How Audrey Scheck established her firm’s C-suite

Summary

Podcast Summary: Trade Tales – How Audrey Scheck Established Her Firm’s C-suite

Podcast: Trade Tales by Business of Home
Host: Kaitlin Petersen
Guest: Audrey Scheck
Date: May 20, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This episode explores how designer Audrey Scheck scaled her interior design firm into a thriving, 20-woman operation with a well-defined C-suite and structured departments—without losing the heart and creativity that launched her business. Host Kaitlin Petersen dives deep into Audrey’s journey: from pivoting out of corporate America to leading a culture-first team, maintaining a “luxury” client experience, managing rapid growth, and embracing systems and processes—all while nurturing creativity, avoiding burnout, and redefining what success means to her and her team.

---

Main Discussion Points and Insights

1. Roots and Early Career

• Creative Seeds: Audrey’s interest in home and entertaining was “ingrained from an early age” ([02:34]), thanks to her parents’ encouragement—even letting her design her own purple bedroom, despite her mom’s aversion to the color.
• Corporate Foundation: She worked in digital advertising for over a decade, which gave her essential business acumen and a grounding in sales and storytelling ([03:24]).
• The Shift: With growing design requests after sharing her home online, Audrey found herself with clients (often friends and family) before she even had a business name or logo. “The business really created itself… even though I didn’t have any experience in design, I can do this” ([04:20]).

---

2. Team Structure & C-Suite Evolution

• Growth by Design: Now, the firm comprises 20 women, structured across key departments: Design (with a COO managing the team), Finance (CFO), Procurement & Operations, New Business, and Marketing. Each department head reports to Audrey, preserving both oversight and autonomy ([05:29]).
• Culture is Core: Audrey is clear that creating a warm, people-first environment is as rewarding as designing homes: “Building the business and designing that has been just as rewarding as designing homes” ([05:29]).
• Top-Down Involvement: She assures clients at the outset that she'll oversee all design work, staying on every email and at key touchpoints: “Nothing goes to our clients without coming through my desk” ([05:29]) and “I do all of our new business phone calls…because I love that side of the business” ([07:35]).

---

3. Evolving Her Role and Handing Off Responsibilities

• Hands-On vs. Hands-Off: Audrey remains hands-on with creative direction and client relations but delegates project management, finance, backend procurement, and most cross-departmental logistics to a capable leadership team ([08:52]).
• Unique Team Ritual: Tuesdays are reserved for in-office design reviews and collaboration—no client meetings allowed ([08:52]).
• On Letting Go: Early hiring made delegation easier: “Letting go feels more like letting go so my leadership team can have the autonomy to run their own department... they have all come up with their own systems” ([27:48]).

---

4. Bandwidth, Process, and Project Management

• Managing 60 Projects: The firm currently handles around 60 projects, streamlined thanks to a bandwidth tracker system mapping workload, timelines, and project phases per person ([10:54]–[12:29]). Audrey jokes that the spreadsheet “makes sense to our COO. I open it and scream and immediately run away” ([11:08]).
• Work-Life Boundaries: Clear rules prohibit working outside 9–6; PTO is credited for any extra hours worked ([12:32]).
• Using Delays Creatively: Audrey is a “yes person” who sometimes uses project delays as opportunities to slot in smaller consultations, while always respecting team capacity ([12:32]).

---

5. Client Selection and Setting Expectations

• Upfront Education: Every client inquiry receives a personalized reply and comprehensive investment guide, aligning budget and expectations from the start ([14:43]).
• Looking for a Fit: The ideal client is “a really good, warm person who’s going to be fun and understanding because shit’s going to hit the fan and stuff’s going to go wrong…” ([16:45]).
• Pushing Creative Boundaries: Audrey loves clients willing to stretch beyond their comfort zone. “I really love a client who’s like, ‘I want you to push me—tell me what you would do if this were your own space.’” ([18:17]).
• Portfolio Time Lag: She notes the disconnect between what’s published in her portfolio and what they’re designing now due to project and press delays ([19:49]–[20:25]).

---

6. Crafting the Client Experience

• Presentation Style: Client presentations are tailored—sometimes in the studio (with music, drinks, baked goods), on-site, or via mailed sample kits for remote projects. The process is “highly collaborative and all about having fun together and getting to play” ([21:54]).
• Billing and Transparency:
  • Flat fee for initial walkthrough; hourly billing thereafter, with clear guidance on expected hours and costs—“so that when they get invoices, there’s no surprises” ([25:06]).
  • Flexibility to accommodate flat-fee projects for larger clients uncomfortable with open-ended hourly billing ([25:06]).

---

7. Hiring and Culture

• Who Succeeds at the Firm:
  • Warmth, good character, and a willingness to collaborate are Audrey’s top criteria.
  • “I need to want to have a cocktail with you, because we’re going to be doing a lot of that” ([29:53]).
  • Business acumen matters, but diversity of creative taste is welcome—“Quite the opposite might even be true. Like, I want someone who can come in and push boundaries” ([29:53]).
• Red Flags:
  • No thank-you note? “Like, no thank you.” ([31:34])
  • AI-generated/designed applications are easy to spot and a turn-off: “I can tell you didn’t write that… maybe throw a little typo in there” ([31:34]).
  • Badmouthing past bosses or firms is also a no-go ([33:34]).
• Interview Process: Includes an assignment—even for marketing candidates—to gauge not just technical skill but communication and vibe ([33:34]).

---

8. Marketing, Content Strategy, and Visuals

• Early Marketing Focus: A dedicated marketing director plus team coordinate content, social, press, and photo shoots, with Audrey deeply involved due to her advertising background ([34:16]).
• In-House Styling: The firm styles all shoots internally, leveraging a massive prop library. The marketing coordinator often doubles as photographer for smaller projects ([36:44], [38:04]).
• Shooting Strategy: Early years = shoot everything. Now: much more selective and strategic—framed by objective and ROI ([38:04], [39:18]).
• Balancing Output & Burnout: “Now I’m laughing… I can’t even be doing one photo shoot a month anymore. It’s also about that balance and giving all of us… the mental capacity to still enjoy doing it and still want to do it again” ([39:33]).

---

9. Navigating Remote Work & the Studio Move

• Remote Team Evolution: Most remote employees started locally and moved. The Austin headquarters is now a residential house Audrey owned—a creative playground for the team, with guest rooms for visiting colleagues ([41:51]–[44:46]).
• R&D in Real Life: The residential-office setup enables the team to experiment with vendors and materials in real time, benefiting both team development and clients ([44:46]).
• Elevated Client Experience: Hosting clients in “our house” delivers a more intimate, luxurious, and representative experience than previous commercial spaces ([46:19]).

---

10. Goal Setting and Financial Discipline

• Getting Strategic: Audrey hired a consultant to help with long-term vision, focusing now on ROI, margins, billing rates, and product profitability ([47:02]).
• Inclusive Leadership Style: Prefers consensus over top-down decisions—“I want to do everything with my people” ([48:29]).
• Empowering Team Leaders: Department heads set their own annual goals, reflecting the autonomy Audrey has intentionally fostered ([50:50]).

