Sew Much More
info_outline 404 - Opportunity Thinking Series with Renee Gurganas, WCAA Executive DirectorSew Much More
Renee Gurganus is a native of Augusta, Georgia and now lives in beautiful Wilmington, NC. With over 20 years of leadership experience in the non-profit and for-profit sectors, Renee brings a wealth of knowledge to the . Previously she was the Executive Director of a community organization in Murrells Inlet, SC, where she lead the organization in a new Strategic Plan that they continue to use today. After becoming the Executive Director of the WCAA, Renee began working with the Board of Directors on a new Strategic Plan as well as rebranding the organization.
info_outline 403 - Keaven Willa Hartt - Only Say Yes to the Type of Job You Want to Do More OfSew Much More
Keaven Willa Hartt was born in Bar Harbor, Maine, and grew up in the Northeast Kingdom, Vermont. She moved back to Maine in 2010 to attend the Maine College of Art, in Portland, where she obtained a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Woodworking and Furniture Design, with a self-directed thesis on Sustainability Through Upholstery. Keaven founded her upholstery business, , in 2019. She joined the National Upholstery Association in 2021, and was nominated to the Board of Directors, where she served first as Secretary, before recently becoming the President. Keaven still lives in Portland with her husband...
info_outline 402 - Rachel Crowe -If You Don't Have your Own Wisdom, You Borrow it From OthersSew Much More
Rachel began her business in 2004 on the dining table of her mother’s living room after a fluke encounter with a family friend at the local bakery. Who knew that croissants would be the catalyst to begin a soft furnishings business? The seed had been planted several years after visiting a stranger's home and noticing custom bedding, draperies, and floor-length round tablecloths. “I remember thinking …’hey I wonder if I could do that!’ after a sneaky examination of the undersides and backsides of those items.” Sewing had begun for Rachel at the age of 11 and 4-H sewing...
info_outline 401 - Opportunity Thinking Episode with Deb Cronin - The Workroom BodySew Much More
Deborah Cronin is the owner of is a custom window treatment fabrication studio, located in Ossining, New York, in the breathtaking Hudson River Valley. Deb and her team work to the trade and delight in fine fabrics and workmanship. It's an understatement to say they love what they do! Begun as a part-time pillow and cushion workroom in 1987, in 1999 Leatherwood Design Co, became a full-time workroom creating window treatments. Fabric and sewing has been Deb's life-long obsession and she considers it a privilege to be able to make a living doing what she loves. Deb has a that is...
info_outline 400 - Listener Favorite - Jamie TerrelSew Much More
Jamie Terral is the owner of . With encouragement from Jamie's husband, Bob, and Susan Woodcock, she made her hobby and love for sewing into a soft furnishings workroom, where she uses beautiful fabrics and trims to sew amazing home decor. Jamie is a window coverings specialist that is honest, reliable, and dedicated to the client that she serves. Her tagline and mantra is "So Much Fabric, Sew Little Time!" Jamie is on , , and Huston Area Work Custom Drapery Association Links and Resources; The Sew Much More Podcast is...
info_outline 399 - Listener Favorite - Sharon CoppedeSew Much More
Sharon Coppede is the owner of . In 1982, when her children were 4 and 2 yrs. old, Sharon joined a neighborhood cottage industry in Plymouth, Mass. as a seamstress for aprons, toaster covers, and tab top drapes stenciled on the lead edges. She realized she had a gift for making window treatments and when she moved to our next assignment in Virginia, she built a 4 x 8 table in the walk-out basement and that is when she started making draperies for customers. Sharon went to Sew What conferences as a student and then, over time, went as a presenter. After a few more moves...
info_outline 398 - Listener Favorite - Cristina AlamdariSew Much More
Cristina Alamdari was born in Colombian and moved to the US almost 30 years ago. She lives in Phoenix AZ and she has 3 beautiful children, her husband is Iranian, and they have a unique family of combined cultures and religions. Cristina enjoys traveling and learning. She has been working in the industry for 24 years, and as a business owner for 22. Cristina owns and it is a mix of 80% retail 20% designers. She offers in-home consultations for window coverings. Her workroom is in a separate casita in her home. Cristina is on and The Sew Much...
info_outline 397 - Mary Cardinale - I Know What I Need To Do and Sometimes It's HardSew Much More
Mary is the owner of Bucks County Window Décor. She has been in business since 2007, offering custom drapery and soft treatments, fabrics, hardware, blinds, shades, and shutters to both retail clients as well as designers. Her company is full-service and offers complete project management including measuring, ordering, fabricating, and professional installation. After 8 years of working in the legal and corporate world, Mary left to stay home with her first baby. She learned to sew as a newlywed so that she could have custom window treatments for her own home, which...
info_outline 396 - Cheers to 5 Years at the Curtains & Soft Furnishings Resource Library!Sew Much More
I am so happy to be celebrating 5 years of being the Librarian at the I couldn't have done this without the help and guidance of Jeanelle Dech, and so many people in our industry who have contributed to the content within the Library. And I am so grateful for the Sponsors of the Library; The Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;
info_outlineThe Sew Much More Podcast is sponsored by;
The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library
National Upholstery Association
Lea Tran is an ethnic Chinese, former "Boat People" refugee from Vietnam. A Villanova University graduate with a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, a female scientist turned successful entrepreneur and business owner in the Greater Philadelphia Region, where she called home for thirty-five years.
She has morphed from carrying the stigma of the "refugee" label to a chemist who synthesized the compound that became a cocktail drug to treat HIV-AIDS in 1998. A successful business owner who created luxury custom drapery for countless homes in the Mainline area from 2005-2015.
In 2019, Lea brought her story to the TEDx stage and then published her harrowing boat journey during the pandemic in 2020 "I Did Not Miss the Boat- Memoir of a Vietnam Hoa Refugee." where she depicts the struggles of an adolescent girl who was being tugged on one side by a culture of duty & tradition and on the other by a new land of personal opportunity & freedom.
She delivers her powerful message of courage and hope during challenging times in her keynote speeches to inspire her audience to find opportunities in the midst of adversity.
As a transformation coach, Lea works with her clients to build their confidence, help them get out of their comfort zone, rediscover their brilliance, and proactively creating opportunities that will propel them forward.
Lea believes in kindness and giving back to help the underprivileged to rebuild their second chance in life. Her aspiration is to help people overcome the trauma of war, poverty, and social isolation.
Lea and her husband reside in Florida. Currently, she serves as a board member of Refugee Film School (a non-profit branch of MSRI- Malaysia Social Institute Research). She is also an avid Toastmaster and an active member of the South Lake Chamber of Commerce in Central Florida.
Links and Resources;
The Glass Castle: A Memoir Jeannette Walls
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones James Clear
Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Attitude Is Everything: Change Your Attitude... Change Your Life! by Jeff Keller
Canva
Evernote
Podcast app
Lea is on Facebook, Instagram and Linkedin
Lea will be speaking at the Custom Workroom Conference in October of 2022