504 - OPPORTUNITY THINKING SERIES with Hope Arbery

Whitney Kaufman is the owner of Whitney Kaufman Designs in Grand Rapids, MI.  Whitney is a busy wife and mother of four teenagers. As a teacher turned stay-at-home-mom she began sewing shortly after her oldest daughter was born, and for years she enjoyed sewing Halloween costumes for her brood. Over the years she tried her hand at making both Roman shades and quilts. At the suggestion of some friends, she began looking into ways to turn her passion for sewing and decorating into a career. In December 2020 she opened Whitney Kaufman Designs. Whitney quickly jumped on the opportunity to join the 2021 WAM group and credits the group with helping her to build her business.   Links and Resources; Sailrite The Workroom Channel Elki's class Rowley EZ rig system Laurie Gutberlet's podcast The Funky Little Chair Boxed Cushion Course Workroom Tech Sewing Custom Curtains, Shades, and Top Treatments: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Making and Installing Window Decor by Susan Woodcock The Slipcover Maker Business Guide WAVE app Susan Woodcock and Rodger Walker's Worktable DöFix iron   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

Hollie Rich is the president and founder of Stuck on Hue, a concierge service for people decorating without the help of a professional interior designer. Hollie believes good design is for everyone, so her mission is to break down barriers design enthusiasts face when decorating on their own. She provides expert guidance, and helps them procure to-the-trade products that will make their homes feel special.   Hollie is on Instagram and Facebook   Resources and Links;   Workroom Tech   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

With over two decades of experience as a workroom owner, Hope Arbery understands the reality of running a custom workroom - the long hours, the pricing uncertainty, and the pressure to get everything right. She founded QUIPA, a software built for workrooms that streamlines and automates quoting, work orders, and project management all in one place so workroom owners can stop carrying around details in their heads, and finally work with clarity instead of chaos. Hope's focus is equipping workrooms to not just survive, but thrive in today's modern business world with confidence, professionalism, and profit. QUIPA, a long awaited solution, will elevate workrooms to the next level. Coupon code for $200 off onboarding - Sewmuch Quipa is on Instagram, Facebook and TikTok Links and Resources;   Unmistakable Hospitality by Will Guidara Story Board by Donald Miller The Redemptive Business: A Playbook for Leaders by Praxis Labs

Ann Mautz is the owner of Madison Avenue Designs and lives in Chillicothe, Ohio, approximately 45 miles south of Columbus. She has been in business since 1984 and holds an Associate degree in Interior Design. Ann has built her career working primarily from her home, offering retail services that include hard goods, custom window treatments, and bedding. In 1994, she expanded her business to include upholstery, and today her workroom is located in a dedicated space attached to her garage. Her business is predominantly retail-focused, and she specializes in in-home consultations, allowing her to work closely with clients throughout the design and fabrication process. Ann was married to her husband Larry for 44 years until his passing in 2018. She has one son, Tom, who is married to Jessica, and two grandsons, Luke and Landon.   Ann is on Instagram and Facebook   Links and Resources; The Professional Workoom Handbook of Swags, Vol I and II by Ann Johnson The Custom Workoom Conference LuAnn Nigara Michele Williams - Scarlet Thread Consulting   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

Will Hanke has two passions: supporting our US veterans and helping window treatment and awning businesses tell their story online – providing them with increased exposure, more customers, and higher revenues. For over twenty-seven years he has helped mom & pops, startups, and multi-million dollar companies with their digital marketing strategies. Will hosts monthly online training events and has spoken at conferences across the US on a wide variety of topics from analytics to lead generation through his company, Window Treatment Marketing Pros. Will teaches and helps these business owners learn more about SEO and make better decisions with their marketing dollars. He hosts Marketing Panes, a podcast dedicated to window treatment and awning business marketing. He also has a free private Facebook group called Window Treatment & Awning Marketing Secrets. He is an avid business & marketing blogger and has published several industry books including Triple Your Window Treatment and Awning Leads and 10 Quick Wins: Winning Fast Online for Window Treatment Companies. Links https://wtmarketingpros.com https://www.youtube.com/@wtmarketingpros https://wtmarketingpros.com/podcast/ Contact Information Email: [email protected] Business Address: 152 Hinrichs Lane, Arnold MO 63010   Links and Resources; Can't Hurt Me by David Goggins Never Split the Difference: Negotiating As If Your Life Depended On by Chris Voss Traction by Gino Wickman Blue Ocean Strategy: How to Create Uncontested Market Space and Make the Competition Irrelevant by W. Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne    The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

  Riana LeJeune is an award-winning upholsterer, entrepreneur, and founder of Repinned Luxury Upholstery, a nationally recognized workroom known for preserving craftsmanship while pushing the industry forward. With over a decade in the skilled trades, Riana has built one of the country's first registered upholstery apprenticeship programs and is passionate about elevating artisan work through education, sustainability, and fair pricing. She's also the founder of Renewabl, a tech platform helping furniture professionals visualize design, close sales with confidence, and build more profitable businesses. Riana is a fierce advocate for neuro-inclusivity, skilled trades, women-led businesses, and proving that craftsmanship and innovation can—and should—grow together. Repinned is on Instagram and Facebook Renwabl is on Instagram and Facebook Links and Resources;   US Department of Labor 

