Episodes
100
Latest episode
Aug 2026
Language
EN
The DesignDash podcast is a guide to designing a life you love. Co-hosts Laura Umansky and Melissa Grove dive into what it takes for women to feel fulfilled both personally and professionally, to live their lives to the fullest and without compromise. Special guests will share their own journeys, their successes and their challenges, as they pursue life with curiosity and intention.
Should interior designers charge for that first consultation? Laura Umansky and Melissa Grove debate the pros and cons of charging for an initial meeting, from filtering out tire-kickers to removing barriers for the right-fit client.
When is PR actually worth It for Interior Designers? Melissa and Laura dig into one of the most common questions in their Design Dash community: when does public relations actually make sense for a design business? They talk through what editors are really looking for beyond a pretty photo, why relationships and personal connections often matter as much as the work itself, and what it actually costs to work with an outside PR firm versus handling things in-house. They cover: What makes a project stand out to editors when everyone's work looks polished Why personal relationships with editors can matter as much as photography or styling The real cost of working with a PR firm, on retainer versus per project How long the process actually takes, and why you may have to sit on a project for a year or two before it's published What to realistically expect from PR (placement, not guaranteed clients) In-house PR options for solo designers and smaller firms who aren't ready for an agency Laura's firsthand experience working with a publicist, including a Legends window feature and a book inclusion that came out of it If you've ever wondered whether hiring a publicist is worth the time and money, this conversation lays out what actually goes into that decision. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
When something goes wrong on a project, do you tell the client — or just fix it? Every designer and every ops lead hits this moment: a price jumps, a piece gets discontinued, a wall opens up and reveals a mess nobody saw coming. Do you loop the client in immediately, or handle it quietly and move on? In this episode, Melissa and Laura pull back the curtain on the calls they make behind the scenes every single day, from six-figure furniture reorders to a door ripped clean off its track during a photo shoot. They get into what actually decides whether a client hears about a problem: the dollar amount, who's at fault, whether it affects the move-in date, or just gut instinct built from years of getting it wrong first. They also share the COVID-era mistake that changed how Laura handles every substitution since, the "guided design experience" philosophy that shapes how their studio frames bad news, and why the best client conversations aren't about hiding problems, they're about never showing up without a solution already in hand. If you've ever sat with that pit-in-your-stomach feeling before a hard conversation with a client, this one's for you. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
Callie Blanks shares how renovating fixer-uppers, a background in business and marketing, and a strong point of view shaped her unconventional path into interior design. She also opens up about pricing with confidence, building a business through Instagram, investing in professional photography, and taking the leap to open her own design studio and showroom.
In this episode, Laura and Melissa explore how defining your ideal client or avatar can transform your marketing and project selection. They share practical tips on identifying, refining, and communicating with your perfect audience to grow a more fulfilling and profitable business. If your inquiries never quite match the work you want to be doing, this is the episode that tells you why, and what to do about it. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
In this episode, Adriana Hoyos shares her inspiring journey from a self-made interior designer in Ecuador to a globally recognized furniture and interior design brand. Discover her unique design philosophy, the importance of legacy, and how family and resilience drive her success. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
In this episode, Anne Golliher, founder of Storied Interiors, shares her unique approach to interior design, focusing on using clients' existing pieces and creating meaningful, personalized spaces. She discusses her journey, business philosophy, and how she connects emotionally with clients while building a profitable business. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
Every discount you've ever given a client told them something you didn't mean to say. If you lowered your rate, you confirmed it was never fixed. If you passed along a discount without being asked, you told them your margins are bigger than they let on. Clients read pricing behavior like a signal, whether you intend to send one or not. In this episode, we discuss the two places money moves in a design firm: services and product. Most designers treat them the same way. They're not the same. Cutting hours isn't the same as cutting your rate. Passing along a trade discount isn't the same as competing on price. Confusing the two is the fastest way to downgrade your own positioning without noticing it happened. There's also a specific, deliberate way the most expensive luxury brands in the world still discount, and it has nothing to do with lowering price. Almost no interior designer uses this mechanism, even though it's sitting right in front of them. We name exactly where the line is, what it's actually costing you, and the one move ultra-luxury brands make that most designers have never even considered. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
Cheryl Luckett didn't quit her corporate job on a whim, she engineered her exit. Down to the month. Recorded live at High Point Market, this episode traces how Cheryl went from a decade-long career as a corporate dietician to founding Dwell by Cheryl, now a nationally recognized design firm with licensed furniture and textile collections. So how did she do it? Tune in to find out. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
Most designers are doing marketing backwards, and it's costing them the exact clients they want. In this episode we're getting brutally specific: the three things that actually bring in new clients right now, and the three things everyone's doing that feel productive but won't move the needle at all. One of these strategies has turned a single handwritten note into a six-figure renovation years later. Another has closed a client in as little as two weeks. And one thing almost every designer is told to invest in? We're breaking down why it won't get you a client this month, and what it's actually doing for your business instead. This is what's worked for us, what hasn't, and why, so you can stop guessing where to put your time and start putting it where it counts. Check out our website too: https://designdash.com/ Follow us on socials: https://www.instagram.com/designdasher/ https://www.tiktok.com/@designdasher https://www.facebook.com/DesignDasher
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