---

11. Leadership Challenges & Growth

• Therapy and Growth: Audrey credits her therapist with helping her develop leadership skills and a more poised, accountable, and resilient approach to running a business ([50:56]).
  • “It is not all sunshine and rainbows. It is going to get hard. What’s important… is that we own up to the fact that we did something wrong or…maybe we don’t have the answer. And I’m going to make it right, and figure it out” ([52:14]).
  • Transparency: “I’ve never worked in this industry before. Of course there’s going to be times where I don’t know what I’m doing, and guess what? I can tell my team that” ([52:14]).

---

12. Defining and Delivering Luxury Service

• Small Touches, Big Impact:
  • “Luxury…comes from us being forward thinking and never giving them a reason to question or to doubt anything… You can just tell you’re in an environment that is so well thought out” ([53:47]).
  • Personalized sourcing (including vintage finds at Round Top), proactive communication, and honest budget guidance are all hallmarks ([53:47]–[56:47]).
• The Round Top Process:
  • Evolved over years: Now, clients pre-approve budgets/proxy; the team purchases on their behalf and reports back in bulk—a result of learning the hard way ([56:56]).
  • “We are purchasing on their behalf and we have pre-approved budgets…We purchased all of it and sent them an email: ‘Here’s everything we got, here’s the budget’” ([57:08]).

---

13. AI and New Technology

• Careful Embrace:
  • AI is used mostly for backend data analysis and some simple visualizations, not as a replacement for human creativity.
  • “I use it a lot about storytelling and how to tell the story of certain things based on the data we have” ([59:06]).
• Cautionary Note: AI-generated client/employee applications are easy to spot and not received well, reiterating the importance of authenticity ([31:34]).

---

14. Redefining Success

• A Shift in Perspective:
  • “Success feels a lot more like that alignment…building a business that is equal parts creatively fulfilling and financially healthy and supportive… and still allows me…to be really present in my own personal life” ([62:08]).
  • Audrey now checks in with herself “every second of every day” to gauge if the business still “feels good’ as it grows ([63:12]).

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Firm Culture and Growth:
  • “The core of me and the goal of this business has always been and will always be to help people.” ([05:29])
• On Client Fit:
  • “We double as marriage counselors oftentimes—we are in it, navigating people’s preferences and budgets, and we’re in their house… it gets real, real fast.” ([16:45])
• On Presentation and Luxury:
  • “It’s a full, immersive experience… the lighting is right, the music is playing, we have their favorite drinks there, we have baked goods for them and their kids. It’s a luxury and so fun and so exciting.” ([21:54])
• On Leadership:
  • “Letting go feels more like letting go so my leadership team can have the autonomy to run their own department.” ([27:48])
• On Honest Hiring:
  • “If they send me an email and I can tell it’s ChatGPT or AI generated… I can tell you didn’t write that. Like, maybe throw a little typo in there.” ([31:34])
• On Vulnerability in Leadership:
  • “I’ve never even worked in this industry before. Of course there are going to be so many moments where I don’t know what I’m doing. And guess what? I can tell my team that.” ([52:14])
• On Redefining Success:
  • “Honestly, one of the biggest markers of success for me now is whether the business still feels good while we’re growing it.” ([62:08])

---

Key Timestamps

• 02:34: Audrey’s childhood and creative roots
• 03:24: Transition from advertising to design
• 05:29: Team size, C-suite structure, firm philosophy
• 10:54: Managing 60 projects, bandwidth and project flow
• 12:32: Handling delays, work-life balance, workload policy
• 14:43: Qualifying new clients, initial education & investment guide
• 18:17: Creative risk-taking and project “time lag”
• 21:54: How projects are presented to clients
• 25:06: Billing models, transparency
• 27:48: Letting go, autonomy for leadership team
• 29:53: Essential qualities for hiring, culture fit
• 31:34: Hiring red flags, AI-written applications
• 34:16: Marketing team and strategy
• 38:04: Selecting projects to photograph
• 41:51: Handling remote employees and office evolution
• 46:19: Impact of the “house” studio on clients and team
• 47:02: Consultant support and financial goals
• 50:56: Therapy, leadership challenges, vulnerability
• 53:47: Crafting a luxury client experience
• 56:56: Efficient Round Top (antique fair) client approvals
• 59:06: How AI is (and isn’t) used in the business
• 62:08: Redefining success and internal check-ins

---

Final Takeaways

Audrey Scheck’s interview offers a masterclass in scaling a design business while fiercely protecting both creative joy and human warmth. Her approach to leadership, client experience, hiring, and strategic growth balances rigor with vulnerability and a “people-first” mentality. The key to her success: relentless self-awareness, a collaborative ethos, and never losing sight of the “why” behind the work.

Transcript

[A]

I really believe we've created a business where my mentality and warmth and passion and all of those things is so firm that it's really the direction of everyone on our team. And if I'm doing a good job, our team will exude that all the way through the client experience

[B]

Hi, I'm Caitlin 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 that you hear your own want 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 guest today is a designer whose 20 person firm is a well oiled machine complete with a carefully structured leadership team and a top down approach that sets the tone for every employee. If you have ever wondered how to scale your business without losing its soul, this episode is for you and I can't wait to share it with you. But first, a quick word from our sponsors. This podcast is sponsored by Kohler. Kohler has always embraced the belief that design is more than aesthetics. It's a powerful force to shape experiences. Kohler Smart Toilets are proof of the power of design and its ability to elevate how we live and feel. The kohlervale Smart Toilet, with its sculptural curved silhouette is nothing you might imagine when picturing a toilet. And that's the point. Transform a bathroom and the everyday routines within it into something extraordinary. Discover Vail and all the Kohler smart [e-mail] this podcast is brought to you by Lightovation at Dallas Market Center. Looking to elevate your lighting selections for clients? Lightovation offers 1 million square feet of lighting, encompassing all categories for homes and hospitality environments, including brands you won't see anywhere else. Find out why lighting lives in Dallas June 24 to 27, as well as a Design plus build day for trade professionals on June 23. Visit dallasmarketcenter.com lightovation to learn more today.

[A]

Everything around home and entertaining was really ingrained in me from an early age. I got to help my parents build a custom home for our family when when I was in middle school I was picking out wallpaper and paint colors and I designed my own cab hardware in my bathroom. I used a Sharpie to draw on them, which I don't recommend. They really let me be all in and whatever that meant. Like I I love the color purple. My mom has always hated the color purple And I had a full on purple bedroom and, you know, they just let me be me. And I think that part of that exploration allowed me to feel a real sense of fun and whimsy.

[B]

That's Audrey Shepp. She studied advertising and then landed an exciting job in.

[A]

I was working for Us Weekly magazine, working on the digital sales side. Then I pivoted into selling digital ad space to different brands who wanted to be in front of the Us Weekly Reader. So it was always about storytelling from a different side of the business, whether I was purchasing media on behalf of a client or selling it to a client who wanted to be in front of my audience. I worked in the advertising industry for over a decade and I'm so grateful that I had time in corporate America and I really understand business. And once we were having children, we had purchased our first home in Los Angeles and I was feeling some of that corporate America burnout. So I stepped away and started working on our own home. And then I was just sharing about it online. And then it became people asking for help.

[B]

As the design requests began flooding in, Audrey realized that she had a new opportunity on her hands.

