640: Power Talk Friday: Ashley Connell, Founder of Prowess: Helping You Find Your Next Hire
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Release Date: 02/12/2021
977: Katie Ryan Pluer:Strategies for Taking on a Business Partner
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Katie Ryan Pluer Today with Katie Ryan Pluer we are discussing what it takes to build a successful business partnership in the interior design industry. Katie brings a wealth of experience in business development, marketing, and advertising — along with a successful track record of buying and selling businesses. She has a keen understanding of what it takes to create a profitable business, and has spent the past few years getting settled in the interior design industry as Vice President of Natasa Jones Interiors in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. If you have a partner or are considering...
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976: On Air Strategy Sessions: Is a Disconnect Causing Your Ideal Clients to Walk Away?
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Melissa Fields Welcome to A Well-Designed Business! Today we run an entire new segment! It's "On Air Strategy Sessions"! In today's episode, we have Melissa Fields with us. Melissa is the founder of Shades of Gray Design Studio, a boutique interior design studio based in San Antonio, Texas. So, let's meet her! More About Melissa Fields Shades of Gray Design Studio is a boutique interior design studio based in San Antonio, Texas. It was started in 2018 shortly after Melissa Fields, the Founder and CEO, retired from the United States Air Force after 20...
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975: Joyful Abundance: Thriving in Business with a Positive Mindset
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Jennifer Davis Today on A Well-Designed Business I’m with Jennifer Davis, the founder of Davis Interiors, a boutique design firm based in Minneapolis. Jennifer's story is proof that intention, manifestation, and a positive mindset can lead to the life and business of our dreams. In this episode, we discuss Jennifer’s strategies and beliefs that have helped her create a joyful client experience and a successful career. From setting intentions and aligning your actions with your goals to overcoming impostor syndrome and cultivating an abundance...
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974: Power Talk Friday: Katie McDonald: How to Prioritize Your Well-being in Your Interior Design Business
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Katie McDonald Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, I’m excited to welcome back Katie McDonald, certified holistic health coach and instructor at b.nourished. As entrepreneurs, we do have a tendency to put ourselves on the backburner, focusing our time and attention on the needs of the business. But if we’re not creating something sustainable—if we’re heading toward burnout, are we really creating well-designed businesses? It can feel as if we need to justify rest, justify taking time for ourselves, Katie’s take is that we...
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973: Jamie Gasparovic: How Investing In Your Business Can Kick Imposter Syndrome to the Curb
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Jamie Gasparovic Hi, welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, I am joined by Jamie Gasparovic, Founder and Principal Designer of Studio Gaspo, a boutique full-service interior design firm. Have you ever had imposter syndrome? Join the club. Jamie has a little secret to combating imposter syndrome, and that is to invest in your business. Jamie has spent thousands in investments for her business. Six figures in the last year, to be more specific. Before you drop your jaw, listen in to hear all of the value and advice Jamie has to give on investing...
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972: Power Talk Friday: Lesley Myrick: Profit Insiders: How Interior Designers Can Leverage Local Marketing
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Lesley Myrick: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. For today’s Sponsored Show, I am so happy to welcome back Lesley Myrick of Profit Insiders. Now, we all know that local business is the backbone of interior design. And yet, our focus often falls primarily or solely on online marketing. But local networking and marketing offer a lot of potential—if you know how to take advantage of opportunities (and measure your success). Lesley knows that local marketing is about more than joining BNI or your run-of-the-mill networking group. While those organizations can certainly be...
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971: Vicente Wolf: How to Bring True Artistry into Interior Design
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Vicente Wolf Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. Today, I welcome design icon Vicente Wolf to the show. Vicente’s name speaks for itself, as does his reputation. With more than 50 years of experience and wide-known fame, Vicente is a true artist who undoubtedly inspires upcoming designers on a regular basis. He has a true talent for design—and it begins with understanding the artistry involved. Today, Vicente shares his insights about creativity, design, and knowing the value you bring to the table. Pick It Apart: [1:29] Vicente shares...
