Designed by Wingnut Social | Interior Design Business

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

The Value of Magazine Features for Designers in the Digital Age

13 november 2024 | 39 min

Get Your Time Back with Pre-Recorded Video Consultations

6 november 2024 | 41 min

Secrets to a Hiccup-Free Install Day

30 oktober 2024 | 34 min

How to Rebuild After a Business Partner Break Up

23 oktober 2024 | 27 min

What They Don’t Teach You in Interior Design School [REPLAY]

16 oktober 2024 | 39 min

Flat Fee vs. Hourly: How to Price Your Interior Design Services [REPLAY]

9 oktober 2024 | 41 min

Self-Care Strategies for High Achievers

2 oktober 2024 | 39 min

Transparency With Your Clients: How Much Is Too Much?

25 september 2024 | 53 min

In this engaging conversation, Darla and Cheryl Clendenon explore the intricacies of running an interior design business, focusing on the importance of transparency in pricing, the value of client relationships, and the need for effective business management. They discuss the challenges designers face in pricing strategies, the significance of educating clients, and the impact of trust on business success. Cheryl shares her insights on leveraging trade programs and the psychology behind pricing, emphasizing the need for designers to position themselves effectively in the market. The conversation highlights the importance of building a sustainable business model while maintaining strong client connections.

A well known designer & writer in the industry & the 2021 Person of the Year from KBB. In Detail Interiors, employs 8 people, has a retail boutique showroom, e-commerce, Candle Studio and Cheryl has been working with Designers and Architects on changing up their business strategy since 2017. Cheryl's approach is from a creative stance-always-, unapologetically honest, and is passionate about helping interior designers and creating attainable success for small businesses.

Today’s Takeaways:

•Designers need to think larger and embrace their business as a real entity.

•Transparency in pricing does not mean revealing every cost breakdown to clients.

•Value pricing is essential; clients should understand the value they receive, not just the cost.

•Building trust with clients is crucial for long-term success.

•Effective management of business costs can prevent financial pitfalls.

•Educating clients about the design process and pricing is key to avoiding misunderstandings.

•Designers should leverage trade programs to improve their margins and offerings.

•Client relationships are foundational; they should feel valued and cared for.

•Understanding the psychology of pricing can help designers position themselves better in the market.

•A sustainable business model requires ongoing analysis and adaptation.

📲CONNECT with Cheryl:

Website: https://www.theinteriordesignparadigm.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/damngooddesigner/?hl=en

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/smallbusinessthinkbig

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DamnGoodDesigner

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 6 Keys to Success on Instagram" (Free Webinar): https://wingnutsocial.ewebinar.com/webinar/free-webinar-the-6-keys-to-success-on-instagram-9971

“Come Back” Book by Claire Fontaine and Mia Fontaine

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Dos and Don'ts of Designing a Home Gym

18 september 2024 | 33 min

How to Collaborate With an Architect

11 september 2024 | 41 min

Commit to Being Profitable

4 september 2024 | 43 min

How to Reach Your Goals by Braving the River of Misery

28 augusti 2024 | 45 min

Stay True to Who You Are by Niching Down Your Design Services

21 augusti 2024 | 35 min

High End Design for Sensual Spaces

14 augusti 2024 | 31 min

How to Find Hotel-Quality Bedding for Your Design Clients

7 augusti 2024 | 29 min

Should I Buy or Rent a Commercial Space for My Design Business?

31 juli 2024 | 31 min

Are you wondering whether to buy or rent a commercial space for your design business? Is now a bad time to buy a space? What are the risks? What are the benefits? Today's guest, Paul Neal, has spent over 30 years guiding entrepreneurs and businesses towards financial success, and he has lots of great tips on this topic. Stay tuned!

Paul Neal, Founder and CEO of Vantage Point Commercial Capital, has spent over 30 years guiding entrepreneurs and businesses towards financial success. A passionate advocate for sustainable growth, Paul's work embodies his belief that thriving businesses are the heart of strong communities. When he's not helping others realize their dreams, Paul is a devoted family man, running enthusiast, and lover of outdoor adventures, underpinning his commitment to balance and vitality in all aspects of life.

***

📲CONNECT with Paul:

Website: https://vpc.capital

Paul's book: https://www.ownyourbuildingnow.com/2

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-neal-tea/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 6 Keys to Success on Instagram" (Free Webinar): https://wingnutsocial.ewebinar.com/webinar/free-webinar-the-6-keys-to-success-on-instagram-9971

Paul's book: "Un-Lease Your Business: Unlock Wealth, Autonomy and Control by Buying Your Building and Firing Your Landlord"

"Who Not How: The Formula to Achieve Bigger Goals Through Accelerating Teamwork" by Dan Sullivan

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Franchising Your Design Business (with Guest Host Rebecca Hay)

17 juli 2024 | 43 min

Tips for Designers to Procure Furniture Profitably (with Guest Host Liz Potarazu)

10 juli 2024 | 51 min

How Your Sleep Habits Directly Impact Your Business (with Guest Host Rebecca Hay)

3 juli 2024 | 39 min

How Interior Designers Can Start Their Own Furniture Collection (with Guest Host Nicole Heymer)

26 juni 2024 | 31 min

Tax Tips for Designers to Keep More Money in Your Pocket (with Guest Host Liz Potarazu)

19 juni 2024 | 40 min

Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Couch in 2024 (with Guest Host Liz Potarazu)

12 juni 2024 | 37 min

Why Every Interior Designer Needs a Podcast

5 juni 2024 | 41 min

Flat Fee vs. Hourly: How to Price Your Interior Design Services

29 maj 2024 | 41 min

How to Design Vacation Homes and the Joy in Niching Down Your Business

22 maj 2024 | 41 min

One of the best kept secrets in the interior design industry is designing for vacation homes. How do you do it? How do you get into it? What are the benefits? Today’s guests, Melinda Cahill and Suzanne Glavin of North Shore Nest, discuss the ins and outs of vacation home design. Stay tuned!

“We began North Shore Nest in 2004 from our basements in Glenview. Prior to launching, we were doing design projects on the side for family and friends while we worked our full time careers. When the market crashed, we made the decision to launch North Shore Nest full time, and we have spent the last seventeen years designing spaces for working professionals and young families along the North Shore. Our shared passion for great design paired with sensibility allows us to transform interiors into warm, livable spaces that stand the test of time. By taking a fresh updated approach to traditional styling and building rooms with layers, we are able to provide depth and individuality allowing our clients to live beautifully everyday. We are based in Glenview Illinois, serving the Chicago area and surrounding suburbs, as well as the Lake Geneva Wisconsin area. We are also currently working on new construction design projects in Scottsdale Arizona and Naples Florida and enjoy the diversity and learning opportunities offered by working in communities other than our own.”

***

📲CONNECT with North Shore Nest:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/northshorenest

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/northshorenest/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 6 Keys to Success on Instagram" (Free Webinar): https://wingnutsocial.ewebinar.com/webinar/free-webinar-the-6-keys-to-success-on-instagram-9971

"While You Were Out: An Intimate Family Portrait of Mental Illness in an Era of Silence" by Meg Kissinger

Cabana Magazine: https://cabanamagazine.com/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: How to Make Luxury Design Accessible

15 maj 2024 | 49 min

Increase Your Visibility With a PR Agency

8 maj 2024 | 32 min

How to Maintain Your Own Company as a Sole Entrepreneur

1 maj 2024 | 30 min

What is Boutique Hospitality Design?

24 april 2024 | 40 min

What They Don’t Teach You in Interior Design School

17 april 2024 | 39 min

Tips to Master Your Finances and Plan the Future of Your Business

10 april 2024 | 35 min

REPLAY: How to Get Your Design Work Published in a Magazine

3 april 2024 | 43 min

Are you an interior designer looking to get into magazines? Avoid these mistakes in 2024 that could prevent you from magazine placement! Today’s guest, Molly Schoneveld, shares lots of tips on design staging, the digital scene for magazines, and best practices for social media to get discovered by publications.

Molly Schoneveld began her career in Hollywood working forAcademy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer. She was soon recruited to powerhouse entertainment firm PMK, where she worked with A-list talent. She started her PR firm, in 2008, and soon developed a niche expertise at the intersection of entertainment and lifestyle. Since then, she has worked with design and lifestyle clients across the country, helping to publish their projects, launch their stores, books and product lines.

***

📲CONNECT with Molly:

Website: https://www.thestoriedgroup.com/

Molly's Instagram: @molly.schoneveld

The Storied Group Instagram: @thestoriedgroup

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 6 Keys to Success on Instagram" (Free Webinar): https://wingnutsocial.ewebinar.com/webinar/free-webinar-the-6-keys-to-success-on-instagram-9971

Ashley Marques' Episode: https://youtu.be/cMqdMzq-_6I?si=nfomOhSJIddTGVoU

AD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC0k238zFx-Z8xFH0sxCrPJg

Library Card: https://www.thestoriedgroup.com/library-card-membership

"One Day" by David Nicholls

"Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself" by Mike Michalowicz

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: How to Achieve Financial Success With Your Design Business

27 mars 2024 | 46 min

Use Authenticity to Attract Your Ideal Client

20 mars 2024 | 30 min

How to Make Luxury Design Accessible

13 mars 2024 | 48 min

How to Get Your Design Work Published in a Magazine

6 mars 2024 | 43 min

Are you an interior designer looking to get into magazines? Avoid these mistakes in 2024 that could prevent you from magazine placement! Today’s guest, Molly Schoneveld, shares lots of tips on design staging, the digital scene for magazines, and best practices for social media to get discovered by publications.

Molly Schoneveld began her career in Hollywood working forAcademy Award-winning producer Brian Grazer. She was soon recruited to powerhouse entertainment firm PMK, where she worked with A-list talent. She started her PR firm, in 2008, and soon developed a niche expertise at the intersection of entertainment and lifestyle. Since then, she has worked with design and lifestyle clients across the country, helping to publish their projects, launch their stores, books and product lines.

***

📲CONNECT with Molly:

Website: https://www.thestoriedgroup.com/

Molly's Instagram: @molly.schoneveld

The Storied Group Instagram: @thestoriedgroup

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 6 Keys to Success on Instagram" (Free Webinar): https://wingnutsocial.ewebinar.com/webinar/free-webinar-the-6-keys-to-success-on-instagram-9971

Ashley Marques' Episode: https://youtu.be/cMqdMzq-_6I?si=nfomOhSJIddTGVoU

AD YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@UC0k238zFx-Z8xFH0sxCrPJg

Library Card: https://www.thestoriedgroup.com/library-card-membership

"One Day" by David Nicholls

"Clockwork: Design Your Business to Run Itself" by Mike Michalowicz

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Website: http://www.wingnutsocial.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WingnutSocial/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/wingnutsocial

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

From Passion Projects to a Million Dollar Design Business in 3 Years

28 februari 2024 | 34 min

Growing Your Business by Choosing Purpose Over Profit

14 februari 2024 | 32 min

How to Achieve Financial Success With Your Design Business

7 februari 2024 | 46 min

How to Generate More Leads with Automated Messages on Instagram

24 januari 2024 | 10 min

Why You Should Use a Recruiting Agency to Expand Your Team

17 januari 2024 | 37 min

REPLAY: How to Bust Out of the Basic Designer Box

10 januari 2024 | 35 min

REPLAY: Tips for Taking the Leap to Start Your Own Design Business

3 januari 2024 | 35 min

REPLAY: Maximize Your Time With Repeatable Systems and Processes

27 december 2023 | 55 min

REPLAY: How to Start Designing for Celebrity Clients

20 december 2023 | 38 min

Creating Leverage in Your Personal and Professional Life With a Virtual Assistant

13 december 2023 | 38 min

How to Make Authentic Connections on LinkedIn

6 december 2023 | 30 min

Get a Licensing Deal by Building Relationships With Vendors

22 november 2023 | 37 min

Today we're discussing how designer Cheryl Luckett built her business on the back of a career pivot all the way up to launching two performance textile collections, one with Revolution Fabrics and another with Wildwood Home. We also discuss setting boundaries in your business and other ways to make self-employment sustainable.

