Staging Sips

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

Your phone's getting quiet. Your inbox is slowing down. And your brain is getting LOUD. If you're in that space right now where clients are hesitating, agents are skipping staging, and you're wondering how you'll make it through the end of the year, take a deep breath. Nothing has gone wrong. What you're experiencing is what I call an integration period, and it's one of the most misunderstood, yet most important, phases of business growth. This is when your systems, your team, and your brain get to catch up to the last level you created before you move into the next one. In today's episode, I'm walking you through exactly what's happening in your brain during these slower seasons (hello, predictive coding and survival mode!), and more importantly, how to turn this integration period into your strategic advantage. I'll share my 5-focus area Integration Blueprint that will help you self-regulate, lead yourself through the quiet, and emerge from this season stronger, more prepared, and ready to hit the ground running when the listings come back—and they will.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why your brain flags slower seasons as a threat and how to self-soothe your survival brain through integration periods The 5-focus area Integration Blueprint with practical CEO actions for turning quiet seasons into strategic advantages How to conduct a powerful Groundhog Day Review and audit your pipeline to identify what worked, what didn't, and what to change The financial metrics every home staging business owner should review and why consistent visibility matters even when work is slow.    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 the free Profitability Calculator Grab the Digital Swag Bag with additional free tools 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 thing you could do for your staging business isn't adding more but strategically saying no? Today's episode is really a reflection and honestly, a celebration as we're winding down this year. I've had some amazing conversations with the CEOs inside our Accelerate and private coaching, and they are experiencing wins that I have to tell you about. These are wins that I consider non-traditional. But rather, they are the more valuable, more powerful ones from what I'm calling "the clean no". The phase where you assess an area with a problem you are no longer willing to tolerate; either from yourself as the staging business owner, your clients, or your team, so you make a different decision and actually implement that decision to see the results. So, I'm sharing the beautiful results that our staging CEOs got to see from choosing to do something differently, gaining more breathing room, respect and desired growth.  If you've ever thought, "I can't say no or they'll hire someone else," or "I just need to go a little above and beyond to prove that we're worth it," then this episode is going to challenge how you think about service, standards, and success.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: What a "clean no" is and why it builds more value than over-delivery Why over-delivery is often drama, not value and what it's really masking The real cost of over-delivery (financially and emotionally) and how it impacts your team Two powerful lists to help you identify where you're over-delivering and what a clean no could give you back   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  

In this episode of Staging Sips, Lori reveals a quiet trap that keeps even experienced staging CEOs stuck in operator mode: hiring for help instead of ownership. You'll learn how to spot the difference between helpers who lighten your load temporarily and team members who expand your company's capacity. Lori shares how to shift from being the answer key to being the coach, empowering your team to think, decide, and act like owners so your business can finally run without you. Whether you're hiring your first assistant or managing a growing operations team, this episode will help you lead with discernment, trust, and vision — the Accelerate Standard for scalable success. What you will learn in this episode: The difference between helpers and team members Why over-availability creates quiet dependence How to move from fixer to coach in your leadership style The questions to ask yourself before hiring or promoting anyone How to build capacity instead of just relief What it means to embody the Accelerate Standard inside your company 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're ready to elevate how you lead, refine how your business runs, and scale with the calm confidence of a true CEO, join us in Staging Business School Accelerate.  The room where staging leaders rise.  