[A]

So in the beginning, it was really about helping friends of friends and family. So my very first clients were my girlfriends who were having kids and needed help with a nursery. My mom's neighbor needed help with their office. And then very quickly I had five clients, if you will, who were venmoing me before I ever had a business name or a logo or a true hourly rate or anything. So the business really created itself. And I went into it very confidently feeling like even though I don't have any experience in design, I can do this and I can do it even better if I have helped.

[B]

By 2021, Audrey had moved to Texas with her family and launched her firm. I wanted to talk to her about her growth mindset as she expanded her team. How a bandwidth tracker helps the firm determine whether it's time to take on new business, and the questions that help clients step outside their comfort zone. You have a big team, especially when you know that it's been really developed in the last five years. Can you talk about the team and firm structure that you've landed on today?

[A]

Yes, we do have a big team and I love having a big team. And I have. I've really found that I'm such a people person that the core of me and the goal of this business has always been and will always be to help people. And over the last five years, as the team has grown, it's Almost like my heart has doubled in size. And now I have just so much love for my team and for our clients that like, looking back when I first started, I could have of course, never thought about it that way. But I have just evolved so much in, in my day to day gratitude for this job because I have grown a team of women around me who I love and adore and admire. And so building the business and designing that has been just as rewarding as designing homes. Like those initial projects that I had that I was knee deep in every aspect of it by myself. You this feeling now of designing the business is very similar to that same gratification that I had back then. And so now our team structure is we are 20 females and we are broken up into a multitude of different departments. There is a leadership team that reports into me and then the leadership team, each of them runs their own department. So there is design. Our COO manages the entire design team and I oversee all of that work. So nothing goes to our clients without coming through my desk. And you know, that's very clear at the onset of any project with our clients, they know that I will be involved. I will be seeing all of the design plans. I'm touching every aspect of their project. I'm on every email, but the CEO is managing that entire team. And then there is a CFO managing the finance team, and there is a head of procurement and operations, and then there is a new business team and a marketing team as well.

[B]

Where do clients see you these days and how do you, how do you message sort of your role in the overall kind of portfolio of the business?

[A]

Honestly, that's still something that I'm working through. And I, you know, I'm very vulnerable with my leadership team about that and the importance of that to me. And I do all of our new business phone calls partially because I have a background in sales and I love that side of the business business. And so I really love that, that initial interaction. And if we move on to booking a, a discovery walkthrough with them, either virtually or in person, I am there with someone from our team who will be working on that project. And then throughout the duration of working together, I am on every email. I am always available for our clients. I am in design presentations whenever I can be. Sometimes those are in person, sometimes they are virtually. If it's a remote project and we're traveling 90% of time, I am traveling with the leader of that project to go visit the site, wherever that may be. And then at the end, whenever we're doing an install and styling. I'm always there for that too. And part of that is just because I love those tangible moments where I can actually be in it, in the space. Putting the finishing touches on it is so rewarding. So I really like to be involved in that part of the process too.

[B]

That's a lot. That was way more than I expected you to say. Where do you feel like you are most hands off?

[A]

I am the most hands off with really the project management. Once we're up and running, our team is super well equipped with really diving in and doing a deep dive design analysis. Our COO is on all of the client calls with her team. And so, you know, the structure is set up where there are multiple people involved. Even though we're not double billing for our time, there are multiple people involved in gathering all of the information and moving through the client experience. So from the design side, she's overseeing the design team and she's working so closely with them. And of course I'm, you know, I'm. I'm right there with him on every email and I'm just a little further removed from the nitty gritty of all of it, if you will. I'm in the team in office here in Austin with the team every Tuesday, and I do a design review with each of our designers every Tuesday to go through exactly what they're working on. And so we're very collaborative and we try to hold Tuesdays as our coveted time together without client meetings and phone calls and things. But the handoff really happened more so with the departments that I don't gravitate toward, naturally. So finance. I brought in my best friend from college who has her master's in finance and convinced her to become our cfo. And now she's a CFO servicing the design industry. She does bookkeeping and CFO services for designers all over the place, and taxes and payroll and client invoicing. And, you know, I am pretty hands off with all of that stuff because I just don't like it. And then when it comes to a lot of the back end procurement, all of the purchasing and the tracking and deliveries and all of that, our procurement team is so well established and they really run with all of that. I am pretty integrated with our marketing team just because of my background in corporate America. I really love the marketing and advertising side of a business. So day to day, I am working very heavily with our marketing team and I'm involved on the design side from more of a creative leadership and creative direction. Role, if you will.

[B]

How many projects is the team working on typically at one time?

[A]

Right now, I believe we're working on close to 60 projects.

[B]

Okay, how many lead designers does it take to really comfortably service that volume of work?

[A]

There are four lead designers, and then our designers are broken up into lead designers, designer, and junior designers. Our juniors aren't typically managing their own projects, but our designers and our lead designers are managing their own projects underneath the direction of our coo. And then I'm overseeing her, so it all funnels up. But a team of 20 now feels sufficient to be managing that workload. And we have. I mean, talk about all of the data that goes into figuring all of this out. Thank goodness. I have such smart people, lots of people who have incredible corporate backgrounds where they can dive into all of the data from QuickBooks and from our internal systems. And you should see our bandwidth tracker that we use to determine when we can take on new projects. It is like a spreadsheet that I open and I, like, scream and immediately run away. I'm like, I cannot look at this. It's so overwhelming. But it makes sense to our coo. So whenever we're deciding when we can take on new business, she is knee deep in that. And it's broken out by each person on the design team and each week and within each week, what phase of each of their projects are they in? And now we know, based on five years of data, how much time it will take at each point in the process. So we can. We can project everyone's bandwidth based on how many projects they're carrying and the calendar.

[B]

How do you adjust when delays creep in?

[A]

Well, those are actually some of my favorite moments because I'm a yes person and I want to say yes to everyone. And so whenever we have a delay, I'm like, oh, my gosh, we can take on a. We can do a quick consultation here and there. We can plug in this and that. And, you know, if my team is like, oh, my God, can we have a break? And I'm like, yes, but no. Like, we are. We are very strict about working between nine and six. Nobody works outside of those hours. If anyone ever works outside of those hours or on a weekend, they get PTO credited back in our internal system. So we are very, very clear about nobody working outside of those hours. I am such a night owl. I. I still work pretty late at night, and the leadership team has trained me to schedule my emails now. So they are not going to the team at. I get them at 8am so the bandwidth tracker really helps us be able to tell when we have those little pockets of time. So if a delay does happen, it's really seen more as an opportunity because, of course, we still get inquiries that are smaller. And that's something that, you know, not having worked in the industry before is something that we've had to learn. You know, what does that look like? When and where can we say yes and still do a really good job and give someone the level of service that we want to give them? And of course, we also understand that a lot of these projects are snowball, right? Like you start working on someone's powder bathroom, and they're like, oh, my God, this is amazing. Now I want to do the bedroom next to that. And then it snowballs out into the foyer and it just keeps going, which is so great. So we're very diligent now about the scope of the project and realistic timelines and making sure that everything is properly accounted for. Because back in the early days, it was. It was chaotic. And, you know, coming from corporate America and the publishing world, it was sink or swim. And it was like just a very different mentality. And then I look back and I think I was so burnt out that I just walked away and I didn't know what I was going to do, but I just knew I didn't want to do that anymore. And I don't want my team to feel like that. You know, I want them to really love what they're doing. So we try to be very careful about that.