Cheryl Luckett's design journey began at Tennessee State University, where she studied Family and Consumer Science. After obtaining her Registered Dietitian credential at Prairie View A&M University, she excelled in corporate America for over 15 years. It was there that her creative instincts collided with her faith, propelling her towards her true calling in design. Now, at Dwell by Cheryl Interiors, she brings her classic style, vibrant palettes, and cultured details to life. Her collaborations with major home furnishing brands showcase her expertise in textiles, lighting, and furnishings. Recently, she launched a performance textile collection with Revolution Fabrics, available at Wildwood Home. Cheryl's work has graced the pages of Southern Home, Traditional Home, HGTV Magazine, Luxe, and Country Living. Her areas of expertise include Interior Design Business, Branding, and Product Licensing.

***

📲CONNECT with Cheryl:

Website: https://www.dwellbycheryl.com/

Instagram: @dwellbycheryl

Facebook: @dwellbycheryl

Pinterest: @dwellbycheryl

Threads: @dwellbycheryl

X: @dwellbycheryl

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 6 Keys to Success on Instagram" (Free Webinar): https://wingnutsocial.ewebinar.com/webinar/free-webinar-the-6-keys-to-success-on-instagram-9971

Cheryl's previous episode: https://youtu.be/q80KSir7NKo?si=mhcHfHl8V_7VXmBG

"$100M Offers: How To Make Offers So Good People Feel Stupid Saying No" by Alex Hormozi

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How Buying Fake Followers Damages Your Instagram Account | Mini News

20 november 2023 | 7 min

Big Thinking and Empowering Entrepreneurial Women

15 november 2023 | 38 min

Don’t Believe These Social Media Myths! | Mini News

13 november 2023 | 12 min

Tips for Taking the Leap to Start Your Own Business

8 november 2023 | 36 min

Getting to Know Your Ideal Client | Mini News

6 november 2023 | 9 min

How to Get Brand Partnerships for Your Design Business

1 november 2023 | 36 min

Why You Need to Engage With Your Audience on Social Media | Mini News

30 oktober 2023 | 11 min

Triple Your Income by Changing Your Mindset

25 oktober 2023 | 38 min

Utilizing Competitor Research to Market Yourself on Social Media

23 oktober 2023 | 13 min

Renovating Vintage Vans and Airstreams: Can You Really DIY?

18 oktober 2023 | 35 min

Why Instagram Stories Are More Relevant Than Ever | Mini News

16 oktober 2023 | 12 min

Building Your Business Website and the Consequences of Collecting Data

11 oktober 2023 | 36 min

Do Hashtags Still Matter? | Mini News

9 oktober 2023 | 12 min

Will the Home Furnishings Industry Make a Comeback?

4 oktober 2023 | 27 min

Are Spam Comments Actually Good for Engagement? | Mini News

2 oktober 2023 | 7 min

Hiring a Virtual Executive Assistant: Is It Worth It?

27 september 2023 | 33 min

Battling Burnout and Prioritizing Your Health as a Business Owner

20 september 2023 | 43 min

How to Become Financially Empowered as a Business Owner

13 september 2023 | 31 min

Showcase Your Personality With This New Instagram Feature | Mini News

11 september 2023 | 9 min

Navigating the Exit Paradox

6 september 2023 | 37 min

Why You Need Content Pillars for Your Social Media Strategy | Mini News

4 september 2023 | 14 min

Why You Need to Attend Trade Shows if You’re in the Design Business

30 augusti 2023 | 36 min

How to Bust Out of the Basic Designer Box

23 augusti 2023 | 37 min

Mastering Self Advocacy

16 augusti 2023 | 35 min

Maximize Your Time With Repeatable Systems and Processes

9 augusti 2023 | 55 min

Overcoming the Price Objection and Becoming a Stronger Salesperson

2 augusti 2023 | 46 min

5 Easy Tips to Better Your Design Brand | Mini News

31 juli 2023 | 16 min

Ontological Design and Color Theory

26 juli 2023 | 41 min

The Top 3 Financial Red Flags for Service-Based Businesses

19 juli 2023 | 37 min

How to Write a Book if You’re an Interior Designer

12 juli 2023 | 39 min

How to Create a Joyful Experience for Your Interior Design Clients

5 juli 2023 | 40 min

How to Stay Passionate and Motivated in the Interior Design Business

28 juni 2023 | 35 min

How to Use Instagram Ads to Grow Your Account | Mini News

26 juni 2023 | 9 min

How to Diversify Your Design Business With a Brick and Mortar Store

21 juni 2023 | 36 min

How to Grow Your Instagram Account and Increase Engagement | Mini News

19 juni 2023 | 11 min

How the Right Clothing Creates Confidence as an Interior Designer

14 juni 2023 | 43 min

How to Create Content That Converts to Clients | Mini News

12 juni 2023 | 17 min

How to Go From Interior Design School to Starting Your Own Firm

7 juni 2023 | 39 min

How to Optimize Your Instagram Account | Mini News

5 juni 2023 | 15 min

Why You Should Collaborate With a Kitchen and Bath Expert

31 maj 2023 | 41 min

Defining Your Brand Voice Will Lead To Your Ideal Client | Mini News

29 maj 2023 | 16 min

How to Advertise Effectively for Your Interior Design Business

24 maj 2023 | 47 min

Why Interior Designers Need to Be On Instagram | Mini News

22 maj 2023 | 6 min

How to Start Designing for Celebrity Clients

17 maj 2023 | 39 min

Why You Need an Instagram Strategy | Mini News

15 maj 2023 | 7 min

The Future of Restaurant Design

10 maj 2023 | 36 min

How to Combat Overwhelm and Increase Your Productivity

3 maj 2023 | 39 min

How to Add Multiple Links to Your Instagram Bio (Without Linktree) | Mini News

1 maj 2023 | 6 min

How to Advance Your “Stuck” Business by Becoming More Efficient

26 april 2023 | 48 min

Why do interior designers get stuck in having the same results year after year? What’s required of a designer to push past this plateau? Life and business coach Jeannie Andresen is here to share some tips on systems, processes, and efficiency that lend to scaling your interior design business.

Jeannie is a life and business coach specializing in helping seasoned interior designers advance their businesses. Jeannie ran a recruiting business inside a Fortune 100 company for almost a decade. Her role included managing a team, attracting and retaining top talent, and coaching sales professionals to reach their business goals. Jeannie now focuses her business on teaching interior designers the processes necessary to run an organized, efficient, and profitable business.

***

📲CONNECT with Jeannie:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeannieandresen_/

Website: https://www.jeannieandresen.com

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change" by Stephen R. Covey

"You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life" by Jen Sincero

"You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth" by Jen Sincero

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Are Instagram Subscriptions Worth It? | Mini News

24 april 2023 | 9 min

The Pros of Partnering with Lighting, Technology and Electrical Designers

19 april 2023 | 37 min

Is Lemon8 the New Instagram? | Mini News

17 april 2023 | 8 min

Storytelling Through Video: The Best Way to Market Your Business

12 april 2023 | 43 min

Instagram Content Ideas for Interior Designers | Mini News

10 april 2023 | 13 min

How to Have Difficult Conversations and Find Confidence, Success and Love

5 april 2023 | 44 min

Instagram Announces Ads in Search Results and Reminder Ads | Mini News

3 april 2023 | 9 min

Trademarking 101: Dos and Don’ts for Business Owners

29 mars 2023 | 42 min

How to Run Your Interior Design Business in an Economic Downturn

22 mars 2023 | 42 min

Recessions can be terrifying for business owners. You may be wondering, how can I continue to run my business through an economic downturn? Do I have to lower my prices? Will I lose clients? Don’t fret - Austin-based interior designer Laura Pankonien is here to discuss how she successfully runs her design and construction firm during a recession, plus how she managed to start her business during the 2008 recession. Laura shares some “recession proof" strategies to keep clients coming even with lowered budgets. Stay tuned!

Laura Pankonien is an Austin-based interior designer and founder of design and construction firm The Pankonien Group (TPG). Through her 16 years in business, Laura has made a name for herself through her full-scale home projects as well as kitchen projects, becoming known as a go-to kitchen designer in the region. In 2022, Laura opened Austin’s first curated homewares store of its kind—Bleu by TPG—in Davenport Village. She has been featured in Southern Living, House Beautiful, BHG, and more.

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📲CONNECT with Laura:

The Pankonien Group: https://www.instagram.com/thepankoniengroup/

bleu (Laura's Showroom): https://www.instagram.com/bleubytpg/?hl=en

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thedarlapowell

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Wingnut Academy is LIVE: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

"The Enneagram" by Helen Palmer

"Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business" by Gino Wickman

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

The Power of Process: Level up Your Confidence, Business, and Life

15 mars 2023 | 44 min

Get a Better Explore Page With This New Instagram Feature | Mini News

13 mars 2023 | 5 min

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone and Grow Your Business (with Jessica Lackey)

8 mars 2023 | 27 min

How to Get Verified on Instagram and Facebook With Meta Verified | Mini News

6 mars 2023 | 7 min

Positioning 101: How to Reach Your Ideal Clients With a Positioning Statement

1 mars 2023 | 16 min

How to Get Discovered by More Interior Design Clients on Instagram | Mini News

27 februari 2023 | 6 min

How to Have a Million-Dollar Design Business in Less Than 2 Years

22 februari 2023 | 38 min

How to Stop Spam Comments on Instagram | Mini News

20 februari 2023 | 6 min

How to Do Less Work by Automating Your Business (with Shanice Miller)

15 februari 2023 | 35 min

The Psychology of Brand Love and Happiness (with Aaron Ahuvia)

8 februari 2023 | 35 min

Design Strategy, Interior Product Sales, and Social Selling (with Nicole Lashae Ben)

1 februari 2023 | 33 min

Instagram Photos are Making a Comeback in 2023 | Mini News

30 januari 2023 | 7 min

Huge news this week - Instagram photos are making a comeback in 2023! Instagram is switching focus back to photos and less videos this year. Social Media Manager Hayden is here to weigh the pros and cons of this update and share information straight from head of Instagram Adam Mosseri.

***

⭐️Instagram gained its original popularity by featuring still images, giving users a place to share all their new memories they captured on their phones - remember that phone cameras were newer technology back then. After the feed post gained its hype, they released the story feature to combat against Snapchat’s rising popularity. User focus shifted to stories because at the time, that was a great way to grow your account as Instagram rewards users that use its newest features. Given the various algorithmic shifts, the original focus of the app has largely been overshadowed by Meta’s broader business push. While Instagram popularity has grown, it’s also become more cluttered and less focused on how they originally gained popularity.

