A surprising path to partnership for Bergman Vass

Summary

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Trade Tales Podcast: A Surprising Path to Partnership for Bergman Vass

Host: Kaitlyn Petersen, Business of Home
Guests: Dana Bergman Falcione & Erica Vasilotti (Bergman Vass)
Release Date: February 25, 2026

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Episode Overview

In this episode of Trade Tales, host Kaitlyn Petersen dives into the unconventional and deeply synergistic partnership of Dana Bergman Falcione and Erica Vasilotti of the interior design firm Bergman Vass. They discuss their distinctly different entry points into design, how their skills and perspectives intertwine, the firm’s evolution from a solo to a team-driven practice, and the risks and rewards of adapting their business for growth and creative fulfillment. The conversation covers leadership, delegation, creativity, firm economics, team building, generational differences, and what success means to each of them.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Origins & Personal Journeys

• Dana’s Path:

  • Intended to become a businesswoman, but pivoted to architecture after struggling with Economics in college.
  • Realized a passion for interiors while practicing architecture, leading to a shift into interior design.
  • Started her own business after helping a friend with a large home project.
  • Quote:
    • “It really was flying by the seat of my pants. I was part-time mom, part-time interior designer, slash architectural consultant.” (03:17)

• Erica’s Path:

  • Had no formal design training, initially pursued law (studied for LSATs), felt “biologically” called to interiors.
  • Broke into the field as an executive assistant to the CEO of Anthropologie, then transitioned to home catalog styling.
  • Approached Dana after admiring her local shop, leading to their collaboration.
  • Quote:
    • “It's weird, almost like biologically my body was like rejecting anything else.” (04:23)

2. Becoming Partners: The Evolution

• Early Collaboration (2020):

  • Erica introduced organizational structure, client-facing systems, and fresh energy.
  • Dana led architectural aspects while Erica excelled in furnishing and process management.
  • Quote:
    • “She brought this like buttoned-up corporate personality to my organization.” —Dana (06:54)

• Formalizing Partnership (2023):

  • The partnership was driven by mutual recognition of complementary strengths and a shared vision.
  • Dana was initially cautious from past partnership experience but realized the need to “give her [Erica] some skin in the game.” (17:47)
  • Quote:
    • “If I don't put Erica's name on the business...she's just going to go and do her own thing. And I didn’t want that.” —Dana (17:47)

3. Division of Roles & Workflow

• Who Does What:
  • Dana: Focuses on construction, architectural drawings, and collaborating with contractors.
  • Erica: Leads business development, client experience, interiors, purchasing, and team onboarding.
  • Collaboration: Both are present in key client meetings—clients want the benefit of both perspectives.
  • Quote:
    • “We meet together with the clients from the beginning…our clients...love our generational gap, and I think they love that we bring these two perspectives.” —Erica (21:28)

4. Building the Business & Investing for Growth

• System Overhaul & Major Investments:

  • New website, high-end photography and styling, and professional rebranding were essential early costs.
  • Upfront expenses were daunting, but yielded high returns in credibility and client attraction.
  • Quote:
    • “When I heard how much it was going to be, it was just astonishing. But I look at our website now, and I’m so proud.” —Dana (14:22)

• Team Expansion:

  • Hired a full staff: architect, junior designers, purchasing coordinator, office manager, and soft goods coordinator.
  • Delegation and onboarding were necessary to handle larger projects and keep creative focus.
  • Quote:
    • “I know some firms have the designers purchase and I actually love so much that we just have a dedicated purchasing person. Because the purchasing load requires a hundred percent of your attention.” —Erica (28:23)

5. Leadership and Delegation

• Dana’s Challenge:

  • Found it hard to delegate after years of solo work.
  • Erica excelled at onboarding and delegation; implemented strategies to build the team’s independence.
  • Quote:
    • “It was that mindset where, ‘oh, it’s just easier for me to do it myself than to explain to someone else.’” —Dana (32:29)

• Team Building Philosophy:

  • Erica values cultivating proactively-driven, challenge-embracing team members—even if it means someday they move on.
  • Quote:
    • “If that means that they’re going to become an amazing designer and want to leave one day, I actually champion that.” —Erica (35:27)

6. Partnership Dynamics: Navigating Differences

• Decision-Making:
  • Most significant decisions are discussed and mutually agreed upon, though each has occasional autonomy.
  • Different generational perspectives sometimes lead to disagreement, but mutual respect trumps ego.
  • Notable anecdote: The Florida stair rail color decision—Dana made a unilateral choice; Erica was surprised but the result was positive.
    • Quote:
      • “Sometimes you make a decision and you're not thinking, you know, of the different elements...But it was funny, in the end, it actually ended up being beautiful.” —Erica (24:50)

7. Business Model & Fees

• Billing:
  • Hourly rates are applied per person—there’s no “two-for-one.”
  • Rates vary based on experience/role.
  • Commission is added on top of purchasing.
  • Quote:
    • “Honestly, there's no two for one deal here.” —Dana (22:31)

8. Aesthetic Evolution

• Design Voice:
  • Their combined aesthetic is unique—Dana’s warmth and classic sensibility melds with Erica’s clean, sensory-forward style.
  • No fixed “look”—each project is treated as a blank slate, though always recognizably “Bergman Vass.”
  • Quote:
    • “We really treat every project as a blank slate. We don't have like a coined aesthetic.” —Erica (38:14)

9. Product Line Development

• Launching Custom Furniture:
  • Driven by their frequent custom design work for clients, they launched a furniture line as a growth and branding initiative.
  • Early days with few sales but major validation and exposure within the design community.
  • Quote:
    • “I see it as... such a great brand building opportunity and opportunity to get us into conversations that maybe we wouldn’t have been considered for before.” —Erica (43:40)