[B]

How have you really refined what's a good fit for you, what projects you will take, and what are you listening for on those initial phone calls? To think, oh, this is the one, or maybe this one isn't a good fit.

[A]

Now, we do so much upfront education, so before we even get on that phone call, I have, I personally reply to each inquiry that comes through our website. Within 48 hours of someone inquiring, I will reply to them and I will share with them an investment guide that we have put together with data from real projects, and that's outlining average investment costs across construction materials and design fees. And so I'm initially leading with education. And I tell them, take a peek at this. If this looks good, let me know. We'll hop on a phone call. And then on the phone call, I'm further reiterating, you know, okay, based on the scope that you're explaining, or how much furniture we're looking to procure, or how much construction we're looking to do is it's structural. You know, I can start gauging what's involved and where their budget is landing. And I'm still guiding them back to that investment document that I shared with them to really make sure that we're aligned. So now budget is a huge part of it because we definitely learned that not teaching people early on just sets you up for failure all around in a bad client experience. They're. They're expecting us to be the experts, just like I am when I walk into a boutique hotel. And if they're asking me if I want to upgrade, I anticipate that they're telling me how much that costs. Right. Like, I need someone to educate me so I can make a decision. And so it's a mix of a personal feeling that you get. You know, of course, we're not. That we're not in person with them sitting down and having a cocktail. I mean, I would love to do that, but we're on the phone and we're talking about their project, and so I can get a sense of. Of what they will be like to work with from that. And then, of course, talking about their budget. And then also the timing is a big part of it. You know, we aren't taking on certain sizes of projects right now because our bandwidth is at capacity. And unless we're hiring again or unless another project wraps up sooner than expected, you know, so as the company has grown, we have just navigated ways to figure all of that out. But there's definitely a system in place now from a new business perspective that is combining all of these moving parts and. And it's ideally getting us to the point where we're working with a client who is a really good, warm person who's going to be fun and understanding because shit's going to hit the fan and stuff's going to go wrong, and it's going to be probably a long relationship. Most of our projects last at least a year, so we're really going to be in it together. And we double as marriage counselors. Oftentimes we are in it navigating people's preferences and budgets, and we're in their house messing things up and disturbing their peace and kicking them out. And it gets real, real fast. And, you know, so. So it's a. It's a mix of a general gut feeling and budgeting and timing and then, I mean, of course, aesthetics. Most people are hiring us because of our portfolio and our body of work. And as the CEO, that's another thing that I think About a lot is. But I have my own personal aesthetic, and a lot of people come to us because they gravitate toward that same aesthetic. And we don't always just want to do the same thing. We love it when we get someone who is a little more eclectic, who leans in a different direction. So I also really gravitate toward those projects that will push us and those people who I can tell will be interested in being pushed. And I don't know if you've spoken to any other designers about this, but. But I feel like one really interesting part of the industry is that the output that we're sharing right now is from things that were in our brain years ago.

[B]

There's such a huge delay. Huge.

[A]

It is so crazy. And like, in what other industry is what you're judging primarily on? The reason why you reach out at all is because you saw something on our portfolio or on social media, on Pinterest, wherever, that you gravitate toward and you're reaching out. And so I want someone, of course, who aligns with beautiful aesthetics. And I also love someone who. Who's asking, what are you doing right now? Like, can I see some examples of some of the design plans that you're working on right now? Or, like, if you were designing something in your own home right now, what's something that you haven't been able to do but you think is really cool that you would want to do in your own personal home? Or, you know, like, I really want a client who. Who will go there with us, who. Who isn't just like, I want to see one option based on my inspiration. You know, they're like, I want you to come to the table with ideas. And our design process is highly collaborative, so we are pushing our clients to think about different things. And of course, it's all tied back to this design analysis that we've done with this. So we have an understanding of if they hate the color purple or whatever it may be. We go into it knowing that. But I really love a client who's like, I want you to push me. Like, tell me what you would do if this were your own space. And now when we present design plans to clients, we always present that. That design plan that's kind of pushing them outside of their boundaries a little bit first. And 98% of the time, that's what they fall in love with, and that's what we end up doing. And then whenever we show them option two, which is safer and more aligned with their inspiration, they're like, oh, no. No, no.

[B]

Well, and the lag, too, between. Like, by the time you release something, are you. You know, you're in a completely different headspace, I would imagine.

[A]

Well, yes. And also, so much of the work that we do is embargoed, so our publicist is pitching it, and we can't share it, so we have to sit on it for an exclusive for publication in print or in digital. And so a lot of it is just. We're waiting. And we had a project in Denver that was so fun and eclectic and colorful and really showcases that we can do something that's not necessarily in the parameters of what a lot of our clients want. And it was embargoed for a year and a half, so by the time we shared it, it was even older than two years.

[B]

Well, yeah, because you've pitched the idea, you've designed it, you've procured it, you've built it, you've installed it, you photographed it. That alone is a long process.

[A]

Absolutely, yeah. And so, on some of the discovery phone calls, people will ask me, what's a question that I should be asking you that I'm not? And I'm like, oh, my gosh, I love you, because guess what? Here's what you should be asking me. Like, here are all the things, you know, and so I'll really. I'll really go there with them, and I'll be like, look, like, of course this is your home, and we need to take so many things into account, like, you know, the real life in your home. Do you have kids? Do you have pets? What's your budget like? Are you looking to sell this house in five years? Is this your forever home? And I also want to understand how comfortable you are with design in general. You know, a lot of people cannot articulate what they like at all, and they also can't visualize it. So a lot of them are leaning on us to be this educator and to really guide them through it. So I just. I really love collaboration because I'm a people person, too. So I really like that experience of being with a client who just. Just who will go there with you. Even if it means they don't. They don't choose that option. That's totally fine. But, you know, I think it just makes it more enjoyable. And if I were hiring someone to do this for me, I would want to know that I was exhausting all of my options and not just playing it safe.

[B]

How do you present to clients what. Once you've moved through sort of the getting to know you Process, that collaborative process, what does that presentation and selection process look like?

[A]

It really depends on the client. So some of our clients are coming into our office, and they're in our design studio. We have full samples presented, you know, on a. On a table showcasing all of the finishes in the design plans that they're looking at. So some of our clients will come in. And of course, it's a. To us, this is. This is it. Like, this is what we've worked so hard for. This is the moment the lighting is right, the music is playing. We have their favorite drinks there. We have baked goods for them and their kids. Like, it is. It's a full, immersive experience, as it should be. Just like at the luxury hotel, when you walk in and there's complimentary bottled water and champagne in your room, like, you know, this should be a luxury, and so fun and so exciting. And so whenever we get to do it in person, it's always the best. And so we've done it at our office. We have done it at a job site, like in the middle of a construction zone. We have done it remotely, where we have flown all of our samples across the country. Some of our clients are remote or traveling or too busy to do it in person. So in those cases, we will send them a package of samples and ask them to not open it until we are on that meeting. And then as they're opening the box, things are organized in the order that we're presenting so they can touch and see and feel everything as we're moving through a design plan. And a lot of times, we start by telling them that a lot of this is modular, right? We've designed, say, three options for your kitchen. And of course, certain things will not work together between option A and option B, but most of it can be mixed and matched. So we really want it to be a collaborative experience where if you love this wallpaper in option one and you also really love the light fixtures in option two, maybe we can match those together, you know, so it's really not something that's stuffy at all. Rather, it's really all about having fun together and getting to play. And this is our time to, like, touch and feel and see and do. And so if someone is. Is paying us for our. We charge hourly. So we. We do a lot of early education and telling them, if you want to see multiple options on average, here's how long it will cost, you know, to see one option versus three options. So if someone is paying us to show them three options, we're really going to go in and show you three options for every single thing.