⭐️Mosseri said in his recent IG story, “ I think we were overfocused on video in 2022 and pushed ranking too far, and basically showed too many videos and not enough photos. We’ve since balanced, so things like how often someone likes photos versus videos, and how often someone comments on photos versus videos, are roughly equal, which is a good sign that things are balanced.” Mosseri further notes that photos will remain a key focus for the app, and that maintaining the right balance in this respect will be key. Although, as we have seen in the past, whatever performs the best and keeps user on the app the longest is what will stick. For interior designers, this can be a very exciting change! No more endless filming of projects and more focus on using the still images that are quick and easy. Making your videos into reels can be very time consuming and something that many of people don’t want to do, or just don’t really know how. Having the ability to upload pictures and them still get extensive reach will be a positive change for interior designers.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Tax Tips for Business Owners and Interior Designers (with Aaron Smyle)

25 januari 2023 | 32 min

Meta Is Shutting Down Facebook Creator Studio: Facebook Updates 2023 | Mini News

23 januari 2023 | 8 min

Did you know Meta is shutting down Facebook Creator Studio? This sounds like a big deal, however, not to worry - all those features will be moved into Meta Business Suite. Emily is here to walk us through the latest Facebook updates and how the new Meta Business Suite will have increased functionality to manage your Facebook and Instagram business accounts.

***

⭐️Meta is shutting down Facebook Creator Studio. This sounds like a big deal, however, not to worry - all those features will be moved into Meta Business Suite. Facebook Creator Studio is Facebook’s built-in tool that lets you create and schedule Facebook and Instagram content for your business profiles. You can manage your page content; track posts, insights, and analytics; manage your inbox like your comments and DMs - all in one place via Facebook Creator Studio. So why would Meta get rid of this tool? They are taking all of these features and putting them into the Meta Business Suite, which is formerly known as Facebook Business Manager, which is a tool with backend access to your pages and settings as well as your ads manager and more.

⭐️What’s the point of getting rid of Facebook Creator Studio? Meta wants to streamline things and have everything in one spot. You used to have to visit a specific url to access the creator studio, but now you just have to go to business.facebook.com to access Meta Business Suite. Meta states, “We’re actively working to bring Meta’s creator tools together in one place. You can access all of your content and data when you switch. After trying the new creator experience in Meta Business Suite, you can switch back to Creator Studio.” In terms of functionalities, it seems that Meta Business Suite may have more to offer. You’ll be able to see your notifications for Facebook and Instagram; your messages and comments; plus you’ll be able to create, schedule, and post stories, reels, and more. It’ll also be easier to utilize the ads manager.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: Business Tips for New Interior Designers

18 januari 2023 | 35 min

Meredith founded the “House of Huck” in 2020 as a passion project. She gave herself an ultimatum: If she wasn’t successful in three years, she’d go back to the corporate world. But in one year, she transformed her business into a full-time career.

She’s leveraged her unique background in corporate sales—and some genius social media marketing tactics—to build a thriving business. In this episode of Wingnut Social, Meredith shares some business tips for new interior designers that you just can’t miss!

Connect with Meredith Huck

House of Huck
Connect on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

Wingnut Webinar Aug 25, 2022 11:00 AM: Let’s Get Real About Reels
Profit First by Mike Michalowicz
Dakota Design Co.
The Brownstone Boys
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

Why House of Huck grew quickly

95% of Meredith’s clients have come from social media. How does she leverage various platforms to gain visibility?

Meredith got in front of the camera. It allowed people to learn about herself and her life. She also embraced a unique social media marketing strategy: Throwing a scavenger hunt.

Meredith chose 5 local businesses, bought gift cards, and hid them around town. You had to follow her on social media and answer a riddle to find the gift card(s). Once someone found one, they had to tag her in a post.

She gained followers, gave back to her community, and it even led to a request for a design consultation.

Why Meredith doesn’t want to grow and scale a team

Meredith is struggling with a great problem to have: Getting too many requests for her design services. She’s learning how to take discovery calls, explaining how her process works, and scheduling out (sometimes weeks or months).

She sets the expectation that it may be weeks before she can connect back to work on their project. But then she communicates via email, notes in the mail, etc. She’ll have those clients work on creating a Pinterest board to fill in the gap during those weeks.

Meredith is busier than ever, but she isn’t interested in growing and scaling a team right now. She loves what she does and chooses to outsource when necessary. She works with a virtual assistant and outsources renderings and sourcing tasks.

Business tips for new interior designers

What has Meredith learned from her first couple of years as a new interior designer?

Tip #1: It’s not just about charging a design fee. Whenever you can, open up wholesale accounts and purchase furnishings directly from them. A large portion of Meredith’s revenue has come from the margin she makes on furnishings.

Tip #2: Trust your gut. Meredith agreed to do some design work for a couple despite seeing numerous red flags. Meredith requires her clients to request revisions within one week of her design presentation. After her design presentation, this client asked for more than a week to decide. Two months later, they asked her for a refund of her design fees.

Tip #3: Don’t take every job that comes your way. Only work with people who appreciate what you’re doing for them.

Meredith shares more tips, tricks, and business strategies in this episode of Wingnut Social. Check it out!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
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Instagram Group Profiles and Collaborative Collections: New Instagram Updates 2023 | Mini News

16 januari 2023 | 7 min

What are the latest Instagram updates in 2023? Social Media Manager Abby is here to share some exciting new features coming to Instagram this year, including Group Profiles and Collaborative Collections. Tune in to see how you can take advantage of these new features as an interior designer and business owner.

***

⭐️Last year, Instagram’s main goal was transparency, which was demonstrated through insight updates and peeling the curtain back on the algorithm. This year, one of their biggest initiatives is connection: connecting people to things they love, and connecting them to one another. They are testing some new updates, including group profiles. Yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Group profiles are a place where you can have multiple users post to it. What will this look like? When you’re logged into an account that has access to a group profile, whenever you go to share any type of content (stories, reels, or feed posts), you’ll have the option to share it to your personal profile or to share it to the group profile…or both! Think of it as Facebook groups, but on Instagram. This could change a lot for social media agencies in particular as it won’t require you to log in to all of your clients accounts but rather simply have access via a group profile. It will also be great for teams that have a social media account and have multiple posters without risking a security breach.

⭐️Another update coming to Instagram in 2023 is Collaborative Collections. Collections can be found in your saved photos on Instagram and are great for staying organized. Let’s say you have 10 kitchen pictures saved, and 1 bathroom picture, but you don’t want them all mixed up. You can create separate folders, or collections, for different spaces. Previously, these collections have been private to individual users. These collections will now be able to be collaborative shared and added to by other users. For interior designers, this will be great because you can share these collections with other team members. Think of it as a Pinterest board or a mood board. You can use collaborative collections to save your ideas and share them with one another.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: Why Interior Designers Need Ongoing SEO to Remain Competitive

11 januari 2023 | 21 min

Why is SEO so critical for your brand’s online presence?

How does it help you compete with other interior designers? Why is ongoing SEO the key to keeping your interior design business ranking on Google?

The biggest piece of misinformation that we hear about SEO is that it’s a “one-and-done” service that’s complete when your website is created. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Ongoing SEO, when done correctly, is your key to remaining competitive. Gavin—Wingnut’s resident SEO guru—covers this important topic in this episode of Wingnut Social!

Resources & People Mentioned

Wingnut Webinar: 7/28 at 11 am EST: SEO 101
Wingnut Academy: Instagram for Interior Designers
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
Wingnut Social is on YouTube!

How ongoing SEO can boost your business

When your website is created and SEO-optimized, you can’t just set it and forget it. You can’t just run ads and call it good. Why? 80% of people searching on Google ignore paid ads. Secondly, most people won’t go past the first page of search results. So your business needs to be ranked in the top 10 search results.

How do you achieve that? You have to track and measure the impact of your work and adjust your SEO continuously. You can make adjustments as you go to make sure your pages stay on the first page of Google’s search results.

Your competition’s SEO tactics are constantly changing. If you’re ranking for a keyword and it falls from #2 to #10, you need to make some adjustments or you’ll lose traffic. If your competition is ranking for keywords that you used to rank for, changes need to be made.

That’s why a robust and ongoing SEO strategy can mean the difference between being flooded with clients—or being irrelevant.

Your clients have questions—make sure you provide the answers

When it comes to blogging, people think they need to produce a chunk of new content once a month and they’re okay. Gavin points out that blogging is a great strategy and you need to do it. However, you have to keep in mind that Google is trying to connect people who have questions with the answers they’re looking for.

5–10 years ago, people would stuff keywords into a blog and rank for it. Google is now an intelligent platform that can’t be fooled. If you’re keyword stuffing, your content won’t rank. When you write content, focus on answering questions that your ideal client is searching for.

What questions are they asking? How do YOU provide the best answer and share value? The keywords and phrases you use reflect your ability to understand your customer. If you have a great idea of what your customers are looking for and provide them value, you’ll see a bump in SEO.

What tools can you use to help you write SEO-optimized content? How does Google’s algorithm play a role in your success? Listen to the whole episode to learn more about ongoing SEO’s impact on your bottom line.

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your digital marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Twitter Advanced Search on Mobile: How to Use for Social Media Marketing | Mini News

9 januari 2023 | 5 min

Twitter advanced search for mobile is here! Is there a tweet you’ve been trying to find forever, or do you want to clean up some of your old tweets? Twitter is launching a new “advanced search” feature on the mobile app that will provide users with a range of filters when searching for content. Social Media Manager Hayden is here to walk us through the latest developments.

***

⭐️Twitter’s advanced search on mobile will provide you with a range of additional options when searching for content, including accounts mentioned, date ranges, personal mentions, hashtags, and like and retweet counts. All of these qualifiers are already built into the app, and are available in the Advanced Search tab on desktop - but until now, they haven’t been easily accessible on mobile. You’ll also be able to use these additional search parameters when conducting a tweet search on an individual user’s profile.

⭐️This new feature can be a very helpful addition for businesses and interior designers when trying to search things that are specific to your field. If someone is looking for interior design trends, they will be able to easily search any of these in the new Twitter advanced search option. Being able to search tweets with large amounts of retweets and engagement will be a fantastic way to identify content that is trending currently.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: Perfecting Your Interior Design Niche

4 januari 2023 | 27 min

Anne Gillyard—along with Jodi Arellano—own and operate GrOH! Playrooms, specializing in educationally-based children’s interiors. They strive to create spaces full of color, joy, fun, and playfulness that encourage your child’s development. But how did they choose to niche down into something so specific? How have they built a thriving play-focused business? Anne joins Darla to discuss all things marketing, niching down, and incorporating play into your child’s every day.

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:02] Subscribe to Wingnut Social on YouTube!
[2:01] Mini News Sesh: YouTube Shorts
[5:43] Learn all about Anne Gillyard
[7:55] How Anne chose her interior design niche
[12:39] How Anne reaches her ideal clients
[16:01] The benefit of industry partnerships
[22:36] How to choose work you enjoy
[25:05] Tips for mastering reels and videos
[28:55] The What Up Wingnut Round!

Connect with Anne GillYard

Connect on Instagram
GrOH! Playrooms

Resources & People Mentioned

Mike Michalowicz’s books

How Anne landed on a niche in playrooms

Anne worked in early education for years as a teacher and curriculum designer. But her expertise is play. She always wanted to be an interior designer but never thought she’d land there. Now, she designs family rooms, playrooms, bedrooms, and outdoor spaces where the intention is to live, breathe, and move around with your kids.

When they launched GrOh!, they were worried they wouldn’t survive if they niched down too far. So if a client asked them to do something outside their scope, they quickly agreed to it. But it wasn’t where they thrived. Once they fully committed to their niche, they took off. Now they have a waitlist of 6+ months.

