484: Laurence Carr: Design Your Business Plan

Welcome! Today, we have Laurence Carr, the CEO of Laurence Carr Design, with us on the show. Although Laurence opened her design firm just a short eighteen months ago, she is already running it with the clarity of a seasoned CEO. She has a very well-structured business plan and her goals are right in front of her. In today's episode, she explains how she managed to get her business up and running so quickly and she also shares with us her well-thought-out business plan. Laurence is truly an impressive businesswoman so be sure to listen in today, to learn about the clear and intentional way she runs her business.

Laurence is helping to shape our cultural dialogue through her work, her speaking engagements, and her blog, "Beyond Aesthetics". Her focus is on combining sustainability with quality, and she is a GREEN Leaders Accredited Professional, and a Member of the Sustainable Furnishing Council. She is is a leading voice in the field of Holistic Interior Design and she's been featured in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Business of Home, Domino, Apartment Therapy, Sotheby’s Home, House Tipster and Style Matters. Laurence won the BUILD awards from Homes and Gardens UK in 2019, and she was nominated for the ASID National Awards 2019 for “Design for Humanity”. In March of this year, she was invited to be one of the 30 speakers of the Circular City Week in New York. And this summer, Laurence Carr Design successfully unveiled "The Restorative Room", in Southampton New York, for the Hampton Designers Showhouse 2019. Tune in now, for more!

Show Highlights:

• Laurence talks about the advisory board that she recruited to help with business strategy.
• It helps to get advice from people outside of your industry.
• Everything that Laurence does is done with clear intention.
• Laurence wanted to build a business with multiple revenue streams.
• Thinking about the impact of stress on people's lives.
• Considering not only how things look, but also how they feel, when making choices.
• Working with Leslie and Sam, of Savour Partnership.
• About the immense value that Laurence found in creating her e-boutique.
• How Laurence grew her email list.
• Working with freelance designers.
• Laurence talks about her interview process.
• The systems and processes she uses in making selections for her e-boutique.
• Earning money on the side, from affiliate marketing.
• It all comes down to the systems you use.
• It's very important to keep your goals in front of you.

Bio:

Born in France and now living in NYC, Laurence Carr has an inherent appreciation for art and design—she is a natural aesthete. Before launching her interior design practice, Laurence was a professional ballet dancer, singer,  stage director, and fashion event manager. Today, she is recognized for her application of wellbeing principles and ancient techniques in high-end residential interior design.

Laurence believes luxury interiors don’t have to be sterile and soulless. Instead, her projects encourage mindful living and create harmony, whilst attaining a level of sophistication that develops from layering modern art, furniture, antiques, and accents.

Having lived, worked and traveled in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US, Laurence’s design aesthetic is influenced by her love of different cultures and deep appreciation of art. She brings an international approach to each project—whether its sifting through antique galleries in Paris or sourcing hand-woven rugs from the villages in Nepal, Laurence’s knowledge and network allows her to find and assemble unique items for you.

Previous shows mentioned in this episode:

Nicole Heymer #466, #317, #125

Andrew Joseph #39

Dennis Scully #459

Savour Partnership #209 and #458

Links:

Website: Laurence Carr

Facebook: Laurence Carr Design

Instagram: Laurence Carr Design

YouTube: Laurence Carr