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Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• “It really was flying by the seat of my pants. I was part time mom, part time interior designer, slash architectural consultant.” —Dana (03:17)
• “It's weird, almost like biologically my body was like rejecting anything else.” —Erica (04:23)
• “She brought this like buttoned-up corporate personality to my organization.” —Dana (06:54)
• “If I don't put Erica's name on the business...she's just going to go and do her own thing. And I didn’t want that.” —Dana (17:47)
• “We meet together with the clients from the beginning…our clients...love our generational gap, and I think they love that we bring these two perspectives.” —Erica (21:28)
• "When I heard how much it was going to be, it was just astonishing. But I look at our website now, and I’m so proud." —Dana (14:22)
• “I know some firms have the designers purchase and I actually love so much that we just have a dedicated purchasing person..." —Erica (28:23)
• “It was that mindset where, ‘oh, it’s just easier for me to do it myself than to explain to someone else.’” —Dana (32:29)
• “If that means that they’re going to become an amazing designer and want to leave one day, I actually champion that.” —Erica (35:27)
• “Honestly, there's no two for one deal here.” —Dana (22:31)
• "Sometimes you make a decision and you're not thinking... But it was funny, in the end, it actually ended up being beautiful." —Erica (24:50)
• “We really treat every project as a blank slate. We don't have like a coined aesthetic.” —Erica (38:14)
• “I see it as... such a great brand building opportunity...” —Erica (43:40)
• “To me, success is...just being happy, going to work every day, loving what I do, inspiring people, inspiring our team, seeing growth...if we're learning every day and growing every day and happy, then I think we're successful.” —Erica (52:10)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• [02:10] — Dana explains her early career and move into interior design
• [04:03] — Erica’s unconventional entry into design and first connection with Dana
• [06:16] — The duo formalizes their partnership (2023)
• [08:19] — Erica brings systems and seamless customer service to the firm
• [14:22] — Discussing the leap to professional branding and website investments
• [20:58] — How the duo divides client-facing work and backend responsibilities
• [24:16] — The “white stair rail” decision anecdote
• [27:04] — Rapid team growth and specialization of new hires
• [32:29] — Dana and Erica contrast their approaches to delegation
• [35:27] — Erica’s team-building philosophy: nurturing driven, ambitious staff
• [38:14] — How their combined aesthetic developed
• [41:16] — Keeping project load manageable for quality and hands-on involvement
• [42:24] — Launching their custom furniture line
• [45:41] — Impact of generational gap in partnership
• [52:10] — Definitions of success from Erica and Dana

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Tone & Language

Throughout the conversation, Dana and Erica share candid, personal reflections, often finishing each other’s thoughts and playfully challenging each other. Erica’s energy is future-oriented, strategic, and candid; Dana’s insights are rooted in experience, practicality, and mentoring. The chemistry is frank but warm, making for lively, engaging storytelling.

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Final Takeaways

• Complementary Skillsets are essential for sustainable creative partnerships—a blend of vision, organization, experience, and willingness to adapt.
• Client Trust & Process Investment fuel organic business growth: organization, visibility, and seamless experience matter as much as design acumen.
• Growth Requires Risk: Strategic financial investments in branding, staff, and marketing pay off, even when uncomfortable.
• Delegation & Leadership are ongoing learning processes, made easier by mutual respect and clarity of roles.
• Generational Perspective can be a superpower—each partner brings unique strengths, fresh ideas, or sage wisdom, benefitting both the practice and clients.
• Defining Success: Happiness at work, creative fulfillment, and personal growth matter most, more than unchecked firm expansion.

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For those considering creative partnerships or growing a small practice, this episode offers both practical advice and honest conversation about the necessary pivots, pains, and breakthroughs.

Transcript

[Erica Vasilotti]

I want people that want to be challenged, that are passionate, that are driven. And if that means that they're going to become an amazing designer and want to leave one day, I actually champion that.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

Hi, I'm Kaitlyn Peterson, the editor in chief of Business of Home. Welcome to Trade Tales, where I'll be talking to interior designers about the challenges, pivots, and perspective shifts that come with growing a design firm. My hope is is that you hear your own why echoed in these stories, or an idea that sparks your own breakthrough. I hope it helps you realize that even when entrepreneurship feels lonely, you're not alone. My guests today are a design duo with a surprising path to partnership. They explain how they've come together and how their workflow allows each of them to tackle their own domain within the design work while still conveying shared vision to clients. I can't wait to share it with you. But first, a quick word from our sponsor. This podcast is brought to you by June Laloy. The Total Home brand just debuted its spring collection, which features over 100 new designs leaning into vintage revival influences. The collection leads with lush, saturated colors, and its wide selection of furniture fabrics includes a spectrum of rich velvets. There are even more great finds across categories like rugs, furniture, lighting, and Decor. Head to JuneMalloy.com today to discover designs that bring your projects to life with a partner that is backed by more than 20 years of trade expertise. That's J O O n loloy.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I was always creative, but when starting college, thought maybe I would be something really glamorous like an international businesswoman. And I soon learned after taking Economics 101, that that would not be my future. My brain just did not get it. I would walk around campus and see these kids sitting with big drawing pads drawing all the building on campus, and I was like, wow, that's cool. I wonder what they're doing. So I quickly learned there was a major called Designing the Environment that I joined when I was a sophomore, and I knew I had found what I should be doing. From there, I did my master's in architecture and thought that I would be an architect. And after several years of working as an architect, I would find myself down in the interiors department, you know, playing with all of the samples and colors and fabrics. And that's when I decided to make the jump and start working for an interior design firm in Philadelphia.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

That's Dana Bergman Falcione. She spent five years at the interiors firm, learning as much as she could, and then came across an opportunity to truly spread her Wings.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I had a childhood friend come to me and say that they were building a 20,000 square foot house and would I help her from start, which I said yes. And I left my job with the firm and she and I spent the next two years building her dream house. That's when I started my own business. It really was flying by the seat of my pants. I was part time mom, part time interior designer, slash architectural consultant. And I had business cards made. And it just word of mouth went from there.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

By 2000, Dana's firm was officially off the ground. While the early years were steady, true growth would come much later with the arrival of someone whose own path had only just begun.