How to choose your interior design niche

Anne says to pour your favorite drink, get comfy, and spend some time thinking. What lights your fire? What takes the least amount of energy to brainstorm about? When you complete a project, what are you proud of? How can you make your experience special? What can you do to make your relationship with your client wonderful and easy?

Reflect after every project and determine what you enjoyed—and what you didn’t. What did you find to be easiest? Anne once created a gorgeous custom kitchen, designed to help create independence for kids. While the project was a smashing success, they didn’t enjoy the work. Now, they only focus on what they love.

How GrOH! Reaches their ideal clients

In December 2019, GrOH! had committed to only doing commercial spaces. A few months later, because of covid, no one was going to commercial play spaces—maybe ever again. So they pivoted to residential spaces. Word-of-mouth wasn’t a possibility at that point. So what marketing stuck?

They invested in photography immediately. Then they hired social media out to professionals (Wingnut Social, of course) and the change was transformative. It’s allowed them to niche and establish themselves as go-to experts. Since then, 99% of their clients find them through social media.

And Anne is a social media genius. Her content is eye-catching, playful, and educational all while perfectly showcasing their designs. How has she found such social success (aside from Wingnut Social, of course)? She shares her tricks of the trade in this episode. Don’t miss it!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

How to Keep Your Instagram From Getting Hacked: New Instagram Safety Updates | Mini News

2 januari 2023 | 8 min

Have you received a suspicious "Giveaway" DM on Instagram, or been followed by an account that may be impersonating someone? On today's Mini News, Emily walks us through some new account safety features that have been added on Instagram to help users regain access to their accounts if they find themselves locked out or hacked.

***

⭐️Instagram has added some new tools to help users regain access to their accounts if they find themselves locked out or hacked. The new recovery center is at instagram.com/hacked. The con is most help options just direct you to the Help Center, which already existed, to help you troubleshoot your issue. In other words, you’re not being put in touch with a real person at Instagram Support. However, the pro is this tool makes the recovery and troubleshooting process much more streamlined. You’re provided quick, easy access to steps you can take depending on your issue.

⭐️A great new safety measure Instagram has provided is this: if you find yourself locked out of your account, you can choose two of your Instagram friends to confirm your identity and get back into your account. Instagram is also testing measures to combat impersonation and ways to help prevent hacking before it happens. There have been many instances where people impersonate design businesses and run fake giveaways to get other users’ info or hack their accounts. Instagram is testing a feature that sends warnings if an account that is suspected to be an impersonator follows you, or if an account that may be impersonating a business sends you a DM.

⭐️How can you keep your Instagram account safe before any of this happens to you? Use a strong, unique password with numbers, letters, and special characters. Don’t use this password for anything else. Change your password regularly, at least once a year. Ideally, you should change your password every few months. Lastly, turn on your two-factor authentication in Settings under Privacy and Security. You’ll get a login code when you sign in on a new device, so it offers a little extra security for your account.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: The Secret to Getting Your Interior Design Work Published

28 december 2022 | 39 min

Molly Schoneveld is the award-winning PR strategist behind the luxury public relations firm, The Storied Group. She represents the industry's top interior designers, celebrities, and hotels, i.e. “Talented faces, spaces, and places.” She has 20+ years of experience with press placements in Architectural Digest, ELLE Decor, Vogue, and more. And she knows the secret to getting your interior design work published. What is it? Find out in this episode of the Wingnut Social podcast!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:13] Wingnut webinar and wingnut academy updates
[1:56] Mini News Sesh: LinkedIn’s repost update
[4:32] Learn all about Molly Schoneveld + The Storied Group
[7:08] Why proving publications enough images is important
[10:56] Do you need to hire a photographer with connections?
[16:06] Can a presence on YouTube help you?
[17:21] Do you need to have a celebrity client?
[20:15] Why you need to read photography contracts carefully
[23:16] Can you post the photos online if you want them featured?
[26:22] Make your photography stand out by using a stylist
[28:50] How to get your clients on board with being published
[33:46] How to stand out (and get hired by celebrities)
[38:20] The What Up Wingnut! Round
[40:26] How to connect with Molly Schoneveld

Connect with Molly Schone

The Storied Group
Connect with Molly on LinkedIn
Follow Molly on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

The Mystery Guest by Lorin Stein
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside
This is Marketing by Seth Godin

The secret to getting your interior design work published

What’s the secret? It all comes down to photos. Now—likely starting with Covid—many magazines will not do reshoots. What you provide them in your pitch is what will get published. So you need to give them enough photos to publish a full story. Luxe Magazine has design features that can be as long as 10–12 pages. That’s why you need to provide a variety of photos.

But Molly emphasizes that you don’t need the best photographer in the business. Why? You need to be able to afford someone who will provide you with a full range of images. What does that look like? If you want to get featured as a full home tour, you need 25–30 images of your work.

Molly landed one of her clients a feature in AD Digital. It was the home of a celebrity chef and a big-name interior designer. They didn’t reshoot the project. The photos Molly sent them were the photos that ran. The bar is high, and if you want to get into AD, you’ve got to be so much more than good. The photos you send must be shot knowing they’re going to be run in the magazine.

Do you need to hire a photographer with connections?

Molly points out that working with a specific photographer who has previously done work with the magazine you want to get published in can give you an advantage. But the advantage isn’t that the photographer can get you published—it’s that they know what the magazine is looking for. They understand the angles publications like, the styling they like, and the vignettes they prefer. Those are the things a photographer can help with.

But a magazine won’t say yes to a project solely based on the photographer. There are factors at play that are 100% out of your control, like editorial calendars, previously published homes and kitchens, and much more. But you can control your images. So work with a photographer who understands what magazines are looking for.

Make your photography stand out by using a stylist

Look at a potential photographer's social media. What is their aesthetic? That’s what you’ll end up with for your social media. What else is important? Molly believes that bringing in a stylist to bring life to your images makes the biggest difference. Magazines do this all the time. If magazine editors rely on them, designers should see them as someone who can bring their vision to life in a different way. That—coupled with a photographer versed in magazine photography—can make a huge impact.

Can you post photos online if you want them published in a magazine? Does it pay to have celebrity clients? Molly answers these questions and so much more in this episode. Don’t miss it!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

Audio Production and Show notes by
PODCAST FAST TRACK
https://www.podcastfasttrack.com

Elon Musk’s Latest Twitter Updates: Longer Videos and 4,000 Character Tweets | Mini News

26 december 2022 | 6 min

Elon Musk’s latest Twitter updates may include the addition of longer videos and tweets up to 4,000 characters. Social Media Manager Hayden is here to walk us through these potential updates, the pros and cons of Twitter going long-form, and how this could impact your interior design business.

***

⭐️Twitter is planning to give users more capacity to share longer posts, either in video or text form, within the app. As you probably know, Twitter has been on shaky ground over the past few months with Elon Musk’s acquisition. There have been lots of updates, like Twitter Blue: an opt-in, paid monthly subscription that adds a blue checkmark to your account and offers early access to select new features. Musk has mentioned wanting to add YouTube-like features into the app, enabling users to post longer video, in order to keep viewers from on the app instead of switching to another app to consume video content. He’s also said that longer tweets are coming soon, possibly up to 4,000 characters. Short-form content has been the foundation of Twitter since its inception, so this will be a big change for your Twitter feed. There is no set date as to when these features will roll out, or if they’ll be available to all users or just Twitter Blue subscribers.

⭐️Longer tweets will appear as normal, displaying around 280 characters, with the message “show more” to expand into a longer panel. This allows for users to share longer tweets without disrupting the normal Twitter stream feel. There is also a possibility that, rather than “show more,” it will display how many characters remain in the tweet (ie “remaining 3,000 characters”). It’s possible that displaying this remaining character number and indicating how long the tweet is may reduce the amount of interaction with the tweet. Users may also grow tired of clicking to expand longer tweets and stop interacting with those altogether. Another concern is whether or not Twitter users are asking for this feature to begin with. Most users gravitate to Twitter because of its short-form nature.

⭐️What does this all mean for interior designers? Long-form content on Twitter could be a great way to share about your business and tap into an audience that you may not have been able to connect with previously via short-form content. You may have felt limited in the past by Tweets with a lower character count. Regardless, we recommend that you take advantage of as many platforms as you can to get your business out there! The easiest way to do this is by repurposing content that you’ve already created for other platforms, like Instagram and TikTok, and posting that to Twitter as well.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

REPLAY: How Maria Killam Grew to 100k+ Instagram Followers

21 december 2022 | 41 min

Maria Killam is a decorator, stylist, speaker, educator, and true color expert in interior and exterior design. She’s also the creator of the Killam Color System™, a proven system for choosing color that anyone can learn.

Maria has always shared her work on her blog and has thousands of readers. But her Instagram never took off—until recently. Maria leveraged a popular Instagram trend and grew to 100k+ Instagram followers in mere weeks. Learn how she did it in this episode of Wingnut Social!

What You’ll Hear On This Episode of Wingnut Social

[1:48] Housekeeping: Wingnut Webinar + YouTube
[2:50] Mini News Sesh: Instagram Feed Videos = Reels
[6:43] Learn more about Maria Killam and her business
[12:44] The basics of the Killam color system
[18:00] The importance of understanding color
[24:44] How Maria’s eDesign business stands out
[29:13] How Maria feels about white interiors (and trending colors)
[31:51] Maria’s marketing strategy on Instagram
[38:36] What Maria would say to someone who wants a trendy space
[40:30] Maria’s What Up Wingnut Round!
[46:29] Blooper Reel!

Connect with Maria Killam

Maria’s Website
Maria’s course: Colour Made Easy™
Follow Maria on Instagram

Resources & People Mentioned

At Your Best by Carey Nieuwhof
Record your podcast episodes on Riverside

The evolution of Maria’s business

Maria Killam launched her career while working in a paint store. She took a color course and learned how to accurately describe colors. As she helped clients choose the right colors for their homes, she started painting out large color samples and used them over and over again.

She saw that beiges always had the same undertones: pink-beige, green-beige, yellow-beige, etc. The undertones expanded from there. Her goal is to help her clients understand undertones so their design choices are complementary and timeless.

Maria created a color wheel tool to help people identify the undertones in their spaces to choose the right neutrals. Now Maria offers online courses and eDesign to help both designers and homeowners create timeless spaces.

Keep listening to learn how understanding color and undertones influences every design choice you’ll make.

Maria’s Strategy to gain 100k+ Instagram followers

Maria has spent a lot of time on Instagram. Why? Because people judge you as a marketer, designer, and businessperson based on your number of Instagram followers. They’re either impressed—or not.

One day, Maria was watching an influencer who did a “10 ways to do something…” video series that they split into 10 parts. It was a light-bulb moment for Maria. So she launched her own 10-part series: “10 Finishes that Immediately Date Your New Build.” Her Instagram following grew by 100,000 followers in a matter of weeks.

Instagram is trying to be like TikTok. It’s ALL about video. It worked for Maria because her no-nonsense personality was fully expressed in these videos. Before, she followed different random trends. Secondly, you build trust faster when they watch a video. If you’re not on video, you’re going to be behind. So how do you get started?

Start sharing videos on your stories. They’re only 15 seconds and get you comfortable in front of the camera. Maria felt extremely awkward in her first videos. But you have to go through that awkward phase to become a rockstar on video. Maria has attracted a whole new audience. Learn how you can do the same in this episode of Wingnut Social!

