Home Stagers and Designers on Fire

In this episode I talk with Heather Cook of the Social Stager about how to fall in love with your marketing. You will learn: what foundational things you should be focusing on when it comes to marketing what is trending (and here to stay) in great marketing how understanding your "marketing roadblocks" will help you move forward how to get excited about marketing the biggest source of marketing burn out and how to overcome it what to foundational tips to focus on when it comes to marketing And you will learn how you can get Heathers help. Here is a link to join her Social Stagers Club  https://payhip.com/b/PKmoS/af6897b12e09ce5

Want to know what it's really like to build a thriving staging business in today's market? In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire, I sit down with Jennie Norris- CEO  and Chairwoman of IAHSP. Jennie has been leading the charge in the staging industry since 2002. With 7200 plus homes staged, 2 best selling books and IAHSP expanded into 38 countries under her leadership, Jennie is a true trailblazer. You will learn: What Jennie sees as the single most important thing that stagers need to do in order to grow their business Jennie's advice on optimizing your website for SEO A unique and simple way to reach out to multiple Real Estate Agents Jennie's thoughts on pricing (always a hot topic) The app Jennie uses for quotes How staging has evolved through the years, spread to Europe and how Jennie sees the future of staging  

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Grant Findlay Shirras, serial entrepreneur, financial strategist and co owner of Dekora, a luxury staging, furnishing and design company serving Calgary and Kelowna. You will learn: Why Grant and his wife bought Dekora and how they turned the company around How Grant increased profits while simplifying systems Grant's philosophy on pricing and how raising prices actually increased sales How Grant ensures every labor fee is accounted for Why Grant encourages his team to lose more jobs The biggest bottleneck in  Dekora and how Grant plans to overcome it

Ever wonder what it really takes to stage multi million dollar homes in NYC? In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with the incomparable Jason Saft- a true powerhouse in the staging world. Known for his curated, design forward approach, Jason transforms high end listings into unforgettable spaces that connect with Buyers on an emotional level. With a background in Real Estate and a sharp eye for design, Jason blends artistry with strategy, creating homes that not only wow, but create great returns for Sellers. In our conversation, Jason opens up about  the wins, challenges and lessons he's learned while staging some of the most remarkable properties in New York and how you can take these insights to refine your own signature style- no matter where you are staging.

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Marissa Cortese of Vienna Lane Interiors. Marissa was a coaching client who had just started her business after being certified. In a little over a year, she has accomplished so much in her business and she shares her journey here. You will learn: what fears Marissa had when transitioning from a career in tech to owning a Home Staging Business (and how she overcame them) how Marissa tripled her storage space, increased her prices, landed 14 staged homes (in 9 months) , won 2 design jobs and expanded into the luxury market What prompted Marissa to hire me as a coach after being certified What has surprised Marissa about growing her business How Marissa won the business of Real Estate Agents What Marissa sees for the future of her business

In this podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Kari Moffet of Poppy Home Staging. I had the honor of coaching Kari in my Unlock the Power of Agent Referrals program as she transitioned from a career in teaching to a Home Staging Business. You will learn: how Kari balanced teaching, bringing up her children and starting a staging career how taking my Unlock the Power of Agent Referrals and Boost Your Bottom Line program helped dial in Kari's messaging and win the Business of Real Estate Agents how Kari won a staging job after losing it to a low priced stager Who pays for the staging? Agent or Sellers? What Kari's largest source of business has been from Why Kari wants to lean more into occupied staging What Kari sees for the future of her business

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire  I am doing a recap on some of the sessions that I attended at RESACON in Vegas. You will learn: how Jess Harrington built a 7 figure Boston based business why Jess wished she had gone into debt sooner how to offer upsells that clients really want-with Michelle Lynn Pant different possible business offerings for upsells how to overcome fear and own your value with Luann Nigara what percentage you should be allocating for owner's compensation with LuAnn how Mandy Shields built a 7 figure staging business with one truck and a small team how to hire effectively with Mandy Shields what tech tools Mandy Shields uses

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Tori Toth, Realtor, Stager, Author and Industry leader. Tori moved from NY to Arizona and recreated her life and business. Armed with a solid background in marketing and staging, Tori got her Real Estate license and began a new career, blending all of her talents in order to provide top notch dervice to her Buyers and Sellers.  You will learn: How Stagers can win over Real Estate Agents Why Tori decided to focus on occupieds How Tori sets herself apart from other Agents Why it is easier for Stagers to find clients than RE Agents How Tori thinks we can "bridge the gap" between Stagers and Real Estate Agents What Tori challenges Home Stagers to do in order to win business Listen on Apple, Spotify, most major podcast platforms or go to www.coachingbymarianne.com

Ever wonder what it's like to go from a corporate career to a thriving Home Staging business? In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Mitch Bage and Luis Santiago of MDC Fine Living about what it was like transitioning from "safe" careers in Aerospace and Oil and Gas to the world of entrepreneurship. You will learn:  how Mitch and Luis overcame fears about starting their business and what they put in place in order to make the transition easier why Mitch had Imposter Syndrome and how he overcame it how Mitch and Luis work together as a couple and what role each one plays in the business how Luis and Mitch are making sure they are being prrofitable and how that has impacted inventory purhcases why creating a signature style is important the importance of dialing in pricing for your specific area

