How did you decide to begin the podcast?
I have been listening to podcasts since 2005, so in the summer of 2015 I just knew it was something I had to do. The next step was figuring out what to podcast about. Once I settled on my concept, I got everything in motion and we launched in February of 2016.
What sets your podcast apart from others?
In the words of my listeners: “LuAnn asks the question that is going through my mind.” I am very curious and I am very specific. To just tell me you do something and have had success with it isn’t enough; I want to know how you did it, what steps you took and what advice do you have for others who aspire to emulate your success. We don’t gloss over things here; we get into it.
What is some great advice you’ve heard from guests on the podcast?
Fred Berns, an interior design business coach, talked with us about the importance of discovering what your “you” is, the thing that sets you apart from others. He’s taken it further and taught us how to write a bio and an ‘About Me’ page highlighting your strengths and the reasons you are different.
Krista Coupar is another consultant who has talked with us about starting with what your financial and life balance goals are for the end of the year and how to work backward from this to determine how many hours you need to work each week and how many projects you need to manage during the year. It is a very illuminating exercise, and one that is well worth doing, for every business owner.
What is your goal with this project? What do you hope to accomplish through your interviews for listeners?
I tell my listeners all the time, I hope they learn one new thing every show, that they have an ‘aha moment’ and that they hear something that will help them be better business owners. Sometimes you need to hear the same message many times and then all of a sudden something unlocks and you get a moment of clarity. I love that.
What is the best story you’ve been told on the podcast?
Ooh, that’s a tough one…and kind of not fair, like naming your favorite kid…but a few do stand out. Darci Hether is a listener who had a 10-year-old design firm here in NYC and after months of listening to the podcast wrote to me thanking me and sharing with me a list of every positive change she made in her business as a direct result of the advice she heard on the show. She outlined the things she did and the results she earned. Naturally I invited her on the show to share her experience with our colleagues and to illustrate that if you take action, you can improve your business and you can be more profitable.
What’s next for you? Where should we expect to see you in the near future?
I moderated a panel on Technology in Design at AmericasMart in Atlanta this past September and I will be speaking at the IWCE (International Window Coverings Expo) again in March 2018 in Tampa. And I am very much looking forward to more collaborations with the team at Kravet. Meeting and working with the teams of my sponsors, and talking with the listeners is just over the top!