Connect With Darla & Wingnut Social

www.WingnutSocial.com
On Facebook
On Twitter: @WingnutSocial
On Instagram: @WingnutSocial
Subscribe on YouTube
Darla’s Interior Design Website
Check out the Wingnut Social Media Lab Facebook Group!
786-206-4331 (connect with us for your social media marketing needs)

Subscribe to The Wingnut Social Podcast on iTunes, Google Podcasts, or TuneIn

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Are You Shadowbanned on Instagram?! | Mini News

19 december 2022 | 4 min

Are you shadowbanned on Instagram?! How do you find out, and more importantly, how do you fix it? Social Media Manager Abby is here today to walk us through a new Instagram feature that will show you whether or not your content is getting recommended to other users (a.k.a. if you're shadowbanned or not). This new Instagram feature will also tell you exactly how to fix your shadowban and get your content out there again!

***

⭐️One of Instagram’s main goals in 2022 was to be more transparent with its users. We’ve seen this goal met as Instagram has been more open about how the algorithm works, plus they’ve launched a few new helpful features for creators. The latest update will allow users to see whether or not their content is eligible to be recommended in places like the explore page or the recommended feed. In other words, you’ll be able to finally find out whether or not you’ve been shadowbanned. Shadowbanning is when you are boxed out of a social media platform because the platform is preventing your content from reaching other users. Not only will you be able to see the status of your account, Instagram will provide pointers on how to rectify past issues that have gone against their community guidelines, so you’ll have the opportunity to correct this issue and get your content back out there.

⭐️To access this new feature, go to your profile on Instagram. Click the menu. From there, you’ll click Settings, Account, and Account Status. On this page, it will show you whether or not you’ve posted something that would affect your account status, or prevent your content from being recommended to other users. If everything is in good shape, but you still aren’t seeing the results you’d like with your content, then it’s time to address if your content is just not resonating with people. Overall, this update is extremely helpful. Before this update, if someone let you know they weren’t seeing your content, or if you noticed in your Insights that your reach had dropped, you wouldn’t have known why. You may have assumed you were shadowbanned. This update dispels that myth and you’re able to find out the exact reason why your content may not be getting pushed out - or if you just need to improve your content.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Become an Interior Designer From Home (with Alexis Peters)

14 december 2022 | 35 min

Are you getting burnt out by running a traditional interior design firm? Then check out this show with Alexis Peters - you just might change your business model. Today’s guest is Alexis Peters of “Home Styling by Alexis,” and we discuss the importance of offering virtual services to your clients, as well as the perks to becoming a completely remote interior designer.

Alexis Peters fundamentally believes that every single person on this planet deserves to live beautifully regardless of their income. Beauty & affordable go hand in hand in her book. Alexis' background as a production designer for feature films is where she learned how to stretch the dollar crazy far and the results were thrilling. Craving to help as many people as she could live beautifully, Alexis started an interior design business specializing in Virtual Design.

***

⭐️Alexis specializes in virtual design. She wanted to build a business where she could travel and be anywhere she wanted, yet still be making money. Coming from a film background, she transitioned into a design career after helping her mom redesign her home over FaceTime during the pandemic. She believes all businesses should offer virtual design to increase their sales. When you go digital, there are no limitations on who you can serve. Alexis started her business by reimagining spaces for locals, but realized she could access a wider clientele by designing via FaceTime or Zoom. This career choice still allows her to help others, but now she can embrace more free time and stay comfortable at home. Alexis describes this as, “I still get to have my life, and be creatively fulfilled and help people.”

⭐️Alexis fell in love with design as a child visiting one of her family member’s mansions. She felt so inspired by the gorgeous home that she would return to her house and rearrange furniture, artwork, and more. She learned that the way you arrange furniture in a space can be life-changing. Alexis felt she was able to recreate the magical feelings she felt in the mansion in her own home just by moving furniture around. She was able to create a new, safe, cozy feeling to her space with existing pieces. It inspired her current business in that she believes everyone deserves to live beautifully regardless of their budget.

⭐️When it comes to virtual design, you can offer many things: 3-D renderings, floor plans, and much more. No matter what you’re offering, Alexis believes a virtual aspect to your business is crucial. In our current society, more people are craving a virtual option. With virtual offerings, your business becomes more accessible and you expand your clientele.

***

📲CONNECT with Alexis:

Website: http://www.homestylingbyalexis.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homestylingbyalexis/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts

Photogrid: https://www.photogrid.app/en/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook: What’s the Best Content to Post? | Mini News

12 december 2022 | 8 min

TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook: what’s the best content to post? On this episode of Mini News, Emily walks us through the transition from social media to entertainment media. When it comes to short form video content, why aren’t Instagram and Facebook as successful as TikTok? What type of content is most successful, and what is best for your audience? Find out on today's Mini News!

***

⭐️If you've been listening to the podcast for a while, then you know that video has been reigning king on social media, specifically short-form video. There's been a long-standing battle between Meta and TikTok, fighting for dominance of the social media space. However, TikTok doesn't consider itself a social media platform - it's branded as an entertainment app (or a media company that distributes content) similar to Netflix. The problem with Instagram and Facebook trying to push short-form entertainment videos is that their companies were built on the social graph. TikTok has always been an entertainment-first platform. Facebook was founded on social connections and maintaining relationships, so this transition has been difficult for them as their app really serves a much different purpose than entertainment.

⭐️Here at Wingnut, we've noticed a shift recently with some of our clients where Reels are not performing as well as they once did. We're seeing carousel posts and still images gaining traction again - not all hope is lost when it comes to photo content! However, this is why strategy is so important. When you have a strategy in place for your social media accounts, you know exactly what you need to be posting to better resonate with your audience. That's where we come in!

⭐️There's no hard and fast rule that says you should be only be posting entertainment video content. You should test different types of content and see what performs best. While Meta's algorithm is pushing video content, it will ultimately push what resonates most with your audience. Meta wants users to be spending the maximum amount of time on their platform, so they will push what your audience will engage with the most.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Create the Perfect Online Course (with Ariel Schiffer)

7 december 2022 | 46 min

Are you thinking of creating an online course? Guest Ariel Schiffer is the Founder of Dreampro, the first-choice course creation agency for entrepreneurs and small business owners - and she's also helping build a Wingnut Social course! Today, we discuss who should create a course, the potential of an online course, what goes into the course creation, common mistakes, and much more.

Ariel Schiffer is the Founder of Dreampro, the first-choice course creation agency for entrepreneurs and small business owners. She has over 10 years of experience working with Fortune 50 companies, non-profit organizations, small businesses, and private companies to develop their professional and leadership development programs. Her agency offers expertise in creating courses and programs with a mission to improve the quality of education and offerings in the online space.

***

⭐️Even as a DIY-er, you can still make a phenomenal course. It’s not about having all the bells and whistles, or crazy video editing. It’s about being extremely clear with potential course members and letting them know what they’ll get out of the course. A good course is designed based on the people who are taking it. When it comes to learning something new, it can be uncomfortable to step out of your comfort zone. To make this process easier for your course members, make your course something that really relates to their lifestyle. This will create a stronger connection with your course members as well.

⭐️When it comes to figuring out who exactly your course will help, and what it will help them do, get as specific as possible. Unless you have a massive audience or credibility, get as niche as possible in your digital offerings as it will allow you to market yourself even more. Listen to the noise - what are people sick of? What are they begging for? What are people constantly asking about? As much as we don’t like to be in the noise, listen to it! It will ultimately clue you in to what’s trending, and what people are craving right now. Once you figure this out, you’ll be able to offer something really valuable and help your learners overcome something they’re currently struggling with.

***

📲CONNECT with Ariel:

Website: https://dreamprocourses.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dreamprocourses/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You" by John Warrillow

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Get More Subscribers with YouTube Shorts | Mini News

5 december 2022 | 6 min

On this week’s Mini News sesh, Emily and Lilah discuss YouTube Shorts. Do Shorts really matter? How do Shorts impact your YouTube channel as a whole? If you’re already posting on TikTok and Instagram, do you need to post YouTube Shorts as well? Watch this video and find out!

***

⭐️Did you know that 75% of YouTube users engage with Shorts in some form? 70% of web users regularly watch short-form video. This being said, Shorts are definitely a rising competitor to TikTok and Instagram Reels. If you're a YouTube user, you should be using Shorts, too. In the last month, 74.4% of YouTube viewers that have found our channel (Wingnut Social) discovered it via their Shorts feed.

⭐️YouTube is testing new monetization options, including product tagging, which will be similar to Instagram and TikTok. What does this mean for interior designers, architects, and home brands? Well, you'll be able to tag your products in your Shorts!

⭐️If you're already creating videos for TikTok and Instagram, upload them to YouTube as well. You'll be getting even more value out of your effort. Videos under 60 seconds will automatically be shared as Shorts, similar to how videos on Instagram are automatically shared as Reels. If you also create long-form content, your Shorts can help users discover those longer videos. Here's a tip for your Shorts: YouTube is very SEO-heavy, meaning keywords in your video titles and descriptions are super important. Your Shorts "captions" are going to look different from an Instagram Reel or TikTok caption, which are more reliant on hashtags.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Transition Your Business Into a Full-Service Interior Design Firm (with Hearth Homes Interiors)

30 november 2022 | 39 min

Are you thinking about transitioning from a staging business to a full-service interior design firm? Watch this video! Katie and Olivia of Hearth Homes Interiors started as a staging company and found success, but they decided they wanted to pivot and go all-in as a design firm. Today, they walk us through what led them to that decision, as well as how they navigated the transition.

Hearth Homes Interiors is a Santa Barbara design firm owned by two sisters-in-law, Katie Labourdette-Martinez and Olivia Wahler. After starting as a staging company and finding success, they decided they wanted to pivot and go all-in as a design firm. Their work reflects that highly-coveted, quintessential Santa Barbara style—refined and timeless, approachable, livable, and filled with organic textures and layers.

***

⭐️Are you a new designer or decorator entering the industry, but you’re not quite sure whether you’d like to do staging or design? Staging is an incredibly necessary service, especially for the real estate market, but it can require a lot of logistics. You’ll occasionally be met with long-term homeowners that may be uncomfortable seeing new furniture in their home, or are upset that they have to put their personal identifying items away. However, this needs to be done because staging has to appeal to the masses - it needs to be visually appealing to the most amount of people possible. With design, you can be more specific to the person that will be living in the space. You can give a different sort of flair to design that you cannot with staging. Olivia says designing a house for a family to live in is extremely gratifying; she loves designing it to their lifestyle and creating a space that’s going to comfort them and make them happy.

⭐️When it comes to staging, you need to be able to plan out your finances. Having inventory and storing that inventory can get really expensive - consequently, staging is a business where people are often breaking even. You have to be very strategic if you want to make staging a profitable business. You also need to be aware of how the market is doing in order to price your business appropriately. You can dip your toes in the water (without the financial risk) by redesigning existing spaces and freshening up what people already have. Do you really need to have your own inventory for staging? There are business models where you could rent your furniture, however, it’s a trade off as it may compromise your overall furniture selection.

⭐️Is staging or design more lucrative? For Hearth Homes Interiors, staging had a cap - they only had so much warehouse space and inventory, so they couldn’t stage an endless amount of homes. Additionally, during slower months as well as the pandemic, the market became unpredictable. The status of the market is a big part of staging overall. With design, Hearth Homes found that there was a lot more potential to make more money, and the market has less of an impact since it’s a luxury service.

