1148: In Good Company: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: A Framework for Understanding Luxury Interior Design Clients

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Business, Design, Arts

4.8 • 786 Ratings

🗓️ 12 December 2025

⏱️ 59 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today With Kate O’Hara: Have you ever had that experience where you’re working with a client on something and they just seem to resist what you’re saying…and you ask yourself, “Why won’t they just let me do what they’re paying me to do?” Maybe you have a difficult client. But more likely, the problem is that you don’t understand that particular client’s priorities or motivations. And that’s not a reflection on you, your client probably doesn’t understand this about themselves either. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a framework for tapping into what your client really wants and needs? That’s exactly what my guest today, Kate O’Hara, has created. Today, she breaks down three levels of clients, and more importantly, what matters most to these clients within six important criteria. More About Kate O’Hara Kate O’Hara grew up in the world of design. After a decade with the company, she stepped into the role of CEO + Creative Director, expanding the family design firm into new regions of the U.S. When she isn’t traveling between our Minnesota and Texas offices, you can find Kate speaking at conferences, working with our design team, and connecting with new clients and furniture lines. Connect with Kate O’Hara ⁠Website⁠ ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Pinterest⁠ ⁠Houzz⁠ ⁠LinkedIn⁠ 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

Transcript

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0:00.0	If you want to work with high-end clients, you need to be high-end yourself, right?
0:07.9	Guess what?
0:08.9	Top firms know this.
0:10.8	Studio McGee, Corey Damon Jenkins and associates, and other leading interior designers
0:15.6	don't just rely on mood boards and sketches.
0:18.7	They use top-tier renderings to bring their visions to life,
0:22.7	because when clients can see the full picture, they say yes faster, with fewer revisions
0:27.9	and more confidence. If you're still piecing together inspiration images from samples
0:32.7	hoping clients get it, it's time to level up your presentations. High quality renderings, elevate your
0:38.6	brand, streamline your workflow, and help you close better and bigger projects. Want to present
0:44.8	like the best in the industry? See why top designers trust Duke Renders. Go to Duke Renders.com
0:51.7	forward slash Luan to learn more. Welcome to a well-designed business. My name is Luann Niggaara and I'm so glad you found this podcast.
1:11.8	Together with my husband Vince and our partner Bill, we have grown our company Window Works
1:16.5	from the ground up. So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your
1:22.2	interior design business. I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success.
1:28.9	So on this podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business.
1:35.3	But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too, mixed in with those aha moments that I love so much.
1:42.4	This isn't fluff.
1:43.5	Nobody has time for that. Whether you are a new
1:46.3	interior designer or a season designer, I am here to help you create and to manage the kind of
1:52.3	interior design firm that you dream of. It's straight talk and it's action. Are you ready? Let's get
1:58.2	started.
	...

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