What made being a content creator exciting was the innovation… the originality… the audacity to be different. To actually create. Now, what we have instead is that, in the name of bonuses & badges, everyone’s producing the same of everything in hopes of “going viral”.
In this episode, I'll be recounting all of the lessons from HPMKT, The E-Design Experience, launching a podcast, and STMN. And while I never did an official lessons round up for my first book, the lessons from that process as well. My hope is that in sharing my "favorite" self reflections from Meridian, you learn a lil something for yourself - and about yourself - while also taking this as your cue to pause in between your big ideas & build on your lessons from one to the next.
Read MoreWhile I know that we'll be sitting down for a live at some point to have an interactive conversation all about Meridian, I wanted to have this serve as a searchable, "savable" one stop shop for anyone new to the Meridian Experience.
Read MoreIf you’re listening to (or reading) this then you may already know that comeback is a long time coming! When I launched this podcast as The Design Influence 3 years ago, I had a pretty clear idea of where it was headed.
I realized — while procrastinating on bringing the show back — that The Design Influence no longer accurately represented what I was creating. In hindsight, I don’t know that it ever really did… I just knew that The E-Design Experience — the virtual conference that inspired the podcast — was definitely not an accurate representation of what I wanted the show to be. It wasn’t, actually, until I did the Share The Mic Now Home Edition initiative in 2020, that I realized how much I was limiting myself & the show with the name “The Design Influence”… I just didn’t have the mental bandwidth to figure out what the next iteration of the show would look like.
Now here we are, in 2022, less than 3 months away from The Meridian Experience Weekend — the first of its kind retreat style conference for the home industry — and I knew if I didn’t do this now, I was never gonna do this… this being bringing back the show. And then it hit me… The T.E.A… a show where I will be your guide as we T— think (and talk) through industry growing pains, E — equip ourselves with solution based education, and A — take action when & where action is needed.
Talk. Education. Action.
The show would run parallel the conference and continue after till the next one… and the next one… and the next one… for years to come! And that’s really why we’re here today… to talk all about The Meridian Experience!
Read MoreCurrently, the Owner and Project Manager of Kimberly & Cameron Interiors, consider Keia a well organized, highly effective interior design obsessed Wonder Woman. Additionally, she serves as the President of the Black Interior Designers Network.
I knew that there was no better way to celebrate (and honor) Black History Month than to have the President of the Black Interior Designers Network on the show.
Read MoreI’ve had designer friends remove e-design from their service offerings, realizing that it wasn’t a good fit for them and so happy to be freed up to focus on the services that did fit their business model. They understood the root of their e-design frustrations and ultimately realized that, no matter how many times they tweaked their packages or pricing, it would never make them happy.
Why aren't more designers asking themselves this — is e-design a good fit for me and my business?
E-design, for better or for worse, has forever changed the landscape of the design industry and has become a very enticing income stream for many designers, seasoned and new alike. So in theory, it could or should be for everyone right? Wrong. While it is an attractive part of the design industry, it may not be part of the industry that’s for you. In the same way that not every designer does hospitality, commercial, or renovation design, I want you to know that it’s okay if e-design isn’t part of your repertoire.
Read MoreA year ago (depending on when you’re listening to this), I became an official podcaster. I learned a lot, made a lot of mistakes, spoke to a lot of people, and went on the ride of a lifetime because I took a leap of faith and invested in another one of my big crazy ideas.
Now, a year later, we are back for season 2 — 6 months later than planned but totally okay — and I am super excited to be back with new conversations, stories, and lessons to share.
Read MoreIn the Fall of 2018 I had the crazy idea of rebranding The E-Design Experience and creating The Design Influence podcast. By the end of October, I’d secured nearly a dozen guests for the show and shortly after began batch recording the first season of solo episodes, guest conversations, and Q & A sessions.
While I had a general idea of what I wanted for the show and had sought some counsel from more seasoned podcasters, I really and truly had no idea what I’d gotten myself into. Sound familiar?
So what have I learned after 6 months, 21 episodes, 9 guests, and countless sleepless nights of podcasting?
Read MoreIf you caught the last episode then you know I hung out with fellow wife, mama, e-designer, and content creator, Heather Hess. We had a great conversation all around the other side of e-design and working with third-party platforms — and trust me when I say, if you’re someone who has been considering e-design as a service or business model, this is definitely an episode you’ll want to tune into.
In addition to how Heather secured her first clients via Etsy, we also talked about how she built a loyal community on Instagram, how she secured a position with SwatchPop as their Editorial Director, and her content creation plans for the future, which started with her batching her entire 2019 content strategy!
I knew Heather would have to come back on the show to talk all things batching with me! If you listened to Episode 2 of the show where I talked all about single tasking and thought purging for better productivity, then you know batching is my jam! So this Q & Albie sesh is all about just that.
Read MoreIt’s no secret that I love chatting with fellow e-designers, but it’s not something I’ve ever done on the show, so today’s episode — the last guest episode of the season — is with my girl Heather Hess and we have a lot to talk about.