[B]

This June, Dallas Market center hosts Design plus Build Day at Light Ovation. I'll be there moderating a designer panel about how to fine tune your processes to be a better, better partner for builders and contractors. The talk is part of a full day of dynamic programming, especially for trade professionals. Lightovation is the largest lighting show in North America and runs June 24 to 27, with design build Day taking place the day before on June 23rd. Register today at DallasMarketCenter.com Lighting Innovation. I want to talk about the billing piece of this. You mentioned earlier that you know your your team is working really collaboratively too, but you're really careful not to kind of double bill for some of that work. How have you approached the the finances and kind of the billing piece of this very complicated business?

[A]

We charge a flat fee for that initial walkthrough and then after that everything is hourly. And our investment guide will guide you through exactly what to expect. And we will never do anything without you knowing going into it. Here's what we're working on and here's about how long it's going to take so that when they get invoices every other week from QuickBooks, there's no surprises. Rather they've known going in. I guided that process. I asked for three options or I asked for one option and maybe now I want a few more and what does that look like? So I really love the hourly model because it does empower them to really guide how much of their budget they want to invest in the design side of their project. And we do have some projects that are flat fee only because those clients knew going into it that they were not comfortable with an hourly model. And a lot of those people are working on projects that are much bigger. And it can be really scary to think about all of that snowballing from an hourly basis. So they want a little more structure. So you know, right now in the 60 something projects we have going on, only two of them are on a flat fee basis where we have broken out, you know, a full proposal. There are different billing parameters at different milestones throughout the project. And even in those we will let people know once we have reached the capacity for a certain number of hours within a flat fee structure. And we'll still give them the option if they need extra visualizations and extra renderings. We will let them know if you want to add those on. Here's the hourly rate and here's how long it would take us. So we're not, we're never really like boxing them in. The goal is rather that it's really flexible and there, there have just been those moments where we didn't want to lose out on an opportunity to work on a certain project. So we have figured out ways to make it work. And as hard as that is sometimes, I also think there is such a great learning opportunity in there, which is part of my mentality of saying yes. And because if we had never said yes to some of these flat fee projects, we would never know how to do this. And what if we need to do this in the future? You know, so what if the perfect client comes along and they're, they're only comfortable with flat fee. Now we know how to, how to build a proposal for them and what that looks like. And, and then we have data from the past, having done it before, which is really what's guided this whole business. So I really treat every everything as a yes. We'll figure it out. And it's an opportunity to learn and grow. So how great.

[B]

What has had to change about the business as the team scales and as the volume of projects you take grows? Are there systems that you did sort of outgrow and then new new strategies or new processes you had to implement along the way?

[A]

Yes. Learning to let go, which I mentioned hiring early on. And so I feel so grateful in hindsight five years later that I hired really early on because is I know a lot of designers who have done things on their own for so long that that feeling of letting go gets even harder as you're more established on your own. So I feel so grateful that I had help very early and it was like we just were those chameleons who were figuring it all out. And so now letting go feels more like letting go so that my leadership team can have the autonomy to run their own department. And, and I think I'm just someone who is really comfortable asking for help and really trusting people. I have such a great, talented team that I want them to feel like they have the autonomy to build their own department and they have all come up with their own systems that work for their leadership style on their team. And of course I'm overseeing all of it and improving budgets and ROI and all, all of the nitty gritty of the back end of everything. But it's just never been so rigid, I guess it's always been more fluid and I've always gone into it with the mentality of I don't want to do this on my own. I have always wanted to have a team that is growing with me. And so, you know, some of our designers say, like, I feel like I have a firm within the firm. Like, you know, some of the lead designers who are working on projects for years at a time and have such a great relationship with their clients, like. Like, they really feel that, you know, like, I truly, truly trust them. And of course, they know that I'm here for them. And so I think part of it is just as a leader, getting really confident in that you have the right people and that you have enough of a system created that there is structure and there's a balance there with giving people that autonomy to do their own thing in a way that works for them so that they can be successful.

[B]

How do you hire? Who are you looking for? What qualities are essential to succeed at your firm?

[A]

I think someone who is really warm and a good person is key for me. And I don't even need someone who has an aesthetic eye that is exactly like mine. I mean, quite the opposite might even be true. Like, I want someone who can come in and push the boundaries and help us attract different types of clients. I really want a good person. Like, I want you to be in this with me, and we are a family, and, you know, I. I want to love being around you, and I want you to love being around everyone around you. I mean, we are really in this together. So it's like we are a family. And that is super important to me. I really appreciate someone who has enough of a mix of business acumen and they understand the logistics of business, and they are creative enough that they're interested and passionate about design. Even our marketing team, who isn't in the nitty gritty of putting design plans together, they have a really beautiful eye. They can, you know, the output that we're producing is controlled through that department, and they have worked in other industries and on other businesses that they have a sense of how the marketing team needs to work with a finance team and with a new business team. So that crossover understanding is really important to me. But, I mean, at the core of it is like, I need to want to have a cocktail with you, because we're going to be doing a lot of that.

[B]

What are there questions you ask? Are there things that are immediate nos for you?

[A]

Red flags.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Yes. You know, we have those. Whenever we're on, Whenever we're on discovery, phone calls with potential new clients, we have those red flags where everyone's on G chat, like, oh, Gosh, there it is.

[B]

Yeah. Nope, nope, nope.

[A]

We can wrap it up. Yeah, like, no, we're all good here. And so in hiring, there are certainly some of those as well. For me not sending a thank you note, like, no thank you. Like, I really want a warm, kind person and I think that a thank you note is super important in the world of AI, which I could talk about all day too. Oh my gosh. If they send me an email and I can tell that it's ChatGPT or you know, it's AI generated, it's pulled keywords from our website. You blend vintage beautifully with the colors in this project. And for some reason AI always says that the same exact words. And I'm like, I can tell that you didn't write that. Like I want to know you, like maybe throw a little typo in there, like put an emoji in a random place. You know, like, I want to know that you're a real person and I really just want to know what you're like. And you know, whenever we're talking to potential new clients, if someone says, I worked with a designer before and it really didn't end well, like that's typically a red flag. So I, when we're interviewing, I don't really gravitate toward people who have had tumultuous experiences in a way where they are bashing other companies and other employers. And you know, I really, I really lean into a supportive culture and, and wanting people who are looking to move in their career for some meaningful reason in a way that can be done really eloquently because these people are going to be servicing our clients in a luxury service based industry. And so like I always go back to that is so important. And I want someone who can own their mistakes and be confident enough to say that they made a mistake, you know, and so just, it's really a mix of of course skills. And you know, if we're looking for a designer, we, we probably need them to know how to use SketchUp or CAD or Revit. And you know, there are certain things that we look for. We have them all do a project. Even on our marketing team, they do a project, they present it to us. So, you know, I want to hear how you're speaking to people and what it would be like to be with you and to really be in it with you and what that really looks and feels like. So, you know, it's, it's not just that, oh, it's just all about the vibes. Because of course there, there is structure that goes into it. And there are credentials certainly that need to be met in order for it to all work. But I really put a lot of weight on the fact that these people are going to be representing a design firm that has my name on it.

