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A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design  Business Podcast

1157: In Good Company: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Marketing to the Three Tiers of Luxury Clients and How to Attract Each One

A Well-Designed Business® | Interior Design Business Podcast

LuAnn Nigara

Arts, Design, Business

4.9810 Ratings

🗓️ 13 January 2026

⏱️ 73 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Today With Kate O’Hara: Today on A Well Designed Business, Kate O'Hara from O'Hara Interiors reveals her framework for positioning your design business to attract the clients you actually want: entry-level clients need you to be discoverable, mid-tier clients need you to be distinct, and elite clients need you to be discreet. Kate explains the reality that many designers appear to work with one type of client but actually serve different clients 80-90% of the time. She breaks down how each tier has completely different expectations, from entry-level clients who need education and reassurance to elite clients who want designer-driven solutions and white-glove service. The conversation covers where each client tier actually finds designers, the messaging that resonates with each group, and how to align your brand positioning with your business goals. If you're struggling to attract your ideal clients or wondering whether your current approach matches your target market, this episode provides the framework to audit and adjust your strategy. LuAnn Nigara and Kate O'Hara's Ah-Ha Moments “At an entry level, you need to be discoverable. At a mid-tier, you need to be distinct, and at an elite tier, you need to be discreet.” - Kate O’Hara "It's really getting clear on who you want to attract so that your messaging does align." - LuAnn Nigara 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! Other Shows Mentioned: Episode 1148 In Good company CEO Conversations with Kate O”Hara A Framework for Understanding Luxury Clients Episode 958: Overheard: What I Wish I Knew Then: With Kate O’Hara, Erika Ward, Jennifer Stoner, and Alex Alonso Episode 1030: In Good Company: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: Insights and Strategies on Successful Scaling Episode 1042: In Good Company: CEO Conversations with Kate O’Hara: End-of-Year Business Strategies for Designers: Pipeline, Productivity, and Press Episode 649: Power Talk Friday: Brad Leavitt: Understanding Design-Build from the Builder’s Perspective Episode 615: Power Talk Friday: Brad Leavitt: Overcoming Resistance in the Design-Build Process Episode 878: Throwback Tuesday: Brad Leavitt: A Builder’s Perspective on the Design Build Process A BIG Thank You to Today's Sponsor: Kravet Inc. continues to expand with beautiful new showrooms designed to support the way you actually work. Recent openings include Birmingham, Charleston, Water Mill, New York, and Basking Ridge, New Jersey.  Each Kravet showroom features their innovative Workspace model, an interactive environment showcasing furniture, fabric, wallcovering, trim, and carpet samples, thoughtfully merchandised to mirror how designers source. By fabric type. By category. By color. By the way you think. And quick reminder, I’ll be giving a presentation at the Basking Ridge, New Jersey showroom on January 21st, 2026. If you’re local or can get there, I would love to see you in person. Mark your calendar and come say hello. Go to luannnigara.com/event to learn more and RSVP by January 16th

Transcript

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0:00.0

My DOMA Studio is your complete designer toolkit.

0:04.7

You know this, right?

0:05.9

My DOMA makes it easy to streamline your processes, track your projects, communicate with clients, and just get organized.

0:12.5

It is created by designers for designers, specifically to address what you need as a design business owner.

0:20.1

My DOMA is now together with Studio Designer,

0:22.5

and they are the industry leading solution. With 20,000 plus users, more designers choose their

0:30.0

platform than any other. Are you ready to reach the next level of profitability and efficiency?

0:36.9

Book a demo with My DOMoma Studio today by going to

0:40.4

mydoma studio.com forward slash Luan. That's mydomostudio.com forward slash Luan.

0:48.6

Thank you. Welcome to a well-designed business.

1:02.3

My name is Luann Nygaara, and I'm so glad you found this podcast.

1:06.1

Together with my husband, Vince, and our partner, Bill, we have grown our company Window Works from the

1:11.2

ground up. So I know and I understand the challenges you face in running your interior design

1:17.2

business. I also know that your talent alone isn't enough to ensure your success. So on this

1:23.9

podcast, we talk about strategies and practical steps to help you grow your business.

1:29.3

But make no mistake about it, we have our share of fun here too, mixed in with those aha

1:34.6

moments that I love so much.

1:36.8

This isn't fluff.

1:37.8

Nobody has time for that.

1:39.5

Whether you are a new interior designer or a season designer, I am here to help you create and to manage the kind

1:46.4

of interior design firm that you dream of. It's straight talk and it's action. Are you ready? Let's get

1:52.5

started. Hi, welcome to a well-designed business and it's Power Talk Friday. And today, we are continuing

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