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970: Power Talk Friday: Ali Stein: Strategies to Acquire New Clients
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Ali Stein Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. My guest today is Ali Stein, owner of Grabler Brand. This is the first time you have heard from Ali on the show, but not the first time you have heard about her on the show. Back when I had Regan Baker on, if you remember, she raved about Ali. Over seven years Ali helped grow the Regan Baker Design team from 5 to 20 employees and she helped increase their revenue by 1200%. Ali was the Director of Operations and she oversaw HR, Performance Management, Finance, Business Development, Marketing, Project Management,...
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969: Pure Salt Interiors: Aly Morford & Leigh Lincoln: Licensing Partnerships
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Aly Morford & Leigh Lincoln Welcome to A Well-Designed Business. Today, I have a two-for-one as I am joined by best friends and business partners Aly Morford and Leigh Lincoln, co-owners of Pure Salt Interiors. If you have ever been interested in partnering with another brand, this episode is for you. I couldn’t wait to have Aly and Leigh on today to pick this apart because I know that a lot of designers are interested in forming partnerships, but have no idea how to find them, how to start them, who to start them with, all of the things. Today, Aly...
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968: Overheard: Charles Pavarini, Leyden Lewis, and Maria Viola: How to Harness Creativity in Interior Design
A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast
Today With Charles Pavarini, Leyden Lewis, and Maria Viola Hi, welcome to a Well-Designed Business. On today’s Overheard episode, I’m joined by Charles Pavarini III, Leyden Lewis, and Maria Viola. We rarely talk about design itself on the podcast—we’re much more focused on the business sode of things. But the conversation about creativity has popped up several times over the years in discussions I have had with many of you. I have often wondered, is creativity something you just have or you don’t? And if you do have it, how do you know, and how do you channel...
info_outlineToday with Ashley Connell:
Welcome to A Well-Designed Business®. Today we’re going to talk about one of those key things you have to do in your business if you want to grow—outsourcing. We all know we need to do it, but finding the right fit is a major challenge. Ashley Connell of Prowess runs a business that matches you with your perfect fit business manager or employee. She’s sharing with us how she makes those perfect fits and the impact it can have on your business.
Pick it apart:
- [3:40] Ashley gives an overview of what Prowess is and how it connects business owners with employees
- [9:15] Ashley and LuAnn talk about the importance of finding someone that fits your personality type, work method, and communication style
- [17:27] Ashley breaks down her process and how her algorithm produces results that fit your business
- [25:54] LuAnn and Ashley discuss how scaling your business leads to different needs and how Prowess accounts for that
- [34:42] Ashley shares her mission of advocating for women and how that plays into her business model
LuAnn and Ashley Connell’s Ah-Ha moments:
“When a designer wants to stay in his/her land of creativity, there’s a need for that other person that’s paying attention to everything that happens under the operations umbrella as opposed to being the executor of the operations umbrella.” -LuAnn Nigara
“We’re not just matching based on the skills you need, but also your behavior styles, your communication style, and your personality.” -Ashley Connell
“I believe that it is very hard to effectively manage a 2-3 million dollar firm without a strong business manager.” -LuAnn Nigara
“By staying in your lane you’re more efficient. It has been proven that if you outsource, you increase your productivity by between 10-100 percent.” -Ashley Connell
More About Ashley Connell:
Ashley Connell, CEO and Founder of Prowess, is one part fearless entrepreneur, one part fearless women’s advocate. For the first 15 years of her career, she was an award-winning tech marketer in both Austin and London. Ashley’s unstoppable drive to have both a career and time for family motivated her to start Prowess. Her commitment to changing the lives of overloaded employers, women seeking rewarding work, and those affected by the gender pay gap, has landed her thought leadership pieces in Forbes, Built in Austin and at SXSW. In her pretty much non-existent spare time she enjoys yoga, walks with her bulldog, cheering on her beloved Longhorns, and spaghetti and meatballs.
Connect with Ashley Connell:
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A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor:
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