1123: Ali Faulkner: What to Do When a Client Says “No”: Lessons from a Lost Design Proposal

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 16 September 2025

⏱️ 79 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today with Ali Faulkner Welcome to a Well-Designed Business. We’ve talked before about conducting an autopsy of a project—looking back and figuring out exactly what went right, what went wrong, and where to improve. But what about conducting an autopsy of projects that you didn’t win? My guest today, Ali Faulkner of AEF Interiors, lost several bids in a row, and decided to make a big change; she reached out to those potential clients and asked for feedback afterward. Ali is sharing the exact questions she asked and how they changed everything for her business. Ah-Ha Moments “I realized I was chasing what everyone else wanted to chase rather than what I actually needed to be profitable and continue to build my business.” -Ali "You get a quote to do a roof. One guy is 20K, one guy is 30K and the other guy is 35. Like I'm sorry, who's even thinking about the 20K guy? You're just like, you're off the list, right? Because... you automatically distrust the 20." - LuAnn A Big THANK YOU to Today’s Podcast Sponsor: Revelwoods Other Shows Mentioned: AWDB #768 Jaipur Living: A New Collaboration with Kate Lester AWDB #790 Rick Campos: Design Biz Survival Guide- The Answer to All Your Business Questions #803 Power Talk Friday: Amber De La Garza: Productivity is Personal – How to Create Systems that Will Work for You! AWDB #856 Enrique Crespo: Describing His Type-A Personality Mindset AWDB #1059 Rachel Usher: Creating Community and Strength in the Interior Design Industry Other Resources: https://www.thebusinessofinteriors.co.uk/podcast https://designbizsurvivalguide.com/podcast-for-interior-designers/ https://designbizsurvivalguide.com/retreat-registration/ https://www.thebusinessofinteriors.co.uk/2025-community-summit 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

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? And do you want to get inspired all in one darn day? Well, then join me this September 30th, 2025 at ASID, New Jersey's Design Expo. It's happening at Bellworks in New Jersey. 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
0:36.9	top interior designers.
0:38.6	And guess what?
0:39.6	The Window Works team that I'm always talking about those rock stars, they'll be there too
0:43.6	because they're exhibiting.
0:45.2	So come meet me, meet the Window Works team, learn about ASID, and meet all of the other exhibitors.
0:51.6	Go to Luannigara.com forward slash insta and use the code green, all caps green, 2025 at checkout,
1:03.4	and you get 25% off as a podcast listener.
1:07.4	So that's Luannigara.com forward slash insta.
1:10.6	Use the code green 2025 for 25% off.
1:15.5	I will see you September 30th, 2025.
1:21.4	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
1:45.9	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
1:58.6	business. But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too,
2:02.6	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,
2:12.8	I am here to help you create and to manage the kind of interior design firm that you dream of.
	...

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