***

📲CONNECT with Katie & Olivia:

Website: https://www.hearthhomesinteriors.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hearthhomesinteriors/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hearthhomes

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Night Road" by Kristin Hannah

"The Alice Network" Kate Quinn

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Why You Have to Get On TikTok if You’re an Interior Designer | Mini News

28 november 2022 | 13 min

Are you an interior designer about to make a TikTok account and you're looking for tips? OR are you an interior designer who thinks TikTok is just a silly app for kids? Either way, we're here to help! Since TikTok just replaced Netflix as the most popular app for people under 35, Gavin (SEO Manager) is here to share some tips on joining TikTok as an interior designer and the benefits of catering to a younger audience.

***

⭐️TikTok just replaced Netflix as the most popular app - not just for kids, but for people under 35. This can be pretty surprising as I’m sure many of us view TikTok as something for kids, or that it’s not a professional space. However, the data shows that this is quickly changing. When you’re thinking about where you want to invest your time and limited amount of resources, you aren’t typically prioritizing younger audiences. However, Gen Z is poised to become one of the wealthiest generations of all time - the average age of people with a $25M net worth is age 45 and above. As an interior designer, if you’re looking to target even the $5-10M range, oddly enough, it could be within the 20-35 year old bracket. These younger generations are developing a higher level of wealth but are a relatively untapped market for interior designers.

⭐️What kind of content should interior designers make on TikTok? Firstly, if you have products you can sell, you can now sell them within the TikTok app and reach more people faster. As social media apps roll out new features, they typically reward early users by pushing your content out more, since it’s ultimately in their best financial interest to showcase new features. But what should the videos even be about? You don’t have to go on TikTok and do silly dances. Shift your perspective and consider this…TikTok can take the weight of professionalism off your shoulders and allow you to be a bit more lighthearted and showcase your personality. Try looking at TikTok as something more “freeing” rather than silly. If you have a staff or team working on projects with you, you can also have them create videos to demonstrate a day-in-the-life at your business. You can also show your design work through TikTok. You can use trending audio and sounds to create a fun video clip, like room transformations, which do really well on TikTok. Take a before and after video, with a little bit of your work in between, add some audio, and post away!

⭐️Have you been really resistant to join TikTok? If you’re an interior designer listening to this right now, you’re going to realize TikTok isn’t just for kids - whether you realize that now and can take advantage of that, or you realize it once someone else has done it. It’s important to get on TikTok as soon as you can because you will see an advantage. TikTok is working to gain more users of older generations as well, so if you fall into that category, you may find your content getting pushed harder in the algorithm. It is financially beneficial for TikTok to push that content to help reach older demographics.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How Much Should I Pay Myself as a Business Owner? (with Tara Newman)

23 november 2022 | 42 min

How much should I pay myself as an interior design business owner? Do I need to have a million-dollar business to be a millionaire? And what does profit-first mean? Tara Newman is here to help you calculate your revenue goal, figure out how much you should be charging for your services, and learn what percentage you should be paying yourself as the business owner.

Tara Newman is the Founder and CEO of The Bold Profit Academy where she teaches service-based business owners how to sell premium services and programs without the emotional stress of launching, worrying about ads, overwhelming social strategies or complex funnels.Tara hosts a weekly podcast called The Bold Money Revolution and has been featured in publications like Money Magazine, Yahoo Finance, and Huffington Post as well as other publications and podcasts.

***

⭐️Tara says that $250,000 per year is what allows you to pay yourself $10,000 a month. It’s not necessarily a factor of whether we should be looking things at an annual basis or monthly basis. Tara works with many business owners, particularly established female experts running service-based businesses. One of the big moments for these women who are experts at what they do, but not necessarily experts at business when they get started, is when they realize they need to replace their traditional salary (which is often around 6 figures). Tara says if you want to be paying yourself $100,000 a year, you need to have business revenue in excess of $250,000 a year. If you’re running a business bringing in $250,000 or less in revenue, in profit-first theory, you should be able to pay yourself 50% of that revenue.

⭐️When you’re scaling your business and hiring employees, how do you keep on track with paying yourself adequately within the profit-first formula? As business owners, it’s important to get into a habit of asking yourself, “How can I simplify?” Ask yourself these questions on a weekly basis: What can I delete? What isn’t adding any value to my customer experience? Tara says if it’s not adding to your customer experience, then it’s not adding value to you in the long run. Another thing to ask yourself is what you can automate. There are some great technological options and simple tools that allow businesses to automate more and still maintain a high-touch business. Tara finds that many business owners don’t understand their operation well enough, and they just start hiring employees because they feel overwhelmed. Instead, Tara recommends you stop and check in on how to reduce the overwhelm not necessarily through adding a person. Can better boundaries be established? Is there some clarity we can have around our process? These things need to be addressed before scaling, otherwise you run the risk of complicating your process in a costly way. The ultimate goal of scaling is to increase revenue without adding equal amounts of expense.

⭐️How do you know if you’re charging enough for your services, and how do you find out your goal revenue? We all have our own magic number that we need to hit based on our personal financial goals and situation. Tara created a revenue goal calculator that allows you to reverse-engineer your particular needs. When using the calculator, you’ll put in your personal financial needs and then it will calculate what revenue goal you need to hit in order to pay yourself. Check out the revenue goal calculator at theboldleadershiprevolution.com/revenue.

***

📲CONNECT with Tara:

Website: https://theboldleadershiprevolution.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetaranewman/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Bittersweet: How Sorrow and Longing Make Us Whole" by Susan Cain

Revenue Goal Calculator: https://theboldleadershiprevolution.com/revenue-goal-calculator/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

You Can Shop on TikTok with This New E-Commerce Feature | Mini News

21 november 2022 | 10 min

Did you know that you can now shop on TikTok? TikTok has a new e-commerce feature, similar to Instagram shopping. TikTok shopping is currently being tested with big brands like Amazon, Target, and more, but it will be rolled out to smaller creators and influencers as well. Meanwhile, Myspace makes a comeback through a new Instagram feature that allows you to add music to your feed posts.

***

⭐️There may be some of you interior designers out there rolling your eyes when you hear the word TikTok. However, we’ve seen some big brands, real estate agents, and designers take TikTok by storm. There’s a big opportunity for TikTok to be a key extension of your brand. TikTok helps interior design feel more accessible to new users and viewers. Whether you like TikTok or not, this Mini News is for you, because TikTok is in the process of launching their in-app e-commerce in the United States. It’s been out in the UK for a bit, but now it’s moving to the US. Think of it like Instagram shopping, but on TikTok! Right now, it’s only available to bigger brands like Amazon, Target, and others, but eventually they’re hoping to roll it out to the smaller creators and influencers. Abby suspects there will be a follower count requirement, based on the fact that you can’t have direct links in your bio on TikTok unless you have at least a thousand followers. After this initial testing with bigger brands is complete, smaller accounts should have access to it as well. We’re on TikTok @wingnutsocial - give us a follow!

⭐️TikTok tips: We’ve experienced that “talking head” videos aren’t getting us much traction as more original, creative content. It can seem very random what takes off, but from our experience, aesthetically pleasing videos tend to do better, plus videos that use trending audios. Spend 10 minutes a day scrolling through TikTok and if you hear the same audio more than once, try using that audio and see how your video does!

⭐️You might have seen this in your feed over the last few days - Instagram has added the capability to add music to your static feed posts. When you’re composing your feed post, there’s an option before hitting share that says “Add music” and you can add 5 to 90 seconds of a song of your choosing to your post. This doesn’t mean that you can skip out on Reels. These are still considered static images. Using this new tool may boost you slightly in the algorithm since they’ve been pushing this feature. Instagram typically rewards users that test their new features. This new feature could also help convey more emotion through your posts to connect with your followers in a new way.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Ask Your Interior Design Clients for Their Budget (with Hilaire Pickett-Martin)

16 november 2022 | 22 min

How do you get that elusive budget from your interior design clients? Stick around and find out! On today’s show, we’re discussing client communication and transparency. Guest Hilaire Pickett-Martin is here to tell us to not shy away from answering (and asking) the tough questions with your interior design clients - plus how to ask your interior design clients for their budget!

Hilaire Pickett-Martin grew up (quite literally) in the business. She is a graduate of Elon University. Hilaire handles Design Lines’ communications, and applies her enthusiasm and passion to promoting the firm. She also oversees all the accounting and day-to-day operations. Hilaire uses her inborn knowledge of the business to pitch in wherever she can. Outside of the business, her favorite vacation spot is Whistler, British Columbia, and she recently learned to wakeboard and snowboard.

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⭐️Hilaire says transparency starts at the first meeting with your client. It’s important to really listen to your client and understand their challenges. What does your client ultimately want? Use your first meeting to get to the bottom of their goal. Hilaire sets expectations along the way, even in the initial design presentation. She may show her clients design choices that have big lead times; she makes sure to articulate these timelines to her clients. She also tries to get a sense of the client’s budget and timeframe (even if it’s a range) to make sure they align with her vision. Hilaire is very authentic in her conversation with her clients, being fully honest if she doesn’t think something can be accomplished within their budget and timeframe.

⭐️How do you get your client to tell you their budget? There are several different approaches. If your clients have a number but are just hesitant to share it, Hilaire recommends asking for a range - “give us a high, give us a low.” Another approach is to identify pieces within the space that the clients are willing to spend money on. You can find a budget range by value engineering specific pieces. Value engineering is a fancy way of saying “working within a budget.” There are 3 things you can have - price, function, or quality - but you can’t always have all 3. You might have to sacrifice one or the other. If you value engineer the price of an item, you may not have the best quality. At the end of the day, you have to pick what’s important and what you want to spend the money on.

⭐️Being transparent during the final steps of the design process is just as important as being upfront in the beginning. So you’ve procured furniture and it’s on purchase order - having open communication about delivery is crucial. Obviously there has been a huge amount of pressure on expediting over the past few years due to supply chain issues. Hilaire is very open about deliveries, letting her clients know that the timelines and delivery dates are subject to change. She feels people have been relatively understanding of these delays coming out of a pandemic. Additionally, Hilaire and her team are present for every install. They make sure everything comes off the truck in great condition, and if they’re not, they let the client know and work towards repairs or returns. Lastly, they communicate with their clients at the very end of the process upon invoicing.

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📲CONNECT with Hilaire:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/designlinessignature/

Website: https://designlinesltd.com/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Feeding the Soul" by Tabitha Brown

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

3 Tips to Grow Your Instagram Account | Mini News

14 november 2022 | 12 min

Want tips to grow your Instagram account? It’s our 300th episode - woohoo! Today we’re sharing 3 awesome tips on growing your Instagram following. We also have an Instagram contest to celebrate our 300th episode @wingnutsocial - enter to win a FREE 30-minute Instagram audit consultation OR SEO audit consultation.

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⭐️Go to our Instagram page and check out our 300th episode giveaway. You can enter by liking the post, following our Instagram, and tagging 3 people in the comments. The grand prize is your choice of a mini SEO audit consultation with us, or an Instagram audit consultation with us. That’s a 30 minute consultation with experts at Wingnut Social to go over your Instagram and give you real takeaways and advice on improving your account, what you can do better, and what you’re already doing great. For the SEO audit, or “search engine optimization,” we’ll run a quick audit and sit down with you to review the results. We’ll give you advice on how to gain traffic to your website and much more. It’s a FREE coaching session! Enter the contest today on Instagram @wingnutsocial.