You finally hire someone. You're expecting relief. You're imagining lighter days, fewer tasks on your plate, maybe even some breathing room. But instead? The workload feels heavier. You're fielding more questions, redoing work, fixing mistakes. And you catch yourself thinking, "It would just be faster if I handled this myself." Sound familiar? Here's the thing: this doesn't mean you're doing anything wrong. What it really signals is that you've stepped into a stage of growth that nobody actually warned you about. Up until now, you've been the single point of failure in your business. But there's a bridge you have to cross to get from "the business is me" to "the business works without me" – and most people don't even know it exists. In today's episode, I'm walking you through the three distinct roles every staging business owner grows through, why most get stuck even after hiring team, and the missing stage that's actually the real game-changer. By the end, you'll have a clearer picture of what needs to shift for you to move into true leadership in your staging business. Listen in to find out how to stop circling back to doing everything yourself and start building through these stages so your business can finally give you the freedom you've been working toward.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why hiring a new team member can initially make your workload feel heavier instead of lighter. The three roles every staging business owner grows through. How to inspect what you expect and set clear standards for your team. Why "buying back your time" requires more than just offloading tasks.   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 Titus Website: gotitus.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  

Have you ever heard a seller say, "Staging sounds great, but we just can't afford it right now"? I have! Maybe you have too! But what if there were a way for your clients to stage their home today and not pay a single dollar until closing? That's exactly what Nick Narodny set out to solve with his company, Titus. Nick grew up surrounded by real estate—his parents and even his little brother are Realtors and he was building websites for agents back in eighth grade. Fast forward to now, he has created a platform that tackles one of the biggest challenges we face as stagers: getting clients to say yes. According to stats, only about 20% of homes are staged right now. That means there's an enormous untapped opportunity waiting for us. In this conversation, Nick dives into why sellers and agents hold back on staging, how agents are leveraging staging to win more listings, and some surprisingly creative ways people are using Titus; from sellers buying furniture for buyers to agents boosting their commissions by offering pay-at-close staging. By the end of this episode, you'll walk away with fresh ideas, new talking points, and a clearer strategy for pitching staging to both clients and agents.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The current state of staging and why there's room to triple (or even quadruple) the number of staged homes. The top reasons sellers and agents skip staging and how to shift the conversation to get more "yes". Tools and resources Titus provides to help home stagers scale their businesses. The broader vision for payment innovation in real estate and what it could mean for the future of staging.   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 Titus Website: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/titus 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

I'm sure you know how the math works. You've probably sat down more than once to calculate exactly what you need to charge to make a profit. There is no problem until when it is time to say that number out loud to a client. It is then that it suddenly feels almost impossible. Belive me, it is not jut you. Here's the truth: pricing is never just about the math. You can have the most perfect spreadsheet in the world, but if your mindset isn't there, none of it matters. In this episode, we're going to talk about what's happening in that gap between knowing your numbers and actually holding them in a conversation. We'll look at why fear shows up when you raise your rates, why your brain reacts like you're in danger, and how to train yourself to move through it so quoting your price feels calm and confident. Beyond that, I also share one of my favorite tools to help you anchor your value. If you've been struggling to hold firm on your rates, or if you find yourself freezing up when you get to the money conversation, this is for you. We're going past the spreadsheets and into the psychology of pricing—because the numbers are only half the story.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why fear is a normal response when you raise your prices How to retrain your brain to feel safe quoting your real number The difference between math protecting your business and mindset sustaining it How to use hero metrics to speak about your value with clarity   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 catch yourself thinking, "If I raise my staging prices, will I lose clients"? You're not alone. But here's the truth: home staging costs are rising whether you like it or not…tariffs, trucking fees, replacement inventory, all of it. And if the pricing in your staging business has not changed in the last year, it's already outdated. In this episode, I break down why holding onto your old rates is quietly sabotaging your profits, your growth, and even your sanity as a staging CEO. You'll hear the mindset shifts and practical math behind raising your rates without apology (even if your brain feels terrified at first). We talk about the "hidden treadmill" of inventory costs, why undercharging stretches your break-even point forever, and the simple levers you can pull right now to protect your margins. I'll also share how to reframe price increases for your clients so they see the value, not the politics or inflation talk. And most importantly, you'll walk away with the challenge to step into true leadership—because raising your prices isn't greed, it's stewardship. It's how you build a staging business that thrives. If you've been waiting for a sign, this is it. Press play, and let's raise those rates like the CEO you came here to be.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why pricing for today keeps you stuck, and why you need to price for the business you're building The hidden treadmill of inventory costs and how it erodes your profits Simple math that shows you can raise rates and still make more while serving fewer clients How to reframe price increases so clients see value  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 Marianne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/homestagercoachmarianne Marianne's website: www.coachingbymarianne.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

