Trade Tales: Ask Us Anything — Kevin Isbell on What to Do When an Order Goes Wrong [Rebroadcast]

Podcast: Trade Tales
Host: Kaitlin Petersen (Editor in Chief, Business of Home)
Guest Expert: Kevin Isbell (Interior Designer, Los Angeles)
Original Air Date: January 7, 2026
Episode Theme:
This episode centers on a real-life procurement nightmare faced by a designer: a custom order gone awry, opaque vendor accountability, and the search for bulletproof processes to protect both firm and client. Featuring advice and wisdom from seasoned designer Kevin Isbell, the episode also provides a follow-up to see how theoretical advice played out in practice.

Episode Overview

Kaitlin Petersen invites Kevin Isbell to guide a designer through the fallout from a significant custom order disaster. As they dissect responsibility, legalities, and the nuances of vendor relationships, the show surfaces practical tactics and hard-earned wisdom for designers managing risk, client expectations, and the unpredictable human element in creative businesses.

Key Discussion Points

1. The Designer's Dilemma: When a Good Vendor Goes Wrong [01:09-04:20]

• Background: The designer, newly independent after a decade in large firms, finds himself deeply involved in procurement. A longstanding vendor delivers a pair of custom chairs that fail to match the agreed specifications.
• Timeline of Trouble:
  • Detailed specs and PO sent to vendor.
  • Four to five months later, warehouse photos reveal the error.
  • Vendor admits mistake but becomes unhelpful in resolution.
  • Local workroom's attempt to fix the issue fails—chairs are further damaged.
  • Six months post-delivery, the problem remains unsolved.
• Reflection:
  “It was an ‘aha’ moment of like, all right, what do I need to change about my process to ensure that I’m not liable, that my clients don’t suffer because of the mistakes that are occurring?” (Designer, [03:11])
• Escalation:
  A snowballing situation, including new fabric damage, ambiguous liability, and the question of legal options—all complicated by resource constraints as a small business.

2. Enter Kevin Isbell: Experience & Perspective [06:46-12:40]

• About Kevin: Noted for his focus on meaningful vendor relationships and prioritizing client experience—even in costly situations.
• Recent Projects:
  Shares excitement over a contemporary wallpaper collaboration and restoration work, highlighting the creativity and adaptability necessary in design.
• Process Talk:
  Outlines the differences in designing for a collection vs. custom client orders—offering a glimpse at the problem-solving DNA essential to the trade.

3. Practical Wisdom on Mistakes, Accountability, and Client Focus [13:37-20:25]

• Immediate Response:
  Isbell recounts a lesson:
  “Designers’ homes are furnished by their mistakes, which it’s unfortunate. It really, really is. But at the end of the day, you really have to protect your client.” (Kevin Isbell, [13:51])
• No One is Immune:
  Even the best documentation can’t eliminate human error; every designer faces fiascos (“No amount of documentation and follow up can avoid human error...it does happen.” [13:51])
• Who Pays?:
  Isbell says protecting the client is paramount—even if it means absorbing a painful loss for the sake of reputation and repeat business.
• Professional Standards:
  “If these people don’t want to take care of it and they are professionals, then...I would not work with them because they don’t stand behind their word.” (Kevin Isbell, [16:25])

4. How to Handle and Learn from Vendor Failings [20:27-25:51]

• Replacing the Product:
  Sometimes, you bite the bullet and replace the items yourself: “If it comes down to ruining the relationship with the client, then yes.” (Kevin Isbell, [19:28])
• On Legal Action:
  “It’s expensive, it’s time-consuming, it takes an emotional train on you...I think in this instance, it’s unfortunate and it’s heartbreaking, but I think he owns two chairs that he will just have to specify into a new project.” (Kevin Isbell, [21:53])
• Contracts & Documentation:
  Maintain precise documentation—even if larger vendors resist sharing in-process photos, insist where possible. “You just have to document everything and make sure that the invoices say what you want.” (Kevin Isbell, [23:22])

5. Triage & Translation: What Does “Good Enough” Mean? [24:10-25:51]

• Art of Acceptable Tolerance:
  “How wrong is wrong? Does the finish still work? Is it off a shade or were they supposed to be red and they’re actually blue?...If it still gives what it was supposed to give, then maybe it’s just time to pivot, change lanes and keep moving.” (Kevin Isbell, [24:10], [25:12])
• Client Communication:
  Sometimes, discretion is better:
  “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” when minor deviations are functionally fine. (Kevin Isbell, [25:04])