[Erica Vasilotti]

I don't have the technical training or the interior design background. I went to school for a much different path. But it's weird, almost like biologically my body was like rejecting anything else. I remember I was studying for the LSATs and I kept getting like nauseous. It was not working. And I was like, I think that I'm resisting what naturally is meant for me. And I always loved interiors. When I was in college, I was obsessed with decorating my dorm room. You know, I was always on my mom about decorating things at home. And I started just literally looking for any opportunity possible. So I got hired as the executive assistant to the CEO of Anthropologie. And that ended up being my window into the home business and also just business in general. And it was the most enriching experience because I got to see sort of how this retail business was built, how retail and home product developed. And then I kind of got to pick whatever path I wanted to go on after that.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

That's Erica Vasilotti. She soon switched over to the brand's home catalog styling team, where she excelled at making spaces. Photo ready. Before long, she began thinking about diving further into the world of design.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Naturally, I started looking locally at interior designers in the area that I admired or liked their work. And Dana, her business came up and she had a little shop. I remember I would like walk by through the town and I would look in the windows and be like, oh, it's so pretty in there. And I wonder what she does every day. And I emailed Dana and that's, that's how everything kind of kick started.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Erica contacted me, just sort of cold call to see if I ever needed help or needed styling advice. I actually had a photo shoot that I was doing to create a website because I didn't have a website. And I, I said, yeah, I'm sure I Could use some help. After doing another one for me, I kind of jokingly said, would you ever leave your high paying job and come and work with me? And she did.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

The duo started working together in 2020, and by 2023 they became business partners.

[Interviewer]

I wanted to talk to them about

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

what it takes to delegate decision making, how they've divided their roles as co leaders of the firm, and why they've avoided becoming the technicians of their business.

[Interviewer]

Can you tell me a little bit about how you divided up roles or what your working relationship was like in 2020 when you first started collaborating and how soon did that start to shift?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

When Erica came on, she. She definitely bought this like buttoned up corporate personality to my organization. You know, she was making sure if I had a meeting that I was totally ready and had everything organized and packed up in my bag and which was again, just very new to me. I was so used to working on my own. I always dealt with more of the architectural side of things. So, you know, kitchen and bath design and millwork design and concepting, all of that. I had kind of at that stage in my life. Not that I don't love the furnishing end of things, but I had just maybe grown a little weary. So I feel like Erica came at the perfect time because she just brought this fresh energy and perspective and that was what she was so passionate about. So it's all a collaboration. It really is. I mean, even when I'm concepting the, you know what the inside of the house is gonna look like, Erica's, I'm giving it to her to look at and vice versa with furnishings or vintage pieces. You know, we really do bounce everything off of each other. But it always was sort of me doing more of the architectural aspect and Erica more of the decorating, which I think suits us both really well.

[Erica Vasilotti]

So from my perspective, when I really started out, since Dana kind of had worked by herself, there wasn't much of system in place in terms of tracking the furniture. So I came in and I sort of developed a process for us to track all of these projects and really have organization. I was doing all of the purchasing as well. We were a very small team. It was pretty much just me and Dana that were working on the interior side. So all of the purchasing was under my belt. And I really wanted our clients to have a seamless experience. I knew that had been a challenge sometimes for Dana previously. Like, obviously she was amazing at all of the architecture and the creative things, but it's like that extra customer service that people Forget about an interior design where like, the clients want to feel like they can call you at any moment and ask when their chair is going to be there and you have the answer ready for them.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

When I think back about how what I did before you, it's. It's really unbelievable that I even. I was even able to have a business.

[Interviewer]

What do you mean by that?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I guess I only maybe had a few projects that I was working on at once, so it was a little easier to keep track. I wasn't on any kind of software. I was just, you know, using. Using basic software.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah, I felt like coming in that visibility was really key. Like, the clients want visibility. They want to know things. And the more that, like, the sooner you keep them up to date on all of the little pieces and the timelines and you're kind of ahead of the game, you get that trust. So I think really quickly with me and Dana working together, we became this powerhouse where clients were trusting us. And I think the business started to grow just organically because of that, because the clients were more confident, they felt the trust. We also creatively were putting together really beautiful projects. But I think they felt that and it kept building upon the amazing clientele Dana already had.

[Interviewer]

Dana, I want to ask you about that experience of having someone come in and say, here's our new system. Here's a new. It takes a lot from each of you to navigate that and come out still really excited to work together. How did each of you approach those changes to the inner workings of the firm?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Well, you know, you mentioned earlier about what the interiors business was like when I really first started, and it's nothing like it is now. I had very close relationships with my clients. As I said, we were contemporaries. We spent a lot of time together. You know, we had a big marketplace in Philadelphia that we could go to and see and touch and feel and sit, which we don't have anymore. So I think as things changed and the business changed and it became like interior design was so much more. It was so much more visible. I think that these mostly men who were writing these big checks and paying for these, you know, we work on very high end projects. I think that they wanted more, like Erica said, visibility to, you know, where things were and where things stood. And it just became more of a business, which, as I said, Econ 101 was not my strong point. So I really, I really welcomed Erica's, you know, what she brought to the table there. I felt, you know, it was, it's a cute little expression But I felt like I was. Was like a big girl now.

[Interviewer]

Erica, what. What was it like for you to. To come to work and say, hey, I think we should try?

[Erica Vasilotti]

I think Dana was just so receptive and excited to have organization. And pretty quickly seeing the clients responding so well to it, she felt even more confident and trusting and open to my ideas. Because sometimes, you know, I'm a. I'm a big ideas person, but I. I

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

think that he's also stubborn.

[Erica Vasilotti]

That, too. I can be stubborn, because if I'm like, I know this is going to work. Just trust me. I think that the fact that I had vision excited Dana. Like, I saw where we were headed, where we were going to go, where I wanted us to go. And I think she. Wait, I think she wanted that for a really long time from a business partner, someone that was just as excited, just as passionate, wanted to provide, like, really amazing customer service, wanted to do beautiful things, wanted to maybe have an antique store one day or just, like, do really creative, cool things. And the fact that we jointly had that passion, I think felt refreshing to her. And so it made her really open to all of these ideas that were new and foreign and maybe a little uncomfortable at first and expensive.

[Interviewer]

Some of them.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Yes, yes.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Can we talk about that?

[Interviewer]

Because some of these changes, this is a seismic change in a firm's balance sheet, I would imagine, to implement some of these updates.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

And listen, you know, not to get too personal, but you. You have to get personal when you are the sole provider for your children. I had gotten divorced. I had, you know, some unfortunate circumstances, and I was the breadwinner for my family, and it was scary to take those risks. But I trusted Erica for some weird, like, just. It was just this internal sort of gut feeling, and I saw how her passion, her excitement, and I decided I had to, you know, take these risks to grow.

[Interviewer]

What were some of those big early investments that the two of you ended up implementing and making?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Well, the photography to then have the assets to build a beautiful website. And the website, I mean, Erica did not shoot small. She went right to the. Right to the top website designer in our area. And when I heard how much it was going to be, it was just astonishing. But I look at our website now, and I'm so proud. And I see why, you know, the costs were so high. And our photographer and our stylists, I mean, that's all really big investments that I was really never willing to make before because I had this business that I didn't need to, you know, make those Investments. I was busy. I was doing work I loved.

[Interviewer]

Yeah.

[Erica Vasilotti]

I think when initially, you know, I had this concept of, okay, I have all of these intentions for us to build this business. I know where we both want to be. Where are we going to spend our money first? And I think initially, knowing we were going to rebrand to Bergman Voss and. And sort of Dana was going to take this last. This last time of, like, really going for the dream of, like, having this business that I know deep down she really. She wanted, but she was like, do I want it? Because it's so involved and it's a big investment. I knew that coming from the photography background, how valuable partnering with the right stylist and photographer would be. And even though I had the skills to be our stylist, I saw such value in collaborating with Christy, who's our stylist. I think when two creatives come together, like, the work's even better. And her expertise with florals and just getting to know our work and really, you know, finishing and making sure that our photos were beautiful and brought the. Because when you're doing something digitally, it's so different than standing in a room.

[Interviewer]

Totally.

[Erica Vasilotti]

And a room can be exceptional in person because maybe you have that ocean view right there. But when you're trying to convey that same feeling in photograph, it really is an art, and not everybody understands that. And when photography is our bread and butter portfolio of how we bring in jobs. Truthfully, people come to our website, and they have to feel the things that we want them to feel just from that first impression. I think that's kind of how I sold Dana on it. Like, we want them to feel the Bergman Moss feel from the moment they get to our webpage. And I do think we really succeeded in that. And it was worth every penny because it's come back trifold in opportunities.

[Interviewer]

Did you always know that this would become a partnership, a rebrand, that this is how the firm would evolve? Or was that something that took time to figure out between the two of you?

[Erica Vasilotti]

We did not know that initially I. I was working for Dana, and I was on board with her, you know, her other business that she had and just working for her. I think where it kind of shifted was she needed to make some changes in her business, her previous business, and I was either gonna stick with her because I had all these lofty goals or maybe go my own way. And I think Dina saw value in our partnership and was like, yes, I did.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I thought, if I don't put Erica's name on the business. She's, you know, she's so good, she's just gonna go and do her own thing. And I didn't. I didn't want that. I didn't wanna lose her, you know, and the partnership evolved. It was. It was not like 50 thing at first, so I just, you know, said, let's put your name on it and give her, you know, some skin in the game. And then it evolved from there. And when we saw that it was working really well and that we worked really well together, there were new egos, I think, which is a big. A big plus in a partnership. You know, I had had a business when I met Erica that was a partnership that didn't work out. So you're always really leery. But I just think from working with Erica for those couple of years, um, I just knew it was just intuitive. I knew. Not that it's always. I mean, there's been some tough conversations. There's been. There's, you know, it's not always perfect, but it works really well.

[Erica Vasilotti]

I think from my perspective, I also saw so much value in the partnership with Dana. Like, yes, I could have went off and started my own thing and started in the weeds, you know, doing projects that maybe weren't as beautiful or in as like, amazing of locations just to work my way up. But the. The real, like, beauty of working with Dana was that I got to come into this level of interior design that was so insanely incredible. Some people don't get to touch it for years into their design career, and I was working with insane budgets and able to shop at, you know, Bonacina, like, on one, like, you know, one of my first projects, which is incredible. So I loved that we were doing such amazing design, Waterfront properties. And then I also needed Dana, to be honest, because she was my mentor and she taught me so much about scale and how to use a scale and just every single thing that I knew how to put a room together. But I didn't understand that the side table had to be the same height as the sofa arm, because in photography that doesn't matter. So it was all the functionality things and then just the incredible, like, designer that she has with such. She has such an architectural eye. And I found that to be so inspiring because we weren't just decorators, we were also, you know, doing things from the ground up, really creating a whole environment. And I don't have that ability still. Like, Dana's incredible with moldings and just trim. And I trust her so much when it comes to that. And I Think it really is such an asset, you know, to have a partnership where one maybe is a little more accessories, styling, furniture, and someone actually has the. The architectural background.