⭐️When it comes to growing your Instagram following, we talk a lot about the types of content you’re posting, but we don’t always consider what you have to do once that content goes live. We have 3 great tips for you to help grow your Instagram following! #1: Respond to your comments on your posts. When you receive comments on your posts, don’t just leave them hanging! It’s great you got that initial engagement, but when you respond to the comments, you make the users feel special and heard, which encourages more comments. If possible, try to respond within an hour of receiving a comment. It’s a lot of work, but it’s super important to build that engagement and establish real connections with your followers. Getting ghosted can sometimes hurt your followers, so if you aren’t responding, they may not comment again. Think about a time when you commented on a creator’s post and they actually responded to you - how did that make you feel?

⭐️Tip #2: Respond to your DMs too! Don’t just ignore those direct messages that come in. Check them often and see what’s coming in. You might be getting business inquiries that you’re not realizing are coming through! You might get people asking about your services and more. It’s an opportunity to respond and drive them to the next step in your process, whether that be your website contact page, a phone number to call you at, or a link to schedule a call. At the very least, have an automated response on hand with directions to your contact page.

⭐️Tip #3: Engage with accounts within your target audience. Engage with accounts that you think your target audience would also be engaging with. The formula here is to like a post, comment something specific on the post (not just “Love it!”), and follow the account. It’s a great way to get that account, and those who follow that account, to view your profile and potentially engage with your content/follow you. But who do you know who to engage with? Look for accounts that relate to your target audience. For example, if you’re a designer in Miami targeting high income families, you should interact with local businesses like high end restaurants and family attractions (not always design accounts). In terms of hashtags, you could try “Miami families,” “Miami living,” “family life,” and more.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Environmental Psychology and Design (with Smita Sahoo)

9 november 2022 | 35 min

What does studying criminal minds have to do with interior design? Smita Sahoo (founder of āśaya I Design in Chicago) joins us to discuss her studies of environmental psychology, which explores the relationship between humans and the world around them. Smita uses research and data to drive her design. Also in this episode, Smita offers advice to fellow women designers and entrepreneurs.

After working for over 16 years with top national and international real estate developers and companies, Smita founded āśaya I Design, a Chicago based luxury interior design and architecture firm. Her uniquely creative voice in the design profession is informed by a diverse background in architecture, interior design and environmental psychology. Smita thrives on designing spaces that strengthen our emotional connections to the places we live, work, and interact.

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⭐️Smita has a focus in environmental psychology, which is understanding how humans interact in their environments. Environmental psychology is very data-based, and this data helps drive her design. Every human being picks up on certain cues in their environment before they act. Smita studies the design of certain spaces and how human beings perceive it. She illustrates this through the design of a high-end store. You can’t lock up all the expensive items like a CVS. Your merchandise needs to be on display, but you don’t want to encourage it to be snatched up. In this situation, you need to curate a perception that customers are being watched so they are less likely to steal. Ultimately, Smita uses research and data to design comfortable spaces that feel secure.

⭐️Smita is very passionate about empowering fellow women in business. She has some really great advice, starting with “believe in yourself.” Once you believe in yourself, and you have decided that this is your path, no matter what happens you will commit to moving forward. Everything else will become aligned. Successful entrepreneurs are not those who haven’t seen failure - they have failed, picked themselves up, and kept going! Smita compares this to a child’s mentality of learning to walk. Despite constantly falling, they remain curious and don’t give up. She advises to not give up, with the intention of learning to walk, and eventually you will start walking. Confidence and tenacity comes first - the rest can be taught. You have to be a little crazy in pursuing your business, because if you’re just playing it safe and doing what’s already been done, you aren’t taking any chances or betting on yourself.

⭐️When it comes to mentorships, Smita keeps an open mind and likes to have multiple mentors from different walks of life. Different people have different strengths. Smita advises reaching out to potential mentors regarding some of their work that you admire, and request some time to chat. Smita has never shied away from reaching out to high-level designers and asking to grab coffee and chat about their experiences. She even reaches out to other business owners to ask simple questions like, “How do you save on taxes?” and “How do you hire people?” There’s a lot to learn from other business owners and how they operate. Try reaching out to someone you know and share secrets!

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📲CONNECT with Smita:

Instagram: https://instagram.com/asaya.design?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Website: https://www.asayadesign.com/

📲CONNECT with Susan & Paul:

Website: https://kadilakhomes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KadilakHomes/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul" by Howard Schultz

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Is Elon Musk Bringing Back Vine?! | Mini News

7 november 2022 | 10 min

Is Elon Musk bringing back Vine?! It’s been a wild week in the social media landscape, and SEO Manager Gavin is here to break it down for you. We discuss Elon Musk acquiring Twitter, the potential comeback of Vine, and the Instagram outage that caused everyone to lose followers.

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⭐️Twitter has been acquired by Elon Musk! We don’t really know what he plans to do with the platform, but Twitter in general has played an outsized role within the political media landscape due to its following among journalists, commentators, celebrities, and more. Elon says, “The reason I acquired Twitter is because it’s important to the future of civilization to have a common digital town square where a wide range of beliefs can be debated in a healthy manner without resorting to violence.” Anyone who is looking to become a thought leader in the social space should be looking at all avenues of the social media landscape, including Twitter (regardless of how you feel about Elon Musk). Elon Musk is the first person to have taken five different companies in five separate verticals and built billion-dollar businesses from the ground up. You can expect Twitter to transform as a result of Musk’s acquisition, especially since Twitter really hasn’t changed much in terms of its functionality since its inception.

⭐️Elon Musk is entertaining the idea of reintroducing Vine. Vine really laid the groundwork for today’s social media. Before Vine, social media platforms were primarily photo-based. Vine was the only quick, funny, entertainment-driven site. It was the first platform to introduce what we have today as modern social media. Elon Musk bringing Vine back as a competitor to TikTok could be incredibly successful. Additionally, in times of recessions, entertainment-based media and social media outlets always thrive. It could be a perfect storm to bring back Vine as a competitor to TikTok. Vine has a big nostalgia factor for people, so it’s possible if it came back, people would be eager to produce less on TikTok (or leave TikTok altogether) in favor of creating content on Vine.

⭐️What does this all mean for interior designers? Take stock of your current content on other platforms (like TikTok), and start taking steps to prepare this content to transition to Vine. Prepare your content in advance so, should Vine come back, you’ll be ready the second it launches. You don’t want to begin your content creation post-launch. If your content is already prepared for Vine, you can be a first-mover, which is incredibly important. Getting on a social platform early can have a huge impact on your following and offer other big advantages. If you’re already creating content for Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, you should be able to repurpose this for Vine - make sure your video content is incredibly organized on your computer or hard drive so you can immediately plug and play if Vine comes back.

⭐️There was an outage on Instagram where everyone was losing a ton of followers. There were many reports of people being suspended from their accounts randomly. Within a couple hours, it seemingly resolved and the followers returned. Was it a bug, or was it a hacker? What do you think? Either way, it seems everything is back to normal (for now).

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Project Management Tips for Busy Entrepreneurs (with Tonya Thomas)

2 november 2022 | 23 min

Are you an interior designer struggling with organization and project management? Tonya Thomas joins us today to share some tips and tools that she’s used to help CEOs grow their teams from 1 employee to 50, lead multi-million-dollar revenue growth, and free up their time to oversee major expansion projects. Also in this episode, Tonya explains how hiring a virtual assistant is the key to a complete organizational overhaul.

Tonya Thomas is the founder of Team Delegate, a provider of elite virtual executive assistant support to seasoned executives turned small business owners. Tonya is a speaker, 20+ year business owner, and host of the Unbottleneck Your Business podcast. She excels in helping CEOs grow their teams from 1 employee to 50, lead multi-million-dollar revenue growth, and free up their time to oversee major expansion projects.

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⭐️Why are systems important for businesses? Systems create consistency and organization! A lot of times we have systems in place and don’t realize it - for example, if you have an assistant that manages your calendar through Google Calendars or Outlook, that’s a system! Your system consists of the tools that you use, and how you use the tools.

⭐️SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) are super important to put in place for your business. They create organization, and they’re also helpful in case of turnover - you won’t need to utilize your time to train new hires because a well-created SOP can be used effortlessly for onboarding. It’s important that your SOPs are both written and visual, because everyone learns differently (adding in videos can help visual learners). Creating SOPs can also help identify issues within your overall workflow and ultimately allow you to smooth out your processes.

⭐️Some helpful project management tools are Asana, Monday.com, and Teamwork. Tonya personally uses Teamwork for projects. Even if it’s just you and one other person, having a project management system is crucial because it organizes your work. When you’re working with others, especially if it’s remote, a project management system really helps create cohesion and consistency as you’re working together virtually.

⭐️What’s a virtual assistant, and do I need one? If you’re someone who doesn’t necessarily need a full-time employee, but are seeking some help in managing your calendar and other tasks, an executive virtual assistant can work for you. Your company can either be in person or remote, it doesn’t matter - a virtual assistant can help both! An assistant will help create systems for your business, and also research project management and organization tools that suit you and your team.

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📲CONNECT with Tonya:

Website: https://www.teamdelegate.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teamdelegate/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonyabthomas/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

“The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It” by Michael E. Gerber

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Schedule Reels and Posts on Instagram | Mini News

31 oktober 2022 | 7 min

Social media manager Lilah joins us to discuss how to schedule reels and posts on Instagram. Instagram has a new in-app feature that will allow you to schedule your reels and other posts. This is a great development, but is it the best option for you and your business? Watch this video and find out!

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⭐️Instagram is releasing an in-app scheduling feature! Scheduling your content is extremely important if you’re aiming to grow your business through Instagram. It allows you to save time by batching your content - you can upload your photo, add a caption and tags, and then schedule all your posts out. It will be a very simple feature, including just the date and time of scheduling, just like scheduling an email.

⭐️Despite this update, there are still many 3rd-party options for scheduling content on Instagram that offer more in-depth features (Hootsuite, HubSpot, and Later are other platforms that offer post scheduling). The benefit to using the Instagram scheduler is that it’s directly in app - it will be best for scheduling reels, especially if you want to add audio or music. However, unlike the 3rd-party platforms, Instagram currently will not offer competitor reports, hashtag analysis, best posting times, and other helpful tools.

⭐️What if I have multiple people logged into one Instagram account? Lilah suspects that not everyone will be able to see the scheduled posts, and that it will be specific to your phone. So if you are in a situation where you have someone approving posts to go out, this likely won’t be the best solution for you at this time.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

How to Create Social Videos and Blow up Your Business (with Susan & Paul Kadilak)

26 oktober 2022 | 38 min

Do you want to create videos for social media and grow your business, but you’re not quite sure where to begin? Susan and Paul Kadilak (Kadilak Homes) are here to share all their content creation secrets! They have had incredible success marketing and promoting their design + build firm, growing their business by 60% in one year by developing and implementing a social video strategy. Today they’re discussing how to build and action based strategy to grow business with social video, key details to create social video, and what’s next in the evolution of social video and how to grow in this ever changing landscape.

@KadilakHomes is a design build firm run by Susan & Paul Kadilak in the Greater Boston area. Together they have made it their mission to help their clients turn an ordinary house into a haven that they love coming home to! The Kadilak’s have grown by connecting directly with their audience through their social media channels and are excited to announce that they just launched a brand-new app, “Renovation Rekindle” for their Emmy nominated home renovation show.

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⭐️Can I really get my ideal client from social media marketing? Susan says look at the numbers - everyone is on these social platforms, and you need to go where your clients are. From social media alone, Susan and Paul’s business has grown tremendously. When you’re posting consistently and putting your content out there, your clients are attracted to that. If there is a client out there who isn’t a good fit for you, and they look at your content, they’ll never call you. But if someone’s looking at your content and watching your videos, they’ll usually do it for a while before they call you. They’re often a better fit because they’ve taken the time to prescreen you - they likely have made a decision before they even call you! Based on this, the quality of people reaching out to you will be better than traditional advertising.