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk about the importance of thought leadership and how it sets you apart as the "go to" stager. You will learn: how thought leadership builds the know, like trust factor the traits of a thought leader and how they set you apart from the others specific ways to become a thought leader an example on how to differentiate yourself as a thought leader when doing a proposal for a model home why thought leaders are chosen for their value instead of their price tag how you can get help with mindset blocks that are preventing you from being more visible and becoming the sought after thought leader in your area    

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview laura Zavelson, a corporate escapee turned serial entrepreneur, former professor of entrepreneurship and now business guide.  You will learn: How Laura helps women leave a secure job in order to start a business Why Laura decided to specialize in Gen X women Why it is so important to define what success looks like to you How Laura recommends how to transition financially from a job to owning a business Why thought leadership and a network is important when building a business Where the first client typically comes from (hint-it is not Social Media) Why it is important to differentiate yourself and take a stand as opposed to following the crowd Why your concept of "failure" needs to change as an entrepreneur

In this podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers I interview Michelle Minch of Moving Mountains Designs, a sought after LA staging company. Michlle has developed a pricing calculator in order to help stagers make sure that they are being profitable.  You will learn: What the biggest challenge is for Home Stagers when it comes to pricing How new stagers might price differently at the beginning in order to be competitive Why crunching your numbers is the difference between having a successful and profitable business or a hobby business When and how Michelle is willing to negotiate on price Why Michelle's prices fluctuate How Michelle continues to market her 19 year old business in order to continually fill her pipeline How data motivates Michelle to do the things that bring in revenue

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Whitney English, author, interior designer and entrepreneur. You will learn: the ups and downs of building  2 lucrative businesses how Whitney uses story in her design narratives (and how stagers may do this as well) how Whitney created a "cult like" following with her handmade journals that were sold at places like Target what the "slow styled" home is why Whitney loves the "messy middle" in her creative endeavors what Whitney's litmus test is for choosing items in a home how biophilic and wabi sabi design can be integrated into design projects how Whitney turned her ADHD diagnosis into an asset and so much more!

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Laurie Graham of Boss Babe Creative and Visuals. Known as a vision caster and the ultimate hype girl, Laurie helps Home Stagers and Entrepreneurs build brands that reflect their value, attract dream clients and grow bold, beautiful businesses that they love. You will learn: how Laurie helps clients define their brand how Laurie helps clients choose brand colors how fashion and location inform branding decisions how to use the 5 pillars in your content marketing plan what Laurie would love to see Home Stagers do instead of, or in addition to reels how Laurie builds a brand backwards and so much more!

In this podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I talk with Heather Cook of Social Stager about how to optimize your website and turn leads into customers. This is part 2. Part 1 was episode #142. You will learn: How to make your website user friendley What your home page should be about Why meta tags and descriptions are important What the main purpose is for your website How to convey pricing Why a website should be mobile friendley How to build trust with your website Why FAQ's are important What you should have on your portfolio page How to optimize your site for SEO

In this episode I interview Natalie Lorenz. Natalie is an award winning stager, designer, speaker and TV contributor with features on NBC, CBS, Elle Decor and more. We discuss how Natalie built a seven figure staging business in the Seattle area. You will learn: Why it's important to know what it costs to keep your doors open when pricing your services  How Natalie determined her pricing structure The tool that helped Natalie understand her numbers on a more granular level How Natalie makes sure her furniture and accessories are making money The importance of tracking KPI's Why your staging aesthetic is a big part of your brand and how to be unique and still attract target Buyers How Natalie delivers top notch customer service in order to create clients for life Why tracking time and understanding logistics is important Why Natalie decided to add custom artwork into her staging

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I discuss the importance of building your confidence muscle. Whether you are a new stager or have been in the business for awhile, pricing can cause uncertainty. In order to build a profitable, sustainable business it is extremely important that you know your numbers, know your market and own your value when setting your prices. In this episode you will learn: how to confidently relay your price how to determine your price based on the value you bring, your market and knowing  your numbers what you need to do in order to get the prices that you are asking how to recognize money stories that may be sabotaging your success how to gracefully set pricing boundaries with family and friends an important clue that it's time to raise prices

In this podcast episode I interview David Cieslak, owner if Signature  Staging in Chicago, a boutique luxury staging company.  David's talks about how his business has evolved over 20 years. You will learn: How David built his staging business during the housing crash What David learned about business after being incredibly busy and what he learned about preventing burn out How vulnerability and asking for help impacted David's life and business How David shifted his mindset on money How David executes a stage without being at the install What is happening with staging trends

In this episode of Home Stagers and Designers on Fire I interview Christine Rae founder of CSP International Staging and Decorating BUSINESS Academy. You will learn: What Home Stagers struggle with the most What Christine learned about selling in the corporate world How working with Michael E. Gerber (author of the E Myth) helped Christine create a long term business strategy Why social media is not enough to get a steady stream of business How to differentiate your business so that you aren't competing on price Why we should stop talking about staging and what we should be saying instead

In this podcast episode of Home Stagers and Designers on FireI talk with Heather Cook of Social Stager. You will learn: what intuitive website platform Heather recommends and why why an optimized home/landing page is important what to place "above the fold" on your lhome/landing page how your brand impacts how you tailor your website copy what to do before you start creating your website why showcasing transformations and case studies are so important how to write copy that is engaging and keeps the viewers interest how to speak to different ideal clients on your website so that they feel as though you are speaking directly to them