A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

Today with Kae Whitaker

Welcome to another episode of A Well-Designed Business. Everyone can start doing their happy dance today because we have Kae Whitaker on the show! After doing her really great series all about Facebook, LuAnn was considering doing another series, about landing pages, click funnels, email responders etc. She was out there, in Podcast Land, listening and looking out for the right person to have on the show- someone who could really relate to you, as Designers, as well as having all the necessary know-how, when out of the blue, she got a notification that Kae Whitaker was going live on Instagram. She went on over to have a look and there was Kae, talking about click funnels and email sequences… It was like hitting the jackpot for LuAnn because she knows that Kae really talks our language, so listen in to find out what Kae has to share with you today, about Email Marketing.

Today Kae is here to talk about Sales Funnels. What they are, why we need to know about them and how we can apply them to our individual interior design firms. Kae answers the questions: What kind of content should be in an email sequence and how often should I send a potential client an email?

 Kay is the Owner and the CEO  of Kae Whitaker Solutions and she has more than ten years of experience in Retail Sales and Marketing Development. Now, her focus is on helping Small Businesses to stay competitive in their market and helping them to reach and surpass their revenue goals. She has worked with some of the largest national retailers and she now leverages her expertise in Retail Sales and Marketing Development to create her Premium Coaching Programs, that really help Small Business owners to tune in to what matters most in their Marketing efforts, by streamlining their processes and maximizing on their clientele. Kae’s highest achievements come from helping others to reach their goals and she really loves having the opportunity to help people to take their brand to the next level. So, listen in now, to find out how to tune in to what really matters most for your business.

Show highlights:

Kae explains what a Sales Funnel

Why Sales Funnels are really important for Designers.

The major difference in the number of conversions, and also the ability to predict revenue, that Kae has experienced in her firm, since starting with Email Marketing.


Where to start, with developing your Email Marketing.

Thinking about what you could offer for free, in return for an email address.

You’re really not interrupting anyone, with Email Marketing, because they only opt-in if they’re interested.

Why video works so well, as an opt-in.

What to do, right after getting your first opt-in.

How to build a great, trusting relationship, through your emails.

The whole point behind Email Marketing.

What the content of the sequence of emails, following the opt-in, should include.

The right time to schedule a chat with someone.

Working with an Automated Email Responder. (Like Acuity Scheduling)

Not stopping after the first ‘no’ can really set you apart from other Designers.

If you can muster up the courage to get in front of a camera, do it! The video really converts well!

Some alternative ideas, if you don’t want to appear on camera.

All about what’s to be expected from Kae’s soon to be launched Email Marketing Bootcamp. It will be live on Tuesdays at 8 pm (Central Standard Time) and it will be recorded, so you can still catch it if you miss the live broadcast.

The importance of spending the time to learn something new.

Kae will be back on the show soon, to talk about the more technical side of Email Marketing.

Kae's website:

https://kaewhitaker.com

Today With LuAnn Nigara:

Ten years ago, A Well-Designed Business® didn’t exist.
There were no downloads. No sponsors. No audience.

There was just a decision.

In this first episode of a four-part anniversary series, LuAnn takes you behind the scenes to the moment before the podcast, before the brand, before this became a business. She walks you through what her life and work actually looked like in 2015, running a successful, $2M business that depended almost entirely on two people. Herself and Vin.

This episode is not about the launch.
It’s about the choice that came before it.

LuAnn shares the reality of being profitable but restless, successful but paying attention, and why the most important decisions in business are usually the ones no one applauds, likes, or even sees.

If you’ve ever looked at someone else’s finished success and assumed the path was obvious or inevitable, this episode will reset that thinking.

Because here’s the thing.
Every business has a moment where everything changes.
And it always starts with a decision.

