Trade Tales

01:14:20

Ask Us Anything: Live with Evan Millard, Melissa...

Trade Tales ·

2026/09/30

In a live edition of the show—recorded at the Four Hands flagship in Austin, Texas—designers Evan Millard, Melissa Oholendt and Audrey Scheck share advice on attracting more qualified leads, investing in photography, understanding profit margins and more. At the end, they fielded live questions from the audience on topics ranging from color trends to tech stacks.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.LINKSEvan MillardMelissa OholendtAudrey ScheckKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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01:06:03

Jay Jeffers on protecting your firm from a pipeline...

Trade Tales ·

2026/09/23

Jay Jeffers has never been afraid of chasing his creative ambitions, venturing into retail and hospitality and embracing the risks that come with it. More than two decades into his firm, he’s reflecting on what it takes to build a business that can weather growth spurts and the slower periods that inevitably follow. In this episode, he shares how he’s protecting his firm from pipeline volatility, the value in creating a workplace that attracts senior talent, and what he learned from the process of

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00:48:27

Ask Us Anything: Dan Rak on improving your profit...

Trade Tales ·

2026/09/16

Dan Rak, whose eponymous firm has offices in Chicago and Southwest Florida, answers a question from a designer who is ready to revamp her firm’s finances. Rak offers advice on why the right sourcing strategy is crucial to improving profit margins, levelling up through a designer-friendly accounting software, and the importance of regularly examining your firm’s cost structure.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands.LINKSDan RakKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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01:15:37

Ali Faulkner on building a team that’s passionate...

Trade Tales ·

2026/09/09

Ali Faulkner’s first career in high-end hospitality has played a crucial role in shaping the firm she leads today—one in which everything from her firm’s back-end operations, to hiring and onboarding are crafted around delivering an ideal client experience. In this episode, she shares how outsourcing social media caused her inbound leads to multiply, how working with a sales coach transformed her calls with prospective clients, and how she’s building a work environment that allows employees to

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00:54:25

Ask Us Anything: How Shaun Crha presents product...

Trade Tales ·

2026/09/02

In this episode, interior designer Shaun Crha of Long Beach, California–based firm Wrenstead Interiors answers a question from a designer whose clients want to know exactly what she’s paying for product. Crha jumps in with advice on using a budgeting guide to prepare clients for prospective room costs, an alternative approach to fully itemized pricing, and why some information always remains internal to his firm.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. LINKSWrensted InteriorKaitlin

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01:02:14

How Kelly Finley is building a firm that brings her joy

Trade Tales ·

2026/08/26

Kelly Finley set out to create her ideal firm—and then, after bringing that vision to life, realized a large staff and juggling tons of projects wasn’t all she’d hoped it would be. Moving forward, she decided to go back to basics—discovering the projects, clients and charitable pursuits that truly bring her joy. In this episode, she shares how she created a custom database for her firm’s backend, using AI to catch ordering mistakes and why she decided to launch a nonprofit that operates alongside

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00:49:00

Ask Us Anything: Erica Vassalotti’s guide to photo...

Trade Tales ·

2026/08/19

In this episode, interior designer Erica Vassalotti of Philadelphia-based design firm Bergman Vass answers a question from a designer who wants to make sure she’s maximizing her investment if she’s spending big on photography. Vass jumps in with advice on the value in teaming up with your photographer to strategize about media coverage, how usage rights are akin to art commissions, and why it's important to also represent clients in a photo shoot. This episode was sponsored by Four

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00:59:31

Why Molly Torres Portnof hands every prospective...

Trade Tales ·

2026/08/12

Molly Torres Portnof keeps her firm’s inner circle small—which means that each person in her orbit, carefully chosen, has an outsize influence on her success. She brings the same intentionality to the clients she works with, thanks to a series of safeguards that ensure it’s always a stellar fit. In this episode, she shares the value of publicity in a changing media landscape, why she sends an investment guide to every prospective client, and the process she swears by to find the most qualified

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00:39:27

Ask Us Anything: Tina Ramchandani on attracting your...

Trade Tales ·

2026/08/05

In this episode, New York-based interior designer Tina Ramchandani answers a question from a designer whose firm is attracting plenty of potential clients—just not the ones she wants in her pipeline. Ramchandani jumps in with advice on finding the messaging that authentically conveys your firm’s value, tactics for filtering out unqualified leads, and the annual reset that helps crystallize her ideal client.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. LINKSTina RamchandaniKaitlin PetersenBusiness of

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00:58:18

Erica McLain on bridging the gap between science and...

Trade Tales ·

2026/07/29

Erica McLain has been continuously guided by a fierce drive and curiosity—qualities that propelled her to Stanford, the Olympics, and tech companies like Facebook and Google. Now, she’s combining those strengths to blaze a new trail in the design industry, rooted in a measurable, research-backed understanding of environmental psychology and neuroaesthetics. In this episode, she shares the “design potential report” she prepares for prospective clients, her firm’s unique B2B offering, and the toolkit

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00:47:49

Ask Us Anything: Dane Austin on taking design...

