1068: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: How "Sleeping in Your Guest Room" Can Make You RICH

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 7 March 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today With Sandra Funk: Today with Sandra Funk, we explore the transformative power of client experience in building a thriving interior design business. Sandra shares her pivotal "dark night of the soul" moment when three clients fired her in one day, and how this crisis became the catalyst for completely reimagining her approach to client relationships. We dive into her philosophy of viewing client partnerships as "mini marriages" that require clear communication, boundaries, and emotional understanding throughout the design journey. Sandra reveals the specific strategies that have made House of Funk so successful, from surprise and delight moments to avoiding nickel-and-diming clients for small changes. As The Interior Design Standard celebrates five years and 1,000 members, Sandra also shares exciting news about evolving her coaching program into a more intentional, curated community for serious designers who want to level up their businesses. LuAnn Nigara and Sandra Funk’s Ah-Ha Moments: “I started looking at it from the client’s point of view. How will it land for them instead of what works for me?” - Sandra Funk More About Sandra Funk Sandra Funk is the founder and CEO of the boutique interior design firm, House of Funk. After 20 years as a luxury designer, Sandra is now a business strategist deeply rooted in empowering and educating design entrepreneurs. With her turnkey approach, she welcomes designers into her inner circle, sharing her proven process for a balanced, joy-filled and wildly profitable design firm. Connect with Sandra Funk Interior Design Standard Interior Design Standard Sneak Peek How to Start an Interior Design Business Interior Design Pricing 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! Other Shows: #520: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: The Interior Design Standard is Here! #660: Sandra Funk: Level Up Your Business Through Mentorship, Coaching, and Classes. Sponsored Show: “Interior Design Standard” #753: Sandra Funk: How to Grow a Thriving Luxury Interior Design Business #801: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: How Mistakes and Obstacles Led to Growth & Transformation #845: Power Talk Friday: Sandra Funk: Stop Apologizing and Start Communicating #1010: Overheard: Developing Resilience in Interior Design Business Leadership with Antonio Deloatch Jr, Sandra Funk and Robin Burrill

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to a well-designed business.
0:12.0	My name is Luann Nygaara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.
0:16.0	Together with my husband Vince and our partner Bill, we have grown our company Window Works from the ground up.
0:21.8	So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design business.
0:28.2	I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success.
0:33.2	So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business.
0:39.6	But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here, too, mix in with those aha
0:44.6	moments that I love so much.
0:46.8	This isn't fluff.
0:47.8	Nobody has time for that.
0:49.5	Whether you are a new interior designer or a season designer, I am here to help you create and to manage the kind
0:56.5	of interior design firm that you dream of. It's straight talk and it's action. Are you ready? Let's get
1:02.6	started. Hi, welcome to a well-designed business. It's Power Talk Friday. Today's show is
1:10.8	sponsored by a very
1:12.0	special returning guest, Sandra Funk, the founder of the Interior Design Standard and the House of Funk.
1:17.8	If you are one of the few people in my audience that does not know Sandra, Sandra is a celebrated
1:23.1	interior design leader whose work has been recognized by over 30 national press outlets,
1:28.4	including L decor, architectural digest, and House Beautiful. As the creator of the interior
1:34.2	design standard, which is an A to Z, soup to nuts, proven complete interior design process,
1:40.4	Sandra has helped literally hundreds of your colleagues build a profitable, balanced business.
1:47.5	Now, if you do know Sandra and you've been a long time listener, we all know the dark night of
1:52.5	the soul story with Sandra, you know, in the airport in Atlanta going on, I think,
	...

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