[Interviewer]

How does your partnership break down today? Like, where do clients see each of you? Who does what? Where do you divide and conquer? And where are you really tackling things together?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

You know, it's interesting because I think when we first became partners, we sort of saw ourselves, okay, I would meet with the client when it was more about, you know, the building, and then Erica would meet with them when we were ready to furnish. But I think it quickly, most of our clients were like, no, I want both of you. Like, I want both of you at the meetings, and I want to see, you know, both perspectives. So I would say on most of our projects, we do meet together with the clients.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah, we. We meet together with the clients from the beginning. Dana definitely handles the construction side a little bit more than I do. She has more face time with the builder and the architect. I'm involved in those meetings, but she's definitely doing the heavy lifting there. And I am a little bit more on the interior design and sort of business development side of things. So we do find balance. But it's very true that our clients, I think they love our generational gap, and I think they love that we bring these two perspectives. And I've always said that it creates a real trust with our clients because they're like, okay, I have my opinion. And then I also have Dana's classic taste and Erica's younger case. And I think together, it gives confidence to the client to know that they're making a really great decision.

[Interviewer]

How do you bill for that when you're doing things together, or how have you organized your fees to reflect the way you wanted to work together?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

We bill hourly based on, you know, our roles, and we charge for both of us. I mean, honestly, there's no two for one deal here. Yeah, no, if there. No, because we started to. I think we started, didn't we, where we would bill half of your timer and all of mine. But then Erica could have been working on another project, billing for her full time. So we just started to build. You know, we told our clients we were just going to have to build together if they wanted to see both of us. And that's what we do.

[Interviewer]

No pushback.

[Erica Vasilotti]

No, not at all, actually. And I think, like Dana said, the clients are just really passionate about us both being there. So I think they think we make decisions quicker that way, too. So they see the value where does

[Interviewer]

the decision making happen? Are you kind of together on all the key elements, or where do each of you sort of go off and have carte blanche on a project?

[Erica Vasilotti]

I think that we really try to get each other's approval just because our perspectives are different. While we. We do have very similar taste, we have different eyes in terms of what we see. So I value a lot of times getting things in front of Dana just to see if her, you know, if she sees something I don't see, or vice versa. And I think as a designer, you want that, like, second. When you're spending clients money and just, like, making really big decisions that are expensive, like, you want that second opinion. And so we do value. And we take the time to really check things with each other. There's an occasion, like, where we make a decision.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I'm laughing, thinking about the time in Florida when I had the stair painted white.

[Erica Vasilotti]

I knew what you were going to say.

[Interviewer]

Wait, you had the stair painted what?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I was on site with the builder, and we had to make a quick decision about painting the stair rail all white or leaving it like, metal and white. And I just said, let's make it all white. And I didn't consult with Erica because, like, number one, I couldn't. Number two, I felt pretty strongly about my decision.

[Erica Vasilotti]

And I remember they were unwrapping it, and I was like, what is that?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

And, yeah, that was one of those tough times, but we, We. We survived it.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah, I was like, you know, we made the mobile, like, dark because we were. Or like light because we knew there were going to be. Was going to be a dark, sterile. Because sometimes you make a decision and you're not thinking, you know, of the different elements. You're just like, oh, I need to make a decision about this. But it was funny, in the end, it actually ended up being beautiful. I think that's just the challenge with having two different perspectives. Sometimes, like, we are going to have a difference of opinion, but in the end, I think we deep down know that the other person is always going to make the decision that they think is best and it will all work out.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

And, you know, and it's. It's a fine line when you're with a client and Eric and I don't agree on something.

[Interviewer]

Right. So that was actually my next question was like, how do you navigate that with an audience?

[Erica Vasilotti]

It can be a challenge here and there, a challenge.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

But I think that's where the. Our age difference helps, because I think I'm just at that point in my life Where I'm less willing to fight or argue about something that to me is not. It's a aesthetic decision. It's not life or death. So I think most of the time I just lay back. In that case.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah. I always tell Dana like we make decisions all day long. So like we're gonn a difference of opinion because sometimes she's like, oh, can you ever like just to be like yes. And I'm always like, I look at things from like the challenging perspective. I'm like, I don't know, maybe we shouldn't. You know, I'm always like trying to make sure we're making the absolute best decision which can be, you know, over complicate things sometimes. But I think when you're making decisions all day long with a business partner, you just can't take anything personal. You have to really be open minded during those like different perspective disagreements and know that. Yeah. That eventually you're going to find common ground. And I think me and Danny do a good job. Yeah. Of not. Of not getting too caught up in the moment.

[Interviewer]

Do you have a team behind you or is it just the two of you still?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Oh no, we have a team which is a whole nother.

[Erica Vasilotti]

When did that start to happen?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

We hired, we now have a full time purchasing coordinator. We have two junior designers and an architect and then we have an office manager and a part time soft goods coordinator.

[Interviewer]

That's a lot of growth.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

It is, it is, it is.