Heather’s passion for design started in her own home.
As a mother to 4 young kids, she quickly realized that the design of a home greatly impacts how people function inside. Heather believes a home should reflect the personality of those inside, so she loves that her job is to help make that happen. E-Design, specifically, became her main passion because it provides her clients with an affordable interior design experience from the comfort of their home, while also giving her the opportunity to stay home with her kids while working.
Heather has also leveraged her talents to be the Editorial Director for SwatchPop, focusing on their social media and blog content, allowing her to create content that people crave, look forward to and feel a part of.
In addition to talking about all things e-design — from securing your own clients to working on a platform like SwatchPop — we get into a few other fun topics like batching and blogging…aka some of our fav things about being entrepreneurs!
Heather has created a loyal online community and thriving career, all as an e-designer by leaning into her strengths and passions.
Read MoreWay back, while I was recording the premiere episode on blogging and whether or not your blog is working for you or against you, it hit me — yes, we’re designers, but where many of you struggle isn’t where you think you struggle. Anyone making money with an online business — not brick and mortar or in-person — has to be rocking some other facets of the online world. I’m talking everyone from the online educator to the beauty guru. What they understand is the need to show up online. Not in all the places but in the places they do best.
Read MoreIn the short amount of time I’ve been on my designpreneur journey, I can say more than half of the designers I’ve met are, or started as, “side hustlers” — working a whole other job full-time while pursuing a design business. That transition from "side hustle" to self-employed isn’t just quitting a job & starting a new one — it’s as much a financial & mental transition, as it is a physical one. So I am excited for you guys to hear today’s conversation with one of my fav people, Amanda Amato.
Last year Amanda made the decision to resign from her full time "day job" to pursue AMA Designs full-time. Today we’re digging into what it was like balancing the two roles, how she came to that ultimate decision to leave her full time job, and what the transition has been like. I am confident, even if you’re not a side hustler, that you’re gonna get so much value from our conversation, so let’s dive in!
Read MoreOne of the tracks of last summer's conference -- The Exponential Designpreneur -- focused exclusively on the growth of designers, beyond design. With that a lot of the content was crafted around other avenues of income & visibility, such as personal branding & establishing yourself as an influencer within (and outside of) the design community. Translation: being an influencer. In this episode, I’m going to talk about what it can look like being not only a designer in the industry, but an influencer in the industry.
Read MoreIf you tuned in last week then this minisode is gonna be a real treat because we are back with Veronica Solomon for a Q & A on #allthethings when it comes to being the CEO in your business. Veronica Solomon has been creating beautiful interiors for the last 10 years and knows a thing or two about the ups and downs in the business. The landscape of interior design has changed dramatically over the years, and with all the changes, she has learned how to package her services, market her business, and create an iron-clad process that clients see value in, and are willing to pay top dollar for. These processes and systems have grown her business exponentially. And not only did clients take notice, but so do publications, industry organizations, vendors and fellow designers.
Read MoreVeronica Solomon has been creating beautiful interiors for the last 10 years, and knows a thing or two about the ups and downs in the business. The landscape of interior design has changed dramatically over the years, and with all the changes, she has learned how to package her services, market her business, and create an iron-clad process that clients see value in, and are willing to pay top dollar for. These processes and systems have grown her business exponentially. And not only did clients take notice, but so do publications, industry organizations, vendors and fellow designers.
Read MoreLuAnn is the co-owner of Window Works in Livingston, NJ, the author of The Making of A Well-Designed Business™ and the engaging host of the 5-star rated podcast A Well-Designed Business™. The podcast, A Well-Designed Business™ is the definitive resource for interior design professionals interested in operating a profitable and productive business. Known for asking questions that get to the heart of the subject, her show is down to earth and actionable. In our conversation we talk about how hard it is to run a systemized, profitable business, noting that it is not something done lightly but with commitment and intention, the rewards are far more reaching than financial.
Read MoreNiki is a Raleigh, NC native and has been working in the interior design industry for nearly 10 years. After being fired unexpectedly at the beginning of 2018, she decided to build her own design company, SingleBubblePop Design Studio. In less than a year, she’s grossed well over 6 figures and already starting to build our her team. When we decide to start our own businesses, for most of us, it’s a lot of trial and error. We can only hope that in those errors, we learn and continue to be better with each new attempt. That’s what Niki did. From starting her blog a decade ago to using previous design experiences to build her own business, nothing is lost in the trenches. Her design company has been profitable from day one because she applied business principles to her design services, creating systems that maximize her profitability. She’s an entrepreneur first & designer second!
Read MoreAs something of a “visibility whisperer”, I got to discuss "Visibility Management" (as opposed to time management) with Rachel Moriarty. We talk all about what it’s like navigating visibility opportunities while remaining on brand & in alignment, with some examples from recent collaborations. Rachel Moriarty wears many hats — from being a leading home style expert to best selling author to product designer. As an expert in using her platform to fill her pipeline & build partnerships, I just know you guys are gonna love our conversation.
Read More