6. Vetting Vendors and Building Trust [25:51-29:36]

• Sourcing New Partners:
  Rely on peer recommendations, probe for red flags (slow communication, poor documentation, shifting blame).
• Relationship Dynamics:
  “Even small fish have teeth. He might need to get a little bit more forceful on this situation.” (Kevin Isbell, [28:57])
• Standing Your Ground:
  “You will take these back. You will do this for me...or this is the end of our working relationship.” (Kevin Isbell, [29:36])

7. Respect & Shared Expertise [30:36-33:40]

• Mutual Respect:
  The hallmark of long-term vendor relationships is acknowledging expertise and fostering trust.
  • “I may know how I want the sofa to look, but Luther Quintana is the expert at how it should be. So, I’m going to come to him and say, ‘This is what I would like, how do we get there?’” (Kevin Isbell, [30:55])
• Relationships Trump Short-Term Savings:
  Isbell emphasizes the value of investing in people who will support you during inevitable setbacks.

8. Essential Advice for New Designers [33:40-35:17]

• Keep Momentum:
  “Momentum is everything. Keeping the momentum in the project going is instrumental. Sometimes you have to trust the process, even when it’s messy.” (Kevin Isbell, [33:50])
• Client-First Intervention:
  Protecting the client is always the highest priority, as satisfied clients are the engine of referrals and recurring business.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the harsh reality of design procurement:
  “Designers’ homes are furnished by their mistakes.”
  — Kevin Isbell, [13:51]

• On the irreducible importance of client experience:
  “The client is one, the reason I’m here, two, the reason I’m eating... it’s not the client’s fault.”
  — Kevin Isbell, [20:11]

• On loss and letting go:
  “I think he owns two chairs that he will just have to specify into a new project.”
  — Kevin Isbell, [22:37]

• On negotiating with vendors:
  “Even small fish have teeth. He might need to get a little bit more forceful on this situation.”
  — Kevin Isbell, [28:57]

• On relationships:
  “You’re supporting them and they’re supporting you... building those relationships.”
  — Kevin Isbell, [28:57]

• On advice received:
  “Momentum is everything. Keeping the momentum in the project going is instrumental.”
  — Kevin Isbell, [33:50]

Follow-Up: What Really Happened? [35:17–44:18]

The designer returns to explain how the saga ended—and what he learned:

• Final Resolution:
  After additional damage during attempted corrections and a broken shipment, the vendor agreed at last to remake the chairs. After a year and a half, the client finally received the correct, undamaged pieces.
• Client Communication:
  Leaned into transparency with clients (who happened to be friends), emphasizing past vendor successes to maintain trust and perspective.
  • “I just kept reminding them, like, things can happen. It’s just human nature...I promise you that this vendor is reliable, does quality work, you know, that you’ve experienced it.” (Designer, [41:23])
• Key Learnings:
  • Update process documentation.
  • Require in-progress photos before shipping.
  • Build explicit checkpoints into production (“Once the frame is built...once the upholstery is placed...before it’s finally packaged and shipped...” [44:21])
  • Step up checkpoints without being overbearing—just prudent.
• Reflection:
  This episode underscored the massive cost (financial, reputational, emotional) of insufficient checks and communication, but also the value of grace, transparency, and patience.

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Topic | Timestamp | |---------|-------|-----------| | Designer’s Problem & Vendor Breakdown | 01:09–04:20 | | Kevin Isbell’s Background | 06:46–12:40 | | Advice on Managing Vendor Mistakes | 13:37–20:25 | | Navigating Client vs. Vendor Responsibility | 20:27–25:51 | | Vetting and Backbone in Vendor Relationships | 25:51–29:36 | | Fostering Mutual Respect | 30:36–33:40 | | Importance of Momentum | 33:40–35:17 | | Follow-up: How It All Turned Out | 35:17–44:18 |

Conclusion

This episode demystifies the painful—but universal—challenge of vendor mistakes in design and offers actionable, candid advice steeped in real experience. The core message: client experience and your own reputation always come before sparing yourself a loss; relationships, documentation, and grace are your best protective measures in the unpredictable world of custom creative work.

Memorable Wisdom:
“Even small fish have teeth.” The job of the designer is not just to create beauty, but to be a vigilant protector of their clients’ trust, even when that means standing up for oneself, absorbing a loss, or—sometimes—letting go.