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Welcome to “Colorful Conversations with Katie”! Join us for a vibrant podcast where we seamlessly blend the realms of design and business in a fun and professional setting. Available on YouTube or any of your favorite podcast platforms! Hosted by the dynamic Katie Decker-Erickson, a seasoned expert with nearly 20 years of experience in both fields, this engaging series promises to ignite your creative spark and sharpen your entrepreneurial acumen. From exploring the latest design trends to u ...
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27: Scale Your Interior Design Business Using Systems w/ Rebecca Hay
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44:35
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Systems and processes are likely not the first things that come to mind when you think of scaling your design business growth. It’s much more appealing to dream of luxurious Tuesday mornings spent sipping coffee and being creative. But—those “boring” systems and processes are the real movers and shakers that get you more…
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26: 2024 Interior Design Trends with Diana Rushton
30:27
30:27
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Send Katie a Text Message!! We’re here to tell you the next big interior design trend to look for in 2024! Our very own Diana Rushton recently visited the High Point Market and is here to tell all. From how to merge sustainability and trends to updating a space designed with a previous decor trend to all that’s new in color, lighting, and textures—…
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25: Networking Tips for Interior Designers with LuAnn Nigara
37:30
37:30
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Networking as an interior designer can be intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be. Not if you’re armed with the perfect questions to ask, a plan of action, and all the rest of the advice LuAnn Nigara shares with us in this insightful and inspiring conversation! Hear from one of the most connected women in the industry jus…
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24: How to Close Sales Using Body Language with Nancy Ganzekaufer
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48:37
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Send Katie a Text Message!! One of the most critical aspects of business is the sale—and your body language could be killing your close rate. An interior designer’s nonverbal communication to clients must exude calm and confidence from the very beginning. But how exactly can you do that? Nancy Ganzekaufer is a body language trainer who specializes …
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23: Brand Identity & Design for Interior Designers with Corey Fuller
39:25
39:25
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Your brand identity captures everything about your design firm. From the fonts and color palette you use to the intangible pieces like brand voice—it all works together to draw in your ideal clients. But where do you begin creating a brand identity? Do you need to hire a professional brand strategist? And how can you tel…
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22: Interior Designers Pricing & Project Estimation with Michelle Lynne Pant
54:26
54:26
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Send Katie a Text Message!! A business series wouldn’t be complete without talking about pricing for interior designers. Pricing and project estimation can be such a touchy and intimidating topic, but it doesn’t need to be! How can designers turn what they love into a profitable business quickly? How do you make the jump from hourly to value-based …
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Welcome to Colorful Conversations with Katie!
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1:26
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Welcome to “Colorful Conversations with Katie”! Join us for a vibrant podcast where we seamlessly blend the realms of design and business in a fun and professional setting. Available on YouTube or any of your favorite podcast platforms! 📲 CONNECT with Katie: Business Strategy Sessions for Interior Designers with Katie Th…
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21: Target Audience Personas & Marketing with Bill Gelgota
42:42
42:42
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Send Katie a Text Message!! The target persona in your marketing is maybe the most critical piece of your business foundations. It’s just like the old adage says, if you’re speaking to everyone, you’re speaking to no one. But how are you supposed to determine your target market when you’re just starting your design business? How do you discover the…
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20: Business Insurance Basics for Designers with Stephen Wisocky
38:20
38:20
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38:20
Send Katie a Text Message!! Insurance should grow alongside your business—it’s not a set it and forget it situation! So let’s talk about the insurance needs of interior designers. What insurance must you have as soon as you open your design firm? How do your insurance needs change as your firm grows? And what rates can you expect to pay? Stephen Wi…
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19: How to Hire a CPA for Your Design Firm with Kate Snelson
40:54
40:54
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Send Katie a Text Message!! How are you supposed to know which CPA to hire? Or when to hire them? Can you ask them questions before becoming a client? What qualifies as a business expense? Which expenses do business owners commonly miss? And do you really want your CPA to ask you potentially awkward questions? Don’t you already have enough on your …
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18: Color Consulting, Forecasting, & Trends with Nello Marelli
35:40
35:40
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35:40
Send Katie a Text Message!! Have a question you want Katie to answer on an upcoming episode? Submit your Colorful Question now! When it comes to color and textile trends, Europe typically is ahead of the U.S. market—but what if you could finally walk alongside European designers? What if you had access to the same trend forecaster and color consult…
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Bonus: Vegas Market Recap—Biggest Trends 2024 with Diana Rushton
35:06
35:06
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Wondering what happened at the 2024 Las Vegas Market? As a designer, it’s important to stay on top of the shifts in trends—it makes your designs relevant, brings them up-to-date, keeps you current, and moves you forward even beyond that. Our very own Diana Rushton went to market and shares the details of the design trend…
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17: The Legal Side of Running a Design Firm with David Adler
37:08
37:08
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37:08
Send Katie a Text Message!! How do you build a portfolio when you don't own the intellectual property rights? What questions should you ask an attorney before working together? What do you really need to know—legally speaking—about starting and running a business? I'm thrilled to have David Adler in today's episode, part of our Creating a Design Bu…
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16: Intro to Interior Design Entrepreneurship with Michelle Lynne Pant
32:24
32:24
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32:24