⭐️Susan and Paul advise that if you’re not creating video content right now (and you’re hesitant to begin), start small. Instead of jumping in front of a camera, experiment with visuals, pictures, and concepts - you don’t necessarily have to be in the video at first. Take videos of your next project, drawing, job site, or whatever feels right. Eventually, you can start to appear in the videos, beginning with a quick snippet, and working up from there. Susan says she’s the last person who wants to be on video, but realized she wouldn’t get better if she didn’t try. Looking back, Paul says they “weren’t good” when they first started, but to be fair…nobody is! If you’re worried about starting, and find yourself paralyzed by fear of failure, you have to get over it or else you’ll never get started at all. You don’t have to be perfect…you don’t even have to be “good.” At the end of the day, you’re not auditioning for a role; you’re just documenting what you do and connecting with your clients, sharing your authentic self.

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📲CONNECT with Susan & Paul:

Website: https://kadilakhomes.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/KadilakHomes/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

"Talking to Strangers: What We Should Know about the People We Don't Know" by Malcolm Gladwell

"Twelve and a Half: Leveraging the Emotional Ingredients Necessary for Business Success" by Gary Vaynerchuk

Check out "Renovation Rekindle" here: https://kadilakhomes.com/renovation-rekindle/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

YouTube Handles: Everything You Need To Know | Mini News

24 oktober 2022 | 5 min

Today we're discussing YouTube Handles: here's everything you need to know! Gavin is joined by Abby Coots, Social Media Manager at Wingnut Social, to discuss this brand new feature from YouTube - handles! Watch this video to learn everything you need to know about the new YouTube handles before they become available.

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⭐️YouTube is currently in the process of rolling out handles for all YouTube channels, which is going to make it easier to promote your channel within the app and drive traffic to your channel. YouTube says, “Handles are a unique identifier in all YouTube channels are going to have access to this feature. Your unique handle will help people find and interact with your profile and it will be completely specific and unique to your profile.” Currently on YouTube, usernames can be the same. We’ve seen some copycats out there (not specifically with Wingnut thankfully!). On YouTube in general, people can copy usernames. With the new handle feature, it’s just for you. Nobody else can have the same handle as you. It’s really going to help assure your subscribers they’re interacting with the real you.

⭐️This update will be launched and available for everyone by November 14th. If you don’t choose your own handle by then, YouTube is going to choose one for you based off of your current channel name. Don’t freak out! Even if YouTube assigns a handle to you, you can still go back and adjust it afterwards.

⭐️Abby recommends choosing the same YouTube handle that you use on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter because that will increase your likelihood of being found by your followers on other platforms. It will keep things easier and more cohesive. Wingnut encourages that you utilize all the basic platforms including Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn - the more places you can post high quality content, the better! But…let’s say you’re having trouble connecting with your ideal client on Instagram. Abby says she thinks of YouTube as a search engine, which she utilizes when she’s searching for a “how to” or “DIY tips.” If you’re someone who specializes in virtual design (Edesign) or you sell a tangible product like a paint guide or a wallpaper guide, YouTube is going to be a great friend of yours in terms of reaching your ideal client who is searching for those DIY projects. For example, your client may be searching for a soothing and relaxing paint color for their bathroom. They would likely go on YouTube to search that, your profile will pop up with your new handle, and ideally you’ll also have some YouTube Shorts for them to watch, using call to actions with links to purchase your paint guide (or whatever else you aim to sell). Ultimately, choosing the same handle as your other platforms will help your current audience to find you across platforms.

***

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Designing Space With a Human-Centered Perspective (with Chrissy Fehan & Sarah Davis)

19 oktober 2022 | 32 min

What the heck is human-centered and data driven design, and how can it help you in your interior design business? Chrissy Fehan and Sarah Davis of Pophouse are here to fill us in on the importance of designing space with a human-centered perspective, and how the physical environment can have a positive impact on individuals. They’ll also share how this approach informed the Rock Ventures Headquarters, recently featured and on the cover of Interior Design magazine’s 90th anniversary edition.

Sarah has over 17 years of experience working in business intelligence. She has performed extensive research in workplace strategy and has been instrumental in developing the strategy that informs the design for many Pophouse projects. Chrissy leads an interiors and industrial design team and oversees all brand strategy. Prior to her current role, Chrissy was an industrial designer and created numerous pieces of furniture, lighting, reception desks and outdoor spaces.

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⭐️Chrissy and Sarah pride themselves on doing unconventional strategic and human-centered design. They use different types of evidence obtained from clients via interviews, surveys, and observations to understand how clients need to function in space. This combined with external research is used to drive their design. They believe spaces can positively impact people - how they interact, how they engage with each other. The space needs to be beautiful and aesthetically thoughtful, but if people can’t function in this space, it misses the mark. Chrissy and Sarah work to bring beauty and function together.

⭐️Pophouse thrives on a particular set of systems and processes that can be catered to different clients. The process usually begins with data collection, including client surveys and observation. Pophouse has also created mock settings for clients to utilize, and led focus groups. Talking to their clients in this manner helps gather feedback, which the clients are very willing to give because they care about the space they’re sitting in. To learn more about the teams they design for, Chrissy and Sarah gather information such as org charts, cultural documents, mission statements, core values, and more. They pair these internal findings with external discovery like benchmarking, research, and academic work. All of this information serves as the foundation for the design project and ultimately acts as a North Star to follow for the duration of the project.

⭐️Chrissy says that niching down their business has helped Pophouse in many ways. It has allowed them to bring on the proper team members that they need, and to grow their business. They are better able to see their future goals and pivot them around their clients’ needs. It’s helped them laser focus more - they aren’t stretched between many different types of design. Niching down has also helped Pophouse more thoughtfully select their clients and make sure their cultures align. Sarah explains that, even when niching down their business, there is still lots of diversity within the commercial office design space. Whether they’re designing a commercial office for a tech team, a marketing team, or a sales team, they all look totally different as the needs for each team vary. Chrissy explains that the scale of projects differs as well. Sometimes they take projects where they help a smaller client’s brand be visualized through their space.

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📲CONNECT with Chrissy & Sarah:

Website: https://pophouse.design

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pophousedesign/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

“Daring Greatly: How the Courage to Be Vulnerable Transforms the Way We Live, Love, Parent, and Lead" by Brené Brown

"Identity Designed: The Definitive Guide to Visual Branding" by David Airey

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

TuneIn: https://bit.ly/designedontunein YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Can I Add a Voiceover to My YouTube Shorts? | Mini News

17 oktober 2022 | 9 min

Branding Your Interior Design Business (with Katie Saunders)

12 oktober 2022 | 24 min

A New Instagram Update is Reinventing the DM | Mini News

10 oktober 2022 | 8 min

Curating Meaningful Art for Your Interior Design Clients (with Liz Lidgett)

5 oktober 2022 | 27 min

Is Instagram Releasing a ”Repost” Feature? | Mini News

3 oktober 2022 | 8 min

Can you repost someone else's pictures and videos on Instagram? Darla is joined by Abby Coots, Social Media Manager at Wingnut Social, to discuss Instagram's upcoming repost feature that will allow you to share content from other accounts, similar to a retweet.

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⭐️Instagram is testing a repost feature. What does this mean?

Have you ever wanted to repost someone else's Instagram pictures or videos? You probably had to download an app (like Repost: For Instagram), search for the content again, and then when you finally posted it, there was a huge watermark on the picture. Well, this may no longer be a necessary process, as Instagram is currently testing a repost feature that will function similarly to retweets on Twitter!

⭐️Why should I care about Instagram's new repost feature? What are the pros and cons?

For interior designers, this feature can be extremely helpful for your social media presence! Allowing others to share your content with the proper tags and crediting can lead to more brand awareness. What if you don't love the idea of your content being shared? Abby explains that, if and when this feature is released, it will be built into the app, so you won't be able to opt out or deny others from reposting your content. Another possible issue is whether or not the high amount of reposting will be flooding users' Instagram feeds.

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📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wingnutsocial/

Wingnut Webinars: https://wingnutsocial.com/webinar

Get Wingnut Academy Updates: https://wingnutsocial.com/wingnut-academy/

🎧SUBSCRIBE to The Wingnut Social Podcast:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3RJzmtK

Google Podcasts: https://bit.ly/designedongooglepodcasts

YouTube: https://bit.ly/designedonyoutube

Building Community Through Interior Design (with Maryline Damour & Jennifer Salvemini)

28 september 2022 | 33 min

Today we're talking about building community through interior design - spoiler: it's great for your bottom line. Interior designers Maryline Damour and Jennifer Salvemini share some tips on finding your community, building connections, and keeping an open mind when it comes to your career path and growth.

Maryline Damour is a founding partner and principal interior designer of Damour Drake. Her work has been featured in magazines including House Beautiful, Architectural Digest and Elle Decor and on PBS and The Drew Barrymore Show. Maryline is also the founder of the Kingston Design Showhouse, an annual showcase that celebrates Hudson Valley design and connects the design/build industry in the region.

As a student of anthropology and philosophy, Jennifer Salvemini's academics evolved into a passion for aesthetic expression in all areas of culture. She developed an intense appreciation for deep sensory experiences and finds great satisfaction in fostering meaningful experiences for others. Jennifer's professional life straddles careers in hospitality and fashion spanning over 15 years in New York City. She began her interior design practice 5 years ago and has been creating happily in the Catskills ever since.

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⭐️What does “building community through interior design” even mean?

Today we’re discussing building community through design. What does that mean? As interior designers and entrepreneurs, we often find ourselves living in “business bubbles,” feeling isolated and that we’re constantly reinventing the wheel when starting our businesses. Jennifer explains the goal of community-building is to connect people to each other - makers to makers, builders to makers, designers to makers, designers to builders - to bridge all of these networks and create larger infrastructure, so we can support the individual work of one another while simultaneously creating opportunities for collaboration. When we work together, more interesting products get created. More projects emerge. There are more solutions to problems. And of course…it’s more fun! Plus, collaborating with other creatives and artists can have a positive impact on your local economy.

⭐️How can I build my community and connections without a show house?

Jennifer finds that using Instagram to connect with other locals, whether it be restaurants or building communities or artists, has been wildly successful. What about growing your Instagram? Marilyne says the way to get a million followers is via targeting. If you target the people who are interested, they will amplify the message to others who are interested. Marilyne’s audience has grown by appealing to other creators. By targeting, you can grow your social platform in a way that matters to you and can ultimately feed your business.

⭐️Is it weird to have another interior designer in my community?

It’s important to stay connected with your fellow designers. Marilyne thinks that competition is only a thing if you make it a thing. There are more opportunities when you collaborate, and the market is so diverse in need that your clientele is likely different from that of your collaborators.

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📲CONNECT with Marilyne:

Website: https://kingstondesignconnection.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingston.design.connection/

📲CONNECT with Jennifer:

Website: https://www.jenniferlsalvemini.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jls.lifestyle/

📲CONNECT with Darla:

Darla’s Interior Design Website: https://darlapowell.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlapowellhome/

📚Resources & People Mentioned:

Marilyne's previous episode: https://youtu.be/gEes3uhw7gU

"The Bone People" by Keri Hulme

"Jitterbug Perfume" by Tom Robbins

"A Natural History of the Senses" by Diane Ackerman

🏠FOLLOW Wingnut Social: