Interior DesignHer

Episode 37Season 3 Episode 1:Interior designers with beautiful websites often wonder why they're not generating inquiries. Digital marketing expert Daniela Furtado, founder of Findable Digital Marketing, reveals the gap between aesthetic excellence and search visibility and how to bridge it without compromising your design. In This Episode You'll Discover: Why interior designers who've built successful businesses on word of mouth for 7-8 years are seeing declining referrals and struggling with inconsistent marketing The specific example of Zoe Feldman's website redesign - how a top US designer balanced beautiful minimalist aesthetics with the strategic content Google needs Why "hidden pages" targeting specific cities (Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Alexandria) were ugly but necessary in Zoe's old site - and how her new design elegantly integrates SEO The portfolio storytelling approach that transforms photo galleries into keyword-rich project narratives that both humans and search algorithms understand How top designers use text hierarchy, punchy headings, and strategic photo placement to add more content without looking "stuffy and robotic" Why the interior design industry resists basic marketing principles that every other business sector considers "the ABCs" - and how this creates opportunities for early adopters The pattern Daniela sees in struggling design firms: 7-10 years in business, beautiful professional photography, sporadic social media, zero consistent business development Why firms that are thriving treat marketing as ongoing strategy rather than "punctual projects" like website redesigns or magazine features The adaptability factor: successful designers aren't just consistent with marketing, they've also adapted their services (design days, virtual consultations, small projects) Daniela's track record of doubling client inquiries through holistic strategies combining SEO, social media, email newsletters, and portfolio optimization Key Insight: The designers building sustainable practices in 2025 aren't necessarily more talented - they're strategic about being findable when clients are searching.Connect with Daniela Furtado: Website: findabledigitalmarketing.com Instagram: @findable_digital_marketing Email: hello@findabledigitalmarketing.com Resources Mentioned: Zoe Feldman Design (website case study example) Studio McGee (portfolio storytelling example) Findable Digital Marketing Services: Bimonthly workshops (starting at $50) One-hour consultation with 12-month marketing blueprint ($800) Full-service agency support ($3,000-$5,000/month)

Season 2 Episode 27:Ronniesha Rivera, founder of Vetted by Design, shares her journey from interior design business owner to platform creator. After a costly bookkeeper mistake led to a government audit, she realized the need for a curated marketplace of business professionals vetted specifically for interior design expertise.Key Discussion Points:The specific tax filing error that triggered a government auditWhy general business experts fail interior design clientsThe vetting process for ensuring professional competencyHow to overcome the fear of delegation and hiringBuilding trust with service providers who understand your industryThe platform economics that keep it free for designersGuest Background:Ronniesha owns Alder and Stone Interiors and founded Vetted by Design in January 2025. The platform features vetted business professionals across categories like bookkeeping, marketing, virtual assistance, and project management - all specifically experienced with interior design businesses.

Season 2 Episode 26:Interior designers are losing projects to competitors with inferior portfolios but superior presentation technology. Jessica Lacerda, founder of Be Live 3D, reveals how 3D visualization has become essential for winning luxury design projects.Key insights include:In Brazil, 3D visualization is considered mandatory for professional credibility - "if you don't have it, you are not a good designer"Clients make design decisions based on what they can see, not what designers can explain through words or mood boardsVisualization changes actual client preferences - Jessica's client switched from light to dark colors after seeing rendersThe process requires only floor plans, measurements, and specifications - visualization partners handle technical executionSuccessful designers treat visualization as a business partnership, not just a service provider relationshipFuture technologies like AR/VR will make current mood board presentations obsolete for luxury clientsThe presentation gap between traditional methods and visualization technology is creating winners and losers based on client experience, not design talent.

