Sew Much More

The Opportunity Thinking Podcasts are sponsored by;       On Today's podcast, Vita Vygovska, Jeanelle Dech, and Sue Fresconi talk about business growth. we talk about the decision to grow or not and how many factors and decisions are involved.  There is a lot to take in today Vita shares her growth risk analysis where she lists and ranks the pros and cons of the adding employees as a path for expanding her business. If you haven't listened to Vita's first podcast with me, number 63 be sure to listen to that as well.  We refer to a spreadsheet that Vita put together and if you go to http://www.curtainsandsoftfurnishingspro.org/ you can get a copy of the spreadsheet for free.    Jeanelle Dech is President and Co-Founder of Adaptive Textiles, an innovative textile printing company in West Chester, PA. She is a friendly and engaging speaker, known for her Fit-Like-a-Glove slipcovers, SPEED sewing method, and workroom profitability training. She is the creative inspiration behind The Workroom Channel's METHOD SHARE and REAL WORKROOM series (www.TheWorkroomChannel.com), and the new Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library (www.curtainsandsoftfurnishingspro.org), which hosts the industry's largest collection of educational resources for Home Décor Professionals.  I interviewed Jeanelle in podcast episode number 9.   Vitalia (Vita) Vygovska is the award-winning author, speaker, business coach, and window treatment specialist.  Her company, Vitalia, Inc.- Fine Window Treatments & Interiors, is an all-encompassing fabrication, measurement, and installation service, servicing exclusively interior designers and architects.  In business for almost 12 years, Vita and her team are proud to be experts in their niche field, providing their clients with superb quality product and excellent communication.  I interviewed Vita in podcast episode 63.   Sue Fresconi is the Librarian for the Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library, and a Project Manager at Adaptive Textiles.  Sue has had an extensive corporate career in Human Resources, Training and Development, and Project Management.  She operated a home-based workroom on a part-time basis for several years.  Sue was selected to participate in the CHF Academy Alumni Showcase twice; creating her designs for exhibition at IWCE.  She holds a BS in Textiles from the University of Delaware, the PMP (Project Management Professional) designation from the Project Management Institute, and the CSM (Certified Scrum Master) designation from Scrum Alliance.   Please check out the Transparency Initiative!!  And please take the survey.   Here are links to some of the things we talked about;   Vita's Book  Michael Hyatt's book Living Forward  If you would like to reach out to Vita, you can email her at  Vita@vitaliainc.com   

Vitalia (Vita) Vygovska is the award-winning author, speaker, business coach, and window treatment specialist.  Her company, Vitalia, Inc.- Fine Window Treatments & Interiors, is an all-encompassing fabrication, measurement, and installation service, servicing exclusively interior designers and architects.  In business for almost 12 years, Vita and her team are proud to be experts in their niche field, providing their clients with superb quality product and excellent communication. You can find Vita on Facebook.

Elizabeth Gerdes is the owner of Stitch Above The Rest, LLC, a full-service retail drapery fabrication studio, in Woodstock, GA, established in 2003. Elizabeth specializes in helping clients create their vision by offering high-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail in every area, from design to fabrication, to installation. Her work has been noticed and published in numerous trade and local magazines. Elizabeth has won eight VISION awards, including Workroom of the Year 2017, multiple trade competitions, and several local "Best of" votes.  Elizabeth loves a good drapery challenge and doesn't shy away from the hard stuff. You can also find Elizabeth on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and Houzz

Will Hanke has two passions: supporting our US veterans and helping window treatment and awning businesses tell their story online – providing them with increased exposure, more customers, and higher revenues. For over twenty-seven years he has helped mom & pops, startups, and multi-million dollar companies with their digital marketing strategies. Will hosts monthly online training events and has spoken at conferences across the US on a wide variety of topics from analytics to lead generation through his company, Window Treatment Marketing Pros. Will teaches and helps these business owners learn more about SEO and make better decisions with their marketing dollars. He hosts Marketing Panes, a podcast dedicated to window treatment and awning business marketing. He also has a free private Facebook group called Window Treatment & Awning Marketing Secrets. He is an avid business & marketing blogger and has published several industry books including Triple Your Window Treatment and Awning Leads and 10 Quick Wins: Winning Fast Online for Window Treatment Companies. Links https://wtmarketingpros.com https://www.youtube.com/@wtmarketingpros https://wtmarketingpros.com/podcast/ Contact Information Email: will@wtmarketingpros.com Business Address: 152 Hinrichs Lane, Arnold MO 63010   Links and Resources; Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On by Chris Voss Traction by Gino Wickman Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne    The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