Thank you so much for being on this journey with me!   Links and Resources; Episode 113 - Opportunity Thinking Series with Jeanelle Dech - Feedback, Failure, Bankruptcy and Girl Scout Cookies    

What a fun podcast this was to record! Thanks to the Jersey Girls for taking time to chat with me!   Irene Hurley Designs Instagram: @irenehurleydesigns Interior Couture for Cottage and Castle Irene Hurley Designs is a boutique design and sewing studio offering custom window coverings, interior accessories, and artisan quilts.   Sue Berry - Designer and fabricator in business for 13 years Sew Stylish Designs Llc www.sewstylish.org   Diana Nolan Diana Nolan Custom windows LLC Instagram  @dianadnolan Diana is a drapery workroom both retail and to the trade for 25 years in southern New Jersey.   Suzy Daruwala Sew Bella Home www.sewbellahome.com The skilled hands at Sew Bella Home create beautiful, fine window coverings, pillows, custom bedding and accessories using couture methods while keeping your specific requests in mind. Our designs are all about you and the feeling you want your home to evoke.     Kelley Garfield, Owner Kelley's Custom Home Interior's LLC Website:  http://www.kelleyscustomhomeinteriors.com Instagram: @kelleyscustomhomeinteriors Over 20 years in the window treatments and soft furnishings business, adding the "jewelry" as I like to call it, to your spaces one stitch at a time!   Robin Matthews Seams Sew Right - soft furnishings workroom since 1999/2000.  Mostly to the trade Website: seamssewright.com FB: Seams Sew Right Insta: @seamssewright   Kate Winton Kate Winton Designs Designing and fabricating visual delights [email protected] https://www.instagram.com/katewintondesigns/   Cathy Cohane Curtain Cathy is a custom window treatment design, fabrication and installation company, in business over 25 years.  We love making houses homes. Find us @Curtain Cathy on Instagram   Rosemarie Garner, owner of R Garner Custom Designs in Northern NJ, a To The Trade custom workroom, specializing in detailed custom fabrication of Roman shades, draperies and all soft treatments.   The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech    

    Links and Resources; Link to Daniel Pink's Video The Twelve Year by Brian Moran and Michael Lennington   (Some of the links I provide, specifically to Amazon and a few others, require me to let you know that if you use those links and make a purchase, I will make some money.  I won't make a million dollars, but I might be able to get a cup of coffee, so thank you!)   If the Sew Much More Podcast has played a role in your journey in any way, I hope you'll consider participating. Here are the three questions: What changed for you after listening to, or being on, the Sew Much More Podcast? That change might have been practical—or it might have been internal. Second: What challenge were you facing at the time, and where are you now? That challenge might still be ongoing, or it might be something you've moved through. And third: What one idea or moment stayed with you longer than you expected? Sometimes it's the smallest insight or someone says things a certain way that makes the biggest difference.   The best way to share your story is by leaving a voicemail using SpeakPipe.   Here is the link to SpeakPipe   A few tips so your message sounds great: Please use your phone, not your computer. Phones tend to produce much better audio quality. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. If you're unsure, err on the shorter side. At the beginning of your message, please share your first name and, if you're comfortable, your location. If you would prefer not to leave a voicemail, please send me an email to [email protected].  

  If the Sew Much More Podcast has played a role in your journey in any way, I hope you'll consider participating. Here are the three questions: What changed for you after listening to, or being on, the Sew Much More Podcast? That change might have been practical—or it might have been internal. Second: What challenge were you facing at the time, and where are you now? That challenge might still be ongoing, or it might be something you've moved through. And third: What one idea or moment stayed with you longer than you expected? Sometimes it's the smallest insight or someone says things a certain way that makes the biggest difference.   The best way to share your story is by leaving a voicemail using SpeakPipe.   Here is the link to SpeakPipe   A few tips so your message sounds great: Please use your phone, not your computer. Phones tend to produce much better audio quality. Find a quiet space where you won't be interrupted. Aim for 60 to 90 seconds. If you're unsure, err on the shorter side. At the beginning of your message, please share your first name and, if you're comfortable, your location. If you would prefer not to leave a voicemail, please send me an email to [email protected].   Kelly and Lee Nanney are a dream team when it comes to fulfilling customers' window-covering needs. Creating custom-designed draperies to compliment the look and feel of each individual home, Kelly and Lee find joy in providing clients with high-quality and timeless curtains, shades, valances and more. With each project, Kelly and Lee pay great attention to all the small details and maintain the highest standards for the outcome of every piece. Kelly's Designer Drapes provides fabric selections, in-home consultations, measuring and installation for your convenience. Window treatments are a necessity for any home, but Kelly's Designer Drapes turns these functional pieces into works of art that complement the furnishings in your home.   Instagram Facebook    The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;     Klimaka Studios   The Workroom Channel   Scarlet Thread Consulting   The WCAA   The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library   National Upholstery Association   Workroom Tech