Season 2 Episode 25:Tired of managing invoices instead of designing beautiful spaces? Interior design business owner Gina Cotner explains the difference between virtual assistants and executive assistants - and why understanding this distinction can transform your design practice.In This Episode:Why interior designers get trapped in administrative work instead of design workThe real difference between virtual assistants and executive assistantsHow to break the feast-famine cycle that plagues most design businessesDelegation strategies that work for creative professionalsROI calculations that justify executive assistant investmentFinding and vetting high-caliber administrative supportGuest Bio: Gina Cotner is the founder of Athena Executive Services, a firm that provides high-caliber executive assistants to small business owners. After spending her early career at IBM, Gina became an entrepreneur before recognizing the need for corporate-level administrative support in small businesses. For nearly 10 years, she's helped business owners - including interior designers - escape administrative overwhelm and focus on their core expertise.Connect with Gina:Athena Executive ServicesLinkedIn: Gina CotnerKeywords: executive assistant, virtual assistant, interior design business, delegation, administrative support, feast famine cycle, design business operations

Season 2 Episode 24: Interior Designers: How to Protect Your Intellectual Property from AI

Season 2 Episode 23: Interior Designers: AI Tech is Changing Fast - Are You Ready - Industry Research Deep Dive

Season 2 Episode 22: Why Talented Interior Designers Lose Projects To...Nikki Rausch - Sales MavenGet Your Free Training from Nikki : https://yoursalesmaven.com/designher/Seal The Deal: Questions That Close SalesHone Your Skills in Asking the Right Questions to Close More DealsAre you tired of wasting time on consultations that lead nowhere?Asking the right sales questions often determines whether you close the deal and gain a new client.In this valuable training, world-class sales expert Nikki Rausch reveals her proven strategy for asking the right questions that lead buyers to confidently say yes to working with you.

Season 2 Episode 21: AI for Interior Designers: Strategic Commentary on Jenna Gaidusek & Laurie Laizure Discussion

Season 2 Episode 20: Meet Google NotebookLM. It's not just a fancy note-taking app; it’s your personal AI assistant that learns only from the information you give it. This means no random internet noise, just insights tailored to your unique business, your clients, and your dreams. Think of it as centralizing your entire business brain into one smart, searchable hub, designed to help you turn information overload into organized action.

Season 2 Episode 19: Interior Designers: Are You Running a Hobby or a Business? - Porsche Williams - The Prototype

Season 2 Episode 18: Interior Designers: Why Less Talented Competitors Get the Luxury Projects (And How to Fix It) - The fractal math approach that transforms $15K room makeovers into $200K whole-home renovationsPosition your interior design expertise for premium projects today. The most accomplished interior designers often face a frustrating reality: watching less experienced competitors land $200,000 whole-home renovations while they compete for $15,000 room makeovers. In this episode of Interior DesignHer, we explore why design talent alone doesn't guarantee luxury projects.This AI-generated podcast discussion, based on educational content about specialist positioning, reveals how interior designers can transform their practice from high-volume, low-value work to premium, transformational projects. We examine the fractal math approach that shows how serving fewer clients at dramatically higher value creates more revenue and wealth.Industry analysis confirms it - specialists consistently out-earn generalists by 40-60% while working fewer hours. The designers who understand specialization, premium positioning, and systematic client progression dominate luxury markets while generalists fight price wars.You'll discover:Why the "cast a wider net" marketing advice keeps you trapped in small projectsThe fractal math approach: how one designer generated $700,000 from the same client base that previously produced $125,000The SEXY framework (Speed, Execution, eXposure, Intimacy) that justifies premium pricingHow specialization eliminates competition and amplifies opportunitiesThe client progression strategy that naturally guides clients toward larger investmentsIf you find yourself competing on price for room makeovers while less qualified designers book luxury renovations, this conversation will transform your approach. Strategic positioning offers a path from background noise to the obvious choice for premium projects.Do This Now: Listen to this strategic analysis and identify one specialization you could own completely before your competitors understand the opportunity.Key TakeawaysSpecialists consistently out-earn generalists by 40-60% while working fewer hours across professional servicesThe fractal math approach: roughly 10% of clients will invest at 10x higher levels when offered more intimate, valuable, tailored servicesThe SEXY framework (Speed, Execution, eXposure, Intimacy) provides the structure for premium value deliverySpecialization doesn't limit opportunities - it amplifies them by making you the undeniable choice for ideal clientsValue-based pricing focuses on transformation delivered rather than hours worked