[B]

I want to talk a little bit about your marketing team. What is that? Especially as someone who comes from, you know, with an advertising background, why was it so important to you to have a marketing team pretty early? And what is their role as sort of a messaging department, as a generator of new business?

[A]

Yeah, so we have a marketing director, and then under her, she has a coordinator, and we also have an intern right now, so. And we're hiring on the marketing team for. For someone who does brand visuals and helps with all of the actual implementation of styling and photo shoots. So I was just with Renee Bush of Tandem speaking at the Haven conference in Sonoma, and she mentioned to me, after spending many days together, that she has learned in her career that there are CEOs of design firms who are true creatives, and they really want to be deeply integrated in the creative side of their business from start to finish. And it is harder for them to delegate certain things within the design team structure. And then there are design firm owners and CEOs who are equal parts creative minded and business minded, and they like playing in both lanes. And so I feel like I am very much of that mentality. Like, I love design, of course, and that's what started all of this. And I still oversee all of our design work. And I really love the marketing and advertising side of the business. I love engaging with people and telling the story of how we can help people love their homes. So I think about the marketing team, for me as like something else that I am just so passionate about. Just like design, it's something that I really want to be involved in. So when we hired, initially, the marketing director came on board with a marketing background, and together we were navigating, what does it look like to grow the marketing team? And, you know, how much can we be producing? How many photo shoots can we be handling in a year? How many award submissions can we be doing? How much crossover can there be with the publicist? How much bandwidth do we have to answer editorial requests or, you know, to do things like speak on a panel or, you know, navigating all of the publicity opportunities and photo shoots and Instagram and Pinterest, and we have a blog. And so all of this has evolved as the team has grown. And so now the marketing director oversees that entire department and she's still very involved with social media and the coordinator under her is handling more of the copywriting. She actually doubles as a photographer, which has been key, so.

[B]

Oh, that's incredible.

[A]

Yes. She's shooting a lot of our lifestyle content or smaller projects. She's writing our blog. She is, you know, handling so many other things that Blair, our marketing director, isn't able to focus on because it just gets really granular and it's so much work. But I have loved building that side of the business just as much as I've loved building the design side of it because so much of the passion for me comes from those install and photo shoot days, like I mentioned, like saving space space for me and my own personal bandwidth. To be in person with the team anytime we're doing an install or a photo shoot is so important because I want to be in it physically. And when we're doing that, we're typically planning on shooting those spaces and producing that output that we'll get to share with the world. So naturally that part of it is just so important to me because of course I want it to, to look and feel a certain way that is super elevated and representative of the, the experience and the service that we provide. And so, you know, when Renee said, you know, they're either creative or creative and business minded, I really think that I, I have really enjoyed doing both growing a design team and, and designing a business that I like being a part of in multiple ways.

[B]

Are you shooting every project or how are you deciding what work kind of

[A]

does get seen in the beginning? Yes, we shot every project and I think that was imperative so that we had enough content to share that wasn't just my own home. And now we are very selective about the projects that we shoot and oftentimes we will even just shoot smaller projects. Like I mentioned, our marketing coordinator who's doubling as a photographer, we will even just bring her in to capture one room in a project because maybe it's done before the rest of the house is, or maybe we're working in phases and it won't be know for the next few years until the rest of the home is completed. So now we are very strategic about what and when and why and how we're shooting everything. And it now all funnels back into an overarching marketing strategy and a marketing budget. And now we have really learned how much it takes to produce a photo shoot. So we, we style all of our own shoots. We have never outsourced styling, so we are pulling our team's internal bandwidth to execute these shoots. And, you know, it's also a balance of. Of the ROI of your firm and how much time and bandwidth it takes away from other things to execute styling and shooting, sometimes for an entire week.

[B]

Well, I was kind of imagining that. I'm like, okay, if there were 60 projects moving through, not that all 60 finish in a year, but yeah. And if a shoot takes, you know, two days, three days a week, like, you're pretty booked out with photo shoots if you were shooting everything.

[A]

Yes. Yeah, we actually implemented a rule last year that was that we would not do more than one photo shoot in a week. And now I'm laughing, thinking, like, oh, my gosh, like, I'm getting too old for this. Like, I turned 40 last year. I can't even be doing one photo shoot a month anymore. But, yeah, I think it's, you know, it's also about that balance and giving all of us on our team the. The mental capacity to still enjoy doing it and to still want to do it again. And, you know, so. So, yes, now it is definitely a more delicate balance. And we have so much material now. We have an entire. An entire garage full of styling materials that we pull from to style our own shoots. And, you know, what does sourcing that look like? Do we have what we need to properly style a photo shoot, to really give it the due diligence it deserves? And we're also starting to think about things in a way that's when we're shooting. What is the goal with this shoot? And, you know, Renee Bush of Tandem and I spoke at length about that too. Not just shooting just to shoot it, but really shooting through the lens of an end goal. And is that that a feature in ad? Is that updated headshots for your website so that you really look and feel more polished and more elevated? So just thinking through things more strategically has also helped us enjoy them more, if you will, because it's not such a churn. And it's, you know, it really becomes a lot more thoughtful.

[B]

This podcast is sponsored by Kohler. New technology can be intimidating to clients, and smart toilets are no exception. But the experts at Kohler have developed a product with intuitive and thoughtful design to improve and elevate the everyday experience in the bathroom. With touchscreen controls, customizable cleansing features, comfort and convenience, you can transform a bathroom and the everyday routines within it into some something extraordinary. Discover Kohler smart [e-mail]. Talk to me a little bit about having remote employees. Is that something you did from the get go or was that really just an evolution as people you hired locally relocated?

[A]

The full time employees who are remote are people who started in Austin and moved. And I, I was not willing to part ways with them. So we navigated how to get set up as an employer in Washington, Colorado, in Tennessee. And then there are. Our CFO is a fractional CFO and our publicist is not on payroll. So those two are remote, but they were relationships that I had before I started the business. My publicist is my sister in law and my CFO is my best friend from college. So those were no brainers. Like I just wanted to work with my people. And then the team members who have moved to other states were because they became my people and I didn't care where they went. I was going to keep them on the team no matter what. And now we have a structure set up where our lead designer in Nashville is working on all of our remote projects. So anything that's not in Austin. And so now if we're hiring, we know generally what the team's bandwidth looks like and geographically where that's landing so that we can hire appropriately and accordingly based on where they need to be sitting. Our COO is in Denver and she's the one managing the design team remotely from Denver, but she's in Austin often enough, I'd say most of the time. Now if we're hiring, I'm looking for someone in Austin and that's kind of selfishly because I'm also a people person and I want to be with my people.

[B]

Has that kind of that evolution where people did have to go remote because their lives changed or they moved away. How did that change the way the workplace felt or how have you had to adapt to some of that remote work?

