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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

1029: Kelly O’Neil: Building Relationships with Builders

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8786 Ratings

🗓️ 22 October 2024

⏱️ 72 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today With Kelly O’Neil: Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. I have heard from so many of you interested in design-build—and most importantly, how to start building those relationships that bring you into the industry and position you as a go-to trusted designer.  My guest today, Kelly O’Neil, has a lot of insight to share on that topic. She has cultivated strong relationships with builders, found ways to prove her value, and used processes not just in her design, but even in the way she networks and builds relationships. Today, she’s here to share how she did it and what she learned along the way. LuAnn Nigara and Kelly O’Neil's Ah-Ha Moments “You have to handle both sides, the client and the builder, and keep both sides happy. But sometimes their lack of communication with each other puts you in the middle. So you find a way to smooth everybody out and make everybody happy.” -Kelly “I love that you know that it's the value of always keeping the pipeline going. You can't just rely on what happened last week, last month, last year. You've always got to be building it.” -LuAnn More About Kelly O’Neil In the ever-evolving world of design, one name stands out – Kelly, the creative force behind Kelly O’Neil Design. With a mantra of “I’m in the business of making people happy,” Kelly has carved a niche for herself in the industry, transforming spaces into beautiful, functional homes that reflect the unique style and personality of each client. Kelly’s journey in interior design began at Fairfield University, where she honed her skills and cultivated a passion that would propel her to create stunning homes across eight different states. From the vibrant energy of Florida to the cosmopolitan charm of New York, Kelly has left her mark, crafting spaces that seamlessly blend aesthetics with functionality. Connect with Kelly O’Neil Website Instagram  Facebook 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: This podcast supports the Savvy Giving Design Coalition. Learn more about it here! AWDB #717 Susan Wintersteen: Interior design firm standards in a nonprofit passion project AWDB #164: Susan Wintersteen- Savvy Giving by Design Book a quick intro call with Duke Renders! Power Talk Friday Tour – October 25th! Other Shows: #451 Elissa Grayer: Starting From the Ground Up, After 19 Years #951 Power Talk Friday: Duke Renders: More Interior Designers Share the Value Of Using Duke Renders For Your Rendering Projects #878 Throwback Tuesday: Brad Leavitt: A Builder’s Perspective on the Design Build Process #649: Power Talk Friday: Brad Leavitt: Understanding Design-Build from the Builder’s Perspective #615: Power Talk Friday: Brad Leavitt: Overcoming Resistance in the Design-Build Process #580: Brad Leavitt, AFT Construction: The Two “B” Words: Budget & Builders #560: Brad Leavitt, AFT Construction: The Design Book #542: Brad Leavitt: AFT Construction: A Builder’s Perspective on the Design Build Process #281: What Would Lu Do?: Being the CEO – The Key to Your Business Success

Transcript

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0:00.0

Have you heard about the exciting new exhibit by the Black Artist and Designers Guild, which was commissioned by the Cooper Hewitt's Smithsonian Design Museum in New York City?

0:11.0

Big news, right?

0:12.5

The Cooper Hewitt's exhibition is called Making Home, Smithsonian Design Triennial.

0:18.1

Now, the batch designers exhibit is titled the Underground Library,

0:23.7

inspired by the Underground Railroad. The Underground Railroad is the clandestine network

0:28.5

established in the early 19th century through which many enslaved African Americans

0:33.6

traveled in search of freedom. This library installation represents a 21st century sanctuary

0:40.5

surrounded by art, objects, artifacts, and books of black legacy. In reimagining and repurposing

0:49.6

the Andrew Carnegie Personal Library, Badge invites you to examine the power of home libraries

0:56.0

and the significance of literacy, remembering that African Americans were denied the right to read

1:02.2

under slavery. I'm honored to share that Window Works in Livingston was asked by badge to create

1:08.6

the flat panels for the windows. We used a custom design fabric

1:12.4

by badge members, and the fabric was fabricated by Stacey Garcia's team at Libatex. So please make

1:19.8

a point to visit this inspired space the next time you are in New York City. The exhibition

1:25.0

runs from November 24 all the way through August 10th,

1:30.0

2025. So you have plenty of time to get this on your calendar. We will put links in the show notes.

1:49.8

Welcome. Welcome to a well-designed business.

1:53.7

My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.

1:59.7

Together with my husband, Vince, and our partner, Bill, we have grown our company Windowworks from the ground up, so I know and I understand the

2:02.1

challenges you face in running your interior design business.

2:05.6

I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success.

2:10.6

So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business. But make no mistake about it,

...

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