Business of Home

Join Editor at Large for our LAUNCH Summit Atlanta, a one-day intensive created specifically for interior designers. Learn from expert instructors about the most relevant business matters facing the design industry today, and take home essential insights and tools to further your own business.

Tickets are $575/person. Click here to register.

Schedule

9 AM

REGISTRATION

Atlanta Decorative Arts Center | Presentation Room, First Floor Atrium
351 Peachtree Hills Ave NE, Atlanta, GA

Check in and pick up your registration material.

9:30 AM

THE INS AND OUTS OF LICENSING

Instructor: Kate Verner, Founder of Kate Verner + Associates

Licensing guru Kate Verner has developed, marketed and launched countless product lines with top designers like Dave Easton, Laura Kirar and Rockwell Group. Now, she's on hand to divulge her knowledge about building a design empire complete with private-label collections, licensing deals and brand extensions. She'll also explain key differences between licensing and private-label collections, and outline the various responsibilities of the designer so that you can determine which path is right for you—whether you're considering licensing opportunities now or five years from now.

You will learn:

What licensing is, and where and how to seek out opportunities
What a successful licensing deal includes and what a designer needs to know before signing an agreement
The essential role intellectual property law plays in licensing
How to use licensing to raise your visibility and build a multi-faceted design brand

11:30 AM

DEVELOPING AIRTIGHT CONTRACTS

Instructor: David Adler, Adler Law Group

There's a reason you became a designer and it probably didn't have anything to do with negotiating contracts. You're the expert on color, fabric and floor plans, not intellectual property and arbitration provisions. It may sound complicated, but it doesn't have to be. Chicago-based lawyer David Adler will address some of the most significant legal risk factors that interior designers encounter. He'll also break down client contracts so that you understand what should be included and how to make them airtight to ensure that you and your business are protected.

You will learn:

The essential components of a client contract, as well as when and how a contract is formed
How to identify the biggest risk factors addressed in a contract
What you can do if your clients are not living up to their side of the deal
How to identify common pitfalls when accommodating client requests and/or modifications to the contract

1:45 PM

LAYING THE FOUNDATION: CLIENT MANAGEMENT
& CHARGING STRATEGIES

Instructor: Sean Low, Founder of The Business of Being Creative

Who knew client management could have such an impact on your bottom line? How you manage your clients directly impacts the profitability of your projects. As the designer, it's up to you to clearly translate your process to your clients so that you're in the driver's seat, not the other way around. During this session, business consultant Sean Low will outline best practices for managing clients' expectations and provide the framework for a variety of charging models, so that you can determine what best suits your business. Because every designer has the same end-goals: to complete projects on time, keep clients happy and get paid what they deserve.

You will learn:

How to be of service to your clients, not in service
Client management processes to implement through all phases of the relationship: from the first meeting to project installation
What to charge, when to charge and how to account for your time
The pros and cons of various pricing structures

3:30 PM

SELLING DESIGN: PITCHING CLIENTS AND CLOSING DEALS

Instructor: James Burr, Co-Founder & CEO at YMEE

Little did you know, when you decided to become a designer, you signed up to be a salesperson, too. Not the icky kind, but the effective kind who meets with potential clients and speaks confidently about his or her experience, expertise and vision in order to land the next big project. The reality is that perfecting "the sell" will actually give you more opportunities to focus on what you love most: design. During this session, pitch expert James Burr will help you develop a compelling and memorable pitch so that you can walk into that next business meeting, industry event or presentation with poise.

You will learn:

What makes a great pitch and how to be an engaging and memorable storyteller
Tools for building confidence so that you can speak assuredly when pitching your services to prospective clients
How to get people to like and trust you
Skills to network, pitch and close the deal

4:30 PM

CREATING A BRAND THAT'S AUTHENTIC
TO YOU (AND YOUR CLIENTS)

Instructor: Alex Honeysett, Marketing and Brand Strategist

In a bustling design market, setting yourself apart from the competition is vital. The first step is to figure out the W's: who you are as a designer, why you're in this profession, what motivates you and what makes you unique—so that you can develop a brand identity that's authentic to you. After all, if you don't have a clear understanding about what you and your company stand for, no one else will. Marketing and brand strategist Alex Honeysett will provide the tools to start crafting and honing your brand story, the story that's at the heart of everything you do.

You will learn: