Recent Podcasts

Recent Podcasts

• 
  How Anna and Gregg Brockway became digital leaders in home
  January 21, 2019

  When Anna and Gregg Brockway launched vintage and antique furniture e-marketplace Chairish, people told them consumers would never buy furniture online. Six years and roughly $30 million in funding later, the platform and its higher-end sister site, DECASO, receive more than 2,000 new items listed daily from a community of 10,000 sellers. With its recent acquisition of Dering Hall, Chairish Inc. is now one of the largest digital platforms for high-end home furnishing products with nearly half a million items across the three platforms. The Brockways share how the company that began at their dining room table has grown, what the Dering Hall acquisition means for its future, and what’s to come in the digitization of design. This episode is sponsored by DCOTA.

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  Ippolita Rostagno wants to save Italian craft with American-style entrepreneurship
  January 14, 2019

  Acclaimed jewelry designer Ippolita Rostagno grew up in the Oltrarno neighborhood of Florence, a place where artisans have practiced their trades for centuries. When they began disappearing, she decided to do something about it. The result was Artemest, an e-commerce platform for Italian handcrafted home decor. Since the company’s founding in 2015, it has grown 100 percent year over year, now featuring over 500 makers selling their wares. In this episode of the Business of Home podcast, Rostagno discusses how she navigated the comically inefficient Italian bureaucracy, won over old-school Italian artists and artisans, and mastered problem solving with her hands.

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• 
  Why Annie Selke values company culture above all else
  January 7, 2019

  In 1994, Annie Selke began fine linens company Pine Cone Hill with an industrial sewing machine at her dining room table. Today, the company—which has since added rug maker Dash & Albert and an outlet store—has 221 employees, 50 of whom are based in India. With a perks package that includes weekly community-building events and financial bonuses for anniversary milestones, it’s no surprise that Annie Selke’s eponymous company is built largely on long-time employees and internal referrals. Selke discusses how she builds staff loyalty, the challenges of evaluating demand and why she’ll never sell product through Amazon.

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• 
  Bunny Williams on navigating change
  December 17, 2018

  As Bunny Williams Home celebrates its 10-year anniversary, founder and renowned interior designer Bunny Williams is in search of new ways to remain relevant—from both design and retail perspectives. While that may mean bolstering the digital brand and focusing on online sales, Williams’s general design philosophies remain similar to those she learned at Parish-Hadley, the legendary New York firm where she spent 22 years prior to launching her own studio. The AD100 Hall of Fame designer shares the challenges of finding and retaining talent, why the modern lifestyle is disruptive to the trade and the announcement of a new book, Affairs with Other Houses. This episode is sponsored by Business of Design.

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• 
  How the Matouk family business evolved for the next generation
  December 10, 2018

  Rumor has it there’s a curse against the third-generation business owner—one fed by outdated systems and a lack of product innovation. Yet the tale doesn’t hold true for George Matouk, who’s grown the textile company launched by his grandfather in 1929 to an annual revenue of more than $35 million. Managing new retail channels and category extensions has proven just as challenging as enduring nearly a century of economic and political shifts. I sat down with George to learn how Matouk coped—and came out stronger on the other side.

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• 
  The surprising trait that's made Clodagh most successful
  December 3, 2018

  When you don’t know the rules, it’s easier to break them. At least that’s the thinking of my guest this week, internationally renowned interior designer Clodagh. A self-taught designer who transitioned from fashion to interiors, the Ireland native is best known for her spiritual practices, minimalist style and some 20 product licenses, including partnerships with RH, Visual Comfort and Ann Sacks. In this week’s episode, Clodagh reveals the one trait that has made her most successful, the way she handles rude clients and how she finds zen—even in the back of a New York taxi cab. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Why Blu Dot wants to make good design democratic
  November 26, 2018

  Making good design democratic has been at the core of modern furniture company Blu Dot since its founding in 1997. Co-founders John Christakos, Maurice Blanks and Charlie Lazor set out to create an American furniture company in an era when venture capital, attainable modern design and an assertive brand voice didn’t exist in the home industry. Twenty years later, Blu Dot’s forging efforts haven’t gone unnoticed. This year, the company celebrated its recognition as the Cooper Hewitt National Design Award winner for Product Design, as well the debut of a memoir chronicling the Minneapolis company’s pioneering journey. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Jonathan Adler “keeps it 100” about the struggles of running a creative business
  November 19, 2018

  Jonathan Adler went from a potter teaching night classes to a retail mogul running seventeen retail locations, a wholesale and e-commerce business, and an ever-growing list of partnerships including a recent one with Amazon. “I went from being a dude [with] mud and a potter’s wheel to a dude with the world at my fingertips,” says Adler, who shares the defining moments of his career, the challenges that came with each, and what's next on his creative horizon. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Ethan Allen’s Farooq Kathwari on how to remain relevant
  November 12, 2018

