Trade Tales

James Dolenc and Tom Riker, the co-founders of Chicago-based firm James Thomas, are rounding out their firm’s 23rd year in business. That longevity, they say, is all thanks to their team—a group that’s invested in the firm’s long-term success, and supported by initiatives designed to boost work-life balance and pave the way for advancement within the firm. In the episode, they share their secrets to long-term employee retention, the benefits of a four-day workweek and why collaboration and separation play equal roles in their partnership.This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center. LINKSJames ThomasKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Sarah Goesling answers a question from a young designer who is curious about what it takes to generate new business. Goesling, whose firm Goesling Group is based in Chicago, offers advice on cultivating a diversified approach to lead generation, the right language to use when networking and the hidden value in maintaining transparency and building connections with industry partners. This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.LINKSSarah GoeslingKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Laura Lubin’s firm has grown to encompass construction services and a retail operation, on top of her interior design offerings. She credits much of that success to her ability to sell a vision to clients—to cut through the noise, understand the transformation they’re looking for, and then explain exactly what her firm is capable of and how she’s going to deliver it. In this episode, she shares how hiring a director of design transformed her firm, why she launched a construction arm to deliver a luxury service and how sales can be a tool to teach clients to have confidence in the design process. This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Vanguard. LINKSLaura LubinKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Zuni Madera answers a question from a designer who is looking for a road map to understanding the art sourcing process. Madera, a partner at New York–based firm MC Interiors, offers advice on setting a room-by-room budget from a project’s outset, where a consultant can help with price education, and how to gauge a client’s desire for art discovery.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.LINKSZuni MaderaKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Hattie Sparks Collins found herself in a situation every new business owner dreams of: a period of rapid growth almost immediately after launching her firm. As she scaled up, however, she felt herself losing control of the firm’s processes—and even worse, her project standards. She decided it was time to strip back to the basics, rebuilding with a focus on sustainable growth. What emerged was a firm that not only had real staying power, but reflected her vision for what a creative business should be.. In this episode, she shares the value in hiring for help with procurement, the systems’ approach that accelerated her firm’s growth, and raising her project standards to invest in her firm’s future. This episode was sponsored by Vanguard Furniture and Dallas Market Center.LINKSHattie Sparks CollinsKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

In a live edition of the show—recorded at the Four Hands flagship in Austin, Texas—designers Evan Millard, Melissa Oholendt and Audrey Scheck share advice on attracting more qualified leads, investing in photography, understanding profit margins and more. At the end, they fielded live questions from the audience on topics ranging from color trends to tech stacks.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.LINKSEvan MillardMelissa OholendtAudrey ScheckKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Jay Jeffers has never been afraid of chasing his creative ambitions, venturing into retail and hospitality and embracing the risks that come with it. More than two decades into his firm, he’s reflecting on what it takes to build a business that can weather growth spurts and the slower periods that inevitably follow. In this episode, he shares how he’s protecting his firm from pipeline volatility, the value in creating a workplace that attracts senior talent, and what he learned from the process of opening his own hotel. This episode was sponsored by High Point Market and Minted.LINKSJay JeffersKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Dan Rak, whose eponymous firm has offices in Chicago and Southwest Florida, answers a question from a designer who is ready to revamp her firm’s finances. Rak offers advice on why the right sourcing strategy is crucial to improving profit margins, levelling up through a designer-friendly accounting software, and the importance of regularly examining your firm’s cost structure.  This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.LINKSDan RakKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

Ali Faulkner’s first career in high-end hospitality has played a crucial role in shaping the firm she leads today—one in which everything from her firm’s back-end operations, to hiring and onboarding are crafted around delivering an ideal client experience. In this episode, she shares how outsourcing social media caused her inbound leads to multiply, how working with a sales coach transformed her calls with prospective clients, and how she’s building a work environment that allows employees to create accountability for themselves. This episode was sponsored by High Point Market and Minted.LINKSAli FaulknerKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

In this episode, interior designer Shaun Crha of Long Beach, California–based firm Wrenstead Interiors answers a question from a designer whose clients want to know exactly what she’s paying for product. Crha jumps in with advice on using a budgeting guide to prepare clients for prospective room costs, an alternative approach to fully itemized pricing, and why some information always remains internal to his firm.  This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. LINKSWrensted InteriorKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home