  Riana LeJeune is an award-winning upholsterer, entrepreneur, and founder of Repinned Luxury Upholstery, a nationally recognized workroom known for preserving craftsmanship while pushing the industry forward. With over a decade in the skilled trades, Riana has built one of the country's first registered upholstery apprenticeship programs and is passionate about elevating artisan work through education, sustainability, and fair pricing. She's also the founder of Renewabl, a tech platform helping furniture professionals visualize design, close sales with confidence, and build more profitable businesses. Riana is a fierce advocate for neuro-inclusivity, skilled trades, women-led businesses, and proving that craftsmanship and innovation can—and should—grow together. Repinned is on Instagram and Facebook Renwabl is on Instagram and Facebook Links and Resources;   US Department of Labor 

Thank you so much for being on this journey with me!   Links and Resources; Episode 113 - Opportunity Thinking Series with Jeanelle Dech - Feedback, Failure, Bankruptcy and Girl Scout Cookies    

What a fun podcast this was to record! Thanks to the Jersey Girls for taking time to chat with me!   Irene Hurley Designs Instagram: @irenehurleydesigns Interior Couture for Cottage and Castle Irene Hurley Designs is a boutique design and sewing studio offering custom window coverings, interior accessories, and artisan quilts.   Sue Berry - Designer and fabricator in business for 13 years Sew Stylish Designs Llc www.sewstylish.org   Diana Nolan Diana Nolan Custom windows LLC Instagram  @dianadnolan Diana is a drapery workroom both retail and to the trade for 25 years in southern New Jersey.   Suzy Daruwala Sew Bella Home www.sewbellahome.com The skilled hands at Sew Bella Home create beautiful, fine window coverings, pillows, custom bedding and accessories using couture methods while keeping your specific requests in mind. Our designs are all about you and the feeling you want your home to evoke.     Kelley Garfield, Owner Kelley's Custom Home Interior's LLC Website:  http://www.kelleyscustomhomeinteriors.com Instagram: @kelleyscustomhomeinteriors Over 20 years in the window treatments and soft furnishings business, adding the "jewelry" as I like to call it, to your spaces one stitch at a time!   Robin Matthews Seams Sew Right - soft furnishings workroom since 1999/2000.  Mostly to the trade Website: seamssewright.com FB: Seams Sew Right Insta: @seamssewright   Kate Winton Kate Winton Designs Designing and fabricating visual delights kwdesigns@comcast.net https://www.instagram.com/katewintondesigns/   Cathy Cohane Curtain Cathy is a custom window treatment design, fabrication and installation company, in business over 25 years.  We love making houses homes. Find us @Curtain Cathy on Instagram   Rosemarie Garner, owner of R Garner Custom Designs in Northern NJ, a To The Trade custom workroom, specializing in detailed custom fabrication of Roman shades, draperies and all soft treatments.   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

    Links and Resources; Link to Daniel Pink's Video The Twelve Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington   (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money.  I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!)   If the Sew Much More Podcast has played a role in your journey in any way, I hope you'll consider participating. Here are the three questions: What changed for you after listening to, or being on, the Sew Much More Podcast? That change might have been practical—or it might have been internal. Second: What challenge were you facing at the time, and where are you now? That challenge might still be ongoing, or it might be something you've moved through. And third: What one idea or moment stayed with you longer than you expected? Sometimes it's the smallest insight or someone says things a certain way that makes the biggest difference.   The best way to share your story is by leaving a voicemail using SpeakPipe.   Here is the link to SpeakPipe   A few tips so your message sounds great: Please use your phone, not your computer. Phones tend to produce much better audio quality. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. If you're unsure, err on the shorter side. At the beginning of your message, please share your first name and, if you're comfortable, your location. If you would prefer not to leave a voicemail, please send me an email to info@csfrl.org.  