[Erica Vasilotti]

We were very ambitious but it kind of happened really quickly for us. Like we needed it. Like Dana was doing all of the drawing by hand when I was met her. And once we started to grow and get sort of these really big projects, multiple of them, we needed someone that could cad. And Dana very quickly was excited about that to take some of the pressure off of her plate. And then when creatively my time just became really finite, I couldn't handle the purchasing anymore. So we quickly had to get somebody on board to help with all of that, which was a huge like relief and a really great, a really great business decision. Because I know some firms have the designers purchase and I actually love so much that we just have a dedicated purchasing person. Because the purchasing load requires a hundred percent of your attention. I truly feel that way just to give that level of customer service and really be on top of your orders. We really do not like when like something just shows up on a client's doorstep and they haven't gotten tracking number or they don't know what it is. So we strive to really have that level of attention. Where Jesse from our team is, is making sure that she's ahead of the game. She knows what's going to be there. She's there to schedule it. She's really giving them that like first class service that, that they deserve honestly for paying for a luxury service. So we did CAD and then we, then we added the purchasing person. And then from there we started to seek out design talent because we needed help.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Right. We needed all that backend stuff, which

[Erica Vasilotti]

definitely was the harder part because we worked really hard to sort of create what Bergman Moss was aesthetically and trying to find a designer that was local and the right fit. It took some time to find the right people. But I think Dana and I were open to talent that was a little younger because we saw it as an opportunity to sort of delegate the small things and sort of the tasks that we just really can't get to. But they don't need our level of attention. And we honestly felt like our aesthetic, no one was just going to have it. So it almost was better to have someone that didn't have too much of a perspective and teach them it.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

And also Eric and I want to be the designers. We, we don't want to give that up.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

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[Interviewer]

What is that design support role then? What, what are the, what are sort of the responsibilities in that position?

[Erica Vasilotti]

I mean, it's everything from like ordering samples, reserving fabric. Yes. Pricing, making proposals. There's a little bit of a project management aspect to it, like making sure decisions are made on time, getting our feedback back to the builder, putting things in front of our face like, oh, which color do you want for this? This is on back order. We need to select something new. So it's a lot of coordination, honestly.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

Yeah.

[Erica Vasilotti]

And there is like very beginner level, sort of like, okay, give me like 10 lights that are going to work in this room and Then Dana and I. It helps because it's like, I don't like to repeat things. And Dana knows this, and she feels pretty similarly. Like, if we have the opportunity to buy an amazing light, I usually to try something new. But I do think we have favorite places and like materials we like to use. So as the girls have become more familiar with that, they're. They're putting things in front of us that typically we. We like.

[Interviewer]

And then the last. The last hire, it sounds like then was either an architect or an office manager. Right?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Architect. She's a. She is a young architect, and she really does have the skill set and the drawing ability and the detailing ability that makes me really proud to put out, you know, a set of drawings.

[Interviewer]

Where did adding new people to the team really test the two of you as leaders of the firm?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

That's a great question. I, because I worked alone for so many years, had a really hard time delegating to anyone else. And it didn't have to do with trust or it was just. I just wasn't used to it. I didn't know how. I didn't know how to delegate. It was that mindset where, oh, it's just easier for me to do it myself than to explain to someone else. Erica was. It was and is much different that way. She's a great delegator. She knows how to do it. She knows how to do it well. She knows how to onboard. You know, when she says, oh, we have to onboard the new hire, I'm like, what does that even mean? I mean, so, yeah, that's. That's again, where she really stepped up.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Up.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I'm getting better, but I'm still not great at it.

[Interviewer]

What does it take to sort of start to train that muscle, though? Because you're not alone in that at all.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

No, again, it's not. Maybe it is a little bit of trust, like.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

But I love that you said that

[Interviewer]

it's not trust, because I totally. That makes so much sense to me that it's. It's like, it's not about this person. It's not about their skills. It's something about the act of handing it off. Right.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

It is. It is the reflex. And I'm the one who really talks to all the builders, and I love that part of my job. I love being on a job site and having that collaboration with the builders and the. And the trades. So maybe that's part of it that I just feel like I want to be the one to do that.

[Erica Vasilotti]

And I think where I come from, Is like, I know how important it is to not sort of, they call it, be the technician in your business because your time is so limited. And if you don't delegate, then that finite time becomes time. You can't. I mean, at the end of the day, let's face it, we're trying to make money totally. You know, we have to support our team and we have to pay everybody's salaries. So it's really important to get as much off your plate as you can. And I also just feel really passionately about, you know, developing our team and, you know, creating a really strong team. And I'm like, the more that we throw at them and expose them to the better of designers, they're going to become the better decision makers. They're going to come. Like, I really influence our team to try to make decisions themselves. There's this whole strategy called the 1, 31 strategy, where it's like, you have to correctly identify your problem, because a problem identified is half solved. You have to come up with three solutions and then pick the best one and then come to me. And usually I agree with you and you've made that right decision. But I think sometimes employees, they encounter a problem and their first instinct is to run to you to solve that problem. And I don't know, I think the delegation, it gets me excited in a sense. It's scary. Yes.

[Interviewer]

What is the secret to striking that balance or to getting that right?

[Erica Vasilotti]

I mean, honestly, it's exposure, and I think it's. It's saying something right away when something's not done the way that you want it. And I think sometimes as a boss, we feel like such a Debbie Downer or like. Like I have to be the boss again. I just want to be the fun, you know, coworker. But we're not. And I think it's really important, like, when something isn't going the way that it needs to be, that right away, you address it. I think letting things go and. And addressing them at a later time, I think the intimacy with. With what actually happened or why it happened kind of fades. And so the learning moment fades. So I think, yeah, I tried to definitely be hands on with feedback, even though sometimes it's not the most fun. And I don't really want team members that are on my team because they're just. Or me and Dana's team on our team because they just. They feel like the job's good, it's easy. I want people that want to be challenged, that are passionate, that are driven, and if that means that they're going to become an amazing designer and want to leave one day. I actually champion that because I find that so much more inspiring and exciting and that energy, like being around that energy is contagious. And I think that's why me and Dana work so well together because we both have that like worker mentality. So I care about our team members being really thoughtful when they bring things to the table and showing that they really, you know, they care and that they're sort of respecting the process and our clients time and money because ultimately design is such. It is such a trust based business where like you could say you spent three hours looking for the furniture in a room, but it could have taken you 10 minutes if you just go on a site and buy everything from one place. So me and Dana really care about the team respecting the sanctity of interior design because it really is. It's something special.

