1115: Best Of Show: Laurence Carr: Design Your Business Plan

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 19 August 2025

⏱️ 72 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today With Laurence Carr: Laurence Carr may have launched her interior design business less than two years before we recorded this conversation, but you’d never know it from the way she runs her firm—with vision, clarity, and purpose. In this episode, Laurence shares how she built a strong business foundation from day one, the intentional strategies she uses to keep her pipeline full, and how her commitment to sustainability and holistic design has positioned her as a leader in the industry. Whether you’re brand-new or twenty years in, Laurence’s story is proof that when you have a plan, stick to it, and lead like a CEO, success follows. More About Laurence Carr Born in France and now living in NYC, Laurence Carr has an inherent appreciation for art and design—she is a natural aesthete. Before launching her interior design practice, Laurence was a professional ballet dancer, singer, stage director, and fashion event manager. Today, she is recognized for her application of wellbeing principles and ancient techniques in high-end residential interior design. Laurence believes luxury interiors don’t have to be sterile and soulless. Instead, her projects encourage mindful living and create harmony, whilst attaining a level of sophistication that develops from layering modern art, furniture, antiques, and accents. Having lived, worked and traveled in Europe, Asia, Australia, and the US, Laurence’s design aesthetic is influenced by her love of different cultures and deep appreciation of art. She brings an international approach to each project—whether its sifting through antique galleries in Paris or sourcing hand-woven rugs from the villages in Nepal, Laurence’s knowledge and network allows her to find and assemble unique items for you. Connect with Laurence Carr Website Instagram YouTube LinkedIn 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Inside Voice - Sign Up!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Kravet⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - Don’t forget to use our AWDB10 code for 10% off any Kravet fabric, wallpaper or trim order Other Shows: Nicole Heymer #466, #317, #125 Andrew Joseph #39 Dennis Scully #459 Savour Partnership #209 and #458

Transcript

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0:00.0	You know, in four plus decades of doing custom window treatments on high-end luxury projects,
0:05.2	I have seen my share of projects go sideways. And you know what it always was down to?
0:12.0	Nobody was leading the job. Everybody was basically pointing fingers. You were supposed to. He was
0:17.9	supposed to. I was supposed to. Okay? And we have the antidote for this.
0:22.5	We have in our Luann University a class called Project Workflow for Construction-Based Design.
0:29.6	Jenny Slingerlin, the owner and principal designer of Black Ink Interior, teaches this class.
0:35.2	And she starts the very first class with who does what? What are the
0:40.0	designer's role? What is the builder's role? What is the architect role? This is so that you know
0:44.7	exactly and understand with clarity, the deliverables that you've got to bring to the table.
0:50.5	And then she moves into teaching you how to create a design spec book that a builder will use and will value.
0:59.3	What's the result of this?
1:01.2	Fewer change orders, fewer communication problems, and you earn a reputation for someone who is trusted and gets called back. Okay. So go over to Luann University.com.
1:15.1	Check out the Jenny's class project workflow for construction-based design. We are in early
1:20.6	bird through August 30th, 2025, and then the cart will close September 5th, 2025. Let's change the way. This narrative goes. Be the
1:31.3	leader on the next project that you're on. Welcome to a well-designed business.
1:47.9	My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.
1:51.7	Together with my husband, Vince, and our partner, Bill, we have grown our company Window Works from the ground up.
1:57.4	So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design
2:02.9	business. I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success. So on this
2:09.6	podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business. But make no
2:15.9	mistake about it. We have our share of fun here, too,
2:18.7	mixed in with those aha moments that I love so much.
	...

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