1085: Best of Show: Shea & Syd McGee: Building a Design Empire Involves a Lot of Hustle

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 6 May 2025

⏱️ 74 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today With Shea & Syd McGee: This powerhouse episode from 2016 features the dynamic duo behind one of the most recognized interior design brands today—Shea and Syd McGee of Studio McGee. We’re bringing this gem back because it’s more relevant than ever. What you’ll learn: How they carved out a distinctive design identity that stood out from the start The early strategic choices that laid the foundation for a now-iconic brand Why transparency and authenticity fueled their rapid online growth How they navigated business roles as a married couple—dividing and conquering with purpose The mindset shifts that transformed obstacles into opportunities LuAnn Nigara, Shea & Syd McGee’s Ah-Ha Moments: “Once I decided I wasn’t going to be everything to everyone, my brand started to grow.” — Shea McGee “You can’t build a sustainable business if you’re not looking at the financials every single week.” — Syd McGee More About Shea & Syd McGee Shea McGee is the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Studio McGee, leading the creative direction for all facets within the Studio McGee Inc. portfolio of brands— Studio McGee, the interior design arm, and McGee & Co., the product side. Shea’s path to launching Studio McGee in 2014 began years before when she leM her position at an ad agency in order to manage the remodel of her and her husband Syd’s first California home. Documenting the process on social media, Shea became an early online influencer, quickly attracting a loyal following with her approachable style and ethos. The online success led to the launch of her own interior design firm, Studio McGee. The design business experienced rapid growth, paving the way for the launch of their e-commerce brand, McGee & Co., along with a lineup of licensing partnerships and marketing opportunities that amplified their design voice—an autobiography, Make Life Beau+ful, a coffee table book, The Art of Home, a long-running show on Netflix, Dream Home Makeover, and product collaborations with brands like Target, Kohler, Ann Sacks, and Pura. Today, Shea is regarded as one of the leading innovators in the interior design industry with her ‘sophisticated but not stuffy’ approach, while maintaining a consistent focus on empowering others to “Make Life Beautiful" by enhancing their daily lives through good design. Connect with Shea & Syd McGee⁠ Studio McGee McGee And Co Studio McGee Instagram McGee And Co Instagram YouTube The Art Of Home Book A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor: Design Trade Service 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 Mydoma Studio – Get 20% off your first three months! Other Shows: AWDB #1082: What Would Lu Do?: The Big Shift: What’s Changing on A Well-Designed Business and Why AWDB #32: Robin Baron – The President of ASID NY Metro Chapter Talks with us about PR and Brand Development AWDB #540: Robin Baron: Strategic Thinking on Product Development

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, a quick heads up that you don't want to miss. Today on the podcast, we're re-airing one of the most beloved episodes of all time. My conversation with Shea and Sid McGee, the founders of Studio McGee. Yes, that studio McGee. With over 1,100 episodes, maybe you missed it the first time around, but now's your chance to catch it. And there's more. Shea was also on the show solo back in
0:22.6	episode 236, and she's coming back again this summer for another interview. So whether you're
0:30.8	listening to this particular promo on episode 35 or 935, head over to the show notes now to find both of the McGee episodes.
0:40.7	And stay tuned because Shay and I have a lot to catch up on.
0:57.7	Welcome to a well-designed business.
1:01.6	My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.
1:06.6	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 challenges you face in running your interior
1:12.6	design business. I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success. So on this
1:19.7	podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business. But make no
1:26.1	mistake about it. We have our share of fun here
1:28.3	too, mixed in with those aha moments that I love so much. This isn't fluff. Nobody has time for that.
1:35.3	Whether you are a new interior designer or a season designer, I am here to help you create and to
1:41.2	manage the kind of interior design firm that you dream of.
1:44.4	It's straight talk and its action. Are you ready? Let's get started.
1:49.0	Hi, welcome to a well-designed business. Before we get into today's episode, I want to let
1:56.0	you know that we're doing something a little different over the next several months. We're bringing
1:59.6	back the most downloaded, the most talked about episodes from the last nine years of a well-designed business.
2:06.1	These are the episodes that built businesses that sparked aha moments that turned you into an
2:12.9	action taker. Now, if you're wondering why we're revisiting these episodes and what's changing with the show
2:18.8	overall, well, I walk you through the full vision in our April 25th, 2025 episode titled
2:25.8	The Big Shift, what's changing on a well-designed business and why. That episode is linked
2:31.5	for you in the show notes. Now, a quick heads up.
	...

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