Send Katie a Text Message!! Have you found yourself wondering how to start an interior design business? Curious about what qualities and skills you need to be successful? The truth is—there are some really fun things about entrepreneurship… and there are some less than glamorous things you should know about. Fellow interior designer, business owner…
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15: The Benefits of Starting a Business with Mark Bernheimer
42:03
42:03
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42:03
Send Katie a Text Message!! If you had the chance to shape what your days, weeks, months, and life looked like—would you go for it? Becoming an entrepreneur is perfect for when you want to do something differently, do it better, and just be who you are! It gives you such freedom. But, truth be told… it isn’t the perfect fit for everyone. Mark Bernh…
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14: Futurist Predictions for Design & Business with Rebecca Ryan
45:18
45:18
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45:18
Send Katie a Text Message!! Our world is rapidly evolving. We’ve got AI and a whole host of other innovations coming on board and shaking things up. If we're not evolving in our business, we will be left behind. Instead of being fearful of the uncertainty that lies ahead in 2024 and beyond, what if we could hear predictions from someone who studies…
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13: The Construction Story with Kelly Fridline
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42:50
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Wouldn’t it be nice to have a step-by-step guide to the construction process (AKA the construction story)? Once you have your contract and are well on your way (especially when working with an architect), you must understand what comes next. It’s about approaching the design process with humility and looking at this as a…
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12: Giving Back Through Corporate Social Responsibility with Treger Strasberg
41:35
41:35
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Send Katie a Text Message!! What exactly is corporate social responsibility? Ever heard of Humble Design? This organization furnishes and decorates up to 13 homes each week in five cities across the country. Back in 2009, Treger Strasberg created a nonprofit and established a system that helps thousands of veterans, women, children, and families st…
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11: 2024 Color of the Year & Color Trends with Sherwin-Williams and PPG Paints
54:45
54:45
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Have you ever wondered what goes into selecting the color of the year? Who picks these trends? Do these colors have any longevity to them? What are we supposed to do with the color choices as designers? And will we ever be done with gray? I am thrilled for you to hear this roundtable discussion with Susan Wadden of Sherw…
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10: How to Improve Company Culture with Josh Dykstra
40:36
40:36
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Send Katie a Text Message!! What if I told you that you could improve your employees’ productivity by over 200%? Yes, you could actually have energized, happy, thoughtful, and super-productive employees by getting clear on just one thing! It’s something that greatly differentiates you from your competition. Your company culture. Josh Dykstra is wit…
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9: Understanding Taxes as an Entrepreneur with Kate Snelson
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36:00
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Wondering how entrepreneurs and people who are self-employed are taxed? Does that just make you want to curl up in a ball for the rest of the year? The thing is, if you’re paying money to the IRS, then you’re making money. That’s supposed to lessen the blow, but financial planning as a business owner can be a sensitive a…
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8: Branding: The Power of a Name with Corey Fuller
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33:10
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Send Katie a Text Message!! What is the importance of branding? Whether you’re a solopreneur or part of a design firm, having a brand makes you memorable. But good branding doesn’t happen by throwing spaghetti at the wall and hoping something sticks—it’s strategic and thoughtful. My friend and branding expert, Corey Fuller, is sharing that with us …
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Do you let the natural environment inform your designs? How does color affect your designs? And how can you adequately share what you do when you explain color to your clients? It’s a lot to think about. Lucky for us, my dear friend, Jason Bemis joins us on this episode to talk about nature, psychology, physiology, and c…
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6: Relationship Between Designer and General Contractor
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Send Katie a Text Message!! In this episode, we sit down with Jason Mews, Construction Management and General Contractor at Lippert Bros., Inc., to explore the critical partnership between general contractors (GCs) and interior designers. Jason emphasizes the collaborative nature of this relationship, highlighting how designers bring creative visio…
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5: The Architect and Designer Relationship
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26:36
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Send Katie a Text Message!! In this episode, we sit down with Wesley Rutledge, licensed Architect at Beck Design. Our conversation explores the dynamic relationship between architects and designers, emphasizing the value of a collaborative approach from the very beginning of the design process. Wes sheds light on the essential role designers play i…
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Send Katie a Text Message!! She’s back! In this episode, we reconnect with the lovely Diana Rushton once again, Project Manager and Assistant Designer at Color Works Design, as she recounts her captivating observation of the much-anticipated Las Vegas Market 2023. With Diana as our guide, we traverse the vibrant landscape of the latest interior des…
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Send Katie a Text Message!! In this episode, we sit down with Becca Ellison to discuss elevating your brand. Becca is a remarkable brand strategist and photographer who shares invaluable insights on crafting a compelling personal brand as a solopreneur or entrepreneur. Join us as we explore the significance of authenticity, leveraging unique streng…
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Send Katie a Text Message!! In this episode, we sit down with Susan Wadden, Director of Color Marketing at the Americas Group, to discuss the color trends of 2023. Susan shares her expertise and insights into the captivating world of color and its impact on the design industry. An exclusive announcement is unveiled: the highly anticipated 2024 colo…
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Send Katie a Text Message!! Katie and Diana discuss their experience and lessons learned at NeoCon 2023. NeoCon serves as the hub for the commercial design community, uniting its designers, architects, end-users, manufacturers, dealers, service providers, associations, educators, students and media each year in June. Full Show Notes Here Expand You…
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