Ever wonder why some stagers seem to effortlessly attract high-end real estate agents while others struggle to get noticed? Or why certain staging businesses explode with growth while others stay stuck in the same patterns year after year? Meet Marianne Cherico, a personal and professional development coach  for home stagers with 27 years in real estate and nearly two decades of staging under her belt. In this episode, Marianne pulls back the curtain on everything from developing your signature style that gets you remembered, to the exact messaging that makes agents see you as their secret weapon for winning listings. She shares real stories from her coaching clients who've gone from zero to spanning multiple states, and why she actually wants her clients to hear "no" 50% of the time. This conversation is packed with those "aha" moments that make you want to immediately revamp your entire approach to working with clients and agents. Marianne did not just talk theory. Like she always does, she gives  the specific language, mindset shifts, and strategic moves that transform stagers from order-takers to indispensable business partners.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: How to shift from competition to collaboration with other stagers and build a network that lifts everyone up How to develop a signature style that makes you memorable and gets you design jobs  Why pricing yourself so 50% of your clients say no is actually the goal,  The presentation and follow-up system that keeps you top-of-mind with agents without feeling salesy or pushy   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 Marianne on Instagram: www.instagram.com/homestagercoachmarianne Marianne's website: www.coachingbymarianne.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  

There's a pattern I see repeatedly with successful staging business owners that's quietly sabotaging everything they've built. They're showing up to every install, running every consultation, personally styling every pillow, and wondering why they feel like they're drowning despite having a team on payroll. But here's the reality: if you're still the primary technician, you haven't built a business. You've built yourself a very expensive job with multiple employees to manage. In my coaching work with staging CEOs, especially inside Accelerate, I see this tension constantly. Staging business owners who are afraid that stepping back from client-facing work will lower quality, so they stay in the grind . But the exhaustion they feel doesn't come from the amount of work. It comes from a deeper misunderstanding: your value as a CEO is very different from your value as a solo stager. That's why today I'm sharing the exact framework I used to transform my business from "Lori's company" into Rethink Home Interiors—, with systems ensuring quality without requiring my physical presence at every project. It is also the approach that is helping Accelerate owners reclaim their role as CEO without sacrificing the standards that built their reputation. I hope this episode becomes a turning point for you, revealing how to delegate staging tasks so you can step out of the technician role and step fully into business ownership.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The Real Source of Your Exhaustion (And It's Not What You Think) How to create systems for quality instead of being the quality control bottleneck yourself What clients genuinely care about versus what your perfectionist brain thinks  How to use the 10-80-10 Framework for delegating without losing your standards or your mind   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

Picture this: you're on a two-week vacation in Austria. The air is crisp, the scenery is breathtaking, and your phone is blissfully quiet. Not because your home staging business is falling apart, but because it's running better than ever. Projects are getting completed, clients are thrilled, and your team is stepping up, filling in gaps, and owning their roles. You're not "checking in" every five minutes…you're actually relaxing. Sounds dreamy??? Yes, it is! But that does not happen by accident. It is not luck, and it is not because everything magically fell into place the day you left. It's the result of reclaiming your CEO time before you thought you were ready. It is a reward of putting the right structures and support in place so you can step away without fear, guilt, or chaos waiting for you when you get back. In this episode of the Staging Sips podcast, I am going to walk you through how to stop running your business from a place of reactivity and start leading it from a place of intention. You'll learn how to strategically remove yourself from work that doesn't require your unique genius, why "waiting for the right time" is actually a trap that rewires your brain to stay busy, and the exact mindset shift that moves you from panic mode into builder mode. If you've been wearing every hat, clinging to every decision, and telling yourself this is "just a busy season"…it's time to see what's really possible when you protect your CEO hours like your most valuable asset.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why capacity before you're ready is the fastest path to sustainable growth. The two CEO filters and how to apply them to every task. The exact mindset shift that moves you from panic mode into builder mode. Practical "buy-back" moves to free the right hours for the right work. 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

This episode is recorded with "special sound effects that you may hear," which buttresses this conversation about interrupting patterns that sneak into our daily operations as home staging business owners. The kind of patterns that don't just slow us down but quietly sabotage the very growth we're working so hard to create. Today, I'm sharing one of the most important mindset shifts I've made and helped my clients make in their staging businesses: realizing that wanting success more isn't always the answer. Sometimes, it's the problem. We often have the constant drive to push harder, say yes to everything, discount just enough to close the deal, or keep our phones by our side all night just in case a client reaches out. We convince ourselves that landing the next project, hitting that revenue goal, or the emergency install squeezed into an already maxed-out calendar is the right thing for our business. But underneath that hustle is often anxiety dressed up as work ethic, and it's costing us more than we realize. Starting with the experiences of other home staging business owners who've lived through that same cycle, you'll also hear how making small but intentional shifts, rooted in what I call sufficiency energy, can help you lead your staging business with more clarity, confidence, and ease without dialing down your ambition. I hope this episode helps you exhale, assess your position, and make one powerful move toward the kind of home staging business that holds your success, not just chases it.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why obsession energy often leads to burnout, micromanaging, and decision fatigue  and how to interrupt that cycle Real-life client examples and personal stories from inside Rethink You Accelerate that show how these patterns play out (and how to shift them) Mindset tools to support better decisions, cleaner processes, and business boundaries that actually build trust How to spot the subtle ways you're operating from fear — and how to return to belief   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

You know that moment when things are finally starting to click in your staging business. More inquiries, more visibility, more momentum, and yet behind the scenes, it feels like one more client might break the whole system? That's what we're talking about today. This episode is for the home staging business owner who knows it's time to expand but feels stuck waiting for the "right time." It is also for the staging CEO juggling growth with resistance, order with chaos, and strategy with self-doubt. If your brain is whispering, "I'm not ready," but your calendar and cash flow say otherwise, you might want to pay attention because your business is already signaling that it's time to grow, whether you feel ready or not. This conversation isn't just about systems and structure. It is about what happens in your mind when your business starts demanding more of you. Today, I'll walk you through what capacity actually looks like, why your hesitation is normal (but costly), and what small, bold moves shift you out of hustle and into real leadership.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: The real definition of business capacity   Why your brain throws up resistance every time you try to expand How undercharging is actually a capacity problem The three essential beliefs that successful CEOs use to build capacity before they feel ready    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

Rhythm, predictability and structure could not feel any better! If you're running your home staging business week to week, feeling dizzy at the thought of planning beyond 7 days, that is not where you should be. Most staging CEOs think structure will slow them down, but here's what neuroscience reveals: your brain is literally hardwired to crave predictability. And when tasks that feel urgent are carried into days? You are stuck in threat response mode resulting in decision fatigue, overthinking, and burnout! Today you'll discover why business owners who install simple rhythms; weekly CEO hours, monthly metric reviews, quarterly planning sessions don't just grow faster, but with less stress and more strategic clarity. You'll learn why creating these consistent rhythms for not just productivity can transform how you lead, creating space for clarity, reducing pressure, and allowing you to lead with more intention. Your desired home staging CEO self is already unlocked.  You just have to do the work you most avoid.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why your brain craves predictability (and how that affects how you lead). Weekly, monthly, and quarterly rhythms that create momentum on autopilot. How to build cadence into your week even if it's just you and a whiteboard. How to handle client curveballs and unexpected requests when you have solid business rhythms supporting 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 Listen to: How to Be Ridiculously Easy to Work With   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  

Is your website just sitting pretty or is it actually working for your business? If you've ever felt like your site doesn't reflect your growth, doesn't bring in the right clients, or still feels like it belongs to your "just getting started" era, this conversation is for you. Lori's conversation today is with Cathleen Barnes, the founder of Cathleen Barnes Consulting, a web and brand design studio known for creating strategy-first, high-converting websites for interior designers and creative business owners. After climbing the corporate ladder for over a decade and reaching the role of eCommerce Director at a global company, Cathleen pivoted. She chose to take her skills into a more meaningful space helping designers and service providers elevate their digital presence with clarity, intention, and a whole lot less stress. Whether you're looking to rebrand, update, or completely reimagine your website, Cathleen offers a real-world, actionable roadmap for making your site your hardest-working employee, not just an online business card.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: What makes a website strategic vs just stylish How to make your website function like a backend assistant The most common problems your website should be solving What to include (and what to rethink) on your homepage   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 Cathleen Barnes's Consulting website: www.cathleenbarnesconsulting.com Follow Cathleen Barnes on Instagram: www.instagram.com/cathleenbarnesconsulting   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.    

You didn't start your business to manage chaos—yours or anyone else's. And yet, even with a team in place, delegation doesn't always feel like relief. You find yourself double-checking tasks you've already assigned, mentally tracking details you thought you handed off, or stepping back in when something feels off. Exhausting and far from the freedom you imagined! Often, the root of this tension isn't just about team performance. It's about connection. When team members don't fully understand how their role supports the mission of your staging business, it's easy for their actions to fall flat and for your brain to stay on high alert. But that's not dead-end. Rather, it is a problem with a solution that starts with you. Today, I talk about the mental residue that so many staging CEOs carry even after building a team. Showing you not just how cognitive residue makes you stuck at hovering rather than trusting, you'll get neuroscience-backed tools, clear frameworks, and mindset strategies to help you delegate with confidence and get your time (and peace) back. Whether you're hiring your first assistant or leading a full team, this episode is your guide to a team that doesn't just follow instructions but one that functions with confidence and purpose.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why your brain stays on alert even after you've delegated How to use the IPO framework as a practical delegation tool How to reset your delegation mindset using Brooke Castillo's Thought Model How to do a team inventory to spot loose ends in your team and fix them   RESOURCES:   Mark your calendar! July 17, 2025: Special CEO Refresh workshop for Accelerate members 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.

You've built your business with grit and a whole lot of resourcefulness. You've taken in all the free advice, downloaded the templates, maybe even brought on a little help and yet  something is not just clicking. If you're in that messy middle where you're no longer starting from scratch but nowhere near where you want to be, constantly beating yourself up with "I should be able to figure this out by now", you are not alone. What you may not just know right now is that even the most successful business owners don't build in isolation. They get support. And that transition from "scrappy startup" to "scalable business" requires a completely different skill set than what got you here. And what happens when you try to muscle through alone? You end up working harder, not smarter. You're busy, but not necessarily building the business you actually want. In today's episode, I talk about why this phase feels so frustrating and more importantly, how to break free from it. What's important for where you are headed is leverage - getting the right support at the right time so you can finally build a business that works for you, not against you. If you've been waiting for the "right time" to invest in strategic support, this epsiode is your sign.   WHAT YOU'LL LEARN FROM THIS EPISODE: Why so many staging CEOs hit a plateau even after gaining traction How high-achieving CEOs unknowingly build their businesses for survival instead of leadership How coaching shifts your mindset from "What should I do?" to "Here's what I'm doing—how can it be stronger, simpler, faster?" What real transformation looks like inside the Accelerate program   RESOURCES:   Mark your calendar! July 17, 2025: Special CEO Refresh workshop for Accelerate members Apply for Private Coaching: www.rethinkhomeinteriors.com/privatecoachingapp Download Your Free Digital Swag Bag 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.