Transform your AI anxiety into competitive advantage today. While many interior designers worry about artificial intelligence replacing their expertise, smart designers recognize how AI's limitations validate their premium positioning in the luxury market.This AI-generated podcast discussion, based on research comparing human expertise to artificial intelligence capabilities, reveals why experienced interior designers possess irreplaceable advantages that AI will never replicate. Instead of fearing technology advancement, you'll discover how each AI limitation creates premium positioning opportunities.Industry analysis confirms it – while AI excels at generating inspiration and handling routine tasks, clients still need human experts who navigate renovation realities, manage emotional challenges, and create spaces that work for actual lifestyles. The designers who understand these competitive advantages will command higher fees while building stronger client relationships.In this episode, we explore: ✅ Why embodied spatial intelligence gives designers 3x cognitive productivity advantage over AI ✅ How relationship capital and vendor networks create irreplaceable client value ✅ The ethical judgment requirements that position designers as trusted advisors ✅ Why crisis management and adaptation skills command premium fees ✅ How pattern recognition from decades of experience outperforms AI data processingIf you've been anxious about AI replacing interior designers instead of leveraging your irreplaceable human advantages, this conversation will transform your competitive positioning. Strategic understanding of your AI-proof expertise offers a path to premium market dominance.Do This Now: Listen to this competitive advantage analysis and identify which of your irreplaceable human skills you should emphasize more strongly in your client communications.Key TakeawaysAI validates rather than threatens the premium value of experienced interior designers through its documented limitationsThe 10 human advantages create competitive positioning opportunities for higher fees and deeper client relationshipsEmbodied spatial intelligence gives designers measurable cognitive advantages that AI cannot replicate through data processingRelationship capital and vendor networks provide client value that no technology can substitute or automateCrisis management and adaptive problem-solving skills become more valuable as AI handles routine design tasks

Season 2 Episode 16: The Residential Interior Designer's Brand Problem: Why Luxury Clients Choose Your Less Talented Competitors - Ericka Saurit - Saurit CreativeConnect with Ericka: Website: https://www.sauritcreative.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sauritcreative/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erickasaurit/Join the Interior DesignHer community: Website: https://www.interiordesignher.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interior_designher/ Newsletter: https://robbandco.myflodesk.com/interior-designher-newsletter-full-page

Season 2 Episode 15: Interior Designers: AI Search Is Killing SEO & Google Search (Get Ready Now) - Want that First Mover Advantage? - AI-Generated Educational ContentGoogle Notebook LM generated podcast based on original Interior DesignHer educational content

Season 2 Episode 14: Transforming Interior Design Business Operations: How to Get Processes Out of Your Head and Into Systems That WorkGuest: Jessica Harling Founder of Behind the Design Website: https://gobehindthedesign.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gobehindthedesign/ Email: Available through website contact form Host: Douglas Robb Interior DesignHer Website: https://www.interiordesignher.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/interior_designher/ Email: douglas@interiordesignher.com Newsletter: Sign up at interiordesignher.com

Season 2 Episode 13: Interior Designers: Stop Chasing Clients. Make Them Come to YouGet the Guide: https://robbandco.myflodesk.com/story-marketing-stop-chasing-clients

Season 2 Episode 12: Intentional Client Experience: How Automated Systems Transform Interior Design Firms from Overwhelmed to Organized - Hannah Bowyer - Hannah Bowyer & Company

Season 2 Episode 11: Beautiful Posts But Zero Clients: The Strategic Framework That Transforms Social Media Into Your Most Effective Lead Generator - Amber Broder - ABC Social Media Management

Season 2 Episode 10: Website Strategy That Books Interior Design Clients: Turn Your Beautiful Website Into a Money Maker - Cathleen Barnes - Cathleen Barnes Consulting

Season 2 Episode 9: Instagram Strategy That Converts: Interior Design Clients From Social Media - Garin Michelson - Get Social With Garin