  One of the few vertically integrated furniture companies remaining in the industry, Ethan Allen has waded the challenges of a manufacturer and retailer. Chairman, president and CEO Farooq Kathwari has spent decades reshaping the Danbury, Connecticut-based furniture company’s production, retail and management strategies to compete in the global economy. Kathwari’s advice for each sector? Stay relevant. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Meet Sandow's Robot-Powered Designer Tool Ready to Disrupt the Home Industry
  October 1, 2018

  It's an industry disruptor that’s been years in the making. Sample library Material Bank is one part digital platform, built to save designers time when searching and sampling materials, and one part robotic logistics and distribution facility. Founder and CEO Adam I. Sandow shares how the designer tool is setting new standards for lead time, accessibility and waste reduction that not even Amazon can compete with. This is the last episode of our first season. Episodes will resume in November. 

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• 
  How Brad Ford Cultivated a Community of Modern Makers
  September 24, 2018

  Growing up in small town Arkansas, Brad Ford did not think of interior design as a career path until after college. He moved to New York on the recommendation of the one professional designer in town “with an office.” After design school, under the tutelage of Jed Johnson and Thad Hayes, he was able to hone his now-characteristic aesthetic of editing rather than layering. Editing is more than a style for Ford, but a philosophy that defines all of his endeavors: FAIR, Field and Supply, and his design firm. In this episode, he discusses the evolution of his businesses, and how Field and Supply, a culmination of his life’s work, brings him full circle. 

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• 
  BDDW’s Tyler Hays is the Uncle of the Maker Movement
  September 17, 2018

  Whether it’s digging clay for his tile collection, harvesting barley for his brewery, painting and weaving textiles for his clothing line, milling high-end furniture for his showroom, or assembling musicians for a metal band, Tyler Hays is as hands-on with each of his hobbies-turned-businesses as you’d expect from a master craftsman. As a small-town high-school dropout with above-average sewing skills, he never imagined himself a businessman, much less a manager of 100 employees, tens of millions in revenue, and a celebrity-studded customer base. In this week’s episode, Hays shares his circuitous journey from rural Oregon to BBDW in Manhattan, and the countless creative endeavors along the way. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Why the Home Industry's Retail Strategy Isn't Working
  September 10, 2018

  There are few, if any, retailers in the home category that haven’t been under the journalistic microscope of Warren Shoulberg. In this episode, the trade media veteran shares his findings, offering RH, Bed Bath & Beyond, The Home Depot and others as case studies for what is and isn’t working in the modern retail environment. Tune in as he reveals which retailer is “one of the greatest in the world right now and” why he’ll never bet against RH CEO Gary Friedman, and exposes the “dirty little secret” of the furniture industry. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Industry West’s Secret to Scaling—Without the Help of VCs
  August 27, 2018

  When it comes to furniture companies, commercial design favorite Industry West is an anomaly. Since its launch in 2009, the Jacksonville, Florida-based, direct-to-consumer brand has been profitable. Husband and wife co-founders Jordan and Anne England’s bootstrapped efforts have led to a growth of nearly 70 percent each year—a rate that, Jordan says, shows no signs of slowing down. Now, the couple reveals the challenges of being an e-commerce early adopter, why they’re opening a SoHo showroom, and how they’re working offline to acquire new customers. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  How Nicole Gibbons Went From Blogger to VC Darling
  August 17, 2018

  Detroit-born interior designer Nicole Gibbons has been chasing her business goals—be it a PR exec, design studio, or television series—long before the paint dried on her new startup. After building the business model for Clare, an e-commerce paint company, she had to convince venture capitalists of the potential that exists in today’s “sleepy” home industry. Gibbons shares how she conceived of the idea for Clare, and what the design trade could learn from the startup community. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Inside Parachute Home’s Community-Focused Expansion Plans
  August 10, 2018

  The term ‘retail store’ isn’t in Ariel Kaye’s vocabulary. The founder and CEO of Parachute Home prefers to use “community centers” when referencing the digital-first bedding and bath brand’s physical locations. In true clicks-to-bricks fashion, Parachute is focused on cultivating its consumer community and providing value outside of just its European-made product. In this interview, Kaye shares how she built Parachute and its cult-like following, while also acknowledging the challenges of running a startup and the isolation that can come with being a sole founder. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  From Bankruptcy to IPO, How Shawn Nelson Built the Country's Fastest-Growing Furniture Retailer
  August 3, 2018

