Podcast Summary: Trade Tales – “Ask Us Anything: Victoria Sass on How to Get Published” [Rebroadcast]

Podcast: Trade Tales, Business of Home
Host: Kaitlin Petersen
Guest: Victoria Sass (Designer, Prospect Refuge Studio)
Air Date: January 21, 2026
Episode Focus: How interior designers, especially those early in their independent careers, can navigate the often mysterious world of getting their work published, featuring advice from Victoria Sass and practical follow-up from a real designer’s journey.

Overview of the Episode’s Main Theme

This episode is a rebroadcast chosen by host Kaitlin Petersen as a highlight of the first season. It addresses a fundamental question: How does a designer get their work published? The conversation unpacks the nuances of pitching projects to media outlets, the real value and costs of PR, building relationships with editors, and the shifting media landscape between print and digital. Victoria Sass shares candid, actionable advice based on her own journey from local press to national features. The episode also includes a follow-up from the original question asker, highlighting how applying Victoria’s advice led to her first major local feature and a boost in her business.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why Seek Press? The Quest for Credibility

• Designers often pursue publication for validation and credibility in the eyes of potential clients. National recognition, in particular, is seen as a “stamp of approval.”
• “If a client is looking to hire you, you—they see that you’ve been published in a national publication, then it automatically sort of validates your ability.” (Question Asker, 03:12)
• Not all press delivers direct client leads, and the real impact can be more indirect—on perceived reputation than on actual business volume.

2. The Challenges of Getting Published

• Many designers are met with “crickets and non-response,” even when leveraging introductions from stylists or photographers; simply cold-pitching editors rarely works.
• “It’s a big mystery to me… I know it’s expensive because I’ve looked into [PR]. I don’t know that the juice would be worth the squeeze…” (Question Asker, 04:00)

3. Guest Background: Victoria Sass’s Evolving Perspective

• Victoria describes starting from a place of “faking it till I made it” and her ongoing efforts to challenge herself and her firm.
• Her current venture is a Midwestern design gallery: “Having another outlet to share these voices and maybe even collaborate with some of them... It’s kind of nice to have another outlet for all of that.” (Victoria Sass, 09:00)

4. The Importance of Relationships Over ‘Discovery’

• Victoria debunks the myth of passive discovery: “There’s this perception that people get discovered. There’s no getting discovered... It’s just good old-fashioned hard work and relationships.” (16:55)
• True, authentic relationships with press are essential—developed slowly over time, not with an extractive mindset, but through mutual support.
• “Remembering someone’s birthday, saying so on social media, popping by when you’re in their city, taking them out for coffee—and not in a ‘what can I get out of this’ way.” (Victoria Sass, 17:29)

5. Early Press: Start Local

• Victoria’s first successes were local—awards and press in her immediate community—before graduating to national coverage.
• Local connections are both easier to forge and often more directly aligned with a designer’s early client base.
• “For most designers, your local community is probably your bread and butter clients… Don’t forget about that.” (Victoria Sass, 15:28)

6. Understanding PR Firms: Project-Based vs. Retainer

• Victoria outlines her experience working with two models:
  • Project-based PR: An independent contractor pitches one project at a time; paid hourly or by project, with no placement guarantees.
  • Firm-based PR: A retainer-based firm with established media relationships (often in NYC/LA), acting as a “surrogate” at industry events.
• The need for PR may shift as a business evolves. At times, Victoria prefers the nimbleness of a boutique approach; at others, the reach of a national firm.
• “I will never not have PR be part of my budget ever again... barring any significant financial hardship, I can’t see a world where I would not prioritize that.” (Victoria Sass, 41:17)

7. Setting Clear Goals for Press Exposure

• The designer’s intention matters: Is the goal to get clients, to build a brand, or to gain industry recognition?
• Press alone rarely “fills the pipeline”—at most, a couple direct clients per major article.
• “Knowing your goals is very, very important... Are you trying to win awards?... Are you just trying to get clients? If your goal... is to get press in order to get work... it’s more indirect than direct. There’s more direct ways to get clients than through being published.” (Victoria Sass, 23:40)

8. The Print vs. Digital Divide

• While print feels more permanent and prestigious, digital yields longer, easily-searched relevance and broader reach.
• “That mentality of print lasting longer is counterintuitive. I think digital will yield longer, more fruitful results for your business.” (Victoria Sass, 28:28)
• Exclusivity demands for print mean holding back publishing on social/web, but this may only be feasible for more established studios.

9. The Power of the Story

• “You have to make that project feel magical to the person that you’re presenting it to.” (Victoria Sass, 34:48)
• Editors need a compelling narrative, not just beautiful photos. Victoria gave an example where repitching a project with a more robust story led to print coverage.
• The story behind the design, challenges, artistic collaborations, and vision are what differentiate pitches—especially for non-celebrity projects.

