Podcast

To-The-Trade, DPHA, Phil Hotarek

To-The-Trade S3E03 Inside DPHA, Roundtables That Build Real Trust with Phil Hotarek

Industry Events and Trade Shows, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary To-The-Trade host Laurie Laizure sits down with Phil Hotarek, a plumbing and HVAC contractor and decorative showroom owner in San Francisco, who also serves as president of Decorative Plumbing & Hardware Association (DPHA). Phil explains that DPHA was created to connect the industry’s key segments, manufacturers/brands, independent reps, and showrooms, in a […]

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To-the-trade, Marsha Sefcik

To-The-Trade S3E02 Reverse Engineer Your Design Income with Marsha Sefcik

Pricing and Profitability, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary Marsha Sefcik joins Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson for a wide-ranging conversation about running a design business with more clarity, stronger margins, and fewer “chaos leaks,” while still respecting the realities of life outside the studio. Laurie begins by sharing that they were introduced through Sarah from Mydoma, one of IDC’s longtime

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To-The-Trade, Dane Austin

To-The-Trade S3E01 Comfort Is the Ultimate Luxury: Dane Austin on Bespoke Design + Client Experience

Operations and Project Management, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary In this episode of To-The-Trade, Laurie Laizure talks with Boston-based interior designer Dane Austin about the long game of building a design career, the quiet power of community, and why comfort and quality should drive nearly every major furnishing decision. Dane shares that he’s known he wanted to be a designer since

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To-The-Trade

To-The-Trade S2E58 2025 Finale, The ROI Mindset, Follow-Up Revenue Plan

Pricing and Profitability, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary In the last episode of 2025 the To-The-Trade podcast from the Interior Design Community, hosts Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson get real about what it takes to support design pros, and where the business of interior design is heading next. Laurie opens by thanking Nile for the behind-the-scenes work that goes into

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To-The-Trade

To-The-Trade S2E57 Budgets, Boundaries and Beautiful Shoots with Romina Tina Fontana

Client Communication and Boundaries, Podcast, Pricing and Profitability /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary In this episode of To-The-Trade, host Laurie Laizure sits down with Montreal-based designer Romina Tina Fontana, founder of Fontana & Company, to discuss how her deep background in marketing and graphic design shapes her approach to running her interiors studio today. It is a conversation that blends branding, editorial photography, client education,

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To-The-Trade, Isy Jackson

To-The-Trade S2E56 British-Inspired Interiors, Sourcing Antiques, and Setting Realistic Project Budgets with Isy Jackson

Client Communication and Boundaries, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary In this To-The-Trade podcast episode, Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson sit down with DC area designer Isy (Isabel) Jackson of Chelt Interiors to talk about British-influenced interiors, sourcing antiques, holiday decorating, and the real business of interior design behind the pretty pictures. Isy shares her creative origin story, starting with a very

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To-The-Trade

To-The-Trade S2E55 Shannon Ggem on Empathy, Boundaries, and Protecting Your Time and Heart

Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary This episode of the To-The-Trade interior design podcast features a rich, honest conversation between host Laurie Laizure and Los Angeles designer Shannon Ggem, who was recently named a Kitchen Design Innovator of the Year. Shannon shares how her Massachusetts roots and life in the Malibu Mountains have shaped her signature mix of

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To-The-Trade, Sarah Brohm, UA Designs

To-The-Trade-S2E54 Pricing Strategies for Designers with Sarah Brohm and Business Habits That Stick

Operations and Project Management, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary On this episode of the To-The-Trade, Laurie Laizure sits down with designer and entrepreneur Sarah Brohm, founder of UA Designs, to talk real process, pricing clarity, and the operations that carry a project from concept to completion. Sarah’s path began in nursing, a background that sharpened her skills in systems, communication, and

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To-The-Trade, Ross Dunn

To-The-Trade-S2E53 Design Entrepreneurship, Real-World SEO Tactics from Ross Dunn

Marketing and Lead Generation, Operations and Project Management, Podcast, Technology and Innovation /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary In this candid conversation on the To-The-Trade interior design podcast, Laurie Laizure and Nile Johnson sit down with Ross Dunn, a 29-year SEO veteran and trusted friend of the Interior Design Community, to decode what really changed and what still works in search. Ross shares why he prefers the phrase “answer engine

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To-The-Trade, Dara Segbefia, Wellness

To-The-Trade-S2E52 How The Zen Experience Transforms Teacher Lounges with Dara Segbefia

Client Communication and Boundaries, Podcast /

To-The-Trade Episode Summary In this To-The-Trade podcast, our host Laurie Laizure talks with designer Dara Segbefia of The Zen Experience to explore where wellbeing intersects with the business of interior design. Dara’s work focuses on holistic design, and her niche is impactful, creating teacher lounges and staff spaces that prioritize educators as people first. She

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