  If the Sew Much More Podcast has played a role in your journey in any way, I hope you'll consider participating. Here are the three questions: What changed for you after listening to, or being on, the Sew Much More Podcast? That change might have been practical—or it might have been internal. Second: What challenge were you facing at the time, and where are you now? That challenge might still be ongoing, or it might be something you've moved through. And third: What one idea or moment stayed with you longer than you expected? Sometimes it's the smallest insight or someone says things a certain way that makes the biggest difference.   The best way to share your story is by leaving a voicemail using SpeakPipe.   Here is the link to SpeakPipe   A few tips so your message sounds great: Please use your phone, not your computer. Phones tend to produce much better audio quality. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. If you're unsure, err on the shorter side. At the beginning of your message, please share your first name and, if you're comfortable, your location. If you would prefer not to leave a voicemail, please send me an email to info@csfrl.org.   Kelly and Lee Nanney are a dream team when it comes to fulfilling customers' window-covering needs. Creating custom-designed draperies to compliment the look and feel of each individual home, Kelly and Lee find joy in providing clients with high-quality and timeless curtains, shades, valances and more. With each project, Kelly and Lee pay great attention to all the small details and maintain the highest standards for the outcome of every piece. Kelly's Designer Drapes provides fabric selections, in-home consultations, measuring and installation for your convenience. Window treatments are a necessity for any home, but Kelly's Designer Drapes turns these functional pieces into works of art that complement the furnishings in your home.   Instagram Facebook    The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

If the Sew Much More Podcast has played a role in your journey in any way, I hope you'll consider participating. Here are the three questions: What changed for you after listening to, or being on, the Sew Much More Podcast? That change might have been practical—or it might have been internal. Second: What challenge were you facing at the time, and where are you now? That challenge might still be ongoing, or it might be something you've moved through. And third: What one idea or moment stayed with you longer than you expected? Sometimes it's the smallest insight or someone says things a certain way that makes the biggest difference.   The best way to share your story is by leaving a voicemail using SpeakPipe.   Here is the link to SpeakPipe   A few tips so your message sounds great: Please use your phone, not your computer. Phones tend to produce much better audio quality. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. If you're unsure, err on the shorter side. At the beginning of your message, please share your first name and, if you're comfortable, your location. If you would prefer not to leave a voicemail, please send me an email to info@csfrl.org.

Mandy Szigethy discovered upholstery while completing her Theater Technology degree at Indiana University and decided to forsake the stage in favor of the workshop.  She has had the unique opportunity to work in both furniture manufacturing at Beachley Furniture and now custom upholstery as the owner of Rose City Upholstery in Portland.  She has received training in both modern materials and traditional methods through Upholstery Education and is now able to apply time tested techniques to all of her projects.  Her love of learning lead to her to co-ownership of Upholstery Education in 2025 where she hopes to foster the same enthusiasm in others.   Her passion for revitalizing and repurposing home furnishings has led to an in depth--if unintentional--study of older and newer furniture, and the potential of any antique store or curbside find.

  Jonathan Bennet, owner of Unsprung Upholstery is originally from Martinsville, VA.  He caught the sewing bug from his great grandmother at a young age. He moved to Richmond, VA on a whim in August of 1989 and earned a BFA in Fashion Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. Directly after graduation, Jonathan taught in the Fashion Design department as an adjunct professor for 13 years. He started his first workroom job in 1997, learned how to make various types of window treatments, cushions, pillows, and more;  since then, he has done freelance workroom client projects in his home for over 25 years. Jonathan opened Unsprung Upholstery LLC in August 2019 and will continue this beautiful journey for the rest of his life!   Website:  UnsprungUpholstery.com IG:  UnsprungUpholstery FB:  Unsprung Upholstery Company Links and Resources; Real Workroom Tours Video with Jonathan, Jeanelle Dech and Kelly McCrory The Drapery & Design Digital Digest November/December 2025     The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

Jonathan Bennet, owner of Unsprung Upholstery is originally from Martinsville, VA.  He caught the sewing bug from his great grandmother at a young age. He moved to Richmond, VA on a whim in August of 1989 and earned a BFA in Fashion Design from Virginia Commonwealth University. Directly after graduation, Jonathan taught in the Fashion Design department as an adjunct professor for 13 years. He started his first workroom job in 1997, learned how to make various types of window treatments, cushions, pillows, and more;  since then, he has done freelance workroom client projects in his home for over 25 years. Jonathan opened Unsprung Upholstery LLC in August 2019 and will continue this beautiful journey for the rest of his life!   Website:  UnsprungUpholstery.com IG:  UnsprungUpholstery FB:  Unsprung Upholstery Company   Links and Resources; The Custom Workroom Conference Window Covering Association of America Scholarship Info

