season looked like inside my own business, because it's a phase so many owners experience but rarely name out loud. I walk through what was really happening for me during that stretch; the mental exhaustion of training and delegation, my nervous system constantly on edge, and what understanding the neuroscience behind growth helped me finally see. I also share a turning-point conversation with a long-time client that forced me to choose: keep being the value in my business, or start building it into the business itself.   If you're building a team, feeling the weight of growth, or questioning why this phase feels so uncomfortable, I hope this episode helps you make sense that this season isn't a mistake.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why growth often feels worse before it feels better Why training is harder than just doing the work yourself The difference between clients who want outcomes and clients who want access How to advocate for your team instead of rescuing situations   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

Heather Russo is building a luxury staging business in the Boston area. And her path here? Eighteen years in insurance first. I know, right. She is like most of us out there who didn't set out to build a staging business. Today, Heather and I talk about what it really looks like to grow a staging business intentionally. From learning how to manage seasonality and capacity, to making decisions that allow the business to support long-term goals instead of constant burnout. We talk about the moment success starts to stretch you, why hiring often has to happen before you feel ready, and the shift from doing all the things to teaching, documenting, and letting go of control. Heather also shares what changed when she brought on support and later welcomed her husband, Tony, into the business to help with operations and growth. If you're in a season of growth and figuring out what needs to change so the business can keep up, you'll hear yourself in this one.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why the term "hobby business" is damaging to women in this industry and needs to retire How to price your services when you're not making money 12 months out of the year The signs you've hit capacity and actually need help What it's really like bringing your spouse into the business as a partner   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome Rethink Home Interiors: rethinkhomeinteriors.com/ Glen Street Staging on Instagram: www.instagram.com/glenstreetstaging Glen Street Staging: glenstreetstaging.com   If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

We love to say we want things to be simple. Simple workflows. Simple systems. Simple days. But if you've ever felt exhausted by something that looks straightforward on paper, please come closer. On Staging Sips today, I am pulling back the curtain on why "simple" workflows in a staging business often feel anything but simple. Also, why that doesn't mean you're doing something wrong. Rather, it means you're running a real business with real moving parts. This episode isn't about adding more software or forcing yourself into tighter systems. It's about understanding the invisible complexity behind your day-to-day operations so you can stop carrying unnecessary frustration and start making clearer, calmer decisions as the CEO of your Staging Business. If you've been telling yourself, "This shouldn't feel this hard," I've got you today.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why workflows that look simple often carry hidden layers of decision-making and emotional labor How complexity quietly builds as your staging business grows, even when your services stay the same The difference between a workflow problem and a capacity problem Why forcing simplicity too early can actually slow you down     RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you.

Building an email list was invaluable for growing my staging business. And no, not in a flashy, overnight way. I mean in a steady, reliable "this actually works" way. And why am I bringing this up again, it is because it is one of the most valuable yet untapped points of growth for your business. As the CEO of your staging business, one of your most important roles is keeping your pipeline full of the right clients, often starting with face to face moments. But once those meetings are over, how do you stay top of mind without chasing people or feeling awkward about it? An email list.  An email list quietly does the heavy lifting is more than just staying in touch and strengthens relationships in the background while you focus on serving clients and running your staging business. Even better, much of it can be set up once and continue working for you consistently, without requiring more of your time. Today, I'm walking you through five strategic ways an email list can support the growth of your staging business and help the right clients say yes when the timing is right.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: What exactly is an email list for business How an email list is different than your regular inbox The power of using an email list for your productivity All kinds of ways you can leverage the power of an email list   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!

Today's episode is intentionally gentle.  We would rather end the year not forcing goals, not creating pressure, and not deciding who you are supposed to become when the calendar turns. Instead, this is a guided CEO year beginning ritual meant to help you step into the year ahead feeling steady, supported, and clear in your role as a staging business owner. Why? Because the truth is constant "A new year does not make a new you, your capacity does." To round up the year, let's  take an honest look at what you are carrying into the new year and what no longer needs to come with you. I am talking about the kind of CEO you want to lead as, how you want to make decisions, and what support actually needs to be in place for your staging business to grow without asking you to overextend yourself. Best believe a new year might not require you becoming someone new. It could just be about setting yourself up to lead the year at a pace you can sustain.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why capacity is what actually shapes the year ahead What you're ready to release so you don't carry last year's weight forward How to intentionally choose the CEO identity you're leading from Gentle January anchors that stabilize you for your Staging Business leadership    RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

What if the most powerful tool in your staging business isn't your inventory or marketing strategy but the thoughts you choose to think? What if "I am an in-demand stager" was your most practiced, intentional thought? How would you show up differently? What actions would you take? How would your entire business shift? The truth is, we get to choose the sentences we tell ourselves. And when we choose empowering thoughts and practice them deliberately, everything changes. Our confidence, our decisions, our results - all that makes your staging business thrive. Today, I'll walk you through how to create your own belief plan, why it works, and how this one practice can make every bit of difference in your business.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why believing your brain is not always the best How to build a better action plan for your business Intentional thoughts you can start practicing now  How to stick to the belief plans you make   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

Can I be honest with you? Most of us are growing our businesses all wrong. We're adding more clients, more inventory, more team members, more stress and wondering why we feel like we're being dragged behind the business we created instead of leading it. You've probably 10x'd your to-do list, your warehouse space, and your sleepless nights long before you've 10x'd the care you give yourself. And that? That's the problem. Because here's what nobody tells you when you're building a staging business: The business doesn't grow because you work harder. It grows because YOU grow. Not your hustle. Not your sacrifice. You - the human running the show. So if you're heading into 2026 feeling exhausted, stretched thin, or like you've abandoned yourself somewhere along the way... this episode is your permission slip to stop. To draw a line in the sand. To remember that you are not just the CEO of your business you ARE the business. You're the asset. And it's time you started treating you like one.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The difference between external 10x (hustle harder) and internal 10x (upgrade your capacity) Why most entrepreneurs abandon themselves in pursuit of their goals—and how to stop How to use internal vs. external locus of control to shape your business outcomes The 10x prompt that will make your next-level decisions crystal clear Why choosing a word of the year matters (and words like "asset," "sufficiency," and "anchored" might be perfect for you)   RESOURCES: Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome   If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible.  

The newest data from the Real Estate Staging Association just dropped for Q2 and Q3, and I need to share something with you that honestly broke my heart a little bit when I saw it. The ROI numbers? Absolutely extraordinary. We're talking about the kind of returns that would make any financial advisor pause and say, "Wait, are we talking about a Ponzi scheme here?" But here's what got me: The average staging investment sits under $5,000. A $3,800 to $4,300 investment producing anywhere from $58,000 to $100,000 in additional seller equity. Now, I'm not sharing this to make you feel bad about your pricing or to pressure you into arbitrary price increases. This isn't about comparison or judgment. But when you place those incredible ROI numbers next to what our industry is charging on average, it creates a powerful moment for reflection. So today's conversation is really about one question: Does the price I charge reflect the value I create? In this episode, I'm walking you through the latest RESA statistics, breaking down the neuroscience behind why pricing feels so hard and inviting you to start tracking your own data so you can price from confidence instead of fear. Afterall. We are entering into a new season and better now than ever.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The staggering new staging ROI numbers from Q2 and Q3 and why they matter more than ever. Why many staging CEOs undercharge from outdated brain patterns. How to build your own staging statistics and stop relying on national averages to justify your pricing. A reflection framework to help you assess alignment between your pricing and the outcomes you create.   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

Most homeowners move so rarely and so few have ever worked with a staging company, that it's no surprise they arrive nervous, unsure, and unclear about what to expect. And that confusion can lead to preventable hiccups for you and your team. The good news? A little intentional communication goes a long way. In this episode, I'm sharing simple ways to anticipate your clients' questions, address their concerns, and guide them through the process with clarity.  I'm walking you through simple tools, scripts, and touchpoints you can set up once and use over and over again. All designed to make your clients feel supported and set your team up for seamless, drama-free installations.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why most clients have never worked with a stager and what that means for you. The common worries homeowners feel before staging. How to prep clients so they show up confident and ready. Simple systems and tools that make your communication clearer and easier.   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