Connect with LuAnn Nigara:

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠⁠Blog⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Power Talk Friday⁠⁠⁠

Like Us: ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠ | Tweet Us: ⁠⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠⁠ | Follow Us: ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠ | Listen Here: ⁠⁠⁠Podcast⁠⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠https://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠⁠⁠

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free ⁠⁠⁠here⁠⁠⁠.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: ⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠

Audiobook: ⁠⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠⁠

Book 2: ⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts⁠⁠⁠

Book 3: ⁠⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2⁠

Today With Katy Cassaw, Kat Benson, Heather Peterson and Jillian Richey:

In this Overheard episode of A Well-Designed Business, I sit down with four powerhouse designers — Heather Peterson, Jillian Richey Echevarria, and Katy Cassaw and Kat Benson of Nest Interiors — to talk about what it really means to step into the CEO seat.

Each of these women has worked with business coach Desi Creswell to move from creative chaos to confident leadership. Together, we dig into the mindset shifts that make it possible to run a business with clarity — letting go of control, delegating effectively, setting boundaries, and learning to trust your team.

Whether you’re a solo designer trying to get out of overwhelm or leading a growing team, this episode is a masterclass in how to think like a CEO, and why that shift changes everything.

More About Katy Cassaw, Kat Benson, Heather Peterson and Jillian Richey:

Katy Cassaw and Kat Benson:

Nest Interiors, co-founded by Katy Cassaw and Kat Benson, is a full-service interior design firm devoted to transforming vision into reality. With a focus on residential design, our expertise spans new construction, remodeling, consulting, and product installation. Guided by more than 20 years of combined experience, we craft timeless interiors that balance style and functionality. Each project is an expression of our clients’ unique story, brought to life through a refined mix of design influences—bold, sophisticated, and enduringly livable.

Heather Peterson:

Heather is the mix master and principal designer behind the layered interiors at Heather Peterson Design. Through a collaborative approach, HPD translates clients’ individual tastes and lifestyles into homes that are effortlessly stylish, functional, and truly personal to them. A Columbia University-trained curator and former design magazine photo editor, Heather uses her trained eye and sense of story to create balanced, thoughtful, and distinctive spaces. At Heather Peterson Design, the work encompasses a variety of styles which reflect a wide-ranging passion in interior design.  The team loves the challenge of blending all the things homeowners love, want, and value into a cohesive design.

Jillian Richey:

Jillian Richey Echevarria is the Principal Designer and CEO of Jillian Richey Design, a luxury interior design firm based in Hinsdale, Illinois, and Crown Point, Indiana. Known for her ability to create timeless, highly detailed homes, Jillian partners with clients, builders, and vendors to bring architectural visions to life—from custom cabinetry and millwork to full-scale furnishings and curated accessories.

With nearly two decades of experience in the design industry, Jillian has grown her boutique studio into a thriving business, balancing high-end residential projects with a newly launched lifestyle venture: Jilly’s Boutique Café, a Parisian garden-inspired café and retail space that seamlessly merges her love of design, hospitality, and community.

Jillian is passionate about the evolution of the designer’s role—from overextended creative to confident CEO. She shares candidly about the systems, leadership, and mindset shifts that allowed her to scale her business, raise her design fees, and empower her team. Guided by principles from Who Not How, 10x Is Easier Than 2x, and The Gap and the Gain, Jillian has embraced delegation, profitability, and sustainable growth while keeping her creative spirit at the center of her work.

When she’s not leading design projects or building her café brand, Jillian is a wife, mom of two, and believer that design should be both beautiful and deeply livable.

Other Shows Mentioned:

Overheard Collection

Desi Creswell Episodes

AWDB #222: Power Talk Friday: Lee Cockerell- Customer Service the Disney Way

AWDB #445: Tori Alexander: Her Production List Increases Efficiency and Profits

Today with Vanessa DeLeon

Today on the show we have a brilliant and when I say brilliant I really mean it, brilliant business woman: Vanessa DeLeon. Vanessa has starred on several television shows on some big television networks such as NBC, Bravo, HGTV and DIY Network. She has also been in several magazines such as TIME, Cosmopolitan etc. and on top of that she is a spokesperson! Wow! Talk about impressive resume! Please stay tuned to hear all of her great advice and her shared experiences.

Vanessa shares with us:

The triple “D’s”

What she would have done differently before starting her own business at 20

When does the momentum pick up?

Dreams do come true

Are vision boards a yes or a no?

