The Staging Insider

Alisa Sparks knew her numbers. But after charging $800 for her first staging job, the former finance professional drove home, did the math, and realized she had made less than minimum wage. In Episode 13 of The Staging Insider™, Felicia Pulley sits down with the founder of Linden Creek to talk about the decisions behind building a staging business that could grow beyond her. Alisa shares why she hired her first employee within four months, how becoming a single mom pushed her to delegate, and why saying no to certain services helped her build a more profitable business. She also walks through how her team qualifies leads, communicates value, and follows up on proposals. From early pricing mistakes to a franchise with 20 locations at the time of recording, this conversation gets into what growth actually requires: knowing your costs, trusting your team, building relationships, and being willing to change what’s no longer working. If you’re figuring out when to hire, what to charge, or how to stop being the person who does everything, there’s plenty here to take back to your own business.

Starting over takes courage. Staying in business takes continued learning, difficult decisions, and people who understand what you’re building.In Episode 12 of The Staging Insider™, Red Barrinuevo joins host Felicia Pulley for an honest conversation about moving to Canada, leaving a banking career, and finding his way into home staging.Red built his business Red Barrinuevo Home after work and on lunch breaks, with his first staging project coming through a referral from another Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA®) member. He shares how connecting with experienced stagers helped him feel less alone and why that support eventually inspired him to serve on RESA’s National Board of Directors.The conversation follows the realities of growing a creative business: underpricing early projects, learning that busy doesn’t always mean profitable, building a team, and making difficult changes during Toronto’s real estate slowdown. Red also shares how builder relationships, interior decorating, television opportunities, and new creative projects have shaped his career.In this episode:• Starting a home staging business while working full time• Finding his first project through a RESA member referral• Moving from seeing other stagers as competition to building community• Giving back through RESA’s National Board of Directors• Understanding profitability, pricing, and client boundaries• Creating systems and learning from his team• Adapting his services during a market slowdown• Expanding into television, art, and vintage furniture restorationWhether you’re just getting started or rethinking the business you’ve spent years building, Red’s story is a reminder that you can keep evolving and you don’t have to figure everything out alone.Subscribe to The Staging Insider™ for more conversations about the people behind the staged homes. Has a connection with another stager made a difference in your career? Share your story in the comments.Explore RESA’s community, education, and resources at https://www.realestatestagingassociation.comConnect with Red Barrinuevo Home: https://redbarrinuevo.com/

Tammy Cunningham has spent nearly two decades building her staging business from the ground up. What started in a garage with borrowed household items has grown into an award-winning luxury staging company serving high-end clients in Kelowna, British Columbia. In this episode of The Staging Insider, Tammy shares the real story behind her growth, including the mistakes that shaped her business, the risks she took when expanding into warehouse space, and the lessons she learned about hiring, pricing, and staying profitable. If you've ever wondered what it truly takes to build a staging business that lasts, this conversation offers honest insight into the long game of growth. Tammy is also a long-time member of the Real Estate Staging Association® and has attended RESACON for more than a decade, continuing to invest in her learning and industry relationships along the way

In this episode of The Staging Insider, Felicia sits down with Sarah Lewis, a Colorado-based home staging business owner, for an honest conversation about building and running a staging company. Sarah shares her journey from growing up in Southern California to establishing her career in Colorado and building a staging business that has evolved through multiple stages of growth. The conversation dives into the realities of running a staging company, including the financial side that many creatives avoid. Sarah explains how learning to understand her numbers, working through multiple bookkeepers, and becoming more confident in her financial reporting completely changed how she makes business decisions. Felicia and Sarah also talk about the operational side of staging, including inventory, warehouse logistics, occupied versus vacant staging, and the challenges that come with scaling a staging business. If you are a stager trying to grow, streamline operations, or simply understand the business side of staging more clearly, this episode offers practical insights from someone who has worked through those challenges firsthand. In this episode, you will learn: - How staging businesses evolve as they grow - Why understanding your financials can transform your decision making - The differences between occupied staging and inventory-based staging - Lessons learned from building inventory and managing warehouse logistics - What staging business owners should focus on as they mature in the industry The Staging Insider is produced by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) to highlight the real stories, systems, and strategies behind successful staging businesses. Subscribe for more conversations with the professionals shaping the staging industry.

