Here is a question I get repeatedly when someone shows me their financials, “Is this good?” While many may be good judges of great design – being a judge of great financials can be a bit more difficult if you don’t know what you are looking at or how to compare the numbers you are seeing. In this podcast I will share some benchmarks for financials in the Interior Design industry – and in healthy businesses in general. 

Today we have Jamie Van Cuyk. Jamie is a hiring strategist, a podcast host, and a speaker. And today we are going to dive into all things hiring. I know that hiring a team has been very difficult for many of you, you've probably had some starts and stops along the way. You're wondering what the next right hire is, how to make sure you're choosing the right person. And that's the conversation that we're going to dig into. So welcome to Jamie Van Cuyk.

Today we're going to be talking with Sandra Halling. And Sandra describes herself as a recovering corporate consultant turned anti-hustle, pro-equity, productivity coach. We're going to be discussing all about listening to ourselves, having an awareness, and then creating some opportunities to protect ourselves while we're also building our firms. And so it was just such an awesome fun conversation, but also one that helps you think deeply about caring for yourself caring for your business so that you can care for your clients. So enjoy the podcast, and I'm excited to have Sandra with us. 

Usually, we talk about ending a year well. What could it look like to start the year well? Hang with me as we consider what could make our year begin well..

On the podcast for our yearly review and progress session is Ceil DiGuglielmo of the Sew Much More podcast. This is a joint podcast that we love and look forward to each year. This year we seemed to really look at our personal lives and how they intermixed with our business lives a bit more. Also, listen in to hear the one thing that we both struggled with this year that we have enjoyed so much in the past.

This week we're rerunning episode 131 of the Profit is a Choice podcast, “How to easily create a strategic plan for your design firm.” This is an awesome topic that we processed through a couple of years ago. And I will say to you, it is still relevant and it's something that we work on and focus on in Scarlet Thread Consulting all the time. So, I want to encourage you as you wrap up this year, and get ready for next, that you take the time to consider your strategic plan, what it might look like, and how you can improve upon it from moving forward.

Do you know how to define a toxic workplace? Are you the one bringing the discord into the office or is someone else? Maybe you are looking for a job and want to know what to steer clear from. Today, we are going to talk about what makes a workplace feel yuk – and how to spot areas for improvement.

It is not often that I get to dive into a topic that is totally foreign to me when we start the podcast. Usually, I have heard something about the topic and have a little knowledge. The 831(b) plan was a new thing – and Ed Bryan joins me to help us understand this tax deferral and risk management opportunity.

Today I am welcoming Erin McGhee to the podcast. Erin describes herself as an Accounting Manager for service-based businesses. Her big goal – to put you in charge of your money. As you can tell, we have a lot in common. Listen in as we discuss what is needed to have you in the driver’s seat of your business vehicle and what it takes to keep you there.

Lately I have been thinking about the value in building a community of support for your business. We really are not in business alone. In this podcast I am going to share some of my community, how I chose it, how it supports me – and how you can do the same.

Joining me again on the podcast today is Jack Tompkins of Pineapple Consulting. Jack and I, along with a whole team of people, work on Metrique Solutions, a financial dashboard developed to support creative entrepreneurs – like you! Today we are talking about how Metrique Solutions is a financial partner in your business. It is not a replacement for your accounting or project management software, but an adjunct.

Today on the podcast we have Carolyn Boldt. Carolyn is passionate about holistic health and wellness and has crafted a business that focuses on designing in these industries. There are so many good takeaways in this podcast and Carolyn really has a heart to share and teach. Listen in as she shares the journey to focus on a niche that she loved and how it has prompted a different way to scale.

Can we just talk about perseverance? Perseverance is defined as doing something despite the difficulty or delay in achieving success. With all the things happening in our world and industry over the last two years, I would say that most of us are living in this space right now. Listen in to today’s episode where we discuss how we can keep going, even when the road seems long ahead of us.

Joining me on the podcast today is Jack Tompkins of Pineapple Consulting. Jack and I met back in 2019. And we shared the love of numbers and metrics instantly. Jack and I began working together early in 2020 to bring visuals to my clients and now we have joined forces to create matric solutions, a software application for creative business owners, and to give you the ability to see your KPIs in a quick visual dashboard. And so today on this show, we are going to talk specifically about the power of seeing your financials in one place and at one time.

On the podcast with me today is Jill Palleschi of Jula Paper Co. Jill created Jula Paper Co out of a passion for design and a love of celebrations, both big and small. Jill believes that branding should be accessible to everyone and she supports businesses owners at all levels as they create brands representative of their business. Listen in as we discuss the story of our brand, how to not be trendy but to create a long-lasting brand, and what to do if you cannot afford a custom brand when first starting your business.

And just like that we are beginning year 5 of the podcast. Thank you to everyone who has listened, contributed, provided feedback and been part of this podcasting journey in any way. Cheers to wrapping up year 4 and to beginning year 5. The best gift you could give me would be to leave a review of the podcast on your favorite listening platform. Now, let’s recap a year of learning!

With me on the podcast today is Andrew Allemann. Andrew is a podcasting expert and founder of PodcastGuests.com. This is a service used by over 30,000 people to find guests for podcasts and for experts to get booked on podcasts. Today we will talk about the profitability of other people’s traffic which is increased by being on a podcast. 

Wendy Barlin is on the podcast with me today. Wendy has worked with business owners for over 25 years to guide them with business development, tax and cash flow strategies. Her direct and clear communication style, helps business owners understand a topic that often brings much fear and trepidation. So – let's talk taxes.

Today we are airing an episode that we launched in 2020. Many of us are seeing changes in buying patterns, budgets, and selections. While the details are different from where we were in early 2020, the rethinking our business part is the same. In this podcast we will examine how to dissect our businesses so that we can analyze them and perhaps put them back together again in a different way. Really knowing the pieces and parts, as well as what we're great at, or core competency, helps us to determine the best ways that we can show up and then serve our ideal client. Let’s focus on how to be nimble in an ever-changing world. How to grow and scale while maintaining our flexibility, which is not always easy. That will allow us to maneuver through any change. I hope you enjoy.

With us on the podcast today is Jeremy Miner. Jeremy is the Chairman of 7th Level, a Global Sales Training company. Jeremy shares that “The single most effective way to sell anything to anyone in 2022, is to be a problem finder and a problem solver... NOT a product pusher.” We will discuss this and why the old ways of selling no longer work well.