10. Making the Most of Press Wins

• What you do after publication matters as much as being published:
  • Have a website/social strategy to leverage the recognition.
  • Repurpose content: podcasts, interviews, case studies.
  • Don’t let external validation be the only goal; avoid obsession with constant press mentions.
• “Be really thoughtful about, you know, okay, when I get published... how are you going to stretch that into podcast interviews... how do you keep that experience going?” (Victoria Sass, 38:24)

11. Finding and Choosing the Right PR Partner

• Research publicists through Instagram or publication credits.
• “You can sort of discover the agencies or the individual players and start to research them, interview them, see which approach feels right to you… There’s a lot of just individual PR people out there who do amazing things...” (Victoria Sass, 39:49)
• Business of Home’s Experts Directory is recommended for first outreach. Interview multiple candidates to find the best fit.

12. The True Cost of Getting Published

• Factor in the cost of assets (ex: photography can be tens of thousands of dollars), and the opportunity cost in time and focus.
• Weigh earned vs. paid media; while no-fee editorial is “cheaper” than advertising, it still requires substantial business investment.
• “Is this something I’m the best at, that only I can do? As my hours... become more limited, if there’s someone else who can take that on... then to me that’s financially valuable.” (Victoria Sass, 43:36)

13. Best Advice: Know Your ‘Sun’

• “What is the sun of our experience that all the planets revolve around?... What is the life giving energy? What is the thing that gets you out of bed every day and that everything should support and revolve around?” (Victoria Sass, 48:25)
• On any press journey, be clear about what you want to amplify—your services, your design vision, yourself as a personality, or the studio as a whole.

Memorable Quotes

• On Discovery: “There’s no getting discovered… It’s just good old-fashioned hard work and relationships.” (Victoria Sass, 16:55)
• On Local vs. National Press: “Don’t forget about [local press] and come back to it throughout your career.” (Victoria Sass, 15:28)
• On PR Investment: “I will never not have PR be part of my budget ever again.” (Victoria Sass, 41:17)
• On Knowing Your Goals: “It’s more about, like, right time, right place, it happens to hit just as a trend is cresting... There’s no real way to know… You just have to put out what you have when you have it and just keep going, just keep hustling.” (Victoria Sass, 26:41)
• On Relationships: “Find your people in the press that you genuinely connect with and maintain a true, authentic relationship if you can.” (Victoria Sass, 17:29)
• On Breakout Moments: “You only have to get it, get it once and then kind of look at the next opportunity.” (Victoria Sass, 38:24)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:18 – 04:41: The Question Asker outlines challenges and her desire for national press.
• 07:43 – 10:29: Victoria discusses launching a design gallery and why she champions Midwestern talent.
• 13:49 – 16:43: Victoria’s first experiences with awards and local press.
• 16:55 – 18:24: The myth of “discovery” and the reality of relationship-building.
• 18:31 – 21:29: Victoria’s evolution from project-based PR to national firm to local PR partner.
• 23:24 – 25:42: The true ROI of press for client acquisition.
• 27:08 – 29:36: Exclusivity in publishing; navigating what, when, and where to pitch (digital vs. print).
• 31:44 – 34:48: Harnessing the power of story in pitches—why it changes outcomes.
• 37:20 – 39:48: Should you focus on press for client acquisition or look to other tactics?
• 41:17 – 43:36: When to budget for PR and how your needs change as your business grows.
• 48:16: Best advice Victoria received: seek clarity around the “sun” your professional universe orbits.

Follow-Up: What Happened Next (Listener Update)

• The designer who inspired this episode applied Victoria’s advice, focusing on local press and authentic relationship-building.
• She reached out personally to a local editor she’d corresponded with and invited her for lunch, leading to her project being featured as an eight-page spread.
• Impact: Significant uptick in business and local awareness. “Since that larger project was published, I’ve gotten many more projects in the pipeline, and I think it has been really validating, at least for the local market. And so I’m busier than I’ve been in a really long time. And I attribute it to probably getting published in that local publication.” (Question Asker, 52:53)
• Building a face-to-face relationship made ongoing collaboration easier and more informal.
• While national press remains an aspiration, for now, the question asker feels less urgency and more confidence in her approach.

Key Takeaways

• Start local. Leverage and nurture real relationships with editors and writers in your region.
• Build authentic relationships. Focus on authentic, long-term connections, not short-term gain.
• Tell compelling stories. Editors need substance and narrative, not just images.
• Be patient and persistent. No quick wins; results from press or PR investment take time.
• Understand your goals before investing. Know if you want clients, reputation, or a platform, and align efforts accordingly.
• Maximize your wins. Develop a plan to spread and re-purpose any coverage you receive.

Episode Mood & Tone

The conversation is warm, candid, and practical, balancing encouragement with realism. Victoria’s advice is thoughtful and occasionally philosophical, yet always rooted in actionable steps. Kaitlin’s follow-up with the original question asker brings a full-circle moment—showcasing real impact and giving hope to others on a similar journey.

This summary captures all key lessons and stories shared, with actionable insights and direct quotes for listeners hoping to unlock the secrets of getting their design work published.