1121: Best Of Show: Cheryl Luckett: From Side Hustle to Full Time Interior Design

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 9 September 2025

⏱️ 75 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today With Cheryl Luckett: What does it take to leave behind the security of a corporate job and build a thriving design business? For Cheryl Luckett, principal of Dwell by Cheryl, it took vision, courage, and a commitment to excellence. In this conversation, Cheryl shares how she transitioned from her career as a registered dietitian and HR professional at a Fortune 500 company to becoming one of Charlotte’s most sought-after interior designers. We talk about the transferable skills she brought into her design business, the mentors who guided her, and how she now pays it forward by mentoring other designers. Cheryl’s story is a masterclass in believing in yourself, building on your strengths, and taking bold steps toward your dreams. Whether you’re still in a corporate job dreaming of design or you’ve already taken the leap, Cheryl’s insights will inspire you to design not only beautiful spaces but also a business you love. More About Cheryl Luckett Cheryl Luckett wants to give her clients homes they never want to leave. Since 2012, Dwell by Cheryl Interiors has kept clients raving about Cheryl’s ability to transform their homes into classic, colorful, cultured spaces - not to mention her professionalism and attention to detail. Full of creative solutions to her clients’ design challenges, Cheryl and her team champion their projects from start to finish. Like Cheryl’s southern roots, her love for design runs deep. Growing up in Mississippi, she soaked up her grandmother’s and great-great-grandmother’s keen interest in design (the latter even sold catalog home furnishings to friends and neighbors who admired her talent for putting together beautiful spaces!). Connect with Cheryl Luckett Website Instagram Facebook Pinterest A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Revel Woods⁠⁠⁠⁠ 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! Join ⁠⁠⁠LuAnn University's Proven Path to Profit⁠⁠⁠! Other Shows Mentioned: AWDB #1082: What Would Lu Do?: The Big Shift: What’s Changing on A Well-Designed Business and Why

Transcript

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0:00.0	Do you want to reignite your creativity? Do you want to meet the industry's best and brightest?
0:05.6	And do you want to get inspired all in one darn day? Well, then join me this September 30th,
0:10.7	2025 at ASID, New Jersey's Design Expo. It's happening at Bellworks in New Jersey.
0:18.6	This is a stunning venue with soaring glass atriums. And yes, this is where
0:24.6	Apple TV severance was filmed. So it's pretty cool, isn't it? Now, you do not need to be a member of
0:31.0	ASID, New Jersey to attend this expo. And I'll be there moderating panels with some of New Jersey's
0:37.0	top interior designers.
0:38.5	And guess what?
0:39.6	The Window Works team that I'm always talking about those rock stars, they'll be there too
0:43.7	because they're exhibiting.
0:45.3	So come meet me, meet the Window Works team, learn about ASID, and meet all of the other exhibitors.
0:51.7	Go to Luannigara.com forward slash insta and use the code green, all caps green, 2025 at checkout,
1:03.5	and you get 25% off as a podcast listener.
1:07.5	So that's Luannigara.com forward slash insta.
1:15.6	Use the code green 2025 for 25% off. I will see you September 30th, 2025.
1:45.9	Welcome to a well-designed business. My name is Luann Nigara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast. Together with my husband Vince and our partner Bill, we have grown our company Window Works from the ground up, so I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design business. I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your
1:52.0	success. So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your
1:58.7	business. But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too,
2:02.9	mix in with those aha moments that I love so much.
2:06.5	This isn't fluff.
2:07.5	Nobody has time for that.
2:09.1	Whether you are a new interior designer or a season designer,
	...

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