Trade Tales ·

2026/07/22

Boston designer Dane Austin joins the show to answer a question from a fellow designer who knows the basics when it comes to presenting design ideas, and is now looking for advice on how to take her strategy a step further, ultimately selling her vision—and commitment—to her clients. Austin offers advice on bringing a theatrical edge to big-picture design planning, a strategy for physically packaging ideas that invokes the world of luxury shopping, and the value of refining the decision-making

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00:59:00

Why Mandy Cheng won't delegate her firm's finances...

Trade Tales ·

2026/07/15

Mandy Cheng launched her creative career in set production before discovering that transforming interiors was a perfect fit. The past few years have been pivotal for her firm, with industry accolades and high-profile clients that have brought growth, but also pushed her to explore what creative expansion will look like in the years ahead.This episode was sponsored by Kohler and Vanguard Furniture. LINKSMandy Cheng Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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00:40:48

Ask Us Anything: Melissa Oholendt’s go-to interview...

Trade Tales ·

2026/07/08

Melissa Oholendt of Minnesota- and Colorado-based firm Oho Interiors answers a question from a designer who is currently interviewing candidates for her firm’s first full-time position. Oholendt jumps in with advice on how to reveal a candidate’s true ambitions, evaluating skillset through a key question and knowing when to call for backup. LINKSOho Interiors Kaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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00:53:14

Why Ali Budd wants to do design TV differently...

Trade Tales ·

2026/07/01

Ali Budd had a shot at TV stardom—and decided she wanted to bring viewers a side of the industry they hadn’t seen before. As the business she spent years building enters the spotlight, she’s sharing what it took to find her voice—and how she built a team that could carry that vision even further. This episode was sponsored by Kohler and Vanguard Furniture. LINKSAli BuddKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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00:29:47

Ask Us Anything: Blair Moore on protecting your firm...

Trade Tales ·

2026/06/24

In this episode, New York and Rhode Island-based interior designer Blair Moore answers a question from a designer whose firm is facing a sudden rush of shipping problems. Moore jumps in with advice on reckoning with a decline in shipping quality, how thorough channels of communication can help catch issues before they arise, and—when all else fails—establishing your own in-house receiving operation.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. LINKSBlair MooreKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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00:59:35

How Angela Harris put wellness front and center in...

Trade Tales ·

2026/06/17

Angela Harris’s firm marks a bit of a departure from the typical Trade Tales guest, with a portfolio that spans master planned communities, model homes, commercial, hospitality, and everything in between. And yet, the lessons she’s picked up along the way—on executing her vision, firm leadership, and a rigorous approach to wellness—are valuable for designers in every corner of the industry. On this episode, she shares what it takes to fully inhabit the role of design visionary, how overhauling her

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00:24:35

Ask Us Anything: Lucy O’Brien on designing around...

Trade Tales ·

2026/06/10

In this episode, Philadelphia-based interior designer Lucy O’Brien of Tartan & Toile answers a question from a designer who recently had to compromise her creative vision after coming up against an order minimum. O’Brien jumps in with advice on finding a second life for extra material, the value in troubleshooting with sales reps, and being transparent with clients about unexpected fees during the procurement process.This episode was sponsored by Four Hands. LINKSLucy O’BrienKaitlin

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00:48:37

Rayana Schmitz on tapping outside experts to...

Trade Tales ·

2026/06/03

Rayana Schmitz balanced several different early career paths—from fitness trainer to firefighter—before landing on interior design. Today, she’s leading her firm with the wisdom to know when to trust her gut and when to rely on outside experts. On this episode, she shares the showhouse experience that pushed her creative boundaries, how a fractional CFO saved her firm’s finances and why she maintains strict hours of communication with clients.This episode was sponsored by Vanguard Furniture and

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00:51:54

Ask Us Anything: Lauren Caron’s process-driven...

Trade Tales ·

2026/05/27

In this episode, Seattle-based interior designer Lauren Caron answers a question from a designer who wants to expand her business beyond her home city without sacrificing her firm’s standards. Caron jumps in with advice on billing clients for travel time, how she maximizes site visits before the transition to remote work, and the value in an exhaustive scope of work document. This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. LINKSLauren CaronKaitlin PetersenBusiness of Home

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01:04:41

How Audrey Scheck established her firm’s C-suite

Trade Tales ·

2026/05/20

Audrey Scheck’s 20-person firm is a well-oiled machine—complete with a carefully structured leadership team and a top-down approach that sets the tone for every employee. Elsewhere in the episode, she shares her growth mindset as she expanded her team, how a bandwidth tracker helps the firm determine whether it's time to take on new business, and the questions that help clients step outside their comfort zone.This episode was sponsored by Dallas Market Center and Kohler. LINKSHema Persad Kaitlin

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