If you are building a home staging business, struggling with pricing your staging services, or wondering how to move from “doing it all yourself” to leading a real company, this episode is for you. In this conversation, host Felicia Pulley talks with Kishah Langham, RESA Texas State President and 2025 RESA Approved Instructor of the Year for Staging to Sell, What Every Agent Should Know. Kishah breaks down exactly how she built and scaled her staging company, how teaching agents has grown her business, and why understanding the business side of staging is non negotiable. You will hear how she went from: Real estate agent and bed and breakfast owner To interior styling and design To running a fast growing vacant staging business with warehouse space, staff, and multistate projects Kishah shares clear insight on stager training, mentorship, pricing, storage, inventory management, and warehouse decisions, along with her perspective on virtual staging and AI tools for consultations and reports. Key topics in this episode include: Why staging education for real estate agents grows your client base How to fill your Staging to Sell, What Every Agent Should Know CE classes Turning CE students into ongoing staging and consultation clients Structuring your services: consultations, occupied staging, vacant staging, and design Moving from garage storage and units to shared space and a dedicated warehouse Working with movers as your staging assistants Shifting to Zoom consultations and using AI to streamline reports How to price your staging work for profit instead of copying competitors The real cost of inventory, racks, warehouse overhead, and taxes Why mentorship, RESA® chapters, and community matter for long term success Kishah’s advice is direct and practical for anyone serious about running a profitable home staging business. As she says, “If you don’t know how to run a business, you’re not going to be here long.” If you are a: New home stager looking for guidance on pricing and setup Established staging company owner ready to scale with a warehouse and a team Real estate agent who wants to understand professional staging better Stager interested in RESA, leadership, or becoming an approved instructor you will take away concrete ideas you can apply to your own business. Subscribe for more conversations on staging systems, business models, pricing, leadership, and RESA® education and resources.

In this episode, Felicia Pulley sits down with Grant Findlay-Shirras to unpack what it really looks like to purchase an existing staging company, identify the operational gaps, and rebuild the business for growth. Grant shares why staging was the first industry that aligned both his business background and his wife Amanda’s design expertise, and how they approached due diligence, staffing, profitability, and marketing in their first year as owners of DEKORA Staging. This conversation is a practical roadmap for anyone considering buying a staging business, restructuring their current operation, or preparing for future sale. Grant offers candid insights on team management, warehouse systems, staying top-of-mind with agents, and the role community plays in shortening the learning curve for new owners. Whether you’re in your first year or your fifteenth, this episode brings clarity, perspective, and actionable takeaways you can apply immediately. Learn more about Grant and The Staging Insider Podcast: https://thestaginginsider.com/episode-8-grant-findlay-shirras-owner-of-dekora/

In this episode of The Staging Insider, Felicia Pulley sits down with Ohio stager and RESA Approved Instructor Addie Ashworth, founder of Ashworth Home. Addie shares how she entered the staging industry after being furloughed, how her background in real estate and professional training shaped the way she works, and what she wishes she had known when she first started.Addie talks openly about the early pricing mistakes that cost her money, the process of learning to communicate her value, and how she built sustainable systems as her business grew. She explains what she looks for when hiring, how she trains team members who do not have formal design experience, and how she transitioned from storage units to managing a warehouse. Her insights offer a clear picture of what practical, steady business growth looks like for most stagers in today’s market.Felicia and Addie also discuss the importance of belonging to your trade association, why RESA resources shorten the learning curve, and how national staging statistics help stagers better understand their market and guide business decisions.This episode is ideal for new and growing stagers, solo stagers preparing to hire, and anyone looking to strengthen the structure and confidence behind their staging business.Resources MentionedAshworth Home https://www.ashworthhomeco.com17hats (RESA Members Save) https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/content.aspx?page_id=22&club_id=304550&module_id=229337Staging Insider Episode with Ashley Provost https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hx3wFl-hI&t=32sRESA National Statistics and Tracker https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/statistics