  It’s a coming-of-age business tale that reads more tech startup than furniture manufacturer. More than two decades ago, Lovesac began as a zealous idea in Shawn Nelson’s parents’ basement. As of June, the company filed an IPO with a company market capitalization of more than $250 million. In this interview, Nelson revisits the merchandising mistakes, bankruptcy filing, and painful lessons learned along the way. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  How Ralph Pucci Became the Master of Visual Merchandising
  July 27, 2018

  Whether it’s preserving his iconic mannequin label or curating his next gallery exhibition, Ralph Pucci leads by one rule: “If everyone’s going left, I’m going right.” It worked in 1985, when Pucci successfully debuted the collection of designer Andrée Putman with no industry experience, and it continues to work today, as the company now boasts galleries in New York, Los Angeles and Miami. In this week’s episode, Pucci takes us through the remarkable timeline of Ralph Pucci International and reveals his visual merchandising secrets. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Why Schumacher Is a 128-Year-Old Startup
  July 20, 2018

  Driven by KPIs and constant product launches, Schumacher operates more like a 128-year-old startup than a legacy brand. That’s no coincidence, explains Schumacher CEO Timur Yumusaklar and Creative Director Dara Caponigro in this week’s episode. The venerated fabric brand, which houses greats from Frank Lloyd Wright and Josef Frank to Miles Redd in its archive, remains confident in it’s identity yet understands that moving with the times is essential. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  How Data Helped 1stdibs Dominate the Luxury Market
  June 29, 2018

  Before becoming CEO of 1stdibs, David Rosenblatt spent more than a decade heading up an internet company that, in 2008, sold to Google for $3.2 billion. It’s no surprise that one of his first moves as CEO of 1stdibs was to upgrade the technology platforms. In 2016, he overhauled the business model to a commission one (from a monthly fee) and grew the offerings to include more new and custom, which he says represents the biggest opportunity. In this episode, he shares how he uses data to inform his decisions and why it’s working. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  China is the Next Frontier for Interior Design
  June 22, 2018

  Campion Platt believes China is the land of opportunity for interior designers and furniture manufacturers—but only for the next 10 years. In an exclusive story in the summer issue of Business of Home, the designer unveiled his collaboration with a major Chinese developer on a 10.7-million-square-foot complex comprised of a luxury design center, accredited design school, performing arts center, and more. Tune in as Platt reveals how he got involved—and why it may be in other best interest to follow suit.

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• 
  How Interior Define Couples Customer Experience With Company Culture
  June 8, 2018

  Rob Royer launched Interior Define online in 2014, offering direct-to-consumer, customizable sofas at a middle-market price point. Veteran insight and early investment capital from Bonobos founder (and Royer’s brother-in-law) Andy Dunn helped the Chicago-based company gain early momentum among consumers and designers. Today, Interior Define, which has since expanded its custom offerings to multiple product furnishing categories, is on track to triple its sales for the third year in a row. The growth has some industry players questioning: Can this model work at the higher end? This episode is sponsored by Fuigo. 

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• 
  From the Archives: Bunny Williams and Oscar de la Renta
  June 1, 2018

  Fashion in the 1960s was not unlike the interior design scene is today. When Oscar de la Renta moved to the big apple from Paris, most clothing labels carried the names of manufacturers. “The designers were doing all the work in the back but getting no credit ... it was a very important transition time when the designers, the creators​,​ came into their own,” he said in an interview with Bunny Williams at the Design Leadership Network Summit in 2014. In this archival episode, the two iconic figures discuss what it takes to build a legacy brand, how to channel panic into creativity and the why collaboration is critical. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Hem Wants to be the High-End IKEA
  May 25, 2018

  IKEA is the only furniture brand that is truly global, notes Petrus Palmér, founder of modern furniture brand Hem. The designer-turned-entrepreneur sees white space for high-end brands to reach global scale, and is growing Hem with that in mind. Hem was among the first to sell direct to consumer, disrupting the traditional structure for furniture distribution and catching the attention of Fab.com, which acquired it in 2014. Palmér bought it back in 2016, and took investment from Vitra in 2016. This year, he grew the business by 135%, to $6 million in revenue. In this episode he shares how “resimercial” has become a sweet spot for Hem and why companies like Facebook, Uber and Pinterest offices are outfitted with his furniture. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  The Story of Sweeten
  May 18, 2018

  Architect-turned entrepreneur Jean Brownhill has raised more than $8 million in venture capital to grow Sweeten, a general contractor match-making service that facilitated nearly a billion dollars in services this year. As one of 26 African-American female entrepreneurs in the U.S. to raise more than $1 million in VC funding, she emphasizes that raising venture capital doesn’t equal success. The goal is to build a big company that scales, and helps millions of people. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Becoming Holly Hunt
  May 11, 2018