Let's talk about something so many stagers quietly struggle with: figuring out how to stand out in a sea of gorgeous rooms and beautifully staged homes. If you've ever caught yourself scrolling and thinking, "We're all posting pretty pictures… so how am I supposed to be different?" this is your "guide to"  I'm sitting down with Heather of Social Savvy Stager today. Heather ran her own staging business for over a decade, doing all the installs, presentations, and wearing the marketing hat long before it had a name. Along the way, she realized something many of us feel but don't say out loud: our industry teaches us how to stage beautifully, but not how to talk about our work in a way that connects, converts, and brings in the clients we want. That realization became the heart of the work she's doing today. Heather shares her thoughtful, step-by-step approach to branding and helps you uncover what makes you you in a market that often tries to flatten everyone into the same box. We also get into her Connect and Convert content framework, detailing the four types of posts every stager needs in order to move beyond pretty pictures and into real results. If you're ready to get out of the price-shopping trap to build a brand that feels authentic and different, this episode is going to feel like a deep breath.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why pretty visuals aren't enough and what actually creates a brand that converts How to uncover your differentiators even if you're brand new. Why most stagers get stuck in growth content  and what types of posts you must add in The biggest messaging mistakes Heather sees and how to avoid being commoditized by the market   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome Follow Heather on Instagram: www.instagram.com/socialsavvystager Download the Free Starter Kit: 5-day content plan + templates Heather's Website: www.socialsavvystagers.com/   If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible  

"If this task had to be repeated 100 times, would you still want to be doing it?" This is the question I ask every staging CEO, and honestly, it's the one that opened the door to the world of automations for me. In this episode, I am sharing why automations became one of my favorite leadership tools. Not because they're techy or trendy, but because they create clarity, consistency, and real breathing room inside a business. Especially a staging business like ours where there are so many processes and repeats. From my early days building simple workflows to now helping staging business owners at various phases streamline theirs, I've learned that automations don't take away the human side of your business, they amplify it. Afterall, it is when the backend runs smoother and calmer that you get to focus on the work only you can do; the real staging business owner duty. Wonder what automations can do for you? Listen to find out!   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why automations are leadership tools and how they shift you from reactive to intentionally designed operations. The first workflow I ever built and why it still runs eight years later The causes of business bottlenecks and how automations support all three. How to identify your next automation opportunity  RESOURCES:   Learn more about the Automation Atelier here Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom! ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible  

Ever look up and realize you've been so busy staging homes that you haven't actually led your staging business? That's exactly what we're unpacking in this episode. I'm taking you inside our 2026 Planning Day with the staging CEOs in my Accelerate program. We talked about what worked, what didn't, and the power of asking one simple question: Where did hesitation cost me this year? You'll hear how these CEOs are shifting from being stagers who run around installing to owners who build companies, learning to trust their installation teams, and approaching their pricing and financials with real maturity. And if you've ever dreaded your slow season (hello, post-holiday slump), we're reframing that too, because it's not a setback, it's your performance lab. As we approach the new year, this episode is one of the preparations you need for leading your staging business with strategy, because it will only grow at the speed of your nervous system, not the speed of your installations.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: How reflective planning helps you see what's really driving results without judgment or overwhelm. The mindset shift from operator to architect and how to let your team truly own outcomes. How to turn slow seasons into growth seasons by refining your systems and structure. Three planning questions that bring calm clarity to your next chapter.   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible

Ever notice how planning a team lunch suddenly becomes urgent when you're supposed to be working on something important? That's dread disguised as productivity – and today we're breaking it down. In this episode, I'm sharing the concept of the "dread sprint" from Brooke Castillo, and honestly, I'm using it in real-time to get this very episode recorded. We'll dive into the neuroscience behind why you avoid certain tasks, why productive procrastination still leaves you drained, and how to train yourself to push through the dread faster. Whether it's sending that proposal, looking at your financials, or having a tough conversation with a team member – the longer you wait, the longer you suffer. Sometimes it's not motivation you need … it can be just motion. And this episode proves that's more than enough.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: What a "dread sprint" is and how to use it to overcome avoidance in your business The neuroscience behind why you suddenly remember every admin task when it's time to do something meaningful How productive procrastination still runs on cortisol and drains your energy How to train your brain to come back to baseline faster and build resilience   RESOURCES:   Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Enroll in Staging Business School Accelerate Track: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/accelerate Join the Staging Business School Growth Track Waitlist: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/growth Follow the Staging Business School on Instagram: www.instagram.com/stagingbusinessschool Follow Lori on Instagram: www.instagram.com/rethinkhome   If you want to learn how to streamline your operations so you can grow with less stress and burnout in your staging business, enrollment is open for Staging Business School Accelerate Track. I'd love to see you in the classroom!   ENJOY THE SHOW? Leave a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts so that more Staging CEOs find it. Also, include links to your socials so that more Staging CEOs can find you. Follow over on Spotify, Stitcher, Amazon Music, or Audible