Entitlement…I don’t think so!

Vacation? What’s that?

Connect with LuAnn Nigara:

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠

LuAnn’s ⁠⁠Blog⁠⁠

⁠⁠Power Talk Friday⁠⁠

Like Us: ⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠ | Tweet Us: ⁠⁠Twitter⁠⁠ | Follow Us: ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠ | Listen Here: ⁠⁠Podcast⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara:

⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠

⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠

⁠⁠https://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠⁠

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free ⁠⁠here⁠⁠.

To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here:

Book 1: ⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠

Audiobook: ⁠⁠The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action⁠⁠

Book 2: ⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts⁠⁠

Book 3: ⁠⁠A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2⁠

Today With Kate O’Hara:

Today on A Well Designed Business, Kate O'Hara from O'Hara Interiors reveals her framework for positioning your design business to attract the clients you actually want: entry-level clients need you to be discoverable, mid-tier clients need you to be distinct, and elite clients need you to be discreet.

Kate explains the reality that many designers appear to work with one type of client but actually serve different clients 80-90% of the time. She breaks down how each tier has completely different expectations, from entry-level clients who need education and reassurance to elite clients who want designer-driven solutions and white-glove service.

The conversation covers where each client tier actually finds designers, the messaging that resonates with each group, and how to align your brand positioning with your business goals. If you're struggling to attract your ideal clients or wondering whether your current approach matches your target market, this episode provides the framework to audit and adjust your strategy.

LuAnn Nigara and Kate O'Hara's Ah-Ha Moments

“At an entry level, you need to be discoverable. At a mid-tier, you need to be distinct, and at an elite tier, you need to be discreet.” - Kate O’Hara

"It's really getting clear on who you want to attract so that your messaging does align." - LuAnn Nigara

More About Kate O’Hara

Kate O’Hara grew up in the world of design. After a decade with the company, she stepped into the role of CEO + Creative Director, expanding the family design firm into new regions of the U.S. When she isn’t traveling between our Minnesota and Texas offices, you can find Kate speaking at conferences, working with our design team, and connecting with new clients and furniture lines.

Connect with Kate O’Hara

⁠⁠Website⁠⁠

⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

⁠⁠Pinterest⁠⁠

⁠⁠Houzz⁠⁠

⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠

What’s new with LuAnn Nigara

⁠⁠The Power Talk Friday Tour⁠⁠

⁠⁠Watch the Docuseries!⁠⁠

⁠⁠http://www.luannnigara.com/cob⁠⁠

Get The Goodies!

For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999!

Other Shows Mentioned:

Episode 1148 In Good company CEO Conversations with Kate O”Hara A Framework for Understanding Luxury Clients

Episode 958: Overheard: What I Wish I Knew Then: With Kate O’Hara, Erika Ward, Jennifer Stoner, and Alex Alonso

Episode 1030: In Good Company: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Insights and Strategies on Successful Scaling

Episode 1042: In Good Company: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: End-of-Year Business Strategies for Designers: Pipeline, Productivity, and Press

Episode 649: Power Talk Friday: Brad Leavitt: Understanding Design-Build from the Builder’s Perspective

Episode 615: Power Talk Friday: Brad Leavitt: Overcoming Resistance in the Design-Build Process

Episode 878: Throwback Tuesday: Brad Leavitt: A Builder’s Perspective on the Design Build Process

A BIG Thank You to Today's Sponsor:

Kravet Inc. continues to expand with beautiful new showrooms designed to support the way you actually work.

Recent openings include Birmingham, Charleston, Water Mill, New York, and Basking Ridge, New Jersey. 

Each Kravet showroom features their innovative Workspace model, an interactive environment showcasing furniture, fabric, wallcovering, trim, and carpet samples, thoughtfully merchandised to mirror how designers source. By fabric type. By category. By color. By the way you think.

And quick reminder, I’ll be giving a presentation at the Basking Ridge, New Jersey showroom on January 21st, 2026. If you’re local or can get there, I would love to see you in person. Mark your calendar and come say hello. Go to luannnigara.com/event to learn more and RSVP by January 16th