[A]

It's really been different in that the remote team is full of team members who are more senior and so most of them are also managing people. So it was very complex because it was about managing their day to day and their actual work output and then becoming a remote manager for a team that's based in Austin. And so thankfully they started locally where they had the experience of being integrated with the local team and then left. So it, I don't know that retrospectively I would go back and like hire a remote COO who's in Denver or hire a, you know, a VP of operations in Bellingham, Washington. But I think because they started locally and then moved away, they had enough, enough of the business in them that they, they do it so well, so flawlessly from Afar that it has really not felt like a hiccup at all. And now our office, our headquarters here in Austin, is in a house. So we're in a residential property in South Austin. And we have two bedrooms that. That stay as guest rooms for our team, who is remote to come in and stay with us anytime. So that helps too. They can just come and be with us whenever, and it's much easier now.

[B]

Was that an intentional office move where you were like, oh, I want a place for people to come and visit?

[A]

No, it was actually a residential house that my husband and I owned, and we had renters in there and they moved out. And I thought rather than trying to find new renters, we could just not pay rent to this commercial space and call it a day. So it really wasn't anything that I had thought through until this past January when the renters moved out. And all of a sudden I was like, I don't want to find new renters. I just want to be my own renter. So now the business rents from the family, and we ended up in a house where the primary bedroom is the design studio and. And the living room and dining room is where all of our desks are at. And it has been so much fun in only a few short months because I've really tried to position it to our team as, this is our house. This is our creative playground. Let's try new things here together. Let's work with new vendors. I am not there right now today because we're having new windows put in. We're working with a new company. We just put intricate crown molding in the design studio because we wanted to see what the quality was like from a crown molding vendor. Working with rejuvenation to remodel the primary bathroom. We're working with really cool handmade tile vendors from all over the world for the Casita bathroom remodel. So it has been such a fun opportunity for all of us to take ownership in a collective space that it gets to be our creative playground. And like our R and D department, where we get to really learn.

[B]

Has it changed the client experience also? When they're coming in to see. To meet with you, is it a different kind of laboratory environment that they get to experience?

[A]

Oh, definitely. It a thousand percent feels more elevated and just more representative of us, you know, rather than going to a commercial location with concrete floors and, you know, we're not able to change the fluorescent overhead lighting. It's right. You're walking into. Into our home, and it looks and it smells like asd. And the whole experience is just so much more intimate in a way that. That I hadn't even thought about until it unfolded, much like growing the team. And now I'm like, oh, my gosh, this is. This is so lovely for all of us. So I feel so grateful that that has worked out.

[B]

That's amazing. What are some of those, like, next benchmarks for you or next big goals that you want to achieve?

[A]

This is the hardest question you've asked me. And we actually hired a consultant last year to help with this, because I never expected to be where we're at. Like, it's. You know, it's only been five years, and I feel so grateful. Like, pinch. You've done a lot in five years. I thank you. I cannot believe that, like, this is real life, you know, and so for me to think and this. And I want that, like, it feels. It just does not feel natural for me to think that way. And so having a consultant has been really helpful because I have learned that I want to be a leader on our team, and I want to make sure that I'm leading our leadership team in a way where they all feel fulfilled, because there's enough direction from a leader. So I really try hard to make sure that we are all on the same page with what our goals are. And so right now, the things that we're working on are really financially driven. So looking at our ROI and all of our margins and so our team's billable rate and our product margins on the procurement side of the business and really evolving and scaling there in a way that helps move the needle financially.

[B]

And that means. I mean, that. That means bringing everybody in, I would imagine, to kind of have some of those conversations.

[A]

Yes. And, you know, Renee from Tandem also told me that she was like, audrey, great. Here's where we're going. And we're going to sit everyone down. And next on Monday morning, you tell them we're doing this differently, and here's why, you know, and I am like, oh, my God, I would never talk to my team like that. Are you a consensus builder or. Yes. And so, yes, I want to do everything with my people. You know, like, I don't ever want to be like, the one, the end all making these decisions by myself. And so, you know, I try to really balance that, that North Star, that guiding light, really being that pillar of creative direction on our team with collaboration and making sure that everything really feels inclusive of every department and of every leader. And I also want to have everyone Else on the team that's not just on the leadership team feel that same way. So how do we make sure they feel like that too? You know, like a lot of times I'm like, oh, my gosh, wait, I just need to, like, go to breakfast with this person because I haven't talked. I haven't talked to them enough this month. So it's all a balance and it's all a growing process. But the financials are an easy goal. Like, that is black and white enough, and that is easy enough for everyone to buy into, and it benefits everyone, right? Like, you can tie it into salaries and bonuses and raises, and everyone's motivated that way. So that side of it feels really easy. The harder part for me is thinking, okay, the goal is, you know, a book deal or I. I just. I'm not a pie in the sky type of a person. Like, those things would be so great. But it's hard for me to think that way because I really feel so happy and so grateful with where we're at. So, you know, there it's. It's all a balance. And I do think that as I think about the leader of each department at asd, I do feel in my heart that they all know what the goal is. And I also really like for them to come to me with goals because like I mentioned earlier about them really having that autonomy to establish their own department, I want them to have goals for their team, and they do goal setting with everyone that they manage annually. And so, you know, there's also enough flexibility, just like there is with our clients and that hourly rate model, for them to come to me and to say, I want this to be my goal for the year, and I'm empowering my team to help me execute that in this way. And, you know, I. I love that collaborative thinking.

[B]

What part of running your firm has tested you the most as a leader and as an entrepreneur?

[A]

Well, thank goodness for my therapist. I feel like I have grown so much as a person because of this business in ways that I would have never otherwise experienced. And thankfully, I've had a therapist by my side the whole time who I talk to every Monday at 4pm and so she has really helped me to shift my mindset into, this is all happening and this is what it looks like. And a big part of that is when something goes wrong, when something isn't perfect, how do we deal with that? And when I think about my personal life and, you know, my husband and my kids and my relationships, I feel like I am such A different person now because I have really learned through my business how to navigate those things in a way that. That has made me much more poised and more accountable because I had to be. There was no other option. And just like we tell our clients, shit's gonna hit the fan, it's gonna get messy, and it's gonna get dirty. And guess what? If you're building any business, the same is true. It is not all sunshine and rainbows. Like, it is going to get hard. And like I tell my team all the time, what's important in that process is that we own up to the fact that we did something wrong or that maybe we don't have the answer. And I'm going to make it right, and I'm going to figure it out. And, you know, so. And I've learned this through having a business consultant, is that as you're. You're learning and you're growing and you're building a team. I've never done this before. I've never even worked in this industry before. Of course, there are going to be so many moments where I don't know what I'm doing. And guess what? I can tell my team that, like, I don't know how to answer that, and I'm dedicated to figuring it out. Or, oh, shoot, like, that was actually wrong. I mean, prime example, we have employees now across so many different states. Colorado, Washington, Tennessee, Texas, and all of the legal jargon that goes into creating a handbook for employees that spans five states. I mean, of course there's mistakes. Like, you know, like, taxes are different in Washington than Tennessee, and rollover time for vacation policies is different between Texas and Colorado. And so, like, of course there are mistakes. And whenever those have come up, it's about leading with grace and owning up to that. And I hope that in running and designing my business this way, the team is doing the same for our clients. Because I want our clients to be just as happy as our team is internally.

[B]

I love the way you've focused on really nurturing that luxury experience for your clients. Clients. Where are some of the most important moments that that shows up, you know, throughout the design process, working with you?