Marta Powers is the owner of MartaPOW LLC, a custom workroom in Richmond, Virginia, offering upholstery and soft goods services nationally To The Trade.  Her past career as a project manager for architecture and design firms has informed her business processes and broadened her network of professionals across the hospitality and interior design sectors.  Marta's early training in tailoring, pattern drafting, clothing design, and fabrication skills led to her creation of a business serving designers, helping them to achieve their and their clients' vision.     A co-owner of Upholstery Education LLC, Marta and her partners bring educators from the UK and France to the U.S., offering courses in traditional upholstery methods, materials, and related interior furnishing trades.     Marta has served on the boards of the National Upholstery Association and the Virginia chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers (as an Industry Partner).  She is also a member of IFDA Richmond, the SeatWeavers Guild, and the NUA's Education Committee.   Instagram @Martapowva   LInks and Resources;   You Are A Badass by Jen Sincero Profit First by Mike Michalowicz  

This past week, we lost our friend, Kevin Kise.  I wanted to find a way to honor him and remember him, so Jonathan Bennett and I recalled our favorite memories of Kevin and I hope you will share yours on the Sew Much More Facebook page.

Jackie Myers is the owner of Useful Stitches drapery workroom and Useful Stitches Etsy.  She has been sewing for 38 years.  After graduating with a BS in Math, she decided to pursue her interest in sewing and took sewing and decorating classes. After sewing for years as a hobby for herself and friends, she decided to officially open shop as Useful Stitches, LLC eleven years ago.  She sews mainly to the trade with some retail jobs.  Her husband of 38 years is her installer, accountant, and consultant.  When she is not sewing, she loves to garden, cook, watch birds in her back yard, and sew useful gifts. You can find Jackie on Facebook. Links and Resources; As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases and I am grateful if you choose to use my links.  Some of the links below are affiliate links. Bill's Sewing Center New Complete Guide to Sewing: Step-by-Step Techniques for Making Clothes and Home Accessories Custom Draperies in Interior Design by Mary Neal Profit First: Transform Your Business from a Cash-Eating Monster to a Money-Making Machine by Mike Michalowicz    The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

Anthony Del Rey is the owner of MotorParts4Shades.com. He grew up in the family window treatment business and began installing shades in South Florida at 18, taking on his first motorized projects soon after. Anthony opened his first Somfy account in 1986 and spent the '80s and '90s combining installation and fabrication, manufacturing roller and Roman shades until 2006. After moving to Bowling Green, KY in 2007 and working briefly for a Memphis-based manufacturer, he founded Motor Parts for Shades in 2014 to support the custom workroom industry with motorization and automation solutions.   Links and Resoures;   Adobe Express

  Devin Ryan is the heart and hands behind Redeemed Relic Upholstery, where she transforms well-loved furniture into beautiful, meaningful pieces with new life. After earning a degree in communication and a master's in education, Devin spent years teaching — a career she loved — until multiple sclerosis forced her to step away from the classroom. What began as a creative outlet during that transition turned into a passion and a purpose, leading her to build Redeemed Relic into the heart-driven small business it is today. Through her work, Devin brings stories, craftsmanship, and second chances together — and she loves inspiring others to see the beauty in what's already there.   Devin is on Facebook and Instagram Audrey Campbell's podcast Emily Marshall's podcast Yardsticks by Chip Wood A Framework for Understanding Poverty by Ruby K. Payne Organization is a Learnable Skill by Lisa Woodruff (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money.  I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!)   Devin mentioned; Lisa Woodruff's website Organize 365 Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)      

  KerryLynn and her husband Waldemar started their business One Space at a Time Ltd in October of 2001 just 2 weeks before their wedding…   They live just outside of Calgary Alberta Canada (for now) with their son Daniel, their 2 dogs, 3 cats and a turtle – named Myrtle!   As life has a tendency to do, things with life and business have changed over the years and in May of 2024 KerryLynn decided it would be a good idea to open a "to the trade" drapery workroom. Waldemar has been a HUGE supporter and has built her tables, renovated her space twice already and has even learned how to use some of the machines to help out when needed.   Right now they both excited for a "next chapter" move and looking forward to what the future has in store!   Links and Resources;   Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money.  I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!)   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech