Today With Nicole Arnold: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. My guest today, Nicole Arnold, came to interior design as her second career after a corporate background at Levi Strauss.  She took the lessons she learned interacting with C-suite executives in her corporate career and applied them as a designer, learning lessons along the way but becoming an industry leader.  Today, she’s here to share what she believes are the three core foundational pieces that lead to a successful transition into our industry. LuAnn Nigara and Nicole Arnold's Ah-Ha Moments  “If a client has to call us to find out what's going on, something is wrong.” -Nicole “We keep hearing that AI is killing the industry, and I’m sorry, but that’s not the industry’s problem. The problem is in each of our own businesses. If we’re not showing up and managing a project from start to finish in a way where it’s clear that we are the leader of the project, with grace, kindness, and professionalism, that’s the problem.” -LuAnn More About Nicole Arnold As president of an award-winning Dallas interior design firm, she’s earned widespread acclaim for her ability to “make space meaningful” for the customized, personalized residential interiors and the commercial facilities she designs in prestigious the Dallas area communities such as Preston Hollow, University Park, Kessler Park, Southlake, Highland Park, Allen, Frisco, Plano, Irving, Flower Mound, and more. In addition to her work in Texas, she has also completed projects in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arizona, Colorado, and New York. She also consults and guides custom home builders and realtors so they can enable their clients to visualize their new space. Nicole co-founded the North Texas Design Group in 2013, an alliance of designers working directly with manufacturers to provide clients with competitive pricing and a wide assortment of exclusive furnishings. Additionally, she holds a dual major Bachelor of Arts degree in Marketing and Professional Sales from Kennesaw State University. She is an IDS Professional and ASID Associate. She is currently a member of the Interior Design Society’s National Board of Directors. Connect with Nicole Arnold Website Instagram  Facebook  Pinterest LinkedIn What’s new with LuAnn Nigara The Power Talk Friday Tour Watch the Docuseries! http://www.luannnigara.com/cob Get The Goodies! For checklists, resources, and extra goodies from A Well-Designed Business sign up for free here. To Get on LuAnn’s Email List, text the word designbiz to 444999! Purchase LuAnn’s Books Here: Book 1: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action Audiobook: The Making of A Well – Designed Business: Turn Inspiration into Action Book 2: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Book 3: A Well-Designed Business – The Power Talk Friday Experts Volume 2 Connect with LuAnn Nigara LuAnn’s Website LuAnn’s Blog Power Talk Friday Like Us: Facebook | Tweet Us: Twitter | Follow Us: Instagram | Listen Here: Podcast Other Resources Mentioned: The Hiring Toolkit Power Talk Friday Tour - October 25th at High Point The Interior Design Society (IDS) - Power Talk Friday attendees will receive $75 off when joining IDS Other Shows Mentioned: #451 Elissa Grayer: Starting From the Ground Up, After 19 Years #739 Marianna Zimmerman: It’s Never Too Late to Design Your Life