[A]

It's really done in little ways throughout the whole process. So from me emailing them initially and me being on that initial phone call, I really hope that that sets that tone of intimacy and thoughtfulness. And then the initial walkthrough, I am there as well. And so it's really that team mentality. And then moving. Moving through the process. We try to be one step ahead of them at all times. So that luxury, I think comes from us being forward thinking and never giving them a reason to question or to doubt anything, whether it is about the process, what's coming next, what to expect from a billing standpoint, anything. I want them to always be informed of what's going on because I think that even when you think about any luxury experience in your life, they look and feel and you move through them with this quiet confidence because you can just tell that you're in an environment that is so well thought out. And so that's really the goal, is that they really feel like they are taken care of. And so many of our clients have an incredible eye and they dress nice and they have beautiful homes and beautiful cars and they don't have the time to be sifting through hand stamped tile vendors from all over the globe. And they don't want to, you know, they, they are coming to us because they want us to do that for them. And so there are just little moments where we're always able to infuse something that's important to them in a way that feels really elevated. Not because they don't have the thought to do it, but rather because it's a luxury to not have to do it. So we'll go to Round Top and source vintage for our clients and we have established a process process for that that feels like a luxury experience for, you know, buying a special piece of artwork or buying an entire gallery wall full of artwork for them. So, you know, we'll work with them to get their proxy and their budget and then they are so excited to have something that's really different and then they didn't have to go dig through the fields and Round Top to find it, you know, So I think it's all about finding those moments where you can really cater to things that are important to them and make it feel really special. And all the way through the finishing touches of styling their home, making sure that we've taught them to save enough budget so that they can really style at the end. Like how much does it cost to pay for all of these books on this bookshelf? Like if we didn't guide them through that process early on, that doesn't really feel like a luxury. Like I want you to tell me from the beginning how much it's going to cost to style my living room just like the one that's on your website, right? And it's like it's a luxury that, that, that I have to, I have to teach them And I have to guide them through that process. And of course, we're the ones bringing it all to life aesthetically. But it's a luxury to know that at the end you're not gonna get to, you know, the finish line and then be like, oh, shit, I don't have enough budget for styling. And now I can't afford to do that.

[B]

Right. Also, those books cost a lot when you add.

[A]

Oh, my gosh. And just the number of books that it takes to style and make any vignette feel complete is crazy.

[B]

Wait, I wanna go back for one second. What is the secret to those, those rapid fire round top approvals? What's that process that you've developed there?

[A]

Oh, talk about a learning curve. That has been so hard. And at Haven, so, so many of the designers ask the same thing because it's like sending.

[B]

You're kind of like in a field sending a picture, being like, yes, yes, yes.

[A]

I mean, we tried that for years. Like, okay, you have to be available on your phone. I'm in a. Opening day of Marburger is at 9am on this day, we have to move really quick, so you have to be on your phone. If you don't text me back within 10 minutes, then this. And now it's very different. Now we have a contract outlined and we have their proxy and their budget so they know that we're aligned enough. So we are purchasing on their behalf and we have pre approved budgets and we've outlined everything very clearly. So for example, we were just in round top purchasing case goods for a client and a table, some lighting and a gallery wall. And we didn't send any of it to them. We purchased all of it. And when we got back, we sent them an email and said, here's everything that we got. Here's where the budget landed. We'll be sending the final invoice. They're paying for our time and they're paying for the materials. So the contract is a complex mix of giving us the authority to make decisions on their behalf because we are so, so tightly aligned on the vision and the aesthetic and all of the specs. Right. Like, of course, we're, you know, we're coming back with artwork that's going to fit, we're coming back with, with sconces that are going to work, or we have figured out a way to repair the wiring so that they are going to illuminate your pantry, whatever it may be. Right. Like, we are figuring it all out. Because with vintage there is, there's just so much that goes into it. So that has been a whole learning process, but one that has been so much fun and you know, just like being local in forehand in Austin and having access to forehands, I feel so grateful that we have Roundtop right here. And so of course I want to find a way to leverage that and work it into our business model. And it's been really cool to navigate that.

[B]

I wanted to make sure before I let you go that I ask you a little about AI. You referenced it earlier and I'm sort of dying to know how you've started to fold AI into your business.

[A]

So so far we have used it for more strategic backend. Like a lot of marketing, we do so much data analysis, like I mentioned earlier, that it's really easy for me to plug data in and to have it help us tell the story of all of the numbers and the data. So it has been really great in that regard. And aside from that, I mean, of course you can use it to do quick visualizations if a client needs to quickly visualize what, you know, a backsplash would look like if it were a stone versus a tile. But it's not going to be right and it's not going to be perfect and it's just like very basic visualizations of things. Our team is highly proficient in SketchUp and CAD and Revit, so we are doing much more complex modeling certainly. But to use it as a quick gut check, even for me, like personally, I always have to have a creative project that I'm doing at my own home. As the business has grown and I've gotten further removed from being in the project management of all of our projects, I have really found that in order for me to feel creatively fulfilled, I need to have projects going on in my own residence. So I will use it personally just to help me, to help me gut check, like do I want to paint the ceiling in here or not? Or do you know any of that little stuff? It can be a great tool for. But where I use it the most, it is a lot about storytelling and how to tell the story of certain things based on the data that we have. So, you know, we have historical data from internally from our team working on things or I know the historical, all of the messaging that goes into bringing this project to life. So what does the storytelling opportunity look like there? And our clients are often very comfortable playing with certain colors because we are used to seeing those colors when we're inside. So if you think about being inside of a structure and you look out the window, you see blue in the sky. You see green and foliage, you see brown on the bark of a tree or on wood somewhere outside. So most people are really comfortable playing with blues, greens, and browns. And one of the ways that a space will feel really elevated and really well designed is by incorporating hues that we are not comfortable with. So part of that notion earlier about pushing our clients, a lot of times, if you look through your personal Pinterest or saved Instagram posts and things that are inspiring you, I bet you will find that there are touches of reds and purple in there. It is not just blue and green and brown. If someone's like, I hate red and purple, and then it's my job to tell them this whole story in a way that makes them feel like, yes, yes, I will pay you to incorporate red into my kitchen. You know, like,

[B]

what does success look like for you today?

[A]

I am defining success so differently now. So I used to think success looked like a lot more external for me. So it was all about growth and recognition and really beautiful projects and publications and numbers. And of course, all of those things are so, still so meaningful. But my definition has definitely changed a lot. Today, success feels a lot more like that alignment that I've been speaking to. So building a business that is equal parts creatively fulfilling and it's financially healthy and it's really supportive of our team and our culture, and it still allows me at the end of the day to be really present in my own personal life and for our team to have that too. So I want to create beautiful work, of course. And I also really want to build something sustainable and lasting. So, honestly, one of the biggest markers of success for me now is whether the business still feels good while we're growing it.

[B]

Is that something you're checking in with yourself on frequently and saying, oop, like, we move too far in one direction or the other?

[A]

I think, like every second of every day. Yes, yes. And I mean, thank goodness for my therapist again, because she has really helped me be able to. To notice when I'm having those feelings. And I tend to be a pretty even keeled person that doesn't fluctuate too much. So when something does make me feel really energized or really passionate, I know that that's something that I really want to stay dialed into. And alternatively, if something is making me feel really uncomfortable and like, I want to run in the other direction, I know that's where I have an opportunity to learn and grow.

[B]

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 me@trade talesusofhome.com 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.