[Interviewer]

Is everybody on the team billing at the same hourly rate or is it different based on level of experience?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

It's different. You know, my rate is as principal is the highest than Erica's and then the girls all pretty much are, you know, similar at a much lower rate than we are. And then we. And then we charge a commission on top of purchasing.

[Interviewer]

Yes. I want to talk a little bit more about how you have worked together to combine your aesthetic to create something sort of new and that's unique to the two of you working in sync. How do you describe it or define it? And what did it take to find, honestly?

[Erica Vasilotti]

Felt so natural, didn't it, Dan? It did like it. It happened so, so seamlessly. And it is true. Like, it's so funny that you say this because we've been working on our new studio and Dana's like, well, your house is like really like pristine. And like Dana's house is like, there's like vines growing on the wall and it's very collected. There's chairs everywhere. And I'm like, yeah. I was like, but my house isn't how I design at Bergman boss. Like, that's my, that's my style and your house is your style. But like, like together we make something so new and unique. And I think one thing Dana always celebrates is that all of our projects are really unique and different and they're, you know, whether they're modern or traditional, they do have that Bergman boss feel. But we really treat every project as a blank slate. We don't have like a coined aesthetic. But honestly, I think it just happened because we sort of, we had a Similar ground in terms of shape and like, liking to design architecturally loving neutrals. And then we push each other in ways that we don't expect. Like, Dana loves checkerboard, and she'll be more likely to do like a pattern all over a chair. And I think it balanced sort of my cleaner, more sensual aesthetic really nicely.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I think I. I think my aesthetic brings a lot of the warmth into a home in the. Into the homes that we do. And Erica maybe brings more, like she said, like the sensory, sculptural, sensual, you know, part of things.

[Interviewer]

And you just have to kind of, you know when to push and pull each other.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah, we're pretty open minded. Like, you know, Dan will be like, like, we need some pattern here, you know. I also love, like, her traditional eye because it's definitely more classic than mine. And I think it. I think people don't realize how much a traditional classic feel like, really elevates things. And I think sometimes our work, while it is casual and it is approachable and a lot of it is performance, believe it or not, I think it looks really elegant because of those lines and that classic feel that Dana really helps bring to the project.

[Interviewer]

What is a full plate in terms of project load these days?

[Erica Vasilotti]

We talk about this a lot.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I think we're pretty full now, but you know, you know how it goes. Caitlin, in a couple, in a couple months or in the summer, we'll be finishing up two big projects. So you kind of always want to have that next one on the back burner.

[Interviewer]

Totally.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

But right now I would say maybe eight projects.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah, we don't like to overload since me and Dana really like to be more hands on. So we tend to keep it under double digits if we can.

[Interviewer]

You've started developing and producing product lines. How long was that in the works and how has that changed your workflow internally?

[Erica Vasilotti]

We did not initially intend to set out to have a furniture line aspirationally. I really wanted to eventually collaborate with a brand and so did Dana. And we knew that that was our goal. And I think we both just saw such a great opportunity in the fact that we were already doing custom furniture. And I'm kind of like, I don't know, I'm always looking to build momentum for our business. So I'm a big believer in manifesting and sort of the decisions that you're making day to day, if you're making them like you're already where you want to be, that you're going to get there quicker. So knowing that we were designing all this beautiful custom furniture. And eventually we wanted a brand partnership. I sort of thought, why not turn it into a furniture line? So we're kind of halfway there. And Dana was like, loved the idea, but was like, how the heck are we going to do that?

[Interviewer]

How do you do that?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Well, we were, you know, we were. We were designing custom furniture for our clients. So it was really just a matter of, you know, being opportunistic and having the photographs taken and telling our clients, you know, what we were doing, putting out the money to create that.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah, it was definitely an investment, but in terms of, like, the grander scheme of what the investment of a furniture line could be, we kept it pretty minimal since we were already developing these pieces for our clients. And I think what really made it so beautiful is that, you know, we designed some of these pieces for, like, a Villanova mainline home or, you know, a South Florida Palm beach home. And they came together so seamlessly just because they all felt like us. And I love the collection because of that, because it's a blend of everything that Berkman Boss is. But it's really refined and different. And it's exciting to sort of have a perspective and a point of view when it comes to furniture on our site. And I see it as like, such a great brand building opportunity and opportunity to get us into conversations that maybe we wouldn't have been considered for before.

[Interviewer]

Is all of the furniture made to order then, or is this something. Okay, Are you imagining a world where you would stock it or have it in a store or have it in a showroom?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Well, not this partic. These particular pieces. I mean, these are, you know, luxury pieces that we were, you know, we were hoping that other designers would be attracted to and, you know, use in their projects. I think if we went, if we ever did do that, it would have to be, you know, a much different line that was more affordable.

[Interviewer]

What has putting these pieces on the site, making them available, how has that shifted your thinking about what comes next?

[Erica Vasilotti]

Honestly, it's been so exciting. Like, we haven't sold much because it. Honestly, from a branding and PR perspective, it's so new. We haven't really gotten a lot of exposure, but just from being, I think, business of home, featured in an article, and we had a few designers reach out, one that we really admire. It was so, yeah, that was to be like, oh, they know who we are. And, like, getting on the map, like, it feels surreal to kind of every step of the way when you accomplish something. Looking back and being like, I dreamed of that one day, and, wow, we did that. So that's been amazing. But I think it's just given the confidence of, like, hey, we're headed in this direction. Like, like, these dreams that we both have, they're not out of reach. And I think that validation, when you, you know, reach a goal and see it happen, it gives you the motivation for the next goal, you know, like, the steam that you need to, like, keep going and keep pushing and keep developing. And so I. I see for the, you know, for me and Dana one day, you know, doing a great brand collaboration with a major retailer, and I think, think that this small furniture line that kind of just seemed like, yeah, let's put in our website, like, will end up being the foundation for really creative and lucrative opportunities for Bergman.