From Emmy-winning reporter to design industry icon, Cathy Hobbs brings her full story to The Staging Insider Podcast. In this can't-miss episode, host Felicia Pulley sits down with Cathy to talk about her brand-new book Home Design Recipes, her journey from the newsroom to the staging world, and the lessons she's learned while building one of NYC’s most respected design and staging businesses. This conversation is packed with gold for home stagers: ✅ How Cathy turned a side hustle into a full-fledged business ✅ Why she believes every stager is a salesperson (even if they don't want to admit it) ✅ The power of goal-setting and what it looks like at every stage of business ✅ How to network smarter at events like RESACON ✅ The real ROI of investing in your education and connections ✅ Why she still uses free tools like SCORE and public libraries Whether you're just getting started or managing a growing team, you'll walk away inspired and equipped with practical strategies for scaling and staying relevant in a fast-changing industry. Want to meet Cathy in person? Catch her live at RESACON this July: https://2025.resaconvention.com/interior-design-principles-home-staging/

In this episode of The Staging Insider, RESA® Creative Director Felicia Pulley sits down with Susie Passons, founder of SP Design in Minnesota, to talk about the real side of growing a staging business the right way.Susie shares how she navigated a surprise audit, transitioned from 1099 contractors to W-2 employees, and why having systems like payroll and bookkeeping in place protected her business. She also opens up about pricing mistakes, building her team, avoiding burnout, and what she’s learned from years of growing in the staging industry.Whether you're a new stager or a seasoned pro, this episode delivers valuable insights about running a legit, lasting business.⏱️ Key Moments: 00:00 – Intro & Susie’s background 04:26 – Corporate layoff to full-time staging 07:55 – Building agent relationships 10:12 – Pricing challenges 13:45 – Gaining pricing confidence 17:03 – Profiting in occupied staging 21:17 – What agents love about her services 26:30 – No warehouse? No problem 30:15 – Advice for stuck stagers 35:10 – RESA reflectionsLinks Mentioned:Follow SP Design: https://www.instagram.com/spdesignmn/" target="_blank">@spdesignmnFind a RESA® Chapter: https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/content.aspx?page_id=225&club_id=304550" target="_blank">Click hereLearn about RESACON®: https://resaconvention.com/" target="_blank">resaconvention.comDisclaimer: This podcast reflects the experiences of one staging business. Always consult a qualified tax or legal professional for advice specific to your business.RESA® is the trade association for professional home stagers. Learn more at https://www.RealEstateStagingAssociation.com" target="_blank">RealEstateStagingAssociation.com.

What does it really take to run a successful home staging business? Ashley Provost, founder of an award-winning SF Bay Area staging company, shares her journey, struggles, and lessons learned—from imposter syndrome to managing cash flow and winning a RESA® award. Key Takeaways: - How winning a RESA® award impacted Ashley’s business - Overcoming imposter syndrome and finding support - Why analytics and math matter in staging - Handling cash flow challenges and seasonal slowdowns - Building a brand, leading a team, and evolving a business Final Takeaways Ashley’s biggest advice: Find your community, keep learning, and know your numbers. "Find your people. Learn from them. And don’t be afraid to change what’s not working." Links & Resources: 📌 RESA®: [">https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/](https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/) 📌 The Staging Insider: [">https://thestaginginsider.com/](https://thestaginginsider.com/) 📌 Follow Ashley: [">https://www.instagram.com/ashleyprovostdesign](https://www.instagram.com/ashleyprovostdesign) 📌 Join the Staging Community: [">https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/join](https://www.realestatestagingassociation.com/join)