In The Workroom With Manny

Manny sits down with Larissa Cook, President of FBN Construction, to talk about her path from executive assistant to estimator and ultimately president of the company. Larissa shares how hard work, a willingness to step in wherever needed, and the mentorship of FBN's longtime leaders shaped her career and leadership style. She and Manny discuss team culture, accountability, customer service, and the importance of surrounding yourself with the right people. Larissa also talks about FBN's residential work, the company's growth, and her interest in continuing to expand into larger and ground-up projects. They also reflect on women in construction and the value of leading by example.

Manny welcomes Rachel Reider back to the podcast, along with Kate Maloney Albiani. As co-founders of The Layered Life Collective, they talk about the community they built for interior designers looking to grow their businesses with intention. Rachel and Kate share how their friendship and years of exchanging business advice inspired them to build something they wished had existed earlier in their careers. They discuss process, hiring, collaboration, taking the next step in business, and the value of learning from peers who understand the same challenges. They also reflect on how The Layered Life has grown beyond its first retreat into an ongoing community focused on education, support, and connection.

Manny sits down with Eric Haydel, President, Creative Director, and Owner of M-Geough, as the Boston Design Center showroom celebrates 75 years in business. Eric shares his path from interior designer to showroom owner and the responsibility of caring for a long-standing history while keeping the business fresh. They discuss supporting designers, customization, small business, creating a wow moment, and M-Geough's strategic partnership with Bang & Olufsen. Eric also reflects on his South Louisiana roots, playing flag football, spending time with family, and actively giving back to his community.

Manny Makkas welcomes David Supple, CEO of New England Design & Construction and a thought leader in sustainable luxury design-build, for a conversation about the relationship between design and construction. David shares how his early experience as an architect and carpenter shaped the way he built his company, and why he believes design and construction belong together. The conversation explores the company's certified passive house retrofit in Somerville, the importance of client decision-making, and what it takes to grow and train a strong team. Along the way, Manny and David also talk about family, sports, and David's love of pickleball.

In this episode of In the Workroom with Manny, Manny welcomes husband-and-wife team Ryan and Christina Wikman of Chestnut Grove Design Group. Ryan shapes the landscape, Christina crafts the interiors, and together they create homes that feel seamless and connected from the inside out. They share how they combined their businesses, the story behind Chestnut Grove, their new Winchester office, their love of bulbs and New England stonework, and how they balance family life while running a creative studio together.