[Interviewer]

Boss, you've both referenced a couple times the fact that you really came together with a pretty significant age gap, generational gap in your partnership. How would each of you describe maybe the pros and cons of that gap?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I think when deciding to go into partnership with Erica, I had the experience and the behind me and some failed experiences that I was naive before, but after living so much of life and having these experiences, you know, now what to look for and what to avoid. So I went into the partnership with Erica, kind of knowing what I needed from it, having, you know, a tough conversation here and there. I think that you definitely need a partner who has the same work ethic as you, who's, you know, that crazy person sitting up at night on their laptop looking for the perfect piece. And I think you have to be brutally honest with one another and try not to have your feelings hurt.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Yeah. I think for me, like, our generational age gap is actually why we get along so seamlessly, because we are coming from such different perspectives, and there's, like, less of a comparison because Dana has her strengths and I have my weaknesses. And honestly, a lot of them have to do with our age and her the fact that she has so much experience. And, you know, I don't have as much experience. So I feel like I value her so much, and I think, think from that same vein, she values me so much because I have this fresh perspective and I'm sort of not tainted by years in the business. So I think that works really well for us. And then also, just in general, we have such different backgrounds that we're not competing ever, because our expertise is so vastly different that, like, yes, there's the commonality and we're doing something creative, but when we're sharing our Opinion on things. It's coming from such a different perspective that our clients like when we disagree. Our clients, like, actually like it because they're like, oh, I know why Dana's looking at it that way, and I know why Eric is looking at it that way. And that's been a real advantage to us both. And I think knowing that it keeps the. The relationship super helpy and kind of exciting.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Yeah. I mean, one of the things that it took me. I'm still not fully on board, but, you know, the social media and the importance that that plays in a business, I understand it, and I understand the importance it plays, but I don't always agree with it. So, you know, Erica pulls me in kicking and screaming, and we usually have

[Interviewer]

fun, like on camera or both.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Yeah. But I just. I don't trust it. I think it's a little bit of smoke and mirrors, just in general. Not for us. I think ours is very authentic, But

[Erica Vasilotti]

I think Dana struggles with. This is how people want to perceive you and who you are. And I think social media can be that way sometimes. But I see it as this opportunity for people to intimately get to know us on a more personalized level. And. And I don't know. I think that kind of leads into the next part of our. Our age gap is also investing money. So Dana is at the point in her career where she really wants to be focused on her retirement, which obviously, like, that's, you know, super important. And I'm at the point in my career where I'm like, put it all in the business.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Exactly.

[Erica Vasilotti]

You can eat ramen at night. No.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

Right, right.

[Erica Vasilotti]

So it's been finding a really healthy balance where I'm like, no, like, if we make the right moves in the next five years, we'll do better than we did in the past, like, you know, 25, just based off of making really strategic decisions and investing our money the right way. So we've had a lot of hard conversations in that manner that I think. I mean, I'm not trying to speak for you, Dana, but I do think that Dana appreciates my perspective and me pushing her to spend money in these areas because we've seen such a great, great return on. On it. And it might not have been in her comfort zone to do that previously, given, you know, the phase of her career that she's in.

[Interviewer]

How. How are each of you looking at the next five or ten years of the firm and kind of mapping out the growth you'd like to see?

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

I mean, I would love to just keep getting really, you know, thoughtful projects with, you know, collaborative clients who, you know, trust us. And that collaboration and that the final outcome to a project is what really both sends me and Erica just, you know, over the top. When we can present a home, you know, when we can deliver a home to a client and have them just fall in love with it and have their family fall in love with it and have it become a place that, you know, becomes really special to them. So I would like to keep doing that. I would also love to have more passive income, and I would feel like it was, you know, the reward I got for all these years of hard work.

[Erica Vasilotti]

I don't think Dana and I are desiring to grow massive. I think we just kind of want to do the projects that we really love, that we're super passionate about. But I think that having that financial freedom piece and sort of the respect of the industry also is just great, like being a part of some of these really incredible communities. We're super excited. We just found out we're joining the Expert, which is.

[Interviewer]

Congratulations.

[Erica Vasilotti]

Thank you. Yeah. Invite only. And we're just, you know, this has been on our vision board for a while and a big dream. So it's an honor to kind of now be invited to this community of such, like, talented people who we admire that we're now going to be able to go to events with and participate in things with. And I think that is a big goal of me and Dana is kind of being surrounded by amazing, creative people who inspire us.

[Interviewer]

I have one more question for you.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

What does success mean to each of you?

[Erica Vasilotti]

To me, success is completely. It coincides with just being happy, going to work every day, loving what I do, inspiring people, inspiring our team, seeing growth. But growth not necessarily in, like, a materialistic way, but in just an enriched way. And knowing if we are doing that every day, if we're learning every day and growing every day and happy, then I think we're. We're successful. Yeah.

[Dana Bergman Falcione]

And to me, it's all of those things. Having the respect of our clients and peers and being a good mother. Actually, for me, being a good mom and having my children, you know, be able to come. To me, that's success. All of that wrapped up.

[Kaitlyn Peterson]

That's our show for today. Thank you so much for listening. If you'd like to keep up with the latest design industry news, check out new products or browse job openings, head on over to businessofhome.com and if you're enjoying trade tales, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show. If you have a note for the show or a story of your own to share, I'd love to hear from you and you can email [e-mail] Trade Tales is produced by me, Kaitlyn Peterson and Caroline Burke. This episode was edited by Caroline Burke and Michael Castaneda. Our theme music is by Kyle Scott Wilson. Thanks again for listening and I'll see you back here next week.