  Holly Hunt made headlines four years ago when she sold her eponymous company to Knoll for $95 million. But it’s never been about the money for the Texas-born designer, who started her business as a recently-divorced mother of three boys in 1983—without "a big hairy plan." She built what was then a new concept: a multi-line showroom, bringing on makers like Carl Springer, Jim Thompson and Rose Tarlow before designing and manufacturing her own line. In this episode, she shares the ups and downs of the last 30 years—from designer Christian Liagre's departure to adjusting to life post-acquisition, and what the future holds. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  How Maxwell Ryan Won With Millennials
  May 4, 2018

  It's fitting that Maxwell Ryan was a teacher for seven years prior to  founding Apartment Therapy. He’s now teaching readers—20 million of them—how to live beautifully and happily. By featuring homes that are “juicy, lived-in, and accessible,” he appeals to the “broad middle”—a lot of people with a little to spend—and is the go-to for Millennials who love decorating. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  A New Era for Trade Showrooms
  April 27, 2018

  Crans Baldwin reflects on 30 years running to-the-trade companies such as Donghia and Dedar. Now, after starting his own consulting outfit, he is on the road talking to designers and hearing about their struggles and successes firsthand. In this episode, he outlines the current problems facing the industry (design centers on the whole aren’t working) and offers solutions (more road reps).  This episode is sponsored by Fuigo. 

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• 
  Why Direct-to-Consumer is the Future of Furniture
  April 20, 2018

  With stints at McKinsey, Google and Birchbox, Maiden Home founder Nidhi Kapur has applied her digital brand-building skills to upholstery—sofas and chairs. On this week’s episode, she shares the good, the bad and the ugly of creating a direct-to-consumer custom furniture company—from sourcing and product development to marketing. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo. 
   

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• 
  A Modern Turnaround Tale
  April 13, 2018

  Modern design is at John Edelman’s core: Andy Warhol did the graphics for his parents’ leather company; he cultivated a renowned Milo Baughman collection; and as CEO of Design Within Reach, he is ensuring that authentic modern design endures. Edelman shares how his parent’s business (which evolved from door-to-door snakeskin sales to purveyors of water buffalo hides to a global luxury textile company—and plenty of stints in between) lead him to the world of interior design—first at Edelman Leather which he sold to Knoll and now to DWR which he sold to Herman Miller after rescuing it from the brink of financial ruin. Plus, hear his impassioned thoughts on knock-offs and what DWR is doing to fight them. This episode is sponsored by Fuigo.

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• 
  Behold, To the Trade 2.0
  April 6, 2018

  Maury Riad’s connection to the trade goes back decades—from running Fortuny, the storied Italian fabric brand his family owns, to Fuigo, the design management software and shared workspace he co-founded in 2016. His vision for the industry, which he likes to call “To the Trade Trade 2.0,” includes making the interior design process more transparent in its pricing and business models. This week, he chats about how the trade has become devalued in the digital world and how this can be reversed through collaboration, organization and community-building. 
   

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• 
  How Consort Plans to Scale the Boutique Design Experience
  March 29, 2018

  Designer Mat Sanders jokes that his design business launched with a ceramic middle finger.  Scratch beneath the surface of his playful sensibility—which is reflected in his personality, interior designs and product lines—and you’ll find an ambitious business plan backed by a clear vision (and some anonymous funding). The Consort co-founder chats about how mid-budget customers are underserved, why boutique design services are hard to scale, and how he’s planning to conquer the design world by addressing both problems. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 
   

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• 
  Why ‘Fast Custom’ is the Next Wave
  March 23, 2018

  Home furnishings brand maven Christiane Lemieux chats about her fast furniture endeavor, The Inside, and the other companies she founded along the way. From growing up in Canada, to launching her first company and selling it to Wayfair, Lemieux shares her insider knowledge of the furniture business and where she thinks it is going. Plus, find out how she thinks consumers will be investing in their homes and how the trade can keep up with their demands. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 
   

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• 
  How Homepolish is Redesigning Interior Design
  March 16, 2018

  Homepolish co-founder Noa Santos champions interior designers and creates transparency in an infamously opaque industry. Santos shares how Homepolish has evolved over its five years into a design platform, how it’s taking on big-budget, full-service renovations, and how it matches clients with contractors and architects. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 

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• 
  The Rise and Rebirth of Domino
  March 9, 2018

  Beth Brenner, chief revenue officer of Domino Media Group, shares her firsthand experience of the founding of Domino magazine, diving deep into its cult-like following, sudden fall and recent reincarnation. She shares how the brand continues to grow in an ever-changing media landscape and the importance of brick-and-mortar. Plus, find out what it’s like to have a Condé Nast bigwig as your dad. This episode is sponsored by High Point Market. 

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